65 Comments

1. I am in the process of reading your book “What To Eat” and am loving it. I am currently working on my Ph.D in Natural Medicine and someone recommended I read your book. I have always suspected the food industry was politicized and you’ve essentially proved it. As a consumer and an educated woman, “profit margin” angers me because this ensures some people will sink to the lowest levels to make a buck. I have sent e-mails to Wegmans and Whole Foods letting them know that your book should be required reading for all their employees.

   In the meantime, is there any way you could summarize the internet links you mentioned in your book? Thanks.

   Karla

   Comment by Karla Fears — June 20, 2007 @ 7:52 am

2. Thanks for the lovely comment. Makes my day. As for the Internet links: the footnotes with linked web addresses are posted on my resource website, www.foodpolitics.com. Click on the cover of What to Eat, then on Complete Footnotes. Happy browsing!

   Comment by Marion — June 20, 2007 @ 11:20 am

3. Thanks so much for “What to Eat” So much was eye opening! I’m especially grateful for the info on cereal, since I had been feeling sick after eating my organic high fiber cereal and rice milk. As it turns out, the fiber wasn’t the point - the sugar was. I got some Uncle Sam cereal, and switched to an unsweetened milk, and voila!

   I wonder how many people avoid breakfast because it’s all just too sweet?

   I have a question. I’m (hopefully) healing from having done too much low calorie, high protein dieting (the Zone, Eat Right for Your Blood Type, embarrassed chagrin) and excessive exercise, which seems to have blown out my metabolism. After a few years of illness, I’m now eating enough and exercising intelligently, but I can’t seem to find clear info on percentages of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. I find only ranges, and I’ve decided on my own to do 20% protein, 30% fats, and 50% carbohydrate.

   Is there any clear data on optimal percentages? I apologize if this seems silly, but I trained myself to eat very little, and I’m actually having to learn how to eat properly again.

   Comment by Rutha Plank — June 28, 2007 @ 11:21 am

4. I use bottled water daily. The reason is that it has no odor or yellowish color as the Municipal water supply has.

   Comment by Chuck T — July 17, 2007 @ 7:53 am

5. I was intrigued by your piece on bottled water. As a wellness consultant with Nikken (the world’s leader in certified home wellness) I have discovered that just filtering our water is not enough that the PH and alkaline is very essential to our bodies and with normal filtering it takes out everything. Nikken has Pimag water which is incredibly awesome for our bodies and it tastes great. Nikken filters the water but it also puts the PH and alkaline in the water. Since our bodies are made up between 75-80% water the RIGHT water is very important. I would love to share more of this with you. It looks like we have the same passion, helping others take ownership of their health.

   Comment by Linda K — July 17, 2007 @ 8:09 am

6. Hello Dr. Nestle!

   In your book “Food Politics” there are some very shocking issues that I was previously unaware of, despite my education as a Dietitian. I am surprised how the American Dietetic Association the organization that over-sees what is taught for undergraduate Dietetics programs and internship programs (both required to become a Registered Dietitian) accepts money from the Dairy Council and the Sugar Association. I’m uncertain how an organization can show they support an appropriate “eat less” sugar philosophy while accepting money from the Sugar Assoc.
   When I entered a local elementary school cafeteria and witnessed 13 (yes thirteen) large signs and banners promoting milk/dairy with only 1 other sign promoting another food (whole-grains), the overwhelming influence of the dairy industry is not so surprising.

   Dr. Nestle, I’m concerned with the vast amount of money that is spent on promotion of corn and obesity with the corn subsidies in the Farm Bill.
   Corn subsidies
   *discourage healthy food choices
   *practices are unfair trade with WTO,EU, et.al.
   www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/22/business/wto.php
   *are a poor choice for ethanol with extensive fossil
   fuels used for production
   I have contacted my Representative, my Senators and Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the Farm Bill.

