If it Sounds Disgusting, it Probably is

Today is a sad day. This will be the last post you will ever read from me. More importantly, this is the last opportunity you have to write a comment letting me know how funny my jokes actually are. Go ahead, be painfully truthful. You guys are in luck, though; this blog post will be helpful to those thinking about going vegetarian, as I will talk extensively about some of the vegetarian foods I really enjoyed over the two week period and will more than likely eat again. To balance this post, I will also describe some of the foods that were too painful to eat without meat and some meat substitutes I will probably never touch even if I had to.

            Before I get into some of the foods I ate, I want to talk about the results of going vegetarian. I had expectedly loss some body fat (eye test), but surprisingly gained weight (about 1 pound) and muscle tone (again, eye test). I wont post pictures; this blog is not that type of website. As far as gaining weight goes, I was just shocked that I hadn’t lost weight. My theory is that I overcompensated for the lack of meat by eating significantly more than usual, and so I put on a bit of weight. Also, if you’ve read my previous blog post, you know that another reason why I ate more was simply sheer hunger, as vegetarian foods are less filling.

 I went online to find an explanation for gaining muscle weight while on a vegetarian diet. This takes us back to NoMeatAthlete, the blog that contains oodles of research aiming to dispatch the notion that vegetarians can’t be athletes. Great word, by the way, oodles. A gold star for the first person who uses that word in a comment. In one of Frazier’s articles, “The skinny vegan’s guide to gaining muscle,” he states the simple mantra that I have been using to gain muscle weight: eat more calories and lift weights. This is what I have been doing for several months now, and I am just glad that going vegetarian did not hinder my progress. To sum up the last few lines, a lack of meat is not the reason behind the muscle. As I think back to the two weeks, I realize that I can attribute the musculature to the new workouts I have been doing and the basketball pickup games I have been playing.

Ok, so now to the nuts and beans (the vegetarian spin on meat and potatoes, for those who haven’t read the first blog post) of this conclusive post, the actual food I have been eating. I’d like to begin by describing my usual vegetarian breakfast, which is thoroughly tasty. In other words, breakfast was the biggest meal for me where I did not miss meat, as the meal was certainly satisfying enough. It usually consisted of oatmeal with some brown sugar and raisins, three eggs, and breakfast potatoes. Another option was an omelet with cheese and veggies and a whole-wheat bagel lathered with peanut butter. One more combination I enjoyed was avocado with eggs along with fruit, yogurt and granola. Of the many benefits of early workouts, one of the best perks is the solid appetite they build up. This allows me to eat a solid amount of food in the morning before the rest of my day begins.

One thing about being vegetarian is that it gives you an excuse to eat pizza. Well, sorta. In the Bronco, pizza is readily available and a quick option for those in a hurry. Before I went vegetarian, I thought of Margherita pizza as a mockery of real, pepperoni pizza. I would feel awful for those who had to eat that type of pizza even though meat specialty pizzas were available. Oh, how I have changed. One fateful Thursday at 1:38 pm I was running late for my chemistry class that started in exactly seven minutes. I hustled over to Benson to grab a quick bite and was immediately stopped cold in my tracks by mobs of people. The lines were the opposite of this sentence. Long. I scurried through the tables, looking over the crowds to see what the specials were. Of course, the vegetarian alternatives were unappetizing, as they contained soy imitations of meat. I reluctantly dawdled on over to the Bronco where I saw the pizza line was empty. They were out of cheese, so the only option was the abhorred margherita. Hunger clouded my judgment and I timidly said the words I never thought I’d say to the cashier: “One slice of margherita, please.” I munched on the slice carefully, skeptically, and remorsefully, but with each passing bite, I found out it wasn’t horrible. It actually was delicious in its own, cheesy way. Hell, I’d order it again if I needed to.

So, margherita pizza was a success and a vegetarian breakfast is very doable. Now, lets shift gears and go in a different direction. Downhill. Two foods that I absolutely detested eating meatless were salads and burgers.

There isn’t much to say about veggie burgers. Obviously, they are infamous for the unpalatable texture and the lack of satisfaction. I noticed, though, that they are great conversation starters. I guess that is one positive thing about these weak excuses of meat.

