The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15




For those who have a tough time deciding whether to buy organic or not, then this blog is for you! 


In an ideal world we would only be eating organic foods. Organic foods being defined as, those that do not contain pesticide residue, chemical fertilizers or chemical additives. However, the reality is that sometimes these foods can be costly. That's what makes the Environmental Working Group's annual list of the dirty dozen foods so useful. The list ranks foods based on how much pesticide residue they have. The group estimates that individuals can reduce their exposure by 80% if they switch to organic when buying the following 12 foods.

So here it is…the top 12 foods we should be buying organic!

1. Apples
Topping the 2011 dirty dozen list is one of my staples. (Apples ranked No. 2 in 2009 and No. 4 in 2010). More than 40 different pesticides have been detected on apples since fungus and insect threats prompt farmers to spray various chemicals on their orchards. Not surprisingly, pesticide residue is also found in apple juice and apple sauce making all apple products smart foods to buy organic.
Some recommend peeling apples to reduce exposure to pesticide residue, but be aware that you're also peeling away some of the fruit's some beneficial nutrients.
My new phrase: “An ORGANIC apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
2. Celery
This a good one to commit to memory since it doesn't fit the three main categories of foods with the highest pesticide residue (tree fruits, berries and leafy greens). USDA tests have found more than 60 different pesticides on celery.
3. Strawberries
Strawberries are always on the list of dirty dozen foods, in part because fungus prompts farmers to spray, and pesticide residue remains on berries sold at market. Nearly 60 different pesticides have been found on strawberries, though fewer are found on frozen strawberries.


4. Peaches
Another tree fruit that always makes the dirty dozen list. Pesticides have been found on peaches, however there are typically fewer in canned peaches.
Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

5. Spinach
Leading the leafy green pesticide residue category is spinach, with nearly 50 different pesticides. (While frozen spinach has nearly as many, canned has had fewer detected pesticides.)

6. Nectarines (Imported)
Nectarines, at least imported ones, are among the most highly contaminated tree fruits. Domestic nectarines don't test with as much pesticide residue, but overall 33 pesticides have been detected on nectarines.
Can't find organic nectarines? Try pineapple, papaya or mango.

7. Grapes (Imported)
Important grapes can have more than 30 pesticides. Raisins, not surprisingly, also have high pesticide residue tests. Organic wine anyone?

8. Sweet Bell Peppers
Unfortunately all of its colorful varieties fall into this category. Nearly 50 different pesticides have been detected on sweet bell peppers.


9. Potatoes
Unfortunately, more than 35 pesticides have been detected on potatoes in USDA testing. Sweet potatoes offer a delicious alternative with less chance of pesticide residue and numerous antioxidants!

10. Blueberries
Blueberries usually make the dirty dozen list, since more than 50 pesticides have been detected as residue on them. Frozen blueberries, however, have proved somewhat less contaminated. Since these little guys are filled with anitoxidants, make sure to go out of your way to find the organic variety!

11. Lettuce
Joining spinach in the leafy greens category, lettuce makes the list of dirty dozen foods with the most pesticides. More than 50 pesticides have been identified on lettuce. If you can't find organic lettuce, alternatives include asparagus.

12. Kale
A superfood, and one of my personal favorites, traditionally kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested in each of the past two years.
Can't find organic kale? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus and broccoli. Dandelion greens also make a nutritious alternative…although the taste leaves something to be desired….
Now we see what foods are worth going the organic route. Consider this an investment in your health!

Buy the Clean 15
If the cost of buying all organic isn't within your budget, fear not. Here's a look at the Environmental Working Group's 2011 Clean 15 list...aka, the fruit and vegetables that are the lowest in pesticides.


1. Onions 

2. Sweet Corn 

3. Pineapple
4. Avocado                            

5. Asparagus 

6. Sweet peas 



7. Mango 
                                      
8. Eggplant 

9. Cantaloupe (domestic) 

10. Kiwi 

11. Cabbage 

12. Watermelon 

13. Sweet Potatoes 

14. Grapefruit 


15. Mushrooms


For more information, check out www.ewg.org/foodnews and www.thedailygreen.com


**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.

0 comments:

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Now That’s A HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

If you are looking to shed some Thanksgiving Turkey weight…then this blog is for you!

The common theme among many professionals today is that they tell you to do long, boring cardio workouts to lose fat. "Get into your target rate and stay there for at least 30 minutes”. Let’s dispel one common fitness myth right now. Low-to-moderate cardio and staying in the “fat burning zone” is NOT the best way to lose fat.  Ok good…now we can move on.

Ask yourself this question…why do marathon runners look emaciated and worn down while sprinters are physical specimens?  What if I told you that you could adjust your cardio routine so it will take LESS TIME and you’ll BURN MORE FAT…would you do it???? 

The fastest man in the world.

The research is now starting to catch up with what the body builders and fitness professionals have known for a long time - high-intensity training burns fat more effectively than low-to-moderate exercise. This means no more cycling through the settings on the elliptical machine at the gym looking for the “Fat Burn” program. Let’s start sweating!

What is Interval Training?
Interval training is simply alternating short, high intensity bursts of speed with slower, recovery phases throughout a single workout. The interval workouts can utilize a variety of training equipment (outdoor activities, treadmill, elliptical, skipping rope etc…) so it’s simple to implement. It can be causal or structured, which makes it very “user” friendly. 
From a clinical standpoint however, it is obvious that high-intensity exercise cannot be prescribed for beginners, or individuals at risk for health problems. In these cases, the most cautious course remains to follow a moderate intensity exercise program with a progressive increase in duration and frequency of sessions.

Benefits of interval training compared to long cardio workouts
1) It Takes Less Time - Since you'll put putting out more effort in each exercise period, you won't need (or be able to) sustain a very long workout. Usually 5-15 minutes is plenty for beginner or intermediate fitness levels.