   Dr. Nestle, what do you think can be done so that America has a Farm Bill more appropriate for public health before the current one is reissued for 2008-2012?
   I have “What to Eat” and am looking forward to reading it next!

   Comment by Daniel Ithaca,NY — July 23, 2007 @ 6:15 pm

7. Dr. Nestle,

   It has only been recently that I have started my quest in understanding and practicing healthful nutrition. My first introduction to Nutrition was Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book “Eat To Live”, which contains a lot of interesting information (much of it also backed up by references to nutritional studies.) It was a real eye-opener for me, and I have become very interested in nutrition. I’ve also, as I explain below, become concerned about the future of food.

   From my reading, understanding, and personal conclusion so far, an “ideal” base diet (daily) would be primarily fruits and vegetables, with a serving (around 48g is the RDA, I think) of whole grain and a small handful of nuts and seeds (raw, as roasting alters the beneficial fat). Animal and dairy products should generally be avoided completely as animal protein is directly linked to cancer; see book “The China Study”. If eating meat, then limit to 1 serving per week. Further, whole foods are the best for you. Avoid heavily processed (junk) food completely; often anything with a main ingredient starting with “enriched ..”, as it is devoid of all the original nutrients and likely has little to no nutritional value.) Drink lots of water (about 1 quart per day for every 50 pounds of weight.)

   I’ve also learned to avoid the microwave for cooking, especially vegetables. From my undertstanding, cooking vegetables on the stove causes a loss of about 10% of the nutrients, whereas cooking in the microwave causes a loss of about 97% of the nutrients AND creates new chemicals (from the microwaves) not found in nature. From Dr. Fuhrman’s “ideal” diet, at least half of the vegetables consumed per day would be raw/uncooked.

   My other BIG concern has to do with GM (Genetically Modified) foods. I do not like the idea of eating it. It has not been adequately studied (and probably cannot be for decades) yet is being pushed hard - Part of the new Iraq provisional government requires all Iraqi farmers to destory their seeds and purchase GM seeds from American distributors (ie, Monsanto.) Talk about food politics! These GM crops threaten to destroy biodiversity on a global scale. The more I read and hear, the more I see Monsanto-government connections at very high levels (FDA, and White House). It’s scary to me, especially as Monsanto publically stated that it’s not their responsibility to ensure the safety of their products, they are only concerned with selling as much of it as they can. And they basically said that in so many words. But what can be done besides a massive consumer uprising and voting with your spending dollar? But these GM crops are also contaminating regular crops/land, so it may prove to be hard to get rid of now; the damage is already there.

   Concerned food-eater,
   // CHRIS

   Comment by Chris Morse — July 30, 2007 @ 12:02 pm

8. Dr. Nestle:

   I write to tell you how much I enjoyed and learned from your book, What to Eat, which I read very recently.

   I’ve always been interested in food and food issues. Please let me know if you ever need assistance with your research, particularly on business and accounting issues. I have also been reading up on new accounting concepts related to sustainability, “triple bottom line,” etc.

   At minimum, perhaps we can get better choices in the NYU vending. Downtown, in the SCPS Woolworth Building, the selections are scary!

   Comment by Shari Lichtman — August 9, 2007 @ 9:16 am

9. Yankee Stadium:

   I hope that the new Yankee Stadium is built with bigger seats. If they keep selling so much of that pure junk at the stadium, they’re going to need them!

   Comment by Shari Lichtman — September 1, 2007 @ 2:51 pm

10. Dear Dr. Nestle,

    I have a question about “All natural” milk. I have found several brands of this non-organic milk at the supermarket, and I ‘m confused. I have read your incredibly informative book “What to Eat” and I understand the difference between organic and “all natural”, but my question is: These “all natural” milks claim in their labels “No hormones”, but by not saying anything about antibiotics, can we conclude that they DO use them? What else are they not telling the consumers? I guess my question really is: how safe are these “all natural” milks?

    Thank you very much,
    Maria P. Moreno, Salt Lake City, UT

    Comment by Maria Paz Moreno — September 12, 2007 @ 4:23 pm

11. My guess is that marketers of “natural” milk say everything good they can about how the cows were treated. Your question about safety depends on what you mean. The milks are pasteurized so bad bacteria should not be a problem. People have been drinking industrial milk for years and survived it pretty well and it’s hard to know whether milk is responsible for health problems. I think organic is a better choice, but the evidence for that opinion mainly rests on environmental considerations. The research on other effects isn’t consistent enough to say anything with certainty. Sorry I can’t do better on this one.

    Comment by Marion — September 13, 2007 @ 2:49 pm

12. Hello Marion,

    Just like everyone else, I enjoyed your book, “What to Eat,” immensely. However, I found myself left with just two questions (as opposed to the hundreds I had before I read the book), and was wondering if you could answer them for me:

    1) Whole Foods and many other health stores have enormous bulk food sections, where one can get cooking oils, granola, spices, dried fruit and grains. What are your thoughts in terms of the pricing and safety of these foods (do you think handlers change the food often enough, do you find it goes stale or rancid at certain stores, is it, in general, a “better” purchase than if one were to buy, say, granola out of a box or olive oil by the bottle)?

    2) I notice you refer to Gatorade as essentially water with sugar in it — I don’t regularly drink the stuff, but I have had it when running a half-marathon. Do you think that under the circumstances of vigorous exercise (say, 2 hours or more), Gatorade is better for you than water? What would you recommend a runner or any other athlete eat? So often, you find magazines recommending sugar-filled carb bars (basically candy bars) and carbohydrate-inflated viscous liquid (gels)? What would be a healthy snack for this kind of situation?

    Also, I just wanted to add that as a Tropicana drinker since childhood, I was disappointed you didn’t add “not from concentrate” orange juice to your table on page 276 of your paperback edition. How does it stack up against “from concentrate” frozen juice? (Unfortunately they don’t list beta-carotene on the box.)

    I sincerely hope to meet you at a speaking engagement one day.

    Sincerely appreciative,

    Amy Segreti

    Comment by Amy Segreti — September 17, 2007 @ 12:44 am

13. Hi there. Some quick responses: (1) My guess is that some stores are better at moving products quickly than others and that Whole Foods ought to do a good job of it. I’d try some and see how it tastes. (2) Anything with a mix of nutrients works well after vigorous exercise–fruit juice or real food would be fine choices. (3) Fresh juice tastes a lot better. Thanks for writing!

    Comment by Marion — September 17, 2007 @ 8:14 am

14. I’m halfway through “What To Eat” and have already decided that each of my 4 grown children will be receiving it as a holiday gift. One thing that I have noticed in my (pretty extensive) reading on diet and related issues, including cookbooks, is the lack of attention paid to the matter of taste. I believe the reason more people don’t eat more fresh fruits and vegetables is that they simply have no taste. I live in the upper Midwest, and especially in the winter, there simply is no fruit (and very few vegetables) with any taste worth mentioning, excepting apples. I grew up in the SW corner of Michigan, generally agreed to be the fruit capital of this state, and of much of the nation, at one time. This is now all gone, having been replaced with California and/or Florida (or elsewhere) produce in general. These items are bred for shelf life, not taste. They are incredibly boring, and most people object to both this tasteless quality and the cost. Unfortunate, but true, and a major factor in the rampant obesity in our state, along with our lack of exercise. (I believe we are now up at No. 2 on the national list.)

    Comment by rita holmes — September 18, 2007 @ 7:43 am

15. Dr. Nestle,

    I listened to you speak last night at the University of Oklahoma. I am pretty well versed in most of what you had to say; many, many years ago I got my B.S. in Nutrition at the University of Washington. Although I never worked in that field, I keep up with food news.

    One thing that piqued my interest was a store that you talked about that had independent consultants come in and give products in the store zero, one, two or three stars to indicate their nutritional value (I might argue that there are some items that should have ‘negative’ stars!). Could you tell me the name of the store and where it was?

