Organic Agriculture May Be Outgrowing Its Ideals

December 30, 2011

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

TODOS SANTOS, Mexico — Clamshell containers on supermarket shelves in the United States may depict verdant fields, tangles of vines and ruby red tomatoes. But at this time of year, the tomatoes, peppers and basil certified as organic by the Agriculture Department often hail from the Mexican desert, and are nurtured with intensive irrigation.

Growers here on the Baja Peninsula, the epicenter of Mexico’s thriving new organic export sector, describe their toil amid the cactuses as “planting the beach.”

Del Cabo Cooperative, a supplier here for Trader Joe’s and Fairway, is sending more than seven and a half tons of tomatoes and basil every day to the United States by truck and plane to sate the American demand for organic produce year-round.

But even as more Americans buy foods with the organic label, the products are increasingly removed from the traditional organic ideal: produce that is not only free of chemicals and pesticides but also grown locally on small farms in a way that protects the environment.
The explosive growth in the commercial cultivation of organic tomatoes here, for example, is putting stress on the water table. In some areas, wells have run dry this year, meaning that small subsistence farmers cannot grow crops. And the organic tomatoes end up in an energy-intensive global distribution chain that takes them as far as New York and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, producing significant emissions that contribute to global warming.

From now until spring, farms from Mexico to Chile to Argentina that grow organic food for the United States market are enjoying their busiest season.



“People are now buying from a global commodity market, and they have to be skeptical even when the label says ‘organic’ — that doesn’t tell people all they need to know,” said Frederick L. Kirschenmann, a distinguished fellow at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. He said some large farms that have qualified as organic employed environmentally damaging practices, like planting only one crop, which is bad for soil health, or overtaxing local freshwater supplies.
Many growers and even environmental groups in Mexico defend the export-driven organic farming, even as they acknowledge that more than a third of the aquifers in southern Baja are categorized as overexploited by the Mexican water authority. With sophisticated irrigation systems and shade houses, they say, farmers are becoming more skilled at conserving water. They are focusing new farms in “microclimates” near underexploited aquifers, such as in the shadow of a mountain, said Fernando Frías, a water specialist with the environmental group Pronatura Noroeste.

They also point out that the organic business has transformed what was once a poor area of subsistence farms and where even the low-paying jobs in the tourist hotels and restaurants in nearby Cabo San Lucas have become scarcer during the recession.

To carry the Agriculture Department’s organic label on their produce, farms in the United States and abroad must comply with a long list of standards that prohibit the use of synthetic fertilizers, hormones and pesticides, for example. But the checklist makes few specific demands for what would broadly be called environmental sustainability, even though the 1990 law that created the standards was intended to promote ecological balance and biodiversity as well as soil and water health.



Experts agree that in general organic farms tend to be less damaging to the environment than conventional farms. In the past, however, “organic agriculture used to be sustainable agriculture, but now that is not always the case,” said Michael Bomford, a scientist at Kentucky State University who specializes in sustainable agriculture. He added that intense organic agriculture had also put stress on aquifers in California.

Some organic standard setters are beginning to refine their criteria so that organic products better match their natural ideals. Krav, a major Swedish organic certification program, allows produce grown in greenhouses to carry its “organic” label only if the buildings use at least 80 percent renewable fuel, for example. And last year the Agriculture Department’s National Organic Standards Board revised its rules to require that for an “organic milk” label, cows had to be at least partly fed by grazing in open pastures rather than standing full time in feedlots.

But each decision to narrow the definition of “organic” involves an inevitable tug-of-war among farmers, food producers, supermarkets and environmentalists. While the United States’ regulations for organic certification require that growers use practices that protect water resources, it is hard to define a specific sustainable level of water use for a single farm “because aquifer depletion is the result of many farmers’ overutilizing the resource,” said Miles McEvoy, head of the National Organic Program at the Agriculture Department.
While the original organic ideal was to eat only local, seasonal produce, shoppers who buy their organics at supermarkets, from Whole Foods to Walmart, expect to find tomatoes in December and are very sensitive to price. Both factors stoke the demand for imports. Few areas in the United States can farm organic produce in the winter without resorting to energy-guzzling hothouses. In addition, American labor costs are high. Day laborers who come to pick tomatoes in this part of Baja make about $10 a day, nearly twice the local minimum wage. Tomato pickers in Florida may earn $80 a day in high season.
Manuel Verdugo, 42, began organic tomato farming on desert land in San José del Cabo five years ago and now owns 30 acres in several locations. Each week he sends two and a half tons of cherry, plum and beefsteak tomatoes to the United States under the brand name Tiky Cabo.

