YOGA & NUTRITION. Nutrition 101: FAQ (Part 1)

At the end of my yoga teacher training course I was required to do a presentation on any topic that I consider myself to be an expert. That’s an easy task! I would like to share with you a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) session at the Vermont Yoga studio where I presented ‘Nutrition 101 for Everyone’. 

Q: What are organic foods?
A: The word “organic” refers not only to food itself, but also to the way it is produced. Foods labeled organic MUST be certified under the National Organic Program (NOP) and ARE ALLOWED the following processes: biological pest management, composting, manure applications, crop rotation. Synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and hormones, antibiotics, sewage sludge, genetic engineering and irradiation are NOT ALLOWED in organic foods.

Foods with multiple ingredients MUST consist of at least 95% of organic products. Remember, ORGANIC – does not mean healthier or less calorie!

Q: What is GMO?
A: Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) refers to plants or animals with an altered genetic make-up. Recombinant DNA technology is typically involved in making such organism via transferring a gene that confers a specific trait. For example, if we will take a DNA of corn and insert a gene from bacteria that produce a toxin to the European corn borer, the resulting crop will be resistant to this particular pest.

Almost 50% of crops in the United States including 90% of soybeans are genetically modified, and used for pest, weed control and disease prevention in plants.   

Q: What are Food Additives?

A: Anything that is added to food during processing is a food additive and can be synthetic or natural. For example, to enhance color we can use Red 40 synthetic coloring or natural Beet Juice; to enhance flavor some recipes call for monosodium glutamate (MSG), others use garlic.

Food additives are used for many different reasons:  improve freshness and safety, enhance and maintain nutritional value (nutrients, vitamins and fiber in juices, milk, and cereals), enhance and maintain color and flavor (nitrates and nitrites in deli meats), as well as contribute to functional characteristics such as texture, acidity, etc. In some cases additives make foods more desirable such as various gums in ice cream preventing fats from separating and providing wonderful smooth ice cream texture we all love.

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