What is organic?                                                                                                             

Organic refers to the way agricultural products—food and fiber—are grown and processed. Organic food production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.

Is there an official definition of “organic”?                                                                 

The following excerpt is from the definition of “organic” that the National Organic Standards Board adopted in April 1995: “Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.”

What does “Certified Organic” mean?                                                                   

“Certified Organic” means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations. Certification includes inspections of farm fields and processing facilities, detailed record keeping, and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure that growers and handlers are meeting the standards which have been set.

Can any type of agricultural product become certified organic?                    

Yes, any agricultural product that meets third-party or state certification requirements may be considered organic. Organic foods are becoming available in an impressive variety, including pasta, prepared sauces, frozen juices, frozen meals, milk, ice cream and frozen novelties, cereals, meat, poultry, breads, soups, chocolate, cookies, beer, wine, vodka and more. These foods, in order to be certified organic, have all been grown and processed according to organic standards and must maintain a high level of quality. Organic fiber products, too, have moved beyond T-shirts, and include bed and bath linens, tablecloths, napkins, cosmetic puffs, feminine hygiene products, and men’s, women’s and children’s clothing in a wide variety of styles.

Source: Organic Trade Association

(Jun 27, 2007) With a market flooded with delicious — and unhealthy — snack foods, it can be hard to find tasty and reasonably priced alternatives. Flavourless rice cakes aside, what’s out there that isn’t full of artery clogging saturated fats, barrels of salt or tons of unrefined sugars?

Go for the real foods
When looking for those healthier alternatives, Dr. Jonny Bowden, a board certified nutritionist and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, suggests you choose snacks relatively low in calories (under 200), not fried (no potato chips), with at least 5 grams of protein and made with whole foods.” Read the nutritional and ingredients label and avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup and trans fatty acids. Be wary of the No Trans Fat label. “Even if [an ingredient] says ’partially hydrogenated’ it contains trans fats, no matter what the label says,” said Dr. Bowden.
 

Our number one choice
Chocolate is high up on the list for snack food. Relax…dark chocolate, in moderation, is a great way to treat the sweet tooth and provide some solid health benefits. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, not only can dark chocolate “help lower blood pressure” but the antioxidants in dark chocolate can “gobble up free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart disease and other ailments.” Researchers at American Heart Association even report dark chocolate can “improve insulin resistance.” Whenever you can look for fair-trade, organic chocolate with at least 65 percent cocoa. You’ll find it more satisfying that that sugar-laden bar you picked up at gas station and you’ll be less likely to gorge.

With any healthy snack, it’s important to watch your portion size because any healthy snack can turn into an unhealthy choice quickly. “Even if you’re eating great food, calories still count. Junk foods and those healthy snacks high in carbs and low in protein and fat, can still raise blood sugar and insulin which sets you up for fat storage,” said Dr. Bowden.

Jason Antebi is a freelance writer in Los Angeles, CA and the Executive Producer of the nationally syndicated talk show Women Aloud with Mo Gaffney and Shana Wride on the Greenstone Media Network.

March 2008: Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), the leading market research and strategic consulting firm specializing in health, wellness and sustainability, reported today that its recent Health & Wellness Trends Database™ survey revealed that consumer integration of organic into their lifestyles is growing. New data reveals that total organic household penetration across six product categories is up from 57% in 2006 to 59%, but some categories are experiencing significant penetration growth while others are flat. More importantly the number of core users, DEVOTEDS™, has grown. The chart below shows the percentage of general population/primary grocery shoppers who fall into each of NMI’s organic consumer segments for 2007 and 2006.

2007 / 2006

DEVOTEDS                                                                                                                                   18% / 16%                                                                                                                    

TEMPERATES                                                                                                                                                                                                      22% /22%                                                                                                                            

DABBLERS                                                                                                                                          41% / 44%                                                                                                                       

RELUCTANTS                                                                                                                                                                                                          19% / 18%

DEVOTEDS, as their name implies, are the most committed to organic and its ideals and are most likely to have changed their lifestyle to integrate organic. The more a category is used, the more it has to be organic. TEMPERATES have modern organic attitudes and fit organic into their lifestyle; the more they use a category, the more an organic version becomes a treat. DABBLERS are non-committal about organic – they can take it or leave it. For them, buying organic is more about hipness than the health benefits. RELUCTANTS are the least trustful of organic and believe that conventional products are just as good (if not better) than organics and that organics are not worth the extra cost.

