Food Choices for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet

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Fresh Fruits & Vegetables to the Rescue — biodiversity on your plate

In Food, Food to Avoid, Food to Try,
  • Posted on August 18, 2010
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The latest report on obesity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that obesity in the US is increasing constantly, with some states much more obese than others. (If anyone tells you it’s genetic, ask them why the obesity rate has gone up within our own generation).

In 2001, the US Surgeon General called for action on obesity, yet things have just gotten worse – as of 2009, not a single state has an obesity rate lower than 15%. That means one person in seven is not just pudgy, not just overweight, but seriously, dangerously fat. There are many causes of obesity, but with respect to food, our understanding is growing that WHAT you eat, not just how much, is key. You could reduce your calorie intake, but if your calories are full of fats and salt and additives, and prepared by frying, you haven’t made as much progress as you might.

You’ve read it before, and here it is again: eating more fresh fruits and vegetables can help.  Luckily, this is part of the weight loss or maintenance plan that can be pleasurable. You don’t have to shovel down mounds of those same old green beans, when the earth has given us such a spectacular variety of foods to choose from.

In Berkeley, Monterey Market and Berkeley Bowl offer cornucopias of amazing colorful delicious fresh fruits and vegetables. Even your regular grocery store probably has more food diversity than you’ve realized. When in the produce aisles, look at the higher shelves or corners of the cooler that you ordinarily walk past without noticing. Jerusalem artichokes! Jicama! Tomatillos!

Tomatillos

I personally suspect that the chemical drenching inflicted by industrial agriculture on its crops may contribute to obesity, and I can’t wait for scientific studies on the matter. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and eat food with less processing, i.e., fresh.


Strawberries — would you like pesticide-grown, or organic?

In Food, Food to Avoid, Good News, Toxins and Pesticides, Useful tools,
  • Posted on August 4, 2010
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commons.wikimedia.org

We’ve long known that strawberries are among the most heavily sprayed crops, and now we have another reason to worry. Yet another chemical is being considered to add to the war on bugs. Remember this name: methyl iodide. You’re going to be hearing a lot about it.

This week, though, the state of Washington ruled against allowing the pesticide maker to sell it in their state, giving hope to those who don’t want it permitted in California. The Pesticide Action Network, based in San Francisco, applauds the decision, as does a spokesperson for the Physicians for Social Responsibility. Earlier this year, a report from Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy asserted that the state could save $700 million a year in health care costs if we reduced our exposure to toxic chemicals. One expert said, “California’s budget crisis has led to drastic cuts in health services, and the cost of healthcare is soaring across the nation. If we can prevent illness, save money, and save families, then we need to do it,” says Martha Arguello, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles. “Physicians advise patients on how to lead a healthy lifestyle, but no amount of physician consultation can prevent exposure to some of these toxic chemicals — the government has an obligation to step in and make create public health protective policies.” http://yubanet.com/california/CA-could-save-700-million-in-health-care-costs-by-reducing-chemical-exposure.php

While you’re waiting for the government to protect us, do you want to see a colorful, scary readout of the pesticides you just might be putting into your body? Pesticide Action Network has created an amazing website (aptly named What’s On My Food)  where you can click on the name of a food and get a slew of information about what chemicals are used to grow it in conventional agriculture. Just the names of the types of chemicals give me the willies: carcinogens, hormone disruptors, neurotoxins, and developmental or reproductive toxicants.

Chemical war against bugs seemed like a good idea a few generations ago, but now the dangerous side effects are well known. If you can’t afford an all-organic diet, please think about making strawberries the first organic on your grocery list.

Also found on the Examiner.com


Salt

In Food, Food to Avoid, In the News,
  • Posted on July 6, 2010
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If you have high blood pressure, you’ve been told a million times to cut back on salt intake. Salt overuse may also contribute to stroke and heart disease. But do you know how much salt you’re eating? Most people don’t, and that’s an ignorance that is not bliss… it’s dangerous.  Writing for the New York Times (click for full article), Michael Moss reported, “The food industry releases some 10,000 new products a year, the Department of Agriculture has reported, and processed foods, along with restaurant meals, now account for roughly 80% of the salt in the American diet.”

Salt ponds in San Francisco Bay help satisfy Americans’ appetite for salt. By some estimates, deep cuts in salt use could save thousands of lives a year.

Why am I mentioning this on a blog about food and the environment? Because one of the best ways to avoid excessive salt is to avoid processed foods and fast foods, which typically are loaded with salt to create flavor in the otherwise bland product.  In other words (and I’m only going to tell you this another million times), do some of your own cooking with fresh foods and you won’t be letting salt sneak into your body. That’s good advice for everyone.