Now, on to salads. To ensure I got a complete meal, I would often incorporate hardboiled eggs, beans, tofu, cottage cheese, spinach, quinoa, and nuts with the classic lettuce, vegetables, and dressing. If it sounds disgusting, it really is. It was probably the healthiest thing I ate in my life from a nutritional standpoint, but it was just awful on the taste buds. There are obviously a lot of things in there that should never mix. There is a silver lining, though. When my two weeks ended, I ate the same salad but substituted some of the high protein components (ex. nuts, tofu) with chicken, and it was pretty good. Matter of fact, its what I ate for lunch today. 

Ok, so now you’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly faces of vegetarianism. Will I ever do it again? I think I will when I get fat, old, and need to lose some lbs. If I could go two weeks without meat at 18 years old, I can certainly be vegetarian for longer periods of time when I am older. Did I feel more energy? I don’t think I can answer that question with much confidence, as I chose a bad period of time to experiment. Maybe I will try a different set of weeks and see how they go. To summarize, I do not think vegetarianism changed anything at all in regards to my physiology, probably because I did it for such a short period of time. If you think the experiment I tried was pretty cool, I urge you to try something like this by yourself. Cut out dairy for a month, or only eat McDonalds for three days (don’t do that, please. It was just a joke). Do something you don’t think you can; try something that will test yourself. Step out of your comfort zone, and you’ll learn more about yourself than you ever imagined. Put your foot on the gas pedal and go somewhere you’ve never gone before.

The Spicy Problems of Various Lifestyles

Post from May 16 – May 22

            The experience is just about over. I am closing in on 600,000 seconds of life without meat. The two weeks flew by like nothing else, and I can remember having my last bite of meat – a grilled piece of chicken - like it was yesterday. They say time flies when you’re having fun, but was this particular experience a happy-go-lucky joyride? Not quite, but it certainly was eye opening and I am very happy I did it. Many of my peers questioned why I ordered a salad or ate a veggie burger, and I had to regurgitate the same story until it made me blue in the face. By the way, where does that expression come from? Do people’s faces turn blue when they have repeated the same thing multiple times? Maybe a Greek God with a blue face talked a lot or something. Who knows? I bet you wont look it up. I sure as hell didn’t. Moving right along, I felt the difficulties that vegetarians face on a daily basis. The two main problems are finding substantial meatless options in most venues and overcoming hunger while on a limited diet.  

            The other day, a friend convinced me to make an In-N-Out run. It was his birthday so my hands were pretty much tied. When we got there, I asked the cashier what the most filling vegetarian option was (I was hungry, as usual). He looked at me puzzled, probably thinking, “How in the world did this guy get so large eating leaves?” I have gotten used to these expressions on others faces when they find out I’m vegetarian. He then described a burger without meat, otherwise known as a grilled cheese. My friend was in stitches. I sheepishly ordered two “burgers.” Within minutes, much faster than usual, my number was called. To my surprise, they weren’t half bad.

            Chipotle was a different story. I’m going to let you guys in on a tradition my friends and I have started known as quesorito Fridays. I wont tell you what a quesorito is made of; I don’t even know how its spelled, but it is an artery-clogging masterpiece that can be described as heaven on earth. Some have cried at first bite. Go ahead, order one the next time you visit a chipotle. Tell me I’m not a genius. Anyways, the quesorito with veggies was exceptional and I felt no shame in ordering it. Does it have the same dynamic appeal as a quesorito with chicken, steak, or carnitas? Not at all, but it is still a solid dish and a filling, satisfying option. I just can’t wait until this Friday and order the real deal with steak or chicken. I haven’t decided which one yet.

            While choosing vegetarian options at dining venues is somewhat a hassle, a bigger problem is perhaps the lack of hunger satisfaction. According to a study done in the International Journal of Obesity, a meal higher in protein left people wanting to eat less than a meal higher in carbohydrates. What does this have to do with vegetarianism? In this study, the high protein ‘treatment’ was a meat casserole and the high carbohydrate ‘treatment’ was a vegetarian casserole. This is a solid study, except I believe it should be taken with a grain of salt (there goes another sappy cliché) because it was done in 1990 and the subjects were only women. The findings are valid though, as they suggest protein holds off hunger. A diet containing meat is higher in protein and therefore should control the appetite better.

