Roommate has stopped eating dinner

[Bryan_Qunying]

sylinchinastill,

 

I have to agree with you about this. I think, though in China, it always seem's to be more about "Status" than anything else. I must admit that before I started dating Asian women, it seemed that the only size you ever seen one was "Small". It wasn't until my first visit to China that I saw a Chinese woman that was not the American "Stereo Type" vision. I guess it's kind of like how many Chinese (and other countries) see many Americans as being rich!

[mtbdude]

there really is no good source of calcium from vegitarian sources if she is going to limit her food intake to this extreme.

admittedly taking you out of context here ... i guess watching all of those election ads rubbed off on me. so, noting that you were referring to her diet specifically, just want to point out this info for vegetarians in general, which i found doing a quick net search:

 

Sources of Calcium in Vegetarian Diet

Calcium is present in a wide range of vegetarian foods. These include:

 

Dairy products, leafy green vegetables (eg. kale), nuts and seeds (eg. almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, sesame, sunflower, flax seeds), tofu, and dried fruit.

[mtbdude]

I guess it's kind of like how many Chinese (and other countries) see many Americans as being rich!

since we're on the "size" topic here, i get the impression they think we are all fat, too, which some attribute to fast food. yan's cousin questioned me about that, asking me why i'm a "normal" size as if that wasn't her expectation.

[oregonknl]

Hi Steve,

 

I didn't say you couldn't be a vegetarian and also get the calcium that you need to create optimum bone density (although my girl's pediatrician ---- western trained Chinese, with a strong interest in nutrition ---- she doubts it can be done from a practical stand point).

 

What I said was this (and no, you didn't take it out of context!): "...if she is going to limit her food intake to this extreme"

 

If you look at the actual amounts of calcium in the food that you listed, I think you are going to find they fall substantially short of the calcium found in milk or yogart etc.

 

Tofu, for example, LOOKS like it should have a lot of calcium (white, creamy, curd-like) ---- but it actually only has a small fraction that found in milk, for instance. Also, I have heard that some studies have found that the calcium found in greens is not easily absorbed by humans....

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

I just read an article in "Fortune" magazine (an entire issue devoted to China's emerging economy BTW) about the "Little Emporers", the spoiled single children who are the products of China's one child policy. There was reference to a couple of boys who are pretty overweight and have been put in a "Fat Farm" so they can lose weight. They boasted about who could eat the most KFC, apparently, fast food has had an impact in China.

 

If they have fat farms in China, then fat can't always be a good thing.

[egolessvegan]

Plenty of calcium in vegetarian diet. Stop listening to mainstream AMA and FDA propaganda.

Ken

[sylinchinastill]

Fat isn't a good thing- but neither is the obsession we have with being thin- young girls want to look like the movie stars- and in China (Hong Kong mainly being the influence) girls want to be super skinny- and Chinese girls are already thin- and already prone to get osteoperosis- and I just think we should place more emphasis on what foods are good for us- and make us healthy- and what we need to eat to get vitamins- stay away from fast food- but also not believe that every girl has to be under 100 pounds to be beautiful.

I know you can eat healthy as a vegetarian- I was a vegetarian for years- and my best friend is vegan (it helps with some diseases) and as long as she is careful- and focuses on getting plenty of soy- she is fine- I just hate that the whole society- even my nine-year-old sister- think it is so important to look like Britney Spears- or Jessica Simpson- or whoever-

[egolessvegan]

Britney Spears is far from thin. She is starting to chub out.

Ken B)

[oregonknl]

I disagree with Ken to some extent on this:

 

...... particularly if you are limiting food intake.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love soy and tofu (as long it isn't served as some sort of bogus western food "substitute" like turkey )

 

So I just checked in my fridge --- compared 3 oz. of cheese: 60% daily calcium requirement ----- 3 oz. of tofu: 15% daily calcium requirement.

 

There is an ongoing study in Austrailia documenting the increasing height of Chinese children --- already they are seeing a spike upward since the introduction of milk as a common food --- just in the last several years. They have already well documented the growth increase beginning in the early 1980's when meat was reintroduced into the Chinese diet on a regular basis.

[lele]

Hi Steve,

 

I didn't say you couldn't be a vegetarian and also get the calcium that you need to create optimum bone density (although my girl's pediatrician ---- western trained Chinese, with a strong interest in nutrition ---- she doubts it can be done from a practical stand point).

 

What I said was this (and no, you didn't take it out of context!):  "...if she is going to limit her food intake to this extreme" 

 

If you look at the actual amounts of calcium in the food that you listed, I think you are going to find they fall substantially short of the calcium found in milk or yogart etc. 

