Did you know that by simply looking at your produce, you can tell if it's organic or genetically modified? It's very simple, actually. The clues are in the price look up (PLU) code, which is the number you key in during checkout for every piece of produce.
A regular PLU code has 4 numbers. That means it is not organic, and it is not genetically modified.
Organic produce comes with a 5-digit PLU code. The first of those numbers is 9, as you see here.
Genetically modified produce also comes with a 5-digit PLU code. The first of those numbers is 8.
Next time you go to the grocery store, try it for yourself! I'm curious to hear from anyone who does, if the awareness changes your buying habits…
It's barbecue season. I don't need to look at the calendar or feel the temperature to know that. I simply have to look outside and see my neighbor Brett making dinner. The other night I stopped to chat and see what he was cooking. He had some corn on the cob, the way I like it, wrapped in foil and set on the back of the coals.
Brett asked me what I knew about corn, because he had been told that it was a food with no nutritional value. I was surprised when I Googled for more information to learn that this is a commonly held belief.
Corn actually has many nutrients in reasonable quantities, including fiber, protein, thiamin, folate (yup, folate), vitamin C, and magnesium. All of these are important for your health!
Corn may get its bad reputation from its oil, which, as you've seen in previous writings here, is pro-inflammatory. However, an entire cob of corn only has 1.2 grams. The problem with corn fat is when it's extracted, concentrated, and used to cook/add fat to other foods (e.g., Fritos). A fresh cob of corn is a great type of carbohydrate to add to a summer barbecue. To change the fat makeup, try one of my grilling favorites: brush with olive oil instead of butter and sprinkle with a bit of rosemary and Parmesan cheese.
One word of advice when shopping for corn: if avoiding genetically modified foods is important to you, be sure you by your corn from a purveyor who can document that their product has not been so altered. That's what you'll find at stores like Whole Foods and farmer's markets. The more we ask for what's best, the less demand we create for these types of products and the more we encourage genetically modified foods to not be sold.
There has been a lot of attention paid recently to BPA's, a kind of plastic found in beverage bottles, that has been associated with hormone disruption.
Naturally, when this is what you read in the news, you're going to gravitate toward non-plastic options. Even if it's natural, and biodegradable, there are things you may want to know before buying disposable cups, plates, and utensils.
Three types of bio-materials predominate in the dinnerware market.
Sugarcane, or bagasse, is made from the fibers left over from processing sugarcane stalks for their juice. Bagasse can also be made from sorghum or agave fibers. To the consumer, it's a benign and reasonable substitute. It may come at a price, however, as workers in the factories that produce bagasse are at greater risk of lung disease. It can hold materials up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Corn, or polylactic acid (PLA), is another common source for biodegradable dinnerware. One of the problems with PLA is that it begins to degrade at around 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This may render leaching into the beverage or liquid the container is holding. Since up to 86 percent of corn is genetically modified, and we've discussed a few potential health risks related to consuming genetically modified organisms, this may not be the number one choice. Note the heat disclaimer on this vendor's website.
Potatoes, or taterware, may hold the best promise. Its materials are 100% non-GMO. Of the three choices, it is the most heat stable, tolerating temperatures up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
I know this may seem a little off topic, but I know many of you readers are doing pretty well with your diets and still looking for PCOS relief. When I find this kind of information I like to post it, as little things do add up, and it's important to be aware of how seemingly neutral choices may in fact be influencing your biochemistry.
If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know how big I am on omega-3's from seafood. For those of you who are vegan, I've been recommending a product called Life's DHA, which can be found in supplements as well as foods. Many of these foods are labelled as organic, which is supposed to mean they are free of anything genetically modified.
Many thanks to our network member Michal Hogan who forwarded a news release with a detailed report about this product. It is GMO, and it is being incorporated into many foods that are sold as organic. I used to point several of them out when I did grocery store tours at Whole Foods.
This creates a dilemma for vegans, as the truth seems to be, if you're omega-3 deficient, and wish to supplement, you may have to use a fish-based product. There is always nori (sushi wrappers) and you can add sea vegetables…but the reality is, the average American is unlikely to be able to eat enough of these to be able to use them as a way to replete low DHA stores.
If you're vegan, it's going to be especially important to cut the omega-6 out of your diet to be sure it's not overwhelming the omega-3 that is actually there.
