[cmeisenzahl]

http://www.forbes.com/2005/08/03/nut...03feat_ls.html

















"Nutritionists are to food what safety engineers are to the auto industry: If they had their way, eating wouldn't be any fun at all.

That's because for most people food is about taste first, and nutrition second. For nutritionists, unsurprisingly, it's the other way around. In fact, they'd be happy if most of us lived on bark and berries. Yet, as much as we might grumble about them, we should be grateful. After all, they are the ones who keep us from living exclusively on chicken wings, pizza and doughnuts.

Even if we don't always eat smart, most people have a pretty good idea of the link between foods that are high in calories and fat, and the impact these foods have on our health. Fried foods, foods heavy in sugar or starch and foods covered in chocolate or grease are usually pretty easy to spot. If eating is like a videogame, avoiding Big Macs or Ring-Dings is like winning the first level; the more challenging adversaries are still to come.

This is never more true than when dining at a good restaurant. Menus, particularly after a cocktail or two, can be hard to negotiate, especially when your appetite begins to cloud your judgment. Even if one doesn't know exactly what ingredients the chef used to create his Maryland Crab Cakes or signature Risotto Milanese, it pays to be on the lookout for potential hazards—or at least to know what they are—so that when ordering heart-attack hand grenades, such as sautéed foie gras, one can at least make an informed decision.

For example, many well-heeled and normally calorie-conscious regulars flock to restaurants where the most popular dishes are often the least healthy. For example, New York City’s famed 21 Club sold almost 3,000 plates of its sinfully creamy chicken hash in 2004—no doubt to the horror of the diners' doctors. The reason is that its main ingredients—cream, butter, flour and cheese, in addition to chicken—are all fat.

"That’s what makes it good," says 21 Club’s Executive Chef Stephen Trojahn, "Honestly, fat is the vehicle that flavor comes from. You need some sort of fat to make food taste appealing."

See our delicious lineup of the best and worst foods.

It’s a statement that can’t be disputed. The most commonly ordered meals are usually the heavy ones, and many chefs will agree that fat sells food. So while they bring on the flavor, your health is suffering the consequences.

"Most Americans dig their graves with their teeth," says Dr. Jay Kenny, nutrition research specialist at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Florida, but "you have to eat badly for decades before it starts to show its damage."

Heart disease and cancer are some of the worst results of diets high in fatty foods. Nutritionists say about 68% of Americans are overweight, and with such easy access to high-fat meals, it’s no wonder. The average diet should consist of only about 1,400 to 2,000 calories per day. Fat can make up a portion of the calories, but it should be the monounsaturated or polyunsaturated type found in food like avocados, nuts and fish. So, although a cheeseburger makes a quick fix for lunch, it packs in 1,000 calories, on average. If you add eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce for breakfast and meat loaf for dinner, the total calories for the day will exceed 2,500. And that doesn’t include side items, like snacks and drinks.

Oz Garcia, Ph.D., who was twice voted the best nutritionist by New York Magazine, says, "Eating healthy becomes a ticket to prosperity; the body can’t handle such a large volume of food after time. I’d rather be healthy enough to run, build my company and have a great sex life."

Although it is OK to give your arteries a workout from time to time by digging into meat loaf or fried clams, many nutritionists say moderation is a good start to eating right. Still, most would suggest eliminating fatty foods completely to ensure your health. That’s why it’s up to you to make a good decision. You can indulge in a nice meal here and there, but keep in mind the long-term effects it will have on your future.

Whether dining in or out, there are some foods that always set off our arterial alarm bells, no matter how good they taste. That's not to say one should never eat them, because, frankly, these foods are just too darn delicious to forgo forever. But don't say we didn't warn you."

[ManOfSteal]

Awesome! I eat 5 out of the Top 7 on a regular basis...good deal.

[Randman]

You don't eat fondue and cheeseburgers?

[cmeisenzahl]

But how many do you eat in the same meal?!? ;-)

[Randman]

It was my sister-in-law's birthday last month. I had steak frittes while my wife (who's skinny) had foie gras and duck confit.

Other than that, I guess the cheeseburger + fries would count. But twice-fried fries are so yummy. And almost nothing beats grilling some flesh.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

CHEESEBURGERS — Worth it.

but every once in awhile. i love it but I would say i consume less than 5 cheeseburgers a year.

[ghporter]

I don't like duck that well, because it's too greasy. Personal preferences aside, you can eat any of those top six "bad" foods once in a while and be fine. It's subsisting on things like burgers and fries on a continual basis that does your body in.

I LOVE eggs benedict, but I don't remember the last time I had it because it's not offered at most places I have breakfast out (like McDonalds would offer eggs benedict!). Burgers are something I've gotten to be more ambivalent about; I'm learning that variety is a good thing, and there just isn't much variety in burger offerings-except for size! The last time I went out for a burger it was to a Fudruckers, and their smallest burger is 1/3 of a pound! They go all the way up to a FULL POUND! Egad!

I like pasta with alfredo sauce now and then, but I prefer a tomato-based sauce because it's not as heavy. I guess Forbes isn't having a big effect on me!

