5 foods that should have a place in your diet
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Coffee is seriously bad for you. A little caffeine is good if acquired through naturally occuring fruits and vegatables, but the only thing worse for you than coffee is diet soda and/or battery acid. It increases the acidic level of the body, dehydration and stress of the kidneys and has no nutruitional value what so ever. When the body goes too acidic it robs essential nutrients like potassium and Iodine from the reserves of the body to keep the acidic/alkaline levels balenced. This causes the thyroid to slow, the body to burn less calories and hence makes it much harder to loose weight. Check out this link for a better explaination than I can provide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI
I would need to see more data to back up your words than a you tube video. Coffee is listed as one of the 150 most healthy foods.0 -
Realize that nor everyone can afford the prices of free range chicken / eggs - organicaly grown fruit and nutural peanut butter - so I guess I wil just have to take my chances0
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I have a problem with your definition of "healthy". Whether you are getting an organic, farm bought, or a normal store item, you are still getting the essential items from it. Yes, in store bought things you are getting pesticides, etc, but it is still is a piece of fruit or vegetable. Personally, If I have a choice between a fast food salad or a piece of non-organic fruit, I'll take the fruit.
Now, I don't buy a lot of organic foods because I can't afford them, but eating organic really has nothing to do with the nutrients of the food. It's more about being kinder to the environment (maybe still not kind, but a step in the right direction), and about not putting all the chemicals from the more harmful pesticides into your body. These pesticides can enter your body any number of ways -- eating them is one. At least, that's my view on organic food.
I personally feel the idea of "organic" has been horrible bastardized by mass production, commercialism, marketing, etc. And, if you really want to be "green" and eat "organic," you're best off growing your own food. Unfortunately not everyone has that option and buying "organic" food from the grocery store really is probably better (environmentally and chemically) than buying non-"organic" food from the grocery store. But, again, it doesn't change the nutrients.0 -
Peanut butter has always been a staple in my weight loss plan. I haven't eaten much of it lately, but nothing beats warm, melty peanut butter on toast or a rice cake with peanut butter and banana.0
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I have a problem with your definition of "healthy". Whether you are getting an organic, farm bought, or a normal store item, you are still getting the essential items from it. Yes, in store bought things you are getting pesticides, etc, but it is still is a piece of fruit or vegetable. Personally, If I have a choice between a fast food salad or a piece of non-organic fruit, I'll take the fruit.
Now, I don't buy a lot of organic foods because I can't afford them, but eating organic really has nothing to do with the nutrients of the food. It's more about being kinder to the environment (maybe still not kind, but a step in the right direction), and about not putting all the chemicals from the more harmful pesticides into your body. These pesticides can enter your body any number of ways -- eating them is one. At least, that's my view on organic food.
I personally feel the idea of "organic" has been horrible bastardized by mass production, commercialism, marketing, etc. And, if you really want to be "green" and eat "organic," you're best off growing your own food. Unfortunately not everyone has that option and buying "organic" food from the grocery store really is probably better (environmentally and chemically) than buying non-"organic" food from the grocery store. But, again, it doesn't change the nutrients.
Yes, actually it does change the nutrients in the foods..................
Please read this and I can give you links to more studies that prove that organic foods are more nutritious in some areas than conventionally grown foods that are massed produced in soil that has been stripped of its nutrients.
I can do nothing but shake my head at how the Average American is so ready to believe everything their government and health care system is telling them and it is all lies.
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF ORGANIC VERSUS CONVENTIONAL FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND GRAINS*
"Prior to the widespread use of pesticides, those in the health care community who advocated organic foods claimed that these foods contained a better arrangement of nutrients as a result of the superior soil management and fertilizer practices used by organic farmers. As a corollary, they cautioned that food grown with chemical fertilizers caused deleterious health in animals and humans."*
In NOHA we have been concerned for many years about the deleterious health effects from residues of pesticides on foods, or even just ingested in our water. For example in NOHA NEWS, Summer 1999, we reported on the research of Professor Warren P. Porter and colleagues, who gave their animals—just in their drinking water—tiny doses of pesticides, often used in agriculture, and nitrates which are ubiquitous from fertilizers in drinking water of people throughout the United States, especially in agricultural communities. With combinations at levels often found in our drinking water they found endocrine, immune, and behavioral effects in their mice.
