HI. First, I applaud your new quest in life and I applaud you tried mangoes again.
There is a trick that has worked beautifully for both adults and kids when learning new foods or foods thought to be hated foods, in my experience. Try one bite at a time, at least 3 different times.
Most, not all, of the foods my kids had up-turned noses to, they actually like. Give your taste buds a fair chance to decide. The first time is always so emotionally biased, how can you really know?
An adult friend who openly admits to using the "texture" issue into his twenties, tried the one bite at a time method. He now eats more fruit and veggies than I and loves them. He asks why he wasn't made to eat the wonders when a child? Granted, his first two salads were soaked in a whole bottle of ranch dressing but it got him over the hump, you know?
He now eats salads with some dressing not a whole bottle. His new discovery? He loves corn on the cob. How did he miss that one? You can't remove corn on the cob from my hands all my life it is such good food!
One other thing to share is this:
My grandfather lived to 3 months shy of 100. He was a healthy and robust fella all his life and in his old age. His secret? All those old cliche's we hate so much. He ate well, rested and got plenty of exercise. How did he eat right?
He ate everything. Everything. He ate it in MODERATION. He ate normal portions and that is a tough secret for us to learn in America. He would eat some of everything on the table and had seconds of what he wanted the most. One single serving were his second's as well. He had ice cream and cookies each night before bed his whole life. PORTIONS: he had two spoonfuls of ice cream and one cookie. Or a piece of pie with a spoonful of ice cream. He ate eggs and bacon and everything. He drank tons of water, loved beans which are an incredible food and not
respected for their worth, in this country. His diet was less processed and mostly fresh things. I have friends that melt weight off to learn to eat non-processed foods as well as veggies and fruits. Diet sodas are also a contributing factor to weight staying on. Sodas are in general, no doubt.
He napped and he slept regularly. He was always moving in his work and his home chores. He ate a handful of nuts as he would come in from gardening after his two glasses of water he downed each time he walked into his house.
What foods give you the nutrition your body craves? Even if you eat the same food again and again, if it makes your body happy it is the correct food and you never mind feeling that kind of "good" trust me. Try spices and such to give the regular foods a twist. I am currently stuck on McCormick's Smokehouse Maple. You can do spices and similar without adding to the calorie count.
Life is a journey and your taste buds change constantly. Try the foods again and again as you go along. Your taste buds might say "Ahhhh" along the way when before, they have been "BLECK!"
You sound like a trooper and you are doing it right to be exploring. May you have a blast on your quest towards: "what is good food?" The answer is not always in how good it tastes although that is certainly part of the mix. The answers are delightful.
Dr Oz's book, "You On a Diet" has so much info for you about foods and their actions and your body's needs. I recommend that book.
Much love is sent your way! Be well and be happy. Enjoy dessert too.
That is the goal: your health and happiness. UBhapE2 = >