Living Maxwell

Better Choices

Organic Wine — Does it Contain Sulfites?

In wine, there are naturally occurring sulfites and added sulfites. The naturally occurring sulfites are a by-product of the fermentation process and it is nearly impossible to have a sulfite-free wine.

Winemakers have been working with sulfite agents, added sulfites, for hundreds of years. They were originally introduced in Europe as a preservative and are used to prevent spoiling.

It is possible, however, to have a wine that is free of added sulfates and that is organic wine. The four main attributes of USDA certified organic wine are:

– Made from grapes that are certified organic

– No toxic or synthetic chemicals, preservatives or pesticides may be used in the grape-growing process

– No added sulfites in the winemaking process

– The sulfite level (from naturally occurring sulfites) cannot exceed 20 parts per million.

Aside from USDA certified organic wine, which is not too common, there is also wine that has “made from organic grapes” on the label. The two main differences difference between a wine that is “made from organic grapes” and a USDA certified organic wine:

– It can contain added sulfites

– Approved sulfite level is higher — 100 parts per million.

As you can imagine, winegrowers who use heavy amounts of chemicals on the grapes will also want to use added and synthetic sulfites, so as to increase the shelf life of their wine.

Some people are concerned about sulfites because of allergic reactions. Others do not want synthetic sulfites in their body.

My take: If I were still drinking (it’s been 22 years already with no alcohol), I would be looking for USDA certified organic wine only. I would not want to be putting synthetic sulfites into my body, and buying certified organic wine would be the only way to prevent this from happening.

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Living Maxwell

Better Choices

Don’t Be Influenced By Pretty-Looking Organic Egg Cartons

Whether you’re new to organic or have been eating it for decades, here is a very likely scenario when you go to buy eggs.

You stand in the refrigerated section of the market, look at all of options, check out the prices and make a decision largely based on the packaging of each brand.

Some have attractive pictures of rolling farmland, others show actual farmers, some have photos of the animals. Most certainly, the brands are using buzz words such as “cage-free”, “sunlit porches”, “omega 3-s” or “heritage breed”.

Are these brands being falsely deceptive?

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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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Better Choices

Organic Black Sesame Seeds — Something You’ll Always See in My Kitchen

When it comes to eating, I like clean and light food.

My body seems to reject heavy sauces, fried foods, and sautées, even if they are 100% organic.

I like simplicity in a meal and as a result, I tend to cook a decent amount for myself. Why?

Not only is cooking at home the most inexpensive way to eat organic but I can have exactly what I want.

Whenever I make quinoa, millet or a big salad, one of my favorite things to put on these dishes are black sesame seeds.

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"My Everyday, Must-Have Green Organic Aquabotanical"

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Don’t Be Influenced By Pretty-Looking Organic Egg Cartons

10 Organic Foods You’ll Always Find in My Kitchen

Organic Black Sesame Seeds — Something You’ll Always See in My Kitchen