In her research,* Dr. Worthington does not deal with pesticide and fertilizer contaminants in our food and water but, specifically, with the nutrient and toxic (heavy metal and nitrate) constituents of our food. She combines the research from all available studies that give numerical figures for organic content of specific nutrients and toxins in various foods, (37 papers) and uses 1,240 comparisons.
. . . tiny doses of pesticides, often used in agriculture, and nitrates which are ubiquitous from fertilizers in drinking water of people throughout the United States, especially in agricultural communities. With combinations at levels often found in our drinking water . . . endocrine, immune, and behavioral effects [were found] in . . . mice.
She considers 35 vitamins and minerals, nitrate content, and sometimes total mineral content when that is all that is available, plus protein quantity and quality.
For "conventional values" she uses the overall nutrient composition data for food from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, because "ninety-five percent (95%) of crops in the United States are now produced with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. . . . and producing crops using these chemicals has come to be known as conventional agriculture."
For each vegetable, fruit, and grain, using the figure for a specific year whenever possible, she takes from a study the figure for organic as a percentage change from the figure for conventional.
For the five most frequently studied vegetables, lettuce, spinach, carrot, potato, and cabbage, she gives average percent differences for four nutrients. In no case was there sufficient data for her to calculate statistical significance. However, the figures are interesting: "For example, vitamin C is 17% more abundant in organic lettuce (conventional 100%, organic 117%)." In the case of spinach, average vitamin C content is 52% higher. We must remember that in actual practice, much variability occurs, not just from the cultivation methods and soil care by organic farmers versus conventional but also from "uncontrollable factors such as rainfall and sunlight, which also influence nutrient content."
. . . "ninety-five percent (95%) of crops in the United States are now produced with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. . ."
Most nutrients were measured in very few studies, so, even with well over a thousand individual comparisons, there were only twelve nutrients with sufficient data for a statistical comparison. They were calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and nitrates. Of these only five, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and nitrates, showed statistically significant differences. "For each of the significant nutrients, the organic crops had a higher nutrient content in more than half of the comparisons. For the one toxic compound, nitrates, the organic crop had a lower content the majority of the time."
Even although there were not sufficient data for more statistical analyses, in a descriptive sense there were many interesting findings: "First, there appear to be higher amounts of nutritionally significant minerals in organic compared to conventional crops."
Note that three of these bars would go way beyond the 90% increase!
"For all four heavy metals considered, the organic crop contained lower amounts of the heavy metals more often than comparable conventional crops." Interestingly, in regard to protein, the conventional crops tended to contain more protein but the quality was poorer.
Dr. Worthington points out supporting evidence for the superior results from organic farming practices. First of all, organic farmers fertilize their land with compost—plant wastes and aged animal manure. They rotate their crops so that one crop, for example a legume, can give nutrients to the next crop. In conventional farming, the same crop is often planted over and over again, which, of course, depletes the soil of all the particular nutrients needed by that crop. Sometimes, organic farmers have many plants growing together, which makes excellent fodder for animals. Sometimes the combination contains soybeans, which can be removed with special machinery and sold. The remaining plants are good food for animals, who do better without the soy. [Information from John Bell Clark, PhD, during a tour of Roseland Organic Farm, October 7, 2001, See also, NOHA NEWS, Winter 2002, "NOTES FROM AN ORGANIC FARMER."] Organic farming encourages soil organisms, which can produce "many compounds that help plants, including substances such as citrate and lactate that combine with soil minerals and make them more available to plant roots. . . The presence of these microorganisms at least partially explains the trend showing a higher mineral content of organic food crops."
Organic farming encourages soil organisms, which can produce "many compounds that help plants, . . . [many] combine with soil minerals and make them more available to plant roots. . . The presence of these microorganisms at least partially explains the trend showing a higher mineral content of organic food crops."