 

Tofu, for example, LOOKS like it should have a lot of calcium (white, creamy, curd-like) ---- but it actually only has a small fraction that found in milk, for instance. Also, I have heard that some studies have found that the calcium found in greens is not easily absorbed by humans....

Well,

 

If we want to talk calcium, sardines have roughly 15-16 times the calcium per serving that milk does. So, if someone really wants to eat something high in calcium, i recommend getting some of them into your body!

 

Actually, if one looks carefully, the amount of calcium found in spinach is compatible with that in milk (roughly 0.7 times the amount per serving).

 

Do remember, there are people (particularly strict Buddhists) in China who eat only vegetarian for their entire lives and they live just as long as others who do eat meat.

 

Not that I am a vegetarian, but in reality, if one is smart about what they eat, then they can eat a vegetarian diet without many problems.

 

I have however heard that Fe (iron) becomes a problem for people who are very strict vegans. But today, even that is becoming more difficult. For example, are you a vegan if you eat non-organic tomatoes (eg: tomato sauce) since now they are genetically engineered with fish-genes?

 

Does anyone know about the wonders of butternut squash (I just saw an article in today's food secion of the LA Times and now I want to go and cook some...mmm...)? I would love a recipe!

[oregonknl]

Hey lele,

 

Missed the LA Times article, but I grow butternut squash every year -- my favorate winter squash ! Keeps to May..

 

Here is the way I and my girls love to eat it: Bake 1 hour. remove while still hot, skin: mash with potato masher ADD PLENTY OF BUTTER (MOOOOOW!), whip and serve immediately!

[oregonknl]

BTW,

 

I agree about sardines~! (so do my girls) almost a perfect food --- and a fish so down on the food chain that it is almost free of mercury.....

[warpedbored]

Hi Steve,

 

I didn't say you couldn't be a vegetarian and also get the calcium that you need to create optimum bone density (although my girl's pediatrician ---- western trained Chinese, with a strong interest in nutrition ---- she doubts it can be done from a practical stand point).

 

What I said was this (and no, you didn't take it out of context!):  "...if she is going to limit her food intake to this extreme"  

 

If you look at the actual amounts of calcium in the food that you listed, I think you are going to find they fall substantially short of the calcium found in milk or yogart etc.  

 

Tofu, for example, LOOKS like it should have a lot of calcium (white, creamy, curd-like) ---- but it actually only has a small fraction that found in milk, for instance.   Also, I have heard that some studies have found that the calcium found in greens is not easily absorbed by humans....

Well,

 

If we want to talk calcium, sardines have roughly 15-16 times the calcium per serving that milk does. So, if someone really wants to eat something high in calcium, i recommend getting some of them into your body!

 

Actually, if one looks carefully, the amount of calcium found in spinach is compatible with that in milk (roughly 0.7 times the amount per serving).

 

Do remember, there are people (particularly strict Buddhists) in China who eat only vegetarian for their entire lives and they live just as long as others who do eat meat.

 

Not that I am a vegetarian, but in reality, if one is smart about what they eat, then they can eat a vegetarian diet without many problems.

 

I have however heard that Fe (iron) becomes a problem for people who are very strict vegans. But today, even that is becoming more difficult. For example, are you a vegan if you eat non-organic tomatoes (eg: tomato sauce) since now they are genetically engineered with fish-genes?

 

Does anyone know about the wonders of butternut squash (I just saw an article in today's food secion of the LA Times and now I want to go and cook some...mmm...)? I would love a recipe!

cut gourd in half and hollow the center. Melt butter and brush the entire surface. Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter then fill cavity with diced apple. Brush apple with butter and sprinkle on more brown sugar and a little cinnimon. Bake at 350 for about one hour.

[lele]

Hey lele,

 

Missed the LA Times article, but I grow butternut squash every year -- my favorate winter squash !  Keeps to May.. 

 

Here is the way I and my girls love to eat it:  Bake 1 hour.  remove while still hot, skin: mash with potato masher ADD PLENTY OF BUTTER (MOOOOOW!), whip and serve immediately!

Mmm...Sounds really good!

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

When I cooked some today, I just pan seared it in some brown sugar and orange juice. It turned out well, but yours sounds even better. Ok, tomorrow then I will try it...mmm...

[lele]

BTW,

 

I agree about sardines~!  (so do my girls)  almost a perfect food --- and a fish so down on the food chain that it is almost free of mercury.....

Great news! I have been so worried about too much mercury, given that all of the water off of boston gets all of that mercury from the midwest.

 

Luckily, I have always been a bit fond of sardines (thanks to my father).

 

I think that I once saw a recipe where they can make a lovely addition to tomato sauce for those who are less adventerous, but still want to include them in their diet.