Health Affixed

Health Is Limitless

Sustainable or Responsible Seafood: Does it even matter?

by

Usually, traditional farming gets all the attention when it comes to food quality and the processes in place. Consequently, I never really paid attention or questioned the quality of my seafood until I started shopping a Whole Foods Market. At Whole Foods Market, you don’t have to guess about the seafood quality because there are visible banners explaining that this and that are sustainably and responsibly this or that. After taking a moment to be enlightened about seafood quality, I decided years ago that I would buy most of my seafood at Whole Foods Market; there were still some items that I needed from my Caribbean grocer. Regardless, if it was a choice between Publix or Whole Foods Market, when it came to seafood, Whole Foods Market would always get my green because I trusted that the quality was as described on the visible banners.

Last week, I was already in my neighborhood Publix getting a few things and I glanced over at the seafood section. Lo and behold! There it was – a banner about GreenWise this and sustainably that. Well then. I would no longer need to travel a little bit farther to my neighborhood Whole Foods Market now that Publix stepped up its seafood game or at least its marketing in the seafood department. I bought some sustainably farmed salmon, a cluster of snow crab legs, and a pound of shrimp. Winning! However, I did scoff at Publix’s marketing team for trying to play trickster when I saw the sustainable/GreenWise tag on the shrimp and snow crab legs. Aren’t shrimp and snow crab legs always of nature and therefore already natural wherever they are bought? If you have questions like I did, see information about the labeling below from both Publix and Whole Foods Market (click on each link to view the source).

Let me know in the comments section if the labeling makes a difference to you.

 

>>>>>>>>>>> According to Publix <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Responsibly Sourced

Wild-caught: Considered managed by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) OR in a credible, graded fishery improvement project (FIP).

Farm-raised: The farm level of the supply chain qualifies for a Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI)-approved ecolabel or in an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP). May also be certified at the hatchery, plant, and/or feed levels.

Sustainably Sourced

Wild-caught: Qualifies for a GSSI-approved ecolabel OR evaluated by the SFP and considered well managed.

Farm-raised: All four levels of the supply chain (farm, hatchery, plant, and feed) qualify for a GSSI-approved ecolabel. Shellfish must qualify at three levels of the supply chain (farm, plant, and hatchery).

GreenWise

Wild-caught: Meets all the sustainably sourced criteria above. Additionally, contains no bisulfates, phosphates, nonphosphates, or other processing aids.

Farm-raised: Meets all the sustainably sourced criteria above. Additionally, is raised without ever using antibiotics or hormones, and contains no bisulfates, phosphates, nonphosphates, or other processing aids.

 

>>>>>>>>>>> According to Whole Foods Market <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Why do we need sustainable seafood?

Today, 80 percent of the world’s marine populations are fully fished, over-exploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. With seafood growing in demand, it’s critical that sustainable fishing practices are followed if wild-caught seafood is going to be available in the future and if farmed seafood is going to be able to supplement wild fish supplies. Whole Foods Market is committed to working with organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council and Monterey Bay Aquarium to advance the market for sustainable seafood.

What makes Whole Foods Market’s seafood different from other seafood?

Whole Foods Market works harder than any other retailer to source seafood from responsibly managed fish farms and abundant, well-managed wild-capture fisheries. This means that we seek fisheries that keep fish populations abundant, rather allowing overfishing to occur. It also means that in the process of fishing or farming, impacts on the ecosystem are minimized. In contrast, other seafood may not be sourced from farms or fisheries taking these kinds of measures. We’re committed to working towards sourcing all of our seafood from well-managed farms and fisheries.

Does sustainable seafood taste any different?

This may depend upon the individual fish. For instance, MSC-certified sustainable wild Alaska salmon has a much different flavor profile than farm-raised salmon.

What does the Responsibly Farmed™ logo stand for?