One thing I can recommend, and now that I read this report, strongly recommend…is that you have your blood omega-3 analysis performed with the home fingerprick test we offer. We do offer it at a discounted price. It will tell you exactly where you stand, how much this situation personally affects you, and gives anyone trying to help you pick the right foods, a better idea of what to advise you to do to improve your omega-3 status.
If you're simply relying on generalized Internet information you're playing a huge game of hit and miss. Why not get right to the point and figure out what YOU need to do personally?
I am not just sorry about having to backpedal. I am very, very sad. Such a high percentage of our readers and fans are vegans, and this was one of the ways out of the dilemma. Back to the drawing board.: (
This blog post is a guest post written by inCYST Network member Christine Marquette, RD, LD, CLT, HFS. Chris is especially well-informed about healthy eating for vegetarians with PCOS.
Chris has just finished writingthree great e-books about PCOS: (1) The Quick Start Guide to PCOS, (2) The Nutrition Guide to PCOS, and (3) The Supplement Guide to PCOS, which you can get for a 20% discount with the code INCYST20 at checkout.
Chris' private practice is located in Austin, TX. If you're farther away, you can keep up with herat her blog and on Twitter, at @ChrisMarquette, and on herFacebook fan page.
The Truth About Canola Oil
By Christine E. Marquette
Have you read somewhere on the internet, or better yet, gotten an email from a friend, that says canola oil is not healthy, and worse, is down right dangerous? I’ve gotten these emails myself, and have seen some of the websites disparaging canola oil. In an effort to set the record straight, I first looked up the nutritional profile of canola oil on the USDA’s Nutrient Data Library, and compared it to Olive Oil. Keep in mind that virtually every website that provides nutrient analysis information gets their data from this website.
What I found was that canola oil contains about 1 gram (g) of saturated fat, 8.86 g of monounsaturated fat, and 3.94 total grams of polyunsaturated fat per tablespoon.1 The polyunsaturated fat includes 1.28 g of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA omega 3) and 2.6 g of omega 6 fatty acids. Olive oil contains 1.86 g of saturated fat, 9.85 g of monounsaturated fat, and 1.42 total g of polyunsaturated fat per tablespoon.1 The total polyunsaturated fat includes 1.32 g of linoleic fat and 0.103 g of linolenic fat; it does not contain any ALA omega 3 fatty acids (or EPA or DHA omega 3). As you can see, canola oil actually has more omega 3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid than olive oil. This is one positive regarding canola oil.
But a lot of the fear mongers will say that even if this is true, canola oil has high levels of erucic acid, which is dangerous. Originally canola oil did come from the rapeseed plant, which is a member of the mustard family, and did have high levels of erucic acid, but newer “breeds” of rapeseed plant used to make canola oil now have very low levels of erucic acid.2 I did not find any studies showing that the level of erucic acid in canola today causes any health problems.
Others will go on to say that even if the erucic acids are low, it is still bad for you because the polyunsaturated fats in it are unstable and can become inflammatory. If canola oil was truly inflammatory, the various clinical studies on canola oil would have shown it. Instead, there have been several studies in humans showing canola oil “produces hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic effects,” which means it is indeed heart healthy. 3, 4
I did not find a single scientific study that showed any detrimental effects on humans from conventional canola oil. It is true that 80% of canola oil in North American is genetically modified to make it resistant to herbicides, which has not had an effect on its fatty acid profile. 5 There have also been some websites claiming that it has been banned in Europe. I have not found this to be the case either. It is true that in Europe there is a ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), so canola oil produced there comes from non-GMO rapeseed plants and is called “oil seed rape” rather than canola oil, but as far as its nutrient profile (percentage of omega 3s, monounsaturated fats, etc.) it is the same as conventional canola oil produced in North America.6
I can understand the fear in using GMOs, as some studies have shown certain foods that have undergone this process have gone on to cause problems in rats. The exact effect in humans is still under investigation. To allay that fear, I would suggest sticking with organic, non-GMO canola oil. Also make sure that no matter what type of oil you choose, if it is unrefined, avoid cooking at temperatures higher than about 355 F as high heat can cause chemicals to be released from unrefined oils that may increase the risk of cancer.7,8
1 USDA Agricultural Research Service Nutrient Data Laboratory/USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; accessed online June 16, 2011 at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
3 Indu M and Ghafoorunissa. N-3 Fatty acids in Indian Diets – Comparison of the effects of precursor (alpha-linolenic acid) Vs product (long chaing n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids). Nutrition Research, Vol 12 Issues 4-5 April-May 1992, pp. 569-582.
