Nutrition labels and symbols would best benefit shoppers if they appeared on the front of food packages and focused on calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium—the top four overconsumed nutrients, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The not-so-fab four are strongly associated with many of America’s health woes, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

The IOM recognizes that packages have limited space, so its expert committee believes information on cholesterol, fiber, added sugars, vitamins and other nutrients that are listed on Nutrition Facts panels (right) can remain on the back.

Organic watermelon is a nutritional best bet, with more than 1,200 varieties available for savvy snacking.  Farmers in 44 states grow these juicy members of the Cucurbitaceae plant family, with Georgia, Florida, Texas, California and Arizona leading the pack.

 Here are 10 reasons to head to the summer produce aisle.

1. Get your vitamins—naturally 

A 2-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C: 

• Vitamin A is critical for optimal eye health. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 25% of your daily requirement.
• Vitamin C helps bolster the immune system. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 30% of your daily requirement.

2. Potassium is your BFF

Potassium helps maintain water balance. If your potassium level is low, you may experience muscle cramps. 

A 2-cup serving of watermelon provides 270 mg potassium: 8% of your daily requirement. A watermelon is also more than 90% water, so a few cups will help you stay hydrated.

3. Watermelon is heart-healthy

 Watermelon contains amino acids that help maintain healthy arteries and blood flow. 

“With its naturally sweet taste, watermelon can be a wonderful way to get more fruit into a sensible low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet,” says Maureen Storey, PhD, former director of the Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture Policy at the University of Maryland.

4. It helps protect you against cancer 

Red-fleshed watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce cancer risk. A 1.5-cup serving contains 14 to 15 mg lycopene, according to plant physiologist Penelope Perkins-Veazie, PhD, a professor at the Plants for Human Health Institute  at North Carolina State University. The redder the watermelon, the more lycopene it offers.

5. Pour me a drink 

Because of its high water content, watermelon is a perfect addition to drinks like Watermelon Lemonade (right) and Three-Melon Smoothie. 

As with our story on making lemon-flavored ice cubes, you can create watermelon ice cubes (above) by pureeing the melon’s flesh and freezing it in ice cube trays.

6. Watermelon is kid-friendly

 Few children will turn down a slice of juicy watermelon, so make it a part of their regular fruit and veggie intake. Be creative in the kitchen. Let your kids use a melon baller to form watermelon spheres.

7. Baby, you can drive my car

 Place cubes of melon in travel containers for hydration and a nutritional boost during long car trips. Bring napkins!

8. Watermelon shines at organic picnics 

Dishes like Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil and Feta will please your adult guests, while Watermelon and Tomato Salad  and  Poppy Seed Fruit Salad will appeal to both children and adults. 

Labor Day is almost here. Make an Americana Basket (above) for backyard barbecues and potlucks.

9. Get thee to a farmers’ market 

Buy locally grown organic produce to support family farmers. Willie Nelson will thank you. 

Not sure where your local farmers’ market is located? Local Harvest will solve this problem in a jiff.

10. Grow your own 

Kits like Ecosource’s Organic Grow Your Own Seedling Starter Kits are great gift items, and they make the job easy. More advanced gardeners can pick up a copy of Amy Goldman’s Melons for the Passionate Grower. 

Photos: Jermaine Justice, Wyscan, kokopinto, nsaplayer, Chris Breeze, ccharmon, xlorddashx, National Watermelon Promotion Board, McCormick, Suddenly Salad 

Follow me on Twitter: @BarbGoesOrganic

Summer bequeaths us an abundance of fresh, juicy, organic blueberries, which you can easily find at natural and organic food stores, mainstream supermarkets, farmers’ markets and roadside stands. 

Here are 8 reasons to go blue: 

1. Blueberries represent America at her finest. Only three fruits are native to North America: blueberries, cranberries and Concord grapes. The first colonists adopted the Native American practice of picking fresh blueberries in the summer and drying them for winter consumption.
2. They’re at their seasonal peak. Fresh blueberries are available for almost 8 months in the United States and Canada. The North American harvest runs from mid-April through early October, with peak harvest in mid-May through August.
3. They’re a nutritional powerhouse. A half-cup serving has only 40 calories and provides 2 g fiber and 10% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Blueberries are also high in antioxidants that help fight cancer and protect your skin.
4. They’re easy to buy. When shopping, look for berries that are dry, firm, plump, purple-blue to blue-black, well-shaped and smooth-skinned. Be sure to avoid containers with juice stains, which often indicate blueberries are crushed and/or moldy. Eat blueberries within a week of purchase.
5. They’re a low-maintenance fruit. Buy ’em and rinse ’em. They don’t need to be peeled, cored, sliced or stemmed.
6. They’re easy to freeze for winter enjoyment. Buy them in season. Then, place  unwashed, completely dry berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Pop the cookie sheet in the freezer. Once blueberries are frozen, transfer them to freezer containers. They’ll last 10 months to 1 year.
7. They’re an ideal breakfast food. Boost your breakfast’s heart-protective benefits by adding blueberries to oatmeal, cold cereal, pancakes and smoothies.
8. They’re extremely versatile. Add a new recipe to your repertoire, such as American Fruit Basket, Blueberry & Red Onion Compote, Poppy Seed Fruit Salad and Triple Berry Granola Crisp.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Hopefully you picked the latter. Lots of organic farmers believe food from free range livestock is better and healthier - they're probably right!

