What are your thoughts on genetically modified foods? I asked a horticulturist friend.

“It’s probably impossible to get an unbiased opinion from either side,” he said. On the other hand he reminded me, life is full of “genetic modifications.” Any time a male and female come together to produce offspring – either in plants, animals, or humans – there is a mixing of genes in the process. And the new offspring are new and different – hopefully with desirable traits from both parents.

Genetic manipulation in the plant world is not new, he said. What we call “Heirloom” tomatoes were the new varieties a hundred years ago. Growers of food continually mix genetic material to come up with hardier, more tasteful and often more nutritious varieties. [Read more...]

Herbivore, omnivore or carnivore? Some people just can’t go a day without chicken, steak or fish, while others refuse to eat food that has even touched meat. The Well blog recently wrote about “The Challenges Of Going Vegan” in a society dominated by meat and dairy. Meanwhile, The Ethicist is running an essay contest for adults asking them to “tell us why it’s ethical to eat meat.” What do you think?

Ethically speaking, vegetables get all the glory. In recent years, vegetarians — and to an even greater degree vegans, their hard-core inner circle — have dominated the discussion about the ethics of eating. From the philosopher Peter Singer, whose 1975 volume “Animal Liberation” galvanized an international movement, to the novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, who wrote the 2009 best seller “Eating Animals,” those who forswear meat have made the case that what we eat is a crucial ethical decision. To be just, they say, we must put down our cheeseburgers and join their ranks. [Read more...]

Can eating meat be detrimental for your mood and mental health? Is there a reason that your vegetarian friend is so energetic and cheerful all the time? The latest nutrition research suggests there may be scientific validity to these observations.

According to a recent study published this February by Bonnie Beezhold in Nutrition Journal, a randomized group of omnivores reported improved mood states after only two weeks of eliminating meat, fish and poultry from their diets.

The study consisted of three groups. The omnivores were randomly assigned to either a control group, which included consuming meat, fish and poultry daily, a second group assigned to consuming fish 3-4 times a week but avoiding meat and poultry, and a third group that avoided meat, fish, and poultry altogether. At baseline and at the end of the two weeks, the participants completed a food frequency questionnaire, a “Profile of Mood States” questionnaire, and a “Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale.” According to the self-reported results, both the omnivore’s and the fish eater’s moods remained unchanged, while the vegetarian group showed significant improvements in their mood scores at the end of the two week trial. (1) This and other studies conducted by Beezhold suggest that vegetarianism is associated with overall healthier mood status. [Read more...]

Older varieties of fruits and vegetables may be considerably healthier than their modern supermarket equivalents, a new study has claimed.

A pilot study found that an unfashionable dessert apple that dates back to Victorian times had ten times more of a disease-preventing chemical than its newer, shiny-skinned equivalents.

A team of scientists will now undertake a three-year study, examining older varieties of apples, bananas, onions, mangos and teas.

It has already been found that the Egremont Russet apple, which is often used to make cider, contains considerably more phloridzin than modern glossy fruits. [Read more...]