goals

Nutrition Label Data – Understanding What We Eat

4
1334 days
by in definitions, equations, ethnic, food, goals, nutrition

Nutrition labels aren’t entirely useless—their regulations are surprisingly thorough and they provide basic information about most of the food we eat. Unfortunately, they also legally allow misrepresentation (mostly of serving portions), which the FDA and other regulatory bodies are often unable to validate. The far larger issue is understanding what those numbers and ingredients mean.

Over the course of several weeks, I will build a general nutritional knowledge base. Some bits will be scientific, while others will be more holistic. I will provide specific ways to improve your diet while still eating things you like. I’ll also explain why those methods work.

Here’s some information to build our foundation:

What we consider calories are actually kilocalories, or 1000 calories. One calorie is the amount of energy required to raise 1 gram of water by 1°C. Thus, 1 kilocalorie is the amount of energy required to raise one kilo of water by 1°C. Since a single calorie is quite small, kilocalories [kcal, Calories (uppercase)] are used for measuring energy contained in the food we eat.

Most of what makes up our food can be broken down into three groups: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Each gram of carbohydrate yields roughly 4 Calories, and each gram of fat yields 9 Calories. Proteins actually contain 7 Calories per gram, but because the human body cannot convert all amino acids to usable energy, proteins generally yield about the same 4 Calories that carbohydrates do. It should also be noted that alcohol has 7 Calories per gram.

Some foods are entirely contained by one group. Olive oil, for example, is pure fat. If one were to measure 14.235 grams (approximately 1 tablespoon), it would yield roughly 128.115 Calories, or 14.235 grams olive oil * 9 Calories/gram of fat.

Other foods have different combinations of each. For example, some peas I bought have the following properties per serving:

  • 0g fat
  • 12g carbs
  • 5g protein
  • 70 calories total

We can figure out the calories on our own by: (0g * 9Cal/g) + (12g * 4Cal/g) + (5g * 4Cal/g) = 0 Cal + 48 Cal + 20 Cal = 68 Calories, which is rounded up as is allowed by the FDA guidelines.

The balance of these nutrients is also important. It is generally agreed upon that a standard diet should be comprised of roughly:

  • 55-70% carbohydrates
  • 15-30% fats
  • 15-25% proteins

If you eat 65% carbs, 25% fats, then you’d be under your daily protein allotment at 10%. Luckily, these are guidelines. There’s nothing saying you can’t eat more or less of each group. I do often. You will, however, see these figures reflected across many of the world’s cuisines, with some disparity. See for yourself:

Variety is also hugely important in diet in order to get other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes. But that’s another post.

Call to Action and Things to Come

1
1338 days
by in community, food, goals, Milwaukee, project

Hi there, awesome blog readers! Last week hit an all-time record high of 167 readers, averaging 24 per day!  On top of that, I’ve gotten some wonderfully kind in-person and online feedback over the past two weeks, and total hits are quickly approaching 2000. I want to do an even better job, but I need your help.

Here’s how you can do that: let me know what you like about my blog, what you don’t like, what you’d like to see more of. If there’s a particular recipe or technique you’d like to see, post a comment or send me an email. I’ll do my best to realize all requests. You can also help by subscribing to my RSS feed. If you don’t know what that is, watch this video:

Finally, if you like what I write about, tell somebody. Pass the link on to friends, family—whoever you think will get something out of it.

I’m hoping to post more DIY and community centered content that relates to food. As Autumn’s nearly here, there should be some good stuff to wrap up Wisconsin’s growing season. While that means no more farmers’ markets and fresh produce, I’ll try my best to find relevant and interesting winter food information, as well as things that are applicable year-round. It’ll be a challenge, but one that I am very much looking forward to.

Thanks for reading, and please, interact!

100 Chinese foods to try before you die

0
1341 days
by in food, goals

I found a few links on the serious eats feed that I think I’ll repost, just so I can keep track of things that I’ve eaten. Here are 100 Chinese foods to try before you die [original link]. The ones I’ve had are striked-through, and new ones will be dated.

