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Living Maxwell

Better Choices

Why Organic Almonds? Because of the Super-Toxic Fumigant Propylene Oxide

As more and more people are moving toward a plant-based diet and migrating away from animal products, organic cannot be forgotten in this equation.

Unfortunately, I see far too many people who think that as long as it is plant-based, that is sufficient. It’s not.

Case in point: almonds.

In the early 2000s, there were a few outbreaks of salmonella traced to raw almonds from California, a state where nearly 100% of America’s almonds are grown. As a result, the USDA implemented a rule that required all almonds grown in California to be pasteurized. This holds true for both organic and non-organic varieties.

What is essential for people to understand are the methods that can be used to pasteurize the nuts.

“California can use steaming, steam-vacuuming technology, blanching, dry-roasting, oil roasting or propylene oxide. However, propylene oxide, also known as PPO, is prohibited in organic,” said Wendy Larsen, General Manager at Big Tree Organic Farms, a California-based grower and manufacturer of organic almonds and almond products.

There is a good reason why the spraying of PPO is banned in organic — it is a super-toxic chemical that is used in foams in furniture and car seats, building insulation, waterproof clothing and aircraft de-icers.

Furthermore, the American Cancer Society says in its National Toxicology Program 14th Report on Carcinogens, PPO is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” That means it is reasonable to assume that PPO causes cancer to humans. Furthermore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that PPO is a “probable human carcinogen.”

Does this mean that all conventionally-grown almonds, almond butters, almond milks and other almond products apply PPO in order to pasteurize the almonds?

Not necessarily.

There are companies that disclose on their websites that they do not use PPO on their conventional almonds, such as what supermarket chain Natural Grocers says about their almonds sold in bulk. However, unless you are going to contact the manufacturer and ask them directly, you just do not know. This is particularly difficult when you are at a restaurant, and you have absolutely no idea what the brand is. The bottom line is that all conventionally-grown almonds can be treated with PPO.

Even if the conventional almonds are PPO-free, they are allowed to be sprayed with other super-toxic chemicals, such as glyphosate — the primary ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp. And according to EPA documents from October 5th, 2015, 85% of almonds are treated with glyphosate. Why should this concern you?

The State of California said that glyphosate is known “to cause cancer.”

Because of the salmonella outbreak many years ago, even California-grown organic almonds must be pasteurized. So, the question that some people may be asking is: what do you do if you want organic almonds that are truly raw and unpasteurized?

There are options.

Because of the Roadside Stand Exemption in California’s almond pasteurization law, consumers can purchase up to 100 pounds of organic, unpasteurized almonds per day directly from farmers. Or, you can purchase organic, unpasteurized almonds which have been grown abroad, such as from Italy.

If buying in bulk is too inconvenient, there are companies that source their almonds from overseas.

Jem Organics, a fantastic brand of organic almond butters, purchases its raw, organic almonds from Spain.

Jen Moore, founder of Jem Organics, told me, “We have done extensive testing on the organic almonds from Spain for both mold and chemicals, and they have all come back clean.”

Whether you prefer pasteurized or unpasteurized almonds, one thing is certain — they must be organic.

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

Pure Rooms – Setting a New Standard for Healthy Traveling

For those of us who are extremely committed to health and wellness, the reality is that maintaining this lifestyle is very difficult when traveling.

At home, we have much greater control over our environment, but we lose that control when we go on the road, regardless of how aesthetically pleasing the living conditions may be.

Fortunately, the world is starting to change, and there are now businesses entirely focused on meeting the needs of the wellness-minded traveler.

One such company that I recently discovered is Pure Wellness, whose main offering is a Pure Room — a hotel room unlike anything I have seen before.

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A message from Tradin Organic

Why Tradin Organic is Prioritizing Regenerative Organic Farming

At Tradin Organic, we believe that regenerative organic farming is key to growing healthy and nutritious food ingredients — for now and for future generations.

And in Sierra Leone, we have grown the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified cacao.

Learn more.

Living Maxwell

Better Choices

Another Reason to Eat Organic – Conventional Meat Contains Twice as Many Superbugs

Aside from the fact that conventionally-raised animals can be pumped with synthetic growth hormones and can be fed genetically-modified grain that has been sprayed with super-toxic pesticides, there is now another scary reason to avoid conventional meat: superbugs.

In results from a just released study, Consumers Reports found that 18 percent of the ground beef samples from conventionally-raised cows contained dangerous superbugs resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics used to treat illness in humans. This is compared with just 9 percent of ground beef from samples that were sustainably produced.

Consumer Reports purchased 300 packages – 458 pounds – of conventionally and sustainably produced ground beef from grocery, big-box, and natural food stores in 26 cities across the country.

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Organic Insider

Better Choices

Study: Organic Grains Offer Superior Nutrition than Conventional or “Natural”

True, organic is slightly more expensive. This is primarily because it is not subsidized by the government in the same way that conventional food is.

But what rarely gets mentioned is that organic also offers superior nutrition.

In two research reports recently completed by The Organic Center, which examined the nutritional differences of organically farmed grains compared to “natural” and conventional varieties, the authors concluded that commercially produced organic breads are more nutrient-rich, contain more whole food ingredients and have fewer preservatives and additives than conventional breads.

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livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink