Is there any value in buying ''special'' foods?

healthypelican
healthypelican Posts: 215 Member
edited November 15 in Getting Started
I currently have coconut oil, chia seeds, protein powder, fish oil and LSA.

To be honest, I can't afford to include these things in my diet (What the beep am I doing?!?), but I feel like they will put me to an advantage.

I brought the coconut oil because someone said if you mix two tablespoons with a cup of warm water, then drink a litre of water it will stop cravings and stop hunger (it didn't work for me).

I brought the chia seeds because they were supposed to expand and make meals more filling, but the most recent ones I got didn't expand at all, and in the past, I don't think its made me any less hungry. I have tried having them with rolled oats and in smoothies. The taste wasn't great.

I brought the protein powder because I wanted a quick, easy source of protein that could be a bit of a treat. I guess I'm not very good with nutrition.

I brought the fish oil, because it was supposed to help with symptoms of my Bipolar, which it did for a while, but when I stopped taking it I started having weird hallucinations as I was waking up.

I got the LSA because my sibling uses it and it was recommended in some meal plans I was given, as a source of fat.

I don't really know what I'm doing. I want to feel fill and satisfied, but I should be eating on a much smaller budget. What should I do?

I was going to switch the type of milk I used to a non dairy source, but the alternatives cost up to 8x as much. The milk I use is watered down a lot anyway.

Replies

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Coconut and chia seeds add calories. You're trying to decrease them, right? Not needed.

    Fish oil is good but you can get your omega 3's from food as well.

    Protein powder is also good if you are not meeting your protein goal with food.

    LSA not needed.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I use coconut oil sometimes to cook with...just like any other oil...it doesn't have magical properties, I just think it tastes good with certain things.

    I use whey protein as a supplement to hit my protein targets...that's all it is...it's just a supplement...it doesn't give you any particular advantages other than convenience and a quick and easy way to hit your protein targets should you be deficient otherwise.

    I use fish oil to help get my omega 3 fatty acids...it's just a supplement

    There's nothing wrong with regular old dairy milk unless you are lactose intolerant...
  • ChristopherLimoges
    ChristopherLimoges Posts: 298 Member
    Fish oil supplements daily are good, though kind of hard to have a great supply that offers the wanted ratio of Omega-6 & 3. Coconut oil as a natural fat, and the protein powder depending on its makeup are good choices. I'd leave out everything else unless you're buying whole seeds and cracking or grinding them before consuming, most of the wanted benefits come from within the center. Higher quality seeds can also be pretty expensive compared to other good fiber sources.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    A varied and balanced diet of ordinary food is all you need, unless you doctor has told you otherwise, and given you exact information of what supplements to take.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Out of all the special foods I only buy protein powder for one simple reason: I sometimes find it hard to reach my protein goal. Other than being curious about something, I find no special value in anything special. I would also never ever replace milk with nut water. I'm not lactose intolerant, I'm not vegan, I'm not low carb, and I like milk but hate nut water. No good reason to buy it for me, others may feel differently.
  • Dalceridae
    Dalceridae Posts: 81 Member
    edited February 2017
    I don't think you need "special" foods or to think about food as "special". A lot of that is just marketing.

    I use coconut oil for cooking. Wouldn't want to drink it. I also have a protein shake for lunch because I spend my lunch break walking, so that gives me something I can just drink quickly at my desk and not worry about lunch otherwise. Routine also helps me stick to my goals - I don't have to try to think about or plan different things to take into work every day.
  • Kristi26
    Kristi26 Posts: 184 Member
    I use coconut oil because I like it. It's a great alternative for butter, which I can't eat because I'm lactose intolerant. That's also the reason I use a non dairy milk.

    Protein powder is great if you are lacking a protein source in your actual diet.

    I don't think you need any of the other stuff.
  • wendsg
    wendsg Posts: 758 Member
    No need at all for 'special' foods. Most of their specialness is in marketing to convince people to buy them.

    Now because my nutritional intake is a bit weak when it comes to vitamin A and calcium, I take a multivitamin. And really, that's it. No need for anything else - I'm happy, healthy, and eating at a deficit resulting in shedding weight.

    Save your money and buy what you like! Just fit it in with your calorie allotment for each day and be happy. :)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    No special foods for me.

    Try to avoid the pitfalls of supposed "super foods" or "health" foods. More often than not they don't do half of what they claim, are more expensive and taste funky.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    healthypelican wrote: »
    I currently have coconut oil, chia seeds, protein powder, fish oil and LSA.

    To be honest, I can't afford to include these things in my diet (What the beep am I doing?!?), but I feel like they will put me to an advantage.

    I brought the coconut oil because someone said if you mix two tablespoons with a cup of warm water, then drink a litre of water it will stop cravings and stop hunger (it didn't work for me).

    I brought the chia seeds because they were supposed to expand and make meals more filling, but the most recent ones I got didn't expand at all, and in the past, I don't think its made me any less hungry. I have tried having them with rolled oats and in smoothies. The taste wasn't great.

    I brought the protein powder because I wanted a quick, easy source of protein that could be a bit of a treat. I guess I'm not very good with nutrition.

    I brought the fish oil, because it was supposed to help with symptoms of my Bipolar, which it did for a while, but when I stopped taking it I started having weird hallucinations as I was waking up.

    I got the LSA because my sibling uses it and it was recommended in some meal plans I was given, as a source of fat.

    I don't really know what I'm doing. I want to feel fill and satisfied, but I should be eating on a much smaller budget. What should I do?

    I was going to switch the type of milk I used to a non dairy source, but the alternatives cost up to 8x as much. The milk I use is watered down a lot anyway.

    I'm not a doctor but I have heard that magnesium and cod liver oil can help some people with bipolar.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    The foods, definitely not. So called "superfoods" are unnecessary and one of the reasons people think it's expensive to eat healthy. Eat a variety of whole foods including lots of veggies, lean protein and healthy fats and you'll will be okay.

    The fish oil is a supplement and I believe there is some scientific evidence for its benefits in some areas. If it has been medically prescribed to you to treat a specific condition you should consult the medical professional who prescribed it to you in relation to whether you should keep taking it and side effects. It's outside the scope of expertise of people on here to give that sort of advice.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    It depends on what you mean by "special" and why you buy them.
    I buy Tracy Anderson Clear protein bars as snacks because they are GF (celiac disease) and soy (allergy) free, and can be carried in my purse for times when there aren't safe food choices for me.
    I buy heavy cream occasionally because I like it in my coffee, but only when I am training for the 2 or 3 5k races I do each year and know I can burn the extra calories.
    I buy myself really great chocolate for my birthday and don't even count the calories.

    All of those are special foods to me, but I buy them all for different reasons.

    I don't think of protein powder as a special food. It's just a convenient way to meet a necessary macro. And I am of an age where I am finding BCAAs reduce Mt menopausal symptoms, but that is totally anecdotal. I feel better on days when I take them.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,234 Member
    Just eat a variety of nutritious normal foods, ones that you personally enjoy: Enough protein, some healthy fats, plenty of fruits and veggies (frozen is fine) for the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more) and fiber, drink enough water. Review your diary regularly, and consider whether your eating is as tasty, nutritious, and filling as you want it to be. If it isn't, make adjustments.

    If you have trouble getting all the nutrition you need, then consider other foods. Might be supplements or "special" foods, might just be different foods from what you've been eating, and still pretty normal ones that you enjoy, but better aimed at meeting your individual goals.

    Personally, I think life is too short to be eating things I don't find tasty, in an effort to live longer. There are plenty of nutritious things that are tasty. The same goes for things that are expensive: There are plenty of nutritious things that are pretty affordable (for most of us).

