Do you remember the old nursery rhyme/tongue twister about Betty Botter buying butter?
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter;“ But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter! If I put it in my batter It will make my batter bitter But a bit of better butter Will make my batter better.” So she bought a bit of butter Better than her bitter butter, Made her bitter batter better. So it was better Betty Botter Bought a bit of better butter.
(courtesy of Wikipedia)
Which begs the deep, philosophical question—was it actually important for her to buy better butter? Or did it just make the rhyme work?
Just kidding... ...or am I? Like many nursery rhymes, I believe this one also has a hidden meaning, a bit of wisdom that is being passed on through the "silly" childhood lines.
Wisdom that we should take to heart...
Quality Matters
Not all food is created equal. Hopefully you have all had the chance to eat fresh food out of a garden. Now compare that to much of the produce you can buy at the store. Can you see, smell and taste the difference? But isn't it all the same foods? How can it be different? Well, let's consider the differing conditions of, for example, a tomato.
Grew in good soil vs growth forced by fertilizers
Cared for with love vs impersonally raised in mass
Picked when it was ripe vs ripening in a truck
It makes sense that all these things affect the taste, but does it really matter? Even if it's not as delicious, isn't it still basically a tomato? Doesn't it give us good nutrients that support our bodies?
Unfortunately, no. Taste, color and smell were put in place to show our bodies the quality and health of a plant. When the appeal is lacking, so is the nutrition. The same is true with all food. Meat, seafood, fruit, fats, dairy products, and any other single ingredient can be purchased at differing levels of quality. And when those ingredients are combined, the resulting dish can be bland or amazing! Top chefs know this. They know that ingredient selection is the most important factor in creating a delicious dish. You too can cook amazing food! Your kitchen skills matter some, but your ingredients matter more!
Additionally, when the food you are eating has higher nutritional content, you won't need to eat as much. When you are no longer a slave to processed food's addictive substances, or the sugar cravings of bad flora in your body, your body gives signals for eating properly. How does the body "properly" signal, you might ask.
The body signals hunger when it is needing nutrients!
When you eat nutrient-dense food, less will satisfy you!
Therefore, it is actually more efficient to eat higher-quality food, even if it costs more, because you will need to eat less of it.
The only time this does not give the appearance of being true is when you first start eating nutrient-dense food. When you begin giving your starving body the nutrients it so desperately needs in good-quality, real food, it will ask for that food often! This period of time often lasts one to three months long, although it can be longer. Don't worry, it's a good sign! Your eating will slowdown when your body has caught up. (Also as you add more fat into your diet. Fat is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, and it is incredibly satisfying.)
So, the take away for today is that quality matters!
I know this is easier said than done. Next time we will talk about some ways that could make it possible for you to feed better quality food to yourself and your family. Y'all come on back now...
Onward!