Is organic food better for you? I think more people would definitely prefer organic food over regular food.
A Food and Drug Administration committee concluded Thursday that there is still insufficient evidence supporting the relationship between artificial food dyes and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While, the FDA won’t make any recommendations to ban or limit the use of artificial colors in foods, the committee did state that further research on the effects of food dyes on children is needed.There are currently eight artificial dyes being used in the United States. These dyes can be found in everything from candy to frozen or boxed dinners. Many European companies have switched to natural coloring methods, even in such candies as Skittles and Starburst.A question that comes to my mind is, whether food dyes cause or worsen ADHD symptoms or not, do we really want to be putting artificial material into our children’s bodies, just because it looks pretty and is easily accessible? If you read the labels on food, you will probably be surprised at how many items contain artificial colors. Yet is the amount of coloring found in each food enough to do harm to our children’s bodies? Is it worth taking the extra precautions and spending the extra money to keep artificial colors out of our children’s food?
Everyone has their favorites and the ones that they try to avoid. Which types of food do you like the least?
I think it is. From what I've seen it is less convenient more expensive than eating poorly, and I think this should change. It's easy to get some cheap processed food but hard to get some cheap natural food.
With the recent premiere of the second season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, we wanted to see what people's favorite healthy foods are.
More than half a billion eggs have recalled due to salmonella risk. How worried are you about eggs? How about the rest of your food?
In the last four years, we have now experienced two hikes in the price of food. Today, food prices are now higher in real terms than they have been since 1984 under the Ronald Reagan Administration. If China's wheat harvest is destroyed by the current drought, as is expected, food prices will spike even higher. If any more Middle Eastern Oil Producing countries become over-run with revolution, it will also cause an increase in the price of food because of the costs of the energy used from oil to harvest the food.There are several reasons for the price of food to skyrocket. Those most often discussed are the following: Temporary Problems: caused by things such as the current droughts in Russia, China, and Argentina or the floods in Canada and Pakistan. Speculation: increased financial trading causing prices to be more volatile.Structural Problems: example of this would be the growth of China and India; currently their own farmers are able to provide for their growth, but eventually local farmers won't be able to provide enough food for their growing populations. Generally speaking, the World's Population is growing faster than the yields of the World's most important crops, wheat and rice.Decline in Public Spending on Agricultural Research: unlike most farm subsidies, basic agricultural research has been shown to work in keeping the price of food low. Afterall, the Green Revolution began with public research. The Green Revolution was a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives developed by Mexico between the 1940's and 1970's that increased agricultural production around the world. Western Countries have purposely cut back funding for studies conducted by International Institutions and Universities for Agricultural Research.Of these four reasons often discussed as causing a worldwide spike in the price of food, which do you believe is currently having the largest impact?
On June 2 the United States Department of Agriculture released a new food guide, akin to the classic Food Pyramid, this time called a Food Plate. The new graphic emphasizes portion control, although the size of the plate is not specified. It encourages lots of vegetables, which critics like. The web site contains further information, including sensible advice about eating less and avoiding fat and sodium. I think the information sections – including the info on protein, which encourages plant-based proteins – are a great step in the right direction.This new design does away with the exercise message of the pervious pyramid. The guidelines do not discourage processed foods or encourage whole foods, although SF Gate says, “Let's give USDA credit for going as far as it could without directly confronting the processed-food and soft-drink industries.” The plate shape doesn’t provide information about how much of each group to eat in a day, or how to eat meals that aren’t served in that arrangement. It’s not perfect, but we can’t expect perfection. Do you think the Food Plate will help guide Americans to make better choices in their diet?