    A person in the audience wanted to know how to tell which health ‘claim’ was true when you find conflicting claims. I used to subscribe to the “Berkeley Wellness Newsletter” which I considered the Consumer Reports of health issues. They often discussed food claims, diet claims, nutritional supplement claims, etc. Have you ever had a chance to look at an issue?

    I appreciated your presence in our community and was happy to see so much interest from the local population.

    Mary

    Comment by Mary — September 20, 2007 @ 7:12 pm

16. Hello Dr. Nestle!

    I just viewed part of a really interesting program last night: “Big Mac: Inside the McDonald’s Empire”.
    Will be re-broadcast Sunday, October 21st 9p ET, and a DVD is also available.
    http://www.cnbc.com/id/19168312/

    McDonald’s currently has ~32,000 stores. I heard on this program that there was an agreement made with a gas station company in China to include McDonald’s stores. The gas station has 30,000 outlets! http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060622/ai_n16509794
    With such a vast amount of possible influence, I unfortunately expect there will soon be a shortage of plus size clothing outlets in China. )=

    Comment by Daniel, Ithaca NY — October 11, 2007 @ 11:36 am

17. Hi Marion,

    Thanks for your good work; what a relief to find carefully reasoned information instead of hype! I grew up with a RD mother, so I feel as though I have had a lot of advantages in understanding nutrition info, but it still gets confusing.

    I have a question about tofu: I have heard that the soybean cultivars grown in the US have significantly more phytoestrogens than those grown in Asia, and therefore may cause health risks to eat. Is this an urban myth? Should I be cautious about eating tofu twice a week (approx 4 oz servings)? I don’t buy “soy-enhanced” products, and just stick to tofu, miso and soy sauce condiments, if this give you a better picture of overall intake quantity.

    Thanks!

    Comment by Sonja, Austin TX — October 18, 2007 @ 6:40 pm

18. I write about soy in a chapter in What to Eat. I’m not aware that U.S. soybeans are any different than Asian ones. The research about soy is confusing. I’d treat it like any other food. If you like it, eat it, but just not too much.

    Comment by Marion — October 18, 2007 @ 8:55 pm

19. Hi Marion,
    I really enjoy your blog. The layout is great and the content is easy to understand and very informative. I look forward to reading your book and learning much more…Keep up the great posts!

    Yvonne

    Comment by Yvonne — October 25, 2007 @ 3:20 pm

20. Dr. Nestle,
    Timing is perfect for me to have come across your book! I have been cooking professionally in San Francisco for 6 years and have been blessed to work under some top chefs. Always has the issue of local, organic, and sustainability been an issue. I have now now branched off from the restaurant world and own a business, California Table, (californiatable.net) which teaches instructional cooking to aspiring cooks and foodies on how to expand their repertoire. I have been approached by the Kona Blue Fish Company to sell their fish to my clients, as well as other SF restaurants. Although farmed fish is not in my promise, after reading your fish section and the bio of Kona, I’m having some hesitations about what to do. What do you know about this company, seeming very sustainable?
    Can’t wait to hear your response!
    Liz

    Comment by Liz — October 27, 2007 @ 1:33 pm

21. All I know is what I read online. Environmental Defense says the company is environmentally responsible and that group has high standards. Does anyone else have any direct information? Thanks for writing.

    Comment by Marion — October 28, 2007 @ 8:40 am

22. Dr. Nestle:

    I have a general nutrition question.

    Why is it that when a person doesn’t feel well, she tends to eat less healthy foods, such as those with more fats and carbs?

    The last few days, I have been fighting a nasty flu-like bug. I’ve actually eaten a lot of things that are typically off my list. Yes, I ordered the pastrami! Yes, I ate lots of noodle soup. And, (my goodness!) I even ate some Pringles and 2 coca-colas.