And now a new study says milk from grass-fed cows is healthier for the heart than conventionally produced milk.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition researchers found milk from cows allowed to graze contain more conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, than cows fed processed grains.

CLA is an unsaturated fat that can protect the heart.

Given this health effect, the scientists suggest more attention should be paid to feeding practices for cows.

Milk from a cow allowed to graze - like they naturally do - just sounds better, especially since some feedlots, in an attempt to cut costs, mix rejected M&Ms and potato chips with their cows' regular cud.

M&M's? Does that mean they make chocolate milk?

Image credit: ib economics weblog

You should eat fish at least twice a week, according to the American Heart Association. It’s a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease.

But concerns over mercury toxicity have prompted many consumers to avoid the fish counter. Luckily, resources like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and the Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector allow you to make safe, healthful meal decisions.

Pacific vs. Atlantic 

Pacific halibut, caught along the West Coast from California to Alaska, is an eco-best choice. Alaska, in fact, is home to 75% of the halibut caught in the United States. 

Fresh, wild Pacific halibut is usually available between March and November. Frozen halibut roasts, fillets and steaks are available year-round. 

Atlantic halibut is another story. It’s an eco-worst choice, as it contains unsafe levels of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic industrial chemicals.

The Price Factor 

Pacific halibut is one of my favorite fish selections because it’s firm and flaky in texture, mild-tasting and extremely versatile. You can grill, bake, roast and sauté it, as several of our blog recipes prove: 

• Pacific Halibut with Olives and Tomatoes
• Halibut with Tomatoes, Capers and Olives
• Pepita-Crusted Halibut with Blood Orange Jicama Chutney
• Halibut Kabobs with California Dried Plums and Bay Leaves
• Graham-Crusted Fish Fillets 

Halibut fillets, however, can be expensive. On my latest shopping trip, I blanched at the price: $20 per pound. 

Feeling frugal, I opted for sustainable Alaskan cod, which has been on sale over the last month for $6 to $8 per pound at local markets. Another firm fish, it can replace halibut in any of the recipes cited above. 

For Your Organic Bookshelf: Ocean Friendly Cuisine: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the World’s Finest Chefs

Photo courtesy of Robert Hsiao 

Switching from refined to whole grains is one of the best health moves you can make in your organic diet, as the latter offers great taste, variety and a host of health benefits.

“Whole grains may help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, so they are beneficial for everyone,” says registered dietitian and chef Michele Powers. “For people managing conditions such as diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol, research shows that choosing whole grains is a simple lifestyle change that makes a big impact.”

Here are eight ways to bring whole-grain rice to the dinner table, courtesy of Uncle Ben’s: 

1. Substitute. Instead of pasta, add whole-grain rice to soup or casseroles.
2. Salad Spin. Use whole-grain rice in marinated grain salads.
3. Stuff Your Vegetables. Use whole-grain rice as a base for stuffed vegetables:  bell peppers, zucchini, portobello mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes and artichokes. (Tune in Friday for a great recipe.)
4. Combine Food Groups. Add whole-grain rice to homemade meatballs for extra  flavor and fiber.
5. Lower the Fat. To make a lower-fat quiche, substitute cooked brown rice for the pie crust.
6. Create a Pilaf. Cook brown rice in low-sodium broth, and add toasted nuts and dried fruit.
7. Mix-and-Match. Mix brown and white rice to introduce your children to whole grains.
8. Make a Whole-Grain Dessert. Add whole-grain rice to puddings for a tasty dessert.

We generally think of organic watermelon as a summertime snack, but this juicy treat is available year-round.

It may surprise you to learn that watermelon is a vegetable because it’s part of the cucumber and squash family—a classification that remains controversial.

Composed of 92% water and 8% sugar, watermelon has long been recognized as a weight watcher’s BFF. A half-cup serving of diced watermelon has only 25 calories and meets 10% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

Some of the latest research shows watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce cancer risk. In addition, a 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture study cited watermelon’s role in cardiovascular health, with amino acids that help maintain arteries and blood flow.

There are more than 50 U.S. watermelon varieties, available with red, orange or yellow flesh. The four most popular categories are:

1. AllSweet: 20–25 pounds, red flesh, oblong shape, dark green rind (with or without stripes); best served “as-is,” simply sliced and eaten
2. Ice-Box: 5–15 pounds, red or yellow flesh, round shape, dark or light green rind; great for cooking/recipes
3. Seedless: 10–25 pounds, red or yellow flesh, oval to round shape, light green rind with dark green stripes; ideal for beverages and sorbets
4. Yellow Flesh: 10–30 pounds, yellow to bright-orange flesh, oblong to long shape, light green rind with mottled stripes; use in kebobs and garnishes

One of the newest pairings on restaurant menus is watermelon and cheese, a trend borrowed from Mediterranean cuisine. Tune in tomorrow and Saturday for two such delectable recipes.

