I have a theory. If you make spaghetti cacio e peppe for dinner, inspired by "Lydia's Italy" on PBS--a dish of what is, essentially, spaghetti, pecorino cheese and pepper--you can undo whatever nutritional damage this does to your physique and/or health by eating a tub of green beans at the same time, as illustrated by the picture above.
This theory, which I'll call Food Negation Theory, also applies to entire meals eaten in succession. For example, if you eat a braised pork belly for dinner on Tuesday night, you can undo its effects by eating sushi for lunch the next day. The sushi effectively negates the pork: this is Food Negation Theory.
I've yet to expose this theory to the rigor of full scientific exploration, but I am confident that my own personal application of this theory--an application that occurs on a daily, almost hourly basis (chocolate brownie 4:00; carrot stick 4:15: BROWNIE NEGATED)--should suffice to convince you of its merits.
May Food Negation Theory serve you well.
Comments (46)
The way I see food negation: if you eat pasta and antipasto, they rule each other out and none of it ever happened.
Stay slim!
Posted by Kalle | February 13, 2008 3:51 AM
Also any food eaten while walking or off a stick does not count as actual "food".
Love your blog BTW!
Posted by Christian | February 13, 2008 6:25 AM
Glad to hear someone else subscribes to this theory as well. Our version of it is simple: broccoli eaten alongside any nutritionally impaired meal negates any negative attributes therein. We have been known to broaden our vegetable choices to include cabbage, kale and broccoli rabe as well.
Posted by Mary | February 13, 2008 6:26 AM
My friend Edward has an even better theory: food color and texture theory. If the color of the food is blond then the calorie doesn't stick. For example vanilla ice cream's calorie will not stick to your body compared to Brussels sprouts. Similarly crumbly food like cookie vs. celery stick.
Nevertheless, I have a great pork belly recipe for you.
Posted by Kian | February 13, 2008 7:32 AM
Oh, I used Food Negation Theory for years! It's a wonderful thing.
Then I became a diabetic.
Posted by Mrs.W | February 13, 2008 7:38 AM
this is a great theory. i am going vegetarian for a week to make up for all the meat that i eat for the entire year. yea, my math is off, but no one is counting anyway.
Posted by Danny | February 13, 2008 9:22 AM
@Kian- I like your friend Edward! That means last night's vanilla ice cream has vanished from my thighs tho the chocolate syrup might be hanging on....
So far today I've had a bowl of whole grain cereal with dried cranberries and lo-fat milk and some pineapple. I may have a double cheeseburger for lunch. Hee!
Posted by auntjone | February 13, 2008 9:24 AM
The name of the dish is "cacio e pepe" which literally means cheese and pepper...
Posted by Massimo | February 13, 2008 9:36 AM
Love this. Simply stated, but oh so profound. Now it makes total sense how I've managed to maintain the same approx. weight for all of these years -- oatmeal with nuts and dried fruits for breakfast and as much pasta, cheese, and butter as I want for dinner! Well done!
Posted by Jackie | February 13, 2008 10:09 AM
I'm pretty much walking proof that the food negation theory doesn't work, but I still apply it...the other night I made some amazing mac & cheese (my first from scratch), served with steamed mixed veggies to negate all the butter and cheese in the main dish. I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who has these crazy theories!
Posted by Tracy | February 13, 2008 10:22 AM
Ah yes. I pondered this theory last night as I negated my cheesy turkey melt with baby carrots. Carrots really are the great negator!
Posted by lekkercraft | February 13, 2008 11:01 AM
I live by this theory, too! I firmly believe that eating an orange after dinner negates any bacon, butter, chocolate, or combination thereof that I may have consumed previously that day.
It's about time someone brought this Theory to the world!
Posted by Narinda | February 13, 2008 12:27 PM
I live by this theory, too! I firmly believe that eating an orange after dinner negates any bacon, butter, chocolate, or combination thereof that I may have consumed previously that day.
Posted by Narinda | February 13, 2008 12:29 PM
i love this theory. i do something similar to mary. i make fettuccine alfredo and put broccoli into it to negate the alfredo.
Posted by jeremypb | February 13, 2008 12:55 PM
Yes, yes, yes. And food taken from other people's plates follows a similar logic I find. So it doesn't matter how many french fries you steal from your friend's plate, because they're not 'yours' and you've been healthy and ordered a salad.
Love your blog btw Adam, I've been reading it for a long while but never commented before - is there a UK release planned for that book of yours?
Posted by Tasha | February 13, 2008 1:02 PM
Adam you are hilarious! You don't stop and you won't stop (rapping), wicka wicka wicka (record scratching)...
Posted by Amy | February 13, 2008 1:18 PM
Adam you are hilarious! You don't stop and you won't stop (rapping), wicka wicka wicka (record scratching)...
