Oh, soy milk. Sold warm on the shelf in a paper carton with an unappetizing tan color, it is a staple of vegans and other health food fanatics, and just one of many products sold in local supermarkets to reduce the risk of heart disease and lower our cholesterol.
Although we all know the benefits of a healthy diet and workout regime, most of us are too busy, unmotivated, or simply apathetic to make a significant change in our lifestyles.
When it comes to my health, every day is the day of my last cigarette or the first day of my healthy eating plan, yet somehow I always end up breaking down hours into my big turn around; eating that giant cookie from Starbucks or smoking a cigarette out at the bar.
Recently, however, I had the fear of God instilled in me when, during a chat about eating healthy, a friend and health food advocate looked at me with wide eyes and told me quite menacingly, "trans fat kills!"
Who knew? Trans fat, the so-called "phantom fat" which raises your levels of bad cholesterol also increases your chances of heart problems. Anyway, as a consumer of organic products herself, she inspired me to begin eating natural products.
Many people are aware that organic food is grown according to principles that keep it free from exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides; however, that is only one aspect of organic agriculture. A larger part of organic agriculture involves the health of the soil and the ecosystem in which crops and livestock are raised.
As a result, organically grown crops can add complex components to their parts, resulting in micronutrients and trace minerals that are important for human nutrition
So there. Organic foods taste better, are healthier for you and benefit local agriculture as well as the environment. I made the decision to try organic, and although I did the background research on the subject, I was unprepared for the real world of the organic market.
A few things I learned:
First of all, organic doesn't mean just fresh fruits and veggies. Organic products range from sweets like organic cookie dough and ice cream to other snack foods such as chips. Basically, you can buy all the organic counterparts of your favorite snack foods today. I personally opted for the wheat-free, dairy-free Newman-O's; the Oreo cookies' organic cousin. A bit like cardboard in my opinion, but overall not all that bad. And most of all, trans fat-free.
Secondly, organic products are not cheap. Their prices aren't phenomenally high, but for a college student on a budget, paying double for standard staple products seemed a bit much. I was tempted to walk right out of the Nature's Market in Wegmans after seeing their price for a gallon of organic milk.
Still, I ended up walking out with a few products to try. It's better to start small than to not try it at all. I personally recommend the veggie burgers and chili-lime nacho chips.
Because whether it's living at the gym for the three weeks before putting on a bikini for spring break or trying the latest equivalent to the cabbage soup or grapefruit diet, everyone has good intentions of living a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, by the time most reach that point, it's usually just too little too late.
Although being a religious vegan and eating all organic food is virtually impossible as an on-campus student, taking a few small steps towards a healthier lifestyle can be a good start.
Organic food isn't bad, and is worth a shot. Being a little more mindful of what we eat can improve our health and promote a strong environment. Shopping at local stores such as the Lexington Co-op or Feel Rite Markets supports local business as well as offering you homegrown, fresh and natural products. Substituting even a few items in your diet can only benefit you.
Next time you're craving something sweet try dipping your organic, wheat-free Newman-O's in a nice glass of soymilk. Because remember, trans fat kills, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to die.
By the way, that soymilk I bought? The only place I use it is in my coffee. For my cereal and other milky endeavors I stick with good old skim from the dairy section. Some organic foods are better than others.
