Organic: To buy or not to buy

There is a lot of confusion among consumers about organics. Everyone wants to know: Exactly what is organic? Are organic foods healthier for me? Should I be buying organic?

Organic crops are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and without the use of sewage sludge, bioengineering, ionizing radiation or genetically modified ingredients. Animals raised organically are not given hormones or drugs to promote growth. On a food label, “100% organic” means that all ingredients are organic; “95% organic” means that at least 95% of the ingredients in the food are organic. Both of these claims are allowed to use the USDA Organic seal. “Made with organic ingredients” means that at least 70% of the ingredients are organic; this last claim cannot bear the USDA Organic seal. “Free-range,” “hormone-free” and “natural” are other valid claims but DO NOT, in and of themselves, mean that the food is organic. Look for the specific organic claim or the USDA organic seal.

There is still a lot of research that must be done regarding the risks and benefits of conventional foods vs. organic foods and no one can yet say for sure whether organics are better (either regarding nutritional content or for our overall health), but there is a growing body of evidence that organics may offer a number of health benefits. Some of the issues that people are concerned about and researchers are looking into include:

• Potential link between pesticides and ADHD, obesity, diabetes, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, cancer, etc.

• Production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) is increased in dairy cattle given bovine hormones (rBGH and rBST), is absorbed by humans and seems to accumulate in breast cells and stimulate growth; high levels of IGF1 have been found in women with breast cancer

• Whether organics are nutritionally superior is debatable as a large number of variables to control makes researching this area difficult

• Whether or not organics taste better is debatable because taste is hard to quantify and is also affected by many variables

While we wait for more information on the potential benefits of organics, many people are choosing to buy organics now, in order to err on the side of caution. Some people buy organic because it is the only way to guarantee that there are no genetically modified ingredients in a food item. Many people start buying organic when they start having children; often for these people, milk is the first item that they switch to organic. Of course, organic foods are usually more expensive. Also, remember that some organics will still contain traces of agrichemicals, which have gotten into rain and runoff water.

So, whether or not you buy organic is your choice to make after factoring in the potential risks vs. benefits of conventional vs. organic; the cost of organics and your concerns, wants and needs. Two tips for how to choose which organic foods to spend your dollars on include:

• Choose organic for those foods you eat most often (for me, that’s milk)

• Choose organic when buying produce that falls within the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” (the 12 fruits & vegetables most contaminated with pesticide residue include celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale & collard greens, cherries, potatoes and imported grapes)

To read more:

Today's Dietitian - April 2008: Organics: Separating Science Fiction From Fact


Today's Dietitian - April 2008: Mission Organic 2010: Healthy People, Healthy Planet
 
Full list of 49 fruits & veggies from Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

There is a lot of confusion among consumers about organics. Everyone wants to know: Exactly what is organic? Are organic foods healthier for me? Should I be buying organic?

Organic crops are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and without the use of sewage sludge, bioengineering, ionizing radiation or genetically modified ingredients. Animals raised organically are not given hormones or drugs to promote growth. On a food label, “100% organic” means that all ingredients are organic; “95% organic” means that at least 95% of the ingredients in the food are organic. Both of these claims are allowed to use the USDA Organic seal. “Made with organic ingredients” means that at least 70% of the ingredients are organic; this last claim cannot bear the USDA Organic seal. “Free-range,” “hormone-free” and “natural” are other valid claims but DO NOT, in and of themselves, mean that the food is organic. Look for the specific organic claim or the USDA organic seal.

There is still a lot of research that must be done regarding the risks and benefits of conventional foods vs. organic foods and no one can yet say for sure whether organics are better (either regarding nutritional content or for our overall health), but there is a growing body of evidence that organics may offer a number of health benefits. Some of the issues that people are concerned about and researchers are looking into include:

• Potential link between pesticides and ADHD, obesity, diabetes, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, cancer, etc.

