oldcoot
Senior Cook
Cut through all the hype, and the bias of those selling "health" foods, as well as those having been suckered in by those folk, and you wonder what is health food, really?
For many years my doctor, widely regarded as among the best of the best, insisted that, by eating a reasonably well balanced diet, supplements and vitamins were unnecesssary. (Excepting for those whose illness dictated them).
Last week, as I volunteered for a clinical study, a reknown doctor retierated the same point: well balanced diet, no supplements needed. And, of course, I've heard it quietlly stated many other times by people who should know.
Vegetarians insist on no animal products. But it is a proven fact that mammals - of which we are one type - require some animal proteins ( which differ from plant proteins) for optimal health.
Somebody, referring to a quite different situation, said "Variety is the spice of life". How true that is! If one eats as wide a variety of foods as are available, it is most llikelly he - or she - will receive all the necessary nutrients needed for good health.
"Organically" grown foodstuffs are fine - except that, in fact, there's no other kind! But I agree that hormone injections, etc., in food animals is probably not a great idea! Still, I've seen no documented evidence it has a deleterious effect on us. "Chemical" fertilizers actually simply are concentrated forms of the same chemicals that the plants obtain from the breakdown of organic matter in the soil: a slower and more iffy soource. Oh, recycling organic matter for use as a nutrient source for plants is the best way to go, certainly - but not the most economical. It's the best mostly because it keeps all that organic material from winding up in landfills where it accomplishes little that is beneficial.
A nice thing about the modern food distribution system is that we obtain foods from a wide variety of locations, tending to ensure that, while some may be deficient in needed minerals, etc., on average we get what our bodies need.
I strongly suspect our nutritional deficiencies have more to do with individual appetites and preferences than with a lack of nutrients in the available foodstuffs.
For many years my doctor, widely regarded as among the best of the best, insisted that, by eating a reasonably well balanced diet, supplements and vitamins were unnecesssary. (Excepting for those whose illness dictated them).
Last week, as I volunteered for a clinical study, a reknown doctor retierated the same point: well balanced diet, no supplements needed. And, of course, I've heard it quietlly stated many other times by people who should know.
Vegetarians insist on no animal products. But it is a proven fact that mammals - of which we are one type - require some animal proteins ( which differ from plant proteins) for optimal health.
Somebody, referring to a quite different situation, said "Variety is the spice of life". How true that is! If one eats as wide a variety of foods as are available, it is most llikelly he - or she - will receive all the necessary nutrients needed for good health.
"Organically" grown foodstuffs are fine - except that, in fact, there's no other kind! But I agree that hormone injections, etc., in food animals is probably not a great idea! Still, I've seen no documented evidence it has a deleterious effect on us. "Chemical" fertilizers actually simply are concentrated forms of the same chemicals that the plants obtain from the breakdown of organic matter in the soil: a slower and more iffy soource. Oh, recycling organic matter for use as a nutrient source for plants is the best way to go, certainly - but not the most economical. It's the best mostly because it keeps all that organic material from winding up in landfills where it accomplishes little that is beneficial.
A nice thing about the modern food distribution system is that we obtain foods from a wide variety of locations, tending to ensure that, while some may be deficient in needed minerals, etc., on average we get what our bodies need.
I strongly suspect our nutritional deficiencies have more to do with individual appetites and preferences than with a lack of nutrients in the available foodstuffs.