5 foods that should have a place in your diet
arzgirl5
Posts: 14
I found this interesting in my quest to eat the right foods to aide in weight loss but also be beneficial too. Enjoy!
1. Peanut butter
Misconception: This creamy spread is an indulgence best enjoyed occasionally because it's high in fat and calories.
Why it's good for you:At least five major studies confirm that eating peanuts can lower risk for coronary heart disease. So it's no leap to think that peanut butter confers the same benefits. "Suffice it to say that eating peanut butter or peanuts has been associated with lower total cholesterol, lower ldl or 'bad' cholesterol, and lower triglycerides, all of which are associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk," says Richard Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition at Purdue University.
Even better, these health benefits seem to occur without also promoting weight gain. One reason could be that peanut butter is a stick-to-the-ribs kind of food. When Mattes offered a group of volunteers seven different snack foods (including peanut butter, rice cakes, pickles, and almonds), study participants reported that peanut butter or peanuts were much more filling snacks than rice cakes or pickles and tamed hunger for much longer. Sure, peanut butter is high in fat and calories, but if a small amount can quell hunger, that might explain why dieters seem more satisfied with weight-loss plans that include the spread.
But dieting or not, Mattes says a tablespoon or two of peanut butter is all it takes to net a world of benefits for both the heart and waistline. And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving. CookingLight.com: Nutrition faceoff: Peanut butter vs. cream cheese
2. Eggs
Misconception: Eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, so they don't have a place in my heart-healthy diet.
Why they're good for you: Eggs contain a variety of substances that appear to promote good health. Choline, a nutrient that is critical to brain function, is one example. Eggs, it seems, are one of the richest food sources of choline. Scientists at the University of North Carolina find adding choline to the diets of pregnant animals improves memory performance in their offspring. It may seem like a leap to apply this finding to people, but researchers are already encouraging pregnant women to eat eggs and other choline-rich foods (such as beef liver) during pregnancy.
Eggs are also being studied because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that may keep eyes healthy and ward off the leading cause of blindness, macular degeneration. A recent report in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that we look at the egg as a whole package: Eggs are inexpensive, contain the highest-quality protein on the planet, and are loaded with small amounts of vital nutrients, including folate, riboflavin, selenium, B12, and choline. At 75 calories apiece, eggs are also a nutrient-dense food that makes a smart and low-calorie contribution to any menu.
3. Coffee
Misconception: The only thing you get from drinking coffee is a caffeine buzz.
Why it's good for you: The average cup of coffee has hundreds of different chemical compounds. Maybe that's why news reports about coffee vacillate between lauding its health benefits and labeling it harmful. Still, the benefits of coffee seem to outweigh the negatives.
To name just a few: Some Arizona researchers recently discovered that caffeinated coffee helps improve memory in older adults. A new study from the United Kingdom suggests that small amounts of coffee consumed throughout the day can increase alertness and improve performance on all kinds of tasks, including those that require hand-to-eye coordination and attention to detail. Preliminary studies suggest regular coffee drinking may lower risk of type 2 diabetes. A new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that people who drink a daily four to six cups have a 28 percent lower risk of developing this illness--which is fast becoming an epidemic in this country--than folks who drink less than two cups each day. Researchers arrived at those numbers by pooling the results of nine different studies from the United States and around the world. Speculation is that caffeine deserves the credit, though it could be an antioxidant phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid. (If you drink several cups, spread them throughout the day to prevent the jitters, and avoid coffee late in the day, which can interfere with sleep.) CookingLight.com: Discover the perks of caffeine
4. Avocado
Misconception: I shouldn't eat avocados because they're high in fat.
Why they're good for you: A lot of attention centers on the fact that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the heart-healthy kind. Yet scientists are now more interested in the active compounds in avocados that might help prevent cancer. One recent study found that those compounds can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in the laboratory. While conducting the study, these researchers found avocados are loaded with a variety of antioxidants, including familiar disease-fighting compounds such as lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin E.
Another recently discovered benefit is that avocados help the body absorb phytochemicals from other foods. Researchers from Ohio State University recently reported that pairing avocados with salsa or salad allows for better absorption of antioxidants in those foods. The lycopene in tomatoes or the beta-carotene in carrots may be better absorbed if there's a slice or two of avocado in the bowl. Scientists suspect that the fat content of avocados helps the body absorb these antioxidants. CookingLight.com: Good fats vs. bad fats
5. Mushrooms
Misconception: Mushrooms are a low-calorie food with little nutritional benefit.
