Organic food in supermarkets

Edwardia

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

For people who want organic fruit and vegetables it would be much cheaper growing your own than being ripped off by the supermarkets. Get an allotment or grow some in you back garden.

While it's a great idea, if you can grow your own, not everyone can.

My garden is really small, especially in proportion to the house. In a normal English summer I manage to be self-sufficient in herbs but the veg I grow in bags and pots is just for the fun of doing it. I'd need a far bigger garden to grow enough fruit and veg.

There are people posting on this thread who live in London and if living in an apartment, they may not have more than a sunny windowsill or balcony.

When there is more of a market for organic food it will get cheaper. bornintoit posted an Aldi flyer PDF up way back and it showed us that in Germany, organic food in Aldi is cheaper than non-organic in UK.

In the week or so immediately after Chevalgate broke, The Grocer reported an 11% rise in organic sales. I expect they are going back down now as people become reassured, but every time a food scandal happens a small percentage of people either go vegetarian or go organic.

Years ago vegetarian was seen as mad hippy stuff and that if you didn't eat meat you were lunatic fringe. Yet you can buy veggie junk food now.

We're kinda lagging behind mainland Europe, at the moment.

It's great to see Homebase doing organic compost (sold out before I could get some) and even Poundland and Lidl selling organic fertilisers. But for people living in an urban environment, often growing their own organic food is a wish rather than a reality

Miroslav

Edwardia wrote: »

Miroslav if you have questions about low carb just ask. I hope things improve for you.

Thanks

Basically, I am limited on foods to eat. I had improved my conditions but they have deteriorated again and it started when one of my pets passed away. I've started putting 'fat' on again and getting lazy when it comes to food and started choking again at night.

My girlfriend is really good, but struggles with me not being able to eat much. We've run out of ideas, but I need to nip it in the bud and the post of yours I saw was talking about types of sugars and the carbs.

The Low Carb is something I had heard about but not made any attempt to do, mainly as I am fearful of foods as alot make me unwell and also worried that a low carb diet will leave me weak and always hungry.

At the moment, I am always hungry unless I make myself so full that I feel sick. I have a massive sweet tooth and all the low fat/sugar/carbs things confuse the hell out of me. I try to avoid low fat as I know it will mean high in something else.

Basically, as someone on Low Carb diets, what is the best way to eat well, not always feel hungry and not feel weak.....on a very tight budget!?

Callie22

Edwardia wrote: »

It's great to see Homebase doing organic compost (sold out before I could get some) and even Poundland and Lidl selling organic fertilisers. But for people living in an urban environment, often growing their own organic food is a wish rather than a reality

Not just in urban environments I rent, and although I grow herbs etc and some salad leaves in pots, with tenancies being as short term as they are it's impossible to grow veggies as you run the risk of spending a fortune on seeds etc and then having to trash it all if you are given notice - plants aren't the most portable things. Not to mention that you could end up being charged for 'damages' if you plant anything in the garden (been there, done that ...) Moving so much is a pain too as in my local area allotments are so scare that priority is given to 'local' residents. If you've moved a lot you're unlikely to qualify and of course even if you were lucky enough to get one there's always the possibility that you could end up moving too far away to maintain it. Gardening is a real luxury and I always find it slightly frustrating when lists of moneysaving tips tell people to grow their own veg, as it's really not possible for everyone. Building up a storecupboard is another thing that's hard when you're renting, but that's a gripe for another thread!

Edwardia

The choking thing must be worrying you and your girlfriend and I would suggest going along to see a doctor about that. I'm not a doctor so I can't make any suggestions on what it might be but a friend had something similar and she got help and a solution.

I would suggest making up a list of all the foods which give you problems starting with the worst problems and working down to the least and taking that to the doctor too. Whatever your body is allergic to or won't tolerate is something that has to be worked around.

Remember though that a dislike of a food is just a preference eg I'm fine with whole cherry tomatoes but I can't bear to eat sliced tomatoes unless cooked - those kind of weird things aren't actual allergies or intolerances.

I'm sorry that you've lost your beloved pet and your job, that must be really tough. My labrador had to be put down last month as he had cancer and I still feel devastated. (((Miroslav))). However you have got some time now, to concentrate on turning your health around and a girlfriend who cares about you.

If you are eating a diet which is really high in sugary things and carbohydrates (things like bread, pasta, toast, cakes, biscuits, potatoes and lots of processed food) you get a massive rise in blood sugar and then a massive crash like a rollercoaster. Low blood sugar can make you feel weak, sick, sweaty, sleepy..

