Seafood Guides
I just started eating fish and am having a hard time sorting out the benefits and risks. A recent article in the New York Times summed up my frustrations: it’s confusing! This is mostly because there are competing sources of information on the mercury levels in fish and who is most at risk.
The NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) has published a comprehensive guide to Mercury Contamination in Fish. Also see The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Guide to find sustainability ratings for fish.
Please post your resources in the comments section. I hope these help you guys!
Vitamin and Supplements
How do you know if your vitamins contain their stated quantity of vitamins and minerals? Did you know that the F.D.A does not test vitamins for ingredients or proper solubility?
The New York Times reports on a number of recent tests of vitamins and their contents. Vitamins made by Purity First Health Products were found to contain two powerful anabolic steroids (the familiar name for synthetic variants of the male sex hormone testosterone). In Ontario, researchers found that popular herbal products like those labeled St. John’s wort and ginkgo biloba often contained completely different herbs or contaminants than those listed on the label.
There are two well-known non-profit certification organizations that test vitamins for purity and quality: United States Pharmacopeia (www.usp.org) and NSF International (www.nsf.org).
For more information, see another recent article in The New York Times.
Does anyone else have any advice to offer when purchasing vitamins?
Bushwick Food Cooperative 