He has invested in irrigation systems that drip water directly onto plants’ roots rather than channeling it through open canals. He is building large shade houses that cover his crops to keep out pests and minimize evaporation. Even so, he cannot farm 10 acres in the nearby hamlet of La Cuenca because the wells there are dry.
At another five-year-old organic farm, Rosario Castillo says he can cultivate only 19 acres of the 100 he has earmarked for organic production, although he dug a well seven months ago to gain better access to the aquifer. The authorities ration pumping and have not granted him permission to clear native cactuses. “We have very little water here, and you have to go through a lot of bureaucracy to get it,” Mr. Castillo said.

Many growers blame tourist development — hotels and golf courses — for the water scarcity, and this has been a major problem in coastal areas. But farming can also be a significant drain. According to one study in an area of northern Baja called Ojos Negros, a boom in the planting of green onions for export a decade ago lowered the water table by about 16 inches a year. “They were pumping a lot of groundwater, and that was making some people rich on both sides of the border at the expense of the environment,” said Victor Miguel Ponce, a professor of hydrology at San Diego State University.
The logistics of getting water and transporting large volumes of perishable produce favors bigger producers. Some of the largest are American-owned, like Sueño Tropical, a vast farm with rows of shade houses lined up in the desert that caters exclusively to the American market.

While traditional organic farmers saw a blemish or odd shape simply as nature’s variations, workers at Sueño Tropical are instructed to cull tomatoes that do not meet the uniform shape, size and cosmetic requirement of clients like Whole Foods. Those “seconds” are sold locally.

Yet the connection to the United States has brought other kinds of benefits. Del Cabo Cooperative, which serves as a broker for hundreds of local farmers, provides seeds for its Mexican growers and hires roving agronomists and entomologists to assist them in tending their crops without chemicals. As the American market expands, said John Graham, a coordinator of operations at Del Cabo, he is always looking to bring new growers into his network — especially those whose farms draw on distant aquifers where water is still abundant.

David Agren contributed reporting.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/31/science/earth/questions-about-organic-produce-and-sustainability.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Retirement: The Case For Staying Put

December 19, 2011 — While not every Topretirements member is interested in moving to a new place once they retire, most are at least open to the idea. That is why we have devoted so many resources to this question, particularly on factors like where to live and what should be considered in such a move. But, tempted as we might be by the lure of low taxes or sunnier skies, probably three-quarters of us won’t move more than a few miles away from our current home in retirement. This article will explore the case for sticking close to home in the next phase of your life.

Just as there are many good reasons for moving far from home, there are plenty of strong arguments for staying in the town or area where you live now. Here are some of the major ones:

- Family. In our book this our children and close relatives are always the best reason for choosing a retirement destination. The ties we have to family are usually what make us the happiest. Grandchildren, if we are fortunate enough to have any, are usually a great source of joy, but without all the work associated with raising our own children! So sticking close enough where you can see our kin without a long drive or plane flight will be a regular source of happiness.

- Friends. While not as powerful as family ties, your friends are not something you want to give up easily. Sure, you can come back and visit, or they can come to see you in your new location, but it just won’t be the same once you move away. More than that, there is the problem of making new friends in a new community. For some folks that’s easy, but for others it is not. Making friends in an active adult community is usually quite easy, but it can take time.

- Other social contacts. You might belong to a church and not want to give up the personal connections you have built up over many years. Likewise you might belong to a country club, or act as a volunteer in your community. Moving away from those connections could cause a sense of loss that only becomes apparent once you have moved away.

- Intangibles and culture. You know the neighborhoods and region you live in now. You know what the people are like. Uprooted, some people might not like what they see in a new community. Your new neighbors won’t have the same social and cultural customs and attitudes. They might be more or less liberal, conservative, or religious than your old contacts. You might not think they are as friendly as the folks where you live now. So staying close to home can help you avoid unnecessary change and agita.