As more and more Americans apply for and receive food stamps (actually, it's called SNAP now, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), fast food restaurants, in particular fast food conglomerate Yum! Brand foods, are looking to cash in. Yum! Brand owns KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, among others, and they're lobbying their home state of Kentucky to allow SNAP recipients to use their stamps at the company's restaurants.Generally, food stamps only apply to non-prepared food -- stuff you can get in a grocery or convenience store, but not hot meals like those served at restaurants. However, some areas of California, Arizona and Michigan have already opened up restaurants to receive SNAP dollars, using a provision from the 1970s that "allows states to allow restaurants to serve disabled, elderly and homeless people," those unable or unequipped to prepare their own food. Yum! Brand wants more states to enact this provision, so they can rake in the food stamp dollars.In a country dealing with hunger and poverty and obesity, an attempt to make fast food even more available to the most vulnerable among us sparks strong reactions. Anti-hunger advocates feel that any increase in the availability of food is a good thing. Edward Cooney of the Congressional Hunger Center asks, "Think going hungry is better [than eating fast food]? I'm solidly behind what Yum! is doing." Coalition for the Homeless, too, says that for people who don't live near a grocery store and can't afford a restaurant, "this would allow people to get a reduced price meal at a small deli or a restaurant, and that does include fast-food restaurants," and they see that as a good thing. Public health advocates oppose the idea of food stamps going to fast food restaurants, just as they oppose fast food's current domination of the market among poor individuals who look to fast food for the cheapest, most plentiful calories. "It's preposterous that a company like Yum! Brands would even be considered for inclusion in a program meant for supplemental nutrition," said a spokeswoman for Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. A Grist food writer says, "I'm not crazy about the idea of expanding access to highly processed fast food to the elderly, disabled, or homeless poor," but concedes, "In many poor neighborhoods, fast food is the only restaurant game in town. That's the fundamental problem, of course."A writer at Seattle PI looks for a compromise between these positions, stating, "If government can afford to subsidize big industries – and let’s face it, allowing fast food places to accept food stamps is ultimately a subsidy program for the corporations who own them – it can also show some support for small produce farms. Our taxes would be well spent by keeping healthy nutrition affordable for everyone."What do you think? Would food stamps at restaurants help or harm the hungry? Or can we find a compromise here?
In the United States, it's much cheaper to buy a meal heavy in fats, salt and sugar like a fast-food burger, fries and soda than it is to buy a meal of whole foods, including fresh vegetables, whole grains and healthier meats like fish. The ubiquity of cheap, poor quality, low nutrition food has led to health problems, medical costs and a lower quality of life for many Americans. Although the government has encouraged healthier choices by providing educational resources and reformulating the food pyramid into a more intuitive "plate" graphic, these efforts neglect to address the economic factors of unhealthy eating. Lower-income Americans are unable to buy and eat more nutritious whole food because of its cost.To address this problem, food journalists have proposed a tax on processed food and a subsidy on nutritious food. A New York Times article from last month explains that food companies are in it for the profit, not the health of their customers. If the government intervened with a tax and tipped the scales so that processed food was less profitable, food companies would follow the money and increase the quality of their products. The income from taxed soda and chips could go toward decreasing the cost of fresh greens, fruit and legumes. This isn't a radical idea. The reason heavily processed foods like soda and French fries are so cheap is because the government subsidizes farming of corn and soy, the sources of almost all added sugar and fat. The process could, in theory, be reversed. States, cities and even the federal government are already considering a tax on soda, party for its public health benefits and partly for the revenue, and it seems just a matter of time before those go into action.However, even if the political will were there, it may not solve all our problems. Studies have shown that year-to-year food prices won't change obesity rates, and taxation only goes so far toward changing behavior -- to bust Big Tobacco, the government not only taxed cigarettes but restricted advertising. Grist food writer Tom Laskawy brings up these points in a response to the NYT piece, and concludes, "The only thing more frustrating than the limited effect such a program might have is the utter political impossibility of enacting it."Do you think a low-quality food tax would benefit public health? Would legislation like this get enacted, given the chance?
Most foods that you buy in the grocery store will have labels on them to inform you on when they are no longer good to eat. Do you listen to them?
Last week, Tiffany went home after a deserted island elimination challenge. Her dish was a hot conch chowder and a cold ceviche that turned all cold before the judges could get to it. So who is left? Blais, Mike Isabella, and Antonia go on to face another round of eliminations before the Top Chef All-Star is chosen. So who has the best chance of winning? Blais has consistently cooked good food. He has never been on the bottom and has won many of the challenges. His food is innovative and interesting and tastes good as well. Mike Isabella was the surprise of the season. His cooking has gotten better and better each week. He also took time to study what might be in challenges in the Bahama's. So the rest of the competitors were left to bang on conch like the Flintstones while Mike simply boiled them and pulled them out. However , he also has been sneaky. Does he deserve to win after stealing Blais' idea of chicken oyster in an oyster shell? You be the judge. Then there is Sweet Antonia. Consistent cooking in her own style has got her this far, should she go all the way? The only times she has ended on the bottom is when she veered from her own style. While she is not my favorite, I must admit that her food is the type that I would most likely want to try to cook. So there are the choices, Blais, Mike, and Antonia....who will it be? Update:On the most recent episode of Top Chef, Antonia was sent packing and we are now down to only Mike Isabella and Blais. Out of our last two contestants, Who Should Win Top Chef All Start?
