January 2020 – Patricia McLellan's Blog

2020-01-29

To eat or not eat meat

After watching a program from Norwegian television (NRK) called Line fikser maten (Line makes food), I am even more convinced that cutting out meat and fish from our diet is good for both my body and the planet.

I first became aware of the problems caused by the consumption of meat when reading, Diet for a Small Planet, back in the 1970s. The author, Frances Moore Lappé, was concerned that eating meat was not sustainable on our planet and she showed how one could use plant products to supply the protein we humans need to consume. She showed how to combine foods to create good nutrition and give enough protein on a daily basis. She also provided lots of recipes so that one could get started with creating a new healthier diet.

Published by Friends of the Earth and Ballantine Books, New York, 1971. My copy is from the 12th printing in 1974.

Already at that time, I went over to a diet that used proteins from plant products and reduced my intake of meat, fish and poultry. It has since been shown that one doesn’t need to complement foods in the way that Lappé suggested to get adequate protein, though one should still think carefully about which types of foods should be eaten during the day.

In 1980, my husband and I moved to Norway and had very little money to live on. We lived on the coast, so fresh fish was affordable, but meat was not. We rarely ate meat, except for the occasional ground beef. Poultry was also not nearly so common back then and not particularly cheap, at least for our income level. A wide variety of legumes was not available either, so we lived on quite a restricted diet. I never felt that we had poor nutrition though I do remember trying to buy everything on sale, especially canned goods.

Once we started working in Norway, and our income improved we also started eating more meat and poultry. The cost of meat became relatively cheaper and certainly poultry became cheaper and easier to get hold of. Over the last forty years, the availability of a variety of food has improved and imported food has became much more common.

Now we eat a wide variety of legumes, most of which are imported from Asian countries. Though I do prefer to buy vegetables that are grown locally, not everything is in season year round. As an example I was able to buy the first locally produced tomatoes today and they haven’t been available for several months. Much of our fresh produce comes from Spain, Israel or South Africa.

We live in an agricultural area, surrounded by farms. We have an egg farm as one of our nearest neighbors and we walk up there to buy farm fresh eggs. Some of the farms nearby are meat producers, either beef or pork. Potatoes, carrots and other vegetables may come from neighboring communities. But bananas, oranges and grapefruit are still not grown in Norway. However with climate change and the increasing use of greenhouses to produce plants, there may come a change in what is locally grown in the future.

2020-01-27

Crispbread

Norwegians use a lot of crispbread, many made by the Swedish company, Barilla, with the brand name, Wasa. Because processed foods often contain many ingredients to make the products have a long shelf-life, I prefer to make my own. Of course, the finished crispbread turns out very different, but I think it is a healthier product. As the life of the finished crispbread is short, maximum a couple of weeks, I do not need a lot of additives. Here is the recipe that I used today, though I can vary what goes into it.

5 dl rye flour, 4 dl coarse flour and 1 dl fine flour
4 dl rolled oats
1 dl chopped almonds
1 dl linseeds
1 dl sesame seeds
2 dl sunflower seeds
2 dl pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp salt
7.5 dl water

Mix all the dry ingredients first in a very large bowl. Add the water and continue to mix. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so that the flour and rolled oats soak up the water. This is what holds all the seeds together.

I use baking paper on two cookie sheets and spread the mixture as evenly as possible. Use a bit of time to spread it out smoothly and right to the edges. Before putting it in the oven use a knife to cut through the top surface where you eventually want to break the crispbread into smaller pieces.

Today’s crispbread before it goes into the oven.

Bake the crispbread, both sheets at the same time, using a hot air oven at 160 degrees C. It will take over an hour, perhaps an hour and a quarter. Every 15 minutes, I change which sheet is on top. Opening the oven door will also let the steam out. This is important as you are trying to dry out the mixture. It’s not like a cake that has to bake. You will know that it is finished as it will start to arch and become very crisp. It should also turn a slightly darker color. Do not bake too long, or you will burn it.

When you take it out of the oven, remove it from the cookie sheet and break along the knife lines. Pile on a rack and let cool completely. The crispbread is best stored in an open container as it is meant to be dried out.

Enjoy your treat. Try it with sliced cheese or humus. Or it can be enjoyed just as it is.