- Moving hassles. We don’t know anybody who likes to move. It’s expensive and it is a horrible, drawn-out hassle. Once you have retired, downsizing usually means selling, giving away, or throwing out much of what you accumulated over a lifetime. So if you never move, there is a lot of stress that you won’t have to experience.

Strategies for optimizing your retirement – without moving far
So if you decide not to move far from where you live, what strategies should you take to maximize your happiness?

- Cut your costs. OK, so you are going to stay in the town or neighborhood where you live now. But that doesn’t mean you should continue to live in that energy guzzling, oversized home where you raised your kids. Moving to a townhome, apartment, or smaller new home could save energy and dollars. And, since property taxes are usually the biggest taxes anyone pays in retirement, when you downsize to a less expensive home you will save money on that expense too.

- Make life easier for yourself. Do you really want to be up on a ladder cleaning gutters when you are in your 80′s? Or replacing water heaters, roofs, furnaces, septic tanks, etc. when you are on a tight budget? Moving to a community or building where maintenance is included is going to help you avoid hassles and expenses.

- Prepare for the next phase. When you first retire you are probably most concerned with being active – travel, golf, hiking, or the like. With luck you will be in perfect health into your 80′s and 90′s, and continue to do the active things you love. But on the other hand, your knees might give out or you could have a stroke at any time. Living in a home with universal design features will get you prepared for whatever shape you are in, without compromising your lifestyle. For example, eliminating steps and putting counters lower will let you stay where you are if you develop mobility problems, without expensive retrofitting or moving to a new place. The same goes for a first floor master bedroom.

- Get near public transportation. If we are lucky enough to live a long life, the day will come when we can no longer drive. So if you plan ahead and move to a place that has access to public transportation you will still be able to get out and about. Better yet, try to live in a neighborhood where you can walk to the library, downtown, stores, etc.

- Think about the social aspect. We are social creatures. When you are thinking about a neighborhood, consider how you are going to interact with people on a daily basis. There might be enough fellow baby boomers where you live to create your own retirement neighborhood. You can share services with your neighbors. Or, you can move to an apartment or condo building where your neighbors are close and daily social interactions are easy.

- Go somewhere warm for a month. Florida, Arizona, and the Carolinas have all kinds of rental deals in the current distressed market. For less than $1000 a month you can stay in a nice place and ride out the worst of winter. It’s almost as cheap as staying home, so why not experience the best of both worlds by renting.

For further reference:
Jane and Jack: Retired in Place
What Baby Boomers Want in Their Next Home
What Are the Must-Have Features in Your Next Home
Cooperatives Help Aging in Place Movement

Source: http://www.topretirements.com/blog/great-towns/best-places-to-retire-the-case-for-staying-right-where-you-are.html/

6 Comments »

Jan Cullinane says

A study by Lynn Giles, PhD, found that people with extensive social networks outlived those lacking social support by 22 percent. Interestingly, it was friends and not relatives who had this effect. (Not to say relatives aren’t important; they just weren’t a factor in increasing longevity in this study). The effect of friends increasing life span persisted, even when those in the study experienced huge changes such as the death of family members or a spouse. So, when wondering “should I stay or should I go,” think about this study. If your friends have all moved away, and you want to stay where you are, you should build up a new social support system. Jan Cullinane, The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life (Rodale)

December 21st, 2011 | #

Admin says

We received this comment from a member this morning: You are wrong. My best retirement place is the one that lends me an opportunity to really mingle and form strong bond with people. I am a single man and definitely need a soul mate for companionship.

December 22nd, 2011 | #

Dave says

Seems like the #1 suggestion for retiring where you live is to move to a smaller home. Moving is moving, with all that stress and disposing of property that won’t fit in the downsized home, regardless of whether it’s around the corner or another state. So I’d say that the social network you want to have is the most important decision factor on retiring locally or in a new location.

December 22nd, 2011 | #

Tracey Lyons says

My husband and I are in our pre-retirement planning because we are only 52. I think my biggest concern would be taking on a new mortage at age 60 or 65 or even the new retirement age of 55. We’ve only been in our current home for 4 years so having enough equity to put a large downpayment on a new home will take us at least 10 more years in our current address. I do, however, love the idea of renting in a sunny state for a month. We’re forutnate to both have jobs where we work out of home offices.

