Revamp and Other Cultures' Diets

So much for keeping record of my wine drinking.

This is a blog I definitely do not want to discontinue, but I am not as ambitious in recording my beverages as I originally thought I was. However, I am finding that I am passionate and interested in food (wine included), and so I've decided to use this blog to preserve my thoughts and insights about all things food - and that includes the great grape.

Ready?

Here's my latest mental meanderings:

My parents are coming to my house for Christmas Day dinner, and this year, my mom wanted to really do something different. I suggested doing a Mediterranean meal, and she was all for it. As I researched, I found (and it's really not new news to me) that Mediterraneans eat much differently than we do.

For example, this is our food pyramid, courtesy of the USDA:

At first glance, it seems to tell you so much...but then you realize it's telling you so little.

1. What does it mean to "go easy" on juices?
2. Choose foods low in "added sugar"? Like what?
3. 5.5 oz. of meat daily? How much is that?
4. Oil is the tiniest sliver of the pyramid.
5. What's up with new design anyway?

As a contrast, take a look at the Mediterranean diet food pyramid, courtesy of www.oldwayspt.org:

A couple of points of interest here:

1. No confusing oz. portions.
2. Red meat ONCE a MONTH!? (Sweets can be eaten more often than that!)
3. Olive oil - daily?!
4. The Western idea that meat should be the basis of every meal - not so in the Meditteranean.
5. No harping about serving sizes, cups, ounces, etc. The implied advice is MODERATION.

Mediterraneans generally have less chronic diseases, heart issues, and live a little longer. Whether that is attributable wholly to the food is unclear. All I know is this: I am dissatisfied with the Western diet...we depend too much on meat and processed foods.

Maybe in this case, it's best to do as the Romans do?

Comments

(She) Blinded Me With...Citrus

Excuse my attempt at tying today's blog entry with an iconic Thomas Dolby song. What a terrible pun-ishment. Har har har. So, we're on the backside of Winter Vacation/Christmas Break/Holiday Hiatus here. The kids return to school tomorrow, the freshman and I start back to our respective colleges next Monday. The clock is ticking and suddenly, I am whipped into frenzy to Get Work Done. I suspect this phenomenon happens to many, many educators who try to avoid that panic-stricken night before they go back to work. And believe me when I say, I had the deepest, most earnest of intentions to write lesson plans, write quizzes, and generally prepare for the restart of my classes next week. Like, really. And then...I was distracted by...citrus. This happened. Okay, so....the lemons on the far right are no big deal. They're available year-round. But Meyer lemons...MEYER...I only find around here in the winter. I first read about them i...

In Which I Suspect I Have Latent Tendencies...Much Like The Hulk, Or Similar

I find in most normally functioning families, the members have a distinguishing role or legacy or skill of some kind. Like, he's the smart one. Or, he's the religious one. Or...she's the glue that helps the fam together. Or, she's the savvy one, so she's the Power of Attorney. In my family, that system went something like this: My dad was The Dad. Cantankerous, crotchety, and especially tight with daughters' curfew times. Also, not a fan of driving in Big Cities. My mom was the long-suffering, patient, reserved one. My brother was the baby, the one who got away with murder, the namesake, and also, Frosty Hoarder. Me? My legacy? The Ruiner of Remote Controls. No lie. Although I've repressed the memories, my parents claim I destroyed at least two remotes in my tenure as Child Under The Roof. Remote #1: milk spillage; Remote #2: applesauce spillage. So, now you see why my younger brother was the favorite. Anyway, t...

New Year's Solutions

I've never been a fan of resolutions at this time of year. Usually, a resolution is what a person makes to "solve" an old recurring problem ( this year, I really am going to quit smoking, eat better, or stop reading Nicholas Sparks novels, etc. ). And usually, a resolution is vague. As in, I'm going to get healthy! But, I have no real plan of action of how to do it!! Despite my cynicism about making NY Resolutions, I do feel the need every end-of-year to come to make some kind of decisions about the year ahead - plans, goals, visions, etc. 2013 has been the year of indecision and immobility. For me, anyway. 2014 will very likely be the year of movement...it's been looming on the horizon now for some time. I'm not much of a planner...I never really have been. I've just sort of let things fall into my lap...and well, things have worked out okay for me, most of the time. Professionally speaking, that is. But now, I've been having ...

To Thine Own Self, Be Food

Search This Blog