The Whole Foods Market® “Responsibly Farmed” logo means that the product meets our strict Whole Foods Market Quality Standards for finfish and shrimp. No other grocery store or fish market has standards like ours for keeping farmed seafood healthy and for protecting the environment. The logo also means that the product has been third-party verified to ensure our standards are being met.

Is our farm-raised seafood organic?

In our U.S. stores we have chosen not to sell “organic” farmed fish until the United States establishes organic standards for aquaculture and there is a “USDA Organic” label in place for organic farmed fish. This is our way of maintaining the integrity of the organic label. We’ve contributed to the policy-setting process for national organic standards for farm-raised seafood in an effort to encourage the strongest organic standards possible.

Soda: A Closer Look

by

I drink soda, on rare occasions. With a slice of veggie or margherita pizza, I may get a Sprite or Sierra Mist. If I see Ting on the shelf at the grocery store, I might get it. It all depends on my mood. I tend to stick to clear soda instead of dark soda or the fruity versions. Definitely never really drank Coke or Pepsi and don’t really make a habit of drinking orange soda. It makes me wonder if all sodas are created equal; is my Ting or Sprite better than Coke or orange soda?

According to Soda King, the first naturally carbonated drink came on the scene in England around 1265. In the 18th century, manmade carbonated water was introduced to the world by Joseph Priestly’s method of infusing water with carbon dioxide. It was only a matter of time before flavors and other elements were added to create the sodas we all know today.

According to CNN, the biggest health risk for regular soda drinkers is the added calories which are devoid of any actual nutritional value. The calories in soda come from its sugar content and, as a result, habitual consumption of soda has been linked to health issues like obesity, tooth decay, bone thinning, and diabetes. Also, the diet version may be better calorie wise, but not health wise because diet versions carry many of the same health risks and have also been linked to depression in women.

So, the general idea is that sodas should only be consumed on rare occasions because they are not good for overall health. If you are ok with the rare occasion, which soda should you opt for – light, dark, or fruity? Eat This, Not That! analyzed 50+ sodas and selected the top 32. On the website, Sierra Mist was ranked #1 as the best soda out of the 32, Sprite was #6, Coca-Cola Classic was #8, Crush Grapefruit was #15, Fanta Orange was #19, and Fanta Grape was the worst at #32. In the end, it appears that the fruity sodas should be avoided, but, when it comes to light v. dark soda, you can go with personal preference. The main goal is that you drink soda on rare occasions because it is not good for your health. It’s difficult to quantify “rare occasions,” but it’s something that does not happen often which to me would fall into the realm of about once every two or more months.

If you want to get even healthier with your soda choices, Rodale’s Organic Life highlights these options: organic soda syrup, Steaz Sparkling Green Tea, Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew, Virgil’s Root Beer, Bionade, Oogavè, GT’s Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha, HotLips Real Fruit Soda, and Fizzy Lizzy.

Of course, the healthiest soda may be the one that you make at home; you can find many homemade grapefruit soda recipes online. Search the THA Recipes page as well to see if a soda recipe is available.

Food Quality: Snack Upgrades

by

I used to be there; my snack foods consisted of peanut M&Ms, blue Doritos, cookies, and potato chips. My snack world was extremely limited because I was a creature of habit and those snacks were the snacks that I tried and knew that I liked so I didn’t bother looking elsewhere.

However, starting a journey to health forces you to examine your choices, and an examination of my choice of snack was long overdue. So, we all know that fruits make great snacks, but sometimes you don’t want fruit, nuts, or any other “healthy” snack. Sometimes you want something sweet like chocolate, search this website for the post called “Weakness: Chocolate” for some tips. Sometimes you want a bag of chips or other salty snack. One of the highlights of eating in 2018 is that you have a ton of healthier snack options; it seems that the demand for healthier snack options is at an all-time high and corporations are competing for the number one spot.

The end result is that you are no longer limited to the options that you once treasured growing up. Explore the new snack world which is filled with more “healthier” options than ever before.