            That explains my uncontrollable hunger over the last few days. One thing I noticed is my meal points are running out quicker than usual, and my extra spending money is depleting. I found out I was spending significantly more money on food than usual. This is because I have been eating more to compensate for the lack of filling animal protein. Although it is said that meat dishes are generally more expensive, you would end up paying more to eat vegetarian, as you would need to buy more food. This, at least, was my experience. At Sauté in Benson, the Tapingo ordering application makes it clear that adding soy chicken to a dish costs $1.50 more than regular chicken and $.50 more than sausage and rotisserie beef. In these days, the lower cost of meat compared to soy makes sense as the value of meat has gone down due to industrial meatpacking. 

            Problems are the spice of life. Or does the saying go variety is the spice of life? I’ll just say a variety of problems make for a spicy life. What is life without challenge? These obstacles one has to face being vegetarian are very rewarding when overcame. Just a few small lifestyle changes, a new focus on being more conscious about your diet, and a strong will power is all it took. Going vegetarian for an extended period of time after a borderline carnivorous lifestyle is certainly a recognizable feat and I was not sure I could do it. Is there anything you thought was nearly impossible but you did it anyways and succeeded? Please leave your stories in the comment section I’d love to read them. If not, you should definitely challenge yourself more and leave your comfort zone. You didn’t think I gave out life lessons, did you?

            You can look forward to a very entertaining conclusion detailing my first few days of being an omnivore after a two-week hiatus. My final blog post will talk about some of the vegetarian dishes I really enjoyed and what I will miss most about being vegetarian. No, I am not going to trick you and say that I wont miss anything. Or will I?

Uncomfortable thoughts

Post from May 8 – May 15 2013

            Well, it is about time. No more two-week vacations, no more whining, and no more carnivorous indulging. Yes, for a whopping 7 days now, (that’s over 600,000 seconds) I have not let the wholesome breast of chicken touch my lips, the promising taste of turkey entertain my taste buds, the chewy slabs of beef to test my teeth, nor the fat of bacon to clog my arteries. To make a long and uncomfortable story short, I finally began my lacto-ovo vegetarian adventures.

            For those doubters who believed that I couldn’t do it for more than a day (I’m talking to you Mom), I am here to remind you that I have done it for a full seven with no slip ups and intend to continue on for another week. Have I been tempted to order the chicken after a strenuous workout? Yes. Did meat pasta entice me more than a mixture of beans, eggs, and nuts that I call salad? Of course. I found it easier to think I had to be vegetarian for just for one meal, rather than for an entire two weeks. For me, it’s easier to do difficult things in that way. This refers to the saying in sports “take it one game at a time,” or “focus on today, don’t worry about tomorrow.” In other words, play your game as if it was the only one that ever mattered. It makes doing the right things easier.

            Aside from that analogy, the last week has been quite difficult for me. Tests, quizzes, reports, early mornings, intense basketball workouts, and a lack of sleep have really defined my life the last seven days. You must be thinking, what a perfect time to try something radically new. How opportune a time to give up a huge part of my diet. Oh, the sarcasm. The first few days I felt tired, short of breath, and weaker in the weight room. For those who know me well, you might ask, “you can get weaker??” To that I answer, yes, it is possible to put up less weight than I normally do. Also for those who know me well, you know that I make fun of myself more than a normal eighteen year old would, but I get really upset when others have fun at my expense. Anyways, was this merely a coincidence or did going vegetarian have some serious adverse affects on me? To answer that question, we will have to refer back to my ‘control’ in this experiment; the two week food log taken six months ago. Unfortunately, I am exponentially busier now and have a more taxing schedule, so two weeks of eating meat versus one week of going vegetarian is not going to be easily comparable. If we look back in the history of my life, anytime I have had as hectic a week, no matter the diet, I remember being exhausted by the end of it. Well no shit. To conclude, I do not think we can equate a lack of meat to a lack of energy.

            I’m sure you guys are dying to know what I have been eating over the last few days and if I have turned into a woman or not. Women are fantastic, by the way. If you don’t understand that joke, look at my first blog post. I can certainly tell you that eating tofu has not made me feel more feminine nor develop any female physical traits. It has only been seven days though; who knows what lies ahead for me.

