Buttermilk

[Lila]

I am going to make GGC's walnut-zucchini bread tomorrow and went to Kroger to buy buttermilk.  Think again. Ingredients include tapioca starch.  I asked her what brand she gets and it is from Publix--whole milk buttermilk.


Who knew--tapioca starch.  Like DH said, "boy if you don't read the label"....

[BarbinNC]

It's really sad, Lila … had a similar experience with trying to find full fat yoghurt and so disappointing that supermarkets still cater mostly to the low fat crowd.  They all have starch added - eww!!

[BarbinNC]

PS - a little trick when having to substitute buttermilk for baking is to use regular milk, any kind, and add some lemon juice or vinegar to "sour" it!

[Linda R]

It's really sad, Lila … had a similar experience with trying to find full fat yoghurt and so disappointing that supermarkets still cater mostly to the low fat crowd.  They all have starch added - eww!!

I found this yogurt last year and it is delicious! Found at Walmart of all places!


I had to get off of dairy for awhile cuz I was over-indulging and the jeans got too darn tight. I've been off dairy now for over 4 months and everything is fitting well again.


Here's a link.................


http://www.cabotcheese.coop/pages/our_products/product.php?catID=39&id=469

[BarbinNC]

Linda, I had that one in my hand, and should have stuck with it.  I ended up buying The Greek Gods full fat.  It has pectin in it, and I have not idea if that is good or bad.  It's a thickener, and it tastes pretty good.  I think reading about RS and pectin having some, made me choose it.


The Cabot has extra whey protein added, not sure why, but lately it's gotten a bad reputation.  Might have to check that out, can't remember why, but recently I've been holding off.  i bought some egg white protein by Jay Robb and it's delicious.  I don't use it much, sometimes I add to a shake for extra protein.


It's really hard to know any more what to buy. I do like the Fage full fat, but can't find it anywhere close by.


http://www.befoodsmart.com/blog/the-best-and-worst-greek-style-yogurts-for-your-health/

[Linda R]

Linda, I had that one in my hand, and should have stuck with it. I ended up buying The Greek Gods full fat.  It has pectin in it, and I have not idea if that is good or bad.  It's a thickener, and it tastes pretty good.  I think reading about RS and pectin having some, made me choose it.


http://www.befoodsmart.com/blog/the-best-and-worst-greek-style-yogurts-for-your-health/

Yes, that's the brand I bought for several years and it is pretty good, but when I tried the Cabot, I was amazed. The "mouth feel" of that brand is amazing, you can really feel and taste the difference in the higher fat content.


I haven't read anything negative about the whey protein other than the dairy problems some of us have with milk, cream and yogurt being the culprit in weight loss stalls. According to Dr D, cheese has very little whey so it is not a problem and he is right, I eat lots of cheese and I eat it everyday!

[Barbara from New Jersey]

I agree that Cabot's full fat yogurt is far superior to other brands.  Daisy brand makes sour cream and cottage cheese without additives.  I usually purchase Nancy's Cultured cottage cheese when I can find it.  There are other brands that don't have additives or at least not the tapioca or other starches.  You just have to read those labels!

[Randal]

I've just gone off dairy (second full day), and I've noticed the same extra ingredients in store-bought almond milk. Are there any brands out there without added ingredients? Pretty soon I'll have to start making my own almond milk like a couple of my co-workers.


Not griping, but one thing about this WOE is it increases the amount of work you have to do, just to find and eat pure real food. (It's not the fault of the WOE of course, but the food-drug-industrial complex.) Sometimes I think of choosing this WOE as similar to the red pill - blue pill choice in The Matrix. You see the world for how it really is, and sadly you can't go back. On the positive side, you regain your health...

[Linda R]

I've just gone off dairy (second full day), and I've noticed the same extra ingredients in store-bought almond milk. Are there any brands out there without added ingredients? Pretty soon I'll have to start making my own almond milk like a couple of my co-workers.