In the meantime, enjoy these recipes from our organic blog:

• Watermelon Lemonade with Kiwifruit Splash
• Poppy Seed Fruit Salad
• Spinach Salad with Pineapple Chile Vinaigrette
• Three-Melon Smoothie

Photo courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board

The holiday season may be known for indulgence, but there’s some good news on the cholesterol front.

Between 1999 and 2006, the prevalence of U.S. adults with high levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) decreased by about one-third, according to a study published in the Nov. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Overall, high LDL levels decreased from 31.5% in 1999–2000 to 21.2% in 2005–2006, according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the numbers remain less heartening for those with heart disease, stroke and diabetes: a drop from 69.4% to 58.9% over the same period.

And there’s another caveat: A high percentage of adults are not being screened or treated for high cholesterol levels. Screening deficiencies may occur because there’s a lack of consensus on the age at which testing should begin.

“The current guidelines are overly complicated, and a simplified risk-based approach is supported by the current data,” note J. Michael Gaziano, MD, MPH, and Thomas A. Gaziano, MD, MSc, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in an accompanying JAMA editorial.

Suggested Reading

• Children May Have Cholesterol Problems, Too
• Your Organic Diet: Improve Heart Health with Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Fat Tips for Heart Health
• Closing the Whole-Grains Gap
• Healthy Organic Recipe Substitutions
• Make an Organic Power Salad
• Healthy Breakfast May Prevent Against Heart Disease

1. Get an oil change. Switch to mono- and polyunsaturated oils for eating and cooking. Canola, soybean and olive oils are heart-healthy choices.
2. Go fish. Gradually increase fish consumption to at least twice a week, per AHA guidelines. Try new recipes to determine which ones are keepers. (Tune in tomorrow for a special recipe from the cookbook, Graham-Crusted Fish Fillets.)
3. Color your menu. Add veggies to rice, pasta and small portions of pizza. Leave fruit on the counter for quick snacks. Add dried fruit to breakfast oatmeal. Serve fresh fruit for dessert.
4. Greens are golden. Eat a salad with dinner. Include vegetables and legumes like cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli and green beans.
5. Think your drink. Drink water, herbal teas and unsweetened flavored waters.
6. Tap the moo machine. Drink skim milk daily (adults and kids).
7. Go with the grains. Include whole-grain cereal, bread, oatmeal, barley and brown rice in menus.
8. Green-light some red meat. As long as your overall diet is low in saturated fat, small lean cuts of meat served with heart-friendly foods are OK occasionally.
9. Give good fats a hand. Snack on a handful of walnuts, almonds or avocado slices. They contain monounsaturated fat, which is good for your heart.
10. Hold the bottom line. If you really want it, you can eat it—in moderation. Small amounts of butter are OK from time to time. Serve ice cream for special occasions, but otherwise reach for yogurt.

The proposal would bar cooks at the city’s 24,600 foodservice establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil.

Needless to say, the restaurant industry isn’t pleased with the idea, contending that it would ban a legal ingredient found in millions of American kitchens. But many experts believe this is great news for those committed to organic living and eating well, not to mention the public at large.

“Trans fat is found in foods such as vegetable shortening, margarine, pie crusts and kosher baked products labeled ‘pareve.’ It is used because it imparts the flaky texture that is desirable in many baked goods and is often used for deep frying because it is shelf-stable without needing refrigeration,” explains dietitian Andrea Boyar, PhD, chair of the Department of Health Sciences at Lehman College in Bronx, NY. “But the problem with trans fat is that it raises LDL, or bad cholesterol, and lowers HDL, or good cholesterol. It is also considered to be a pro-inflammatory molecule that can raise the risk of heart disease. So, as a nutritionist, I feel this is a bold, forward-thinking prohibition that will benefit the millions of New York City restaurant patrons.”

Others, however, fear the ban could lead to worse alternatives.

“We need to educate the public about these fats and make sure that a label is placed on all foods that contain any amount of trans fats,” says Mary Ellen Renna, MD, founder and president of Next Generation Fitness. “[But] have we banned the use of tobacco? Have we stopped making soda? We are aware of the problems that come with consuming these foods or smoking. If we completely ban the use of these fats, chances are some chemically altered new product will replace it, and it will take years before we identify the harmful effect it has on humans. For now, we know the enemy, so we know how to avoid it—just make sure all products label trans fats as they would if they contained peanuts in this highly peanut-allergy world.”

Let us know what you think.

Suggested Reading
The War on Trans Fats (Part 1)
New Nutrition Labels Highlight Trans Fat
Fat Tips for Heart Health