            Aside from that uncomfortable thought, I have been putting significantly more effort into picking what types of foods I eat. I no longer walk into Benson thinking, “what’s the special,” or “I’ll just quickly get a pasta with chicken and sausage and call it dinner.” Nowadays, I have to think about the foods I have had for that day and what nutrients I’m missing. I did do that to an extent when I was omnivorous, but now I am certainly more meticulous in my meal planning. To give you a better idea of what this means, I’ll just describe my Tuesday.

            Tuesdays and Thursdays are heavy days from an athletic standpoint, as they include early morning lifts and workouts, and evening pickup basketball. These are certainly fun, but I know that I need to fill the tank up before I can take the car for a spin. Yes, I just said that. You didn’t think I would. You thought I couldn’t get any cornier, but I just did.

To start my day off, I ate a banana, as they are high in potassium and prevent muscle cramps. After the morning workout was over, I drank a protein shake. At Benson, for breakfast, I enjoyed an omelet with mushrooms, some green leafy vegetables, onions, tomatoes, and a bit of tofu. Not too much, for obvious reasons. I ate that with a side of breakfast potatoes (not tater tots) and water. Well, there are your potatoes. Again, if this joke seems awful, refer to my first blog post. If it still seems awful, it probably is. Before my 1:45 class, I ate a soy mandarin chicken lunch with vegetables, which was surprisingly tasty. After my class, I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread. If you think I’m done you’re nuts. Speaking of nuts, I ate a handful of almonds to hold me down until dinner, where I ate a simple pasta dish with marinara, as I had to play in about two hours. After basketball was over, guess how I felt. Go ahead, take two minutes. I am waiting right here. If you guessed hungry, you are correct. I went to subway and ate the new foot long falafel sandwich loaded with veggies. I’ll have to admit, it wasn’t half bad. The balls were on the softer side but it still got the job done.

Well, there you have it. So far, I have really enjoyed the challenge of eating properly without the protein powerhouse that is meat and look forward to find new and innovative ways to replace it. This week’s observation shows that vegetarianism isn’t too difficult. The only real problem is the inconvenience and the lack of calories. Of course the latter is certainly not a problem for those looking to slim down, and so I would definitely recommend it to those suffering from obesity. For me, I have tried to compensate for the fewer calories by eating more often and making sure to consume the right amounts of certain foods.

            The next post will be about the second week of my diet, and I guarantee it will be wildly entertaining. Almost as entertaining as this joke that I got off of the Internet. I actually have no clue what it means. Please leave your interpretations in the comment section. Here it goes, from vegetus.org: “I'm not vegetarian because I love animals, I'm vegetarian because I don't like vegetables.” There might be a typo in there but please leave your thoughts. Also, I’ve decided to go on a hard vegan diet after these vegetarian shenanigans are over. I’ll only eat vegans (vegetus.org).

Thanks for reading, hope you visit again.

A Slightly Better Blog

 

            Due to unfortunate circumstances, I will not be going vegetarian for another two weeks. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sad that I get to indulge in the glory that is meat for a little while longer. Instead, this week’s post will be about another blog that is similar to mine. No Meat Athlete is a blog containing colorful recipes, stories, and tips written by vegetarian athletes. Shocker right? I chose to write about this blog because it will give me insight into how to forgo animal protein and still be an athlete. One caveat to this blog is that these athletes are long-distance runners, not basketball players. Full-contact sport athletes such as basketball players need to be larger and stronger to sustain physical play, and so a diet consisting meat makes sense, as they contain protein as well as necessary fats to get bigger. Long distance runners are smaller, generally, as they do not need to add unnecessary stress on their joints.

            Regardless, it is still an informative blog about improving athletic performance while on a vegetarian, plant-based diet. As I surfed through the articles, I grew more and more confident that I could continue my lifestyle and be vegetarian. I would recommend this blog to any of you who think about going vegetarian, grow less reliant on meat, or who just want to be healthier. This blog is especially good if you want to read something that is informative like a textbook but reads like a casual conversation. That said, I know you might get sick of all the corny jokes over here and would want to move on to a more mature website, anyways.