  1. Almond milk
  2. Ants Climbing a Tree (poetic, not literal, name)
  3. Asian pear
  4. Baby bok choy
  5. Baijiu
  6. Beef brisket
  7. Beggar’s Chicken
  8. Bingtang hulu
  9. Bitter melon
  10. Bubble tea
  11. Buddha’s Delight
  12. Cantonese roast duck
  13. Century egg, or thousand-year egg
  14. Cha siu (Cantonese roast pork)
  15. Char kway teow
  16. Chicken feet
  17. Chinese sausage
  18. Chow mein
  19. Chrysanthemum tea
  20. Claypot rice
  21. Congee
  22. Conpoy (dried scallops)
  23. Crab rangoon
  24. Dan Dan noodles
  25. Dragonfruit
  26. Dragon’s Beard candy
  27. Dried cuttlefish
  28. Drunken chicken
  29. Dry-fried green beans
  30. Egg drop soup
  31. Egg rolls
  32. Egg tart, Cantonese or Macanese
  33. Fresh bamboo shoots
  34. Fortune cookies
  35. Fried milk
  36. Fried rice [I LOVE IT! In all its forms. Yes, I am a gweilo.—AK]
  37. Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
  38. General Tso’s Chicken
  39. Gobi Manchurian
  40. Goji berries (Chinese wolfberries)
  41. Grass jelly
  42. Hainan chicken rice
  43. Hand-pulled noodles
  44. Har gau (steamed shrimp dumplings in translucent wrappers)
  45. Haw flakes
  46. Hibiscus tea
  47. Hong Kong-style Milk Tea
  48. Hot and sour soup
  49. Hot Coca-Cola with Ginger [This sounds awesome! Someone gimme a recipe. —AK]
  50. Hot Pot
  51. Iron Goddess tea (Tieguanyin)
  52. Jellyfish [I think I've had Japanese jellyfish dish, but not sure if I've had a Chinese version. —AK]
  53. Kosher Chinese food
  54. Kung Pao Chicken
  55. Lamb skewers (yangrou chua’r)
  56. Lion’s Head meatballs
  57. Lomo Saltado
  58. Longan fruit
  59. Lychee
  60. Macaroni in soup with Spam
  61. Malatang
  62. Mantou, especially if fried and dipped in sweetened condensed milk
  63. Mapo Tofu
  64. Mock meat
  65. Mooncake (bonus points for the snow-skin variety)
  66. Nor mai gai (chicken and sticky rice in lotus leaf)
  67. Pan-fried jiaozi
  68. Peking duck
  69. Pineapple bun
  70. Prawn crackers
  71. Pu’er tea
  72. Rambutan
  73. Red bean in dessert form
  74. Red bayberry
  75. Red cooked pork
  76. Roast pigeon
  77. Rose tea
  78. Roujiamo
  79. Scallion pancake
  80. Shaved ice dessert
  81. Sesame chicken
  82. Sichuan pepper in any dish
  83. Sichuan preserved vegetable (zhacai)
  84. Silken tofu
  85. Soy milk, freshly made
  86. Steamed egg custard
  87. Stinky tofu [I've had Japanese natto. Does that count? —AK]
  88. Sugar cane juice
  89. Sweet and sour pork, chicken, or shrimp [Have had all of them. —AK]
  90. Taro
  91. Tea eggs
  92. Tea-smoked duck
  93. Turnip cake (law bok gau)
  94. Twice-cooked pork
  95. Water chestnut cake (mati gau)
  96. Wonton noodle soup
  97. Wood ear
  98. Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)
  99. Yuanyang (half coffee, half tea, Hong Kong style) [Mmm. Sounds good. I'm missing out! —AK]
  100. Yunnan goat cheese

That makes 30/100 as of 19 September 2008. 70 to go!

