Senate Embraces Potatoes and You Should Too (with a recipe)

A few days ago, Registered Dietitian Ellie Krieger tweeted this question: Are you a potato basher or a masher? I, for one,

am definitely a masher. The humble potato has gotten a bad rap over the past few years from the advent of low carb diets and its status as the poster-child for what's wrong with our nation's eating habits, in the form of the french fry. However, spuds are full of nutrients including vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.The real problem with potatoes is the way we usually prepare them. In most cases, the peel is discarded (bye-bye nutrients) and the remainder is either covered in heavy add-ons like bacon, salt, cheese, sour cream, and butter or, even worse, deep fried to crispy perfection. Now I too can appreciate a good french fry, but I'd prefer to choose a healthier potato option and get my fix much more often.

Recently, there has been a lot of buzz concerning our nations school lunch program and how it may be contributing to the poor health status of many American children. The biggest point of contention? The main vegetable choice at many schools is a serving of french fries. In light of this, the Obama administration proposed that starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, and peas for example) be limited to one cup per student per week at lunch and eliminated entirely from breakfast. However, the Senate, in an effort to prevent such a rule, has added an amendment to the Agriculture Department's spending bill for 2012. It states that  the department cannot set “any maximum limits on the serving of vegetables in school meal programs.” All I can say is, good for them! The proposed limit was based on good intentions. The goal was to increase the consumption of non-starchy vegetables, which are often few and far between in a typical school lunch, and eliminate reliance on unhealthy options, such as french fries. Now I agree whole-heartedly that a french fry should never count as a vegetable. However, we should be tackling the preparation of these foods, not the foods themselves. Potatoes are a cheap option for schools with limited budgets and, when prepared properly, they can be quite good for you. Also, any vegetable, starchy or otherwise, can be cooked in a vat of oil.  We should be embracing all produce for a healthy diet. Variety is the spice of life and the same is true when it comes to your veggies.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 lbs potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (keep the skins please!)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F.

2. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, taking care to make sure all potatoes are coated in oil.

3. Spread potatoes on a large baking sheet. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan, as the potatoes will steam rather than roast.

4. Cook for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are brown and crispy, stirring occassionally.

5. Serve as a side for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

So, are you a potato basher or a masher?

GMOs Part 2: Where They Are and How to Choose Foods Without Them

After digesting (har-har) some of the information in my previous post, you may want to know more about where GMOs lurk in our food supply and how to avoid them. At this stage of the game, GMOs are not labeled, so you're going to have to play detective a little bit. However, once you know the tricks, choosing GMO free food will be second nature. Here are some tips to remember when you're strolling down the grocery store aisle.

1. Know the foods that are commonly GMO.

Topping the list are corn and soy which are predominantly GMO and used in just about every processed food you can find. High-fructose corn syrup anyone? Also, many of those odd food additives that you're just not sure what they are or can't even pronounce are made from GMO corn or soy too. Canola oil and sugar beets are common culprits as well.

In the produce section, Hawaiian papaya, corn on the cob, zucchini, and yellow summer squash may be GMO as well. Unless they are marked as organic or non-GMO, you simply can't tell.

2. Choose Organic.

As a part of organic certification, foods labeled as organic cannot intentionally contain GMO ingredients. While this doesn't protect you 100% due to issues such as cross-pollination with neighboring GMO crops, it's one of the best ways to protect yourself. Also, never forget that organic does not equal healthy or exempt you from digging a little deeper and reading the ingredients list. As I stated in a previous label reading post, a product labeled as organic must have at least 95% organic ingredients, so there still could still be a few less that ideal ingredients in the product. Plus, organic or not, any food that contains refined grains or excessive amounts of sugar is definitely not a health food in my book.

3. Look for the Non-GMO Project label.

Non-GMO Project is an independent, third-party organization who, according to their website, verifies that "a product has been produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance, including testing of risk ingredients." What this means, is that they can't verify that every product is 100% GMO free because they don't test end products. However, this label is the most rigorous standard and your best bet to finding food without GMOs. For more information on this label, click the picture to the right to link to their website.

4. Know your farmer. Know your food.

The best way to know what's in your food and where it comes from is to step out of the grocery store, head to your local farmer's market or roadside stand, and get to know the people who grow your food. Ask them about their philosophy and growing practices and find out what's important to them. Even better, visit their farm and get a first-hand look at how they do things. Not only will you be supporting farmers in your area, but you'll help to build a sense of community that is invaluable.

Final thought:

If avoiding GMOs is important to you, it's definitely possible. However, I still feel that labeling is essential. Whether you're for or against GMOs, every consumer has a right to know what is in the food they are purchasing. That information shouldn't be shrouded in a veil of mystery or hidden to prevent a dip in sales.

Are you concerned about GMOs and the risks they pose? Would you like to see labeling of these products?

GMOs Part 1: What They Are and Why We Should Avoid Them

One of the biggest food issues right now is the growth and consumption of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Many consumer groups are pushing for labeling of GMOs while others want to see them outlawed all together. On the other hand,

the companies that produce these products claim that GMOs are perfectly safe. With so much information swirling around and many questions left unanswered, you may be feeling confused about what these foods are and what their impact is on our lives and overall health. This is an issue I feel passionately about, so here's what I think you need to know about GMOs.

1. You're eating them right now.

In my conversations with people, the one thing I have found most disturbing is that many consumers think that the GMO debate is about introducing this technology into the food system. What they don't know is that these products are the basis for the majority of processed foods in the U.S. today. Corn and soy are two of the biggest players, and you're likely to find one, if not both, in nearly every processed food on the shelf. Just one more reason to ditch that pre-packaged garbage and choose whole foods instead.

2. They're not the same as plant breeding.

Many proponents of GMOs will argue that the resulting product is the same as that of the cross-breeding techniques that has been used for centuries to create plants with the most desirable characteristics. This, however, just isn't true. Cross-breeding apples involves crossing one type of apple with another. With genetic modification, the apple's DNA could be spliced with the DNA of a chicken. Crossing species in this fashion could produce consequences we can't even imagine. Trust me, no matter how good of a breeder you are, you're never going to cross a plant with an animal, period.

3. They promote excessive pesticide use.

The premise behind many genetically engineered foods is that they are pesticide and/or herbicide resistant. This way, the crops can be sprayed with these chemicals, killing any insects that may want to drop in for a snack or weeds competing for space and sunlight, without killing the crop itself. The result is over spraying. Prior to the widespread use of GMO crops, pest and weed management was much more targeted, but now they can spray all willy nilly without a care in the world. The only problem is that the pesticides land on and many times are absorbed into the food and then transferred to those who eat them. Also, the run off from these "farms" can wreak havoc as these toxic chemicals make their way to other areas, including our waterways. Sounds appetizing, huh? No, I didn't think so.

4. They can negatively impact the surrounding ecosystem.

One of the biggest problems with GMOs is that they can have detrimental and far reaching effects on the overall ecosystem. For example, using high levels of pesticides to kill a large population of a specific insect could shake the balance of life in that area, leading to the overgrowth of plants or other organisms the insect may prey upon and the loss of those organisms that may rely on that particular insect as a major food source. The ripple effect from this could be devastating to the surrounding environment. We simply don't know the impact that these crops could have.

If you're convinced that GMOs are something you don't want on your plate or in your body, check back for my next post GMOs Part 2: Where They Are and How to Choose Foods Without Them.