Monday, March 13, 2006

Ask the Expert: Natural/Organic

Q. Should I try soy milk instead of regular milk?

A. Sure! Try it. You might just like it! There are health advantages associated with both soy milk and regular dairy milk. You don’t need to give up dairy milk to include soy milk. Rather, I suggest you include soy milk in place of other calorie-dense beverages that provide little nutrition, such as regular soft drinks and some sweetened fruit drinks. Soy milk can be a substitute for dairy milk. But, check the label. If you’re using soy milk or another milk alternative in place of dairy milk, make sure it provides at least 30% Daily Value (DV) for calcium and 25% DV for vitamin D—for strong and healthy bones.

Q. Is organic always better? Why is it more expensive?

A. Organic foods are a great choice. Though they are not necessarily more nutritious, they are free of hormones, certain types of pesticides and antibiotics – substances that may have health consequences such as an increased risk for cancer. These foods can be more expensive because organic farming is more labor intensive in part because of the planning and balancing of crop rotation and because crop yields are often not as high as non-organic foods.

By the end of the year, the United States Department of Agriculture is expected to enforce a national organic food standard, meaning all foods labeled "organic" will have to meet certain criteria. This action will turn what is now an unregulated industry, into a uniform and consistent one ensuring that consumers really do receive organically grown foods. If you go organic, find foods labeled "certified organic."

No comments: