KTK-Nutrition

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 ...

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?   They...

Are organic foods healthier?   Should you spend the extra money and purchase organic foods?    People you know may buy no organic, buy some organic or all organic which can be quite pricey.      So what are organic foods and what are the advantages of going organic? Organic – The main advantage of organic is that these foods don’t have the pesticides, herbicides, hormones or drugs that can be found in non-organically grown food.             Plants – may use natural pesticides like soaps, plant oils or bugs but not chemical pesticides.                     Only natural fertilizers used like manure or compost.            Animals – are not fed hormones or given antibiotics, and the animals are fed only organic feed         ...