What bread is best? I'm loving Roman Meal's Whole Grain, but is there anything better that doesn't taste horrid? I don't like having crunchy bits of whatever in my bread.

Is having milk (organic, and I seem ok with lactose) really that bad? I hate using water with my protien shakes. Alternatives (not soy)?

Is canola oil ok for cooking, health wise? Some things taste like ass if you cook them with olive oil, and canola seems in line with olive in terms of fat content (no saturated or trans, pretty much equal in the healthy fats). Is there some hidden danger?

Is something like Promise and ok substitute for margarine or butter? It's made with mostly sunflower oil, but it has some hydrogonated **** in it. Still claims 0 trans, but I would guess there's still a little. It's not like I use a lot. I just like to put something in my brown rice to give it flavor, and I don't like butter.

What are some good cheeses? I grew up on ****ing individually sliced ****, and I'm looking for something good to add to my burgers.

I see Warboss talking about eating fullfat foods. Is there anything wrong with opting for leaner meats? I've fallen in love with Laura's Lean Burgers.

Are eggs a neccessity? I think I have a slight allery to them. I almost always end up feeling like **** after I eat some. It's not nausea or anything. Sort of a blood pressure drop. I just ate two, after not having any for a couple weeks, and I don't feel so well. I didn't have this problem before. Maybe I've gotten used to not eating them, and it's confusing my system...

And lastly, I recently gave up smoking. I had a pack and a half a day habit for the better part of a decade (I guess I wanted to go for that extra badass effect when I was younger), and last tuesday I ran out of cigarettes. Never bothered to hit 7/11 for another pack. So far I haven't had much difficulty. I was even able to hit the bar saturday (yeah yeah, don't drink... I know), without too much of a nic-fit. So far so good. I didn't even notice any drowsiness associated with the lack of the blood sugar release signal smoking gives you. My only concern is a metabolic one. I don't want to gain weight. Regular smoking is said to increase your metabolism by about 7%. What can I do to offset this? I've already taken steps (started drinking white tea and taking green tea extract, and added at least 10 minutes of extra cardio to my workouts), but I want to make sure.

Thanks.

I'll give my opinion on a few of your questions:

I wouldn't use any oil high in polyunsaturated fats for cooking since these fats are so unstable and prone to oxidation. Olive oil is better, but still no where near as good for cooking as coconut oil or palm oil which are both extremely stable oils.

I wouldn't eat ANY artificial hydrogenates whatsoever. There's a reason they're banned in Denmark and now in NY. There's no excuse for eating them. Try some soy sauce or something else flavourful.

Any cheese is ok, but for burgers you'd probably want a softer, less mature cheese that will melt in the burger. Look for the non-crumbly cheeses. Alternatively, just ask at the deli.

Eggs aren't a necessity, but they're an awesome food if you want to put on muscle. However, if you're getting weird symptoms from eating them, just stay away and eat more meat instead.

monster squad said:

What bread is best? I'm loving Roman Meal's Whole Grain, but is there anything better that doesn't taste horrid? I don't like having crunchy bits of whatever in my bread.

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use the nutrition facts label to compare breads, and go for something that has more fiber than sugar. and try using bread for fewer meals... make lean meats & fibrous veggies the centerpiece of more meals.

Is having milk (organic, and I seem ok with lactose) really that bad? I hate using water with my protien shakes. Alternatives (not soy)?

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try it for yourself... this is practically the only thing WBA and I disagree about. I've been cutting back & haven't noticed much change in anything. Certainly the sugar in it means that it's not for guys who are trying to lose bodyfat. But otherwise, I'd just suggest going with the lowest fat % you can stand (preferably skim / fat free)

Is canola oil ok for cooking, health wise? Some things taste like ass if you cook them with olive oil, and canola seems in line with olive in terms of fat content (no saturated or trans, pretty much equal in the healthy fats). Is there some hidden danger?

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i'm a big fan of canola oil for most cooking purposes (esp. when you need a neutral flavor), but it's inappropriate for deep-fat frying (which you should be avoiding anyway, right?) and anything else that gets the oil really hot. The "nutrition" pyramid has americans scared of oil but the fear is overdone. Use oils that taste good to you, and go easy on 'em. I also like peanut oil for a flavor that's very appropriate to certain styles (esp. Chinese).

Is something like Promise and ok substitute for margarine or butter? It's made with mostly sunflower oil, but it has some hydrogonated **** in it. Still claims 0 trans, but I would guess there's still a little. It's not like I use a lot. I just like to put something in my brown rice to give it flavor, and I don't like butter.

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i prefer butter to anything else, but Smart Balance has a nice profile and some manufacturer-sponsored studies claim it has benefits for blood cholesterol levels. Just make sure it's transfat free. 0g does not mean ZERO under US guidelines -- just less than half a gram per serving (and servings are often smaller than you think). the candians have this figured out -- if a nutrient is less than 1 gram, they list it to one decimal place. that foils the number monkeys. But in the US you have to look for anything "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" on the ingredient list. pain in the ass!

What are some good cheeses? I grew up on ****ing individually sliced ****, and I'm looking for something good to add to my burgers.

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they're all good if you balance the saturated fat against other fats in your diet. part skim mozarella generally has less fat, and I think it's great on burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

(the asteriks in that quote amuse me immensely)

I see Warboss talking about eating fullfat foods. Is there anything wrong with opting for leaner meats? I've fallen in love with Laura's Lean Burgers.

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nope...just recognize that in general, taste derives from having some combination of fat, sugar, salt, and other nutrients we need in moderation. food manufacturers tend to raise one when they lower another, because processed foods are pretty bland to start with (gotta appeal to a broad audience). So "low-fat" foods often have the same number of calories, and most of balance comes from extra high-fructose corn syrup, the worst of all possibilities. Again, check the ingredients, and check the nutrition facts. It becomes second nature.

Are eggs a neccessity? I think I have a slight allery to them. I almost always end up feeling like **** after I eat some. It's not nausea or anything. Sort of a blood pressure drop. I just ate two, after not having any for a couple weeks, and I don't feel so well. I didn't have this problem before. Maybe I've gotten used to not eating them, and it's confusing my system...

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never let anyone on a message board tell you to eat something that screws you up. come back to them another time when the rest of your diet is in order, and try one at a time.

And lastly, I recently gave up smoking...What can I do to offset this? I've already taken steps (started drinking white tea and taking green tea extract, and added at least 10 minutes of extra cardio to my workouts), but I want to make sure.

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probably the smartest thing you've ever done for your health. just keep an eye on things, and you're taking the right steps. a big part of the weight gains for people i've known have come from the oral fixation -- being used to having something in your mouth. if you find yourself eating just to have something between the lips, i'm sure lots of guys here can suggest substitutes (some crude & some actually helpful)

Whole wheat bread is generally better than most other kinds, but ultimately it doesn't matter too much. There's no "best brand".

No milk is not bad. I seriously don't know where this bs comes from. I know WBA says "it's not a healthy food", that's his opinion, I'd like some scientific research saying milk is bad for you.

My store sells fat free sliced cheddar cheese. Still got all the protein and tastes more or less like cheese.

Eggs are not a necessity. They have a lot of good stuff in them, but they won't slow your progress in any way if you don't eat them. I ate hardboiled eggs every day for almost 5 months straight and burned out on them. Now the sight makes me sick. I'm still gaining.

Congrats on quitting smoking. Stay active and your metabolic rate will actually rise. One of the best decisions you can make for sure.