December 22nd, 2011 | #

Chris says

I feel a need to comment about the ties of friends not being as important as family. This clearly isn’t always the case. Ever hear the expression, “you can choose your friends but not your relatives?” Our friends are in our lives because we WANT them to be, not just because they are related to us! Of course some people have wonderful relationships with their family and that’s great but don’t downgrade the importance of friends. You should live where you want to live because YOU want to live there, not just stay where you are because of family. If you are happy there, great! But people come and go — pick a place where you would like to live and if at all possible, just go. I’ve stayed in CT longer than I wanted because my Mom was getting old. But you can’t put your dreams on hold because of someone else. I love my Mother but at some point you have to do what is right for YOU. And I have known people who moved to be closer to their kids and grandkids — who then up and moved somewhere else a short time later.

December 22nd, 2011 | #

Jan Cullinane says

That is why the study referenced above is important. Social support outside of family is vital for most people.

Moving to Costa Rica

How two friends made a dream about early retirement come true in Central America

By VICKI BERRONG, www.wsj.com

The first thing I see each morning when I step out on the porch of my home in Costa Rica is the ever-changing Gulf of Nicoya.

As I write this (in September), it's the rainy season, which means there are a hundred hues of green in the trees between my side of the mountain and the gray-blue glassy sea. On this particular morning, I can see two small fishing boats on the water between the local ferry port and several forested islands in the distance. It's not yet 7 a.m., and I can already tell that the temperature will reach the mid-80s by noon.

I'm 60 years old and retired from a 35-year career as a legal secretary. How I came to live on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica is a story about early retirement, tight budgets and lots of planning.

My best friend, Carol, and I began thinking seriously about retirement roughly 12 years ago. We knew we wanted to retire early, but we recognized that our small nest eggs (and the fact that Medicare doesn't kick in until age 65) could make that difficult. Eventually, we concluded that living outside the U.S. would allow us to stretch our dollars and retire on (our) schedule. Thus was born a 10-year plan: five years to pay down as much debt as possible, and five years to find a home overseas.

Perfect 10

We agreed on 10 criteria in our search for a retirement destination: warm weather; a country with a stable democracy; a four-hour plane ride or less from the U.S.; adequate and affordable health care; American-friendly; located near or by an ocean; clean and abundant fresh water; affordable housing; a cost of living at least 50% lower than in the U.S.—and good coffee.

Vicki Berrong

Arenal Volcano, the centerpiece of a national park, has erupted often in the past several decades and powers green energy projects.

We pored over maps, read guidebooks, evaluated countries we had visited, and subscribed to every publication we could find on the subject of international living. Our research kept pointing us in the direction of Costa Rica.

After a total of seven trips to this small country (about the size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined, with a population of about 4.6 million), we found "home": a two-story house (with, as noted earlier, stunning water views) in the rural village of Playa Naranjo. Carol retired and moved here in early 2010, and I followed a year later.

Costa Rica makes it fairly easy for expats to settle here—save for one peculiarity. Nonresidents (like me) qualify for a 90-day visa but have to leave the county for 36 hours at the end of the 90 days. Then, you turn around and obtain a new 90-day visa. (An easy solution: holidaying in neighboring Panama or Nicaragua, or even Colombia for a couple of days.) Retirees may apply for residency with proof that they receive a monthly income of at least $1,000 from a permanent pension source or retirement fund. I may apply when I turn 62 and start collecting Social Security.

At the moment, I don't have a job here, although at some point (once my Spanish improves) I would like to work as a tour guide. Besides doing normal household chores, my days are spent taking long walks, going to the beach (a 10-minute stroll), swimming in one of two local pools, napping, reading and corresponding with family and friends. We're blessed with wonderful neighbors, a mix of native Costa Ricans (called Ticos) and expats from Canada, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Italy, Singapore and the U.S. Especially during the dry season (November through March), parties ("fiestas") are plentiful.

Costly Fuel

Friday is market day. We drive to Jicaral, a thriving farming community about eight miles from our house, where local farmers set up colorful displays of fresh fruits and vegetables near the town square. With gasoline costing about $5 to $6 a gallon, we do our best to share rides with neighbors. And that pretty much sums up the cost of goods in Costa Rica: What is grown here is cheap; what is imported is not.