    Comment by Shari Lichtman — November 11, 2007 @ 7:53 pm

23. Dear Dr. Nestle,

    I’m plowing through your book What to Eat and love it. My question is this: on one of the title pages in the book it says that one can become a “registered user” of this site and have access to specific information on “your cellphone or handheld.” I’ve searched the site and see no mention of this. I was very intrigued by this idea and wonder if this was discontinued, never implemented, coming soon, or….??? Thanks!

    Comment by lorraine — November 18, 2007 @ 8:38 pm

24. Welcome to my site:
    www.chinesefoodmore.com
    THS !

    Comment by hongshai — December 3, 2007 @ 8:30 am

25. […] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerptWelcome and Explanation On this site, I comment on current events, answer questions, and respond to comments. I also list my speaking invitations under Public Appearances and recent writings under Publications (see list at left). Information about my other books, Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (University of California Press 2002, paperback 2003) and Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism (University of California Press 2003, paperback 2004), […]

    Pingback by danfirst » Welcome and Explanation — December 16, 2007 @ 5:48 pm

26. ratiocinative indictional rabidity avowable radiferous urinocryoscopy attemperament nonspecified
    South Eastern Education and Library Board
    http://www.jonsphoto.com

    Comment by Teressa Moreno — December 17, 2007 @ 2:10 am

27. I love mushrooms.
    How important is it to select organic mushrooms? Any specific risks to conventional versus organic?

    Comment by Shari L. — December 21, 2007 @ 2:24 pm

28. Recently, I was served a plate of “salad” that consisted entirely of several varieties of vegetable sprouts and grain sprouts, dressed with a fresh herb dressing. It was delicious. The salad maker stated this small plate of sprouts held the nutrient content of several cups of fresh whole vegetables, stated the nutrients are quite concentrated in the sprouts. Is this true? The only “literature” I can find on this subject is from seed companies who obviously have a vested interest in selling the seeds for the sprouts. I would appreciate knowing the true comparison of nutrient content. Thank you.

    Comment by Sheila — December 30, 2007 @ 1:45 pm

29. […] question comes from Sheila: “Recently, I was served a plate of “salad” that consisted entirely of several […]

    Pingback by What to Eat » Nutrient composition: philosophy — December 31, 2007 @ 12:13 pm

30. What are your thoughts on the following article:
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22116724

    The supposed inconclusive evidence
    for sat fat being the culprit in atherosclerosis.
    Personally, I couldn’t find any credentials of the
    author but nevertheless would be much interested in your thoughts on the matter.

    Comment by rj — January 6, 2008 @ 1:52 pm

31. What happened to today’s blog entry?

    Comment by Tracy — January 29, 2008 @ 1:45 pm

32. Dear Prof. Nestle,
    I’ve just finished reading the Hebrew version of your book.
    I’m so glad it got translated, cause it would’ve been a bit confusing for me in English, with all the professional terms you’re using.
    Thank you for writing it and thus enhancing my awareness of what I’m eating.
    I’m not sure I can correctly express here what a strong impact and impression this book has - had - am having - on me.
    I was awed, terrified, amused, worried and reflective in different parts of it.
    I commend you for your bravery and for your vision and I thank you for your willingness to share it with readers around the globe.
    Looking forward to reading more from you,
    All the best,
    Rose (Vered)

    Comment by Vered (Rose) Shavit Mazor — January 30, 2008 @ 11:08 am

33. Thanks so much and shalom! And I hope you saw the write-up in Haaretz. I was pretty excited about it. It had a great cartoon (you can see this linked to one of my earlier posts at http://whattoeatbook.com/2007/09/23/what-to-eat-hebrew-edition/).

    Comment by Marion — January 30, 2008 @ 12:38 pm

34. Dr. Nestle,

    I was a medical student in your nutrition elective at GWU around 1987. I really enjoyed your class. I remember you teaching us about the truth behind the RDAs. I’m almost finished with “What To Eat,” and have been enjoying it immensely. Thank you for the important education you continue to provide!