    None of the "special" foods are supplements are magic, or essential.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,234 Member
    Just eat a variety of nutritious normal foods, ones that you personally enjoy: Enough protein, some healthy fats, plenty of fruits and veggies (frozen is fine) for the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more) and fiber, drink enough water. Review your diary regularly, and consider whether your eating is as tasty, nutritious, and filling as you want it to be. If it isn't, make adjustments.

    If you have trouble getting all the nutrition you need, then consider other foods. Might be supplements or "special" foods, might just be different foods from what you've been eating, and still pretty normal ones that you enjoy, but better aimed at meeting your individual goals.

    Personally, I think life is too short to be eating things I don't find tasty, in an effort to live longer. There are plenty of nutritious things that are tasty. The same goes for things that are expensive: There are plenty of nutritious things that are pretty affordable (for most of us).

    None of the "special" foods are supplements are magic, or essential.
  • healthypelican
    healthypelican Posts: 215 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    healthypelican wrote: »
    I currently have coconut oil, chia seeds, protein powder, fish oil and LSA.

    To be honest, I can't afford to include these things in my diet (What the beep am I doing?!?), but I feel like they will put me to an advantage.

    I brought the coconut oil because someone said if you mix two tablespoons with a cup of warm water, then drink a litre of water it will stop cravings and stop hunger (it didn't work for me).

    I brought the chia seeds because they were supposed to expand and make meals more filling, but the most recent ones I got didn't expand at all, and in the past, I don't think its made me any less hungry. I have tried having them with rolled oats and in smoothies. The taste wasn't great.

    I brought the protein powder because I wanted a quick, easy source of protein that could be a bit of a treat. I guess I'm not very good with nutrition.

    I brought the fish oil, because it was supposed to help with symptoms of my Bipolar, which it did for a while, but when I stopped taking it I started having weird hallucinations as I was waking up.

    I got the LSA because my sibling uses it and it was recommended in some meal plans I was given, as a source of fat.

    I don't really know what I'm doing. I want to feel fill and satisfied, but I should be eating on a much smaller budget. What should I do?

    I was going to switch the type of milk I used to a non dairy source, but the alternatives cost up to 8x as much. The milk I use is watered down a lot anyway.

    I'm not a doctor but I have heard that magnesium and cod liver oil can help some people with bipolar.

    Thanks, I will look it up!
  • healthypelican
    healthypelican Posts: 215 Member
    gmallan wrote: »
    The foods, definitely not. So called "superfoods" are unnecessary and one of the reasons people think it's expensive to eat healthy. Eat a variety of whole foods including lots of veggies, lean protein and healthy fats and you'll will be okay.

    I've fallen into that trap it seems
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited February 2017
    healthypelican wrote: »
    gmallan wrote: »
    The foods, definitely not. So called "superfoods" are unnecessary and one of the reasons people think it's expensive to eat healthy. Eat a variety of whole foods including lots of veggies, lean protein and healthy fats and you'll will be okay.

    I've fallen into that trap it seems

    When you know better, you do better. Now you know. :)
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    From your post it sounds like the fish oil pills were the only things that were helpful.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Remember that there's a lot of $$$ that is made by companies for promoting the "miracle food" or "superfood" of the moment. There is a lot of marketing that goes on to try to sell you on stuff. Whether it's the oat bran of the 1980s or the chia seeds of today. Even something as cheap as vinegar makes more of a profit when it's touted by magazines, chat boards and the like.

    There's nothing really wrong with anything you bought, but it sounds like you didn't really need or love any of those things, either. And if grocery budget is an issue, the money spent on some of those things might have been better spent on some high quality healthy food you would like.

    Here's the other thing that is often not considered: it sounds like very little of these purchases were done with any guidance from an actual qualified professional. This isn't a criticism! It's just that a lot of hoo-doo is out there about nutrition that is total crap and it makes it sound like eating healthy is much more complicated than it really is.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    The value of special foods is that you keep the economy moving by making other people rich.

