10 Principles of Intuitive Eating
Although almost any weight-loss plan can yield short-term benefits, over time the pounds creep back, and it’s not unusual to end up weighing more than you did before you started dieting. Sun Basket’s Director of Nutrition, Lindsey Kane explains how research on intuitive eating, done by Evelyn Tribole MS RDN, and Elyse Resch MS RDN can help you get off the diet-go-round for good.
1. Reject the diet mentality.
For years we’ve chased one diet to the next, letting the latest fad dictate what, how much, and when to eat. This rigid lifestyle of restriction and deprivation can lead to a toxic relationship with food. The first step of intuitive eating is to make a commitment to trust your gut when it comes to food choices.
2. Honor your hunger.
While most diets require you to resist a growling stomach, intuitive eating is about rebuilding faith in your body’s cues. You’ll learn to be more aware of your hunger and how to respond appropriately to it before you become ravenous. Try this at home: Before each meal, rate your level of hunger, jot down a few internal cues that you observed, and the time of day. Do this for a week and you’ll become more in tune with your appetite, as well as which foods deliver long-lasting energy, and those that are fast burning and deliver short-lived satiety.
3. Make peace with food.
Intuitive eating asks that you abandon the idea of good and bad food. That approach fuels a dangerous ‘all or nothing’ mentality that can lead to cravings for ‘forbidden’ foods, followed by binging and a rush of self-loathing and shame. Intuitive eating promotes the idea that food should always be a life-enhancing experience.
4. Challenge the food police.
A thorough mental house-cleaning and reframing attitudes toward food are crucial. Take note of any food-police thoughts you may have, such as “I was bad today” or “I shouldn’t eat that.” Resist the notion that your food choices define you and the value you bring to this world. Look out for people who may be consciously or unconsciously manifesting a food-police mentality, then share your intuitive eating philosophy with them and ask them to support you by keeping their negative comments to themselves.
5. Respect your fullness.
The flip side of honoring your hunger is to respect when you’re full. Because diets limit what, when, and how much you eat, it’s easy to become disconnected from the internal signs that signal satiety. When you practice intuitive eating you start a meal with a lower level of hunger and in a frame of mind that allows you to be more sensitive to cues that you’re full. Plus, you know that you can refuel whenever you’re hungry again, and you won’t feel pressured to clean your plate. Try this at home: Use a satiety scale during meals to train your mind to get in touch with cues of satiety. Jot down observations of how you feel and what you ate. This will help determine when to put your fork down and walk away from a meal feeling comfortably nourished and energized.
6. Discover the satisfaction factor.
Intuitive eating encourages you to identify foods that truly make you feel good—not just during a meal, but afterward, too. You’ll find yourself gravitating towards and returning to the foods that make you feel your best. In addition to savoring your meals and eating foods that taste good and make you feel good, you can engage all your senses: slow down, appreciate the way the food looks, respect how it arrived at your plate, breathe in all of the aromas, and eat in an environment that feels good—bring on the flowers and candles—and with people who light you up.
7. Honor your feelings without using food.
Yes, food can be comforting, but that pleasure only lasts as long as the meal. Afterward, whatever was eating you is still there, buried under food, perhaps now served with a side of guilt and shame. Intuitive eating encourages you to identify whether you’re feeling anxious, bored, lonely, sad, or angry and then seek a true solution. Go for a walk, call a friend, practice yoga or meditation, get a massage, read a book, or write in a journal. You’ll know you’re responding appropriately when the response makes you feel better, not worse.
8. Respect your body.
Our differences are our superpowers, yet we live in a world that idealizes a cookie-cutter body type. The idea that we can radically transform our bodies is unfair and unrealistic. Intuitive eating challenges you to embrace your genetic blueprint, set realistic expectations, and celebrate your uniqueness. Try this at home: Anytime you catch yourself comparing your body to someone else’s, respond as you would if a friend said something similar about themselves.
9. Exercise and feel the difference.
People who practice intuitive eating enjoy exercise because it gives them energy, improves their mood, promotes self-efficacy, and makes them feel strong, flexible, and agile. Working out isn’t about which activity will burn the most calories, but rather about which activity is the most fun and energizing. It’s another example of how the satisfaction factor can make habits stick. Exercise you enjoy is exercise that you’re likely to repeat, creating the momentum that drives sustainable, long-term happiness.
10. Honor your health.
Acknowledging how your health impacts the richness of your life erases superficial reasons for health goals and grounds your motives in what truly matters: your personal values. Getting perspective on why health is important helps you understand that no single meal or bite can make or break your self-worth. Align your health with your ambitions and you’ll be more motivated to cultivate habits that support your life goals.