Not griping, but one thing about this WOE is it increases the amount of work you have to do, just to find and eat pure real food. (It's not the fault of the WOE of course, but the food-drug-industrial complex.) Sometimes I think of choosing this WOE as similar to the red pill - blue pill choice in The Matrix. You see the world for how it really is, and sadly you can't go back. On the positive side, you regain your health...

That is true, and I am sure I spend a great deal more time in my kitchen actually preparing and cooking food than the rest of my family. I have been in my daughter's home, seen her freezer, pantry and fridge, and know the shelves are all loaded with ready to eat frozen and boxed food that I once ate myself.


Now I make my own mayo, salad dressings, BBQ sauce, broth, onion seasoning mix, seasoned salt mix, soups, casseroles and baked goods, all from scratch. I do have to spend the time reading the labels and making sure I am buying what I THINK I am buying.


But, as you posted, good health is the outcome.


Other than the pesky glaucoma that I control with drops, I NEVER get sick and fortunately can stay away from doctors and clinics 95% of the time.


So, to me, it is well worth it.


Now I am also looking into using locally produced soaps and shampoos available through my Coop. Going to quit using those commercial cleaners with ingredients I can't even pronounce. 

[Barbara from New Jersey]

Randal,


We Americans are exceedingly spoiled.  The cheap, readily available packaged "foods" became a part of our lives.  We didn't think much about it and neither did our health care industry.  Living better through chemistry changed baked goods, meats, vegetables, etc. until we all starting getting sick.
What the heck is high fructose corn syrup anyway?  We thought the government was looking after our health by their recommendations and funding of the food supply and medical care.  It certainly never occurred to me that government money to Big Ag and Big Pharma was the real reason for government policies.  "What is good for business (name your company) is good for America!" is their motto.


Regaining health instead of declining health is the important reason we spend time searching for and purchasing the clean food ingredients.  If you can't buy a jar of mayo made with health building ingredients, you have to make it yourself.  Baked goods too.  Once you are eating this clean, unprocessed food, preprepared dishes and restaurant meals don't taste nearly as good as yours.  As always, economics will prevail.  When people wake up and stop eating chemically enhanced food, the food industry will provide the food that sells.  I am seeing more and more readily available clean foods in the supermarkets.  This is just the beginning.   

[ldyrdr4311]

Gotta jump in this one, people. Lila & Barb in NC: Guess all of us really do have to read those labels! Last week, I found out that sour cream (not all brands, though) can have corn starch-modified in it. Bet that's what's being used as the thickener.

Linda R: Before you go looking at the soaps at your local coop, take a look at what's in the stores. We can get Ivory & Castile brand soap at just about any store in town. If you have a Walgreens around, they also sell Glycerin soaps.

On the other hand, if you are referring to cleaning soaps, many brands are available in most stores as well. Get a small size first to see if you like it. They're very different among the brands. I tend to get the unscented kinds of everything wherever possible. Learned that the hard way when I bought a scented bottle of Method dishwashing soap (found at Target around here). It made me gag when washing the dishes! Guess that's called live & learn, lol.
Ldyrdr

 

[Jan in Key West]

Linda,
If you can't find any local products that work, you might explore the 'Acure' line.....they make great body washes, shampoos, conditioners, creams etc.....sulphate free, gluten free, organic etc.  My husband likes using olive oil soap for showering and I've kept Dr. Bonners around for years and use it for lots of things, cleaning the kitchen etc.....especially like using it in soap dispensers in bathrooms and kitchens.....love the peppermint aroma. Coconut oil is still my favorite go-to for moisturizing my skin and hair.

[Jan in Key West]

Randal,
Not sure where you live, but if you have a Health Food store nearby with a juice bar, they often make and sell almond, coconut milk by the glass. We're low dairy/or 'milk of any kind' consumers so it works for us to bring it home and freeze in ice cube trays for later use.