My Favorite: Documentaries

I have always loved a good documentary, and over the past several years I've found myself watching  variety of different types. From food to serial killers, becoming a part of a journey or situation that is different than my own is so fascinating to learn about. I really wanted to share my favorite documentaries that I've discovered over the past several years, and highly recommend for you to watch! Most of these can be found on Netflix, or streamed online so go check them out!

Forks Over Knives
   Forks Over Knives is by far my favorite food-related documentary, it basically changed my life. This documentary is based off The China Study, which is one of the most comprehensive nutrition-related studies that has ever been doneIt was initiated by Dr. Colin Campbell which is one of my favorite doctors/researchers. All of his work is so powerful and in-depth, and I highly respect everything he does. Forks Over Knives not only shows how a plant-based diet is the most beneficial diet, but it proves how powerful eating plant-based is. This documentary is very easy to understand, and it shows both the science part, as well as the impact the study had on individuals.


Farmageddon
    This is one of the first food documentaries I ever watched, and it really opened my eyes to how the USDA/ government doesn't necessarily put our best interest ahead of theirs. Farmageddon really shows how small farmers are effected by large government corporations. Also, it portrays the little freedom we really have to what we choose to consume.

         







 
GMOOMG

    There was a screening for this documentary at my school this Fall, and I jumped at the opportunity to go watch it. I love learning about how our food industry is changing, and this documentary does an excellent job at showing the effect of GMO on the food we eat and the lives we live. GMOOMG has a very non-biased approach to the effects of GMO, and I really appreciate that. Not only does this documentary show research, but it shows the personal effects of GMO production which I think is very important. I think that you can stream this documentary online, or purchase it to watch. I highly recommend either option, because this documentary is very informative, and really allows you to form an educated opinion about the effects of GMO.


Blackfish
    I think that most people have seen this documentary, it is fairly well known. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should. Blackfish is well made, and so intriguing. I think that it is very eye-opening to things that go on "behind the scenes" in large corporations. This is a pretty controversial documentary, some people may say that it is biased, but regardless I think that it brings attention to an important problem amongst our society. Using animals as a form of entertainment, and removing them from their natural habitats just for human pleasure/making money is a problem that this documentary address that, which I think is important to become more educated and informed about.

Nursery University
    I love watching documentaries that I don't really know anything about, and this was one that I stumbled upon and ended up loving it. The pre-school system in New York City is something I know absolutely nothing about, so learning all about it through this documentary was so fascinating. Nursery University is so eye-opening, and about things I know nothing about so I found it so much more interesting. If you have kids, watching this documentary will probably make you very happy that you don't live in NYC. I really enjoy the transition between personal stories and research/information in this documentary. I think the balance between the two is excellent.

The Jeffrey Dahmer Files
    If you know me, you know that I have a weird fascination with crime, and law shows. I love learning about serial killers, and criminals because I think they fascinating people. Learning a little bit about why they did what they did, and how they did it is so interesting to me. There are lots of crime related documentaries on Netflix, but I stumbled upon this one and thought it sounded good so I watched it and ended up loving it. I love how it is made, using reenactment, real footage from the case, and interviews from witness/friends of Dahmer. I would definitely recommend this documentary to all my fellow crime-show lovers, it gives a very realistic depiction of real-life serial killers and not just unrealistic ones portrayed on Criminal Minds and Law and Order.





Tiny: A Story About Living Small
    This is another documentary that truly changed the way I thought about life. I began this documentary and basically watched it with my eyes and mouth wide open in pure fascination and intrigue. I had never even thought of the idea of "living small" until I watched this documentary, and I am so glad that I now know how easy it is to live small. I love the personal experience of a man building his own tiny house, I think it gives a very realistic approach to the subject matter and gives viewers a true insight into living small. Ever since I watched this documentary, I have began forming new goals and dreams that I have for myself. I have fallen in love with researching, and learning more about this interesting and practical lifestyle and hope to one day spend a period of my life "living small."