Artwork by ekströmdesign
One Potato, Two Potato, How to Cut a Sweet Potato
How to Cut a Sweet Potato into Half-Moons
- Wash the sweet potato with your hands or a scrubbing brush to remove any dirt.
- With a chef’s knife, cut both ends off of the potato.
- Cut the potato in half lengthwise, then lay the cut side flat on the board.
- Cut each half into 1/4-inch-thick slices and enjoy them this week in our Seared Steak and Porcini Sauce with Chard.
8 Spices for Your Health
When you add spice to a recipe, you’re not just making it taste better, you’re also making it better for you. Gram for gram, spices are some of the most nutrient-dense foods available. Made from bark, seeds, fruits, and roots (leaves and flowers are classified as herbs), spices are dried, a process that concentrates the nutritional properties of the plants, giving them superpowers to enhance the immune system, ease digestion, boost metabolism, balance hormones, and combat disease, all while making food taste great.
Allspice
Although it’s often thought to be a blend of spices, allspice is actually a berry native to the Caribbean and South America, where it’s used in curries and jerk seasonings. Researchers have noted its ability to relieve indigestion and improve blood sugar levels. It also has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and is a source of calcium, vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.
Cayenne
Capsaicin, the compound that gives chiles their heat, is a metabolism-boosting calorie burner. Cayenne is also a source of cancer-fighting, heart-protecting antioxidants, and has been shown to relieve minor pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis and muscle sprains and strains.
Cinnamon
Your favorite toast and oatmeal topping may help regulate blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. It’s also used for reducing inflammation and is a source of antioxidants. Taste for yourself in our Vegan Chocolate Horchata.
Coriander
The seeds of the cilantro plant contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Emerging research suggests it may relieve anxiety and depression, as well as improve memory and cognition.
Cumin
From Mexico to the Middle East, cumin is used to season everything from mole to hummus. It’s also correlated with reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, good news for your heart.
Garlic
Not so great for your breath, but good news for your heart, garlic may help reduce bad cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. It’s also noted for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties, which repel bad bacterial bugs and keep harmful viral strains at bay.
Ginger
A naturopathic favorite, ginger has been used to treat arthritis, asthma, pain, inflammation, and upset stomachs for thousands of years. There is now plenty of evidence to support ginger’s digestion-calming effects, which has lead to its use for relief from morning sickness and nausea related to postsurgical procedures, chemotherapy, and motion sickness.
Turmeric
Bright colors and bold flavors equal big nutrient value, and turmeric is a prime example. Curcumin, an active compound in this golden spice, boasts a trifecta of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. In fact, researchers have correlated turmeric with improvements in blood sugar control and diabetes, as well as a reduction in cholesterol and cancer growth. Pro tip: always pair turmeric with black pepper (like in our favorite turmeric ginger tonic) to increase its absorption and optimize its impact.
Artwork by ekströmdesign
Making Sense of Meat and Seafood Labels
Anyone who cares about how their food is produced needs to know how to read a label, but the terminology isn’t always transparent. Here’s our glossary of some of the most common labels for sustainable meat and seafood.
Grass-fed
This term refers to meat that comes from animals that have access to pasture during grazing season and have never been given grain. While all cattle spend the first months of their life grazing on pasture, only those that eat grass for their entire life cycle are truly 100% grass fed.
No Added Hormones
Most feedlot cattle in the US are given hormones to make them grow faster, boosting the amount of meat per animal and putting fast cash in ranchers’ pockets. While the USDA and the FDA say the hormones are safe, groups like the American Public Health Association warm that these hormones can interfere with human hormone production and should be avoided. Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in pork and poultry.
No Antibiotics Ever
Ranchers use antibiotics to promote growth, sometimes as much 3 percent more weight than an animal would otherwise weigh, but there’s increasing evidence that this practice can lead to antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The words “no antibiotics ever” is exactly what it says. Any sick animals that required these drugs are removed from the “no antibiotics” line.
Non-GMO
To receive this label, a product has to be certified as containing ingredients with less than 1 percent genetic modification.
Organic
Only foods that are produced without most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation, can be labeled organic. In order to earn USDA organic certification, foods must be grown and processed according to federal guidelines that take into account soil quality, animal husbandry, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible.
Pasture Raised
This label is used to indicate that the animals have been allowed to graze on pasture, a practice that reduces fossil fuel consumption, erosion, and greenhouse gases, while increasing soil fertility. All of Sun Basket’s beef and lamb is pasture raised.
Sustainably Sourced
Sun Basket only uses wild-caught seafood from fisheries that are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and rated either “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium® Seafood Watch program.
Wild-caught
These words on a label indicate that the fish was caught in an ocean, river, or stream using nets, handlines, divers, or traps.
