The What and Whys of Organic Food

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The What and Whys of Organic Food

When you think of organic food do you have some questions? Here’s a quick Q & A on the subject.

Q:Is it expensive?
A: It depends on the food and where you buy it. As consumers have demanded more organic food to be available, the prices are coming down.

Q: What’s the difference between organic and “regular” foods?
A: All food used to be organic, meaning raised without synthetic and chemical products added. Organic foods are grown in soil full of nutrients because crops are rotated (planting the same food season after season depletes the soil). Pests are controlled naturally where conventional farming uses pesticides.

Q: Is it just fruits and vegetables that are organic?
A: No. There are many organic foods including dairy and eggs, meat, poultry, beans, grains, nuts, and sweeteners. You can find organic versions of almost everything – even cookies!

Q: What are some of the reasons I would want to buy organic?
A: Some people say that they can tell the difference in the taste – taste test a conventional apple and an organic one and see what you think

Synthetic and chemical additives can be absorbed into the food and even washing doesn’t remove all the residue

The chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides used in conventional farming can be absorbed into the ground water and run off into water sources downstream

To support organic farmers as they bring more environmentally friendly means of growing and raising our food while rebuilding the soil

Q: How do I know if I’m getting organic foods?
A: If you are buying at your local farmer’s market you can ask if the food is organic or very often they will have a sign proudly stating that they are certified organic or in the process of being certified

If you are shopping at the grocery store you already have lots of information at your finger tips about the fruits and vegetables you’re considering.

The sticker that’s attached (the PLU code sticker) tells you whether the food is conventionally grown (4 digits), organic (5 digits starting with the number 9) or genetically modified (GMO 5 digits starting with the number 8). For example conventional bananas have the sticker code 4011, organic 94011, and GMO 84011.

Other foods will be marked or if you have any questions about whether something is organic be sure to ask.

Some people decide on organic because of health concerns, some for environmental reasons, some because of what the people in the fields are exposed to. Deciding to buy and eat organic is a personal decision and only you can decide what is best for you and your family.

So are you ready to try the apple test?

 

Heart Felt Gardening

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Heart Felt Gardening

After the article a few weeks ago about ways to eat local, my friend and author Jill Russo Foster told me about her life-long love with home gardening. For her it is really heart felt.

Living in the woods, I’ve never been able to have a garden. After Jill shared her experience, I was inspired to start growing heirloom herbs from seeds in peat pots.

There’s a small bright, sunny patch waiting outside for the tender plants to season our summer meals.

Read Jill’s thoughts on gardening and how you can grow food and memories for your family as well.
Gardening Thoughts and Memories by Jill Russo Foster

I think it’s so interesting that Michelle Obama is showing us the benefits of having a garden. It’s like second nature to me.

No matter where I have lived, even in an apartment, I have always had a least tomatoes on the balcony.

My earliest memories of my grandmother Nanna (my father’s mother) was of her working in the garden which was half of her backyard. She was always tending to the plants with her kerchief on top of her head to keep the heat off.

When I was at her home, she would be out in the garden from early May to late September. I would be able to get the greatest tomatoes fresh picked off the vine and eaten within minutes. She tended to her garden until the age of 93 doing all the work herself. Now I have my own garden, smaller in size than hers but manageable for me.

I started my garden a few weeks ago as seeds this year – something I usually don’t do. In my windows right now I have about 100 plants growing – everything from lettuces – mixed greens, arugula, spinach, iceberg, beans – green, wax, peas, green and yellow squash, cucumbers, and herbs – basil and parsley. Tomatoes don’t start well for me in seed form, so I buy them as plants.

From my experience there is nothing better than walking into my backyard and making a decision about what I want to eat. It’s like having a supermarket with all my favorite choices. I can’t grow all my favorites so I make trips to the local farmers market on Saturday mornings. There’s a farmer who has exotics like dandelion greens (not the yellow ones from the backyard, but blue dandelion) and squash blossoms. He is always there from mid May to late October, so it’s a regular part of my Saturday morning routine.

My Nanna passed down to me the love of working in the garden and being rewarded with eating – and enjoying – the “fruits” of my labors.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Click here to check out Jill’s website and book Cash, Credit and Your Finances: The Teen Years. She shares her years of expertise to help our kids learn about and how to handle money. Thanks Jill!

 

What You Need to Know About Locally Grown Food

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What You Need to Know About Locally Grown Food

Spring is a great time to explore your community and find resources to enjoy all the delicious local seasonal foods that are produced in your area. You might even consider planting some of your own favorites!

