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Diet tips and tricks

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
A study published last month found that xylitol, a low-calorie sweetener used in food, gum, and even toothpaste, may almost double your risk of heart attack and stroke. (1)


A different study found that erythritol, an artificial sweetener used in many keto reduced-sugar foods, may increase dangerous blood clotting. (2)

Thank you Jimi.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Here's another poison artificial sweetener that shouldn't be on the market for human consumption
CONSUMER ALERT: Splenda Releases Toxic Dioxin When Heated
A review on the synthetic sweetener sucralose (marketed as Splenda), published in the journal Toxicology and Environmental Health, overturns widely held misconceptions about the purported safety of this ubiquitous artificial sweetener.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Here's another poison artificial sweetener that shouldn't be on the market for human consumption
CONSUMER ALERT: Splenda Releases Toxic Dioxin When Heated
A review on the synthetic sweetener sucralose (marketed as Splenda), published in the journal Toxicology and Environmental Health, overturns widely held misconceptions about the purported safety of this ubiquitous artificial sweetener.

Thank you Jimi. The artificial sweeteners are important concerns in healthy eating.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Organic Consumers article: How bright morning light can influence weight loss efforts:

 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Image
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Image
Top 5 Reasons Never to Use Splenda
Splenda is marketed as a no-calorie, no-guilt sugar substitute. Blood sugar stable, it "passes right through" the body, so it's safe for diabetics AND you won't gain weight! Are these claims masking the ugly truth about this chemical imposter? As mounting research shows, when it comes to our diet, there is no free lunch.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
These are very helpful for between-meal peckishness. Flavorful, 10 calories per piece, so if you measure out 10-15 of them in a bowl, you have something to munch on for a while:

1721241242254.png1721241323077.png
 
I totally get where you're coming from with the diet and health focus. I’ve been down the smoking cessation path too, and vaping was a lifesaver for me. Tried quitting smoking multiple times with gum and cold turkey, but always ended up eating more and gaining weight. Vaping helped me curb those cravings without the extra calories, and I’ve been smoke-free for almost 10 years now.

One of my favorite low-cal finds is 45 calorie hot dogs. Hebrew National beef franks and Ball Park turkey dogs are both great. I cut them into thirds, roast them in the oven till they’re crispy, and serve them with mustard and relish at parties. They’re always a hit and super easy to make.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
One of my favorite low-cal finds is 45 calorie hot dogs. Hebrew National beef franks and Ball Park turkey dogs are both great. I cut them into thirds, roast them in the oven till they’re crispy, and serve them with mustard and relish at parties. They’re always a hit and super easy to make.

I'm right there with you on those 45 calorie dogs. There's nothing wrong with them either. You'd never know unless you read the label. They roast and blister nicely in the oven, and taste great. They're in my first post on this thread, and here are some appetizers I make with them now and then, cutting each dog into thirds and threading on a pick with pineapple:

Mixed Appetizers.jpg
 

SirKadly

Squonk 'em if you got 'em
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I thought this was interesting. Vinegar As a Depression Treatment? Vinegar has also been shown in the past to possibly assist in weight loss, lowering blood sugar levels, and lowering cholesterol levels. Of course drinking a spoonful or two of vinegar may not be appetizing but if you eat salads a basic vinaigrette is simple to make and can be modified in a variety of ways:

1 part vinegar
3 parts oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put it all in a small jar, close the lid tight, and shake to mix. I generally mix mine with a bit less oil than the 3:1 ratio, and sometimes add a bit of lemon juice, vary the seasonings, but it's all a matter of taste. 3:1 is generally used as the guide but I think closer to 2:1 works fine if you are worried about the amount of oil.

A couple notes. The best way to do a taste test is to dip your salad greens into it, tasting it on it's own might mislead you about the flavor. It will separate when stored, so if you make up a batch for the week be sure to shake it up again each time you use it. Generally I store it in the fridge, but if you use only vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, it should actually be OK to store on a counter or in a cabinet. Here are some ideas for additions, but it's mostly about finding a combination that you like the taste of so play with it and see what works for you.
Dijon mustard
Miso
Fresh herbs
Minced garlic
Minced shallots
Honey
Maple syrup

Anyway, if you are going to try to consume vinegar for the health benefits, may as well make it tasty.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I posted this on the cooking thread earlier this evening, but once I got thinking about the calorie content of this splendid, satisfying, filling hot dish, I decided to move it here.

My supper tonite, half an organic spaghetti squash. The other half goes in the fridge for tomorrow:

Spaghetti squash 26Aug24.jpg

It looks like pizza because I mixed up the squash shreds so thoroughly with garlic & herb cream cheese, extra crushed garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Baby tomatoes on top.

I find it easier to stab the whole squash in a couple of places and bake it uncut for 25-30 minutes, so I can cut it open without severing my arm or sending the whole squash across the room. Every time I make it I say "never again". You need a hatchet to open it up if you don't bake it first, and if you do bake it first, it's hot as molten lava to handle, but you want it hot, to melt the garlic-herb spread you're scratching into it. You have to get out all the seeds. Not worth it. Or is it... I made a piece of garlic toast to go with it. Can justify garlic bread if your spaghetti isn't made of wheat.

So the calories:

Half a spaghetti squash, less than 100 calories from what I can read in multiple online sources.

The Laughing Cow garlic herb spread, 35 calories per wedge (and they make an almond milk based vegan version of the garlic herb spread, same 35 cal. per wedge. I used 3 wedges per squash half = 105 cal. the serving.

The little grape tomatoes on top, don't count those calories

Crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, negligible calories.

Total calories: 205

Wow. I ate 2.5 hours ago and I'm still feeling stuffed.

Possible add-ons: pepperoni, 7 slices = 70 calories, and there are vegan pepperoni and sausage products available too.

Marinara mixed in to make the garlic-herb cream cheese into a rose sauce.

Olives: 5 to 7 calories per olive, depending on size. If you love them, add them on top.
 
I know it's been a while, but I’ve found that keeping it simple with natural food makes all the difference regarding diet tips and tricks. It’s not just about losing weight but feeling good overall. I try to stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible—fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains. Cooking at home also helps; you know exactly what’s happening in your meals. I also find that planning meals ahead of time keeps me on track, and I always make sure to stay hydrated. It’s easy to reach for snacks when you’re just thirsty. And don’t forget to treat yourself occasionally—it’s all about balance, not deprivation.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I find it hard to believe claims like cooking in aluminum can hurt you, especially considering the number of baked potatoes and fish ive cooked in tinfoil, copper tho, for sure, for the same reason u cant use it for a pipe, but i guess thats why scientists exist

i feel like i need to worry about steel too, steel has nickel in it, which it stated as toxic, and molybdenum, which is another metal that can be toxic in high amounts. Vaping off it cant be 'ideal' even if it is considered safe.

As far as the new stuff goes, it doesnt surprise me that any chemically treated metal gives off something toxic, thats how they get things to defy nature like melted candy not sticking to it, like in the commercials.

Just another excuse to barbeque or microwave everything...yay, single life, lol
Sorry you feel that way, aluminum is considered a heavy metal and toxic to the endocrine system in your body, yes I have researched it and it has been proven.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Sorry you feel that way, aluminum is considered a heavy metal and toxic to the endocrine system in your body, yes I have researched it and it has been proven.

Jimi, he's going to say "is that why you're replying to me on a post from two years ago"?

But good, maybe that will call him back to VU. Don't know whatever happened to Frogger.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
It's that time of year when I'm looking at expiration dates on my prepper food stores, and eating up 2024. It isn't always enjoyable. Sauerkraut and dried beef sausage, not so fun, but a dish I love and look forward to is an easy ravioli soup I make.

I use one can organic cheese ravioli, 310 calories. I'm just using stock photos of the canned goods because it's easier. Annie's makes an organic ravioli too, but hers is 360 calories for the same size/weight can. I use the HEB.

Organic Ravioli HEB.JPG

I just heat it in a pan with a can of these lovely cherry tomatoes, negligible calories, but they make it a more plentiful serving, a big bowl.

Canned cherry tomatoes.JPG

Heat it all together with some salt and red pepper flakes. Here is my breakfast-lunch today, which I snapped before shaking some grated Italian cheese on top, which adds another 35-50 calories:

Ravioli soup.jpg

It's very filling.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I know it's been a while, but I’ve found that keeping it simple with natural food makes all the difference regarding diet tips and tricks. It’s not just about losing weight but feeling good overall. I try to stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible—fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains. Cooking at home also helps; you know exactly what’s happening in your meals. I also find that planning meals ahead of time keeps me on track, and I always make sure to stay hydrated. It’s easy to reach for snacks when you’re just thirsty. And don’t forget to treat yourself occasionally—it’s all about balance, not deprivation.

That makes every kind of good sense. The "tips and tricks" angle, for me, is about devising treats that will help avoid temptation and failure, finding the good stuff you didn't know was low calorie, and feels rich and indulgent.

Anything can look good on paper. I was listening to a ridiculous podcast about the carnivore diet. The host said "I put on a flannel shirt for this interview, for the feeling of manliness in having a diet of red meat".
🙄🙄🙄

I tried that carnivore thing a couple of times in high school and college, the days of my diet-binge-diet cycles. Carnivore does result in rapid weight loss, but I wanted a two-way podcast so I could say that when you're eating carnivore, you dream of that tasty rainbow of plant foods, the watermelon, baby bok choy, tomatoes, cantaloupe, all of the delicious stuff. You can do a restaurant buffet on the carnivore diet, but you have to just look away from the desserts in flaky crusts, and even worse, you have to stay away from the salad bar.

So in the end, you're totally right, though it seems more men than women can make a permanent lifestyle of the carni diet.
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Pretty as a picture.

These little mini mantecada cakes are 135 calories apiece. They're small but not tiny. I'm showing this on a luncheon size plate, not a full size dinner plate:

Mantecada plain.jpg

The beautiful raspberries and blackberries are of negligible caloric value, but you can count them if you want. The fat free whipped topping is 10 calories per tablespoon. A light dusting of powdered sugar would add about the same 10 cal., but I skipped that. Here is a beautiful dessert that looks and tastes rich and fattening, but is very light:

Mantecada w berries.jpg
 

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