What Food is Your Kryptonite?

[flyinglentris]

This isn't too difficult a thing to reply to.

There is a saying "Beer is good food." And to me that means using it as a food supplement, just like I would wine. It does not say "Beer is good recreation."

But herein lies my one food kryptonite - hard liquors and too much beer or wine.

It is also known that the human body naturally ferments during digestion by digestive bacteria, but at levels that will not intoxicate the diner or consumer. But note that word - 'intoxicate'. Alcohol beverages consumed in great quantity are toxic, basically poisons. If that isn't a food kryptonite, I can't define any food kryptonites for myself - except ice cream after not eating any for a long time, resulting in runs or food poisoning issues.

I do get minor allergic reactions to some foods, which evoke increased nasal sinusitis, but it's impossible to identify what triggers that minor response and I don''t go sterile with my food choices because of this. Food allergies for other people may be more severe. Sometimes, I might buy into seafood that has eaten toxic algae and that can be a problem as would food poisoned by toxic bacterium like botulism or parasites which survive in un-cooked meats. That's a kryptonite for everyone.

Beyond these things, I see no other food kryptonites in my eating habits.

 

[JAS_OH1]

This isn't too difficult a thing to reply to.

There is a saying "Beer is good food." And to me that means using it as a food supplement, just like I would wine. It does not say "Beer is good recreation."

But herein lies my one food kryptonite - hard liquors and too much beer or wine.

It is also known that the human body naturally ferments during digestion by digestive bacteria, but at levels that will not intoxicate the diner or consumer. But note that word - 'intoxicate'. Alcohol beverages consumed in great quantity are toxic, basically poisons. If that isn't a food kryptonite, I can't define any food kryptonites for myself - except ice cream after not eating any for a long time, resulting in runs or food poisoning issues.

I do get minor allergic reactions to some foods, which evoke increased nasal sinusitis, but it's impossible to identify what triggers that minor response and I don''t go sterile with my food choices because of this. Food allergies for other people may be more severe. Sometimes, I might buy into seafood that has eaten toxic algae and that can be a problem as would food poisoned by toxic bacterium like botulism or parasites which survive in un-cooked meats. That's a kryptonite for everyone.

Beyond these things, I see no other food kryptonites in my eating habits.

An old friend of mine said the following:

"Beer has good food value, but food has no beer value.'

 

[JAS_OH1]

This was his first advice, you can't eat better just because you change your eating habits and so you shouldn't force yourself to eat better, like other people, his arguments were, even after hundred or maybe thousand years of studying food, we humans still can't eat better than our ancestors (the egypt, greek's, chinese etc.). Why? He doesn't know, but he wrote down everything he knew about the human body and how food affects him, it's so complex and interesting for me.

Whenever I read something about healthy food I try to remember his first lesson, you won't be a better person when you eat an avocado salad compared to a cesar's salad, even if you feel better. I hope you can understand my horrible english and don't forget to be yourself, when you feel better after drinking a green smoothie and you want to tell it your best friend who might be p*ssed of someday, because he wants to enjoy some beer without being lectured... JUST DO IT or don't do it, that's life.
Stay healthy

Another reason we can't eat better than our ancient ancestors is that the nutritional value of food isn't as good as it once may have been. Our ancestors were devoted more to nourishing the soil with organic methods and now many large food producers use artificial chemicals and other artificial growing methods, and in the US and some other countries, GMO is still allowed (I think in Europe, not?).

Edited to add that they didn't have processed foods and refined white sugar, either.

 

[Mountain Cat]

For me: Potato chips (crisps), like Tasty.

Specifically, not the baked or kettle cooked types, but plain old Lay's (yes, I cannot eat just one) or Wise potato chips - although if available, I love the ruffled variety. If I am on the road and want to eat some, I buy the smallest bag available at the gas/petrol service station - because whatever size I buy, I will finish it. I don't care for the flavored chips all that much, but ever so often I jones for the BBQ or the vinegar ones.

I probably overindulge a bit with rum. Good stuff, but not so good for me. Mojitos are wonderful, as are just a generic rum and seltzer water on the rocks.