Your Health Tools
Why they're good for you: They may be 90 percent water and have only 18 calories per cup, but mushrooms are getting serious scientific attention. Laboratory reports and animal studies show that compounds in mushrooms may do everything from bolster immune function to suppress breast and prostate cancers to decrease tumor size. And now, Penn State researchers find that mushrooms, from the humble button to the giant portobello, harbor large amounts of an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. The scientific buzz is that fungi, for the moment, are the only foods that contain this compound.
While scientists work to figure out how these findings will translate to dietary advice, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy mushrooms. Clare Hasler, Ph.D., a well-known expert in functional foods and executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the University of California, Davis, points out that mushrooms offer a healthy helping of the blood pressure-- lowering mineral potassium. "Most people might be surprised to learn that while orange juice is touted as one of the highest potassium foods, one medium portobello mushroom actually has more potassium," she says. "And five white button mushrooms have more potassium than an orange." E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend
1. Peanut butter
Misconception: This creamy spread is an indulgence best enjoyed occasionally because it's high in fat and calories.
Why it's good for you:At least five major studies confirm that eating peanuts can lower risk for coronary heart disease. So it's no leap to think that peanut butter confers the same benefits. "Suffice it to say that eating peanut butter or peanuts has been associated with lower total cholesterol, lower ldl or 'bad' cholesterol, and lower triglycerides, all of which are associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk," says Richard Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition at Purdue University.
Even better, these health benefits seem to occur without also promoting weight gain. One reason could be that peanut butter is a stick-to-the-ribs kind of food. When Mattes offered a group of volunteers seven different snack foods (including peanut butter, rice cakes, pickles, and almonds), study participants reported that peanut butter or peanuts were much more filling snacks than rice cakes or pickles and tamed hunger for much longer. Sure, peanut butter is high in fat and calories, but if a small amount can quell hunger, that might explain why dieters seem more satisfied with weight-loss plans that include the spread.
But dieting or not, Mattes says a tablespoon or two of peanut butter is all it takes to net a world of benefits for both the heart and waistline. And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving. CookingLight.com: Nutrition faceoff: Peanut butter vs. cream cheese
2. Eggs
Misconception: Eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, so they don't have a place in my heart-healthy diet.
Why they're good for you: Eggs contain a variety of substances that appear to promote good health. Choline, a nutrient that is critical to brain function, is one example. Eggs, it seems, are one of the richest food sources of choline. Scientists at the University of North Carolina find adding choline to the diets of pregnant animals improves memory performance in their offspring. It may seem like a leap to apply this finding to people, but researchers are already encouraging pregnant women to eat eggs and other choline-rich foods (such as beef liver) during pregnancy.
Eggs are also being studied because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that may keep eyes healthy and ward off the leading cause of blindness, macular degeneration. A recent report in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that we look at the egg as a whole package: Eggs are inexpensive, contain the highest-quality protein on the planet, and are loaded with small amounts of vital nutrients, including folate, riboflavin, selenium, B12, and choline. At 75 calories apiece, eggs are also a nutrient-dense food that makes a smart and low-calorie contribution to any menu.
3. Coffee
Misconception: The only thing you get from drinking coffee is a caffeine buzz.
Why it's good for you: The average cup of coffee has hundreds of different chemical compounds. Maybe that's why news reports about coffee vacillate between lauding its health benefits and labeling it harmful. Still, the benefits of coffee seem to outweigh the negatives.
To name just a few: Some Arizona researchers recently discovered that caffeinated coffee helps improve memory in older adults. A new study from the United Kingdom suggests that small amounts of coffee consumed throughout the day can increase alertness and improve performance on all kinds of tasks, including those that require hand-to-eye coordination and attention to detail. Preliminary studies suggest regular coffee drinking may lower risk of type 2 diabetes. A new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that people who drink a daily four to six cups have a 28 percent lower risk of developing this illness--which is fast becoming an epidemic in this country--than folks who drink less than two cups each day. Researchers arrived at those numbers by pooling the results of nine different studies from the United States and around the world. Speculation is that caffeine deserves the credit, though it could be an antioxidant phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid. (If you drink several cups, spread them throughout the day to prevent the jitters, and avoid coffee late in the day, which can interfere with sleep.) CookingLight.com: Discover the perks of caffeine
4. Avocado
Misconception: I shouldn't eat avocados because they're high in fat.