• Production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) is increased in dairy cattle given bovine hormones (rBGH and rBST), is absorbed by humans and seems to accumulate in breast cells and stimulate growth; high levels of IGF1 have been found in women with breast cancer

• Whether organics are nutritionally superior is debatable as a large number of variables to control makes researching this area difficult

• Whether or not organics taste better is debatable because taste is hard to quantify and is also affected by many variables

While we wait for more information on the potential benefits of organics, many people are choosing to buy organics now, in order to err on the side of caution. Some people buy organic because it is the only way to guarantee that there are no genetically modified ingredients in a food item. Many people start buying organic when they start having children; often for these people, milk is the first item that they switch to organic. Of course, organic foods are usually more expensive. Also, remember that some organics will still contain traces of agrichemicals, which have gotten into rain and runoff water.

So, whether or not you buy organic is your choice to make after factoring in the potential risks vs. benefits of conventional vs. organic; the cost of organics and your concerns, wants and needs. Two tips for how to choose which organic foods to spend your dollars on include:

• Choose organic for those foods you eat most often (for me, that’s milk)

• Choose organic when buying produce that falls within the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” (the 12 fruits & vegetables most contaminated with pesticide residue include celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale & collard greens, cherries, potatoes and imported grapes)

To read more:

Today's Dietitian - April 2008: Organics: Separating Science Fiction From Fact


Today's Dietitian - April 2008: Mission Organic 2010: Healthy People, Healthy Planet
 
Full list of 49 fruits & veggies from Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

Do One Thing: Lighten up your morning latte

If you enjoy a daily morning coffee run, you don't need to give up that comforting treat in order to get a healthier start to your day. The following are a few tips to keep the calories, fat and sugar intake down when you visit your local coffee shop:

• Choose skim milk - to save on both calories and fat
• Opt for sugar-free syrup - to cut back on calories and sugar
• Hold the whip - also cuts calories and fat
• Remember that the soy milk used in coffee shops is often vanilla flavored, which will add more calories and sugar than the same amount of skim milk
• Best Best: Stick with unsweetened coffee, latte or cappuccino with skim milk; limit yourself to one packet of sugar or Splenda

Image: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you enjoy a daily morning coffee run, you don't need to give up that comforting treat in order to get a healthier start to your day. The following are a few tips to keep the calories, fat and sugar intake down when you visit your local coffee shop:

• Choose skim milk - to save on both calories and fat
• Opt for sugar-free syrup - to cut back on calories and sugar
• Hold the whip - also cuts calories and fat
• Remember that the soy milk used in coffee shops is often vanilla flavored, which will add more calories and sugar than the same amount of skim milk
• Best Best: Stick with unsweetened coffee, latte or cappuccino with skim milk; limit yourself to one packet of sugar or Splenda

Image: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In Season: Asparagus

Springtime is asparagus time. One cooked half-cup of the beautiful green spears provides more than a third of your daily folate needs, about 7% of your daily fiber, 6% of your daily potassium and 5% of your daily iron, as well as significant amounts of vitamins A, C and K. Asparagus is great at any meal: in eggs at breakfast; in a salad; as a side dish at dinnertime. When buying asparagus, look for vibrant green, firm stalks, of uniform size and with closed & compact tips. If you aren't used to preparing asparagus, click here for a number of great recipes from MarthaStewart.com.

If you still aren't convinced you should be adding asparagus to your springtime arsenal of nutritious foods, check out this recipe for Wheat Berries and Roasted Asparagus With Tomato-Coriander Sauce and Peanuts, from the "Recipes for Health" section at NYTimes.com. Martha Rose Shulman suggests a delicious tomato-based sauce to serve over your asparagus. (Tip: you can choose to omit the wheat berries from the recipe and prepare just the sauce and asparagus.)