Whereas if you were to start your day off with protein and slow release carbohydrates (depending on which foods you can actually eat) then you should last longer in between meals. Things like omelettes, porridge, kippers, cottage cheese on wholegrain toast.

You read my post in which I talked about leptin so I'll just remind you that though leptin and insulin don't share the same pathway to the brain they crossover. A lot of carbs and sugary food means that your pancreas is pumping out a lot of insulin. The insulin can get in the way of the leptin like an irritating slow car in the fast lane of a motorway and therefore the brain doesn't see the leptin.

When that happens, you don't get the signal saying stop eating. And if you're frightened of experiencing a sugar low (they aren't pleasant, I know) you'll be wanting to carry on eating anyway.

So what you need to do is not eat less, so much as eat differently. The more you cut out the sugary stuff, the more likely it is that your insulin level will lower and allow your brain to tell you, whoa, you're full. When your insulin level lowers, your body stops hanging onto the fat thinking in survival mode and you can lose weight.

Dr Lustig has a series on the University of California San Francisco YouTube channel called The Skinny on Obesity and he explains about leptin in that.

You don't need to go on a diet and eat three lettuce leaves a day. If you cut right down on sugar and refined carbs (processed food) you'll see yourself lose weight if you stick to it and that will give you the incentive to start exploring further.

Edwardia

A long way back in this thread, I mentioned McDonalds as a source of organic milk in an emergency.

OH told me that he thought we had another 2L bottle of milk, so he hadn't bought any at Sainsburys. he then discovered after 4pm today that we had run out.

After a look of disbelief and a a few mutterings he went to McDonalds and duly came home with 4 x 250ml bottles of organic semi-skimmed milk. As it cost over £3 for the litre however, I hope he learned the lesson Check Fridge for Milk Before 4pm Sunday.

Does feel a tad ironic, buying organic milk from McDonalds but it's British as well as Soil Association certified.

So yep, theory tested. It is possible to buy organic milk from McDonald's after 4pm on a Sunday when you need tea.. provided of course that you can get to a McDonalds.

bornintoit

Good evening to my fellow organicas

Just to say I have bought and tried Tesco Finest Organic Peruvian 70% plain chocolate and it is gorgeous!

Is cane sugar better than refined sugar or is it just the same product in reality, yes that may sound like a stupid question but I'm willing to learn.

Miroslav

Edwardia wrote: »

The choking thing must be worrying you and your girlfriend and I would suggest going along to see a doctor about that. I'm not a doctor so I can't make any suggestions on what it might be but a friend had something similar and she got help and a solution.

I would suggest making up a list of all the foods which give you problems starting with the worst problems and working down to the least and taking that to the doctor too. Whatever your body is allergic to or won't tolerate is something that has to be worked around.

Remember though that a dislike of a food is just a preference eg I'm fine with whole cherry tomatoes but I can't bear to eat sliced tomatoes unless cooked - those kind of weird things aren't actual allergies or intolerances.

I'm sorry that you've lost your beloved pet and your job, that must be really tough. My labrador had to be put down last month as he had cancer and I still feel devastated. (((Miroslav))). However you have got some time now, to concentrate on turning your health around and a girlfriend who cares about you.

If you are eating a diet which is really high in sugary things and carbohydrates (things like bread, pasta, toast, cakes, biscuits, potatoes and lots of processed food) you get a massive rise in blood sugar and then a massive crash like a rollercoaster. Low blood sugar can make you feel weak, sick, sweaty, sleepy..

Whereas if you were to start your day off with protein and slow release carbohydrates (depending on which foods you can actually eat) then you should last longer in between meals. Things like omelettes, porridge, kippers, cottage cheese on wholegrain toast.

You read my post in which I talked about leptin so I'll just remind you that though leptin and insulin don't share the same pathway to the brain they crossover. A lot of carbs and sugary food means that your pancreas is pumping out a lot of insulin. The insulin can get in the way of the leptin like an irritating slow car in the fast lane of a motorway and therefore the brain doesn't see the leptin.

When that happens, you don't get the signal saying stop eating. And if you're frightened of experiencing a sugar low (they aren't pleasant, I know) you'll be wanting to carry on eating anyway.

So what you need to do is not eat less, so much as eat differently. The more you cut out the sugary stuff, the more likely it is that your insulin level will lower and allow your brain to tell you, whoa, you're full. When your insulin level lowers, your body stops hanging onto the fat thinking in survival mode and you can lose weight.

Dr Lustig has a series on the University of California San Francisco YouTube channel called The Skinny on Obesity and he explains about leptin in that.