I also will over indulge on sashimi and sushi - raw fish, not the vegetarian offerings. (I do like cooked eel, but not so interested in the other types of cooked sushi.) This is bad not for my body, but for my pocketbook. I guess one good thing about COVID is that it has drastically cut down on my sashimi and sushi habits - the stuff in the supermarket isn't that good and is more rice than the ratio needs to be.

%%%%%%

As far as foods I like that I can't eat any more, and are true physiological Kryptonite: Pistachios and pine nuts. Both of those are the only nuts I ever liked in salads. I can eat, oh, 4 or so pistachios, and maybe a teaspoon of pine nuts - which makes them easy to kick out of my salads when out, and if a couple get eaten, no problem. The issue isn't life-threatening, but will result in a very painful gut reaction in about 20-30 minutes, and if I'm visiting you, I hope you have a second bathroom available for your other guests.

(I am slowly learning if I can eat the other nuts I don't like as much. So far, almonds, pecans and walnuts are okay. Acorns are not. I loathe hazelnuts so much that I would absolutely hate that aspect of Life even more if I tried them now and got sick on them. My final experiments will be chestnuts and cashews - when I am safely at home and not having company over. I should have picked up some chestnuts last December - I do like those, while I prefer not to eat cashews to begin with.)

The other issue is fiddlehead ferns - that one I consider a true allergy, if still not life threatening. Used to love them!

 

[Morning Glory]

Acorns are not.

I didn't think they were edible...

 

[JAS_OH1]

I also will over indulge on sashimi and sushi - raw fish, not the vegetarian offerings. (I do like cooked eel, but not so interested in the other types of cooked sushi.) This is bad not for my body, but for my pocketbook. I guess one good thing about COVID is that it has drastically cut down on my sashimi and sushi habits - the stuff in the supermarket isn't that good and is more rice than the ratio needs to be.

%%%%%%

As far as foods I like that I can't eat any more, and are true physiological Kryptonite: Pistachios and pine nuts. Both of those are the only nuts I ever liked in salads. I can eat, oh, 4 or so pistachios, and maybe a teaspoon of pine nuts - which makes them easy to kick out of my salads when out, and if a couple get eaten, no problem. The issue isn't life-threatening, but will result in a very painful gut reaction in about 20-30 minutes, and if I'm visiting you, I hope you have a second bathroom available for your other guests.

(I am slowly learning if I can eat the other nuts I don't like as much. So far, almonds, pecans and walnuts are okay. Acorns are not. I loathe hazelnuts so much that I would absolutely hate that aspect of Life even more if I tried them now and got sick on them. My final experiments will be chestnuts and cashews - when I am safely at home and not having company over. I should have picked up some chestnuts last December - I do like those, while I prefer not to eat cashews to begin with.)

The other issue is fiddlehead ferns - that one I consider a true allergy, if still not life threatening. Used to love them!

I haven't had sushi in over a year

 

[Timenspace]

I haven't had sushi in over a year

Any particular reason or reasons?

 

[Mountain Cat]

I didn't think they were edible...

There are ways to make acorns edible, Native Americans on this side of the puddle did that. My friend who made an acorn cake followed that recipe, and no one else but me had any trouble. (TBH, I only took a tiny 1/4 teaspoon taste, because I was worried about my trip home, considering how I react to some other nuts. I only tried it because of my innate need to try most anything once. And I lucked out... Got home just in time.)

 

[JAS_OH1]

Any particular reason or reasons?

Yes, it's because COVID-19 has kept me from going out to eat, and whenever I get takeout, I order hot foods only and foods that can be reheated. I know that they say the spread of transmission is unlikely to occur through food, but the fact that I have no idea if they can be 100% sure of this keeps me from getting sushi, salads, etc. If the person preparing and handling my food is an asymptomatic carrier and the virus is on the food or the packaging, what if...? The fact is that our CDC and the WHO have been wrong about so many things so far. And "unlikely" isn't a good enough guarantee for me, so I keep disinfecting my groceries and everything else that comes into my house from the outside world.

