What to Eat
Jun 3rd, 2007 by lisa
This morning I finished reading Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck. I could have written this book, and I wish I had. I’ve been trying to make folks aware of the information that’s contained in this book for years. The Real Foods the author praises in this book, and that she was raised on, are very like the foods I was raised on.
As an adult she bought into the vegetarian/vegan craze just as I did as an adult. She had the same resulting health problems. She discovered the answer is getting back to Real Foods and eating sensibly. I have been trying to get back into the habit of old fashioned healthy eating, and this book has been very encouraging.
From Booklist…
A successful manager of urban green markets, Planck presents a contrarian view of what constitutes sound nutrition. She urges readers to think back to the kinds of diets that their grandmothers ate, regimens full of foods fresh from farms and from individual purveyors: meats, dairy, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
The list below is taken from her book and neatly describes her recommendations for a healthy diet.
The Omnivore’s Feast - What’s for Dinner?
- Eat generous amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables daily
- Eat wild fish and seafood often
- Eat meat, game, poultry, and eggs from wild, pastured, and grass-fed animals often
- Eat only traditional fats, including butter, lard, poultry fat, coconut oil, and olive oil
- Eat whole grains and legumes
- Eat cultured and fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and sourdough bread
- Eat unrefined sweeteners such as raw honey, evaporated cane juice, and pure maple syrup in moderation
I know this goes against the mainstream thinking these days. But you really need to read her book to understand the reasons why. She explains it in great detail and supports her ideas with studies and rational thinking. I learned some things that surprised me, but overall her food recommendations are close to what I have believed for a long time.
The book contains no recipes, but she includes a list of further reading and resources of the whole, natural foods she recommends. (Also available on her website). I will be looking into finding grass-fed beef and pasture raised chickens in our area. Raw milk is something I was raised on, and I miss it. I hope it’s not too difficult to find. Yesterday we went to Lull Farm and I bought some locally produced eggs and whole milk. The milk isn’t raw, but it tastes better than what we’ve been getting from the grocery store. I forgot just how good milk can be.
Nina Planck’s website has more information and some selected recipes. I highly recommend her book. Even if you disagree with what she’s written, it’s worth a read. You never know. It is available at your local library (or through inter-library loan as in my case), so what have you got to lose? It’s worth looking into.
