Chewing on words, October 10, 2005

What does nutrition mean? According to dictionary.com, it is:

1. The process of nourishing or being nourished, especially the process by which a living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replacement of tissues.

2. The science or study that deals with food and nourishment, especially in humans.

3. A source of nourishment; food.

At the Governor’s obesity summit in September 2005, I found myself wondering about the definition of nutrition as I watched the media oohhh and ahhhh over the Kraft Food booth which was filled with low-fat cookies and nutritious breakfast cereals. As seen in the definition above, nutrition does not necessarily have to do with eating healthy foods. To me, this feels like a dangerous sign of storms on the horizon in the debate over what we eat and how we maintain our health. My concerns were substantiated when the Governor signed SB281 on the day of the summit. Only a short while earlier its language was changed to replace the school lunch requirement of fresh in school meals with nutritious. Now school kids will not have their lunches held to the high standard of fresh, which is easier to define in terms of food. Again, per dictionary.com, fresh (in regards to foods) means… Recently made, produced, or harvested; not stale or spoiled: fresh bread. Not preserved, as by canning, smoking, or freezing.

Taken together, the comparison of fresh versus nutritious provides a preliminary look into the coming tug of war over how America will have nutritious defined. I wanted to make you aware of these developing debates so you can be conscious of them. Read labels, read articles, and get data for yourself on what healthy eating means for you!

Grapes

We have Thomson Seedless (green grapes) and Red Crimson (red grapes) in the Horn of Plenty crate this week. The green and pliable stems are a telltale sign of freshness. I find the red grapes super sweet and ready to eat. The Thompsons are sweet and have a slight bite. They will both be firm and crispy and yummy!

Enjoy and be fruitful! – Chris Mittelstaedt chiefbanana@fruitguys.com