In the rapid race of development we have inflicted serious damage to our natural resources and consequently to ourselves. Pesticides once used to promote and protect crop yield are now being used indiscriminately-harming both, the environment and human life. Over the years these chemicals accumulate in the environment and poison us slowly. When consumed on a regular basis they form deposits in our tissues and vital organs, particularly liver, kidney and brain.

THREAT

As years progress, they lead to life threatening diseases and even cancer a reason why they are “cumulative poisons”. In fact studies over the last few years have proved that as polluting chemicals have built up in the environment they have even invaded the most natural and safest of all sources of nourishment-mother’s milk. More than 350 man made pollutants have been identified in the breast milk of women in UK. Pesticide residues, poison mother’s milk and have adverse effects on the baby’s immune system.

PESTICIDE USE

The plight is that besides bans on harmful pesticides, they are still used extensively by farmers and agriculturists; consumed by us unnoticed. India is the largest manufacturer of chemical pesticides among South Asian and African nations. A number of research studies have found higher instances of brain cancer, leukemia and birth defects in children with early exposure to pesticides, according to National Resources Defence Council.

HARVARD FIND

A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, discovered a 70% increase in the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease for people exposed to even low levels of pesticides. WHO estimates over a million pesticide-poisoning cases and 20, 000 deaths every year globally. The indiscriminate use of fertilisers and plant protective chemicals to increase yields and save crops from pets and diseases, no doubt, has escalated food production, created food security but has also resulted in a number of health hazards. Further, it has deteriorated the agro-ecosystem badly. This situation has spelled the need to switch over to organic farming to cultivate valuable crops for healthy and safer foods.

GROWING ORGANIC

Organic food is grown without pesticides and chemical inputs. Organic is not a “product” rather it is a “process”. Organic farming significantly reduces external inputs by avoiding the use of chemo-synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Instead it works with nature and natural systems to increase both agricultural yields and disease resistance. It builds healthy soil and prevents chemicals from entering into earth and water. It helps in protecting top soil, water and air.

By Rohit Tomar

Who can resist them – and why should we?

A recent survey by the foodservice consultancy Technomic found, what we all know already: almost everyone enjoys desserts, some of us occasionally, others frequently.

During the Holidays most of us tend to join the ‘frequent’ group. We will enjoy exquisite desserts and goodies not only after already rich meals, but we will most likely nibble on cookies and cakes at any time of day.

Here a few tips to enjoy home made scrumptious treats without overdosing on sugar and fat:

Use alternative sweeteners that are better for you, such as honey, maple syrup or rice syrup. Find dessert mixes that have no sugar added, such as our very easy to prepare and delicious GoBIO! Organic Puddings and Jellies. They are bursting with natural, organic flavours, rather than being overly sweet.
The elegant, fluffy and creamy GoBIO! Organic Chocolate Mousse and Organic Vanilla Mousse contain only a fraction of sugar compared to conventional mixes. That does not only make them healthier, but they are also so much more delicious.

Combine traditional desserts with fresh fruit. Use raspberries for garnish on Chocolate Mousse, add a small serving of fresh strawberries in each dessert bowl and fill up with creamy GoBIO! Organic Custard, or sprinkle pomegranate arils (seeds) over your Organic Almond Pudding for a festive touch.

If you are concerned about fat, use soy drink, almond drink or low fat milk for your GoBIO! Organic Puddings and Organic Custard. All GoBIO! Desserts are free of Trans fats.

Stick with pure, organic products and enjoy rich, natural flavours as they were meant to be. Stay away from commercial desserts, loaded with chemical additives, such as artificial flavouring, artificial colouring, preservatives, and chemical agents that supposedly give the product a “better” consistency and texture.

Be creative and try new combinations. Use your traditional recipes and experiment a little. Use GoBIO! Organic Berry Pudding instead of sugary jam in your Thumbprint Cookies or GoBIO! Organic Cherry Jelly in your Jello Christmas cookies. Try a Café Au Lait Parfait with GoBIO! Organic Gelatine.

And don’t forget – enjoy all good things in moderation, try not to over-indulge.

Celebrate the Holidays and all its tastes!

Salt had a lot of bad press lately – but only some of it is justified.

For thousands of years salt has been known throughout the world as a purification and healing remedy, a source of nourishment, taste enhancement and as a natural preservative. For centuries the use of the ‘White Gold’ was the privilege of the rich and powerful.