The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15

In Food, Food to Avoid, Food to Try, In the News, Toxins and Pesticides, Uncategorized,
  • Posted on June 1, 2010
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Recently stumbled upon this article on CNN.com where they explained how many pesticides are in a actually in certain servings of fruits and veggies. There’s even a video that you can watch if you don’t feel like reading the article. 🙂 But here are the F&V that you should definitely buy organic because they have the most pesticides:

The Dirty Dozen: “contain 47 to 67 pesticides per serving. These foods are believed to be most susceptible because they have soft skin that tends to absorb more pesticides.”

  1. Celery
  2. Peaches
  3. Strawberries
  4. Apples
  5. Domestic blueberries
  6. Nectarines
  7. Sweet bell peppers
  8. Spinach, kale and collard greens
  9. Cherries
  10. Potatoes
  11. Imported grapes
  12. Lettuce

The Clean 15: the non-organic f & v’s because they have the least amount of pesticides

  1. Onions
  2. Avocados
  3. Sweet corn
  4. Pineapples
  5. Mango
  6. Sweet peas
  7. Asparagus
  8. Kiwi fruit
  9. Cabbage
  10. Eggplant
  11. Cantaloupe
  12. Watermelon
  13. Grapefruit
  14. Sweet potatoes
  15. Sweet onions

HECK NO TO GMOs!

In Food, Food to Avoid, GMO's,
  • Posted on May 18, 2010
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After the SF Green Festival, I had an exponential increase of interest in learning about GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) after listening to information from the company, Alter Eco. The guest speaker, Mathieu Senard, has taken a poll on whether or not to use GMO packaging or continue to use plastic packaging for another 2 years until stable biodegradable packaging was available. The crowd favored the continuous use of plastic.

Not too familiar with the effects of GMO’s, I informed myself when I read the magazine “Common Ground” with the article called, “There’s a Non-GMO Revolution Coming, and You’re in Charge.” (pg. 47-51)

Did you know that there has been evidence since the mid-1990’s that GM food tests have detrimental effects on their test subjects? Dr. Arpad Pusztai, the world’s top scientist, was in charge of the experimenting of GM potatoes. “He got quite shocked when the rats developed potentially precancerous cell growth, partially atrophied livers, damaged immune systems, and smaller brains, livers, and testicles—in just 10 days!” When he went to the public with his concerns the was “fired, gagged, and defamed. His safety testing protocols were never implemented.” There has also been other studies and recent findings that GMOs are contributing to infertility, food allergies, autism, diabetes, and other mounting health trends. We see these effects on the farm animals that are consuming GM corn or Bt-toxin crops. These GMOs are typically found in soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, and sugar beets.

Since the FDA has turned its nose to such information regarding GMOs, it is up to us to take matters into our own hands. If “5% of citizens—15 million people—start choosing brands based on GMO content, that should be more then enough to hit the tipping point” to start the non-GMO revolution. To help support this movement, you can visit HealthierEathing.org and take action. They have a Facebook and Twitter that you can follow.

Also the Non-GMO Project is a helpful site that provides information on what companies to avoid. You can also follow them of Facebook and Twitter for additional information.


Cancer Giving Chickens

In Food, Food to Avoid, Take Action,
  • Posted on May 13, 2010
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Did you know that the average US consumer eats about 89 lbs of chicken a year? Shouldn’t you be concerned to know that these chickens are being fed with an arsenic based drug?

In a recent article “Arsenic and Old Studies” found the Environmental Magazine, it informs that chickens are being fed “growth-promoting feed with “roxarsone,” an arsenic-based drug fed to an estimated 70% of the U.S. broiler (meat) chickens.” Since there are two sides to every story, there is a concern that “if roxarsone is banned, advantages in animal health and welfare, food safety and environment sustainability would be sacrificed,” according to Richard Lobb, director of communications for the industry trade group, the Nation Chicken Council. On the other hand, it has been discovered that “inorganic arsenic in drinking water has been linked to liver, kidney, lung, bladder, and skin cancer,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It has also heavily impacted the Prairie Grove residents who can’t escape these poisonous chickens who have caused their cancer and other major health issues.

You can help this battle by cutting back on chicken consumption and by being aware of what you eat.

For the full article, Arsenic and Old Studies from the March/April 2010 E/The Environmental Magazine.  The article can be viewed with its graphics at: http://www.emagazine.com/view?5064


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