Balance of Food

Organic food isn't a threat to megafarm growing practices

Stepping up and saying "organic food is the way to go" used to be a radical step. Now it would seem that organic food is very hip.

After all, the line of people to see Alice Waters (above) at a book signing at a Chicago farmers market Saturday should have been an indicator that organic food is very popular.

And we have the First Lady of the United States celebrating its praises in the White House garden.

But there are groups that aren't happy with all this publicity toward organic food. But of course, these groups feel threatened by organic food.

These groups should realize that it's virtually impossible for the entire country to go organic. So letting some people, including the First Lady, have an organic slice seems too much for them.

The Mid America CropLife Association isn't the only organization to go after Mrs. Obama, but they have received the bulk of the backlash.

The organization wanted the First Lady to exemplify the role pesticides have placed in our food supply. Stephen Colbert did a beautiful job of taking the MACA to task.

Organic food isn't the end-all to America's food woes. But despite its enhanced reputation, it isn't a threat to the regular food system. Many people love organic vegetables, but don't care if their milk is organic. Others thrive with organic meat and dairy, but aren't concerned about vegetables.

But choice — organic or the regular system — is what we need. For those who want to choose organic, they should have that option. And Alice Waters and Michelle Obama aren't leading the revolution but they are cheerleading the revolution. The people who think organic is the best way to go — they are leading the revolution.

There will still be plenty of food grown in the traditional fashion. And there's plenty of room in our grocery stores and on our dinner plates for organic food — if we want it.

photo credit: me

Changing your food patterns can help cure bad habits and maybe lose weight

People often ask, when they reach a plateau, how to snap out of it. When your body gets used to the same routine, and doesn't do what you want it to do, you need to change the routine.

So every so often, a small change — while keeping your core — can produce nice results. When I first started eating better, I would throw myself change-ups, such as meat vs. non-meat.

You still want to keep the core elements to your plan. But a small change can shift the weight loss into overdrive, or at least not seem like it's in neutral.

Since I've been running into issues trying to lose this spring, I decided to try something different. Giving up hot dogs. Well, at least, eating hot dogs at home.

Changing things can also go after bad habits. Now I usually pick the healthiest hot dogs, and I don't put anything unhealthy on them. But the habit also involves chips and a pickle. And soon, your meal isn't that healthy.

Another side effect is relieving the frustration found when I can't find hot dog buns without high-fructose corn syrup. There is the one brand, but if I can't find it, then frustration kicks in. And I've learned that less aggravation means I eat better.

The other reason why I chose to give up hot dogs for a while is that they became the easy out when it came to dinner. "Oh, I'm tired. What am I going to have for dinner?" Hot dogs became an easy choice.

But I also know that I can get into bad habits without trying or thinking about them. So I decided to give up hot dogs for awhile. I've actually done this for a couple of weeks now. So far, so good.

I am transitioning on the chips element. I've had them, but with meals that otherwise had no carbohydrates. The hot dogs/chips meals were a double whammy when it came to carbohydrates: hot dog bun and chips. I know I need to ease out of this, but transitions can be good if you play it smart, and short-term.

This exercise has led me to be more creative, something which can come easily for me, but then again, difficult when stressed or stuck in a rut.

When I started the change-ups, I usually would give myself a timetable. I would try a week or two, or sometimes three weeks. But then, I was feeling uneasy about being away from favorite foods for long periods of time.

Now, I don't have that issue. I can go without some foods for awhile. So I'm not setting a timetable on the hot dogs situation. If I want to go back, I will. Summer will prove more tempting, because hot dogs go with summer. But there is the exception: if I'm out at a cookout, I'll have hot dogs. It's not the hot dogs themselves, it's the habit that needs changing. For when I do reach that point when I go back, hopefully I will appreciate the significance of the foods, and perhaps be a little lighter.

Research, more than vacation

No column this week due to time being spent on research for an upcoming story. You will be happy the research is being done for an essay that will run sometime in May. You will know what it is when you see it.

More sugar soft drinks to come from Pepsi and Mountain Dew

Following up on Tuesday's weekly column, there may be good news for those who like soft drinks with sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup. Unfortunately, for Coca-Cola fans, the news comes from Pepsi and Mountain Dew.

Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback will be available for a limited time, starting April 20 and running through June 13. The brands will be made with real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.

I never was a huge fan of Pepsi. I've seen the Kosher version of Pepsi, and it was pretty good. But again, I'm not a Pepsi fan. The Mountain Dew version could prove intriguing for two reasons. I used to drink quite a bit of Mountain Dew, and while I drink Canadian-versions of soft drinks during my trips, regular Mountain Dew in Canada is caffeine-free. Yes, you read that correctly — no caffeine.

You can now buy a Mountain Dew version in Canada that has caffeine, but traditionally, any soft drink where you have to add caffeine couldn't have caffeine. No, I don't completely understand that logic. All I know is that Canadians were "smuggling" Mountain Dew into their country for years.

And unlike the Kosher Coca-Cola, these versions might be in cans.

Kosher Coca-Cola: still around, but where are the cans?

I've been raving for years about Kosher Coca-Cola, a annual treat in springtime just before Passover. The normal Coca-Cola product, which contains high-fructose corn syrup, isn't Kosher for Passover. So there is a limited supply of Kosher for Passover Coca-Cola.

Not being Jewish, I do know that corn products aren't allowed in Kosher for Passover products. And that is good news for us.

For years, I've been able to stock up Kosher Coca-Cola, buying multiple 6-packs in the days before I shifted my diet to a few 6-packs a year in the last five years. Since I used to religiously (no pun intended) drink soft drinks, the Kosher product offered me a transition into drinking healthier but still having some fun.

Well, we ran into a snag this year. Traditionally, the Kosher Coca-Cola has been available in 2-liter bottles and 12-oz. cans. The cans were useful so that you could space apart the trips to "Kosher Coca-Cola land." This year, I could only get the Kosher Coca-Cola in a 2-liter bottle.

The store manager said they didn't get cans this year. Other stories confirm this, much to my dismay.

Instead of spreading out the joy of Kosher Coca-Cola, now I have to confine to a few days — one time only — with a 2-liter bottle. There is still joy in Mudville, but not a whole lot of it anymore.

Of course, this would be easier if Coca-Cola made the product year round or put it in those 8 oz. bottles they now sell on the regular product. Coca-Cola always got some notoriety, and a chance to enjoy its product the way it was intended — with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. This year, this sincere gesture has lost a lot of fizz.

The anniversary of my conversion is around the time of Passover, spring, and renewal and redemption brought on by warmer weather. I have used the Kosher Coca-Cola as a comfort blanket, a security measure for my heart and my taste buds. I, along with many other supporters, beg Coca-Cola: please bring back the cans. Bring a little happiness to those of us who appreciate good taste.