The Doctor Weighs In : Eat local

Karen Michaeli: On food & class

Learn more about food and class, and educate others. When you hear someone moralizing about healthy or responsible food choices, don’t be afraid to speak up: seek clarification by asking “healthy for whom?” or “environmentally or socially responsible?” This is an opportunity to help otherwise “aware” individuals learn about the socioeconomic dimension of food and environmental responsibility. Read More

posted by: Pat, Thursday, September 07, 2006 8:17 PM 200 Comments
Filed Under: Public health, Food policy, Nutrition, Guest blogs, Social commentary, Eat local, Healthy eating

Whole Foods Grows Big, But Buys Small

I was stocking up on fruits and veggies in my local Whole Foods grocery store the other day. As I poked and prodded through the bins piled high with colorful produce, I found ripe apricots. Fifty years ago, I guess that wouldn’t have been a big deal. But today’s supermarket fruits are usually rock hard, free of scent, and tasteless – the result of being picked before they ripen and being transported long distances over days to weeks to reach your store. These ripe apricots had a wonderful juicy squish to them (that’s right, I squeeze the fruit before I buy it). And, they smelled like apricots. Having just written about the benefits of “buying locally,” I looked to see where they had been grown. They were from a farm in San Pablo, California, less than 20 miles from the San Rafael store where I was shopping. Read More

posted by: Pat, Wednesday, July 26, 2006 6:16 PM 3 Comments
Filed Under: Public health, Food policy, Nutrition, Social commentary, Eat local, Healthy eating

Eat local

Next, “fresh” fruits and vegetables at most large chain grocery stores are not really fresh. According to Marion Nestle, author of What You Eat,” that California-grown broccoli you buy in New York was picked and stored in a local warehouse before being transported to a regional distribution center. It was then placed on a refrigerated truck and sent to another regional distribution center. Then, it’s onto yet another truck to be hauled to the local supermarket where it is placed in the stocking area and eventually put onto the shelf. This process can take a week to 10 days. Does that sound fresh to you? Read More

posted by: Pat, Thursday, July 20, 2006 1:01 AM 4 Comments
Filed Under: Benefits or hazards of certain foods, Public health, Food policy, Social commentary, Eat local, Fruits, Vegetables, Food industry, Food politics

Food labels: a guide to healthier eating

According to a survey by the Food Marketing Institute, almost 60% of food shoppers are trying to buy healthier foods. Most of them said they were trying to buy foods that would help them lose weight. And the food industry is always trying Read More

posted by: Pat, Friday, May 26, 2006 7:21 PM 54 Comments
Filed Under: Weight loss behaviors, Benefits or hazards of certain foods, Public health, Tools, Dietary Fat, Food labels, Overweight/obesity, High fructose corn syrup, Food policy, Calorie counting, Portion control, Eat local, Protein, Carbohydrates, Serving size, Weight loss