THA Challenge: Try a new healthier snack that is in the same category as your treasured snack; love popcorn? Try a healthier brand or popping method. Love chips? Try a different type of chip like plantain chips. Love cookies? Try crispy thin cookies instead of thick chewy cookies.

Breakfast: A Closer Look

by

According to Wikipedia, the word breakfast comes from the Old English word disner which means to break a fast. The word was used to describe the first meal eaten in the day. Then, in the 15th century, the word “breakfast” came into use and was known to mean breaking the fasting period of the prior night. Now, we associate breakfast with the first meal of the day that is eaten before noon.

According to Priceonomics, breakfast began as a morning ritual during the Industrial Revolution once people stopped farming and started working as employees; because people were no longer in control of their time, breakfast allowed them to work longer hours for the employer. Then, there was a period of time where breakfast was more like dinner in that it was a heavy meal consisting of meat, potatoes, cakes, and pies. In the 1800s, that hefty breakfast ritual led to complaints of chronic indigestion. A healthier breakfast trend developed with the advent of graham crackers, granula, and corn flakes from 1827 to the 1890s. As you know, however, those healthier options were soon overrun by sugary options.

Arguably, one can say that, at this point in time, breakfast is anything you want it to be. Whether that’s a healthy cereal; oatmeal; pop tarts; country fried potatoes; hash browns; corn beef hash; quiche; eggs; steak and eggs; sausages and eggs; bacon; muffins; bagels; pastries; etc., as long as it is eaten before noon, it is considered breakfast.

However, the food eaten before noon and used to break the fasting period of the prior night does not have to be grain or meat friendly. Why not start the morning with a fruit? Break the fast of the prior night with a healthy and light fruit before eating your cereal, bagel, eggs, fried potatoes, sausages, or bacon. One fruit and then proceed with your “breakfast” ritual.

THA Breakfast Challenge: 1 fruit in the morning before any other food item or your breakfast ritual.

Let’s go!

 

 

 

Starchy Vegetables v. Grains

by

We all need carbohydrates to function. Starch is a large chain of carbohydrates. Therefore, higher starch means higher carbohydrates. Fruits, vegetables, and grains generally have carbohydrates, but what is the best source?

Overall, fruits tend to have low amounts of carbohydrates.

Starchy vegetables have a high amount of carbohydrates. Examples of starchy vegetables include potatoes, yams (and other root vegetables), carrots, corn, green peas, beans, green bananas, plantains, and peas. According to Verywell Health, a typical half cup serving of cooked starchy vegetables carries about 15 grams of carbohydrates. Preparing starchy vegetables in a healthy way means that you preserve as much of the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber as possible. Eating starchy vegetables steamed, baked, or roasted is much more beneficial than eating them fried or in the form of chips. If you are unfamiliar with the preparation of starchy vegetables, check out the Veggie Recipes on the THA Recipes page.

Unsure whether a vegetable is starchy or non-starchy? Consider the water content; dense vegetables like potatoes have low water content and, as a result, they are high in starch. On the other hand, vegetables with high water content like cucumber and zucchini tend to be low in starch. These vegetables are generally considered non-starchy vegetables due to their lower starch content. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, then you should opt for non-starchy vegetables because they carry fewer carbohydrates.

Grains are known to have high amounts of carbohydrates and tend to be one of the densest food items because of their very little water content. However, when it comes to grains, one should choose wisely. According to HealthLine, refined grains like white flour and white rice are considered simple carbs because most of their natural fiber, vitamins, and minerals were stripped during the refining process; as a result, they are considered empty calories. On the other hand, whole grains and minimally processed grains have higher amounts of their natural fiber, vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and selenium. Whole grains like oats and brown rice are great additions to a healthy diet. However, even if you are not a fan of whole grains, you should still opt for minimally processed grains like unbleached organic flour and organic white rice.

The best source of carbohydrates appears to be starchy vegetables because they have higher water content than grains and contain a comparable amount of starch. Accordingly, for your carbohydrate needs, you should consider eating more starchy vegetables and fewer grains.