4 Ghafoorunissa. Fats in Indian diets and their nutritional and health implications. Lipids. 1996 Mar;31 Suppl:S287-91.
5 Canola Quick Facts: Why Growers Choose GM Canola. Accessed online June 17, 2011 at http://web.archive.org/web/20071026034326/http://www.canola-council.org/facts_gmo.html
6 Canola Oil: The Myths Debunked. Accessed online June 17, 2011 at http://www.canolacouncil.org/canola_oil_the_truth.aspx
7 Canola Oil. Accessed online June 15, 2011 at http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/canola.asp
8 Is Canola Oil Hazardous to Your Health? Accessed online June 16, 2011 at http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blcanola3.htm
Used with permission. Copyright 2011 Christine E. Marquette
I'm a nutritionist, I studied nutrition in school for 4 years, and I've been practicing in the profession for 26 years. You think that would give me enough time to learn about every fruit and vegetable there is to know about. Not. A few years ago I walked into the local produce section and there was this funky spotted thing called a PLUOT. What the heck?!?!?!
The produce man told me it was a cross between a plum and an apricot. That sounded cool, given the fact that half the time I ever bought apricots they were mealy and I like to try new things. I loved the taste and they've become one of my favorite summer treats.
I learned some interesting things about pluots while researching this blog post. 1. Since pluots are a genetic cross-breed, they are actually a trademarked product of the company Zaiger's Genetics. Even though they are genetically cross-bred, they are NOT genetically modified. That is an entirely different agricultural technique. 2. Depending on how much plum and how much apricot is in the fruit, you have different names, including aprium and plumcot. 3. Sometimes, because they can be speckled, pluots are called dinosaur plums. 4. One medium pluot has 80 calories and no fat.
The type of pluot shown in the picture, what I have in my refrigerator right now, is called a Dapple Dandy.
I like to eat them plain. They're handy to throw in a bag for an afternoon snack! This week I've been cutting them up to put into my morning oatmeal. I've seen recipes where sliced, grilled pluots have been added to a barbecue meal.
If you're an adventurous eater, or just bored with the same old fruits, consider trying a pluot. They'll be in your store through the fall.
We received a great hormone question about managing a hormone issue for a different stage of life--menopause. The question came because we so often advise against using soy, for two reasons. First of all, it can be detrimental to thyroid function. Secondly, whether it's in your diet or in your bioidentical hormones (bioidentical does NOT mean organic or GMO-free), the vast majority of soy is genetically modified. Unless you have confirmation from the manufacturer for food or pharmaceutical, you are best to stay away from it. But since phytoestrogens, the compound in soy that gives it such a reputation for menopause management, ARE helpful in easing the hormone transition, I looked up other sources. Here are your best bets. Ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil Rye. oats, barley, and wheat Think multigrain bread when you do have carbs! Hummous Garlic Mung beans and alfalfa sprouts Dried apricots, dates, and prunes Organic tempeh, miso, natto, and soy sauce. These are fermented sources of soy which are believe to be less problematic than tofu, edamame, and manufactured foods containing soy, such as soy milk.
In working with eating disorders and PCOS for over 15 years now, I continue to be struck by how many people get pulled off the healthy path they genuinely desire with a simple, seemingly harmless move — going vegan.
In fact, it is so common for women with PCOS whose diet diaries I analyze to have a period of time in their lives where they either were or are vegans, I've begun to think that a lot of women with PCOS are"vegans gone wrong".
The main problem with a high percentage of vegans is that they tend to focus on what NOT to eat. That part is the easy part, it's pretty simple, if it breathed and ate at any point in its life, you don't eat it. What to eat instead is a lot more complex and problematic.
Protein is really important to get enough of. Without it, blood sugar rises and falls creating mood instability and energy fluctuations. That can encourage emotional eating in an attempt to raise blood sugar levels. A high ratio of carbohydrate to protein in the diet also encourages insulin production. Over time that can encourage hyperinsulinemia, the very first step toward PCOS.