The founder of No Meat Athlete is Matt Frazier, a long-distance athlete who competes in marathons and is currently training for an ultra-marathon (100 miles). This is absolutely incredible, in my opinion. He is an adamant believer in animal rights, and so wanted to go vegetarian. Initially, he was afraid to because he thought a diet without high amounts of protein would be detrimental to his athletic goals. His interview with Chic Vegetarian shows that after he did substantial research, he realized it was certainly possible to be a competitive athlete eating vegetarian foods. Initially, he gave up all meats and dairy except fish for ten days. According to Matt, “[he] loved how [he] felt, and [he] immediately came to realize that this could actually improve [his] health and running, rather than detract from it.” (Chicvegan.com) After about a month, he dropped fish to go full vegan. Subsequently, he started blogging about his experiences. This was all during his training for qualifying for the Boston Marathon in 2009, by the way.

According to another interview with Fettle Vegan, He initially wanted ­No Meat Athlete to be a forum where vegetarian athletes can interact by posting recipes, ideas, and stories to support eachother, (fettlevegan.com) but “it sort of took off, ” and “the content has shifted more towards helping people than journaling about [his] own experiences.”(ChicVegan.com) The “about me” section in No Meat Athlete confirms Matt’s credibility, as it mentions he is routinely cited in several books about vegetarianism and is mentioned as a resource in magazines and websites such as Web MD, The New York Times, Competitor, Zenhabits, and Trail Runner (Nomeatathlete.com)  

As far as education goes, Frazier is no slouch. According to his LinkedIn page (master stalker over here) he graduated magna cum laude from James Madison with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration in 2003. Later on, in 2006, at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, he started work on his masters in applied math. Right now, he is pursuing a Ph.D in applied math. What does math have to do with nutrition? Thank you for asking. Well, nothing really, but it proves how educated this man is. This high level of knowledge gives credibility to his postings on his blog, making his findings believable enough so I can actually trust them. In other words, I can follow his advice and have the confidence that I can succeed being vegetarian. And yes, I did ask to connect with him.

There are a couple reasons why I like this blog other than the fact that it was founded by someone who is both a miracle worker and a saint (if you don’t get this, refer back to my first blog post; if you do get this, you’ll probably see that it is yet another weak attempt at humor). The first of which is that he does not want to convert meat-eaters to vegetarians. In his “About” section, he writes: “You’re not here to be preached to. And I’m not here to preach. In fact, I’ll come right out and say that a plant-based diet might not be for you.” (Nomeatathlete.com) This gives the blog an aura of acceptance, and doesn’t put any pressure on the readers. Throughout the blog, he doesn’t once mention being an omnivore is wrong; he simply focuses on how positive vegetarianism is.

Another reason why this blog appeals to me is the research put into his posts. As I said before, protein is hard to come by while on a vegetarian diet. In one post, “Vegetarian Protein Foods,” he defines what proteins are scientifically, he talks about vegan protein supplements, and he gives his two cents on soy protien. More importantly, he provides a chart entitled “Daily requirements and good non-meat sources of specific amino acids,” and made a list of the best vegetarian protein sources of different food groups. Now that right there is the meat and potatoes of his blog to me. Well, actually, it is the nuts and beans of his blog because those are the most abundant foods listed in this section. They contain most protein by caloric percentage. I have a feeling that I will be loading up on those from May 8^th to May 22^nd, when I will be going vegetarian.

Eating Faces and Sappy Clichés

Hello! Thank you for visiting Meat the Adventurous Vegetarian. Here you will read about the chronicles of the least likely of people to stop eating meat. Not only will I quit cold turkey, but also warm turkey, steak, chicken, fish, and glorious bacon. Now before you think I am a saint of some sort, I will go ahead and admit that I will eat eggs, milk, cheese, other dairy, and the like. According to Vida Compassion, I will be a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Weak-sauce right? A real challenge will be giving up all remnants of animal products and consuming an entirely plant based diet.  I will explain why I will not do that, but first, a little bit about myself.

            My name is Vikrum Jain, a freshman biology major at Santa Clara University. Unlike most freshmen, I did something I will not regret 10 years down the line. I walked on to the Division 1 varsity basketball team. Now, again, before you view me as a miracle worker, I was a practice player all year. My job description entailed learning the other team’s plays on the fly, running those plays with the other practice players, doing anything the coach asks, and essentially being a body bag. No, I didn’t get a jersey or sit on the bench. You could say I was a glorified manager. This may seem less than ideal for an aspiring athlete such as myself, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as I got better by playing against larger, stronger collegiate athletes. While I have a competitive height at 6’8, I was outmatched weight wise, giving up 30, 40, 50, and as much as 80 pounds on a daily basis.  