    CL

    Comment by Cindy Levine — February 3, 2008 @ 8:22 pm

35. Starbucks and milk:

    Recently, I discovered that some Starbucks does have organic milk, but it is behind the counter. If you want organic, you have to ask for it specifically, and not all stores have it.

    Now, I understand, Starbucks is doing away with offering organic milk.

    Comment by Shari Lichtman — February 8, 2008 @ 8:36 am

36. I recently started reading What to Eat. As an internist I’m going to start including reference to it whenever I give my patients diet information, which is often.

    In the introduction (p 11 in my edition) it says that you can’t think of a single industry, other than possibly organic food producers, that benefits from people eating more healthfully. I think the airline industry would benefit as obesity keeps them from making the seats narrower and lighter, and the extra weight adds to their jet fuel costs.

    Comment by Daniel Ginsberg — February 10, 2008 @ 1:21 am

37. Hmm. Never thought of that one. Thanks for thinking of it!

    Comment by Marion — February 10, 2008 @ 11:06 am

38. Dr. Nestle - any industry that has employees benefits from people eating more healthfully!

    Comment by Migraineur — February 12, 2008 @ 3:55 pm

39. Hello Marion,

    I have a question about tangerines: every winter I used to buy tangerines imported from Spain that I would find at every grocery store. But this year, I cannot find them anywhere, and I only find the ones grown in California (in my opinion not nearly as good). Is there a “FOOD POLITICS” reason behind the mysterious vanishing of the Spanish tangerines? (related to the high value of the Euro, perhaps?) - Thanks! I read your blog almost every day!

    Comment by Maria — February 28, 2008 @ 4:24 pm

40. I recently read the NYTimes article about MSG and although you were quoted, I’d love to hear more of your thoughts.

    Thanks so much! I love your blog!

    Comment by Allison — March 5, 2008 @ 5:16 pm

41. Hi, I am a big library user and almost never buy books, but I have bought two of your What To Eat books and will buy some more this year for gifts. It’s one of the best books on food I’ve seen. And the format puts everything in nice bite-sized chunks.

    Thanks for the good work, you’re one of my, um, role models of what good people should be. There doesn’t seem to be too many of these in the food “industry” although I have noticed that my non-corporate chain Supermarché PA is small enough that it doesn’t have space for 17 types of name-brand-extension processed crap and therefore sells mostly just real food. Happily, now I know the difference! I also signed up for a local organic farm basket program season and I look forward to eating fresh and local again. I had always tried to avoid processed food, but now I understand the wide-ranging deceptions and “health claims” of the food industry.

    Montreal has a wide-ranging literary festival called Blue Metropolis, and we’d love to see see you here sometime.

    Comment by DJ — May 1, 2008 @ 6:54 pm

42. Thanks so much! It sounds like a great event and I’d love to.

    Comment by Marion — May 4, 2008 @ 10:29 am

43. Dear marion,
    Our school is having a science expo. Our 5th grade class decided to investigate the USDA food pyramid and we would love it if you could come! I have been trying to contact you from your phone number but I get your voicemail.

    We want you to came to you can tell our principal and the students there about the background of the “healthy” food pyramid.

    Thank you!

    Comment by Sarah — May 4, 2008 @ 3:20 pm

44. Oh please respond by Wed. because the expo is thursday

    Comment by Sarah — May 4, 2008 @ 3:21 pm

45. Dr Nestle,
    What’s your position on genetically modified foods? One person has commented here saying how scary genetically modified foods are and how Monsanto and other biotech corporations are pushing them to unsuspecting farmers. I think there is a lot of exaggeration here. Come to think of farmers who are planting genetically modified foods in the US, Canada, China, South Africa and elsewhere. Surely, are these people being forced to do so? I really don’t think so. There is an increasing willingness on the part of farmers to adopt modern agricultural technologies into farming.

