Is Organic Food Better?

A co-worker and I were discussing organic food and the pros and cons -- yes, there are cons -- of buying organic. After our discussion, I hopped on Google and found a terrific article on the subject from WebMD: Is Organic Food Better for You?

You're trying to eat healthy, and you know that means choosing plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. But as you wander the aisles of your local market, checking out the fresh produce, meats, and dairy products, you realize there's another choice to make: Should you buy organic?

Advocates say organic food is safer, possibly more nutritious, and often better tasting than non-organic food. They also say organic production is better for the environment and kinder to animals.

And more and more shoppers seem convinced. Even though organic food typically costs more --sometimes a lot more -- sales are steadily increasing.

"We've had a strong 20%-a-year growth rate since 1990," says Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA). She also says more land is going into organic production all the time -- up to 2.35 million acres in 48 states as of 2001.

But many experts say there's not enough evidence to prove any real advantage to eating organic foods.

"There's really very limited information in people on actual health outcomes with consumption of these products," says David Klurfeld, PhD, chairman of the department of Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University in Detroit. "We don't know enough to say that one is better than the other."

So before you decide whether organic food is worth the price of admission, let's take a look at the issues.

Continue reading...

ABS DIET POWER Tip: Add Almonds to Yogurt

A few weeks ago a Marine buddy of mine (who also abides by ABS DIET POWER) showed me a little trick to stomaching a serving of almonds -- something of which I'm not all too fond in the first place.

Simply adding a handful of almonds to yogurt kills two food groups in one does, and makes for a more filling snack.

I dig it.

Try it out. Let me know what you think.

ABS DIET POWER

Contrary to what the title of my blog may lead you to believe, my intention is not to mirror the information presented in Men's Health Magazine. I don't work for Men's Health Magazine, and I don't have any vested interest in the magazine's success.

However, I do read the magazine and value highly its content.

That said, I have become a huge believer in the magazine's powerfood acronym: ABS DIET POWER.

If you have yet to hear about this, it's quite brilliant. The system encourages you to focus on a generous market basket of food types -- known as the Abs Diet Power 12 -- to fulfill your core nutritional needs.

A - almonds and other nuts
B - beans and other legumes
S - spinach and other greens (broccoli, cucumbers, celery)

D - dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt)
I - instant oatmeal
E - eggs
T - turkey and other lean meats (chicken, fish, lean steak)

P - peanut butter
O - olive oil
W - whole wheat/grain products
E - extra protein (whey)
R - raspberries and other berries

For maximum health benefits, it is recommended that you include two or three of these foods in each of your three major meals and at least one of them in each of your three snacks. If you're like me and graze all day long, these foods are quite easy to incorporate into your 6-8 meals each day.

The Abs Diet Power website has a pretty cool matrix that explaining the benefits of each of these foods.

For me, I dig the guidelines a system like this provides. Grocery shopping is a lot easier when you've got certain parameters. Not eating like crap at the office is a lot easier when you've got an acronym taped to your desk.

I like to think of my body as a machine, and the ABS DIET POWER system as the process by which I abide to turn on, rev up, and keep the engine running efficiently.

Worth it? I think so.

Your thoughts?