My long neglected cracker tin
I got the name of this article from my younger brother (10 years younger!). I think he once told me “Don’t hate the player, hate the game”. Anyways, lets get to the post!
“I love bread”, “I love pasta”, “I love noodles” These were the words out of my wife’s mouth when I first went primal. In fact she was known as “Noodle Girl” among her co-workers and our circle of friends because of her affinity with noodles. I have heard these statements from many other people as well but I am ready to challenge these statements. I would argue that for the most part, bread, chips, pasta and noodles all merely act as a vessel for delivering the flavor that you truly like. Confused? So was my wife but lets take a look at some of the culprits.
Bread:
Is it truly the bread you like? Bread itself doesn’t actually have much flavor. I would argue that it is the butter, the jam, the dipping oil, the sandwich toppings or the honey or sugar on or in the bread that you really like. Think about what it is that you actually like about bread.
Chips:
Be it corn chips, tortilla chips or potato chips, I would like to propose that it is not actually the corn, the tortilla, or the potato that you really like but rather the seasoning, the salt, the oil, or the dip!
Crackers:
Once again, I willing to argue that it is not the cracker, but the seasonings and what you put on the cracker that you like more than the cracker itself.
Pasta:
Truly pasta doesn’t have much flavor itself. It is the sauces and the meats and the cheeses that really make the pasta isn’t it? Even people that eat plain noodles usually slather them in oil or butter… yum.
Noodles:‘
Like pasta, it is the toppings, the sauces and the broths that make the noodle!
Potatoes:
Ok, this isn’t a grain but we will throw it in. Once again, the toppings make the baked potato. Plain old potato just isn’t that tasty. Try comparing a plain baked potato to a plain baked sweet potato (so much tastier and much lower on the glycemic index). Also the best tasting potatoes, i.e french fries and hash browns are more about the salt, oil and ketchup than they are the potatoes!
Sugar:
Well, you are pretty much SOL here. Your taste buds DO like sugar… that takes more discipline. This is a post about grains.
Some Solutions:
Scratch the delivery system! Focus on the flavors that you truly like. Use veggies for dips. Put your sauces on top of meats instead of pasta or noodles OR just make meat sauces and eat them straight. Eat your sanwich toppings with a fork and knife or spoon or even your fingers! Try these things and you will realize that you aren’t missing much by ditching the pointless grain delivery system. My wife certainly hasn’t morned the loss.
Maybe I am wrong and you are a person the truly does love the grain. In that case you may be SOL and stuck to the exercising discipline bit like on sugars.
Post your thoughts! Do you have similar experinces? Try it and let me know waht you think!
November 22nd, 2008 - 9:22 am
This timely SoG. Every Friday evening I host a couple of friends at my local Mexican joint after my Friday workout. We are seated, and soon chips and salsa arrive — for them. The waiters know me, and without exception, they always bring me a bowl of veggies and lettuces leave rather than chips — because I have conditioned them to do this over the years.
While my friends dip chip after chip into the salsa, I dip broccoli heads, lettuce leaves, and celery into the salsa. I get the same social, hand/mouth/rhythm thing, the full flavor of the salsa which is very low in calories, macro-biotic, etc., and the satisfaction of knowing that my dining experience doesn’t hijack my intentions with my body. There are ALWAYS options on the “delivery system, the just require habit and discipline….. Grok on.
November 22nd, 2008 - 12:47 pm
That is fantastic Emergefit! I love salsa. Not eating chips certainly has not deterred me from my salsa habit. most salsa is pretty darn healthy and primal too! Maybe your good habits will rub off on some of you friends. I would argue that celery in salsa tstes better than a chip in salsa anyways.
The SoG
November 22nd, 2008 - 12:52 pm
P.S. The Wife of SoG is chomping at the bit to make a homeade salsa recipe for the site.
November 23rd, 2008 - 2:06 pm
SoG,
Great website. This is really an interesting idea. One of the hardest things for me is that I love tortilla chips. But you ask an important question… are the chips just a guacamole and salsa delivery system? I’ve discovered a local taqueria that has great carne asada. I mean this is the type of place where everyone speaks Spanish, and all the working people eat and do all of their financial business on Fridays. They are not catering to an American palate, and serve the real deal like tripe, menudo, goat meat, brains, etc.
Anyways, to get to the point they are low-budget and don’t bring chips and salsa to the table. So I just wait for a big plate of carne asada which comes with refried beans, rice, tortillas, pico de gallo, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Since it’s a big helping of meat, and I LOVE avocado, I get into all of that with some spicy salsa verde first. A few bites of refried beans on each piece. By the time I eat all of that, I don’t have room for the tortillas (and I’m not a big fan of the rice to begin with).
So, I think you’re right that the meat (or heaven forbid a vegetable) can be a great delivery system for the condiments. They own an entire strip mall with bakery and a little store with a carneceria, so I also by some skirt steak, avocados, limes, cilantro, and short ribs. Great prices on all the meat and produce, much better than the grocery stores.
I look forward to the homemade salsa recipe and meatloaf (My mom didn’t make meatloaf, so I don’t have a good recipe for it!).
TrailGrrl
November 23rd, 2008 - 2:41 pm
TrailGrrl,
Welcome to the site! What a great comment! You bring up another good method. Fill up on the good stuff and you won’t even need to move on to the other.
The SoG
November 24th, 2008 - 2:22 am
Great blog Grok, glad you started one and I found it!! This is an awesome post and something that should be shows to all the people who go on about their “carbs” out of all carby foods Pizza is the only thing I really like anymore. The rest have no appeal to me!
November 24th, 2008 - 6:48 am
Chris,
Don’t forget my Primal Pizza recipe over at Mark’ Daily apple! Guiltless pizza.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/son-of-groks-primal-pizza-recipe/
The SoG
December 1st, 2008 - 1:59 am
Yup, most grains products are transportation for the good stuff so we can eat more easily with our hands. Isn’t it ironic that going primal actually civilizes? I mean eating with utensils more often.
The other function of grains is as an extender, to make the good stuff (meat, usually) go farther. Hmmph. I’d rather use a salad or veggies as an extender for the meat, etc. With a fork.
December 1st, 2008 - 6:55 am
Anna,
Definitely a good point on the “extender” part here. Grains are commonly used as a filler. Maybe we should stop and ask ourselves “Why do we need a filler?”. Fill up on the good stuff!
April 3rd, 2009 - 8:06 am
[...] of the tastes and flavors added to and delivered by the bland bread. Please read my old post here (”Love the flavor hate the grain) for my thoughts on grains as a delivery [...]
April 3rd, 2009 - 11:07 am
While I have drastically reduced my grain intake, per primal parameters, I actually do enjoy the flavor of grain and in the past enjoyed it unadorned. I guess I’ve a palate for subtle flavors. Of course, we’re not talking spongy, bland white bread; we’re talking bread that has substance–something like vollkorn would be a prime example.
Despite my enjoyment of the actual flavor of grain, I have cut back and the resulting health is a benefit worth the sacrifice.
April 11th, 2009 - 9:21 pm
Let’s not forget about another great sauce delivery device….spaghetti squash. mmmm