Do you know what you are eating?

[Queen K]

Actually this whole thread is depressing... Lalalalalalala

Depressing? Hardly. In my first post I gave easy solutions to each problem, the microwave bit has been shown to be not as big a concern as originally thought, and to round it all off, QK misspelled microwave as micowave.

That was a typo!

Now go grow 14 tomato plants and report back in September.

[Bsuds]

and to round it all off, QK misspelled microwave as micowave.

Micowave is the new Nanoparticle oven cooking method and is much safer than a Microwave oven.
Queen K has purchased one for her new Kitchen!

[eMeM]

I received the same list as the OP a few weeks ago from Dr.Mercola's newsletter. I had some knowledge of good vs bad food but the potatoes was a "duh, slaps forehead" moment for me. Very good list. Around the same time I read about how bad canned soups (in general) can be. Campbel's condensed chicken noodle was near the top of that list. Same reasons as cited for the tomatoes - the BPA's leaching from the lining. Of course, that was right after I'd stocked up on canned soup! So it all went to the food bank and I made a couple of huge pots of home made soups. Have you ever tried to make a tomato based soup with fresh tomato instead of canned? Much to my suprise, it turned out just fine.

Here's a link I posted in another thread:

Canadian shoppers guide to avoid GM foods:
http://gmoguide.greenpeace.ca/shoppers_guide.pdf

[flamingfingers]

I received the same list as the OP a few weeks ago from Dr.Mercola's newsletter. I had some knowledge of good vs bad food but the potatoes was a "duh, slaps forehead" moment for me. Very good list. Around the same time I read about how bad canned soups (in general) can be. Campbel's condensed chicken noodle was near the top of that list. Same reasons as cited for the tomatoes - the BPA's leaching from the lining. Of course, that was right after I'd stocked up on canned soup! So it all went to the food bank and I made a couple of huge pots of home made soups. Have you ever tried to make a tomato based soup with fresh tomato instead of canned? Much to my suprise, it turned out just fine.

Here's a link I posted in another thread:

Canadian shoppers guide to avoid GM foods:
http://gmoguide.greenpeace.ca/shoppers_guide.pdf

I would be very, very careful about taking "Dr." Mercola's hypotheses as gospel. He is NOT a Medical Doctor! He is an osteopath. Here is a little snip I found in just a couple of minutes relating to AAPS:

Not to be confused with the Association of American Physicians or with the American Association of Physician Specialists.

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) is a politically conservative non-profit organization founded in 1943. [1] The group had approximately 4,000 members in 2005. [2] Notable members include Ron Paul and John Cooksey. [3] The executive director is Jane Orient, a member of the non-profit Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. AAPS publishes the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. The organization, its members, and the journal have all been the subjects of much criticism from mainstream medical sources.

[Lizard]

Code: Select all

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE56S3ZJ20090729

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http://www.scq.ubc.ca/organic-foods-healthy-alternative-or-just-another-fad/

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http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/healthy-eating/does-organic-mean-healthier

Just a few links to get you thinking.

Now as far as Microwave cooking goes:

Are you aware that you are exposed to non-ionizing radiation, in the same frequency band as microwave appliances produce, everywhere you go? Do you use a wireless phone, cell phone, wireless computer device?

Microwaves cook food by exciting the water, fat and sugar molecules, causing them to vibrate thus producing heat, thus cooking your food. As far as I know there is no scientific evidence to suggest they induce chemical changes in the food anymore than conventional cooking. The lower temperature of cooking (the boiling point of water) is a significant safety benefit compared to baking in the oven or frying, because it eliminates the formation of tars and char, which are carcinogenic. Bacon cooked by microwave has significantly lower levels of carcinogenic nitrosamines than conventionally cooked bacon.

Microwaves are not the same as the particle-ionized radiation found in x-rays. They're non-ionizing electromagnetic waves between common radio waves and infrared frequencies. Microwaves pass through food to create the heat that cooks it.

Weighing all the research available, microwave cooking measures up equally to most other cooking methods. It also has the advantage of being fast, easy and cost effective.

[Glacier]

Flamingfingers, Information from "Dr." Mercola has to be taken with a big grain of salt, but just because he says something doesn't make it untrue. He basically takes "facts" from other sources and passes it on to his subscribers. Some of his sources are better than others.

