Eating For Health

So many options for buying organic food.   Everyone knows you pay more for organic food.   Why?   Is buying organic really better for your health?   Consumer Reports has some interesting information in their article, Organic Food on a Budget . With food prices increasing many people who bought organic food before are now cutting back.   How can you enjoy organic food on a budget?  What does organic mean?   The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal agency that regulates organic food.   To be labeled “organic” food must be grown and processed according to federal guidelines.   Or, animals must be raised according to federal guidelines.   These guidelines cover soil quality, pest and weed control, and how additives are used. Produce – organic produce is grown free of synthetic fertilizers, free of pesticide use. In grocery stores, the organic produce is kept separate from regular produce.   I had a student who w...

Have you heard of fa!rlife (the brand uses all lower case letters and an exclamation point for the “i”) Milk?   My daughter asked me if I had heard of it and a friend of hers read about it in a Men’s Health magazine.   The friend really liked the taste of it.   So, what is it and how does it differ from regular cow’s milk?   Is it healthier, does it cost more?   What is Fairlife (intentional cap) milk? It is cow’s milk that is altered in a number of ways.   One it is it ultra-filtered and two a lactase enzyme is added.   Like regular skim or fat-free milk, it is fortified with vitamins A and D. How is Fairlife milk different from regular cow’s milk, from Almond milk? Ultra-filtered – you may have seen other milks labeled “ultra-filtered”.   Ultra-filtration creates milk that has a longer shelf life.   Pasteurized milk means it is heated for 15-20 seconds to kill off some of the harmful bacteria.   Ultra-filtered milk ...

How often do we hear, “eat healthy”, “eat nutritious foods”?   Are there small changes you can make to boost your nutrition without giving up every fun food?   I like to focus on what you can add to your diet to make it healthier rather than focus on taking things away.   An article in Environmental Nutrition has some simple, easy ways to boost your nutrition by focusing on foods that are full of nutrition.   How can you Make Your Diet More Nutrient-Dense ?   Some suggestions adapted from this article: Organic Milk – is organic milk healthier?   It is more expensive but is it worth it?   A study in the British Journal of Nutrition noted that organic milk has more of the heart healthy fat, omega-3, a lot more, 56% more.   Milk is not a great source of iron or vitamin E but these were higher in organic milk.   Not to mention the healthier aspect of no hormones and no pesticides in the milk.   Why a higher nutritional value?   ...