It's a problem that's been going on for years, and it's complicated by the fact that soy, which used to be a popular vegan protein source, has fallen out of favor for its potential effect on thyroid and its sources becoming increasingly genetically modified.
That is why I'm so excited to be partnering with a company that just launched the perfect product for women genuinely wanting to eat more vegan protein but feeling shut out of options. Growing Naturals recently launched an organic, raw, vegan, brown rice protein powder isolate with a protein content that is 96% equivalent to whey protein.
Their tagline is understandable: "Finally, food for all people". Of course there is going to be the occasional person who cannot tolerate this product, but for the most part, it's a protein source that removes the barriers to protein consumption that the majority of my clients have presented with over the past 30 years.
Growing Naturals offers its rice protein isolate protein powder (24 grams per serving) in original, chocolate, and vanilla blast flavors, as well as a vanilla blast-flavored rice milk powder. Unlike most rice milks, which have almost no protein, this product provides 8 grams per serving, comparable to cow's milk.
Growing Naturals is the title sponsor for our Craig Ramsay fundraiser in Marina del Rey and they also support the Power Up for PCOS Walk-a-Thon in New Hampshire tomorrow. They are active with many health groups, including the Celiac Disease Foundation and the Japanese Tsunami Relief Effort. They are all about making the world a better place on a variety of levels, and we're excited to be partnering with them!
I was asked by one of our readers (who happens to also be my dear cousin Susan), if there was anywhere on the Internet, a checklist for vegetarians to follow to be sure their diet is complete. Her pretty exhaustive research found nothing really practical for meal planning.
So in response to that, and knowing that a very high percentage of our own readers are vegetarian, I put something together. Please let us know if it needs refining or detail, so that we can make this as practical as it can possibly be.
There are five main things to attend to. All of them are important, but I ordered them in the way I look at them when planning a vegetarian meal for myself.
1. What is my protein source and how much of it do I need to truly give me enough protein?
Here are your goals based on the number of calories you eat. This will make 30% of your calories protein, which will help to fight insulin resistance.
2. Where is my vitamin D coming from, and have I had enough? You will have to make a very conscious effort to get enough of this vitamin. With regard to whole foods, mushrooms are pretty much the only vitamin D-containing food. With regard to vegan milk alternatives, beware. Most are so low in protein, they are more accurately thought of as juices rather than milks. If you choose to drink them you will need to find other ways to meet criteria nu,ber one above. I blogged about this in detail not too long ago.
3. Are my fats healthy? If your definition of vegan is primarily not eating meat, and you are eating a lot of packaged, processed, prepared, or baked food…be extra sure you are not inadvertently letting the pro-inflammatory fats sneak in. Remember, they tend to begin with the letters"s" and" c" — soybean, safflower, sunflower, sesame, corn, cottonseed. (Canola is the exception.). Vegans are often blindsided here with salad dressings, baked goods, cookies, and chops. Read your labels--as much as I love Whole Foods, their entire snack food aisle only has a handful of choices you can bring home if you follow this rule! Good fats include olive and organic canola.
4. Am I getting DHA and EPA (marine omega-3)? Yes, flax, green veggies, and other foods contain omega-3, but the conversion rate is not high. You will need to find a marine algae supplement to be sure your intake of these two essential fatty acids is adequate. InCYSTer Chris Marquette found one that is not genetically modified; look for it next time you shop.
5. Am I getting enough fruits and vegetables? Ideally, these should be the vast majority of what you eat. I am surprised at how many vegans I know who do not like vegetables! You should be aiming for 2-3 1/2 cup servings PER MEAL. Beware of juicing; it is a great way to get in large volumes of fruits and vegetables…BUT…the carbohydrate to protein ratio is not going to help reduce insulin resistance. Make a smoothie out of your juice with your favorite protein powder.
Of course, you can take supplements to make up many of these deficiencies…but if your solution in more than one of these categories is a supplement, I challenge you to consider why you do what you do. The true definition of a vegan is someone WHO MEETS THEIR DAILY NUTRITIONAL NEEDS without using animal-based food to make it happen. If all you have done is remove animals from your diet, you are simply a picky or misinformed eater.
