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Better Choices

Another Reason to Support Organic – It Will More Effectively Feed the World During the Global Drought

When people get into a debate about whether organic food is worth it or not, the first issue that always comes up is price.

While organic can cost a little more, there are numerous ways to make it less expensive, such as buying in the bulk bins or purchasing directly from local organic farmers.

Yet, what is often missing in this discussion is how organic is so much better for the planet.

And this is something that absolutely must be part of the narrative as to why organic is the superior choice, particularly because the global food system is responsible for 44-57% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

From the Center for Food Safety’s excellent report Food & Climate: Connecting the Dots, Choosing the Way Forward, we know that organic agriculture uses 30-50% less fossil fuel energy than industrial farms.

And in a new study published in Nature Plantsresearchers have concluded that organic yields are consistently greater than conventional farming yields during periods of global drought.

This should be of immediate importance to everyone, and not just to those people living in California.

According to NASA, the water table is dropping all over the globe, and 21 of the world’s largest 37 aquifers have passed their sustainability tipping points, which means that water is being taken out faster than it is being replaced.

In the U.S., 50 billion gallons of water per day are being used for agricultural purposes, and approximately 40% of the world’s grain comes from irrigated land.

With our water reserves running low and not being replaced, groundwater depletion raises the likelihood of global food crises.

So, if we want to feed the 9 billion people expected to be on the planet by 2050, water must be a major consideration when selecting how we grow our food.

And that is exactly why the findings from the Nature Plants study are so critical.

Given that organic soil is built up and maintained with organic material, it is much more able to hold onto water. Therefore, by the time a farmer is ready to plant or harvest a crop, the plant has more access to water, which results in higher yields.

John Reganold, Professor of Soil Science and Agroecology at Washington State University and co-author of the new study, said that for every inch of rainwater soaked up by soil, a plant can produce another 7-8 bushels of wheat. That is very, very significant.

So, the next time someone is telling you that GMOs are the only way to feed the world, educate this person that with no water, there is no food.

And the best way to preserve our dwindling water supplies while also achieving increased yields during periods of drought is through organic farming.

A message from Tradin Organic

How Tradin Organic is Helping Coconut Farmers in The Philippines

For more than a decade, Tradin Organic has been working with local partners in The Philippines to bring a diversified range of organic products to the market, such as coconut oil, tropical fruits and even cocoa.

The company is helping to support local farmers by assisting them with technical support and organic certification, in addition to paying Fairtrade premium on top of the organic premium.

Learn more.

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Living Maxwell

Better Choices

10 Organic Foods You’ll Always Find in My Kitchen

For someone who loves organic food so much and cooks so often, my refrigerator is surprisingly empty. How could this be?

Well, I go food shopping A LOT and pretty much only buy whatever I need for the next meal that I’ll be eating. I have the good fortune of being able to do this because an amazing organic market is literally less a one minute walk from my apartment.

Plus, I LOVE going food shopping and making multiple trips to the market in one day is not exactly a burden. Staring at all of the amazing fruits and vegetables in the produce section is one of my favorite things to do.

Even though I do tend to “buy on-demand”, you’ll pretty much always find these 10 organic foods in my kitchen:

COCONUT OIL I am a huge fan of coconut oil.  Not only is it high in lauric acid and great to use after a workout but it is one of the few oils that you can safely heat and cook with. (Olive oil is not one of them.)

Aside from using organic coconut oil in my smoothies, I use it as a moisturizer as well.

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A message from E3Live

"My Everyday, Must-Have Green Organic Aquabotanical"

The best testimonial that I can give is that I drink this every single day, as it impacts my mood in an incredibly positive way.

E3Live + BrainON is certified organic, fresh-frozen AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) with a concentrated, aqueous, organic extract of Phenylethylamine and Phycocyanin.

Learn more.

Organic Insider

Better Choices

Is Non-GMO Better Than Organic?

In a recent online survey of a 1,000 health-conscious consumers conducted by Market LOHAS – Mambo Sprouts Marketing Research, it was found that 80% of shoppers seek out non-GMO products, with 56% saying non-GMO was key to brand buying versus 52% for organic.

Hence, a product that has the words “Non-GMO” on its packaging is going to carry more weight with consumers than “Organic”.

On many levels, this is incredibly worrisome, mostly because shoppers are making the absolute wrong and unhealthy decision at the supermarket.

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Living Maxwell

Better Choices

Top 10 Herbs by Nutrient Density

By now, many of you may be familiar with the “ANDI Scores” when you walk into the produce section of Whole Foods Market.

Created by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, ANDI stands for “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index” and ranks a food’s nutrient density on a scale from 1 to 1000.

The ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities, and by dividing the nutrient level of a food by its caloric content (N/C).

For context, kale, a dark leafy green, scores 1000 while soda scores 1.

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livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink