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Nutritionism is a common flaw in conventional dietary wisdom; it assumes that vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are single entities. This is a dangerous point of view. All elements of our food are fundamentally linked to each other in their natural environment, and require our bodies and each other to work together in order to function properly. One cannot isolate a single element of a food, such as cholesterol, vitamin C, or protein, and expect it to work as nature intended outside of its natural elements. The human diet has evolved as a system with many complex parts. When you take a single nutrient out of context, it loses its value to the system.

Cholesterol and saturated fats have been the greatest victims of nutritionism. By placing the blame for a vast array of health issues on these natural elements of Real Food, we've allowed sugar, chemicals, and trans-fats to sweep in and try to fill the caloric and physiological void that we've created. We try to use super-foods with buzz-words such as cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-oxidants to fill in the blanks of this vitamin and that mineral instead of focusing on feeding the system as a whole.Why try to piece together our own new puzzle when real, natural food and our traditional diets were serving us so well for so many centuries before.

Meat came with fat for good reasons - lots of vitamins, makes you feel full, turns on beneficial hormones for mood and cellular function, and improves digestion. If you insist on taking it away (egg yolks, chicken skin), add it back with some real butter. If you're going to pick and choose which nutrients you want and don't want, be prepared for a lot of guesswork, and side-effects on your health. Before you start cutting out natural elements like fruit or cholesterol, look at what pseudo-foods you're still eating. 

Beware of the modern phenomenon of recently-invented "health foods": breakfast cereal, turkey "bacon", soy "milk", spreadable light "butter", veggie "burgers"..... If someone has to make it, package it and convince you that it's a "health food", I'd think twice.  

 When you worry too much about this mineral and that superfood, you lose the pleasure of eating, and if you're eating whole, natural foods then you should have nothing to worry about.  When you enjoy your food, real food, you lose the cravings and the crutches, the void that fake food creates and tries in vain to fill. So put butter on your steamed vegetables, fry a whole egg in bacon fat, have a steak. Eat a real meal and feel satisfied!

Still struggling with breakfast? Strength and nutrition coach Charles Poliquin recommends a different type of meat and nuts for breakfast each day. He suggests that this will reduce development of food sensitivities caused by eating the same thing every day, common to bodybuilders and strict dieters. It also ensures that you start your day off with long-lasting energy from protein and good fat, and stable blood sugar.

Here's his sample 5-day plan: 

Tea, coffee or herbal infusions are permissible, milk and juice or other liquids are not allowed.

Day 1
• 1-2 Buffalo meat patties
• 1 handful of macadamia nuts

Day 2
• 1 large venison steak
• 1 handful of cashew nuts

Day 3
• 1-2  Lean turkey burgers • 1 handful of almonds

Day 4
• 2  lean ground beef patties • 1 handful of brazil nuts

Day 5
• 2  chicken breasts • 1 handful of hazelnuts

 

What's your favourite meat and nut combo?

Ever wondered what to do with those delicious bacon pan drippings? If you use good quality bacon (i.e. from a butcher, European deli, or organic farm) save the fat for bacon mayonnaise!

 

 

1 egg yolk
3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup liquid bacon fat

Combine the egg yolk, mustard, and lemon juice  in a food processor or blender. Season with salt and pepper, mix well. Have the bacon fat liquid, but not hot. With the machine running,  gradually add the bacon fat until the mixture starts to stiffen and emulsify, about 2 minutes.  One it starts to emulsify, you can add the fat more quickly. If the mayonnaise is too thick, just blend in 1 tsp boiling water to thin it.
Taste and adjust seasonings.

 

Ideas:
As a salad dressing: Mash in a chunk of blue cheese to dress chicken for a spinach salad!
As a tuna or egg salad base: Add fresh veggies or salsa.
As a sauce: fresh, steamed, or grilled veggies; chicken or fish.
Anyplace you would use mayo!

 

This recipe is from Jennifer McLagan's Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient. Her book pays delicious homage to traditional food preparation using quality animal fats, with stories and notes on the cultural traditions and science behind their use. Her passion for Real Food is palpable in every recipe, from the modern and convenient (Butter-Poached Scallops) to the old-fashioned classics (Steak and Kidney Pie).

 

 

 

 

Whether it's 20 minutes or overnight, a simple marinade can transform any cut of meat into a juicy, flavourful masterpiece! Because marinades tenderize the meats, they improve digestibility and the nutrients will be more readily absorbed. They make eating healthy meats more fun, giving a variety of flavoursfor any type of dish.

To make a marinade, you'll need an oil + an acid  + seasonings, including sea salt and pepper.

Oil in a marinade holds in moisture while cooking, and helps prevent sticking and burning. Olive oil is the best choice, as it is a natural oil and very light, so it will penetrate the meat easily with no added flavour. 

The acid helps break down proteins, making the meat more tender and easier to digest. They also protect against potential carcinogens formed from over-cooking. Acids could include vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt, even wine or beer.

Herbs and spices add micro-nutrients and anti-oxidants,  as well as fun and flavour! Don't neglect a variety of seasonings, they have been an important part of traditional diets for centuries. Remember to use good quality sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

You'll want 2x the oil to acid, so the meat is well coated, and enough seasoning to make a difference! Play around with these different combinations:

Lemon Garlic (Chicken, Pork)
- Olive oil
- Lemon Juice
- Fresh garlic, minced
- Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme)

 Spicy Asian (Beef - stir-fry, flank steak)
- Toasted sesame oil
- Soy sauce or tamari - Red chili flakes
- Fresh garlic, minced
- Green onion or scallion, chopped finely

Greek (Chicken, Pork)
- Yogurt
- oregano, thyme, basil
- fresh garlic, minced

Steak (Beef) - Olive oil
- Beer (dark, like Rickards Red or Guinness)
- Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce/tamari
- dry mustard
- cayenne
- chili powder

Burgers (Ground Beef)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Worcestershire sauce
- dry mustard
- cayenne pepper
- fresh garlic, minced

 

What is your favourite marinade? Post to comments!

Learn more about marinades at the ElementWorks: License to Grill session:
Tuesday July 27th, 2010 6 - 8pm 

 

Calorie counts are everywhere - food packaging, advertising, treadmills, and on many restaurant menus, too. However, calorie counts are meaningless without considering calorie quality. Protein, carbohydrate, and fat all have different and vital functions in your body. Are you getting enough of each? 

It's easy to lose track of what you're eating,  and many people simply aren't eating enough. Chronic munching on low-calorie (and nutrient-poor) snacks, or making up for caloric deficit with random bouts of junk food will leave your body starved for Real Food. If don't eat enough, your body will do whatever it takes to preserve energy by slowing down brain and immune functions, as well as muscle repair and recovery. All that hard work you put into training your back squat will be lost! Your body will also want to store fat to preserve energy if it doesn't know when the next nutritious meal will come. Train your body to get used to 3 meals and 2 snacks each day.

Programs such as FitDay and The Daily Plate are great resources to help you make sure you're getting enough of the good stuff. When you first create your free account, you can use their online calculators to determine your lean body mass and body fat percentage. Use your lean body mass to make sure you're eating enough protein. If you're training hard, you'll need 0.7 - 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.

Plug in your food for the week. You might be surprised by what you find!

Post questions and experiences to comments for more support.