Cashew Addiction Explained

Assume there are 100 cashews here. Assume that's a portion.

 You can binge on anything. Once when I  told a client “you will not overeat on chicken” she swiftly corrected me, “I eat a whole chicken Lauren…well except for the insides and bones.” Interesting. And one night my younger son complained of a stomachache and said,  “I probably ate too many bananas after soccer.”  I asked my son how many assuming he had two or so, he said five. While these instances are rarities, cashew binging is extremely common. You are more likely to overeat (translation the whole package, regardless of its size) cashews that any other nut. You may not find that in a scientific journal but it’s the truth.

I saw 10 clients yesterday. Two reported cashew issues. Foodtrainers will turn 15 in November, I can’t believe it has taken me this long to conduct cashew research but I did and have a theory. Cashews are carby. I know that sounds as dumb as when people claim carrots are sugary. Cashews have four times the net carbs (carb grams minus fiber grams) of walnuts or pecans and more than double the carbs in almonds. Grace, our resident researcher, and I both poked around and she concluded; “only chestnuts have them beat”.  When I offered this explanation to one of my cashew challenged clients she said, “I think it’s the texture, think of how creamy cashew milk is.” She has a point. Cashews are the most widely used dairy alternative. So there are the carbs, the texture and there’s also a natural sweetness of cashews…shit.

Here’s where science tells a different story. On PubMed I read of a study finding that cashew extract improves insulin function and the “damaging effects of high blood sugar”.  So cashew extract has anti-diabetic properties whereas cashews (and cashew addiction) give you diabetes. Another interesting tidbit, you don’t see cashews in shells in stores because the shell of the cashew is poisonous. For this reason, cashews are heat treated before being shelled so; raw cashews are never really raw. And I’ll add that “raw” cashews are binged on too.

When we convened our office cashew conference, we formulated our addiction advice. We joked that we should all eat the shells as a deterrent but are not in the business of poisoning people. Carolyn voted to remove cashews from the Foodtrainers’ nutcase.

Betcha can't have 15...unless you have a nutcase

 Instead, we agreed to advocate cashews via nutcase only. That way, you avoid over-nutting (thanks Well and Good for the shout out). 

Are you a cashew addict? Or, what do you feel are the most bingeable foods?

I Binged

I binged on Friday. My binge lasted the whole day and left me feeling down. I didn’t see it coming but once it started it was like a runaway train, I couldn’t get enough. Before you suggest I book an appointment with myself (or the other Foodtrainers) there’s something you should know. My binge wasn’t on cereal or chips or ice cream. I binged on the royals or more specifically I binged on Kate. In food terms this is the equivalent of binging on a food you’ve never had before as I wasn’t the least bit fixated on the wedding.

My husband came home from the gym early Friday morning. I was, where I am now, at my desk- hands perched on my keyboard, coffee cup lurking. “I can’t believe you aren’t watching,” he said. “Oh right the wedding, I’ll put it on.” I turned on the Today Show. The ceremony was underway. I wasn’t pulled in immediately. I made the boys breakfast, answered their monarchy-related questions and pretty soon it was time to leave. I set the DVR and went to drop the boys at school. I had 11 miles on my running schedule so it was a while before I arrived home.

Once home, the trouble started. I clicked “Today Show” on the kitchen television and sat down. On the “kiss countdown” that was displayed I had 30 minutes. Instead of fast forwarding I decided to watch a little.  I watched Kate and William leaving the ceremony.  Her posture was perfect, her smile natural and her skin zitless. William seemed a little anxious, gingerly stepping to avoid stepping on her dress. And the dress? Very pretty though I didn’t enjoy that corsety thing on the bodice. Let’s be real though, the woman (or the duchess now) is 5’10”, she’s athletic and thin (but not too thin) even the Queen’s banana get-up would look well on Kate.  I didn’t notice it at the time but the more I watched the worse I felt.

I watched the newlyweds’ carriage ride back to the palace; I watched kiss (or peck) 1 and kiss 2.  I went on with my day but the binge had hardly started. Once home again I watched multiple shows “post-game” report.  I turned on 20/20 only to learn Barbara Walters was doing a 2-hour special on the wedding. My husband headed to bed after saying “I just don’t get this, I don’t really see why billions of people care.” The Lauren who was oblivious that same morning was now defending her new habit. “How can you not care, this is history and a fairy tale!” I couldn’t stop. I learned Kate allegedly did her own make-up. I saw the dress she wore to the evening party (gorgeous) and how she carried herself with poise and restraint. I recalled a post I read on a blog called Verging in Serious. Cameo wrote a post  called Magazine Goggles about reading fashion magazines. On a recent trip she gorged on glossies and was left feeling rotten. The same thing happened to me with my royal goggles.

As I was going to sleep (finally), I was feeling as though my life was dull. I wasn’t a princess, would never wear a dress like that. Once I had hopped on the pity party train, I was lamenting the fact that I’m not tall, not in my 20’s and could never to my own make-up as well as the Duchess. Ugh.  I finally fell asleep. The next morning, I was a little “hung-over” from my binge but it was a new day. As I left for yoga I was seeing the other side of the coin. I had no make-up on and looked pretty dreadful. I was taking a new class and couldn’t master most of the moves.  I ran some errands after and realized nobody cares the way I look because nobody is watching. I can go about my day looking blah, less that poised and have a pimple or two. I can even “binge” because nobody is monitoring my every move.  Can you imagine binging at Buckingham Palace? Imagine.

Do you ever find magazines or celebrities or royals make you feel inferior? Did you watch the royal wedding? What do you think Kate eats (or doesn’t eat)?