Strange tastes

[jorvik]

I guess that is suitable for vegetarians as no animal was killed?

[Bill Glasheen]

I guess that is suitable for vegetarians as no animal was killed?

It depends.

There are all genres of vegetarians. Some consume eggs and milk (lacto-ovo vegetarians), and some do not (vegans).

Individuals approach a vegetarian diet for myriad reasons. I tend to eat more fruits and vegetables just because it's good for me. But for the same reason, I love my raw fish. I practically have to force-feed my boys their vegetables. Their young male taste buds tend to prefer a more carnivorous diet. I'm fine with the meat, fish, dairy, and eggs, but want them to avoid animal fat and get their phytonutrients and fiber from plant sources.

Other people have ethical reasons for not eating meat, fish, and sometimes other animal byproducts. Having such a lifestyle though doesn't automatically make someone a healthy eater. If you aren't careful, you can be lacking in important amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, and even have too high a fat or carbohydrate content in the diet. And too much of any one thing can hurt you. Wheat germ for example is known to be high in an estrogen-like compound (phytoestrogen), and the same is true for soy. So I wouldn't recommend a young male consume a diet high in such foods. Balance is key.

- Bill

[jorvik]

Well I'm lacto -Ovo.......as are my sons and wife..I was just curious, because I lean more towards veganism than anything else......I'm quite into this stuff right now
http://www.walford.com/kitchen.htm

although I'm a natural vegetarian....I love salads and broccoli.and all the other stuff that some folks have to be force fed.........and I absolutely hate Mcdonalds..dojo or otherwise

[Van Canna]

But for 'the beef' man would have been extinct




Food of the Gods

[Chris McKaskell]

Aaahhh, to be an omnivore and enjoy everything!

'Cepting 'o' course for the McDojo!

[Bill Glasheen]

Here's something a little more exotic for you, Van, and much healthier.



That would be buffalo steak. A little on the tough side, but much lower in fat and very high in protein. And if allowed to feed on grass as opposed to corn meal, it's higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

A little more tender is ground buffalo in a burger...



... or perhaps some buffalo meatloaf. The dish they serve here at Firebird's restaurant is so good (to me) that I ask them not to ruin it with gravy. (See Phoenix and our own Short Pump)



Hundreds of generations of First Americans couldn't have been wrong!

- Bill

[Chris McKaskell]

MMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmMM-- OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Van Canna]

Everything in moderation my friends

[chef]

How about Ostrich Meat...supposedly one of the healthiest meats...and tasty:

http://www.ostrichmeats.com/

Regards,
Vicki

PS...Great to have this Forum when life kicks you in the butt and you need a place to go and forget...and lose yourself for a while.

[TSDguy]

I love my raw fish.

Raw? Isn't that a good way to die? I've tried raw fish before (national dish in Holland) and I always get EXTREMELY sick.

[Bill Glasheen]

I love my raw fish.

Raw? Isn't that a good way to die? I've tried raw fish before (national dish in Holland) and I always get EXTREMELY sick.

Quite the opposite, my friend. To wit...

Feed it to me raw...

By Doug Cummings
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 5, 1996

People unaccustomed to eating raw fish can have a nasty disposition towards it. Granted, the phrase "eating raw fish" can conjure up images of a person savagely consuming a dripping aquatic life form, but the popular Japanese cuisine can be a refined and delicious dining experience.

Sliced raw fish on vinegared rice is called "sushi," and it's endured through Asian generations as a low fat, high protein, highly nutritional food source. In the olden days, sushi was a way of preserving fish with lactic acid from fermented rice that it was packed in. While records show that sushi was eaten in China as early as the second century A.D., it was probably exported to Japan 500 years later and bloomed in the rice and fish-based economy.

Today, as more people are flipping fast food out of their diets and turning to more healthy cuisines, a lot of attention has been centered on Japanese food, one of the factors that's helped Japan take leading positions in world health and longevity charts.

***

First... Fish is high in EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid). The former is very heart healthy, and is nature's anti-inflammatory. The latter is good for brain development.

The problem with cooking fish is that it reduces some of the more subtle beneficial effects of these omega-3 fatty acids. The more you cook it, the less beneficial the fish. If you think you are being "healthy" by eating a McDonald's fried fish sandwich, think again. A Big Mac is better for you.

Another very important thing to consider is the freshness. One reason I like my food unadulterated is that I can taste how fresh it is. Only the very freshest and finest fish is reserved for sushi grade. The rest of it goes on the supermarket shelf for normal cooking. Once it's been in the oven and people throw their butter on it, they can't tell the difference.

If you eat sushi and/or sashimi (just the raw fish) in a quality restaurant, you are guaranteed of getting the best quality fish with the most positive impact on your health.

