New Year is associated with New Year’s resolution and wishes. The most important gift of all is to enjoy life to its fullness is being healthy. It is a fact that our eating habits can help us fight disease. They are a lot of myths and ideas that circulate about food. So I decided to read books with solid scientific facts.
The first book on my list is An Apple A Day, a national bestseller in Canada. This practical well-written book is from Joe Schwarcz, a PhD working at McGill University in Montreal.
bought the paperback edition that is currently available in Canada. The book is in re-edition as a hardcover with a January 13, 2009 release. You had to read it. The book is divided in 4 sections:
- The role played by food’s natural components
- The consequences of human intervention in our food supply
- Deals with the substances produced by food processing
- Discuss the dubious nutritional ideas
I wrote for Food Network Canada an article about the dilemma canned / frozen fruits and vegetables versus fresh produces during winter. I talked about the importance of adding variety to your diet.
Interesting Facts from An Apple a Day
So far I learned that eating apples everyday is truly beneficial. I used to do it and do not know why I stopped. I used to eat a green apple for dessert. I will restart. By giving up my cookies, I may lose over time the few extra pounds that we all wish to lose.
Most importantly is the fact that interaction of foods is what matter the most. For example, Italians are right when the pour olive oil on their tomato sauce. The lycopene found on tomatoes needs some fat to be absorbed by our body. Cooked tomatoes release in our body more lycopene. The tomato-broccoli combination is potentially more effective against prostate cancer.
Drinking a glass of tomato before boarding a plane reduces the chance that blood clots form in your legs. It is good to know.
What this book show me so far is to remind me of a fact: I do not eat enough fresh fruits. I eat lots of vegetables but I failed to put enough fruits in my diet. This will be my New Year’s resolution.
For Americans:
+ An Apple a Day: The Myths, Misconceptions, and Truths About the Foods We Eat by Joe Schwarcz – hardcover $16.29 USD at Amazon.com
For Canadians:
+ An Apple A Day by Joe Schwarcz – paperback $12.05 CAD at Amazon.ca
+ An Apple a Day: The Myths, Misconceptions, and Truths About the Foods We Eat by Joe Schwarcz – hardcover $18.35 at Amazon.ca