Getting Saucy: Exploring the World of Curry
If you’ve ever visited an Indian or Thai restaurant, you’ve probably eaten a curry. It may have been red or green, with meat or fish, or it could’ve been vegetarian. Curry is a simple word that’s used to describe a wide range of dishes. While it’s most often associated with India, some of the most famous curries were first developed in Great Britain. You can find examples of these saucy, spicy dishes in many countries including Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and Jamaica.
It’s no surprise that curries are a favorite in the Sun Basket test kitchen. Here are a few of our favorites.
India: Spices like black pepper and cumin, as well as mortars and pestles for crushing spices, have been in South Asia since 2000 BC, so it makes sense that the region is the home of curry spice blends. The curries of India vary across the country’s many regions. Our Golden Coconut Curry with Tofu, Spinach, and Black Rice borrows Madras curry powder to make a sauce for Chinese ingredients, while our Curried Chickpeas, New Potatoes, and Zucchini with Basmati Rice speaks to India’s vegetarian traditions.
Indonesia: In Padang, on the west coast of Indonesia, fish curries, like our Padang Salmon Curry with Jade Rice with coconut milk, Kaffir (makrut) lime leaves, turmeric, and lemongrass, take advantage of the city’s proximity to the ocean.
Japan: We likely have British naval officers to thank for introducing Indian curry blends to Japan back in the 1800s. Now a Japanese home-cooking staple, curry sauce is often stewed in a large pot with carrots, potatoes, onions, and served with beef, chicken, and sometimes pork, like in our Japanese Pork Curry with Broccoli and Cauliflower “Rice”.
Thailand: The rainbow of curry styles from Thailand are classified by color—red, green, and yellow, and are typically sweeter than the Indian versions. Our Thai Green Chicken Curry with Asparagus and Jasmine Rice is the spiciest of the three. You’ll also want to try the yellow Thai curry in our Seared Salmon with Lemongrass-Coconut Curry.
The Sun Basket Hit List
The Art of Flavor
by Daniel Patterson and Mandy Aftel
Sun Basket’s R&D chef, Alan Li, bought every member of our kitchen team a copy of this book. “I don’t know Patterson, but I’ve worked with a handful of cooks who have trained in his kitchens. They think about seasoning differently than most cooks do, and I’ve learned so much from watching them. This is a book I’ve been waiting years to read.” As Patterson notes in his introduction, “This book…is about learning to think about ingredients, process, and flavor in a new way.” Cooking, Patterson reminds us, is about paying attention.
The Flavors of Oakland
by Anya Ku and Elazar Sontag
Our summer editorial intern moved on months ago, but Elazar Sontag left a big impression behind. At the tender age of 16, Elazar teamed up with Anya Ku to write this narrative cookbook with stories and recipes from 20 home cooks. There’s crab curry from a family with roots in Goa, India, and a Tibetan blue cheese soup. Ma po tofu, catfish and candied yams, and challah studded with M&Ms are just a few of dishes you’ll read about in these pages. Together they tell a delicious story of how one of the country’s most dynamic cities defines its place at the table.
Unforgettable, The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert’s Renegade Life
by Emily Kaiser Thelin
When Sun Basket’s Editorial Director of Recipes first set out to write this book, her proposal was rejected by nearly a dozen editors. Not to be deterred, Emily raised the money on Kickstarter instead and published the book herself. When the beautifully written biography of one of the country’s most influential food writers came out last spring to rave reviews, those same publishers saw just how wrong they were. Unforgettable is being reissued this month by Grand Central Life and Style with a new foreword by Alice Waters.
The Guardian
The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life: the new sleep science
This article in the Guardian is a real wake-up call for the night owls out there. We know that sleep is important, but the revelations here about its impact on every aspect of our well-being has us slipping into our jammies and pulling up the covers as soon as the sun goes down.
The Atlantic
New Nutrition Study Changes Nothing
Sun Basket dietitian Lindsay Kane is always happy to share articles like this that remind us that healthy eating is really just commonsense. She tries to avoid the fate of the Dietitian from the Future, in Why Healthy Eating is Hard from the folks at Funny or Die.
Yes, You Can Get the Protein You Need from a Plant-Based Diet
There’s a long list of vegetables that contain ample amounts of protein, though only a handful are “complete,” meaning that they contain all nine of the essential amino acids found in animal proteins. But if you eat a well-balanced, vegetable-centric diet, you can, in fact, enjoy meals that pack a solid punch of protein.
These foods can help you meet your protein needs while delivering plenty of flavor, variety, and other nutrients necessary for a healthy diet.
Broccoli
A cup of cooked broccoli contains 2 grams of protein (and just 20 calories). It’s also loaded with good-for-you nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Don’t skip the stalks. Peel them lightly, cut into thin slices, then add them to salads or toss them in olive oil and roast them alongside the florets.