2020-01-27

Nutrition – Fats

Fats are one of the three main sources of calories for our bodies. Fats are sources of essential fatty acids that the body cannot produce itself, but needs supplied through our food. Fat helps the body absorb Vitamins A, D and E. Fats are also used in cooking as it adds flavor to our prepared dishes.

You get 9 calories (37 kj) from each gram of fat, twice the amount of energy available from either proteins or carbohydrates. When you take in more calories than you use in a day, the excess is stored as fat in the body.

There are three major types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Most of the fats we consume are a combination of both saturated and unsaturated fats. We should cut down on the saturated fats and rely more on unsaturated fats.

Saturated fat

Most saturated fats come from animal sources, such as meat and dairy products. However palm oil and coconut oil are also high in saturated fats. To lower your intake of saturated fat, you need to reduce your amount of meat, cheese and many processed foods, such as cookies, cakes and pastries.

Monounsaturated fat

Monounsaturated fats are healthier for our hearts and help lower the bad LDL cholesterol levels in our bodies and maintain a healthy level of the good HDL cholesterol. Sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, almonds and peanuts.

Polyunsaturated fats

There are two main types of polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 and omega-6. Some of these cannot be made in our bodies and therefore have to be supplied by our food intake.

We get omega-6 fat from vegetable oils such as rapeseed, corn and sunflower oils. Most people will naturally get sufficient of this type of fat.

We get omega-3 fat from oily fish, such as sardines, salmon and mackerel.

Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/different-fats-nutrition/

2020-01-26

Virtue of the Week – Contentment

For me, contentment is being happy with how I am and what I have already achieved. Being aware of this contentment is important for good mental health. This does not mean that one should not strive to improve either oneself or one’s living conditions.

My husband and I have created a good life for ourselves. We worked as teachers for many years in Norway, in a profession that I have always felt was useful for the society we live in. We raised two children that have become beautiful adults, who are also concerned about the welfare of people around them. We own a house and a car. We live a moderate life in our retirement, not needing a lot of new things around us, although we enjoy improving our house.

I am content with what I have accomplished in my 70 years on this planet but it is good to remember what one has achieved and be thankful that one has had a good life, with reasonably good health. I will continue to try new things and enjoy life.

“Contentment is an awareness of sufficiency, a sense that we have enough and we are enough. It is appreciating the simple gifts of life – friendship, books, a good laugh, a moment of beauty, a cool drink on a hot day. Being contented we are free from the pull of greed and longing. We trust that life provides what we need when we need it. Contentment allows us to experience satisfaction with what is. We are fully present in this moment. Being contented does not obstruct our dreams or thwart our purpose. It is a place to stand and view the future with a peaceful heart and gratitude for all that is and all that is to come.”

When I practice Contentment, I

allow myself to be satisfied and grateful
trust that I am enough
enjoy where I am and what I have
resist the craving for more
am fully alive to the present moment
relax in the trust that life is good.

2020-01-24

Nutrition – Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates in our diet provide the energy we need to fuel our body. We get them primarily from grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates include starches, sugars and fibers. This is one of the essential ingredients in our food and should supply about half of our calorie intake daily. (The rest comes from proteins and fats.)

The word “carbohydrate” means that on a molecular level they are made from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates are divided between simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. This is based on chemical structure and how quickly the energy is absorbed.

Simple carbohydrates have only one or two sugars and are quickly digested and absorbed. They can lead to spikes in blood sugar and are not particularly good for you. Examples are table sugar, corn syrup and fruit juice.

Complex carbohydrates have three or more sugars and take longer to digest. They provide a more sustained energy source and are better for you. Examples are potatoes, lentils, beans and whole-grain breads.

Though you get calories from proteins and fats as well as carbohydrates, you want your body to use proteins to build new muscles, while it uses carbohydrates as the fuel for muscle activity, including brain activity.

Fiber is another part of carbohydrates and is essential to digestion. Fiber is found primarily in fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. A healthy amount of fiber in your diet helps reduce heart disease and diabetes. It is recommended that a person consume 14 gr of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed.

Processed foods, such as cereals, pastries, candies, white rice and white bread are poor sources of carbohydrates as you get very little other nutrition for the calories that you consume. Good carbohydrate foods will give you fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as calories.