We spend about $50 a week on food (for two people). Native fare is rice and beans (about $2 for about two pounds), potatoes, yucca, onions, red peppers and carrots (about 25 cents each). For $1 you can buy three cantaloupes, or two avocados, or four mangos, or three oranges (in season), a watermelon, or a whole pineapple and enough fish to feed two. Two pounds of ground beef (86% lean) or boneless chicken cost about $4. On occasion, I'll splurge, paying about $6 for a bag of Cheetos or miniature chocolates.

Affordable Housing

Housing prices are off their highs of two or three years ago. You can buy a nice two-bedroom home on about an acre of land for between $100,000 and $300,000. My utility bill is $50 to $150 a month, depending on how much I use the air conditioning. My property tax last year was under $100.

Health care, meanwhile, has turned out to be exactly what we were looking for: affordable and more than adequate. There are two health-insurance systems: a public-sector plan (similar to health-maintenance organizations in the U.S.) and a more comprehensive private plan (about $1,500 annually). Both cover doctor visits, prescription drugs and hospital care.

No, the country isn't perfect. Cultural differences are sometimes frustrating and always humbling. Ticos are some of the most friendly and nonconfrontational people in the world. Sometimes, that's a problem for goal-oriented gringos. For example, you ask when the big bags of dog food are arriving at the feed store—and the proprietor, with a smile, will answer, "Martes." Translation: "Señora, I don't know when the truck is coming in, but you Americans always want to know a date or time, so I'm saying Tuesday."

In short, patience is not a virtue here; it's a necessity. There may be five customers in front of you at the bank to see an account representative. Bring a book. Most likely you will overhear the bank rep inquire about the well-being of all 22 of his customer's relatives. Of course, when it's your turn, your transactions will not be rushed, and you will be asked about your family, as well.

Parting Pains

Looking back on our planning and experiences, I've learned that dismantling your life and moving to another country is not for the faint of heart. In fact, it's one of the hardest things I've done. You will not have room for everything you want to take with you; you will not have time to say good-bye to everyone; and you can't complete all the tasks you think you have to accomplish. (Of course, I miss my friends and my two grown children, Shane and Michele. That said, we Skype, email frequently and keep up on Facebook. I see them on my periodic trips to the States, and they plan to visit Costa Rica.)

Am I committed to Costa Rica long term? It's too early to say. (There's always a chance we could move back to the States when we qualify for Medicare.) That said, my new adventure, to this point, has lived up to—and exceeded—my expectations. As I sit on my porch watching the several shades of pink and red float across the sky as the sun sets across the gulf, I feel like I'm at home.

There's a phrase locals use, a greeting and an expression, that sums up the feeling nicely.

"Pura vida," they say. Life is good.

Ms. Berrong lives in Costa Rica. She can be reached at next@wsj.com .

 

Corrections & Amplifications

Gasoline in Costa Rica costs about $5 to $6 a gallon. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said the cost was about $14 a gallon.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204770404577080373898763542.html

More in Next: The New Retirement

• Saving the World, One Vacation at a Time
• How to Make Your Nest Egg Last Longer
• Encore Careers, From Personal Chef to Minister
• When Heaven Is a Harley
• A New Life in Costa Rica
• Read the complete report .

30 Great Places to Retire: A Journal E-Book

Read 30 of Next's most exciting profiles of retirement destinations across the U.S. and overseas, complete with photos and quick facts for easy comparisons. This e-book, which can be viewed on all devices, is available for $3.99 at WSJ.com/eRetire.

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Many people dream of moving to a new location in retirement. When you are no longer tied to your job you can finally take off for a warmer climate, pursue your hobbies, or simply move closer to your grandchildren. Selecting a place to retire requires a great deal of thought and planning. Use our Best Places to Retire search tool to find a place that has both beautiful scenery and big city amenities. You can also search based on budget criteria including the cost-of-living and home prices. Moving to a lower cost locale than where you live now can give your nest egg a much needed boost. If you think part-time work might be a part of your retirement years, consider places where the economy is growing and the unemployment rate is low. Make sure that any place you move to has quality health care facilities in case you need them. The ideal retirement spot should also have all the recreational activities you’ve been longing for including golf courses, a few lakes for fishing, and plenty of outdoor trails. Our Best Places to Retire lists can help you find an idyllic locale on the water, tucked away in the mountains, or deep in wine country. We have also tracked down towns that are especially green, educated, and historical. Keep dreaming about how you would like to spend your retirement years. We will help you find a place that fits all your retirement lifestyle needs and your budget.