    We are all aware about how the world is bleeding from food shortages. We can’t afford to shove aside an important technology such as crop genetic engineering. After all, we have been genetically modifying food from time immemorial. Blogger James has written an excellent article on how genetically modified foods coupled with organic foods can alleviate food shortage in the world. We need more than one solution to deal with the current food crisis. We need whole or organic foods and we also need genetically modified foods. So, let’s all avoid this scare-mongering about genetically modified foods.

    Those asking whether genetically modified foods are safe to eat, only need to read a report of the World Health Organization (WHO) released five years ago. The report stated that genetically modified foods pose no threat to human beings. The U.S. National Academies of Science have also declared that genetically modified foods don’t pose any health risk to human beings and the environment.

    Comment by Mwana Mwega — May 5, 2008 @ 11:56 am

46. I explain my position on GM foods in great detail in my Book “Safe Food” (University of California Press, 2003). I can sum it up briefly: even if they are safe, it doesn’t mean that they are necessarily acceptable. Thanks for writing!

    Comment by Marion — May 5, 2008 @ 2:27 pm

47. Marion,
    Will you be able to come? I don’t really think so because you are such a busy woman.

    Comment by Sarah — May 5, 2008 @ 4:30 pm

48. About the revised edition of Food Politics: Is there any way I can see what parts have been revised and how, if my library only has the 2003 edition? Thanks!

    Comment by Allison — May 8, 2008 @ 12:01 pm

49. The new edition of Food Politics has a new introduction and a new concluding chapter that brings events up to date through 2007. Maybe you could get your library to order it? Amazon has used copies. Thanks for asking.

    Comment by Marion — May 8, 2008 @ 12:25 pm

50. Here is an interesting story that a friend told me was also on NPR:

    http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iHKbyAz6s9tZa0Mvic58D4JP7nUgD90GC0180

    I hope this make some positive changes for the law enforcement staff and those they eat with!

    Comment by Daniel Ithaca,NY — May 8, 2008 @ 6:00 pm

51. article:
    “Calling all carbs:
    Dietitian hired to arrest officer obesity”
    Associated Press 5/6/08
    By SHAYA TAYEFE MOHAJER

    Comment by Daniel Ithaca,NY — May 8, 2008 @ 6:02 pm

52. In Note 516 in “What to Eat” you wrote, “I do not know how to reconcile the NRA’s contention that 76 percent of meals are prepared at home with USDA’s estimate that 46 percent of food expenditures are on meals prepared outside the home.”

    If 76% of the meals are prepared at home, that means that 24% are prepared outside the home. Since it’s more expensive to eat out than to make it yourself, it makes sense that 24% of one’s outside the home meals consume 46% of the food budget.

    Comment by Daniel Ginsberg — May 10, 2008 @ 11:53 am

53. Dr. Nestle,

    I just received a Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine update that let me know Oprah has started an eating plan which includes a 21day commitment to eating VEGAN during this cleanse. That would be super if she continued with the less meat, less dairy plan. Many people around the country may have previously been unfamiliar with the term “Vegan” before being introduced to Kelly Freston’s book: Quantum Wellness, as featured on Oprah.
    Do you think that since Oprah has such a huge amount of people following her show, especially including those involving eating plans, that there will be a noticeable effect with people eating less meat & less dairy? This effect may also be promoted by the rising prices of meat, among other grocery items.

    Comment by Daniel Ithaca, NY — May 22, 2008 @ 9:49 am

54. Actually, Daniel, prices of some kinds of meat (pork, for example) are falling, and those that are rising are rising less than grain prices.

    Source: this graphic from the New York Times.

    Dairy prices are rising at about the same rate as grain prices, not more. In fact, at a quick glance, the only animal product that I could find that was rising faster than grains was eggs.