    Seriously: You can absolutely eat healthy foods on a budget. In fact, you can save yourself money while loseing weight, by NOT buying a lot of foods you might have been eating before, like packaged treats, high-calorie snacks, and restaurant foods.

    Think about it: if there was some Magic Ingredient that would make people skinny, would *anyone* be fat?

    It's absolutely true that nutrition is important, but there really are no magic foods from which you MUST get specific nutrition.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    Nope not really, unless you really like them a lot.

    It's better to get your nutrients from real (whole) fruits and vegetables and meats such as chicken and salmon. But you can lose weight by eating anything within your calorie limits... it's not necessarily healthy to eat whatever you want (such as McDonald's) but you could still lose weight if that's your only goal.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    healthypelican wrote: »
    I currently have coconut oil, chia seeds, protein powder, fish oil and LSA.

    To be honest, I can't afford to include these things in my diet (What the beep am I doing?!?), but I feel like they will put me to an advantage.

    I brought the coconut oil because someone said if you mix two tablespoons with a cup of warm water, then drink a litre of water it will stop cravings and stop hunger (it didn't work for me).

    I brought the chia seeds because they were supposed to expand and make meals more filling, but the most recent ones I got didn't expand at all, and in the past, I don't think its made me any less hungry. I have tried having them with rolled oats and in smoothies. The taste wasn't great.

    I brought the protein powder because I wanted a quick, easy source of protein that could be a bit of a treat. I guess I'm not very good with nutrition.

    I brought the fish oil, because it was supposed to help with symptoms of my Bipolar, which it did for a while, but when I stopped taking it I started having weird hallucinations as I was waking up.

    I got the LSA because my sibling uses it and it was recommended in some meal plans I was given, as a source of fat.

    I don't really know what I'm doing. I want to feel fill and satisfied, but I should be eating on a much smaller budget. What should I do?

    I was going to switch the type of milk I used to a non dairy source, but the alternatives cost up to 8x as much. The milk I use is watered down a lot anyway.

    I use all of those but LSA.

    Did you soak the chia seeds in a little water first? I add soaked chia seeds to my smoothies and do think this makes them more filling, but a cheaper source of fiber might do the trick as well.

    I use protein powder to help meet my protein goals, etc., etc. I do shop around for cheapest prices.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    As long as you're getting enough nutrition and your dr isn't recommending them, meh. They all have uses in their own way, but aren't necessary.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    healthypelican wrote: »
    gmallan wrote: »
    The foods, definitely not. So called "superfoods" are unnecessary and one of the reasons people think it's expensive to eat healthy. Eat a variety of whole foods including lots of veggies, lean protein and healthy fats and you'll will be okay.

    I've fallen into that trap it seems

    It's an easy one to fall into with the amount of marketing that goes into these types of products. I will add that protein powder can be a good, convenient and economical source of getting more protein into your diet. The key is to look for one that is mainly protein (at least 80%). A good tip is to avoid ones that are marketed specifically to women or specifically for weight loss etc. as you generally pay more and protein is protein (although quality and taste varies).
  • Brenda4fitness
    Brenda4fitness Posts: 4 Member
    If you are low carb, and a higher protein take, trips to the bathroom can be difficult. Instead of coconut oil you can just add a teaspoon of olive oil to a meal to get your fat and the bonus is it helps in the toilet. The other things, I don't know. Nuts and seeds hurt my stomach so I avoid them. That's all I got for ya. LOL
  • Meg_DeLaCruz
    Meg_DeLaCruz Posts: 24 Member
    It's easy to get caught up in all that... instead focus on taking small steps to improving your food choices. You'll learn that after logging for a while you are more incline to pick more nutritious food. Logging also helps you determine if you are missing something from your diet such as .. iron or protein... whatever the case may be - then you can look for supplemental type stuff. In the mean time save your money for the healthy food you'll need to buy! :-)
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