This is one of my favourite shots from last weekend in Amsterdam.
What’s good around the web is a weekly series where I share some of what I’ve been reading around the web. Each week I’ll be posting links to five nutrition related articles, good recipes, and just general good reads. I hope you enjoy it! If you’ve got at article or recipe you’d like to see featured, please email me.
1. Ethical Indigestion. An excellent article from the Vancouver Sun (and a prof from my Alma Matter at UBC) on the incredible complexity of making ethical food choices.
3. Speaking of shapes, have you seen this latest video from the Dove 'Real Beauty' Campaign? It's pretty profound.
4. Why we're motivated to exercise. Or not.
5. I can't wait to get my hands on Michael Pollan's new book, cooked. A little snippet here.
All text and photos © The Muffin Myth 2013
erika
Katie, great links as always! About the wine article--no one I always feel like I gain 10 lbs. after a night of going out! Good to know. I'll definitely be keeping my excess in check from now on...and being extra aware about what I eat when I do!
I'm excited to readMichael Pollan's new book! Although I'm curious to know what he has to say about a raw diet...I get what he means by cooking = less fast food = less obesity, but what if you are spending just as much time prepping a raw diet? (Although I remember your article from a few weeks ago stating that raw food might give you less calories...).
Ugh and ethical indigestion. PLEASE can food companies start being responsible so we don't have to figure out the maze of food ethics? I feel like just giving up!
Btw, if you come across any articles about honey, I'd love to see them! I'm trying to decide whether I should buy honey at Costco, but I just read an article saying that Costco filters the pollen out of their honey, leaving it essentially pure sugar. I had no idea that pollen was even in honey in the first place and I am just confused what kind of honey is best and whether I should spend extra bucks for organic honey or raw honey or what...
erika
*no wonder (instead of no one). I am clearly half-asleep today.
erika
Also: agave nectar! Have you come across any good articles determining whether it's actually good/bad for you?
themuffinmyth
Hi Erika!
Thanks for your thoughtful comments! Regarding honey, I have read that much mass produced / imported honey is not really honey. This could be what you're referring to when you're talking about costco filtering out the pollen from their honey. Although I think that organic honey is kind of BS (like really, how can they guarantee that not one bee nipped over to a non-organic flower?) I always spend the extra bucks on local honey. If I can get it direct from the source, even better.
As for agave, I bought a little bottle of it once, a little over a year ago, and then did some research. Many of us are under the illusion that agave nectar is really natural and sort of lovingly squeezed out of the agave plant like squeezing a bit of aloe from an aloe vera plant. No. The production process is extremely similar to refining high fructose corn syrup from corn kernels, and it's far from a natural thing. Raw agave might be a smidge better, but not much. I've almost finished my little bottle, but I won't be replacing it. I'll be using maple syrup, or local honey in it's place.
I know there is an article on agave somewhere in the what's good around the web archives, and maybe honey as well. I'll see if I can dig them up for you!
erika
Ah, that all makes sense and confirms my suspicions. I also will not be replacing my agave! Just such a shame--when I was in NYC over the weekend, I went to Babycakes, this vegan/GF bakery and although their premise is healthier baked goods that people with various allergies can eat, they often use GF flours (stripped of nutrients, as we've discussed!) and the baker advocates agave like it's the world's best gift. Sounds like not the greatest combo after all...
I'm about to google where I can find local honey! Thanks so much for the info :)))
Cammy
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=N1zL13LvxS8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DN1zL13LvxS8
Okay, and this ha ha ha 😉
Cammy
Oops, totally wrong link. Gah...
Cammy
https://greatist.com/health/dove-beauty-campaign-parody-042013
Cammy
I have seen that dove clip around for the past week or so and at first thought it was lovely. But upon further reflection it occurred to me that I really don't dislike myself, my looks, my body. Heck even my stretch marks and my wrinkles have a place in my story. In fact, I started to feel mad that this assumption is made that we as women are so down on ourselves that we can't see our own beauty. If the women had described themselves as being so beautiful would that have been worked into the clip too (maybe... I hope so)? I know it's a great message and I don't mean to discount it's intention which is probably a very genuine one...
themuffinmyth
I get what you're saying. But, I for one have always struggled with how I look. Not so much my body, but my face. I'm sure if I were to describe myself to that artist and you were to describe me we'd get two VERY different drawings. The moments I look in the mirror and think, hey, I look okay! are definitely outweighed by moments of, ugh, why is my face so round / horsey / why don't I have cheekbones / why is my chin so saggy / why don't I look more like ....? I know there are a fair number of detractors of the campaign, but I also know there are a LOT of women, like me, for whom the message really hit home.
kellie@foodoglow
Great links.I didn't know about the 'metabolic pause button' that is pressed when we drink alcohol. This explains a lot! And I will definitely add to my Michael Pollan collection after reading the Bittman piece. Hope your weekend is happy and delicious.
themuffinmyth
I didn't know about the pause button thing either! It makes good sense though that the body would need to grind to a halt to deal with it. Yes! I'm excited about the new Pollan book as well. Will have to wait until June when classes are done to give it my full attention, but I can't wait for it!
Sandra
Isn't that Dove video Beautiful and inspiring! I think that one can hit home with every woman.
Also looking forward to Michael Pollen's new book 🙂 Great Links!!! And your picture is beautiful.
themuffinmyth
Thanks! I love that photo. Those were some amazing skies. And yes, I agree about the dove video. Really hit home with me.