101 Things in 1001 Days

2
1365 days
by in goals, inspiration, project, time management

Awhile ago, a friend told me about a project called 101 Things in 1001 Days. Check it out. Here’s my list (Some of the stuff on here I’ve done before…but would like to do again):

  • Biking
    1. register with the USAC and USCF
    2. race regularly
    3. obtain at least cat 3 (preferably cat 2) status
    4. fix crank and bottom bracket of my orange road bike
    5. get a winter bike 19 OCTOBER 2008
    6. get bike rollers to train indoors during winter
    7. build a fixed gear/track bicycle (just to have, and to train) 19 OCTOBER 2008 (would still like to build one)
    8. join a cycling club/team
    9. bike over 25mph for at least 10 miles
    10. bike to a different state (of the United persuasion—the mind is a given)
    11. bike through the valley (With Ginnie and Phil)
  • Exercise/Outdoors
    1. run at least 4 miles per week for 4 weeks
    2. run 10k (AUTUMN 2010)
    3. start doing yoga again, at least 3 times per week if not more
    4. do daily calisthenics
    5. go camping
    6. go canoeing
    7. go kayaking
    8. camp for 3 days with only a knife
    9. canoe the Milwaukee River
  • Business
    1. register my business with the state and IRS as an LLC
    2. finish developing letterhead/business cards (SEPTEMBER 2009)/document system
  • School
    1. finish college! (Holy Shit! 11 January 2010)
  • Job/Work
    1. quit my current job (Double Holy Shit! 16 January 2010)
    2. get a real job (one that pays me what I’m worth) 30 September 2010
    3. put together a portfolio for getting a job! (In progress) (JUNE 2010)
    4. work 2 jobs simultaneously (2009)
  • Food
    1. take a cooking class
    2. learn how to make sushi (20 November 2009)
    3. grow an awesome garden(MAY-NOV2009)
    4. complete with vermiculture bin
    5. and composting heap(MAY 2009)
    6. harvest urban fruit (will do this soon! 2011 raspberries in summer & pears during autumn…)
    7. make falafel (15 JANUARY 2010)
    8. find or develop a consistent and easy French bread recipe 29 DECEMBER 2008 (taught 25+ at the CCC)
    9. maintain my own bread dough starter(Spring 2009)
    10. bake at least one batch of bread per week DECEMBER/JANUARY 2009 (Have been baking 3+ batches weekly)
    11. make limoncello
    12. brew beer (SUMMER 2010)
    13. make wine from grapes (SUMMER 2010)
    14. make dolmades with fresh grape leaves (SUMMER 2010)
    15. make cheese from scratch(JUNE 2009)
    16. make flour
    17. bowhunt for deer
    18. trap hare and cook them
    19. go fishing and cook my catch
    20. catch octopus and cook it
    21. slaughter a chicken (and cook it?) (June 2010)
    22. harvest honey
    23. teach 10 people how to cook a simple, fast, flexible meal 15 JANUARY 2009
    24. find five good ethnic food stores/markets in Milwaukee, not including El Rey or Pete’s (Viet Hoa, Pacific Produce, Asian Mart, Jasmine , Chu Hai)
  • Crafts/Projects
    1. teach at least 5 people how to knit (1. Gavin 11 DECEMBER 2008 2. Dana 29 December 2009)
    2. knit a sweater
    3. knit socks
    4. make shoes or slippers (more like moccasins) by hand
    5. sew some curtains
    6. build a bookshelf
    7. improve my sewing skills (learn to sew from a pattern)
    8. sew some aprons
    9. make a messenger bag from old plastic bags
    10. make grocery bags out of recycled t-shirts and other scraps
  • Housing/Household
    1. move to a new apartment [house] 15 FEB 2010
    2. care for a cat
    3. clean my closet 13 FEB 2010
    4. fix the light fixture in the back room
  • Time Management/Organization/Fixing
    1. develop a daily routine
    2. develop a weekly routine
    3. develop a monthly routine
    4. wake up before 8am regularly without an alarm clock (almost there…)
    5. organize my books
    6. buy/make a daily planner, and use it…daily 14 FEB 2010
    7. install subversion on my webhost Switch to GIT
  • Entertainment/Leisure/Volunteering
    1. watch at least the first ¼ of the original Dr. Who series in order
    2. read one fiction book per month for pleasure
    3. hold a David Lynch marathon viewing festival weekend
    4. volunteer at People’s Books at least 20 hours
    5. volunteer at the Bike Collective at least 20 hours (6 hours total: 10 JANUARY 2009)
  • Travel/Destinations
    1. West Coast (San Francisco, Spring 2011)
    2. New York City
    3. Greece (and possibly travel through Europe)
    4. a planetarium(AUTUMN 2010)
    5. the Domes
    6. the Milwaukee County Historical Society (do research for old Rustbelt businesses, typefaces, logos, etc)
  • Writing
    1. blog at least 4 times per week, consistently for 6 months
    2. finish The Ruthless King book and illustrations
    3. finish the Busku book and illustrations
    4. start writing another children’s book (Concept developed 21 JANUARY 2009)
    5. write a book for big people (In progress)
  • Design/Photography/Programming
    1. redesign my blog
    2. model something in 3D with Maya
    3. find 10 easily accessible rooftops in Milwaukee and take photographs from atop (3 found so far…)
    4. walk around the city collecting textures with photos and rubbings (then organize them) (MAY 2010 – in Wausau)
    5. design another cd package
  • To Buy/Pay for
    1. get a nice digital SLR
    2. library fines
    3. buy OR BUILD a really nice bike (race worthy) and accessories (shoes, helmet, etc) (helmet, gloves, socks 21 JANUARY 2009)(shoes – OCTOBER 2010)(dura ace 7800 full component group – MAY 2011)
    4. buy some nice Golas 28 SEPTEMBER 2008
  • Learn/Education/Exploration
    1. all the constellations in the zodiac
    2. take another French class
    3. find a good secret hiding spot in the city(19 JULY 2009)
    4. determine my haplotype distribution

