When I was in my local organic market the other day, a handful of unconventionally-looking oranges were sitting in a back shelf.
I had never seen anything that look like these and then asked the guy working there a question.
“Do you these come like this?” Read More »
At the recent 2010 Natural Products Expo East Trade Show in Boston, I spoke with Larry Plesent, the founder of Vermont Soap Organics.
Vermont Soap Organics makes my absolute favorite fruit and vegetable wash. Yes, washing with water is just not enough. It is important to use a produce wash but not just any one.
In this video, Larry explains the benefits of using a produce wash and discusses the main ingredients in his product.
Please be aware that not all produce washes are created equally. Many contain an ingredient called grapefruit seed extract. There is a good deal of controversy around grapefruit seed extract and it is something that I try to avoid.
If you want to order this fanastic produce wash, click HERE.
I just love reading announcements like this. Researchers at Washington State University just released the results of their study of strawberries and concluded that organic is superior to conventional in several different categories.
Not that this is any great surprise to me but having empirical evidence is always beneficial.
The study, which was published in PLoS One, came to the following conclusions about organic strawberries:
- Longer shelf life and greater dry matter.
- Higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds.
- Sweeter taste, better flavor and appearance. Read More »
Even though my website has been up for only a very short period of time, several people have left comments on the blog that they like to look their local farmer in the eye before they purchase their food.
Why is this? Well, they want some reassurance that the food they are buying is truly organic and free of pesticides.
In essence, they want to know where their food is coming from.
Dole Organic has recognized this desire of many consumers and has actually done something about it.
At the top of the label, you will see a farm number. If you go to doleorganic.com and search for the corresponding number, in this case #633, you will be able to get information about and pictures of the farm where the bananas were produced, including PDFs of the organic certification papers. The content and pictures may vary slightly from farm to farm.
According to Frans Wielemaker, Director of Sourcing and Development of the Organic and Exotics Program at Dole, “this program was started two years ago. It was initially something that our organic certifier wanted us to have but once all the hard work and logistics were implemented, we decided to use the system as a way to connect with the consumer.” Read More »
Each year the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment, puts out a list called the “Dirty Dozen”.
What is this list? It is a list of the most chemically-treated fruits and vegetables.
EWG research “has found that the people who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily.”
In case you are shopping and can’t remember what is on the list, the basic rule of thumb is this: buy organic fruits or vegetables that have nothing to be peeled off before eating. Read More »
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