Monthly Archives: November 2012

Is Organic Food Better for You?

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By Carole Bartolottto, MA, RD

A recent Stanford University Study found that organic foods are not more nutritious than those that are conventionally grown. This finding was the result of a review of about 200 studies looking at the health, nutritional, and safety characteristics of organic vs. conventionally grown meat and produce. The results were a surprise to many and created such a firestorm of media attention and headlines that I decided to take a closer look at the Stanford review and what benefits, if any, organic foods have to offer.

The Stanford Review

There were some major flaws in the review, including the following:

  • They did not consistently compare the same varieties of fruits and vegetables grown in similar locations.
  • They narrowly defined nutritious as having more nutrients and did not include the amount of bacteria or number of pesticides in their definition of nutritious.
  • They excluded evaluating a host of nutrients that are typically higher in organic produce.
  • The way they analyzed the data was more effective for a single medication and not the diverse array of nutrients found in food.

Additionally, the review was published at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford which receives major funding from Cargill. Cargill is a large multinational corporation that buys and distributes grain and other agricultural products; processes, refines, and distributes oil and glucose syrup; and slaughters cows for beef, to name a few of its businesses. Cargill also contributed nearly a quarter of a million dollars to the “No on Prop 37” campaign to label genetically engineered foods. Clearly, they are not supporters of organic foods! I recommend taking the results of the Stanford review with a very large grain of salt.

So what are the benefits of organic foods?

  1. They have fewer pesticides! Even low levels of pesticides can cause developmental problems in children, such as a lower IQ. Pesticides also harm farm workers and wildlife around farms. I can’t help but wonder what low levels over a long period of time are doing to us.
  2. Organic fruits and vegetables are generally 5 to 15 percent higher in nutrients, but they can be 30 to 100 percent higher in some cases. And they are much higher in the health-enhancing phytochemicals that plants create to fight off pests.
  3. Organic produce can have a longer shelf life since they have more antibacterial phenolic acids under their skin, which helps prevent mold, bacterial growth, and thus spoilage.
  4. Organic foods have more microbial diversity with plenty of healthy bacteria. So if unhealthy bacteria are introduced, they are not as likely to multiply and cause health problems for us.
  5. Organic meats and poultry do not contain antibiotics or added hormones. Conventionally grown meats and poultry usually do. And conventionally grown are also more likely to contain bacteria that are resistant to 3 or more types of antibiotics!
  6. Organic foods are free of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
  7. Organic foods are better for the environment. They reduce the number of pesticides and other toxins found in the air, water, and soil.

As you can see, organics have a lot to offer. Since they are more expensive than conventionally grown produce and meats, you can save money by:

  • shopping at farmers markets or specialty store such as Trader Joe’s
  • growing your own veggies and planting a fruit tree if you have a yard
  • choosing organic versions of the most contaminated fruits and vegetables. See the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list here.

So are you ready to switch to organic foods? I am.

Copyright © 2012 Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD. All rights reserved.

How to Eat Less on Thanksgiving Day and a Book Giveaway!

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by Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD

 * Giveaway! See below for info on how to win a free copy of Michael Pollan’s Book, Food Rules.

For most Americans, Thanksgiving is the holiday we let loose and, let’s face it, binge. Turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, green bean casserole, rolls with butter, and a big slice of pie can push you over your calorie cliff. Add to that sugary drinks and alcohol and you will probably consume over 2,000 calories for just one meal! Considering that 2,000 calories is more than most people need for the entire day, here are a few tips to help you eat less on turkey day.

  1. Don’t drink your calories! Sugary drinks cause you to gain more weight than other foods. That’s because they have a lot of calories but they don’t make you feel full. And they cause you to feel hungry in just a few hours. Instead, try sparking mineral water or unsweetened teas. My current favorites are Hint Fizz and Trader Joe’s Sparkling Mineral water—especially the berry flavor.
  2. Fill up on vegetables without a lot of butter or fat and salads with minimal salad dressing.
  3. Choose smaller amounts of your favorite side dishes.
  4. If you are going to someone’s house, bring along a salad or other veggie you like to make sure you have at least one healthy option to eat.
  5. Limit your alcohol intake to one drink. Not only does alcohol add calories, it also lowers your inhibitions making it harder to say “no” to that second piece of pie.
  6. Make sure to eat breakfast. If you are hungry and faced with all the yummy choices on Thanksgiving Day, it is harder to resist temptation.
  7. Go for a walk or do some other physical activity. While this will not burn off all the extra calories you consume, even trimming 200 calories can help.

Remember, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is to give thanks for all the good things we have in life. Sometimes it’s so easy to focus on the problems that we lose sight of the good. Are you thankful for something? Let us all know by posting a comment below.