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Randman

You don't eat fondue and cheeseburgers?

Darn. I love making my cheesburgers in a fondue pot...

-t

[ShotgunEd]

Cow + Pitchfork + vat of warm cheese.

Oh yes.

[wdlove]

Definitely a good way to join the heart disease club.

My wife purchases heathy fresh foods, watches content, and cooks low fat.

[budster101]

I like confit stuffed with cheese, beef, and frog-what, over fettucini alfredo toped with an egg and hollondais sauce. Oh, don't forget the side of fries.

[screamingFit]

Become vegan and don't eat fried vegetables.

Problem solved!

[Kevin]

Seafood Alfredo has to be my fav... mmmmmm

[budster101]

Except for the severe deficiencies in your diet and the horrible tasting selection of foods you'll be confronted with. Sure, give up meat altogether if you don't care about your taste buds.

Just cutting meat out of a diet and fat doesn't solve everything. Eventually, you'll end up looking like a tooth pick that could be blown away with the slightest breeze...

Don't get me wrong. I love murering and eating vegetables too. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to rip a baby carrot out of the ground and then quickly rinse it off while it's still fresh with carrot blood, errr juice and then just masticate it. Don't get me started on Apples or Oranges, or even a nice Ear of Corn... with some Fava Beans and some Chianti....

Did I take that one a tad too far? Sorry about that if so. (screamingFit)

If you do go Vegan, at least suppliment yourself with some good Whey / Casine protein...
Can Vegan's have milk protein or milk? If so, then enjoy, or go Soy Protein, it's one of the best proteins you can have.

Maybe offer up some menues that you use as a Vegan? Maybe I'll give some a tryout.

[screamingFit]

Originally Posted by budster101

Except for the severe deficiencies in your diet and the horrible tasting selection of foods you'll be confronted with. Sure, give up meat altogether if you don't care about your taste buds.

Just cutting meat out of a diet and fat doesn't solve everything. Eventually, you'll end up looking like a tooth pick that could be blown away with the slightest breeze...

Don't get me wrong. I love murering and eating vegetables too. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to rip a baby carrot out of the ground and then quickly rinse it off while it's still fresh with carrot blood, errr juice and then just masticate it. Don't get me started on Apples or Oranges, or even a nice Ear of Corn... with some Fava Beans and some Chianti....

Did I take that one a tad too far? Sorry about that if so. (screamingFit)

If you do go Vegan, at least suppliment yourself with some good Whey / Casine protein...
Can Vegan's have milk protein or milk? If so, then enjoy, or go Soy Protein, it's one of the best proteins you can have.

Maybe offer up some menues that you use as a Vegan? Maybe I'll give some a tryout.

Bah. I haven't had meat for many years and don't miss it! Once you cleanse your body of the hormones and toxins in meat, your body doesn't crave it anymore and your taste buds actually improve! And despite the Meat Council's agenda that you'll "get sick and die" without meat, nothing can be farther from the truth (take a look at my spry grandmother who's been vegan most of her life and still runs and swims). I AM overweight by about 20 pounds and don't think I'll be blowing away in the wind anytime soon! And a big no to caseine or whey as those are animal derivatives.

A GREAT book for those think of mom, homestyle recipes that happen to be vegan: How It All Vegan (Plus it helps that the girls in this book are hot )

I typically eat mexican, Indian and eastern food - there are many that are vegan and easy to prepare. And, I would be hard pressed to say that they lack taste! Here's a fav:

Alfredo-Style Fettuccine

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. dry white wine
1/3 cup blanched almonds
6 oz. silken tofu
1 Tbsp. white miso paste
1 1/2 cups soy milk
1/2 tsp. salt or more, to taste
Dash ground nutmeg
Dash cayenne
1 lb. fettuccine
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook without browning, until the onion is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the wine and set aside.
• Finely grind the almonds in a blender or food processor. Add the reserved onion mixture and purée until smooth. Add the tofu and miso and process until blended. Add 1 cup of the soy milk and the salt, nutmeg, and cayenne and process until smooth. Slowly add as much of the remaining soy milk as necessary until the desired consistency is reached.
• Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat over low heat. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Keep the sauce warm until the pasta is ready.
• Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water until it is al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain well and place in a shallow serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss to combine.
• Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.

For more awesome recipies online, go to VegCooking

[budster101]

Looks good! I'll give it a try.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by screamingFit

Bah. I haven't had meat for many years and don't miss it! Once you cleanse your body of the hormones and toxins in meat, your body doesn't crave it anymore and your taste buds actually improve!

Ok you say that about.. but then you say this below..

And despite the Meat Council's agenda that you'll "get sick and die" without meat, nothing can be farther from the truth

Sound like the first quote I posted was good veggie agenda FUD.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

I eat Zero of those. Sometimes fries.

[E's Lil Theorem]

Four out of the seven here.

[budster101]

That explains it.

[tooki]

I wish they could find a way of making foie gras without horribly torturing the ducks...

tooki