Just a few links to get you thinking. ...

Here a few quick comments:

1) from the third article.

Far more dangerous than pesticides is E. coli, which a University of Minnesota study published in the Journal of Food Protection in 2004 found to be more prevalent in organic produce than in conventional. The study looked at 32 organic and eight conventional farms. It found the overall presence of E. coli in the organic produce tested "was approximately sixfold greater than in conventional fruits and vegetables." And unlike pesticides, washing doesn’t remove the E. coli threat.

You cannot wash off pesticide residue. BTW, those pesticide wash sprays don't work.

2) Regardless of nutritional benefits to you, conventional pesticides pollute the environment. Also, women farm workers are 3 TIMES more likely to develop breast cancer than the general public [1]. I don't know about you but, I don't feel comfortable contributing to other people's cancer.

3) From the second article:

Most toxicologists believe that there is no need to eliminate pesticides entirely and the amounts consumed in conventional foods are safe. As for organic farms being more beneficial to the environment, some studies do suggest organic farms are better at sustaining wildlife and are more energy efficient. In theory, the organic farm should be friendlier on the environment; however more data is needed to properly conclude these speculations since there are inconsistencies between the methodologies used to obtain the data.

The reason I often opt for the organic choice is not to eliminate pesticides entirely, but rather to reduce my pesticide intake. Also, do we really need to wait for the scientific studies to be finished before pronounce organic better for the environment? Where is the common sense?

4) From your first link:

"A small number of differences in nutrient content were found to exist between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs, but these are unlikely to be of any public health relevance," said Alan Dangour, one of the report's authors.

I guess there is a difference after all, even if it is "likely not significant enough to make a difference".

[1] http://www.canada.com/topics/news/natio ... 94&k=68090

[Glacier]

The label may say cod, but the lab says something's fishy

Watch the video...One out of every five fish is mislabelled, so you are being overcharged for fish 20% of the time!

[kgcayenne]

Speaking of this thread and what we eat.... watching Food Inc. at this very moment.

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Pas ... 1464545109

[Ash_W]

I'm sorry but do you talk on a cellphone?
Use a computer often?
Do you know exactly what's in your toothpaste, shampoo, makeup, body lotion?

Do you walk around outside where people smoke, cars drive by, planes fly overhead?

What about your cleaning products? What about the crap you feed your animals?

None of it is good, all of it contributes to SOMETHING so I find it pretty meaningless to get upset about tinned products or heating up plastic in a microwave when you're not looking into any of the other things you use or are around on an everyday basis.

[Glacier]

Who says I am not looking into any of the other things I am around on an everyday basis? I quit a job once because I was seriously concerned about chemicals I was exposed to on a daily basis.

You cannot avoid every harmful thing, but I believe looking after my body better than most increases my probability of have a longer, healthier, and happier life than the average person. Not only does the status quo effect me personally, it often negatively effects others. See link posted above.

With a little knowledge, healthy choices are easy to make, so I choose to learn what I can. I think I will educate myself right now and watch Food Inc. (I watched the 30 minute version last year, but haven't gotten around to watching the full length version).

[Ash_W]

Good lord.

People will jump on any old wagon that comes along. If you're going to die from something, chances are it's hereditary and eating a slice of tinned tomato isn't going to help or harm.

Food Inc? Yes, everything is mass produced, duh. Just walking into a grocery store is supporting it. Did you know the majority of "organic" food is actually FLOWN in from Asia?

Why don't you do yourself a favour and tune into Pen and Tellers *bleep* because that's all most of this is.

[Glacier]

Did you know the majority of "organic" food is actually FLOWN in from Asia?

Did you just make that up?

[Ash_W]

Nope.

Why don't you research a little more?

[Ash_W]

As well, it doesn't matter if you buy ORGANIC since majority of it is flown in.

You want to eat LOCAL

removed - Jennylives

[Glacier]

Or better yet, do both. I buy grass-fed ORGANIC beef from a farm less than 25 km from my house. Same goes for apples, and many other fruits and veggies. Do I always buy organic? Far from it, but within reason, I do. Another important concept sadly lacking today is to buy what is in season because the produce is local, more nutritious, flavorful, and less full of pesticides.

Oh, and welcome to the forums.