Eating fried foods – America’s other favorite pastime.

 Let me start by saying that the beliefs about fried foods vary widely.  There are those who believe if it’s a vegetable, it doesn’t matter how it is prepared.  In spite of the fact that we all know, just through general health knowledge, that fried food is “bad for you” and vegetables are “good for you”, the fact that what is being fried is a vegetable always wins out in the mind of the typical American.  ‘It’s a vegetable, so it must be healthy.’

 I’ve heard a lot of arguments about why we should avoid fried foods.  ‘Fried foods don’t have any nutrients.’  ‘Fried foods increase your acne.’  ‘Fried foods will make you gain weight.’  ‘Your body can’t process fried foods.’  You name it, there’s an argument for it when it comes to fried foods. 

 Not surprisingly, most of the arguments against fried foods are at least loosely based on science, though I believe the spotlight is aimed in the wrong direction.  The focus is primarily on the food itself and whether it is a healthy food to begin with and then whether or not the food itself retains any of its nutrients.

 Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that when you fry up a vegetable – cauliflower, for instance – it retains 20% of its innate nutritional value.  (Again, this is an example just for the sake of argument and simplicity and is not a scientifically-based study.)  In a medium head of raw, uncooked cauliflower, there is, on average, around 150 calories, 11 grams of protein, as well as fiber, potassium, and numerous vitamins.



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Of course, you have to dip the cauliflower in some sort of batter, most likely an egg, milk, flour mixture, which adds not only calories, but also “problematic animal protein,” as Rip Esseltyn, former world-class tri-athlete and nutritional expert would refer to it.  So before you’ve even dropped this cauliflower into the oil, you’ve already transformed the vegetable by adding a processed coating to it, thereby increasing your body’s difficulty of digesting it once eaten.

So you drop the cauliflower into the oil, wait a few minutes, pull the cauliflower out of the oil and let it cool on a rack or maybe a paper towel.  You see some of the grease dripping off, and you begin to salivate, knowing that the deep fried creation is going to be absolutely delicious.  You have been taught, probably since you were a small child, that food is the most delicious soon after it is fried and still crispy.  I, for one, will not argue with you.  It is absolutely delicious.

 However, our bodies inherently disagree, especially if we are attempting to utilize our bodies to perform at their very best.  No one likes chronic fatigue, heart disease, diabetes, and the risk of cancer, but by eating fried foods, you are essentially telling your body, “I know you won’t be able to efficiently use what I’m eating, and that it increases my risk of becoming unhealthier, but that’s okay with me.”

‘I got it.  Fried foods are bad for me.  What’s your point?  I thought you said we were going to shine the spotlight in a different direction.’ 

 Well, I’m glad you asked.  On a side note here, I like for my articles to be interactive; much like the October Challenge entry at the end of last month, I’m going to ask you to come up with a list.  This one should be simple enough.  List as many natural sources of cooking oil you can.  There are only two rules: Don’t list anything that comes from animals, and don’t list anything that requires any processing to produce (e.g., extract) the oil from the source.  Once you’re finished, post your answer in the comments below, then come back and read the rest of the article.  Ready?  Go.

 *Cue Jeopardy® music.

 Finished?  How many did you come up with? 

The correct answer is zero.  That’s right, zero.  There are zero plant-based sources of mass amounts of oil that do not require processing, some of which is incredibly complex (canola oil, for example), to extract the oils required for cooking.

 ‘So this is the part where you tell me processed foods are bad for me?  Yeah, I’ve heard that before too.’

 Nope, this is where I tell you what your body does when you ingest pure fat (e.g., extracted oils).  Our bodies are created in such a way that when they get the proper nutrients they require, the metabolism process continues normally and our bodies perform optimally.  It’s our bodies’ way of giving us the proverbial thumbs up.

 However, when we ingest these extracted oils, our bodies say, “Wow, this is great!  Extra fat!  Well, I never know when I will need this, so I’ll just go ahead and put it away for safe keeping.  Let’s see, I’ll store some of it in the hips, some in the midsection, and a little in the face.  It’s going to take extra energy to process all this, so I’ll have to borrow energy from other areas like alertness, focus, and the immune system to ensure I am able to store all this extra fat.”

