| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 2:36:23 PM | Hey Everyone!
I'm trying to eat healthy now days
And the hardest thing that I have to give up is cream cheese
I just love the stuff, I have it every day.
So I've switched over to Philadelphia's 1/3 less fat cream cheese
I want to try it out in cooking/baking as well
and was wondering if anyone has tried using the 1/3 less fat cream cheese before??? | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 3:40:54 PM | | Not being a big fan of reduced fat items (Unless I know what they substitute for the fat, to keep the taste), I haven't tried the reduced fat cream cheese, but I have used 1% yogurt cheese as a substitute, with great success. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 4:08:18 PM | Give up all processed foods and watch your weight,blood pressure ,sugar and cholesterol drop.
Substitute "Quark" for the cream cheese. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 4:33:43 PM | Keep in mind, that often low fat versions of cheeses have a greater water/moisture content. As far as baking with it, you might have to look for recipes that specifically call for that (light cheese) because if you do a simple substitution the texture and taste will not be what it should be.
I have used lower fat versions in cooking (stirred into sauces for example) and found it to be just fine.
Do you like goat cheese? Some soft goat cheeses are lower in calories and fat content and taste great as a spread or even stirred into hot foods. I personally prefer to have less of a pure, full fat cheese than more of a low fat version that is full of additives and other things to make up the taste and volume. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 7:51:39 PM | Tofutti makes a fantastic vegan cream cheese... It actually tastes just as good, if not better than the real thing and is much healthier as well.
If you want to eat healthier, don't focus so much on carbs and fats - focus on dropping as much dairy and meats as possible and substituting better options. Not suggesting going vegetarian although that is a surefire way to eat healthy - but try and come up or use recipes that use very little to no meats and especially dairy. The saturated/animal fats are what really gets you and meats/dairy are loaded with it. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 8:20:14 PM | | FindingNemo, I have used Neufatchel (1/3 less fat cream cheese) for years and have never seen any difference in recipes. I think you are safe. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 8:23:37 PM | I agree with SmilingSalmon on the Neufatchel cheese...I love the taste too.., but two other suggestions for you, goat cheese and part-skim ricotta cheese. The consistency is very much like cream cheese in a way, tasty and healthier.
Hope this helps. ~~Beth~~ | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/25/2008 10:04:54 PM | Eating "healthier" food does not always lead to being healthier.
I averaged a 2 liter bottle of coke a day for a while, and didn't generally concern myself with what I ate. While I was much heavier than I am now, after getting checked out and having tests done, the doctor could not believe that I was much healthier than my mom who goes to a much greater effort to eat "healthy".
My operating procedure nowadays is just to watch how much I eat, and if I'm not hungry, I just try to resist the urge to eat, just to keep my hands and mouth busy. I lost 65 pounds by eating less, while getting little to no exercise. Most of the lost weight was while I was at my call center job. My current job though slowed my weight loss by converting fat into muscle, so I probably lost more fat than just the 65 pounds that my scale indicates that I lost compared to when I first started losing weight a year ago. Two-thirds of my weight loss came in the first 3 months.
If you want to eat "healthier" to lose weight, or maintain your weight, there are far better ways to do it than simply eating the "lite" versions of foods. Some additives like aspartame make it harder for people to lose weight, and may in fact lead to increased weight gain. I'd look at the labels for the stuff you've been eating compared to the stuff you are considering eating, and determine whether the 1/3 less fat is legitimate or just marketing.
Since you don't look like you need to lose weight, is there a particular reason that you want to eat "healthier". The "-ier" at the end makes it seem like you don't eat as healthy as you would like. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/27/2008 2:22:39 PM | wow
thanks for everyone's response!
I know that some of you mentioned Neufatchel cream cheese
but i use the 1/3 less fat in the tub, plus it comes in different flavors like Chive & Onion, Strawberry, which to me is rather fun when cooking.
but here's my question about the goat cheese
cant you actually bake with it, i mean i don't think substituting goat cheese for cream cheese
will work. Has anyone tried by any chance? | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/27/2008 3:29:25 PM | I too have started eating healthier and have been able to lose weight, as a result. However, I don't stick to any type of "diet". I basically believe I can eat whatever I want, but just less of it.
I have a weakness for cottage cheese and I refuse to eat the low-fat version of it. Hell no... it's full fat or nuttin for me! You'll find that most "low fat" foods replace the fat with sugar... and while sugar isn't necessarily "unhealthy" it certainly adds to the bottom line (or just your bottom, in general!)
