If it tastes good, enjoy it -- in moderation. There is no point in eating "health food" if you have to choke down and/or regret every bite. Better to have a really exquisite experience with a small amount of a wonderful food than to try to eat a plate of garbage you don't want.
Organic? I don't buy it. In this country, we do not do the extensive soil testing and oversight that the EU does, and truly organic food is impossible anyway with the lamentable state of our air and ground water. (Although we are apparently in far better shape than Beijing!) True, eliminating the chemical pesticides and fertilizers removed in so called organic produce is BETTER than not, but I don't think that the degree of improvement justifies the exorbitant amount added to the cost to the consumer.
Better to buy locally from farmer's markets and stands when possible than to worry about fancy organic supermarkets which overcharge; what proof do you have that the produce is really any safer anyway? In light of the recent salmonella epidemic, I have very, very little faith in the oversight powers of the FDA and certainly I don't have faith in the honesty of most corporations, including large corporate-run farms.
I believe it IS possible to eat well without spending a fortune, and like Rocco di Spirito (who I interviewed last year!) I see that grocery store prepared and partially prepared meals have come leaps and bounds in the last few years. This is a real boon for busy people who still want to eat well without eating out every night. These products can be the base of meals, and require very little to complete them. Cheaper cuts of meat, cooked correctly by braising or stewing, actually have more flavor sometimes; vegetables on the "not so perfect" rack often are exactly what is needed.
We can enjoy just about anything we want as long as we don't go overboard. Part of being healthy is being happy, and eating food we love is a big part of both!
Organic? I don't buy it. In this country, we do not do the extensive soil testing and oversight that the EU does, and truly organic food is impossible anyway with the lamentable state of our air and ground water. (Although we are apparently in far better shape than Beijing!) True, eliminating the chemical pesticides and fertilizers removed in so called organic produce is BETTER than not, but I don't think that the degree of improvement justifies the exorbitant amount added to the cost to the consumer.
Better to buy locally from farmer's markets and stands when possible than to worry about fancy organic supermarkets which overcharge; what proof do you have that the produce is really any safer anyway? In light of the recent salmonella epidemic, I have very, very little faith in the oversight powers of the FDA and certainly I don't have faith in the honesty of most corporations, including large corporate-run farms.
I believe it IS possible to eat well without spending a fortune, and like Rocco di Spirito (who I interviewed last year!) I see that grocery store prepared and partially prepared meals have come leaps and bounds in the last few years. This is a real boon for busy people who still want to eat well without eating out every night. These products can be the base of meals, and require very little to complete them. Cheaper cuts of meat, cooked correctly by braising or stewing, actually have more flavor sometimes; vegetables on the "not so perfect" rack often are exactly what is needed.
We can enjoy just about anything we want as long as we don't go overboard. Part of being healthy is being happy, and eating food we love is a big part of both!
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