Locally grown food has many benefits:

~ It can be fresher because there’s less time between when the food is picked and when you buy. The food is more alive with nutrients.
~ It’s usually less expensive because it doesn’t have the costs added to transport it across country – or ship it around the world
~ You help support your community members who have dedicated themselves to feeding others
~ Eating local at times can be better than eating organic from outside the area. Back to the benefits of fresher food and less carbon footprinting to transport long distances

There are many options to check out such as farmer markets, local farms, and events that include fresh picked, grown and raised food. There is also a service called Community Supported Agriculture (known as CSAs) where you pay a farmer at the start of the growing season for a whole season’s worth of what’s harvested each week. They usually have a centralized location where you pick up all your goodies weekly. CSAs give you the opportunity to explore some of your old favorites and try new things depending on what was ripe and ready for picking! It also gives local farmers the funds necessary to stay in business and be around to grow wonderful food the next year. It’s a win-win for everybody!

You can check out your local newspaper and city magazines for what is going on in your area. Another great resource is the Local Harvest website “real food, real farms, real communities” where you search for information by area code. You’ll find out easily what’s going on all around you. I just found a farm a couple of miles away from me that is working on being certified organic using Local Harvest. Check out their site to see what’s available in your area.

Have fun, explore and enjoy all that’s available to you locally!

 

How to Make Snacks Work for You

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How to Make Snacks Work for You

 

 

There’s no denying that everyone, at one time or another, has had a snack attack. Views on snacking differ. Some of us feel that snacking is bad and that eating between meals leads to weight gain. Others believe that eating many small meals and snacks throughout the day is healthy for maintaining energy levels and optimal weight. If there were one way of snacking that was right for everyone, we would all be doing it!

To alleviate snack attack guilt, try to understand why you are snacking and what snacks work best for your body. Perhaps you snack because your daily diet is missing nutrition, or because you are eating too little at meals. You might be snacking to soothe jangled nerves when you are emotional, or to entertain yourself when you are bored. Whatever your reason, acknowledge it and start thinking about how to create a life that is nourishing and truly satisfying.

Although snacks are no substitute for loving your life, they can be great energy boosters and mood lifters and a healthy and fun way to keep your body fully nourished as long as you use a little common sense. So many convenient snack foods are highly processed and full of chemicals, additives, damaging fats and refined sugars. When a snack attack hits you, try foods that are filling and satisfying, but also nutritious. Snack on things that don’t come in a plastic wrapper or a box, like fresh fruit, leftover vegetables or rice cakes with almond butter and fruit spread. Make your own signature trail mix, organic hot chocolate made with almond milk sweetened with agave nectar, or blue corn chips with hummus.

You can also try “upgrading.” If you are craving something crunchy, upgrade from potato chips to raw carrots, apples or whole grain crackers; if you are craving a candy bar, upgrade to a handful of nuts and dried fruit; instead of a cup of coffee, upgrade to green tea; instead of ice cream, upgrade to applesauce with cinnamon. Upgraded snacks are high in nutrition and give you a greater sense of satiety and satisfaction; you won’t feel physically or psychologically deprived, and you’ll have plenty of energy to sustain your activities for hours.

Snacking is enjoyable and there are a wide variety of healthful goodies for whatever you’re craving, be it sweet, crunchy, salty, creamy or spicy. Dive in, be creative and enjoy your snack attack.

Used with Permission from Institute of Integrative Nutrition

 

Feel Lighter with Spring Vegetables

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Feel Lighter with Spring Vegetables

 

 

Many of us are feeling heavier this time of year.

Depending on where you live, you may have hibernated during the winter months eating heavy foods to feel warm, resting more than usual, and getting less physical activity.

Now that spring is here, do you want to feel lighter and have more energy for whatever fun is in store? Check out the spring vegetables that are in season.

Spring vegetables have absorbed energy from the sun and nutrients from the soil which they will graciously share with you. They will help you lighten up!

Some of the spring vegetables include asparagus, cabbage, collards, peas, snap beans, and spinach. Check your local farmers market or grocery store’s local selection for other vegetables available in your area.

Let’s take a closer look at asparagus.

According to the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board:
Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

Asparagus is:
* Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear
* Contains no fat or cholesterol
* Very low in sodium
* A good source of potassium
* A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving)
* An excellent source of folacin
* A significant source of thiamin
* A significant source of vitamin B6
* One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls
* Contains glutathione (GSH) one of the most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants found within the body

Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice.

So the next time you’re food shopping, pick up that handful of asparagus and try the easy recipe below!

Don’t you feel lighter already?

JUST SO YOU KNOW
In case you’ve never eaten asparagus before, some people do experience smelly urine shortly after eating. It is harmless and passes quickly. If you’re interested in learning more, google “asparagus urine”.