Real food vs processed, and calories

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lauz45
lauz45 Posts: 243
in Food and Nutrition
Just a quick one, who on here would rather take the extra calories and eat something 'real' than go for the extra low calorie/fat option that is highly processed?

A good example is butter - in my fridge i've got spreadable butter, with 3 ingredients (butter, vegetable oil, salt), and low cal 'spread' (flora light) which has 9 ingredients, most of which are unrecognisable, but is a lot less calories and fat.

I got a free book with a magazine that makes a lot of sense, it's basically about clean eating, and i'm finding it interesting.
'Food Rules - an Eater's Manual' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Rules-Eaters-Michael-Pollan/dp/0141048689/ref=pd_sim_b_1

As a reluctant processed food queen i'd like to know if it does in fact make a difference.
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Replies

  • lee754952
    lee754952 Posts: 4
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    You should eat natural foods and in moderation. But moderation is the key word.
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,179 Member
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    If I have all my macros met, and calories left? ....bring on the junk food
  • Mmmporkrinds
    Mmmporkrinds Posts: 192
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    I'd rather the real thing, including good thick creamy Greek yoghurt. Michael Pollan is really interesting. 'Eat food, mostly plants, not too much'. Kind of makes sense. I don't have much processed food any more - use my calories on whole foods and lots of veg, and I notice I don't get hungry as much anymore.
  • lauz45
    lauz45 Posts: 243
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    Natural - that's the word I was looking for :)
  • sweet110
    sweet110 Posts: 332 Member
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    Real.

    From a strict calorie perspective, real foods are metabolized differently. Essentially, processed foods are "pre-digested" so the body puts in less work to digest it. I'm not pulling that out of my a** by the way. Clinical studies. Somewhere. (Not about butter vs "spreads", but things like flour versus whole grains? Definitely.)

    But, more importantly, the main reason to lose weight is to be healthy. So why eat something unhealthy in order to get healthy? If you want to eat something unhealthy *because its tasty*, then enjoy yourself. Knock yourself out, but figure it into your overall plan. But to eat something unhealthy...for health? Doesn't make sense. Why bother?
  • kleighsamboer
    kleighsamboer Posts: 250
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    I am a clean eater so I would rather eat "real" food rather than something processed.
  • Lauraph
    Lauraph Posts: 79 Member
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    You are headed in the right direction by following Michael Pollen's advice.
  • ezrahartman
    ezrahartman Posts: 16
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    Yes, it does make a difference. Been eating clean for about a year. Tosca Reno has a great book about it if you need some guidance. It DOES make a difference...but it can be pricey! Good luck.
  • Hev_uk
    Hev_uk Posts: 82 Member
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    I enjoy cooking and hate the idea of all the salt and crap put it to ready meals and diet products so my main foods are 'real'. I do, however, for my weight loss, use low fat margarine for cooking, for example with eggs. I know I would be better off eating butter but it doesn't bother me that much and does the job I want it to which is to stop my food sticking
  • 62unfit
    62unfit Posts: 2 Member
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    I try to make all my calories healthy ones by eating "real food"...of course, sometimes I mess up and have to eat fake stuff just to fit in with my calories. If I up my veggies, I can usually do it right. I want to be thinner, but I also want to be healthy for the rest of my life. I think low-fat margarines, etc. are okay for a temporary fix while we're learning how to eat properly, but we should replace them with "real food" as soon as possible...just use less of it.
  • bossmodehan
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    I have this little book too, very handy! Definitely always the whole food for me, and as long as it's doing good, don't feel bad if it doesn't quite fit with your intake goals.
  • yag1630
    yag1630 Posts: 92
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    I go for real food and organic which is very healthy.
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Clean eating is the best way to go. It not only helps in losing weight but you feel so much better too. There's nothing that says you can't indulge every now and then.
    Just remember, the less ingredients it has the better it is for you. Basically, the closer to nature it is the more natural it is. Hence, the apple and apple pie analogy. 1. apple 2. apple sauce 3. apple juice 4. apple pie....I think there might be one more in there, but you get the idea.

    I love Tosca Reno. She is the queen of clean eating.
  • Bergiere
    Bergiere Posts: 39 Member
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    I prefer real food to processed and have cut out a lot of it out of my diet. It's not always easy, but I think its worth it. :)
  • modernmom70
    modernmom70 Posts: 373 Member
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    I prefer real to processed! Michael Pollan changed the way I eat! You should also read The Omnivores Dilemma...this book changed my life!
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
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    I still eat some processed foods, but in general I'm trying to eat mostly whole foods. I'll still eat white flour in things, but not all that much.

    I've noticed that drinking all fruit smoothies every day has helped my skin, and I feel better. I was eating a lot of homemade bean soups for a while and have to return to that.

    I've found that the food is more satisfying and I feel full longer. I also get to eat more volume which appeals to me.

    But I never really had a problem with junk food, or overly processed food. I can easily say no to almost any food but chocolate.
  • RaniMerryman
    RaniMerryman Posts: 19 Member
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    Funny, I even have some interesting scientific experience with this. I have young children. I do very little processed and try to cook real food for dinner absolutely and lunch is a bit more sketchy... but still LOTS of WHOLE fruits and veg in their diet.... not canned or frozen, but fresh. They have friends who I KNOW their parents feed them complete CRAP. Yesterday we went to the park and I nearly had to drag the processed kids back home.... no energy to make it back to the house.... mind you the park is across the street.... I thought... hm, that speaks VOLUMES! What could it be like for someone with a couple of years on the engine where stuff is already starting to not work as well.....
  • iqnas
    iqnas Posts: 445 Member
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    Bump
  • lauz45
    lauz45 Posts: 243
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    Lots of interesting and helpful replies, keep 'em coming! (and I will check out that book modernmon70)
  • Elizabeth_M
    Elizabeth_M Posts: 562 Member
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    I prefer real to processed. When I do have processed, I feel like crap. Having a granola bar is easy, but I feel much better after having had a fruit, or homemade muffins, etc. Just made some recently (pumpkin) that have fibre, protein and is low-cal. AND I can pronounce all the names of the ingredients. :)

    Edited to say that I did the Weight Watcher's Core Plan once (which was basically eat whole foods without counting (in moderation) and only count what was not whole (ie; cereals, breads, pasta) and I was really successful with it.

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