You don't need to go on a diet and eat three lettuce leaves a day. If you cut right down on sugar and refined carbs (processed food) you'll see yourself lose weight if you stick to it and that will give you the incentive to start exploring further.

Thanks for your reply.

I've seen the GP and it was because of my diet. I changed my diet and even though it cured the choking, I always feel hungry.

A brief history - I used to be an amateur body builder - legal, so no drugs ever, so nothing like that could be causing me grief. I never drink or smoke. I used to work out alot and that meant eating lots. I lost my partner and daughter to bereavements and used body building as a therapy. Then, my body started getting small problems and the choking started - GP says I have too much acid and a gastro problem, so I changed my diet - it was fairly easy and I improved. I then lost my 4th cat in 4 years and recently my job and i've become 'lazy' again. I don't body build anymore but still have the appetite. Sadly my body won't take as much food as I want to give it/it's asking for and that has probably something to do with what I am giving it.

I gave up lots of food, but I am very lazy when it comes to writing things down - it just seems to be a big uphill battle.


I'm sorry about your Labrador. They become our best friends these pets of ours, don't they.

I don't eat bread, but lately i've been eating more potato than normal. I do eat lots of Jaffa Cakes and low fat 'crisps'. as I find i'm too tired to eat anything I can make. I find I don't have alot to eat and can't find replacements for these items.

Porridge is an option, but it tastes not great without sugar.....maybe I can adjust over time?

That's really interesting about the Leptin and Insulin, as I think that's the problem I have with the not feeling full. The acid/gastro is a separate issue, but both need to be addressed.

I need to find replacements for the 'rubbish'. Whilst my arms and upper body are still very well defined, my face is bloating and belly starting to come out a bit more! The always feeling hungry and tired isn't good either. I still exercise almost daily, but not to the same degree as I was.

I'll need to sort out some kind of 'menu'. I got off the Chocolate once...it's the mental dilemmas that are going to kill me, but I must focus on it or I may not wake up one day and i'd not want to leave my partner behind.

I'll take a look at the suggested youtube channel and research refined carbs. low carbs etc. It's just frustrating reading so many websites that contradict themselves.

Thanks again for your response. It's appreciated.

lindseykim13

Ohh thanks for mentioning the cherrios edwardia I though they were fine and natural enough didn't think they'd be messed with! Just googled the ingredients and a little shocked but luckily enough we buy the Tesco brand which I have now googled every ingredient on and seems fine so hopefully I can relax.
Trying to switch as much food over to organic as we can and had already stopped the crappy chocolate filled cereals they aim at kids! Now we are down to mostly t's cherrios, wheetabix, porridge, shreddies so hopefully heading in the right direction.

Scares me to think how many people don't realise the stuff these companies are putting in our foods. I had always wrongly assumed that they wouldn't be putting anything harmful in-how wrong was i.

Edwardia

bornintoit hola chica !

Cane sugar comes from canes (picture tall thick bamboo) whereas beet sugar comes from sugar beets which kinda look like chunkier parsnips. The way the sugar is processed is different but the refined product is no different.

There's an EU quota for cane sugar imports to protect the European sugar beet industry so cane sugar is more expensive.

Raw cane sugar, evaporated cane juice etc may be less processed but they aren't truly natural.

Rapadura or raspadura from Brazil is unbleached, undyed evaporated cane juice with the molasses still there so in theory it is healthier because it has traces of minerals and should have some polyphenols - but really sugar is pretty nutritionally zero and only a source of energy and sweetness.

Even if called raw cane sugar the sugar in your chocolate is refined.
The way to cut down on sugar in chocolate is to switch to a dark one which is more than 70% cocoa. At first it may seem bitter but after a while you start to realise how muddy tasting the milk makes chocolate and how sickly and cloying the sugar tastes.

90% cocoa chocolate is just so mmm. luxuriant on the tongue..
Thanks for reminding me to add Lindt 90% cocoa chocolate to my Ocado order ! It's 3 for £5 at the moment so hope they have some left.

Ciao peeps catch u tomorrow xx

Edwardia

Just dived in to add that when I was settling down to read some fanfiction a banner ad told me than Sainsbury's is offering free delivery on orders over £50. No code was given but it mentioned
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/livingwellforless

That might be useful to some people because Sainsbury's has quite a big range of own brand organic stuff and also quite a lot of fresh, frozen and tinned wild fish. Organic veg prices aren't as cheap as Lidl, Morrisons and ASDA but there's more chance of getting some.

Anyone know if this fre delivery is a new thing ?