 In closing, keep the following in mind.  When you eat anything that is cooked/fried in any type of oil, your body does not/cannot immediately metabolize it.  Every drop of extracted oil that is still lingering on that pizza, in those French fries, those chicken tenders – goes into storage.  So the way I figure it…

 1 large potato (approximately 1 medium order of French fries) = 258 calories
Calories from fat (oil) = 168 calories
1 minute of 20 burpees = Approx. 10 calories

 You do the math.

 

October Challenge

When I tell people I’m a vegetarian, I am immediately bombarded with one of two reactions – either a question or a defensive posture, and sometimes both.

The first, based on how often I am asked it, seems to be an obligatory question, "How do you get your protein?" Generally, I don’t respond to this question with any sort of detail. I just list a couple of high protein foods, that, had they taken a moment to think about it, they would have already figured out.

Secondly, I’ve determined that eating animals makes people feel guilty. At least that’s what I’m guessing based on how thoroughly folks defend themselves when they learn that I’m a vegetarian. It usually goes something like this…

Them: "Where’s the meat, bro? All you’ve got on that plate are a bunch of vegetables and some fruit!"

Me: "Yeah, I’m a vegetarian."

Them: "What, really!?"
　

Me: "Yes, really.

Them: "Man, I could never do that. I like meat too much. It would just be way too hard."

And so it goes…



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Most people come up with a reason of why they simply cannot be a vegetarian, and they volunteer this information freely. It’s not as if I had asked them to join a cult where we worship road signs. In fact, I typically don’t even get to the part of where I explain why I chose to become a vegetarian.

Allow me to digress just a bit here…
　

Soldiers love a challenge. It doesn’t matter their background, their rank, or even whether they’re deployed or in garrison. Tell a soldier he is unable to accomplish a task, that he (or she) doesn’t have what it takes to challenge their own insecurities, and he will likely do everything in his power to prove you wrong. Typically, common sense goes right out the window.

Apparently, the month of October is a perfect time for one of those challenges. A couple of my soldiers began floating the idea around in the office after they heard another Non-Commissioned Officer had successfully completed the 30-day vegetarian challenge. The challenge is simple enough. Go for 30 days, and don’t eat meat. Eat whatever you want – just don’t eat meat.

(Author’s note: The "real" challenge is one that is unable to be undertaken in a deployed environment, where the 30 day challenge is abstaining from eating anything that contains animal products – meat, dairy, eggs, soda, many sweets, etc. This challenge is substantially more difficult, but much more rewarding in the end.)

Word spread like wildfire, and before long, multiple soldiers had agreed to take the "October Challenge" as it has become known.

This brings me to my point behind writing this article. Vegetarian does not equal healthy. Read that last sentence again.

Some will fail, even if they succeed

French fries, chocolate brownies, chips, Monster® energy drinks, and grilled cheese sandwiches are all food products that do not contain meat, and are therefore permissible in this challenge, but I don’t need to tell you that none of those foods mentioned above would ever be misidentified as "health foods".
 
Now, take a little break from reading this article, and list five foods you know are good for you or are often described as "healthy foods," but just one catch…don’t list anything that comes from an animal. Ready? Go.

Seriously. List five healthy foods, just off the top of your head.

Chances are (if you actually did it), the foods you listed are fruits, vegetables, beans, and maybe even some nuts or seeds. And some of you can see where I’m going with this…

While cutting meat out of one’s diet, even if it’s just for 30 days, is an excellent way to cut out unnecessary fats and cholesterol, just abstaining from meat is not enough if you’re trying to be (or get) healthy in the process.

Supplement meat with as many fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, and nuts as possible. Down an extra soymilk or two. Drink a protein shake if you’re overly-concerned about your protein intake, but however you choose to do it, wake up on November 1st knowing that you did something you never thought you could do.

To be truly successful at any challenge, whether it’s the "October Challenge" or something much more daunting, success begins – and ends – with you.

So, whaddaya say? You up for a challenge?

Blog Introduction

　

The purpose of For Your Health, For Your Life is to provide general nutritional information for people who are at least moderately interested in healthy living, exercise, and the occasional anecdotal story to prove a point. Feedback is always welcome! Enjoy!