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Source: http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/best-places-to-retire

Say it’s so, Joe: The potential health benefits -- and drawbacks –- of coffee.

By Neil Osterweil
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Jonathan L Gelfand, MD

Coffee may taste good and get you going in the morning, but what will it do for your health?
A growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:

“There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health,” says Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.
But (you knew there would be a “but,” didn’t you?) coffee isn't proven to prevent those conditions.

Researchers don't ask people to drink or skip coffee for the sake of science. Instead, they ask them about their coffee habits. Those studies can't show cause and effect. It's possible that coffee drinkers have other advantages, such as better diets, more exercise, or protective genes.

So there isn't solid proof. But there are signs of potential health perks -- and a few cautions.
If you're like the average American, who downed 416 8-ounce cups of coffee in 2009 (by the World Resources Institute's estimates), you might want to know what all that java is doing for you, or to you.
Here is a condition-by-condition look at the research.

 

Type 2 Diabetes

 

Hu calls the data on coffee and type 2 diabetes "pretty solid," based on more than 15 published studies.
"The vast majority of those studies have shown a benefit of coffee on the prevention of diabetes. And now there is also evidence that decaffeinated coffee may have the same benefit as regular coffee,” Hu tells WebMD.

In 2005, Hu's team reviewed nine studies on coffee and type 2 diabetes. Of more than 193,000 people, those who said they drank more than six or seven cups daily were 35% less likely to have type 2 diabetes than people who drank fewer than two cups daily. There was a smaller perk -- a 28% lower risk -- for people who drank 4-6 cups a day. The findings held regardless of sex, weight, or geographic location (U.S. or Europe).

More recently, Australian researchers looked at 18 studies of nearly 458,000 people. They found a 7% drop in the odds of having type 2 diabetes for every additional cup of coffee drunk daily. There were similar risk reductions for decaf coffee drinkers and tea drinkers. But the researchers cautioned that data from some of the smaller studies they reviewed may be less reliable. So it's possible that they overestimated the strength of the link between heavy coffee drinking and diabetes.

How might coffee keep diabetes at bay?
“It’s the whole package,” Hu says. He points to antioxidants -- nutrients that help prevent tissue damage caused by molecules called oxygen-free radicals. “We know that coffee has a very strong antioxidant capacity," Hu says.

Coffee also contains minerals such as magnesium and chromium, which help the body use the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar (glucose). In type 2 diabetes, the body loses its ability to use insulin and regulate blood sugar effectively.
It's probably not the caffeine, though. Based on studies of decaf coffee, “I think we can safely say that the benefits are not likely to be due to caffeine," Hu says.

Hold the Caffeine?

 

The fact that coffee contains good stuff does not necessarily mean that it’s good for us, says James D. Lane, PhD, professor of medical psychology and behavioral medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

“It has not really been shown that coffee drinking leads to an increase in antioxidants in the body,” Lane tells WebMD. “We know that there are antioxidants in large quantities in coffee itself, especially when it’s freshly brewed, but we don’t know whether those antioxidants appear in the bloodstream and in the body when the person drinks it. Those studies have not been done.”

Regular coffee, of course, also contains caffeine. Caffeine can raise blood pressure, as well as blood levels of the fight-or-flight chemical epinephrine (also called adrenaline), Lane says.

Heart Disease and Stroke

 

Coffee may counter several risk factors for heart attack and stroke.
First, there's the potential effect on type 2 diabetes risk. Type 2 diabetes makes heart disease and stroke more likely.

Besides that, coffee has been linked to lower risks for heart rhythm disturbances (another heart attack and stroke risk factor) in men and women, and lower risk for strokes in women.
In a study of about 130,000 Kaiser Permanente health plan members, people who reported drinking 1-3 cups of coffee per day were 20% less likely to be hospitalized for abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) than nondrinkers, regardless of other risk factors.
And, for women, coffee may mean a lower risk of stroke.

