Health
Habits
Food
Weight 
Better Than Butternut: Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe
10 Simple Ways To Eat Less Without Noticing
Juicing: Stupid and Pretentious or Nourishing and Enlightening?
10 Tasty Carbs That Won’t Make You Fat
How To Start Working Out When You Don’t Like To Exercise
Focus More on Your Brain and Less on Your Diet if You’re Serious About Losing Weight
Home Court Habits: The Secret to Effortless Weight Control
10 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight When You Think You’re Doing Everything Right
How To Burn More Calories Without Breaking A Sweat
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Foodists
For The Love Of Food
by Darya Rose | Feb 3, 2012
For The Love of Food
Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one with sugar on the brain this week. The now infamous Dr. Lustig thinks the government should treat sugar like tobacco and alcohol, but Marion Nestle is not convinced. I also found an excellent article from the anti-grain crowd admitting rice might not be so bad for you after all. Rejoice!
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Links of the week
- Societal Control of Sugar Essential to Ease Public Health Burden <<Everyone in health is buzzing about this editorial by Dr. Lustig, something I’ve commented on before. Though I agree with his suggestion that sugar is dangerous in large doses, I agree with Marion Nestle (below) that regulation isn’t the answer in this case. (UCSF)
- Are sugars toxic? Should they be regulated? <<To keep this in perspective, Nestle is traditionally in favor of regulating the food industry to keep them honest. If she’s against this, that’s a good indication that it’s crossing the line. (Food Politics)
- The “Asian Paradox”: How Can Asians Eat So Much Rice and Not Gain Weight? <<Huge props to paleo blogger Mark Sisson for ‘fessing up that rice, in all its evil grain-ness, isn’t really bad for you. This is a great read. (Mark’s Daily Apple)
- Exercise as Housecleaning for the Body <<This is one of the most interesting theories I’ve ever read on why exercise is good for you. Biology geeks, don’t miss this one. (New York Times)
- ‘Just Label It’ Campaign Asks the FDA for GMO Labeling <<I don’t think GMO is innately bad (though some of them probably are), but I would definitely like to know when I’m eating GMO foods. How about you? (Treehugger)
- Eating Together? Simply a Matter of Adapting <<I’ve definitely noticed that who I’m eating with influences how fast I eat. Apparently I am influencing them as well, which is a good thing. (ScienceDaily)
- Eating fish tied to lower risk of colon polyps <<You already knew vegetables were good for your intestines. Apparently fish is as well. (Medline)
- CURRIED LENTILS AND SPINACH <<Lentils and spinach is one of my absolute favorite pairings. I love the sound of this warming winter dish. (Chez Us)
- French Cauliflower Soup with Bacon and Herb Garnish <<I bet you’ve never considered putting soup and salad in the same bowl. Check out this beautiful recipe for a heavily garnished cauliflower soup. Yum! (Savour Fare)
What inspired you this week?
These UCSF scientists must be real delights at parties: “Thank you for the offer of a slice of cake. While I recognize the cultural and celebratory aspects of sugar, at this time I feel it is in the best interests of public health policy to advocate a change in consumption patterns, however complicated such an undertaking may be. Now, please pass the celery sticks.”
When it comes to regulating sugar, I think it depends on the regulation proposed. I disagreed with Lustig & Co. thoughts on age requirements and limiting hours of availability like alcohol and tobacco.
But I think that sugar should be included with the nutrients to limit on the USDA ‘Nutrition Facts’ label. There should be a limit on the amount of sugar in Federally re-imbursed school lunches. Sugary beverages and high sugar added processed foods should be excluded from SNAP.
I’m not sure that Marion Nestle said she wasn’t in favor of regulation. She said that she wasn’t interested in the question of whether they were toxic. No one (except maybe Margo Wootan) is more in favor of regulating food than Marion. What’s odd is that she in not interested in the question that justifies the regulation.
Totally agree with you on all fronts. Thank you for being smart 🙂
Glad I could help.
It’s amazing how much sugar has been on my mind recently…well, it always is, but recently I’ve been realizing how much it’s actually on my mind! ie: I am addicted to sugar! Currently reading a book called Sugar Blues by William Dufty written in the 70’s, *phew* it is SCARY!
Thanks for writing this piece, I will definitely think on it more while I eat chocolate in bed:)
The only meat I eat is fish. Since I’ve been able to stop the growth of polyps in my colon despite my genetics, I’m not surprised by this study. But I do think it’s more the association with following other very healthy eating practices–not just the fish.
Great list of articles this week, Darya.
Hi Darya!
I’m not sure where I stand in terms of sugar regulation – not because I don’t think it’s outrageous that sugar has ZERO regulation, & people are actively encouraged to think that having a glass of wine is like getting in bed with the devil (that DOES aggravate me!) – BUT because I have a feeling the processed food industry would just respond with a surplus of fake foods and artificially sweetened goods.
I suspect that, in the same way as prohibition fails to deal with the reasons why some people need or want to abuse alcohol- as well as the difference between abuse and enjoyment – sugar ‘regulation’ would fail in trying to address peoples sweet tooth. Or in teaching them ways to fill up on nutrient rich foods, instead of processed foods and diet soda. Changing the mindset is always harder than regualting the habit, but I also think with sugar most people have no idea. They genuinely don’t understand how addicivte, and uniquely fattening, it is. Higher taxation would go someway towards emphasising that point I suppouse … but you also need education to a greater extent than I am currently hearing anyone talk about.
Having said all of that – I dont get what part of the Marion article explicitly stated that she was against regulation? It seemed more of an on the fence commentary than anything else?!
Great points. I know Marion didn’t explicitly say she’s against regulation, but I sort of expected her to jump on the bag wagon and she seemed extremely reserved about the idea.
totally off subject, but we need to pay more attention about our bees!