What do you guys do to cure your drinking woes? Personally, electrolytes, B-complex vitamins, and plenty of water do the trick for me along with some greasy food.
Hardee's has teamed up with the St. Louis Cardinals, Coca-Cola and Fox Sports Mid-West to offer the "Supreme Fan Experience." This four-week promotion will offer customers a scratch-off game piece with every combo meal purchase. The sweepstakes runs through July 17. Each game piece is a winner, but only one lucky winner will be the St. Louis Cardinals "Supreme Fan" - with an opportunity to throw out a first pitch, receive field box tickets and a replica Cards jersey, passes to the Fox Sports Mid-West Broadcasting Booth, free food and beverages provided by Hardee's of Busch Stadium, and be recognized on the jumbotron. Prizes Include: - An opportunity to participate in an on-field ceremony and throw out a first pitch of the game --8 Field Box Tickets in the Cabana for the Sept. 20 St. Louis Cardinals game --Free Food & Beverages provided by Hardee's of Busch Stadium. --Passes to the Fox Sports Mid-West Broadcasting Booth --A Replica St. Louis Cardinals Jersey --Recognition on the Jumbotron ADDITIONAL PRIZES include: BOGO Busch Stadium Tickets, 10 percent Cardinal Merchandising (Team Store & Cardinals Authentics), $15 Loge Tickets in August & September, Fox Sports Mid-West Mouse Pad and food prizes.
Hardee's has teamed up with the St. Louis Cardinals, Coca-Cola and Fox Sports Mid-West to offer the "Supreme Fan Experience."
This four-week promotion will offer customers a scratch-off game piece with every combo meal purchase. The sweepstakes runs through July 17.
Each game piece is a winner, but only one lucky winner will be the St. Louis Cardinals "Supreme Fan" - with an opportunity to throw out a first pitch, receive field box tickets and a replica Cards jersey, passes to the Fox Sports Mid-West Broadcasting Booth, free food and beverages provided by Hardee's of Busch Stadium, and be recognized on the jumbotron.
Prizes Include:
- An opportunity to participate in an on-field ceremony and throw out a first pitch of the game
--8 Field Box Tickets in the Cabana for the Sept. 20 St. Louis Cardinals game
--Free Food & Beverages provided by Hardee's of Busch Stadium.
--Passes to the Fox Sports Mid-West Broadcasting Booth
--A Replica St. Louis Cardinals Jersey
--Recognition on the Jumbotron
ADDITIONAL PRIZES include: BOGO Busch Stadium Tickets, 10 percent Cardinal Merchandising (Team Store & Cardinals Authentics), $15 Loge Tickets in August & September, Fox Sports Mid-West Mouse Pad and food prizes.
October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, according to the North American Vegetarian Society. October 1st was World Vegetarian Day, or Hug a Vegetarian Day if you ask PETA. NAVS says of the month-long celebration of meat-free diets, "For those new to vegetarianism, it serves as an enticement to give meatless fare a try (even for a day) and learn about its many benefits. And, of course, it's the perfect occasion for vegetarians and those already moving towards plant-based diets to celebrate their healthy, compassionate food choices."There are many reasons that vegetarians and flexitarians (people who eat meat only occasionally, like once a week) choose a meat-free diet. Plant-based diets are often healthier and people who avoid meat generally weight less than those who don't. Some people have ethical objections to either factory farming or any kind of killing for food. Others choose not to eat meat to have a positive impact on the environment -- some experts, including advisors to the UN, have said that avoiding meat is one of the most effective ways to reduce your climate change impact. Of course, that's disputable -- Fox News disputes it, at least.But most of us can agree that eating less meat is probably a good thing. The best part? You don't have to go full-on PETA-style vegan to embrace the message of Vegetarian Awareness Month. Cut meat out of your diet one day each week in October, and you'll have a positive impact in addition to trying something new and personally benifical. Plus, you'll be in good company.Will you choose meat-free options during Vegetarian Awareness Month?
Larry King
March Madness
Natasha Fame Leslie
Ryan Seacrest
Sanu Dellafiore
John Armstrong
Fred Hanna
Georgia Hester