In 2009, a study of 83,700 nurses enrolled in the long-term Nurses' Health Study showed a 20% lower risk of stroke in those who reported drinking two or more cups of coffee daily compared to women who drank less coffee or none at all. That pattern held regardless of whether the women had high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and type 2 diabetes.

Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's Diseases

 

“For Parkinson’s disease, the data have always been very consistent: higher consumption of coffee is associated with decreased risk of Parkinson’s,” Hu tells WebMD. That seems to be due to caffeine, though exactly how that works isn't clear, Hu notes.
Coffee has also been linked to lower risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. A 2009 study from Finland and Sweden showed that, out of 1,400 people followed for about 20 years, those who reported drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily were 65% less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, compared with nondrinkers or occasional coffee drinkers.

Cancer

 

The evidence of a cancer protection effect of coffee is weaker than that for type 2 diabetes. But “for liver cancer, I think that the data are very consistent,” Hu says.
“All of the studies have shown that high coffee consumption is associated with decreased risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer,” he says. That's a "very interesting finding," Hu says, but again, it's not clear how it might work.
Again, this research shows a possible association, but like most studies on coffee and health, does not show cause and effect.

Pregnancy

 

In August 2010, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) stated that moderate caffeine drinking -- less than 200 mg per day, or about the amount in 12 ounces of coffee -- doesn't appear to have any major effects on causing miscarriage, premature delivery, or fetal growth.
But the effects of larger caffeine doses are unknown, and other research shows that pregnant women who drink many cups of coffee daily may be at greater risk for miscarriage than non-drinkers or moderate drinkers. Again, it's not clear whether the coffee was responsible for that.

Calories, Heartburn, and Urine

 

You won't break your calorie budget on coffee -- until you start adding the trimmings.
According to the web site myfoodapedia.gov -- part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion -- a 6-ounce cup of black coffee contains just 7 calories. Add some half & half and you'll get 46 calories. If you favor a liquid nondairy creamer, that will set you back 48 calories. A teaspoon of sugar will add about 23 calories.
Drink a lot of coffee and you may head to the bathroom more often. Caffeine is a mild diuretic -- that is, it makes you urinate more than you would without it. Decaffeinated coffee has about the same effect on urine production as water.
Both regular and decaffeinated coffee contain acids that can make heartburn worse.

Further Reading:

• Coffee May Lower Stroke Risk
• Coffee May Lower Prostate Cancer Risk
• Giving Coffee a Break
• Drunk? Coffee Won't Get You Sober
• Coffee, Tea May Stall Diabetes
• Coffee Benefits and Antioxidants
• The Truth About Coffee
• See All Coffee Health Benefits and Risks Topics

Source: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food

Benefits of Coffee?

Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com
Published in August 2005

(HealthCastle.com) Study affirmed coffee's benefits for its high level of antioxidants

Researchers from the University of Scranton released on August 29, 2005 that coffee is the No. 1 source of antioxidants in the American diet. Black tea is the second. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in foods that can prevent or slow oxidative damage to our body. When our cells utilize oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage to other cells. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage inflicted by these free radicals. Fruits and vegetables are hailed as the richest sources of antioxidants, but this study shows that coffee is the main source from which most Americans get their antioxidants. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee appear to provide similar amounts of antioxidants.

Editor's Note - Benefits of Coffee

There is peace to know that coffee offers some benefits to our health. However, these results should not be interpreted as an incentive to increase your daily coffee intake. Too much coffee may actually increase the risk of heart disease for some people. Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition June 2005, researchers from the University of Athens found that coffee drinkers had more stiffness of the major blood vessel in the body than non-coffee drinkers. They suggested for people with high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease who drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day to cut down.
If you would like to eat more foods high in antioxidants, it is best to choose colored fruits and vegetables. Not only do they offer antioxidants, they contain higher content of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Berries, red grapes, tomatoes are good sources.

Source: http://www.healthcastle.com/coffee.shtml

Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious?

Discover the real difference between organic foods and their traditionally grown counterparts when it comes to nutrition, safety and price. By Mayo Clinic staff

Once found only in health food stores, organic food is now a regular feature at most supermarkets. And that's created a bit of a dilemma in the produce aisle. On one hand, you have a conventionally grown apple. On the other, you have one that's organic. Both apples are firm, shiny and red. Both provide vitamins and fiber, and both are free of fat, sodium and cholesterol. Which should you choose?

