“Cleaning the Henhouse” September 7, 2010
An interesting article I found: Cleaning the Henhouse
Your thoughts?
‘Organic Moo News’ June 1, 2010
For those of you who drink milk might find this of interest:
*Women’s Health Magazine
Thoughts??
Spring turns to Summer May 28, 2010
It’s that time of year again when all those yummy summer fruits and veggies come out. It is also a good remind to know which ones have the most and least pesticides. I ways try to buy organic when possible…. remember to check out your local farmers market for the best deal!
Here is a lil cheat sheet:
Understanding Labels December 27, 2009
When a label says Organic do you know what it means? When it come to labels and companies selling thier products, marketing can be tricky to the consumer.
I found these short explainations that can help you understand what you are really purchasing when something says “organic” or “natural”. You can click on each one to make it larger to read it!
Soy (soybeans, soymilk, tofu…) May 21, 2009
Below is an interesting article on soy. It is very long, but worth the read!
http://www.cornucopia.org/soysurvey/OrganicSoyReport/behindthebean_color_final.pdf
Here are some key points:
“Organic foods or foods labeled “made with organic ingredients” are almost always free of ingredients processed with hexane—but not always. Clif® Bars, for example, misleads consumers with the “made with organic soy and oats” label, when one of the first ingredients listed is conventional, hexane-extracted “soy protein isolate.”
“Trader Joe’s participated in the project by filling out the survey but refused to disclose sourcing information. It is unique among private-label brands for the company policy against sourcing genetically engineered ingredients (WHOLE FOODS also has a company policy against sourcing genetically engineered ingredients but did not participate in this project). “
“In January 2009, the familiar Silk soymilk cartons lost the green “USDA Organic” seal and now state “natural” where they once said “organic.” The carton’s design is the same, and many loyal Silk customers who associate the brand with organics may not be aware that they are now buying a nonorganic product.”
“On some of their nonorganic products, including Silk Live® and Silk Yogurt®, White Wave/Dean Foods lists “organic soymilk” and “organic soybeans” as the first ingredient. According to a Silk spokeswoman, not all soybeans in these products are in fact organic,61 these products are made with some organic soybeans, but not enough to qualify them for “made with organic soybeans” status. To qualify for the “made with organic soybeans” status, at least 70% of the ingredients must be certified organic.”
“Scientists agree; Dr. William Helferich, who studies the effects of soy on cancer, found in one study that isolated soy ingredients stimulated the growth of tumors.”
“Hexane is used to extract oil from grains such as corn, soy, and canola. It is a cost-effective and highly efficient method for separating whole soybeans into soy oil, protein, and fiber. In conventional food processing, soybeans are immersed in what the industry calls a “hexane bath” before they are further processed into ingredients such as oil, soy protein isolate, or texturized soy protein (TVP). The soy protein ingredients in most nonorganic foods such as vegetarian burgers and nutrition bars are processed with the use of hexane.”
“Unfortunately, not all foods with “organic” on the label are guaranteed to be free of hexane-extracted soy ingredients. First, products such as Clif Bars with the label “made with organic oats and soybeans” are required by law to have 70% organic ingredients—the remaining 30%, however, can legally be hexane extracted. Second, even foods with the “certified organic” label could have minor hexane-extracted ingredients, such as soy lecithin, historically not available in organic form, and DHA oil.”
“unless a soy-based vegetarian burger or meat analog product is organic, with the green USDA Organic seal on the package, it almost certainly contains hexane-extracted soy protein, such as soy protein isolate or soy protein concentrate.”
“Clif Bars appeal to organic consumers with the following statement on its web site: “And food, made right, can make the world a better place. That’s why we use organic ingredients in all our products.” What customers may not understand is that this does not mean that Clif Bars are 100% organic, or even 95% organic. Clif Bars comply with the 70% organic labeling requirement (the 70% category is the third and lowest of the USDA’s organic labels and allows for manufacturers to use the organic label if at least 70% of the product’s ingredients are organic)…”
“Since organic soy lecithin is available but more expensive, checking an ingredients label for organic soy lecithin is a great way to determine how committed a company is to organics. If a company uses organic soy lecithin, they are paying more, in return for a more truly organic product. They show their commitment to organics and their support to the companies that are pioneers in developing ingredients that are organic. Consumers should be aware of this issue so that they can support these companies in the marketplace.”
Dinner time…. Amy’s Kitchen December 23, 2008
I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t always have time to cook a healthy meal every single night! About a year ago I discovered frozen meals made by Amy’s Kitchen. Get this… they are frozen meals that are organic, healthy, have natural ingredients, are not processed and most cook in 5 minutes or less. What more could you ask for right?
Amy’s Kitchen has a variety of meals to choose from such as pizza, soups, brown rice bowls, pastas and apple pie. One thing I like about Amy’s Kitchen meals is that they tailor some of their foods for people who are lactose intolerant (such as myself) and offer pizzas, burritos and enchiladas that don’t have cheese. I might also mention all the products are vegetarian, but don’t let that scare you. There are plenty of meals I haven’t had such as the baked ziti, the toaster pops, the lasagna or the veggie burgers, but I can honestly say that I haven’t had a bad meal yet.
I think for those who are living the busy life and don’t have the time to necessarily cook every night and are looking for something healthy and easy I think an Amy’s Kitchen meal might just be what you are looking for.
Where to buy? I have found them at WholeFoods, Henry’s, Vons (aka Safeway) and believe it or not Target (although Target has a very limited selection). Amy’s Kitchen meals also typically cost more than your average frozen meal, but hey… wouldn’t you rather spend an extra buck or two on something that isn’t processed and that is healthy rather than a medical bill down the line because you ate too many processed foods and your arteries were clogged?
On a side note I saw Amy’s Kitchen burritos featured on How it’s Made and I was so fascinated and so excited to see a product created with real ingredients!
Organic or Non Organic December 20, 2008
We probably know organic is better for us, but sometimes at the expense of our paycheck it just isn’t worth it. I was reading an article in Runners World this month and came across a piece of info I found interesting and wanted to share:
“By eating the organic versions of the dirty dozen, you can reduce your exposure to contaminants by 90 percent,”
Can you believe that? This is great news … for our health and especially our wallets!
If you don’t know what the “dirty dozen” are check it out: http://www.foodnews.org/
Tips to buying organic and saving a buck:
-shop the farmers market in your area
- check weekly what is on sale at the local grocery stores
- if you have a Trader Joe’s in your neighborhood check them out (usually they are fairly inexpensive)