 

[Mountain Cat]

Yes, it's because COVID-19 has kept me from going out to eat, and whenever I get takeout, I order hot foods only and foods that can be reheated. I know that they say the spread of transmission is unlikely to occur through food, but the fact that I have no idea if they can be 100% sure of this keeps me from getting sushi, salads, etc. If the person preparing and handling my food is an asymptomatic carrier and the virus is on the food or the packaging, what if...? The fact is that our CDC and the WHO have been wrong about so many things so far. And "unlikely" isn't a good enough guarantee for me, so I keep disinfecting my groceries and everything else that comes into my house from the outside world.

Understood, and I am doing a lot of that myself, not as much as a year ago. I got food shipments a year ago and left the boxes outside overnight before bringing them in (but after a good 24 hours I was okay eating raw salad things, but of course I wouldn't want to leave seafood out overnight - between that general issue and the wild critters out in my woods... )

I finally did a sushi take out a week ago. Unfortunately the best sushi is back down where I used to live and not up near me.

And I have picked up some frozen tuna that I will do something with in the near future. It will remain in the freezer for awhile.

 

[Timenspace]

And "unlikely" isn't a good enough guarantee for me,

I understand your concerns. It is probably wise to do so. Now I understand why there were no salads in offer in the bakeries over here for several months...and bread and nuts are all fully packed in PVC bags...we all hope things will get better...soon...

 

[JAS_OH1]

Understood, and I am doing a lot of that myself, not as much as a year ago. I got food shipments a year ago and left the boxes outside overnight before bringing them in (but after a good 24 hours I was okay eating raw salad things, but of course I wouldn't want to leave seafood out overnight - between that general issue and the wild critters out in my woods... )

I finally did a sushi take out a week ago. Unfortunately the best sushi is back down where I used to live and not up near me.

And I have picked up some frozen tuna that I will do something with in the near future. It will remain in the freezer for awhile.

I buy produce and wash it to make salads, but I personally am leery of buying anything like salads premade...and I am so craving sushi, LOL!

I did have my first vaccine jab last week and my next one is April 21st. But I am also worried about the variants and since they are super contagious, it frightens me.

My whole life I have been fearless and brave. I used to ride my horses in cross-country jumping races, and I would ride bareback at home in my pastures with no saddle or bridle at times. I used to waterski, parasail, scuba dive, swim in the ocean knowing there were sharks probably very close by, etc. Now I am freaked out about a virus and it's kept me and my husband isolated for a year. I sure would like to get back to living again.

 

[Timenspace]

I used to waterski, parasail, scuba dive, swim in the ocean knowing there were sharks probably very close by, etc. Now I am freaked out about a virus and it's kept me and my husband isolated for a year. I sure would like to get back to living again.

It is absolutely impressive the activities you tried! Wow, amazing. Will you do any of those after the pandemic?

We all are freaked. The whole world is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. How would we not be when Covid and Covid stories take 89% of the news, and most of it are bad news...

I did desinfect my groceries in the first month back in March 2020. Then I stopped for pure lack of time, and it was stressing me out too much. All the other desinfections I do, all the precautions I do...

I do hope by autumn 2021 or Christmas, we will go forward...

 

[JAS_OH1]

It is absolutely impressive the activities you tried! Wow, amazing. Will you do any of those after the pandemic?

We all are freaked. The whole world is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. How would we not be when Covid and Covid stories take 89% of the news, and most of it are bad news...

I did desinfect my groceries in the first month back in March 2020. Then I stopped for pure lack of time, and it was stressing me out too much. All the other desinfections I do, all the precautions I do...

I do hope by autumn 2021 or Christmas, we will go forward...

Well, all of that was in my youth. I no longer live near the ocean and I do not have horses anymore. The sports I did would require me to be in much better physical condition than I am now, and with getting older, it's a lot easier to sustain injuries and a lot harder to recover from them. It was a lot of fun, though.

Oh yeah, I used to skateboard, too!

 

[Timenspace]

But I am also worried about the variants and since they are super contagious, it frightens me.

Sorry. Wish <i could encourage you.

Me too. Luckily there is so much going on during the day, I tend to get distracted. I have severely diminished news reading, it helps me keep some level of optimism ...

Oh I got distracted, my obsession food, hm...currently, since December 1st 2020, greek yoghurt and roasted almonds, and coffee, but coffee cannot count as food (can it ? )