I am certain I’ll add more things to this list, so here’s an area for additional tasks:

  1. make papermaking equipment, then paper
  2. keep bees (Still illegal in Milwaukee: I found this out on 20 JANUARY 2009)
  3. learn to drive stick (APRIL 2010)
  4. make kombucha
  5. make vinegar
  6. teach another cooking class
  7. go morrelling
  8. grow mushrooms (Started 16 FEB 2010)
  9. make screen printing equipment
  10. make PCB etching tank (March 2011)

Progress: 43/101 (111)

Finally, I found this awesome artist duo from São Paolo called mulheres barbadas (bearded ladies, in Portuguese) while looking through some websites. Here’s one of their collaborations:

Mulheres Barabadas - Black & White Book

Effective Longterm Weightloss Solutions

2
1366 days
by in Biking, goals, inspiration, weight loss

When finding out a friend of mine used to be overweight, I instantly fall into disbelief. “Really?!” “How’d you lose the weight?” “What did you do with all your clothes?”

The questions are endless. Maybe it’s because, I too used to be overweight – obese, technically. At my peak I tipped the scales at 270 pounds. Now I’m a pithy 185-190, condensed and ready to spring into action. I am always intrigued as to how people lose weight, not out of mere curiosity or sympathy but rather so that I can pick up any tricks they have to losing and keeping it off.

Bike

It’s a struggle sometimes. I know. But please know that quick weight loss is unhealthy. Be realistic and expect your efforts to be longterm and sustainable. Small changes are best, and will accumulate over the course of your efforts. Here are some ideas, both my own and from others, to help you along the way.

  • only drink water (no booze, juice, soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, water with sweeteners even if they are zero calories, etc.)
  • drink water more often
  • eat foods high in dietary fiber – you will feel full faster. Leafy greens and vegetables are perfect candidates
  • don’t omit fats and carbs – they are essential to health, and to feeling full.
  • walk
  • ride a bike
  • park your car farther away than necessary and walk
  • take the stairs
  • only eat vegetarian when you go out
  • cook your own meals – you’ll have better control over what you eat – and will probably save some money!
  • eat Greek/Middle Eastern style yogurt – or at least make sure the yogurt you buy isn’t packed with carbohydrates. If your yogurt has corn syrup, it’s not yogurt, it’s pudding.
  • avoid corn syrup in general. If a product has it, I’ll look for an alternative
  • limit meat consumption to chicken and fish
  • limit television time
  • do chores regularly! See above. Handwashing clothes saves water and detergent, and is quite a fulfilling workout!
  • limit dairy consumption. I stick to hard aged cheeses and yogurt. You’ll catch me chowing on ice cream though … but only as a reward!
  • keep a journal of your food consumption and energy exertion
  • find an exercise partner, preferably a friend who is more fit than you and who has the time and energy to slow down and help you make progress

Hopefully these ideas will get you started. Let me know of any tricks or tips you have to losing weight!

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