Why they're good for you: A lot of attention centers on the fact that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the heart-healthy kind. Yet scientists are now more interested in the active compounds in avocados that might help prevent cancer. One recent study found that those compounds can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in the laboratory. While conducting the study, these researchers found avocados are loaded with a variety of antioxidants, including familiar disease-fighting compounds such as lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin E.
Another recently discovered benefit is that avocados help the body absorb phytochemicals from other foods. Researchers from Ohio State University recently reported that pairing avocados with salsa or salad allows for better absorption of antioxidants in those foods. The lycopene in tomatoes or the beta-carotene in carrots may be better absorbed if there's a slice or two of avocado in the bowl. Scientists suspect that the fat content of avocados helps the body absorb these antioxidants. CookingLight.com: Good fats vs. bad fats
5. Mushrooms
Misconception: Mushrooms are a low-calorie food with little nutritional benefit.
Your Health Tools
Why they're good for you: They may be 90 percent water and have only 18 calories per cup, but mushrooms are getting serious scientific attention. Laboratory reports and animal studies show that compounds in mushrooms may do everything from bolster immune function to suppress breast and prostate cancers to decrease tumor size. And now, Penn State researchers find that mushrooms, from the humble button to the giant portobello, harbor large amounts of an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. The scientific buzz is that fungi, for the moment, are the only foods that contain this compound.
While scientists work to figure out how these findings will translate to dietary advice, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy mushrooms. Clare Hasler, Ph.D., a well-known expert in functional foods and executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the University of California, Davis, points out that mushrooms offer a healthy helping of the blood pressure-- lowering mineral potassium. "Most people might be surprised to learn that while orange juice is touted as one of the highest potassium foods, one medium portobello mushroom actually has more potassium," she says. "And five white button mushrooms have more potassium than an orange." E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend
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Replies
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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.0 -
I love this list!!
I dont like avocado, thought.
Coffee, on the other hand, oh my god I love coffee.0 -
:flowerforyou:0
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I think the point is to dispel misconceptions about peanut butter. USAG isn't going to sit there and tell you which peanut butter you should buy. I mean if that were the case, then USAG should say that you should buy cage free eggs and organic avocados.
I love all those things and I have eaten over the past years to lose the weight. Peanut Butter and some celery sticks are the perfect afternoon snack. :flowerforyou: :drinker:0 -
Apples are good for you too. Just make sure that when you do, they aren't rotten apples. Rotten apples aren't good for you. Just wanted to relay that bit of information :devil:0
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I think the point is to dispel misconceptions about peanut butter. USAG isn't going to sit there and tell you which peanut butter you should buy. I mean if that were the case, then USAG should say that you should buy cage free eggs and organic avocados.
I love all those things and I have eaten over the past years to lose the weight. Peanut Butter and some celery sticks are the perfect afternoon snack. :flowerforyou: :drinker:
But for those of us that know there is a difference between Jif you buy at Wal-mart and the Natural Peanut Butter I make at my house that is fine.
The point I am making is that millions of people that are not educated to what is healthy and what is not, is going to have people rushing to wal-mart tonight to purchase Jif, Skippy and the like and that is not healthy.
Looks like to me they are feeding an agenda more than anything. The least they can do if they are going to dispel myths is to make the FACTS straight.
And I only buy farm eggs, so I don't believe that the eggs your purchase from the store are healthy either............especially after an article I read today regarding these farmers giving chickens, cows, pigs, etc polyunsaturated fats in their diets and what that is doing to our food supply. That is why I purchase meat that was raised on a farm only now days.
And there is no reason to purchase organic avocadoes because you peel them, the skin is not eaten - so organic doesn't matter on that point.0 -
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.
I think your comment is exactly why the article stated, "And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving."
Just because the trans fats are "not detectable" doesn't mean they're not there, but it does mean that it's loaded with trans fats according to their findings. I believe the article was referring to regular peanut butter and not "natural" peanut butter. "Natural" peanut butter wouldn't have any trans fats because it's so minimally processed, so there would be no need to mention it at all if they were referring to "natural" peanut butter.
According to peanutbutterlovers.com:
Regular peanut butter does contain a tiny, tiny amount (far less than 1%) of partially hydrogenated oil. It keeps the oil from separating out of the peanut butter and rising to the top of the jar, makes the peanut butter creamier, and dramatically increases the shelf life of the peanut butter.
The resulting amount of trans fat in regular peanut butter is so small that, under the proposed FDA labeling guidelines for trans fats, the peanut butter labels will list 0 trans fats. The proposed FDA rule indicates that trans fat amounts of less than .5g cannot be accurately measured and will be listed on the label as 0.