Conventionally grown produce generally costs less, but is organic food safer or more nutritious? Get the facts before you shop.

Conventional vs. organic farming
The word "organic" refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weedkillers, organic farmers may conduct more sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.

Here are some key differences between conventional farming and organic farming:

Conventional	Organic
Apply chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth.	Apply natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants.
Spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease.	Use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease.
Use herbicides to manage weeds.	Rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch to manage weeds.
Give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.	Give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors. Use preventive measures — such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing — to help minimize disease.

Organic or not? Check the label

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards. These standards regulate how such foods are grown, handled and processed.

Any product labeled as organic must be USDA certified. Only producers who sell less than $5,000 a year in organic foods are exempt from this certification; however, they're still required to follow the USDA's standards for organic foods.

If a food bears a USDA Organic label, it means it's produced and processed according to the USDA standards. The seal is voluntary, but many organic producers use it.

Products certified 95 percent or more organic display this USDA seal.

Products that are completely organic — such as fruits, vegetables, eggs or other single-ingredient foods — are labeled 100 percent organic and can carry the USDA seal.

Foods that have more than one ingredient, such as breakfast cereal, can use the USDA organic seal plus the following wording, depending on the number of organic ingredients:

• 100 percent organic. To use this phrase, products must be either completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.
• Organic. Products must be at least 95 percent organic to use this term.

Products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients may say "made with organic ingredients" on the label, but may not use the seal. Foods containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients can't use the seal or the word "organic" on their product labels. They can include the organic items in their ingredient list, however.

Do 'organic' and 'natural' mean the same thing?

No, "natural" and "organic" are not interchangeable terms. You may see "natural" and other terms such as "all natural," "free-range" or "hormone-free" on food labels. These descriptions must be truthful, but don't confuse them with the term "organic." Only foods that are grown and processed according to USDA organic standards can be labeled organic.

Organic food: Is it more nutritious?

Probably not, but the answer isn't yet clear. A recent study examined the past 50 years' worth of scientific articles about the nutrient content of organic and conventional foods. The researchers concluded that organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs are comparable in their nutrient content.

Organic food: Other considerations

Many factors influence the decision to choose organic food. Some people choose organic food because they prefer the taste. Yet others opt for organic because of concerns such as:

• Pesticides. Conventional growers use pesticides to protect their crops from molds, insects and diseases. When farmers spray pesticides, this can leave residue on produce. Some people buy organic food to limit their exposure to these residues. According to theUSDA, organic produce carries significantly fewer pesticide residues than does conventional produce. However, residues on most products — both organic and nonorganic — don't exceed government safety thresholds.
• Food additives. Organic regulations ban or severely restrict the use of food additives, processing aids (substances used during processing, but not added directly to food) and fortifying agents commonly used in nonorganic foods, including preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colorings and flavorings, and monosodium glutamate.
• Environment. Some people buy organic food for environmental reasons. Organic farming practices are designed to benefit the environment by reducing pollution and conserving water and soil quality.

Are there downsides to buying organic?

One common concern with organic food is cost. Organic foods typically cost more than do their conventional counterparts. Higher prices are due, in part, to more expensive farming practices.

Because organic fruits and vegetables aren't treated with waxes or preservatives, they may spoil faster. Also, some organic produce may look less than perfect — odd shapes, varying colors or smaller sizes. However, organic foods must meet the same quality and safety standards as those of conventional foods.

Food safety tips

Whether you go totally organic or opt to mix conventional and organic foods, be sure to keep these tips in mind:

• Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources. This will give you a better mix of nutrients and reduce your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.
• Buy fruits and vegetables in season when possible. To get the freshest produce, ask your grocer what day new produce arrives. Or check your local farmers market.
• Read food labels carefully. Just because a product says it's organic or contains organic ingredients doesn't necessarily mean it's a healthier alternative. Some organic products may still be high in sugar, salt, fat or calories.
• Wash and scrub fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water. Washing helps remove dirt, bacteria and traces of chemicals from the surface of fruits and vegetables. Not all pesticide residues can be removed by washing, though. You can also peel fruits and vegetables, but peeling can mean losing some fiber and nutrients.
  
  Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255

NU00255June 10, 2011

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