Book giveaway!! (Deadline is midnight on December 2, 2012)

I have two copies of Michael Pollen’s Book, Food Rules. To win one, all you have to do is:                      

1. Subscribe to Healthy Eating Rocks and leave a comment below. Once you subscribe, you will get an email and you must click “confirm follow” in order to complete your subscription. 

2. Like my Facebook page at Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD 

Copyright © 2012 Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD. All rights reserved.

How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods

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Depending on who you talk to, genetically engineered foods, also know as genetically modified foods (GMOs) are either Frankenfoods or the solution to world hunger; untested and unsafe or substantially equivalent to non-GMO crops. The truth lies buried under all the dogma but here are some sobering facts.

  1. We eat on average 193 pounds of genetically modified foods in a year, at minimum. Yes you read that right—193 pounds!
  2. There are no long-term safety studies in humans and none are in the works.
  3. Genetically modified crops use more pesticides. Their use has increased by 404 million pounds from 1996 to 2011. And stronger herbicides are needed to counter resistance, including 2,4-D, which is one of the chemicals found in Agent Orange! This is bad for the environment and can’t be good for us.
  4. Chemical companies that create GMO seeds, patent them so farmers have to buy new seeds each year. I just don’t think it is right to patent seeds, GMO or otherwise.
  5. Some of these companies, such as Monsanto, participate in unethical business practices including suing farmers for patent infringement when their non-GMO crops become contaminated with GMOs. See here for more info. Do we really want chemical companies to control our food supply?

It is for these reasons that I avoid genetically modified foods. I hope you consider removing them from your diet as well.

The current crops that are GMO are soy, corn, canola, sugar beets, cotton, zucchini, yellow crook neck squash, and alfalfa (which is fed to cattle and not us). Here are some tips to help you cut out the bulk of GMOs from your diet.

  • Buy USDA Organic, which is grown from seeds that are not genetically modified. 
  • Look for the Non GMO Project Verified label. Foods with this label are free of GMOs.
  • Buy brands that do not contain GMOs. All Trader Joe’s labeled foods, Whole Foods 365 Daily Value, and Follow Your Heart labeled foods are sourced to be free of GMOs.
  • Since most corn and soy are GMO, choose organic when you eat these foods. This includes sweet corn, corn tortillas, corn oil, corn chips, tofu, edamame, soy milk, and baby formula. You can also buy these foods if they have the Trader Joe’s or 365 Daily Value labels.
  • Oil is a major source of GMOs. Choose extra virgin olive oil or organic canola oil (cold pressed), or Trader Joe’s brand canola oil instead of corn, soy, cottonseed, or other oils.
  • Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are another source of GMOs. Cane sugar is not genetically engineered so when you do have sugar, choose cane. However, sugar is not good for us anyway, so it would be best to cut it out as much as you can.
  • Yellow crook neck squash, zucchini, and Hawaiian papaya are all genetically modified. Buy these foods organic. All Trader Joe’s produce is sourced to be free of GMOs so you can also buy these veggies there. You will notice that Trader Joe’s sells Caribbean papaya and not Hawaiian, which is one of the ways they avoid GMOs.
  • If you love processed foods, such as canned and packaged products, either buy organic or purchase Trader Joe’s labeled foods, 365 Daily Value, or Follow Your Heart brands.
  • There are a lot of invisible GMO ingredients in processed food. To learn more about them, see here.
  • Do you eat out a lot?
    • Ask your favorite restaurants if their menu items contain GMO ingredients. This will help increase their awareness and perhaps move them in the direction of removing GMOs from their menu.
    • If they don’t know, ask if they use organic foods. If they don’t use organic products, avoid tofu, corn, corn tortillas, corn chips, edamame and other foods from corn and soy. Also avoid sugar and desserts.
    • Ask what kind of oil they use. If it is soy, canola, or cottonseed, they are most likely GMO.
    • Avoid fried foods or ask them to use olive oil when grilling or frying.
    • Safe options are salad but ask for the cruets with olive oil (not an olive oil blend) and vinegar instead of other salad dressings.
    • Also ask what the chef prepares fresh and then request it to be made with olive oil or no oil.
    • The great news is that some restaurants have made the effort to avoid GMOs in the Los Angeles area such as Real Food Daily and Hugo’s. Some are in the process of removing them, such as Follow Your Heart Restaurant. The more you ask, the more likely restaurants in your area will remove them as well.
  • What else can you do? Request that restaurants and fast food establishments you go to use non-GMO ingredients. Sharkey’s says their corn chips are made with non-GMO corn and that is a good thing. But they are fried in genetically modified canola oil. Tell Sharkey’s, restaurants, fast food chains, and grocery stores, you want products without GMOs. They will respond to customer demand, as they have done in the past. Remember what happened when we found out there was “pink slime” in our hamburgers?

For more information, check out the non-GMO shopping guide here.

Copyright © 2012 Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD. All rights reserved.