New York City Girls fight Obesity with Organic Farming

Hola Everyone!

If you are interested in changing what your kids eat and stopping the high rates of obesity in the next generation, I highly recommend checking out this great kid-friendly documentary ""What's on Your Plate?"

The film's synopsis (from Whatsonyourplate.org):

"WHAT'S ON YOUR PLATE? is a witty and provocative documentary produced and directed by award-winning Catherine Gund about kids and food politics.

Filmed over the course of one year, the film follows two eleven-year-old multi-racial city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. Sadie and Safiyah take a close look at food systems in New York City and its surrounding areas. With the camera as their companion, the girl guides talk to each other, food activists, farmers, new friends, storekeepers, their families, and the viewer, in their quest to understand what’s on all of our plates."

These girls are making a difference in their hometown by bringing organic food and CSA's to their local NYC neighborhood. The film is also available through instant streaming on netflix.

African-Americans and Hispanics have the highest instances of diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity in the US. We can change that by teaching our children how to avoid the snares of the big food companies. Eating well will protect them from the sicknesses that have affected our generation. I wish I had known as much as these two girls when I was younger. I would have avoided serious blood sugar problems today.

Enjoy the flick! And take care of your kids!

Love,
Mami Mozart

Related articles

• (10/2010) DVD Review: What's On Your Plate? (basilandspice.com)

Mom Alert: High Fructose Corn Syrup Name to be "Corn Sugar"

Image via WikipediaHola Awesome Mamas,

The latest hubbub regarding the detrimental effects of high fructose corn syrup which now constitutes a large percentage of the calories consumed by Americans (see this Princeton experiment where rats eating high fructose corn syrup gained more weight than rats eating regular sugar).

The corn industry, according to a New York Times article will change its name to "corn sugar" in order to "better inform" (or perhaps confuse?) consumers.

Scientifically, high fructose corn syrup (or "corn sugar") is not incredibly different than regular sugar. What IS different is that almost every processed food product has a high percentage of high fructose corn syrup (sugar). Some food products have only a tablespoon or two of sugar, while others have as much as a cupful or two of extra sugar.

As a mom, imagine giving your child an extra cup of sugar each day without even realizing it. For this, companies like Heinz have taken high fructose corn syrup out of some products. Increased sugar (no matter what kind) is not healthy for children or adults. The sugar calories are empty (no nutrients or vitamins) and can lead to obesity and diabetes (rampant in Hispanic families).

What are some ways to decrease sugar content overall?

1) Do not buy any products with high fructose corn syrup or any type of sugar (ends with -ose) as one of the first few ingredients of a product.

2) Take out soda entirely.

3) Make your own salad dressings

4) Reduce the amount of processed products with high fructose corn syrup

5) Buy products that have low levels of sugar

Keep your family healthy!

Related articles by Zemanta

• High Fructose Corn Syrup to be Marketed as Corn Sugar (projectswole.com)
• Corn refiners try to sweeten image of high fructose syrup (businessgreen.com)
• Move to change high fructose corn syrup to 'corn sugar' on labels is ill advised (seattlepi.com)
• Big Corn wants to change "High Fructose Corn Syrup" to "Corn Sugars" (boingboing.net)
• Goodbye, High Fructose Corn Syrup - Hello, Corn Sugar (dvorak.org)