going organic, part 1, questions

[davester]

Z wrote:
5. Cut back on soda/pop. I like sugar as much as the next person, but there are better places to get my calories, thank you. Juice + carbonated water has a nice bite.

Yeah, like to ZERO. Soda/pop is an affliction in our country that is driving all sorts of health problems, and there's absolutely no need for it. The quantity of this garbage consumed by kids and adults today is insane. Back in my youth (not that terribly long ago), I was restricted to one soda pop a week (8 or 12 oz too!). You can't talk "health eating" out of one side of your mouth while sucking down soda pop on the other side.

[raz]

We've subscribed to a local organic farm (CSA) for about 10 years now. I'm not really sure the veggies are any better than the factory produced stuff you get at the supermarket, but the cost is very reasonable and the thought of putting that much fewer chemicals into the planet (and us) makes it a no brainer.

[Carnos Jax]

dk62 wrote: ...And finally, realize that eating organic and locally produced food can be considered somewhat elitist. There is no way that the population of Earth can be fed by small operations or organically-grown produce. Therefore, the majority of humans have only the choice of eating "artificially" grown/produced food - or starving. So it may be OK for you to wish to feed your family with "good" food, but there is no way that the practice can be proselytized.

Not saying you're wrong here, but I do question it. As I understand it, the U.S. produces far more food than it needs. If areas like China, India and Africa produce food with non-natural pesticide/herbicide/fertilizer, have they only done so relatively recently (in the last couple of decades)? How did the feed everyone before that? Do they even do it today? Is it more expensive than the organic method (even though it wasn't certified as so) on a yield basis?

[$tevie]

The only thing I will add is that eating maple syrup is basically the same thing as eating sugar. I can't see the point in going to all this trouble to try to eat healthy, but at the same time making an effort to accommodate your children's "need" to eat syrup every day. Make maple syrup a weekend treat and use the good stuff.

[Z]

$tevie wrote:
The only thing I will add is that eating maple syrup is basically the same thing as eating sugar...

But it is yummy sugar!

Agree that it should be a weekend/occasional sort of thing. And yes, please use the good stuff. Interesting to see the difference between Grade A light and Grade B dark amber, after a friend brought us a bottle of Grade A from Ontario for our wedding. Both are good, but very different in flavor. Anyway, a digression from the topic at hand.

[ztirffritz]

jdc wrote:
>>> The average bra size is increasing dramatically too. I believe that most girls are now 'C' or 'D' cups.

really? you have any facts to back this up?

There are plenty of facts to back that up, but they are admittedly hard to find, even in the age of Google. Any time you do a search for anything involving breasts useful information gets lost in the 'noise' if you know what I mean. There was an article in Newsweek a few years ago about the phenomena that I remember specifically.

Some other interesting reading on the subject can start with this guy:
Norman Borlaug
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug

He is credited with the spread of industrial farming techniques that changed the world. There is debate about whether his efforts really helped things because they caused other problems down the road, but no one debates that he changed the world. His efforts marked the end of 'organic' farming in much of the world.

[OWC Jamie]

If you substitute strawberries and whipped cream for the butter / margarine and maple syrup you can eat them every day.

(just make believe there is no sugar nor moo fat in whipped cream) :-)


You should be eating oatmeal anyway. :-)

[Z]

Woah woah woah... real butter is good no worse or possible better than margarine.

[lazydays]

Thanks everyone, lots of good information here. Dialing it down it sounds like the focus should primarily be on beef, chicken, milk, eggs and butter.

There also seems to be a lot of interest in reducing hormones but very little in reducing pesticides (at least that's how I'm hearing it).

Last, sugar intake should be reduced. I'm going to have to spend some time comparing the sugar in the syrup to the sugar in the cereal. Oatmeal might fly for my youngest daughter but no way for the older one.

Thanks for all the information and please continue to post if you think of anything else.

[$tevie]

I think substituting fruit for the syrup is actually a really good idea. Sounds yummy, too.