Potential Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to raise the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the blood (the “good” cholesterol). This, in turn, can lower the amount of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the blood.
• In some cases, a person's LDL can be raised slightly, however with a greater rise in HDL, a person's 'ratio' can improve tremendously, which is an overall positive change to cardiovascular health. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to increase the particle size of the LDL in your blood, which is also considered a positive and healthful change.
• The consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to be beneficial to those with type II diabetes, helping moderate blood sugar levels and epidemiologic studies have shown a lower prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance.
• Studies have also linked the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids with improved endothelial (blood vessel wall) function, reduced platelet aggregability (blood clotting), and lower blood pressure. These are widely regarded cardioprotective benefits.
• A report in the March 23 online issue of the Journal of Neuroscience indicates that a diet rich on Omega-3 fatty acids may ward off Alzheimer's disease. Studies of Omega-3 consumption have shown a up to a 70% decrease of amyloid protein in the brain, the plaque widely regarded as the cause of Alzheimer's.
• Also remember that your central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and all nerve sheaths) is mostly DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid. The body is constantly in need of repairing and replenishing itself, so the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids is critical to maintaining proper central nervous system health.
• Since Omega-3 fatty acids are required for proper development (which includes developing babies), pregnant and lactating women are encouraged to eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA. This includes many nuts and seeds, however fish is the richest source of these fatty acids and a great way to incorporate them into your diet. Raw fish is often avoided in western society during pregnancy, so nutritional supplements are sold specifically to target pregnant and lactating women, which are either fish oil or Omega-3 fatty acids taken directly from the algal source, specifically one called Neuromins, and sold as Expecta Lipil, among many others. If you can't have the fish, you can have the next best thing. But remember, there is still plenty of cooked fish available if you choose.

- SushiFAQ.com

Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Nov 1;41(9):1297-303. Epub 2005 Sep 22.

Sushi delights and parasites: the risk of fishborne and foodborne parasitic zoonoses in Asia.

Nawa Y, Hatz C, Blum J.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan. yukifuminawa@fc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp

Because of the worldwide popularization of Japanese cuisine, the traditional Japanese fish dishes sushi and sashimi that are served in Japanese restaurants and sushi bars have been suspected of causing fishborne parasitic zoonoses, especially anisakiasis. In addition, an array of freshwater and brackish-water fish and wild animal meats, which are important sources of infection with zoonotic parasites, are served as sushi and sashimi in rural areas of Japan. Such fishborne and foodborne parasitic zoonoses are also endemic in many Asian countries that have related traditional cooking styles. Despite the recent increase in the number of travelers to areas where these zoonoses are endemic, travelers and even infectious disease specialists are unaware of the risk of infection associated with eating exotic ethnic dishes. The aim of this review is to provide practical background information regarding representative fishborne and foodborne parasitic zoonoses endemic in Asian countries.

PMID: 16206105

- Bill

[TSDguy]

I have no doubt fish is good for you, nor do I have any aversions to any kind of food. I'll try anything. I didn't see anything in your post about eating raw vs. cooked meat though. When my dad taught me to gut a deer, he made it very clear not even touch the thing with your bare hands, let alone eat it.

It doesn't matter if venison is better for you than beef if they both kill you when raw.

Is raw fish somehow immune from, or at least very unlikely to make you sick? I'm guessing it either requires only the best preperation and quality control standards if so, because the two times I've eaten raw fish it eventually made me so sick that I was hallucinating and vomitting profusely. Both times I ate it, it was fresh (in Amsterdam) and I'm not allergic to any foods.

[Bill Glasheen]

Is raw fish somehow immune from, or at least very unlikely to make you sick? I'm guessing it either requires only the best preperation and quality control standards if so, because the two times I've eaten raw fish it eventually made me so sick that I was hallucinating and vomitting profusely. Both times I ate it, it was fresh (in Amsterdam) and I'm not allergic to any foods.

You bring up a good point. I would leave the art of raw fish preparation to the typically obsessive-compulsive Japanese culture. There is a right and a wrong way to prepare sushi and sashimi so you don't get sick. And there are more ways to do it wrong than there are ways to do it right.

Absolutely do not eat raw meat. Bad idea. Long story...

- Bill

[TSDguy]

The Dutch don't so much prepare their raw herring as they just whack off the skin and eat it.

[cxt]

A real good friend of mine was a serious vegan---it took a crew with crowbars to get her to eat a little fish now and then--even objected to drinking milk and eating eggs.

When she got pregnent she started to get these horrible (to her ) cravings for red meat.

She would litterally be eating ribs and BBQ steaks with the rest of us "barbarians" with tears in her eyes.

She now eats red meat on occassion----mainly because her little boy refuse to eat some of the vegan stuff she likes--so she cooks him hambergers and hot dogs.
But she buys the very best meats---kid eats better than I do.

So we--as a group--let the vegan clue us in to where we can get the "good" meats.