I'll admit though, I gave up all carbonation - no soda or beer. I also have watched the "white" foods I eat. Personally, I found that I was eating lots and lots of carbs at every meal. I still eat carbs, but just not as many.
I also significantly reduced the fried food in my diet. Inadvertently, I'm sure I still consume fats, they're in everything, ya know? But I no longer deep fry foods and rarely eat french fries and things like that. After a while of going without grease, you'll find that your body will "punish" you for eating it. (My stomach and bowels do not like it, so it's nearly an instant negative reinforcement!)
In the beginning, I told myself I wanted to eat "cleaner" food. Less processed, less chemicals, less additives, less boiling, less frying... just cleaner, simplier food. I think it does wonders to a truly healthy lifestyle & diet.
I am not vegetarian, nor ever will be, I believe that as animals we are meant to eat protein from other animals, but I do try to stay away from TOO much red meat. In my personal belief (and I'm no expert) but I believe animal protein and products are cleaner and healthier than the other crap we can put in our bodies.
Meat, vegetables, potatoes, water.... keep it simple and clean. If it comes that way in nature, then it's better than Oreos and Cheetos.
My 2 cents... | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/27/2008 5:19:21 PM | | I have been eating healthy for a long time, avoiding transfats, and anything with hydrogenated fats. I'm not a vegetarian but don't eat much fatty meats or processed and canned meats. Once in a while I enjoy some unhealthy stuff but try to keep it under control. It's scary to see what some people consider a healthy diet, they have absolutely no clue! | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/27/2008 5:29:27 PM | you can bake with it, its a matter of whether you like the flavor. I worked for a chef that had a goat cheese cheesecake recipe and everyone loved it.
It was baked with a crust and not sweetened too much so that it could be served as a dessert with fresh fruits/ coulis or as a savory course. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/27/2008 8:39:29 PM | Anyone that tells you to give up meat/dairy is not educated well enough in the field of nutrition.
Some good cheeses: Polly-O string cheese, laughing cow cheese, low fat cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, or generally any low fat cheese. Don't always take the cheese's word for it if it says 'low fat', read the nutrition facts yourself and compare saturated fat. | |
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j600i
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Joined: 3/9/2008
Msg: 14 | |
| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/28/2008 6:45:48 AM | | Everyone should have lightly steamed broccoli and a tomato sauce in a meal almost every day, protects from all sorts of nasties for some people. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/28/2008 11:36:30 AM | | I know that you can mix no fat cream cheese and low-fat ricotta cheese in order to keep a nice texture... I haven't tried this myself but I've read about it online quite a bit. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 3/30/2008 9:39:27 AM |
Trainer87: Anyone that tells you to give up meat/dairy is not educated well enough in the field of nutrition
You can't be serious. I personally couldn't care less what people eat, however, it's been proven ad-nauseum that a meat/dairy free diet (or at least extremely small amounts of meats such as fish) is substantially healthier than it's counterpart in nearly all aspects. To the point where it's actually quite ignorant to suggest the opposite. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/3/2008 12:33:36 AM | Tofutti makes a fantastic vegan cream cheese... It actually tastes just as good, if not better than the real thing and is much healthier as well. Tofutti cream cheese is much like spackle and has a strangely sweet taste. It's not something i'd recommend as a cream cheese substitute, no matter how it's marketed. It's not something I'd suggest trying until one can avoid mentally comparing it to cream cheese.
Not suggesting going vegetarian although that is a surefire way to eat healthy Yeah, no it's not.
Anyone that tells you to give up meat/dairy is not educated well enough in the field of nutrition. You may want to take that up with the American Dietetic Association and the Dietitians of Canada. They both support vegetarian and vegan diets for all stages of life.
Eating "healthier" food does not always lead to being healthier. That's because "healthier" != "healthy". I'm sure oreos are healthier than dog poop but I wouldn't be passing them out at Jenny Craig. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/3/2008 8:27:49 AM |
Tofutti cream cheese is much like spackle and has a strangely sweet taste. It's not something i'd recommend as a cream cheese substitute, no matter how it's marketed. It's not something I'd suggest trying until one can avoid mentally comparing it to cream cheese.
I'm yet to meet 1 person, not a single one... who would agree with you. I have never met anyone who can tell the difference, and I have served it countless times to guests not only plain, but as a base in dips and other things as well.
Not suggesting going vegetarian although that is a surefire way to eat healthy
Yeah, no it's not.
