Truth re ‘miracle foods’ The Guardian/UK

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:35 pm

But will anyone listen?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... oconut-oil

ChicagoGranny · Post by **ChicagoGranny** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 7:22 pm

Thank you for posting this Julie. We are absolutely covered up by ridiculous claims about fad foods, herbs, vitamins, gluten-free, non-GMO, organic and other such nonsense.

Sorry if I repeat this post. I put it on my FB wall and don't remember where it came from - could have been cpaptalk.

MYTH: Organic Farms don't use pesticides

Up to 95% of those who buy organic do so thinking they're avoiding pesticides. Sorry to burst your bubble (and wallet), but not only do they indeed use chemical pesticides, but they often do so in higher quantities than conventional farming.

There are nearly 400 chemicals that are approved by the US organic standards. And, there are no regulations recording the actual volume usage of these crops to the US Government. Just last year, nearly half of the pesticides that are currently approved for use by organic farmers failed to pass the European Union's safety evaluation that is required by law there.

Researchers at the University of Guelph found the environmental impact of Organic pesticides can be worse compared to synthetic pesticides. Organic pesticides often require larger doses, often requiring up to seven applications, while conventional farming averages around two. In the two year long study, the organic pesticides not only killed the soybean aphids, but their natural predators too. Three of the four synthetic pesticides were more selective than organic pesticides, so they caused less environmental impact. This also applies to humans, where the toxicity levels of several organic pesticides are notably more hazardous to us than the synthetic ones used in conventional farming, which have gone through rigorous testing.

It's public information. The organic industry doesn't hide these facts. What they do is allow myths about GMOs to overshadow their own dirty laundry. Want to avoid pesticides? I'm afraid you'll either have to go to a very local, very small, and very honest farmers market. Or just grow your own! But paying three times the price for an organic product thinking you're avoiding chemicals, not the way to go.

Wulfman... · Post by **Wulfman...** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:00 pm

Maybe a little off of this particular subject, but CG's post reminded me of a "Penn & Teller" "Bullshit" show episode they did sometime back which I believe airs on the Showtime channels.
Anyway, they were debunking the "organic" foods myths. So, they set up a table in a public place and offered "regular" versus "organic" products for people to sample and give their opinions. Except......the foods were all the same. In one instance, they cut a banana in half and put one half on one plate and the other half on the other plate. Most of the people thought that the "organic" banana tasted better.

Den

.

wildboar · Post by **wildboar** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:29 pm

Heck yeah this article has me convinced. All Big Macs and Hot Pockets from here on out.

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:00 pm

Any time a "newly discovered, miracle food" is announced, my mind goes,
"Here comes the pitch. Another expensive fad food, poised for fame, and buckets of profit!"
Obviously it was better when most people had gardens. The food was so good!
We snuck outside to eat fresh peas before mom had a chance to cook all the flavor out of them.
Took a salt shaker into the garden so we could nom, nom tomatoes and green onions.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:47 pm

To this day I can (I believe...) remember what carrots tasted like when we pulled them ourselves. Not even remotely like they have for the past bazillion years!

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:51 pm

We had a huge crop this last year. Digging them up was a sensory delight.
The scent was intoxicating--even the foliage smelled lovely.
Of course, the taste was sensational. The little ones were so sweet!

49er · Post by **49er** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:13 am

Julie wrote:But will anyone listen?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... oconut-oil

I agree that one has to be skeptical of claims that something is a miracle food. At the same time, I found it interesting that this site advocated Diabetes UK as a credible source of information.

Interestingly, they were recommending the usual low fat, moderate to high carb diet, that many diabetics have claimed has the worse spikes on their blood sugar. Interestingly, this study, although admittedly small with just 19 participants, showed the same thing.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/new-study-low ... -diabetics

Finally, I agree with CG's point about organic food. But I swear it tastes better than regular food. But that could be due to the placebo effect.

Huh? · Post by **Huh?** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:41 am

ChicagoGranny wrote:We are absolutely covered up by ridiculous claims about fad foods, herbs, vitamins, gluten-free, non-GMO, organic and other such nonsense.

A few months ago I got sucked into to reading Vani Hari. I started repeating the alarming stuff she says. Then a friend came to my house for an afternoon and got with me on the computer. We looked at some of the stuff Vani Hari says and then she took me to some websites that debunk what Vani is saying. This Vani is totally insane and is taking advantage of people who fall for nonsense like this. Now, I can't stand to hear her name.

Don't fall for this crap. Just eat a mix of vegetables, fruit, fresh meats, eggs and don't eat too much cereals, bread, sugar. And don't overeat.

Huh? · Post by **Huh?** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:43 am

No sugary soft drinks. Small desserts or share a big one at a restaurant. Limit fries.

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:48 am

Organic food has nothing to do with taste or nutrition and everything to do with the kind of toxic chemicals used in its production. Yes there are some "pesticides" used in organic farming but they are far less toxic then the run of the mill stuff used in factory farming that is wiping out the bees.
You just go ahead and eat your junk food - evolution will take care of you.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:18 am

And considering the latest research that now says cancer is a genetic crapshoot and it doesn't much matter what we do or eat, etc., might as well just use common sense and relax!

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:28 am

Julie wrote: genetic crapshoot

Aleksandr Georgievich Semenov patented an efficiently disgusting weapon system. Using his method, soldiers inside an armoured tank, under battle conditions, can dispose of their biological waste products in an unwasteful way: encasing those materials, together with explosives, in artillery shells that they then fire at the enemy.

after coming across the above on QI recently... I don't think I'll ever look at the term "crapshoot" quite the same.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:55 am

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:55 am

Julie wrote:And considering the latest research that now says cancer is a genetic crapshoot and it doesn't much matter what we do or eat, etc., might as well just use common sense and relax!

Not true. Go and look up epigenics - the genes are a crapshoot, what you do to trigger them is not.

PLUS what you do to trigger them can be inherited so the crap you eat and the stress you indulge in can cause major chronic illness in your kids and grandkids.

Truth re ‘miracle foods’ The Guardian/UK

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