The disenchanted Sodium Chloride of the modern world is available in abundance to all. Almost no prepared foods can be found without it. And with this over-use of a good thing the quality of most salts on the market has suffered substantially. Salt has been reduced to an over-processed, bleached and refined product; a far cry from its natural counterparts, rich in essential minerals and trace elements, such as:

• Magnesium (for muscle relaxation, strong bones, energy metabolism and nerve function)
• Calcium (for strong bones)
• Potassium (regulate our fluid balance and improve nerve function)
• Sodium (regulate our fluid balance and improve nerve function)
• Phosphorus (energy carrier for metabolism)
• Iodine (for a healthy thyroid and the production of certain hormones)
• Iron (production of read blood cells and oxygen supply)
• Zink (metabolism, healthy skin and strengthens the immune system)

Different kinds of unprocessed salts

For the conscious consumer various kinds of pure, unprocessed salts are currently available on the market. We can group them into sea salt and rock salt.

• Sea salt is being extracted by evaporating salt-water in man made basins.
• Rock salt originated from the evaporation of historic oceans and is being mined.

Historically, rock salt developed in a time when human caused pollution was unknown and is therefore the purest salt available.

Harvest Sun Himalayan Rock Salt is 250 million years old, it is found underground and protected from modern pollution and is extremely high in minerals and trace elements.

How much salt is good for us? 

There is a reason, why our bodies crave salt. Our blood actually contains 0.9% salt and just about every system in our body needs small amounts of salt to function.

Excess intake of salt however has been linked to elevated blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. But, while a low sodium diet does reduce hypertension in some people, for many others it doesn’t. Only about ¼ of the North American population is salt-sensitive, meaning their bodies are reacting to salt by increasing the blood pressure. Likely candidates for this group include the elderly, African Americans, and people who have a family history of high blood pressure.

The suggested daily intake ranges between 1,500 mg for a low sodium diet to 2,400 mg - in other words ½ to 1 teaspoon.

In our fast paced society with its many forms of processed and prepared foods, our salt intake typically exceeds the suggested amount.

Conclusion

Stay away from over processed foods. In general, they are depleted of their natural nutrients, and laden with all of those things that are not good for you, including a multitude of chemical additives. Instead, enjoy a wholesome diet with an abundance of fresh products.

And the next time you grab that salt shaker, pause for a second and contemplate the origins and quality of your salt. Then, enjoy a healthy sprinkle of pure, unprocessed, nutrient-rich ‘White Gold’.

A £12m EU-funded investigation into the difference between organic and ordinary farming has shown that organic foods have far more nutritional value, including up to 40% more antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of heart disease and cancer, could be found in organic fruit and vegetables than in those conventionally farmed.

In the four-year Quality Low Input Food project, the biggest of its kind to date, a farm in north-east England grew conventional produce alongside organic varieties. Cattle were also farmed on the 725-acre plot, where it has been discovered that organic milk contains 60% more antioxidants and desirable fatty acids than ordinary milk.

Professor Carlo Leifert, co-ordinator of the study, said, “We have shown there are more of certain less nutritionally desirable compounds and less of the baddies in organic foods, or improved amounts of the fatty acids you want and less of those you don’t want.”

The study, whose overall findings will be published next year, is the first systematic comparison of farming techniques. Led by Newcastle University, 33 academic centres across Europe are analysing the information.

For the past seven years the organic food lobby has been trying unsuccessfully to persuade the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to acknowledge the benefits of organic food. The FSA says the “balance of current scientific evidence” does not support the view that organic food is safer or healthier.

The Soil Association, the UK’s leading campaigning and certifying organisation on organic farming, said, “It is time the FSA caught up with the available science and adjusted its statements to reflect that science.”

The FSA added, “We will be getting a consultancy to carry out a systematic review of the evidence, which will include this latest study.”

The key findings of the report revealed:

* Organic milk contains higher amounts of vitamin E, according to the EU study. The antioxidant contributes to a healthy circulatory system

* Potatoes, kiwi fruit and carrots were among the organic produce found to be higher in vitamin C than their chemically-farmed counterparts. The vitamin has been credited with boosting the immune system and helping to keep cancer and heart disease at bay

* Higher levels of minerals and antioxidants were found in organically- farmed lettuce, spinach and cabbage

by Nicola Mallett

Published: Monday, October 29, 2007