TKF Science Writing

Many people like to buy organic foods believing in the notion that it is a better product.  Unfortunately, this ”superior” product can cost three times as much as non-organically grown foods.  A study published in August of 2008 in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture suggests that buying organically grown food for nutritional value could be a waste of money.

In the study, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have stated that there is no clear evidence to suggest that organically grown food is more nutritious than food grown with pesticides and other chemicals.  The study looked at the retention of minerals and trace elements in animals fed with a vegetable diet from three different cultivation techniques:

1.  low nutrient soil using animal manure and virtually no pesticides

2.  low nutrient soil using anmial manure and pesticides

3.  high nutrient soil using mineral fertilizers and pesticides

All crops experienced the same weather conditions and all were harvested at the same time.  The results showed that in all three cases, no differences in the percentage of trace minerals were seen in the crops.  The harvested produce (carrots, kale, peas, apples, and potatoes) was then fed to animals over a two year period and the uptake, if any, of these trace minerals in animal tissues was measured.  The results showed that no differences were seen in mineral retention based on the three cultivation techniques above.

The scientists go on to state that organic crops are more of a lifestyle choice for the people that can afford to purchase them.

I’m in the process of following a low carb diet called TNT (Targeted Nutrition Tactics), a high fat/high protein diet.  It really isn’t a diet but more of a long-term lifestyle choice.  The basic philosophy of this way of eating is to limit carbohydrate intake, which helps to retain and build lean muscle mass while losing fat.

In science terms, a carbohydrate includes sugars, starches, saccharides, polysaccharides, and cellulose.  These products are a result of the process called photosynthesis.  In chemistry terms, a carbohydrate is a molecule of carbon atoms surrounded by hydrogen (H) and hydroxyl groups (OH).  The general chemical formula for a carbohydrate is C(H2O).   The simplest carbohydrate is a monosaccharide.  Glucose, also known as a simple sugar and fructose, the sugar found in fruits, are common examples of a monosaccharide.  By combining two molecules of a monosaccharide (glucose and fructose), a disaccharide is formed.  Table sugar is the prime example in this category.  Polysaccharides are combinations of monosaccharides strung together.  These strings can be as long as 10,000 monosaccharides long.  These are plentiful in nature with starch and glycogen being two common examples.  Starches are found in stems, roots, and seeds of plants while glycogen is found primarily in the muscle and liver tissues of animals.  Our bodies are able to break down these long complex chains into glucose, which is used as an energy source.

Carbohydrates spike insulin, a hormone that causes our cells to take up glucose from the blood eventually storing it as the polysaccharide glycogen.  Glycogen is readily converted into glucose when the body needs it.  The strategy of a low carb lifestyle is to essentially force our bodies to use something else for energy.  That source is now fat.  One of the benefits of this type of high fat/high protein lifestyle is that it is now much easier to feel satiated without having to knock down a second plate of pasta.  You end up consuming fewer calories, which in turn can lead to weight loss.

This lifestyle also challenges the notion that all vegetables are good vegetables.  To examine this notion further, we should talk about a concept called the glycemic index.  This index was created to measure how readily our blood sugar is raised as it relates to the foods we eat.  For example, white rice, has a GI of anywhere from 50-70 (depending on origin).  On the other hand, carrots GI are 92.  Therefore, by eating carrots, you are raising your body’s blood sugar rather quickly signaling a rapid release of insulin which lowers your blood sugar rapidly.  Carrots and other high GI carbs (pasta, potatoes, bread) do not leave a feeling of satiation as compared to consuming a high fat food.  Often times, this can lead a  person to want to take eat more. 

Something that hasn’t been discussed yet is serving size.  A tool to measure this is called the Glycemic Load (GL).  The GL measures serving size and is the GI multiplied by the number of carbohydrate grams in a portion of food divided by 100.  The tenet behind this number is that a small portion of a high glycemic index food would give a similar result as a larger portion of a lower glycemic index food.  This should give a more accurate result of what kind of an effect a serving size of a particular food will have on actual glucose levels in the blood.

The beauty of this ”diet” is that there is no need to count calories or have to carry around a card with point systems on it.  The simplicity seems to work for me.  Eat high protein/fat foods with carbohydrates mixed in around workouts (carbohydrates help shuttle protein to muscles) and try not to combine carbohydrates and fats during the same meal.  I eat until I am satisfied but not stuffed and I have small meals throughout the day.  I have noticed that my jeans are a little bit baggier and that a need to tighten the belt a few more notches.  My energy levels are good and my latest blood work has my total cholesterol down and my triglycerides way down.  Who would have thought that this would be possible by eating bacon, eggs, and cheese every day.