However, natural peanut butters do not contain partially hydrogenated oils. There are a number of natural peanut butters on the market, so consumers who wish to completely avoid partially hydrogenated oils can still enjoy peanut butter. The peanut oil will rise to the top. Simply stir it back in before using.0 -
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.
I think your comment is exactly why the article stated, "And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving."
Just because the trans fats are "not detectable" doesn't mean they're not there, but it does mean that it's loaded with trans fats according to their findings. I believe the article was referring to regular peanut butter and not "natural" peanut butter. "Natural" peanut butter wouldn't have any trans fats because it's so minimally processed, so there would be no need to mention it at all if they were referring to "natural" peanut butter.
The USGA has an agenda just like the FDA and the USDA..................
They are the ones that were trying to say a few years ago that trans fats weren't bad for you. Everything I have read says that the even tiniest bit of trans fats are a road to heart disease as it is not a naturally made fat.
Now the government is trying to ban trans fats so even the smallest bit is very bad for you.0 -
The USGA has an agenda just like the FDA and the USDA..................
I do think I remember something about the USDA being funded by JIF and Skippy.
Oh, and the point of buying organic avocados would be the environment.0 -
Good information. I get freshly ground peanut butter from Earth Fare and I love it as a high protein snack. I like it better than the store-bought stuff anyway.
I like eggs. They've gotten a bad wrap since the cholesterol argument started. I ate (and still eat!! :happy: ) mine anyway and my cholesterol, despite my weight, have always been better than my husband's and he weighs a lot less.
Coffee is something that I don't drink a lot of (though I enjoy it when it's on cold mornings) because it stains my teeth...bleh. It's nice to know that my occasional cup isn't wholly bad for me, though - that is until I add my sugar and creamer!
Thanks for the article. It's got some good stuff in it.
:flowerforyou:0 -
The USGA has an agenda just like the FDA and the USDA..................
I do think I remember something about the USDA being funded by JIF and Skippy.
Oh, and the point of buying organic avocados would be the environment.
I buy organic according to a list my natural pharmacist and naturopath gave to me.
Anything you don't eat the skin on........bananas, avocados, pineapple, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit............you get the picture.
I try to buy organic on the "dirty" dozen.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!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!
That is true, I get my organics from my aunt who has a large garden, my aunts best friend and if I have to purchase from a store, we have a farmers market, Neighborhood Coop and then each small town has a Saturday farmers market every saturday morning at the park.0 -
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.
What about hazelnuts? I love them and I love hazelnut natural butter and walnut natural butter.0 -
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 0 -
According to the American Study of Epidemiology, daily coffee drinkers have a 49% lower risk of oral, esophageal, and pharyngeal cancers: 1 possible reason is caffeine might slow tumor growth. Good news for coffee drinkers. :drinker: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=hpoAtwVyzZI0 -
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.
What about hazelnuts? I love them and I love hazelnut natural butter and walnut natural butter.
Not a big fan of hazelnuts, blech.................haven't tried walnut butter though and I love walnuts.0 -
Coffee is a naturally occuring beanCoffee is seriously bad for you. A little caffeine is good if acquired through naturally occuring fruits and vegatables,It increases the acidic level of the body,
Your body is more than capable of handling acid/ base imbalances through homeostasis. That is unless you plan on drinking a whole a can of coffee in one cup.
If you have bad kidneys you may want to skip the coffeedehydration and stress of the kidneys
Coffee contains potassium and other trace nutrients but it also contains water. Water doesn't contain nutrients but it is good for hydration just like any other fluid.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
Your body is more than capable of handling caffeine in small doses. It can regulate acid/base levels. If your body cannot; then coffee is the least of your problem.
Meant with kindness0 -
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.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.
What do you mean you have a problem with my version of healthy? There is no need to down me as I am entitled to believe what I want to believe and if I don't want to put unnecessary chemicals into my body, then I won't do it.
And from what I am reading - mass produced fruits and vegetables that are non-organic ARE less nutrient dense because the land has been over farmed and stripped of the vital nutrients, there fore producing vegetables and fruits that are larger in size, less nutrient dense and contain more sugar than is needed.
So, those store bought items are less healthy for you.
If I had the choice between a fast food salad and non-organic fruit or vegetable, it would depend on what the fruit or vegetable was that was being offered to me - I might just do without either and find some protein that I could have instead.0 -
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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