Image: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Springtime is asparagus time. One cooked half-cup of the beautiful green spears provides more than a third of your daily folate needs, about 7% of your daily fiber, 6% of your daily potassium and 5% of your daily iron, as well as significant amounts of vitamins A, C and K. Asparagus is great at any meal: in eggs at breakfast; in a salad; as a side dish at dinnertime. When buying asparagus, look for vibrant green, firm stalks, of uniform size and with closed & compact tips. If you aren't used to preparing asparagus, click here for a number of great recipes from MarthaStewart.com.

If you still aren't convinced you should be adding asparagus to your springtime arsenal of nutritious foods, check out this recipe for Wheat Berries and Roasted Asparagus With Tomato-Coriander Sauce and Peanuts, from the "Recipes for Health" section at NYTimes.com. Martha Rose Shulman suggests a delicious tomato-based sauce to serve over your asparagus. (Tip: you can choose to omit the wheat berries from the recipe and prepare just the sauce and asparagus.)

Image: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Piece o' Cupcake: Simple, healthy breakfasts for young kids

You know your child should start the day with a healthy breakfast, but you also need ideas for meals that are quick and easy to prepare, and that your child will accept. In CNN.com's CNN Health section for Diet & Fitness ("What's a healthy breakfast for a picky 6-year-old?"), Dr. Melina Jampolis offers up 5 ideas for simple and nutritious breakfasts that you can easily prepare during the rush to get ready for school, and that your child will love. Dr. Jampolis explains that skipping breakfast regularly can increase your child's risk for "childhood obesity, diminished health and nutrition status and compromised school performance." A good breakfast should include a whole grain combined with a lean protein or healthy fat, as do Dr. Jampolis' suggestions, like low-fat yogurt with fruit & nuts or a grilled cheese sandwich (on whole grain bread) with a side of fruit.

You know your child should start the day with a healthy breakfast, but you also need ideas for meals that are quick and easy to prepare, and that your child will accept. In CNN.com's CNN Health section for Diet & Fitness ("What's a healthy breakfast for a picky 6-year-old?"), Dr. Melina Jampolis offers up 5 ideas for simple and nutritious breakfasts that you can easily prepare during the rush to get ready for school, and that your child will love. Dr. Jampolis explains that skipping breakfast regularly can increase your child's risk for "childhood obesity, diminished health and nutrition status and compromised school performance." A good breakfast should include a whole grain combined with a lean protein or healthy fat, as do Dr. Jampolis' suggestions, like low-fat yogurt with fruit & nuts or a grilled cheese sandwich (on whole grain bread) with a side of fruit.

For better health, lose weight with healthy diet & exercise

The May 2010 issue of Shape magazine notes that a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise has found that women who lose weight with a combination of healthy diet & exercise saw greater health benefits compared with women who lost a similar amount of weight using only a healthy diet. In the study, the women who both reduced their caloric intake and worked out five days a week improved their cholesterol & blood pressure levels and increased their life expectancy by ~19%. The other group of women, who only decreased their caloric intake, lost about 10% of their body weight over six months (as did the first group), but did not see the same health benefits. So, if you're already making healthy dietary changes in your life but are not exercising, see what you can do to add a few workouts a week into your regular routine. Use the label cloud in the left frame, or click here, to find other posts I've written that provide tips on making working out easier (e.g., get a workout buddy, take up a simple walking habit, workout while watching TV, workout with your family, etc.).

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The May 2010 issue of Shape magazine notes that a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise has found that women who lose weight with a combination of healthy diet & exercise saw greater health benefits compared with women who lost a similar amount of weight using only a healthy diet. In the study, the women who both reduced their caloric intake and worked out five days a week improved their cholesterol & blood pressure levels and increased their life expectancy by ~19%. The other group of women, who only decreased their caloric intake, lost about 10% of their body weight over six months (as did the first group), but did not see the same health benefits. So, if you're already making healthy dietary changes in your life but are not exercising, see what you can do to add a few workouts a week into your regular routine. Use the label cloud in the left frame, or click here, to find other posts I've written that provide tips on making working out easier (e.g., get a workout buddy, take up a simple walking habit, workout while watching TV, workout with your family, etc.).