   

So now all you need to do is brew some tea, make some popcorn the "right" way (http://cookinglittle.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-right-way-to-make-popcorn.html ) and check out one (or all) of these awesome documentaries!

My Thoughts: Frozen or Canned?

In the winter time, fresh produce is often difficult to find and afford. Also, our lives can get pretty busy, and we may not have a bunch of time to spend on cutting up fresh fruits and vegetables. So when you can't get fresh produce or don't have time to prepare it, what should you do? Buy it frozen, or buy it canned?

 

Here are my thoughts on these two options:

Canned foods may be cheap, but you are losing lots of nutrients when you buy canned foods. Often times the foods are cooked at a high temperature, causing it to lose many of its nutrients. Canned foods are also packed with salt and preservatives in order for it to stay "fresher" longer. Also, canned fruit is usually canned in syrup that has a bunch of added sugars that you don't need. So, in other words....canned foods are probably not your best option. But things like beans, beets, and pumpkin are fine to buy canned, just make sure you RINSE the beans and beets to remove as much salt/preservatives are you can. Rinsing goes for any canned foods you eat, always always rinse off canned produce! Rinsing removes preservatives, sugars, salts, and other chemicals they may be on the food.

  high fructose corn syrup in tomatoes?!?!

Now onto frozen foods...
Frozen foods are often frozen when the food is in season, ripe, and fresh. This ensures you that you are getting produce that is at its best. Also, most of the time these foods are not cooked prior to freezing, and therefore most all the nutrients are left intact. Frozen food is a great option when your favorite foods aren't in season. Most of the time when you see strawberries in the dead of winter, those strawberries took a very long journey to get to your grocery store. This means that they lost lots of nutrients while on their way to your grocery store. But with frozen foods, they are frozen as soon as they are picked, and those nutrients get locked in place. Frozen foods are often times cheaper than fresh, and can be kept in the freezer for a very long time. Also, I am talking about frozen whole foods (peas, carrots, broccoli, berries, fruit, etc.), not frozen dinners....big difference! Make sure you look on the ingredients list to check for any added preservatives.

 see how mango is the ONLY ingredient?


So my final thoughts on canned vs. frozen?
Definitely try to buy frozen over canned, due to the nutrient preservation in frozen foods. Also, canned foods often times have many more preservatives in them than frozen foods do. Fresh is almost always better, but when it isn't available, stick with the frozen produce!

What's Up With Trans Fats?

Some of you may have heard the word "trans fats" and most of you probably know that it isn't a healthy fat....but do you really know what they are and why they aren't good for you? Well when I learned about what they were and why our bodies hate them, I just had to share it with someone!

So basically trans fats come from the processing (hydrogenation) of fats to make them shelf-stable. Some great examples of foods with trans fats are: processed foods (with dairy products as main ingredients), shelf-stable coffee creamers, refrigerated dough products, margarines and shortenings, and of course sugary treats like doughnuts, cookies, etc. Basically anything that is packaged has some trans fats, and that is because trans fats are only a result from the processing of fats.

Now, that you know what has trans fats....why are they so bad for us? Well our bodies actually can't recognize a trans fat, and therefore our bodies don't know what to do with them. We can absorb, use, or gain any benefits from trans fats.

So the photo above is a photo of a cis fat, which is what the fat looks like before it gets processed. Our bodies recognize these, and know what to do with them....but a trans fat looks like this

See how the two hydrogens are on opposite sides? Our bodies literally can't recognize this. 

To truly understand this hold up your left hand like you're about to give someone a high five....do it, do it right now. Is your hand up? Okay, good. Now put your right hand up to it too, like you're giving yourself a high five, but your palms aren't touching. See how you're thumbs don't line up? Your hands are the same shape, but can line up properly. Well that is what it is like when you eat a trans fat, your body doesn't have the recognition of a fat shaped like that.

So from now on, try to check for trans fats on nutrition labels, or better yet....avoid processed fats! The FDA is slowly aiming towards the reduction of trans fats, but knowing the FDA it may be a decade before any changes get made. Make it easy on your body, and avoid the trans!!