Low-fat zero nutrition Angel-food cake
Spoiler! Food Rant Ahead!
Seriously, it’s not my intention to insult anyone, really. But what’s up with Angel-Food Cake? Back in the day, when my dad considered going on a low-cholesterol diet because it was all the rage, my mom began baking Angel-Food Cakes. Ewwwww. Us kids tore the cake into pieces, squished the pieces into little balls, and fed them to the fish in the nearby pond. The cake tasted like sugary egg whites, you know, like merengue, another sugary egg white food-type substance I hate. Oooh, it reminded me of cotton candy, which I also hate. Has about as much nutrition as cotton candy too.
Spun sugar, otherwise known as cotton candy.
(I’m not much for dislike. When it comes to food I’m more into love and hate.)
Give me chocolate cake any day. At least banana bread or an apple cake - something with flavor and substance.
Okay so here’s the thing - you don’t want to get fat, right? So you think you should watch your calories and fat intake, right? So instead of eating a piece of what you really want, you bake or buy something you hate and force yourself to eat that and then you feel totally dissatisfied and you binge on what you think you shouldn’t be eating. Follow me?
I think you should eat what you want in moderation as part of a balanced diet, a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and quality protein. Look, most of us want to reserve a certain number of calories for sweets, so let’s make ‘em good sweets. Let’s make those sweets count - if we’re gonna eat fat and sugar calories then by god those calories should be satisfying. Trying to substitute something unsatisfying for what we really want never ever works. It’s a recipe for failure.
I’m targeting Angel-Food Cake for a reason. I recently watched a program on diet and weight control - because nutrition is one of my interests. Among other things, the ‘expert’ explained that instead of eating the gooey chocolate brownie we really want, we should eat Angel-Food Cake.
Uh-huh, like the two are equivalent.
She said, instead of the delicious high fat burrito we really want — as in a chili relleno burrito from Via Corona here in Napa — we could eat a whole bunch of other stuff, like fat-free broccoli salad with low carb pasta and baked whole grain tortilla chips with fat-free humus (which is a crock because talk about your empty calories… low-carb pasta and baked whole grain tortilla chips- bah humbug) and carrot and celery sticks…
Hey, I’m big on carrot and celery sticks. Really, I am. I like to dip them in my full-fat humus. I’m a big fan of celery because I love crunchy stuff. But on the days I want a burrito, I want a burrito. If I try to substitute some low-fat shit I’m still gonna crave the burrito on top of the low-fat shit. The trick is not to eat a chili relleno burrito every damn day. I might eat one 3-4 times a year. Even if I ate a chili relleno burrito from Via Corona once a month it wouldn’t kill me.
So back to the Angel-Food Cake. If you like Angel-Food Cake, by all means dig in. But if you think substituting Angel-Food Cake for the dessert you really want is a good idea- you’re doing the worst thing possible - eating a dessert that is high in sugar and high in processed carbs (white flour) and nothing else. You might as well shove a half-cup of sugar into your mouth for all benefit you’ll get from that Angel-Food Cake. It’s very high on the glycemic index.
Food science has moved beyond low fat. Low-fat does not equal good health and a lean body.
I always felt like I was eating a sponge. And my nutritionist totally agrees with you…:D
First of all life is too short to be substituting anything.
If you eat in moderation you can enjoy those higher in fat, tasty foods. I’m gonna die eating a brownie, not Angel-Food cake. lol
I kind of like angel food cake. Not enough to make it, though-what a pain in the patoot. Your point is sound. Non-fat this, no-sugar that, diet here and there. It’s all a sham. What gets me is that these “diet” foods come with the implication that they are healthy. It’s fake food and that makes it junk food. Your way is much more sensible.
My son loves it with a ton of real whipped cream and fresh berries. That’s what he wanted for this year’s birthday cake. Maybe it’s a kid thing?
I think some people really like Angel Food Cake for its own sake, Kat, not because it’s low fat or low cholesterol. Just not me. I think if you eat something it should be because you like it, not because you think you should like it.
Yup Jaye. Fake food = junk food. I avoid anything with the label ‘diet’ or ‘low fat’. Thanks!
Amber - me too! LOL!
I agree with your nutritionist, Anny. Empty calories. Pure sugar.
One exception.
Our Italian neighbor always made the most amazing angel food cake for her husband’s birthday, and as neighbors and good friends, we were invited over for dessert. Italian had nothing to do with it. She made Orange Dreamsicle angel food cake-rich sweet-tart orange flavor in the cake (it was the coolest shade of orange) and also in thick-whipped icing with mandarin orange slices stirred in. She made TWO big ones so there would be plenty to go around.
No one rolled up this cake and fed it to the ducks, believe me…
That sounds great, Marylin - like a real dessert!
You rant away my sweet and don’t worry about upsetting folk I do it every day
Now I agree with most of what you say but I do have to take issue with your hatred, such a strong word but it applies here methinks, of COTTON CANDY or as we prefer to call it CANDY FLOSS
It might be full of empty calories that suck the enamel out of your teeth but it is so deliciously sticky and sweet that I for one applaud Messrs W.J. Morrison and J.C. Wharton (Nashville, TN) for inventing the first commercial spinning machine - now get of your high horse Missy
Mind you I haven’t actually had any for about 3 years (practicing moderation) even though wee Holly had some on Saturday night
Ewwwwww! Cotton candy - makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it, Tom. I never liked it when I was a kid although I think the concept is cool. My kids don’t like it either. Maybe we’re weird… And I love preachin’!
I enjoy it’s squishy lightness. It’s vanillatude and it’s slight cotton candy resemblance. I also like a multitude of other cakes and back when I was very obese in my 20s I taught myself how to make amazing cakes. Due to the Gluten thang, and the skinny thang, I eschew most dessert most of the time.
I don’t believe in the all things in moderation idea. When I do that I live at the top of my healthy weight range. It’s much like me controlling my anxiety or depression, by being nicer or better, or praying/meditating more. I get more anxious and depressed.
It’s impossible to maintain the somewhat unhealthy lower than advised weight I like practicing moderation. What I believe after dieting for 37 years is that instead of getting obsessed with food just make it all less important on a day to day basis. I think having that big food group removed from my diet has helped with that. When I eat something reduced in flavor and calories I say to myself - it’s not great but it’s what I can have and it is just fuel.
My bread is heavily processed because it is made out of stuff that has to be altered to be bread-like. Bread is a convenient way to eat some things.
But the vast majority of our diet is minimally processed and I think I know the produce at Whole Food here better than the guys that work there.
My point is that different things work for different people.
True, Steph, to each his own - whatever works and makes you feel best. Your diet is very specific to you. Regarding angel-food cake I know some people like it, but as far as I’m concerned it’s one of the least healthy foods one can eat. I would never consider angel food cake a good substitute for anything.