Obviously, I needed to gain weight to level the playing field. This is where my diet comes in. I began to eat ravenously, consuming copious amounts of food largely consisting of meat. I often ate 4 or 5 large meals throughout the day excluding snacks. Before you think I fattened off of pizza and ice cream, the plan was for me to gain lean muscle mass. This involves a balanced diet high in protein, carbohydrates, and calories and a weight lifting regime that adds size in all the right places. Progress was (and still is) slow, but I am gaining weight and getting stronger to prepare for next year at a healthy rate that will be sustainable.

            Now to the eggs and milk. To gain lean mass, one needs protein. Eggs and milk products such as cheese and yogurt are excellent sources of muscle-building amino acids, and dropping them will be very detrimental to my athletic goals. The question pops up: why not replace those chicken and dairy products with soy to go full vegan? Well, isoflavones, or chemicals found in soybeans responsible for yellow pigmentation, are structurally similar to the female sex hormone estrogen. They bind to the estrogen receptors, and under certain conditions induce weak estrogen like effects. In high concentrations, they help post-menopausal woman achieve necessary estrogen levels (Messina and Wood 2). Last time I checked, I am not a post-menopausal woman and never will be (hopefully). I am certainly not saying I will neglect soy completely during my vegetarian adventures, but I wont consume a high amount of it. This is why I need to keep eggs and milk protein in my diet; I do not want to rely heavily on soy as it may have adverse effects on a growing 18 year old.

            After that fat spiel, you are probably wondering why I am doing this anyway. Why go vegetarian even though I might turn into a woman (not actually though). It all started when I learned about the horrid conditions industry-grown animals had to face and how that negatively affected their meat products, I began to think eating meat was not the best thing to do. After I thought of how reliant on meat I am, I figured giving up meat might be too extreme of a move. When I was presented with this project, I embraced the idea that I could take a risk and really challenge myself with this new set of dietary restrictions. The physical goals I would like to achieve are being more energetic and having a lower body fat percentage. Environmentally speaking, forgoing meat will reduce my carbon footprint, and morally speaking, going vegetarian means I will not eat anything with a face. To summarize, going vegetarian for two weeks will hopefully be a testament to my will power, and help prove to myself that anything is possible if I work at it.

            Aside from eating faces and sappy clichés, I will further inform you on the gravity of this challenge. The best way to do this is to show you a two-week log of what I normally eat. Although this food log was from almost 6 months ago, it is still valid, as my diet hasn’t changed much since. Only my eating schedule is different because I do not have practice from 12 – 3pm. I still have workouts but they are not as time consuming. This two week sample size is large enough to show a variety of foods in my diet but small enough for you to actually read and not skim over. I know you guys will skim over it regardless but its worth a shot. Might as well write what I ate for Tuesday, April 23, so you guys don’t have to look over two whole weeks of data.

            I started my day with and apple, a protein shake after I lifted weights, and shortly after I ate a three-egg omelet with vegetables and tofu. Yes, I ingested tofu. Did I feel particularly feminine? Not quite. Two hours later, I decided it was time for lunch. I polished off beef lasagna with a side salad and garlic bread. After an hour and 45 minutes of mind numbing chemistry, I decided it was time to eat again. I gobbled a turkey and apple sandwich (surprisingly delicious) and eight pieces of California roll sushi. After a refreshing nap and some work on this post, I got hungry again. Notice a trend? I eat a shit ton. For dinner, I eagerly finished a breaded chicken caprese with mozzarella and pesto sauce. Who says Benson food sucks?

            As you can see, meat is a huge part of my life and I will sure miss it over a two-week period. That’s 20160 whole minutes without eating animals.  I am excited, though, to take on this challenge. Who knows, I might even give up meat for the rest of my life. But not really though. That is most definitely not going to happen. I would say that is the last possible thing that could happen. At this point, I think I have a higher chance of winning the lottery even though I didn’t buy any tickets.

So far in this blog there have been a lot of corny jokes and bad puns. You might think, where are the meat and potatoes? Well, in the next few posts, there wont be any meat, but a lot of potatoes.