Posted by Amy | February 13, 2008 1:33 PM
Adam you are hilarious! You don't stop and you won't stop (rapping), wicka wicka wicka (record scratching)...
Posted by Amy | February 13, 2008 1:36 PM
I'm sure WW would balk at this but your negation theory kind of fits in with their plan. Increasing the fiber content effectively lowers the points value. So for example, if your pasta dish had 0 fiber grams, but then you added the tub of green beans (lots of fiber, no fat, little calories), you'd be lowering the points value of the dish. Borrow your mom's points finder and check it out -- I bet negation theory really works!
Posted by allison | February 13, 2008 2:00 PM
Food Negation is a pretty awesome plan. I think this is the real reason my mom likes low-calorie food so much; however many calories she saves are that many calories she burns. If it says you saved 100 calories you really saved 200.
"A calorie saved is a calorie lost"
Posted by Felix | February 13, 2008 2:40 PM
AMEN, Adam!!!!
Posted by allison | February 13, 2008 3:19 PM
I can subscribe to this theory - I would also add that:
- butter is better for you than margarine
- sugar is better for you than nutrasweet
The more you eat what you love, the happier you will be - the happier you are, the healthier you will be.
Rock on AG!
Posted by zeep | February 13, 2008 3:21 PM
I completely subscribe to the Food Negation Theory. I practice it religiously by having a Diet Coke with a slice of pie!
Posted by Madam Chow | February 13, 2008 3:37 PM
I completely subscribe to the Food Negation Theory. I practice it religiously by having a Diet Coke with a slice of pie!
Posted by Madam Chow | February 13, 2008 3:37 PM
Ah, that's your secret.
Posted by Lucy Vanel | February 13, 2008 4:01 PM
Ah, that's your secret.
Posted by Lucy Vanel | February 13, 2008 4:01 PM
May Food Negation Theory serve you well
oh, it does adam. damn near every day. :)
Posted by melissa | February 13, 2008 6:43 PM
My mom used this theory -- baby carrots at every meal! Take-out pizza? Noodles and butter? "HAVE SOME CARROT STICKS, GIRLS." "TAKE ONE AND PASS THEM ON." We ate fatty foods frequently but we had to pay the consequences by eating some baby carrots alongside.
Posted by Katelyn | February 13, 2008 6:51 PM
Adam,
I guess I always thought FNT (Food Negation theory) was something that was issued along with XX chromosomes. Evidently not so much!
Regardless, allow me to submit for your consideration the possibility that food consumed off disposable tableware also contains negative caloric load. So, a piece of wedding cake? Pshaw, no calorie load. Aunt Fred's BBQ ribs, coleslaw, cornbread with honey butter and pecan pie a la mode? No calories if eaten off Chinet dishes. :)
Posted by Susan | February 13, 2008 10:27 PM
Yes! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way. It's not what you eat, it's what you cancel it with.
We call it strategic eating, but the idea is the same ... and something along those lines clearly has infomercial potential.
http://kookiemaster.livejournal.com/211910.html
Posted by Helene Devost | February 14, 2008 7:41 AM
Yes! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way. It's not what you eat, it's what you cancel it with.
We call it strategic eating, but the idea is the same ... and something along those lines clearly has infomercial potential.
http://kookiemaster.livejournal.com/211910.html
Posted by Helene Devost | February 14, 2008 7:42 AM
Ah, my brother. Speak the words of truth! We must join together and spread the gospel of food negation! I've been a practicing food negator for years.
And one more thing...Lidia's cacio et pepe is bad for you? Really? What can be so bad about olive oil and cheese? :)
Posted by Foodwoolf | February 14, 2008 1:28 PM
Now this is one food theory I can wholeheartedly embrace!!!!
Posted by chameleon1218 | February 14, 2008 2:41 PM
I heard a rumour, a drink can be cancelled out by having another drink. Can anyone confirm this? People keep telling me if you eat celery it has "negative" calories (I'm always telling people how much I hate celery).
On an unrelated note, I thought you may enjoy this article about cheap coffee Adam.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/12306#more-12306
Posted by Angeline | February 14, 2008 3:24 PM
I heard a rumour, a drink can be cancelled out by having another drink. Can anyone confirm this? People keep telling me if you eat celery it has "negative" calories (I'm always telling people how much I hate celery).
On an unrelated note, I thought you may enjoy this article about cheap coffee Adam.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/12306#more-12306
Posted by Angeline | February 14, 2008 3:24 PM
Angeline, I can indeed confirm that regarding the drinks, it is all true, no doubt about it.
Also, remember the core axiom of Beerbong Physics: what goes down, must come up.
Be careful kids, and stay fabulous.
Posted by zeep | February 14, 2008 10:27 PM
It has an official name? LOL! I always do it, but I call it 'canceling out guilty pleasures'. ;)
Posted by Gloria | February 15, 2008 9:37 PM
And all this time I thought I was so unique - if you drink a milkshake with only one straw you consume so many fewer calories. Not total negation but it all helps.
