Category: Nutrition

Health Foodie

Published on by Christine4 Comments

I'm a Foodie

I love to eat delicious food and I’m lucky to live in the great city of Austin, a place with many great options when it comes to healthy dining.  I feel like it’s pretty easy to stick to a healthy diet when I’m cooking and eating at home, but when it comes to going out with friends or my hubby for date night, I tend to splurge a little.  I thought I would share with you some tried-and-true places in Austin that make eating out guilt-free a little easier:

  • Uchiko – I am sure you’ve heard that this is best place in Austin to eat. Let me tell you: it really, really is.  Responsibly fished seafood is hard to find and this place has it, along with lots of fresh produce and flavor galore. Go for their social hour to make it more affordable, but it really is worth every dime.
  • Hopdoddy – Best burger you’ll ever have.. I am obsessed! While not everything here is organic, at least they have hormone & antibiotic-free meat as well as lots of local ingredients.  I also LOVE that they have flouride-free water.
  • Tacodeli – Incredible tacos for breakfast and lunch. They have a great commitment to using locally-sourced organic produce, meat and eggs. Also, the best queso ever (I won’t judge you for trying it)!
  • Trace – Perfect place for date night!  They use seasonal, locally-sourced organic ingredients in their ever-changing, seriously yummy menu that will give you a taste of Texas.
  • Hillside Farmacy – Cool, old-fashioned pharmacy decor paired with delicious food from local farms.  I almost always try one of their specials and have never been disappointed here.  Their homemade soda cocktails are some of my favs.
  • Urban: An American Grill – Not your typical hotel restaurant, this modern place has innovative farm-to-table options.
  • The Steeping Room – My favorite place for lunch!  Tons of healthy options, especially conscious of those with food allergies.  And their tea menu is out of this world!
  • Eastside Cafe – Fresh, organic produce fills the menu – you’re eating right out of the garden here.  And it’s totally affordable too.
  • Wink – Cozy, romantic restaurant + a cool wine bar.  Their menu changes daily to reflect the most seasonal ingredients.
  • Lick – Ice cream is my guilty pleasure, and I have found the best. Their “honest” ice cream is home-made with organic, local dairy and no preservatives, corn syrup or artificial flavors.  They have amazing, unique flavors to choose from, with many seasonal options.  Currently in love with: S’more Meringue.
  • 24 Diner – I love breakfast food and they have some of the best in Austin.  Plus, most of their food is farm-to-table.
  • Green Pastures – French-inspired cuisine made with local ingredients.  Old Victorian mansion is the perfect place for a girls lunch. Say hi to the peacocks roaming the lawn!
  • Carillon – Beautiful food near my favorite university.  Perfect date night before a walk around campus.
  • Promise Pizza – A great option for those football Saturdays, nights you need delivery, or just crave pizza. Their organic pizza is delicious, plus you can get gluten-free crust.
  • Beets Living Foods Café – Everything is made with raw, living foods and is surprisingly delicious. Be ready to get out of your comfort zone and try lots of new things!
  • Mother’s Cafe and Garden – I’m no vegan, but this vegetarian place is great place to get your veggies. Their flavorful veggie dishes didn’t make me miss meat.
  • Olive & June – Beautiful venue, interesting food and seriously refreshing signature cocktails.

Austin has an ever-growing abundance of great new places to try and it’s impossible to keep up.  Here are a few I’ve heard have fantastic healthy options that I’ve yet to try and really want to. Husband, take note:

Fellow Austin health foodies, what did I miss on my bucket list?  And more importantly, who wants to join me for dinner?

Update 2/21 – Part 2 of this list continued here!  Plus, if you want to get an idea of what’s near you, check out this Pinterest Map I created of all the places above and follow my board for more ideas to come!

Soy it ain’t so…

Published on by Christine9 Comments

No more soy!

Thanks to the marketing efforts of the soy industry in the U.S. (we are the top producer of soy, contributing around 35% of the world supply), we’ve been deceived into thinking that soy is a phenomenal health food. It’s supposed to be heart-healthy and keep you young. Vegetarians rely on it as a protein source. It’s a widely available alternative for those with lactose intolerance. And the Japanese, whose diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world, have eaten it for years. Unfortunately, the truth is that it’s cheap, easy to process, and therefore has great margins for making money, hence the pervasive marketing. Even worse, it’s toxic to our bodies when not prepared or grown appropriately. Bad news is that the toxic kind is how it’s currently produced and consumed by all of us today.

Soybeans contain two chemicals, goitrogens and phytoestrogens, that affect your thyroid and sex hormones. Traditionally, the Japanese would soak and ferment the soybeans before using them, which neutralizes these harmful chemicals and creates tasty and healthful miso, tofu, etc. But now, in commercially made soy products (even in many of those organically grown), the fermentation process is skipped because it’s cheaper & quicker to do so; instead it is hydrolyzed, a process that does not remove the toxins. So the soy sauce, soy milk, infant formulas, soy protein bars, tofu and most processed products you buy in stores and eat at restaurants are passing those chemicals straight to your body. These chemicals cause thyroid (regulates growth, metabolism and energy levels) issues, like hyper/hypothyroidism and thyroid & pancreatic cancer, as well as reproductive organ problems for both men and women. Soy is also one of the most common allergens, especially among infants and toddlers.

In addition to the fact that already-present chemicals are not removed, the toxic solvent hexane (a chemical by-product of gasoline refining) is used to process soy proteins. Hexane can cause cancer, birth defects, reproductive issues, and adverse effects on the environment.

Even worse, 90% of soybeans are genetically modified, a serious health issue I discussed at length here. The GMO quality of these beans only adds to the health effects, now being linked to sterility and infant mortality.

Seeing a trend here? I don’t know about you, but when I learned about all this, I was immediately motivated to remove soy from my diet. Personally, I saw amazing changes in some hormonal issues I was suffering from within just a few weeks (starting with getting rid of my daily soy-protein bars at breakfast). Here’s a few suggestions to get you started:

  • When shopping, go for fresh foods instead of processed items. If you do buy packaged (even organic), look at the ingredients label and avoid these substances: soy, soy protein (isolate/hydrolyzed), soy lecithin, hydrolyzed plant/vegetable protein, monoglycerides, MSG, and soybean oil
  • If you are lactose-intolerant or vegetarian, go for cashew, almond or, my favorite, coconut milk. I find that unsweetened, full fat coconut milk tastes the most similar and works in recipes as an easy substitute – plus it makes delicious and healthy whipped cream!
  • Start your babies off right – most infant formulas contain GM soy. Breast-feeding is best, but if you must use formula, you will have to make your own, find a local goat farm for milk, or participate in a milk sharing program. Unfortunately, there are no soy-free options available for sale in the United States, but you can import from Europe (Holle brand in Germany).
  • Attention meat eaters: many fast food restaurants put soy flour and soy protein in their meat and buns, among other things…
  • Lastly, you can still enjoy those tasty Asian dishes with traditionally fermented soy sauce instead. I have found it at every grocery store I’ve visited and I actually like the taste better. Here’s one brand to try.  Or, you can use coconut aminos, which has a very similar taste and is completely soy-free.

I’d love to know… Is this the first you’ve heard about the dangers of soy? Will you try removing it from your diet?