On the other hand, the chemical fertilizers used in conventional agriculture contain just a few minerals, which dissolve quickly in damp soil and give the plants large doses of the minerals—just at one time and often more than is needed. For example, in the case of nitrogen, Dr. Worthington explains how:
Nitrogen from any kind of fertilizer affects the amounts of vitamin C and nitrates as well as the quantity and quality of protein produced by plants. When a plant is presented with a lot of nitrogen, it increases protein production and reduces carbohydrate production. Because vitamin C is made from carbohydrates, the synthesis of vitamin C is reduced also. Moreover, the increased protein that is produced in response to high nitrogen levels contains lower amounts of certain essential amino acids such as lysine and consequently has a lower quality in terms of human and animal nutrition. If there is more nitrogen than the plant can handle through increased protein production, the excess is accumulated as nitrates and stored predominately in the green leafy part of the plant. Because organically managed soils generally present plants with lower amounts of nitrogen than chemically fertilized soils, it would be expected that organic crops would have more vitamin C, less nitrates and less protein but of a higher quality than comparable conventional crops.
Potassium fertilizer can reduce the magnesium content and indirectly the phosphorus content of at least some plants. When potassium is added to soil, the amount of magnesium absorbed by plants decreases. Because phosphorus absorption depends on magnesium, less phosphorus is absorbed as well. Potassium is presented to plants differently by organic and conventional systems. Conventional potassium fertilizers dissolve readily in soil water presenting plants with large quantities of potassium while organically managed soils hold moderate quantities of both potassium and magnesium in the root zone of the plant. Given the plant responses just described, it would be expected that the organic crops would contain larger amounts of magnesium and phosphorus than comparable conventional crops.
Some chemical fertilizers also contain toxic heavy metals. "Phosphate fertilizers often are contaminated by cadmium. Also, trace mineral fertilizers and liming materials derived from industrial waste can contain a number of heavy metals." Since these toxins would build up in the soil and contaminate plants, the finding of more heavy metals in conventional food might be expected.
Before World War II chemical fertilizers and pesticides were virtually unused. Some warnings about adverse health effects were ignored and farmers were encouraged . . . to abandon the old practices . . . and buy the easy-to-use chemicals. We are beginning to accumulate information on problems: "Animal studies suggest that such functions as reproduction and resistance to infection might be adversely affected . . ." A study on humans "reported that the percentage of normal sperm increased as the percentage of organic food in men’s diets increased."
Before World War II chemical fertilizers and pesticides were virtually unused. Some warnings about adverse health effects were ignored and farmers were encouraged by much advertising and by advice from their County Agents to abandon the old practices, be modern, and buy the easy-to-use chemicals. We are beginning to accumulate information on problems: "Animal studies suggest that such functions as reproduction and resistance to infection might be adversely affected by conventionally produced foods as compared to organically produced ones." A study on humans "reported that the percentage of normal sperm increased as the percentage of organic food in men’s diets increased."
*Worthington, Virginia, MS, ScD, CNS, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 7(2): 161-73, 1991. "This paper is an extension of work performed as part of doctoral dissertation at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland."
Article from NOHA NEWS, Vol. XXVII, No. 2, Spring 2002, pages 1-3.
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All I have to say is watch "Bull**** - Organic food"
Whats Penn and Tellers agenda?
The part I found interesting is that some "organic farms" are allowed certain pestisides and can still lable their food orgainic.
Whats my point? If you really want orgainic grow your own food like I do.
If you want to argue semantics that is.
OP:
Great list! Thank you very much!
Most, but not all organic farms use natural organisms to be "natural" pesticides and such...........0 -
I just eat the non organic crap to build my immunity to the nasty stuff the aliens are going to attack us with when they try to populate our planet.
On a less serious note... I've been eating a lot more peanut butter and avacado lately. I'm not really fond of avacado by itself but sushi covers the unpleasant texture.
:bigsmile:0 -
I have a problem with your definition of "healthy". Whether you are getting an organic, farm bought, or a normal store item, you are still getting the essential items from it. Yes, in store bought things you are getting pesticides, etc, but it is still is a piece of fruit or vegetable. Personally, If I have a choice between a fast food salad or a piece of non-organic fruit, I'll take the fruit.
Now, I don't buy a lot of organic foods because I can't afford them, but eating organic really has nothing to do with the nutrients of the food. It's more about being kinder to the environment (maybe still not kind, but a step in the right direction), and about not putting all the chemicals from the more harmful pesticides into your body. These pesticides can enter your body any number of ways -- eating them is one. At least, that's my view on organic food.
I personally feel the idea of "organic" has been horrible bastardized by mass production, commercialism, marketing, etc. And, if you really want to be "green" and eat "organic," you're best off growing your own food. Unfortunately not everyone has that option and buying "organic" food from the grocery store really is probably better (environmentally and chemically) than buying non-"organic" food from the grocery store. But, again, it doesn't change the nutrients.
