When you come to New York City and ask someone where to get pressed organic juice, there is an excellent chance that Juice Press will be mentioned. And for good reason.

What started out as a small, one-store operation in the East Village in 2010 has quickly exploded to 13 locations throughout NYC and the Hamptons. With many more stores to be opened over the next few years and $7M from investors such as Home Depot’s Ken Langone and billionaire hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller, Founder Marcus Antebi has proven that he has what it takes to build a serious brand in the organic world.

One of the things that you’ll notice when you enter a Juice Press location is the enormous selection of both juices and food, which made choosing my five favorite picks all that more difficult. And believe me, there were plenty of items that I consume on a regular basis that did not make this list.

AVOCADO TOAST SANDWICH

Quite simply, an avocado sandwich is not supposed to taste this good. Period. I have no idea what is in the secret sauce, but this sandwich blows me away every time I eat it. Read more »

This award is something that I started at Natural Products Expo West 2013 several months ago when Little Duck Organics took home the inaugural prize.

At Natural Products Expo East 2013, three companies really impressed me with their innovation.

GROWER PETE’S ORGANIC LIVING BUTTER LETTUCE

Every time I see Pete Overgaag, President of Hollandia Produce (the parent company of Grower Pete’s), at an organic trade show, I always run over to him with great excitement. I repeatedly remind him of the time that I discovered his lettuce growing in an actual pot at my local supermarket. After a few years, my enthusiasm for his product still hasn’t waned. Read more »

Having been entrenched in the organic food sector for the last few years, I have come to gain a tremendous appreciation for the non-profits that play such a vital role in protecting both our industry and the American consumer.

And without a question, one of these phenomenal non-profits is Food & Water Watch.

Recently, I caught up with the Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, Wenonah Hauter, someone who worked for Ralph Nader for 10 years, and we spoke about many different topics – food policy in the U.S., what exactly her organization does and where it operates, and how citizens must get involved.

We also discussed her excellent new book, Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America.

If you’re interested in learning about what is truly going on in our food system and how we can fix it, I strongly suggest that you read Foodopoly. It can be purchased online by clicking HERE.

(Several of the photos used in the video are courtesy of Food & Water Watch.)

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If you know me or have read my bio, you might be aware that I have had some addiction issues in the past.

Fortunately, those problems are behind me, and I have stayed on a positive path for many years now. One of the things that I attribute to my being to able avoid negative influences in my life has been my will power. Read more »

I am always on the search for healthy snacks that I can take with me on-the-go or for whenever I travel.

My ideal snack is nutritious, filling, and not too sweet. I don’t want to eat something and suffer through that “sugar hangover”, even if it is derived from a natural source.

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are that perfect food. Not only do they satisfy my hunger, but they provide excellent health benefits: Read more »

There is an incredibly controversial ingredient in the organic industry called carrageenan.

If you’re not familiar with it, carrageenan is a common food additive extracted from red seaweed that is often used as a thickening agent (chocolate milk, soy milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream), a substitute for fat, and a stabilizer for beverages that separate and must be stirred or shaken (the carrageenan makes stirring or shaking no longer necessary). It can also be found in deli meats and prepared poultry items.

Carrageenan adds no nutritional value or flavor to foods or beverages  but carries very, very serious health risks. What are they?

Animal studies have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors.

And for the past four decades, scientists have repeatedly warned that carrageenan is not safe.

It is bad enough that the FDA allows carrageenan in our food supply, but the fact that it is approved for organics is even worse. Read more »

In this video with my friend and author of Veggies for Carnivores, Lora Krulak shows me: Read more »