Top 5 Food Stories - Weekend Edition

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1) Agencies See Decade of High Food Prices (wsj.com)
Better start using those coupons! Food prices are expected to be 30% higher than average over the next decade due to the simple economics of slowing grain production trying to keep pace with the rising demand to feed the world's 6 billion people. The increased use of grain towards bio-fuel and to feed livestock will further exacerbate the problem. Forecasters predict a 30% rise in poultry, 20% rise in pig meat and 20% rise in cereals prices by 2020.

2) In Defense of a Daily Donut (menshealth.com)
Forbidden foods are always the most desirable, so it's important to treat yourself sometimes. When people restrict themselves from an entire food group, they're more likely to binge when that food becomes available. Think Easter Sunday after 40 days of fasting. We all try to eat as much food as possible to "make up" for that lost time. Keep in mind that moderation is key, so if someone brings that box of Krispy Kreme to the office, go ahead and indulge. You'll thank yourself later.

3) 6 Tasty Vegetarian Sources of Protein (rodale.com)
Protein is needed for strong muscles and to stay satisfied longer between meals, but there are other sources of protein besides meat. Studies have found that relying too much on animal-based proteins can make you fat, while also impairing your vision and increasing your risks of colon cancer (mostly due to the cooking process). Check out this list of 6 vegetarian sources of protein that are delicious, easy to come by, and can help you lose weight without shortening your lifespan.

4) Soda Still Common Among Teens (latimes.com)
One in four high school students drink soda everyday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the same people who warned us to be prepared for a zombie apocalypse), which may be a troubling sign for childhood obesity. Sugar is increasingly being linked to obesity than fat, along with drinking your calories. However, studies have shown that teens are drinking more water, milk and fruit juice than in the past couple decades, so maybe there is hope on the horizon for the fight against childhood obesity.

5) US House Votes to Bar N. Korea Food Aid (yahoo.com)
Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have died resulting from a famine during the 1990s, reducing the locals to eating grass and tree bark, and US relief groups have proposed sending between 160,000 and 175,000 tons of food to North Korea. However many officials believe that sending the food would help "prop up the communist regime" by allowing Kim Jong-Il to divert resources to other programs, such as their nuclear program. This has become a debate of political concern against humanitarian assistance. The measure will have to be approved first by the Senate, where Democratic Party holds the majority. What's going to be your decision, Obama?