Buckwheat
Don’t be confused by the name, this gluten-free seed is not a type of wheat. It’s one of an elite group of vegetables that qualify as a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s also an excellent source of manganese and dietary fiber. Eat it as an alternative to rice, swap buckwheat flour for all-purpose in your pancakes, or enjoy a bowl of Japanese soba noodles made from buckwheat.
Legumes
Arguably among the best meat substitutes, beans and lentils are packed with protein—a whopping 12 grams in a cup of cooked pinto beans. That’s more than what you’ll find in an ounce of beef.
Nuts
We like almonds, cashews, and pistachios for their combination of high protein, high fiber, and good fat—a triple threat for satiety, blood sugar regulation, and long-lasting energy. Grab a handful for a snack, sprinkle some nuts onto pasta dishes, or add them to your smoothie.
Quinoa
Like buckwheat, quinoa is another complete-protein pseudocereal; ½ cup cooked quinoa boasts 8 grams of protein. Though it’s used like a grain, its protein content surpasses most grain competitors. It’s like throwing a steak in your grain bowl.
Seeds
Tiny but mighty, seeds like flax, pumpkin, and chia are the eggs of the vegetable world. These storehouses of energy are loaded with protein—5 grams in a single ounce of chia seed—and are good sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and essential minerals. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on tacos, sesame seeds over a rice bowl, or chia seeds in a smoothie.
Soy
This complete protein comes in many forms, from seed (edamame) to milk to tofu and more, and is many a vegetarian’s favorite protein source. And for good reason: its delicious, subtle flavor plays well with others, and a single ounce of tofu has 6 grams of high-quality protein.
Spinach
Popeye had the right idea when he binged on this leafy green. Nutrient-packed spinach is full of protein (5 grams in 1 cup of the cooked greens), iron, and vitamin K and can easily be added to salads, soups, stews, and even smoothies.
Our Custom Made Moon Noodles are Out of This World
Teaming up with a Philadelphia-based Italian pasta maker to develop a custom line of Asian noodles may seem like an oddball decision, but it makes perfect sense to our test kitchen team. Our cooks were already fans of the fusilli and fresh pappardelle made by Talluto’s Authentic Italian Food and figured that this 50-year old firm could make a similar quality noodle with just slightly different ingredients. What they didn’t know was that Talluto’s has been making fresh ramen and soba noodles for a handful of neighborhood restaurants for more than 20 years.
Executive Chef Justine Kelly met with Talluto’s owner, Joe Talluto, and the two worked closely to develop recipes that would meet Sun Basket’s standards for quality and sustainability. They came up with Moon Noodles, our private label ramen, soba, and udon noodles made just for Sun Basket.
Chef Justine Cooks Salmon in Parchment with Shiitakes and Mango-Cucumber Salad
Wednesdays at 4 p.m. PST we’re live on Facebook. This week, Chef Justine Kelly shows us a couple of techniques for wrapping fish in parchment paper aka en papillote. Using our Salmon in Parchment with Shiitakes and Mango-Cucumber Salad recipe as a base, watch as she demonstrates easy ways to make practically foolproof fish with the bonus of minimal clean-up. (This method makes any fish tender and flavorful.) Bonus: extra tips on knife techniques! Check it out, then have a turn wrapping in your own kitchen.
Tune in on Wednesday, October 11th, at 4 pm when we’re live with Sun Basket’s Senior Content Marketing Manager Sean Timberlake and Content Project Manager Christina Stork as they flex their preserving skills and show you how to make your own sauerkraut and curtido. Data Analyst Koji Hamada pairs his home-brewed beers with the fermented cabbage.
Ferment at Home—Making Sauerkraut and more
Wednesdays at 4 p.m. PST we’re live on Facebook. This week, inspired by Oktoberfest, we got salty with some homemade sauerkraut, fermented radicchio, home-brewed beer, and sausages.
Watch while Sun Basket’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Sean Timberlake, and Content Project Manager, Christina Stork, show Front End Developer Andy Van Wart how to get funky, putting him to work cutting and massaging cabbage and chicories. Data Scientist Koji Hamada brings his fermentation knowledge to the fore in the form of beer (he’s studying to be a cicerone, aka certified beer expert). Fermenting vegetables at home is so easy and it’s a great way to get more probiotics into your diet. All you need are vegetables, salt, and a few common kitchen items (bowl, jar, knife, ziploc bag) and you can make your own. Once you’re hooked, you can get cool gizmos like those shown in the video. #krautgoals
And tune in on Friday, October 27th at 4 pm when we’re live with the Amber Stott, Chief Food Genius of Food Literacy Center showing you our tips and tricks for cooking with beets.
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