    Comment by Migraineur — May 22, 2008 @ 10:45 am

55. Please reply with list of “Table of Contents” for your book, “What’s to Eat” before I purchase it. My intent is to make your book available to 700 residents of a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Ohio. I heard you speak at a vegetarian nutrition conference at a church in NYC many years ago. Thanks for your commentary on CNN today, (Memorial Day). Regards

    Comment by Alan Jones — May 26, 2008 @ 10:38 am

56. The Table of Contents and other information about the book is available on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0865477043/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link.

    Thanks for asking.

    Comment by Marion — May 26, 2008 @ 10:53 am

57. Dr. Nestle:

    I asked a fishmonger about when they expect the wild salmon this spring. He told me that they don’t really expect to get ANY - that the season was effectively canceled due to some diminished quantity of fish - environmental reason. He said some is available, but it is minimal quantity, lower quality or very expensive.

    I do try to avoid farm raised salmon, as the various organizations list it as detrimental.

    Do you have good information about what’s going on with the wild salmon this spring?

    Comment by Shari Lichtman — May 30, 2008 @ 9:30 pm

58. Dr. Nestle

    What do you think of the nutrient contents of the Acai berry that grows in the Rain Forest, not cultivated, no plantation, no pesticide, no insecticide, freeze dried, has the profile similar to an egg, fatty ratio that compares to live oil , a rare low glycemic, has 16 phytonutrients/antioxidents, generous amount of trace minerals, loaded with vitamins The fruit is available in juice form because it perishes within 24 hours after being picked. This would be a good juice for runners. Please reply to my e-mail if interested. Laurie

    Comment by Laurie Robillard — June 13, 2008 @ 10:06 am

59. Heya Marion,

    I’d like to thank you for your work. Until the beginning of this year, I haven’t questioned the food industry. In fact, I never even put the words together: “food” and “industry”. After reading the books of debunkers like you and Michael Pollen, I’ve adjust my diet. Along the way, however, I’m running into problems.

    One like you encourage eating various foods; I’d like to get into that, particularly amoung veggies.

    Purchase after purchase, each vegetable will always be different but I eat them all by myself. This means if I buy a variety, they will go bad. I often find myself between eating two bushels of veggies per 4 days or having a nice variety where much will spoil.

    Any suggestions?

    Comment by Helen — June 19, 2008 @ 2:52 pm

60. I often have the same problem and sometimes cook them all up or freeze them. They won’t be fresh, but they will still be good! Thanks for writing and happy eating.

    Comment by Marion — June 19, 2008 @ 4:08 pm

61. Dr. Nestle,

    I just finished your book, What to Eat, and can’t tell you how much I have learned! And shared with others! We are looking forward to your visit to the Chautauqua Institute this summer!

    Sally

    Comment by Sally Sprunk — June 26, 2008 @ 1:18 pm

62. Regarding the problem of veggies spoiling, its sad that our lives are so busy that gone are the days when people had the time to visit the grocery store every couple of days to stock up on fresh fruit/veggies/meat etc. The other alternative, of course, is frozen veggies. I’ve discovered a great Canadian brand, called ” Europe’s Best” that make some different combinations of mixed veg. Their website is: http://www.europesbest.com/ Seems that in Canada they have more products than what they sell in the US, but its worth looking for them anyways. Enjoy!

    Comment by Jill — June 26, 2008 @ 1:22 pm

63. In regards to a recent MIT study published: where would you find uridine monophosphate other than from beets?

    The study I’m referring to is: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080702150706.htm

    Comment by rj — July 6, 2008 @ 10:19 am

64. News to me. Uridine monophosphate is a normal component of all living cells (it’s part of RNA), which means it should be present in all foods. Beets might have a bit more than some other root vegetables but I haven’t seen comparative studies. I’m skeptical that beets are significantly better for you than any other vegetable. They all have good things in them. So eat your veggies!

    Comment by Marion — July 6, 2008 @ 10:26 am

65. Hear, hear for your letter published in today’s NYTimes about the calorie count of the chocolate chip cookies.

    Comment by Alanna — July 16, 2008 @ 8:29 am

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