Well, y eah, you're right. If you eat nothing but french fries. Yeah, ummm... damn near all vegetarians who went from meat to vegetarian eat substantially healther. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/3/2008 2:28:16 PM |
I'm yet to meet 1 person, not a single one... who would agree with you. I have never met anyone who can tell the difference
I can't tell the difference between Tofutti and spackle. And it tastes weird.
There's so much hype on "fat free" and "less fat". There are fats that are actually essential for you, and can actually help you lose weight. Then there are fats you want to avoid altogether.
Never eat an empty calorie if you don't want to count calories. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/3/2008 5:18:36 PM | ..."BY GOD I LOVE VEGETARIANS". Can you imagine how expensive a nice hunk of Prime Rib would be if everyone wanted it?....
...(Sorry..I just hadda toss a little humor into the mix, Y'all are ready to start WWIII over who eat's healthier...and personally...I could care less...LOL ) | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/3/2008 5:27:51 PM | If you want to keep your bad cholesterol down, yet enjoy the foods you eat, eat more fat.
The trick is to eat the right kinds of fat. Go wild (literally) on peanutbutter, nuts, olive oil, fish... these contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Ways to easily get enough good fats
1) Eat PB and J sandwiches
2) Add some olive oil to your salads
3) Always carry around with you a bag of nuts to munch on (with some raisins!)
4) Buy lox, or nova... I dont know what you guys call it, but basically it is smoked salmon. This stuff with some cream cheese and onions is DIVINE on some whole wheat toast and your in heaven. This way you have a source of healthy fats, protein, some good carbs, and some cream chese with saturated fats (which is still healthy)
Eating an adequate amount of these with your normal does of saturated fats (Which IS healthy despite what anyone thinks) you will be very well off. Fat in general is good for you as they have very important rolls in the production of hormones and other bodily functions.
The ONLY thing I would watch out for is unwanted weight gain. I'm sure you know your limits, and the added food will likely make you eat less in general (or you can substitute these in for your meals). Remember, fat doesnt make you fat, eating too many calories does. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/4/2008 11:43:19 PM | Tofutti cream cheese is much like spackle and has a strangely sweet taste. It's not something i'd recommend as a cream cheese substitute, no matter how it's marketed. It's not something I'd suggest trying until one can avoid mentally comparing it to cream cheese. I'm yet to meet 1 person, not a single one... who would agree with you. I have never met anyone who can tell the difference, and I have served it countless times to guests not only plain, but as a base in dips and other things as well.
Lol. Try actually being a member on a vegetarian or vegan message board. Pit my opinion against yours. I guarantee I'll win by a landslide. The stuff is nothing like dairy cream cheese. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/5/2008 12:14:30 AM | I am one of those people that does not believe that healthy equates to low-fat or even worse, non-fat items. I prefer some "lite" dairy options such as sour cream because of taste preferences and I can read the label and determine if it is light because it is made with low fat milk instead of cream or whole milk. Almost everything else is low-fat or non-fat because they have replaced the fat with gelatin, sugar, and artificial flavorings, which I think are far worse than the fat. Fat isn't the enemy, it is necessary in our diets and it is part of what makes food aromatic and satisfying.
I have found that when I stopped eating processed, boxed crap and started cooking from scratch using whole foods, my skin looked better, my hair shinier, and I felt a lot better. I relapse into the lazy pattern of prepackaged foods now and again but honestly, I find that when I do the above, I feel much more satified with what I eat and better overall. I also eat less. It can be really hard to cook for one when cooking from scratch, but making smaller batches and divvying up what you make into meals and freezing them also helps.
So my advice is to skip the diet food, the packaged food and start eating whole foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, lean meats, olive oil, etc and drink plenty of water and you will feel and be much healthier. Grill, bake, or broil instead of fry and you should be fine. | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/6/2008 8:03:32 PM | | I making turkey meatloaf right now and I usually dont like meatloaf but this one is really good.. its lean right? | |
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| Eating Healthier?
Posted: 4/6/2008 11:03:45 PM |
Lol. Try actually being a member on a vegetarian or vegan message board. Pit my opinion against yours. I guarantee I'll win by a landslide. The stuff is nothing like dairy cream cheese.
piscescoda, I'm actually not arguing with you. I am only speaking from experience for anyone else who may be interested. I have NEVER met anyone who tried the tofutti cream cheese and said "hey, is this fake cream cheese" -- and people that I have told it was vegan cream cheese, no complaints either. Even some of my meat eating friends use it now because they can't tell the difference.
Besides, it's fantastic for making vegan cream sauces.  | |
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