Everyday Systems

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition...so needless to say, I try to eat healthily and part of that, to me, means limiting processed foods. Some borderline cases I've found, however, are Coffeemate and energy bars (Cliff, Luna, etc). I love both of these things for different reasons. Coffeemate is just delicious to me, and makes my morning coffee feel special (althought it's filled with hydrogenated oils and other crap). In addition, I love to try new bars (most often crumbled up as a topping for yogurt, sort of like granola). My one rule when I'm following No-S is that neither of these products can include anything chocolate (peanut butter, nuts, etc are fine) or it becomes a sweet. Before I restart No-S (yet again) I'm wondering if maybe these foods needs to be cut out entirely. What are everyone's thoughts on this and where have you all drawn the line?

Thanks,
Jocelyn

I use half-n-half in my coffee.

Those bars would be treats in my lexicon. (Like you, I tend to go for "real" food).

I generally drink my coffee black, but if I feel the need for a creamer I use half and half or milk. Full fat.

I usually avoid any of the bars, but occasionally I'll buy a Lara bar. I've never had any of the other bars.

Processed foods are out for me.

I too use half and half. I used to use love Cinnamon Creme Coffeemate. I don't think you should limit Coffeemate unless you think it's causing you to binge.

Cliff and Luna bars are a personal judgement call. I toyed with the idea of eating one when I was traveling a bit ago but decided against it. It just felt too much like a sweet bar.

I think those bars are glorified cookies.

I use skim milk in my lattes. I'd drink black coffee for the rest of my life before using "creamer." So good news! When you and I are stuck on the desert island, and the carton of coffeemate washes ashore, I'll let you have the whole thing.

I never use that creamer unless I have no other choice. I read one time how bad it is for you, apparently it is full of hydrogenated oil (trans-fats). Maybe you could use real half and half and put a small amount of the coffee mate in for flavor? A teaspoon is a serving, so it would have to be less than that.

Every once in a while I get some bars if they are on sale. I am vegetarian and welcome all the extra protein I can get, but suprisingly I am not in the mood for something sweet like choc chip cookie dough bar or brownie delight... it goes against N days anyway. I do have protein powder that I can use from time to time and it is made with stevia.

I'm a vegetarian too. But I think Americans eat way too much protein.

Who Me? wrote:I think those bars are glorified cookies.

I use skim milk in my lattes. I'd drink black coffee for the rest of my life before using "creamer." So good news! When you and I are stuck on the desert island, and the carton of coffeemate washes ashore, I'll let you have the whole thing.

Lol! I'm with Who Me - use milk in my cafe au lait, and think "creamer" is just plain nasty. So we'll have our black coffee together if there's no milk.

I don't eat the bars either.

BUT... your mileage will vary. I mostly don't eat/drink these things because my tastes have evolved to the point that they *taste* very processed to me, hence I don't like them. However, there are probably things that I do like and eat that everyone else would go "what? oh, I wouldn't!" Everyone has different priorities.

The questions I'd ask...in this order
- Are these eaten moderately, or in such quantity that they're a problem in themselves?
- Are these "gateway" foods, that undermine general habit?
- Would you feel so deprived if you gave them up that you'd be at risk for "rebounding" on other stuff?

Good luck!

I used to like those bars, back when I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

Now that I mostly eat three times a day, they seem like a sorry exchange for real food.

I wouldn't worry about them. (But I also don't worry about sweets, and don't eat many of them any more. If that's a big temptation/issue, ymmv.)

It might be hard not to try to count calories, as a nutritionist, and eat 'reasonably' instead of 'regularly'. I think regular is more valuable than 'reasonably', except where seconds are concerned. :)

Hi there, I found Land O Lakes fat free creamer pretty good compared to the others. It's made with skim milk, and the Luna bars..those are really really sweet, perhaps save them for the weekend with your yogurt. p.s. I have high cholesterol so I opted for the fat free stuff, but I do have to admit coffeemate is pretty good.

I think you can take this in stages if these things are working for you now stay with it, if this is not working and you are having five cups of this coffee a day time to reevaluate the situation. Once you get your sea legs look at it again.
I use half and half, and occasionally use coffee mate mostly because it's hard to find the flavor I like best. As far as the bars I don't like most of them. Granola bars are okay but not enough to make them into a meal.

I do not believe Coffeemate is nasty, though I have tried very hard to hate it because, alas, it isn't good for you. But truth be told, I like it better in coffee even than milk, though I opt for milk--full fat, which I have at home-- when it is available. (I don't use powdered creamer at home. ) but i also know that milk can cool the coffee down way too much. Ah, dilemmas!

I wonder about all these people using half and half. I do when I'm home, but do you bring it to work with you and then have to refrigerate it and possibly have other people use it up? If you work from home, or then half and half is a wonderful option.

I'd drink no coffee before I'd drink it with skim milk or black. Michael Pollan claims the process to de-fat milk isn't nice, either. And humans have been drinking milk as is for tens of thousands of years.

As someone else said, do what reinforces moderation. Shun what induces excess. If you're having a couple of cups of coffee a day, have whatever you want in it, barring the obvious-- no chocolate syrup!

oolala53 wrote: As someone else said, do what reinforces moderation. Shun what induces excess.

Agreed. I don't drink coffee. I used to eat a lot of Luna Bars and Cliff Bars. The problem for me is that I like them too much and want to eat way too many. They are my form of candy, so I had to cut them out unless it's a really special occasion.