I agree. I wouldn't beat yourself up if you don't have enough money to buy organic everything, but its kind of funny the way Americans spend less percentage of their income on food than any other country. Its because we are used to the idea of cheap, commercialized, and overly processed foods. Our government heavily subsidizes corn so that it can be grown en masse and compete with other (poorer countries) that have the better growing conditions (which usually screws them over ie mexico.. and then they end up coming illegally to america to work in slaughter houses and the like, a very dangerous job). But anyway, they make corn into all these processed by products and its found in 90% of the processed foods you find at the grocery store in one way or another (a big one, high fructose corn syrup). They also feed the surplus to cows, who are actually meant to eat grass, to fatten them up faster even though this has caused a wide spread of ecoli in the cows stomach. Anyway I guess what I am trying to say is research your companies (even organic ones!) and buy local and organic food when you can (farmers markets are nice, go talk to your farmers who grow you good food on the cheap!) and starting your own garden is super duper awesome, be your own farmer! The point of taking these measures is to "vote with your dollars" and support farmers, locally produced food, and more sustainable agriculture practices that don't contaminate our food and water supplies. Plus eating most of your foods that aren't heavily processed helps you to feel way better, lose weight, get proper nutrients, prevent disease, etc etc. I won't be a judge of what other people want to or don't want to eat, but I will spread awareness when I can. I'm not perfect, nobody's perfect, our society is based around these ideals and change may be slow, but I can do what I can, when I can.0 -
I just eat the non organic crap to build my immunity to the nasty stuff the aliens are going to attack us with when they try to populate our planet.
On a less serious note... I've been eating a lot more peanut butter and avacado lately. I'm not really fond of avacado by itself but sushi covers the unpleasant texture.
:bigsmile:
He's not kidding either!!! :noway:0 -
I thought of you today when I was eating my JIF peanut butter-crap now I can't enjoy it and probably won't buy it anymore. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: After being on MFP, I'm the same way with margarine and cool whip....now I have to add another item to the list.The first one, Peanut butter should be listed as Natural Peanut Butter without transfats. The regular stuff is full of trans fats which are very dangerous to us.
The US Dept of Agriculture should be ashamed of themselves for saying the comment they made, without differentiating between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter.
The regular stuff clearly has partially hydrogenated oils in it, which are trans fats.
Natural peanut butter is peanuts and salt.
Big difference in the ingredients.
However, I no longer eat peanut butter as I have given up all legumes. I now eat cashew nut butter, sunflower seed butter, almond butter or macadamia nut butter.
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I just eat the non organic crap to build my immunity to the nasty stuff the aliens are going to attack us with when they try to populate our planet.
On a less serious note... I've been eating a lot more peanut butter and avacado lately. I'm not really fond of avacado by itself but sushi covers the unpleasant texture.
:bigsmile:
ahhh....but even with sushi you have to be careful because of the mercury. But then again to your point, it will help build immunity against the alien attack. :laugh:0 -
All I have to say is watch "Bull**** - Organic food"
Whats Penn and Tellers agenda?
The part I found interesting is that some "organic farms" are allowed certain pestisides and can still lable their food orgainic.
Whats my point? If you really want orgainic grow your own food like I do.
If you want to argue semantics that is.
OP:
Great list! Thank you very much!
Most, but not all organic farms use natural organisms to be "natural" pesticides and such...........
Its still in your food. Some of the "natural" stuff more dangerous then the stuff they have been using for 30 years.
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/organic.html
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food (under pesticides)0 -
All I have to say is watch "Bull**** - Organic food"
Whats Penn and Tellers agenda?
The part I found interesting is that some "organic farms" are allowed certain pestisides and can still lable their food orgainic.
Whats my point? If you really want orgainic grow your own food like I do.
If you want to argue semantics that is.
OP:
Great list! Thank you very much!
Most, but not all organic farms use natural organisms to be "natural" pesticides and such...........
Its still in your food. Some of the "natural" stuff more dangerous then the stuff they have been using for 30 years.
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/organic.html
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food (under pesticides)
The natural pesticides I am talking about are the bugs that eat other bugs due to the natural food chain and how natural progression works. I am not talking about any natural sprays of any kind.0
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