Top 5 Food Stories for Tuesday June 21st, 2011

1) 23 Ways to Eat Better (womenshealthmag.com)
All of us would like to "eat better", but what does that really mean? Reiterating the the theme of yesterday, eat your colors! Variety is the key to a good diet and this list of 23 ways to eat better focuses on the tasty and healthy foods that we should be eating more of, categorized by the colors green, yellow, orange, red, blue and purple. What's your favorite food color?

2) Diet Tied to Lower Risk of Vision Loss in Old Age (reuters.com)
If you're worried about losing your eyesight as you get older, make sure to get enough of zinc (found in meat and legumes), omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and walnuts), and other antioxidants. Getting sufficient amounts of those nutrients can reduce the risk of macular degeneration by more than 33%. Beta carotene, found in carrots, also promotes excellent eye health. It's no wonder Bugs Bunny was able to always see Elmer Fudd coming.

Source: worldculturepictorial.com

3) G-20 Set Sights on Food Markets (wsj.com)
By 2050, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization predicts the world will need to produce 70% more food to feed the population. Farm ministers from the Group of 20 nations with the largest economies are scheduled to meet on Wednesday and Thursday (6/22-6/23) to discuss reduction in trade barriers and farming techniques, among other things, in order to tackle the growing problem of food shortages and price volatility. It should be interesting to see what the future of food holds in store.

4) 10 Essential Food Must-Knows for the Wine Enthusiast (forbes.com)
For the quintessential foodies out there, check out this do-it-yourself list of must-knows for a wine enthusiast. The list covers a broad range of recommendations about everything from making your own jerky to vinegar to liqueur to help even the most seasoned foodie develop a well rounded repertoire. A votre sante!

5) China Draws More Scrutiny for Food Safety Lapses (npr.com)
15% of all food in the US is imported and the last update to food import laws was in 1930! A lot has changed since then and many food safety problems have become an everyday occurrence in China (exploding watermelons!). The US is working on laws to require importers to meet domestic food safety standards, but that's easier said than done. Only time will tell but in the meantime, eat locally! Be sure to visit your neighborhood farmers market for the freshest food available.