Here are some good, healthy sources of carbohydrates (and energy):

whole grains
fruits such as apples, berries and bananas
vegetables such as potatoes, broccoli and carrots
beans and legumes
seeds and nuts

(My main source of information was from: https://www.livescience.com/51976-carbohydrates.html although there are many websites that will give you more information than in this article.)

2020-01-21

Nutrition – Proteins

When we want to eat healthily, we have to get the correct combination of food types. There are three main types of food: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This article is about proteins.

We need to eat protein as part of our diet on a daily basis. It is one of the building blocks of the cells of our body. Our body uses the proteins in the food we eat to build muscle and to provide energy for our use. Protein has the same number of calories per gram of food as carbohydrates, 4 kcal per gram (17 kJ).

A lot of research has been done so that it is now known about how proteins work in the body, how they are converted, etc. The chemistry of this is beyond the scope of this article and I suggest anybody that is interested in learning more about that to look it up on Wikipedia.

There are nine essential amino acids which humans must obtain from their diet. Animal proteins will usually include all nine and are thus considered “complete” protein. Plant proteins may be missing one or two of these proteins so that foods have to be combined to make sure one gets all the amino acids every day.

My interest in proteins has to do with getting sufficient in my diet. Most people will think of meat, fish and eggs as the normal sources of protein, but there are many plant sources as well, such as lentils, chick peas, black-eyed beans, almonds and sunflower seeds. Understanding the sources of protein in the foods we eat will help us plan a better diet, at perhaps a lower cost.

Where I live in Norway, meat and fish, as well as the processed products made from them are expensive. My husband and I have now reduced our consumption of meat and fish to about once each a week, and on the other five days of the week rely on other good sources of protein.

How much protein you need in a day depends on your height, gender, age, muscle mass and lifestyle (such as sedentary or active). According to healthline.com the average male needs about 56-91 grams of protein and the average female needs about 46-75 grams of protein per day.

Let’s look at the protein content of various types of food. The numbers given below are grams of protein in 100 grams of food. My source is The British Nutrition Foundation (https://www.nutrition.org.uk) or the packaging of the items I have in the house. Remember that many packaged foods will give you the amount of protein per 100 gr on the label.

Animal foods:

Beef – 31 gr
Pork – 31 gr
Chicken – 32 gr
Salmon – 24.2 gr
Tuna – 23.5 gr
Cod – 20.8 gr
Eggs – 12.5 gr
Whole milk – 3.3 gr
Cheddar cheese – 25.4 gr
Cottage cheese – 12.6 gr

Plant foods:

Red lentils – 23.8 gr
Chickpeas/garbanzo beans – 8.4 gr
Kidney beans – 6.9 gr
Black-eyed beans – 23.1 gr
Alubia beans – 22.5 gr
Peanut butter – 26 gr
Sunflower seeds – 23 gr
Pumpkin seeds – 25 gr
Sesame seeds – 18 gr
Almonds – 21 gr
Pecans – 9.2 gr
Hazelnuts – 15 gr
Walnuts – 15 gr

Remember that not all servings are of equal size. I hope you would never have 100 gr of peanut butter at one sitting, though 100 gr of meat is common. As you can see, many plant foods give a reasonable amount of protein.

2020-01-20

Virtue of the Week – Strength

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” Helen Keller

We all use strength when we carry on in spite of our difficulties. Some difficulties are hard to overcome, others actually just need determination and perseverance to get to where one wants to be. I find that many of the virtues work together in our daily lives and it can be difficult to distinguish which one is the most important in any situation.

Let me give a personal example. Several years ago I decided that I wanted to go down in weight, not a lot, but perhaps three kilograms would be better for my health. To help me persevere with my decision, I decided to weigh myself every morning, before breakfast, and write it down. Keeping a daily record helps with perseverance with this particular goal.

Along the way, I found that I was unable to actually go down much in weight and keep it off, so I changed my goal. After all, when I thought about the situation, what was most critical was to not go up in weight. Changing my goal gave me the strength to continue with my project. If I ever get back up to my highest weight, I then have the strength and determination to restrict what I eat that day.

This week I want to practice strength, patience, perseverance and determination to reduce my weight in the next month by half a kilogram. These four virtues work hand in hand and cannot be separated in this project. I need the patience with myself if things don’t go right. I need determination to have a goal and work towards it over several weeks. I need strength to resist temptation and to plan meals and activities that will help me attain my goal. I need perseverance to keep going even if things aren’t going as easily as I had hoped.

