The “localvore” movement is alive and well in Ottawa, as demonstrated by the popularity of stores like Whole Foods and the rise of farmers markets. Many restaurants boast locally sourced meats on their menus. Organic, local foods are supposed to be fresher, more nutritious, and generally better than average food. A new study out of the University of Ottawa, however, argues that this may not always be the case.
Dr. Moustaffa Aled, a Nutrition Sciences professor at uOttawa, conducted an experiment over 6 months, where he asked 34 people to drink local, organic beer. At the same time, he had another group drinking a variety of generic beer. The results were shocking. After half a year, members of the local group gained an average of 16.3 pounds, while the generic group gained nearly the same amount.
“It’s astounding” says Dr. Aled, “Ottawans have been told that eating local, organic food is the way to better health, and we have found that in the case of beer, it simply isn’t true.”
Beyond the Pale could not be reached for a statement.