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Did You Know?: A healthy diet may be linked to lower Alzheimer's risk

In today's New York Times Science Times section, a small piece by Roni Caryn Rabin, in the Vital Signs column, reports that a new study (published online April 12 by the journal Archives of Neurology) has found that a diet "low in saturated fat and rich in nutrients like folate, vitamin E and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids" may be linked with a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. In the study, older adults who ate diets rich in "fish, poultry, fruit, nuts, dark leafy greens, vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and oil-and-vinegar dressing" showed a risk for Alzheimer's that was more than 1/3 lower than the risk for older adults who ate less of those nutritious foods and more "high-fat dairy products, butter, red meat and organ meat." While these findings still need to be further investigated, I think it's safe enough to add this potential benefit to our list of reasons why we should try to add more of these healthy foods to our diet.


Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In today's New York Times Science Times section, a small piece by Roni Caryn Rabin, in the Vital Signs column, reports that a new study (published online April 12 by the journal Archives of Neurology) has found that a diet "low in saturated fat and rich in nutrients like folate, vitamin E and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids" may be linked with a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. In the study, older adults who ate diets rich in "fish, poultry, fruit, nuts, dark leafy greens, vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and oil-and-vinegar dressing" showed a risk for Alzheimer's that was more than 1/3 lower than the risk for older adults who ate less of those nutritious foods and more "high-fat dairy products, butter, red meat and organ meat." While these findings still need to be further investigated, I think it's safe enough to add this potential benefit to our list of reasons why we should try to add more of these healthy foods to our diet.


Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do One Thing: Drink more water

According to the American Dietetic Association, most men need about 13 cups of water a day and most women need about 9 cups, in order to help the kidneys function properly, keep joints lubricated, flush toxins from the system and keep skin healthy. In warmer weather, and during exercise, we need even more water to remain properly hydrated. 9-13 cups of water sounds like a lot, but remember that all the water in your diet counts; it isn’t just the glasses of pure water you drink that help you reach your water intake goals, but also the juice, milk, tea and coffee that you drink, as well as the water that you get from foods like soup, lettuce, watermelon, broccoli and grapefruit. Do try to get a number of cups of water from pure water, though. Some tips to help you achieve your water intake goals:

• Start and end your day with a cup of water
• Drink a cup of water with each meal & snack
• Keep a large glass or bottle of water at your desk
• Drink water instead of soda or juice or at least drink a full cup of water for every cup of soda or juice and for each serving wine or beer you drink
• Stop and drink some water each time you see a water fountain
• Try sparkling water, even Poland Spring’s flavored sparkling waters in lemon, lime, mandarin orange, and raspberry-lime

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to the American Dietetic Association, most men need about 13 cups of water a day and most women need about 9 cups, in order to help the kidneys function properly, keep joints lubricated, flush toxins from the system and keep skin healthy. In warmer weather, and during exercise, we need even more water to remain properly hydrated. 9-13 cups of water sounds like a lot, but remember that all the water in your diet counts; it isn’t just the glasses of pure water you drink that help you reach your water intake goals, but also the juice, milk, tea and coffee that you drink, as well as the water that you get from foods like soup, lettuce, watermelon, broccoli and grapefruit. Do try to get a number of cups of water from pure water, though. Some tips to help you achieve your water intake goals:

• Start and end your day with a cup of water
• Drink a cup of water with each meal & snack
• Keep a large glass or bottle of water at your desk
• Drink water instead of soda or juice or at least drink a full cup of water for every cup of soda or juice and for each serving wine or beer you drink
• Stop and drink some water each time you see a water fountain
• Try sparkling water, even Poland Spring’s flavored sparkling waters in lemon, lime, mandarin orange, and raspberry-lime

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net