“Strength is the inner power to withstand whatever comes. It is our capacity to endure in the midst of tests. We grow in strength as we tackle life’s challenges with courage and determination. We deepen in strength when we choose gentleness and practice patience. We stay strong when we recognize that suffering is a thread woven through the design of our lives, not to make us unhappy, but to transform us with grace.”

To practice Strength, I

have the power to endure my tests
willingly face the challenges of my life
have the courage to persevere
cultivate gentleness and patience
understand the purpose of suffering
trust the value of transformation.

2020-01-192020-01-21

Black-eyed beans

In North America these are also called cowpeas or black-eyed peas but they are actually beans.

Here are some of the health benefits of black-eyed beans:

23.5 grams of protein per 100 grams of dry seed
a good source of dietary fiber (8 gr)
353 kcal (1478 kj)
gluten-free
58.2 gr of carbohydrates but only 1.4 grams of sugar
excellent source of B-vitamins and folates
source of minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc
low in cholesterol
good source of potassium

I use one deciliter of dry beans for two people. This weighs about 90 grams so will give about 160 kcal for each person.

I soaked the beans overnight in water and then cooked them for about 30 minutes. They were soft enough to eat, but still a bit crunchy in a salad.

Black-eyed beans are also excellent in soups, but if overcooked they become pureed. You can use them in stews, or mash them and use them in patties.

Some additional information about the health benefits of black-eyes beans (cowpeas) can be found at https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cowpeas.html

2020-01-18

What’s for Dinner? Nutritional Balance

When planning a meal, it is important to get a balance of the three major food types – protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Protein usually comes from meat or fish, but can also be from milk products including cheese, eggs and legumes (such as lentils and chick peas).

Carbohydrates are typically potatoes, pasta or rice, but can also be bread or other wheat products such as couscous.

Fats are often a part of the ingredients, as meat will often have fat with it, or it can be the cooking oil that is used in preparing the meal. Some fat will give more flavor to the meal, but too much will increase the amount of calories. Fats can be from animals or from plants.

In addition to these three main food types, it is necessary to eat food with a lot of fiber, such as raw vegetables and fruit. We also need a variety of minerals and vitamins from our food.

In future posts I will be looking at various ingredients that are typically used in dinner meals and looking at how they contribute to good nutrition. I will be looking at how we can vary our diet by increasing the variety of ingredients that are nutritious and tasty.

2020-01-17

Book Review: Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, was published by Scribner in 2017.

I read this book in September 2019 and really enjoyed the book. It helped me understand the importance of getting enough sleep and the problems caused by lack of sufficient sleep.

For many years I have had problems getting enough sleep and reading this book enabled me to understand how important it is to get at least seven hours of sleep every night. Sleep is important for learning and for creativity. When we get too little sleep, we can have problems coping with our daily life and can make bad decisions.

Our brain is active when we sleep and busy getting things done, such as getting rid of the garbage and connecting up the things we have learned during the day. This book tells about some of the latest research about how our brains work.

In addition, our body goes through several stages of sleep, all of which are important for us to have every single night. If you read the book, you can get a better understanding of these different stages of sleep.

The quality of our sleep changes as we get older and it is quite common for older people to sleep fewer hours at a time and to be awake more during the night. Though the author did have a chapter on older people, I found that I wanted more information about how to get better sleep now that I am over 70 years of age. Perhaps there is a need for research to be done in this field.

The author is very concerned that that sleep deprivation is currently a common health problem that is not being treated and that many people in the western world feel that it is okay to get by with only four hours of sleep at night. When the brain does not get enough hours of sleep at night, it will deteriorate and this can be a contributing factor to dementia when we get older.

As a teacher, I used to tell my students that getting a good night’s sleep was the best preparation for a test or exam. The research presented in this book backs up my advice. Yes, a person needs to study before a test or exam, but then the brain needs a full night’s sleep to put everything into place so that it can be recalled during the test or exam.

The well-used phrase, “sleep on it”, is actually very good advice. When we sleep the brain will be working on the problem for us, making links to previous information that is already stored, and perhaps coming up with creative solutions during the night.

I recommend reading this book, no matter your age. It is easy to read, not too technical and has good stories to illustrate the author’s point of view.

Happy reading!