Hope you all had a good week. Here’s a list of the best articles we came across in the last 7 days. You can browse the list and see what looks interesting to you, and clicking on an article’s title will take you to the article itself (in a new tab or window).

Scientists now saying carbs, not fat, are to blame for America’s ills

Source: LA Times

To quote the LA Times directly, “a growing number of top nutritional scientists blame excessive carbohydrates — not fat — for America’s ills.” That about sums it up. Like this infographic from Massive Health that we shared a while back, it’s becoming scientific fact that excessive consumption of processed carbs is the problem, not fat.

The Local Foods Wheel – New York

Source: Gabrielle Langholtz of Edible Manhattan

Here’s a beautiful chart that shows you how to eat seasonally and locally here in New York. This thing’s going on our fridge for sure, and you can purchase your own copy here.

Is the ‘obesity lobby’ winning?

Source: Grist

This is pretty discouraging stuff. So much of our food policy is still being determined by whoever has the most lobbying dollars. Very frustrating.

‘Food, Inc.’ chicken farmer has a new, humane farm

Source: Grist

This, on the other hand, is quite encouraging. Sustainable, humane livestock farms can work, even for farmers who are currently raising their livestock via much more industrial methods. Would be great to see more farmers make this switch.

High Fat Food – Straight to Your Bloodstream (video)

Source: Fooducate

Scary stuff about the impact of bad fat (from things like unhealthy fast food) on your bloodstream and general health. You can actually see the before and after difference in the video, which is pretty shocking.

Badvertising: Fruitsations +Veggies are Neither Fruit Nor Vegetable

Source: Weighty Matters

Very hard to trust advertising from the big food brands, and this ad in particular is pretty ridiculous.

7 May Superfoods

Source: Huffington Post

Great list of healthful foods that are just starting to hit their peak growing seasons.

Superfruit, or just a plain old Clark Kent fruit?

Source: LA Times

On the other hand, you should be somewhat leery about the whole “superfood” or “superfruit” thing. While these foods may be great for you, they may not be THAT much better than other less exotic fruits and veggies. But they’re often quite a bit more expensive.

Studies Question the Pairing of Food Deserts and Obesity

Source: New York Times 

Two new studies question whether food desserts are really the problem, based on the fact that residents in many areas that have high rates of obesity also have plenty of access to grocery stores.

Will better access to healthier foods reduce obesity?

Source: Food Politics

Marion Nestle comments on the article above and lists several reasons why access to healthful foods alone cannot reverse obesity. The real issue, she believes, is poverty, and it’s a pretty compelling argument.

Crop yields are only part of the organic vs. conventional farming debate

Source: Grist

A good discussion of the trade-offs that come with organic farming vs. large-scale industrial farming. Organic farming does result in lower yields, but it also has a much lesser negative impact on the environment. So from an efficiency standpont, organic comes out on top.

Don’t Just Sit There

Source: New York Times

More scientific evidence that sitting for long periods of time is terrible for you, even if you exercise regularly.

Can You Exercise Too Much?

Source: Greatist

No doubt about it – it’s definitely possible to overtrain. This helpful post provides some tips on how you can tell if you’re overdoing it and how to avoid getting to that point.

Ten Fun Tequila Facts for Cinco De Mayo

Source: Fooducate

Just a fun one to end on, especially if you’re going to be out enjoying the holiday today. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!