Posted by gizmar | February 18, 2008 12:17 PM
And all this time I thought I was so unique - if you drink a milkshake with only one straw you consume so many fewer calories. Not total negation but it all helps.
Posted by gizmar | February 18, 2008 12:17 PM
And all this time I thought I was so unique - if you drink a milkshake with only one straw you consume so many fewer calories. Not total negation but it all helps.
Posted by gizmar | February 18, 2008 12:17 PM
Mitch Hedberg died so you could steal his joke; it's still funny, but not your joke:
"It would be cool if you could eat a good food with a bad food, and then the good food would cover for the bad food when it got to your stomach. Like you could eat a carrot with an onion ring, and they would travel down to your stomach, then they would get there and the carrot would say, 'It’s cool, he’s with me.'"
Posted by And Your Commenters Think You're Unique? | February 21, 2008 9:46 PM
Also, food eaten standing up doesn't count.
Posted by Bloix | February 27, 2008 5:56 PM
I do this, but not to negate calories. I just always have to throw something with some fiber and nutrients in the mix because I never feel truly good about what I'm eating unless there are some veggies involved.
Posted by Never teh Bride | February 28, 2008 9:49 PM
my theories:
-broken cookies have no calories
-food purchased for charity has no calories
Posted by nannystudentfoodie | March 19, 2008 2:01 AM
Есть большой смысл в преодолении страданий, потому что человек, преодолевая их правильно, закаляется и совершенствуется. Таким страданием может быть и безответная любовь. Но здесь важно то, как это преодолевать.
Прежде всего, нужно задать себе вопрос: а почему, собственно, моя любовь должна быть разделенной? Мне хотелось бы, конечно, чтобы меня любили. Но, вот я, например, хочу быть миллионером. Но почему я должен им быть? И если я начну горевать по этому поводу, то я стану глубоко несчастным человеком, и к тому же больным. А причина такого состояния – в эгоизме. Потому что я считаю себя достойным всяких благ. А почему, собственно, я достоин? Я, грешный человек, не могу быть достойным их. А если какие-то из них у меня все же есть, то я должен Бога за них благодарить. И если мне кто-то понравился, это вовсе не означает, что я должен нравиться ему. Чем более эгоистичен человек, тем более он несчастен, думая, что "и это тоже должно мне принадлежать".
Поэтому, преодолеть страдание – это значит преодолеть собственный эгоизм и возвыситься от эгоистического до духовного состояния. Да, человеку дана свободная воля. Но другому человеку тоже дана свободная воля. Он может любить, а может и не любить.
Мы должны понимать, верующие мы люди или нет, что есть промысел Божий. И волос не упадет с головы человека без воли Божией. Т.е. даже неверующих людей Господь любит и ведет к спасению, не нарушая их свободы, и отводит их от того, что спасению вредит. В ситуации безответной любви Он, может быть, тоже от чего-то отводит, и мы должны быть благодарны Богу за всё, что с нами происходит. Это проявление Божией любви.
Бывает так, сам человек просто не готов к созданию семьи. Когда девушка готова к семейной жизни, Господь посылает человека. Девушка может быть и страшненькая, и глупенькая – какая угодно, но ей Он пошлет человека, а другая может быть красавицей, но ей не дается из-за ее неготовности.
Вообще надо понимать, что основа любви – Господь, Он ее источник. Родившись, ребенок, кроме молока, питается любовью родителей. И он всю жизнь будет искать этой любви, он познает любовь (так в идеале должно быть) с первых дней жизни. Но эта система жизни – любви между людьми – заложена Богом. А любовь – это очень важно – требует жертвенности. Иногда она сопряжена со страданием.
Самое страшное, что современный человек понимает любовь только как наслаждение. Он не принимает страданий и хочет жить только в удовольствиях. Но если в жизни человека нет страданий, то он бесплоден, и становится, так скажем, "космическим мусором".
Сергий Николаев, протоиерей
--------
Вообще когда копалась в интернете, искала что-то на тему "почему человеку нравится быть несчастным", но нашла вот это.
Получается если я чего-то хочу, но у меня не получается этого достичь я эгоистка?
Posted by alenakamenska | January 6, 2009 3:19 PM
Food Negation Theory can also be applied to making a healthy meal!!
For example, say you made a dinner of Katy's Pizza with Three Cheese and Meat Lover's Toppings (as dictated by personal preference). This unhealthyness can be negated/made to disappear slightly, if not greatly, by having a desert of fresh watermelon and grapes.
Note: This is actually a standard Chinese way of eating. The idea is that all the grease and associated badness of the main course will be negated by the vitamins and other goodies in the fruit. AND IT WORKS. I went to China, and only at out for a whole month, and ACTUALLY LOST WEIGHT
Posted by The Amateur Foody | January 22, 2009 7:50 PM