2) You Dramatically Improve Your VO2 max and Anaerobic Capacity – Basically, you will be improving your cardiovascular health in 2 ways – one of which low-intensity cardio cannot (This means you’ll be able to go that much harder during that final floor hockey shift this winter!)

3) You Lose More Fat – Intervals are performed at a level that your body will spend the rest of the day expending energy to recover from the butt-kicking you gave it. This means that you consume more oxygen recovering from the exercise bout. Therefore, you will be burning up substantially more fat while sitting on the couch later that night than you would have if you'd spent an hour on the treadmill at a moderate pace.

4) You Don't Lose Muscle – With interval training you release HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which signals your body to grow more muscle and lose the fat. Remember that sprinter’s physique!

5) You Can Combine Programs - Chances are that you're currently on a weightlifting/cardio program right now (…and if you are not you should be!) Well what if I told you that this cardio routine combined with a properly designed strength routine would result in a synergistic effect (aka…. RESULTS!)


Now, most of my training clients used to cringe when they heard me say these words but those same individuals now actually prefer cardio intervals than the traditional.  It’s a little outside the comfort zone…but we’ve already learned that that’s a good thing (see previous blog).

Let me be clear, I am not saying to completely do away with the traditional long, low-intensity cardio routine. Especially if you are training for that 10km or ENJOY RUNNING. There a countless benefits for this type of training including stress reduction, cardiovascular health etc...  However, an interval running program should be used in any training program even as part of your weekly routine. 

Just be creative and have some fun!

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.

0 comments:

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Smart Food


As we head into Thanksgiving, there will definitely be a few family gatherings centered around some amazing foods this weekend. Although I am a strong supporter of eating smaller meals more frequently, this weekend may prove to be a little tricky. Instead, let’s take this holiday as the opportunity to dive into nutritionally dense food choices. In the most basic terms, the healthiest way to meet our nutritional needs is to simply eat a diet rich in whole foods. This type of diet will increase energy, reduce body fat, improve mental clarity and reduce sugary cravings.


To help us make these disease-preventing decisions, we can utilize the “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI)". An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content per calorie. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities. The Aggregate Nutrient Density Index was developed and patented by Eat Right America. In addition, this method has been adopted by Whole Foods Market grocery stores and you will see this index on some of their products.



GREEN VEGETABLES
Vegetable ANDI Score
1. Mustard/Turnip/Collard Greens 1000
2. Kale 1000
3. Watercress 1000
4. Bok Choy/Baby Bok Choy 824
5. Spinach 739
6. Broccoli Rabe 715
7. Chinese/Napa Cabbage 704
8. Brussels Sprouts 672
9. Swiss Chard 670
10. Arugula 559
NON-GREEN VEGETABLES
Vegetable ANDI Score
1. Radish 554
2. Bean Sprouts 444
3. Red Pepper 366
4. Radicchio 359
5. Turnip 337
6. Carrot 336
7. Cauliflower 295
8. Artichoke 244
9. Tomato 190
10. Butternut Squash 156



FRUIT
Fruit ANDI Score
1. Strawberries 212
2. Blackberries 178
3. Plum 157
4. Raspberries 145
5. Blueberries 130
6. Papaya 118
7. Orange 109
8. Cantaloupe 100
9. Kiwi 97
10. Watermelon 91





BEANS
VegetableANDI Score
1. Lentils104
2. Red Kidney Beans100
3. Great Northern Beans94
4. Adzuki Beans84
5. Black Beans83
6. Black-Eyed Peas82
7. Pinto Beans61
8. Edamame58
9. Split Peas58
10. Chickpeas (Garbanzos)             57
NUTS & SEEDS
Nuts & SeedsANDI Score
1. Sunflower Seeds78
2. Sesame Seeds65
3. Flax Seeds65
4. Pumpkin Seeds52
5. Pistachios48
6. Pecans41
7. Almonds38
8. Walnuts34
9. Hazelnuts32
10. Cashews27
WHOLE GRAINS
Whole GrainsANDI Score
1. Oats, old-fashioned53
2. Barley, whole grain43
3. Wild Brown Rice43
4. Brown Rice41
5. Barley, pearled32
6. Wheat berries25
7. Cornmeal, whole grain22
8. Quinoa21
9. Millet19
10. Bulgar17
MEAT
MeatANDI Score
1. Bison, top sirloin39
2. Bison, chuck roast36
3. Pork Tenderloin34
4. Flank Steak27
5. Chicken Breast27
6. Turkey, light meat25
7. Turkey, dark meat24
8. Pork Chops24
9. Ground Beef, 85% - 90% lean20-23
10. Beef, top round22
FISH
Fish
ANDI Score
1. Tuna*46
2. Flounder41
3. Sole41
4. Salmon39
5. Mahi Mahi39
6. Shrimp38
7. Swordfish*38
8. Trout36
9. Snapper35
10. Haddock35
*May contain high levels of mercury.  
CHEESE
CheeseANDI Score
1. Feta21
2. Cottage Cheese, low fat18
3. Mozzarella, part skim16
4. Ricotta, part skim16
5. Swiss15
6. Parmesan15
7. Mozzarella, whole milk14
8. Gouda13
9. Provolone13
10. Gruyere13
Milk and Alternatives
Refrigerated Dairy CaseANDI Score
1. Tofu37
2. Nonfat Skim Milk36
3. Soy Milk33
4. Plain Nonfat Yogurt30
5. Egg Substitute30
6. Egg White29
7. Low-fat 1% Milk28
8. Egg27
9. Hemp Milk27
10. Tempeh26




Enjoy and have a great Thanksgiving!


**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.


0 comments:

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.