BBC The truth about healthy eating

Why exactly is a mediterranean diet better? I get the fruit,veg, garlic and olive oil thing, completely - but in the med they drink lots of wine, eat lots of processed meats (hams, chorizo and so on) and eat white breads, pizza and so on. Yet we are told there is NO safe level of processed meats and that they are carcinogenic.
So....what's the true story with those and with alcohol, then?

I used to eat cholesterol-reducing marg instead of butter until I saw something on a tv programme which pointed out that if you leave out leftover marg for animals they won't go near it - they don't recognise it as a food. It's a gloopy product of the petroleum industry. I knew this before, but suddenly the penny dropped - and we now eat butter instead, in moderation, of course.

Processed meats are carcinogenic? .

I can understand that some of the additives used in processed meats may be carcinogenic. But surly things like bacon and ham that are traditionally cured, do not contain additives other than salt and sugar. I am probably wrong, but will blissfully eat them in moderation.

Rowantree, years ago I worked for Unilever and visited a margarine factory. I can assure you margarine is not made from petroleum products. It is made from vegetable oils. As I remember all kinds, in different proportions depending on their relative cost.

Like you I do not touch the stuff, I have yet to meet a butter alternative that was even faintly palatable.

I think the point of the mediterranean diet is that, yes, they do eat white bread, processed foods etc but a very high proportion of their diet is fruit and veg.

My feeling is that an excess of any food is bad for you. People have died because they consumed too much water and anyway we are all going to die at some point so eat what you like and if you remain healthy and well on your chosen diet then ignore all nutritionists and continue as you are. But if you are eating what you like and gaining weightt, developing high blood pressure and dianetes then reconsider what you are eating and see what changes lead to improved health.

Benecol spread, made from rapeseed oil, is delicious. And Bertolli, made with olive oil is excellent for baking.

Unsalted butter has no flavour whatsoever. It's just grease.

I'm afraid I can't watch programmes about food at the moment as my diet is so restricted I might drool

I get strange thoughts like bread was so quick; yes I can eat potatoes but they are slow. Is slow food better than quick food - who knows? Have to have lactose free milk and lactose free spread and I am a no marge just butter person. However the spread is not so much of a problem with no bread to spread it on although I can have other things - generally oaty - but you can only eat so many oaty things I can have bacon and eggs for breakfast (until I find the bacon is on another list and I have missed it - oh please don't let that happen I am not sure how I learn all this - I can have blueberries but not blackberries ... how do they know? I have realised I should have enjoyed time I once spent with a dear friend discussing caramilising onions for French Onion Soup until the family cried enough! How can you cook without onions (or garlic) I can have the green bit of spring onions so not without all taste enhancing flavours. My doctor rang the other day with the result of a blood test (I have a feeling I am keeping a small vampire going at the moment) and nothing life threatening had showed up which is wonderful but may mean the diet for life. When I said "we will be adding some foods back in won't we" she said "probably not" talk about giving a person no hope I don't really care as I am feeling sooooo much better. Going lactose free made a big difference in my energy levels so, if you can't eat onions perhaps you have to dance (watching the doggy legs of course)

Why is bread 'quick'? Think of all that rising.

Ignore this if you don't want to answer Gracesgran, but do you have a particular health problem that restricts your diet? (I have silent reflux. My diet should possibly be restricted, but I refuse)

Oatcakes are useful.

Quick as in toast and sandwiches JbF - sorry that wasn't very obvious was it

Yes jingl I do. Oatcakes are lovely and I am sure I will get over the smell of bread in the supermarket It is a low FODMAP diet (FODMAPs stands for Fermentable, Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides and PolyolS. They comprise fructose, lactose, fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides (fructans and galactans), and polyols (such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol) that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine.)

You now know about as much as me Looking at it on line I am sure, eventually, I will be able to check if I can tolerate some of the high FODMAP food - in spite of what my depressing doctor (she is lovely really) said.

I missed this programme, must try to watch it on cath-up, it sounds very interesting.

I quite like cod liver oil (not the capsules, they seem to upset me, must be the gelatine rather than the oil).
And I didn't know about fried eggs not absorbing fat (must be dim) although I did know that sausages grilled contained the same number of calories as sausages fried. I do prefer scrambled eggs though.

I'm glad to hear about the calcium in almond milk, as DD drinks that instead of cow's milk.

I used to love that orange juice and cod liver oil + malt.

catch-up!

Is slow food slow to digest?
and fast food goes through the gut quickly?

I did wonder Jalima but I really meant quick and slow to prepare.

I think it is the processing of margarine that some say cause the problem.
It may not be the case nowadays, but it used to be 'hydrogenated' and that caused trans fats to develop.

Anything seems to pass through my gut quickly, I am usually hungry.

although it may be going on to my hips and tummy quickly rather than through.

I remember my grandmother giving me a huge spoonful of malt every day. Sticky and sweet, just loved it but I haven't a clue what the benefits were!

Is there any significance in the fact that this thread is followed by one about Waitrose ice creams?

Linsco - my mother used to give us malt each day, too. We loved it but, like you, I don't know what it was for.

Bet that's not on FODMAP.

I mean the ice cream.

I had a sticky spoonful of malt extract each day from a jar labelled Virol, had forgotten it until now. I loved Rosehip Syrup too, sooo sweet, maybe that contributed to my teeth not lasting as long as they might.

The ice cream wouldn't be low FODMAP JbF because of the milk - sorbet may be though. Interestingly I have been saying for years that it isn't fat that is the problem (in a reasonably sensible diet) but sugar and the high FODMAPs are mainly -ose foods, e.g., fructose, lactose etc. Because some people have problems with their gut absorbing them the poor absorption and the side effects (won't go into detail) can damage the gut and affect the absorption of naturally occurring hormones. I have low thyroid and healing the gut can help the absorption of this or rather, in my case, artificial thyroxine.

I am quite sure we or rather the younger generations will look back at all the sugars in processed foods and wonder why no government did anything about them one day.

Actually I meant to say rice cakes are useful. although I am sure oatcakes are good too)

Rice cakes seem very digestible.

Yes they are fine Jingl and you can do all sorts of things with them. I must get some.

The Marmite rice cakes are particularly good because they have some flavour.

Why should the government be blamed for the high proportion of sugar in processed foods? Most of the sugar people consume is in overtly sweet items like biscuits, sweets, cakes and the like and eating too much of them. As far back as I csn remember, even as children we were encouraged not too eat too many sweet things 'because lots of sugar isn't good for you'.

As for sugar in savoury foods. The sugar content of any product is on the label and the vast majority of people in this country can read. If consumers just avoided foods with high sugar contents the manufacturers would stop adding it.