Tag Archives: organic

Super Toxic Foods

Posted on June 16, 2010 | 8 Comments

Strawberries and other berries are known as “Super Foods”, for their antioxidant properties. These nutritional powerhouse foods are loaded with crucial nutrients, which have been proven to help prevent well-known effects of aging, including cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers.

Children are especially vulnerable.

However, if you’re eating non-organic strawberries today, you may be ingesting 54 pesticides with it, according to Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)*. Pesticides are designed to be toxic- they kill insects and other living creatures. The alarming fact is that most of us are born with persistent pesticides and other chemicals already in our bodies, passed from mother to child during fetal development. Pesticides accumulate, build up toxicity, and remain in our bodies for years. Pesticides have been linked to cancers, developmental and neurological disorders, reproductive and hormonal system disruptions, and many more.

So, the same foods that have natural disease fighting properties are causing us to be ill due to the use of extremely toxic pesticides.

The most harmful are fruits and vegetables known as the “Dirty Dozen,” which contain 47 to 67 pesticides per serving*. These foods are believed to be most susceptible because they have soft skin that tends to absorb more pesticides. Although washing does reduce the level of pesticides found on produce, there is no level of exterior washing that can wash away all of the pesticides in the produce. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that even after washing, some fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others. Consumers can reduce their pesticide intake by almost 80 percent by avoiding the top twelve contaminated vegetables and fruits. Organic foods limit or exclude the use of pesticides and other synthetic materials during production.

Since not all of us can afford to go 100% organic every time we shop, we can focus on those foods that come with the heaviest burden of pesticides, additives and hormones. In other words, eat only the organic version of the Dirty Dozen and increase your intake of the Clean Fifteen.

The Dirty Dozen

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes
Lettuce

The Clean Fifteen

Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mangos
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potato
Honeydew Melon

Know the source of your food!

Soft, thin skinned fruits are laden with harmful pesticides

*PANNA- works to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives.

* EWG-a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) developed the “Dirty Dozen.”

*USDA- responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food.

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Posted in Farmer's Market, Food, Food News

Tagged Clean Fifteen, contaminated vegetables, Dirty Dozen, EWG, organic, PANNA, pesticides, Super Foods, Super Toxic Foods

Fort Mason’s Farmers Market

Posted on June 11, 2010 | 2 Comments

Last Sunday, June 6^th, the Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market opened with the support of thousands of San Francisco residents including the Honorable Willie Brown, and Senator Mark Leno. It was a perfect San Francisco day for the grand opening- the sun was out strong, the fog picturesque at bay, and the aroma of fresh food filled the air.

I have been to many FM around the city, and this one has my heart won. It’s large enough for abundant variety, but small enough to not overwhelm you with choices and vendors. There was a strong sense of community and happiness. Everyone was genuinely excited to have an option to eat fresh, unprocessed food closer to home. The live cooking demonstration was intimate and educative. At the demonstration, I learned that it is best to put strawberries in a bowl full of water and swoosh them to get them clean. Also, I tasted one of the best spinach, strawberry, sweet onion salad ever. I actually am now inclined to use sweet onion in cooking.

There were organic strawberries from Watsonville, cherries from Brentwood, organic peaches from Winton, plums and apricots, blueberries from Fresno, coastal organic lettuces from Watsonville, field-cut flowers, fresh baked Parisian bread, Nicasio Valley farmstead cheese, grassfed beef from Holding Ranch, wild Pacific salmon, eggs, and more.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Senator Mark Leno stressed the health problems that we currently face in a society awash in processed foods. “The Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market is an answer to that as a part of the fabric of San Francisco. This farmers’ market gives us the choice to eat healthier.”

I even had bit of a “star struck” moment when I met Chef Annie Somerville. Though, she was very kind and interested in Club Dine In!.

: The fog at bay

: $100 worth of groceries raffled!

: veggies, fruit, and artisanal goods galore!

: Honorable Willie Brown, Senator Mark Leno, Executive Director Gail Hayden

: Cooking Demo

: farm fresh spinach, strawberry, sweet onion salad

: Sample Enthusiasts

: the beauty of Spring!

: farm fresh veggies, please!

: $5 Spring Salad Mix- Dirty Boy Farms

: I went home and replicated the salad!

TIME: Every Sunday, 9:30am-1:30pm

LOCATION: Fort Mason Center, Marina & Buchanan, San Francisco

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Posted in Farmer's Market, Food News

Tagged community, farmer's market, foggy city, fort mason, Fort Mason farmers market, local, organic, seasonal, Senator Mark Leno, Willie Brown

Quick Press | 26 May 2010

Posted on May 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

This is what has been going on this week in the food world:

Slow Fast Food: Chipotle

In 2002, Chipotle started serving naturally raised chicken at certain locations and in 2003 Chipotle opened in New York with only naturally raised meats. Now, the large restaurant chain purchases some of its produce from local farms, serve sour cream free of the synthetic growth hormone rBGH, and use organically grown black and pinto beans. As of May 2010, Chipotle is the largest restaurant buyer of locally grown produce. Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience.

CDC Says to Avoid All Raw Sprouts

The federal Centers for Disease Control said last week the alfalfa sprouts appear to have sickened at least 22 people in 10 states, including a baby in Oregon. Eleven of those sickened were in California. Caldwell Fresh Foods sold the raw sprouts to Wal-Marts in 15 states. This is the second large multistate outbreak in fresh produce announced this month. Twenty-six people were sickened by an outbreak of E. coli in romaine lettuce in Michigan, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

Beer Belly Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease

A US study of more than 700 adults showed that being overweight is associated with smaller brain volume, a factor linked with dementia. The results showed that as BMI increased, brain volume decreased – a finding that has been reported in other studies. “It is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle and to keep weight in check. What’s good for our bodies may be good for our brains,” state Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust.

The Future of Seafood and Oil

Fishing is a $2.4 billion industry in the Gulf States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has closed nearly 20 percent of the commercial and recreational fisheries in the area because of the spill. Seafood shortages are starting to plague markets in New Orleans and throughout the country. The spill is especially affecting shellfish such as oysters, shrimp and crawfish.

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Posted in Food News

Tagged alfalfa sprouts, Alzheimers, Beer Belly, burritos, CDC, Chipotle, fast food, food news, Gulf States, humane meat, Lousiana, meat, Oil Spill, organic, rBGH, seafood

Shopping at the Farmer’s Market

Posted on May 25, 2010 | 1 Comment

Who would like fresh-off-the-farm spring veggies, free-range eggs, a beautiful bouquet of flowers, or homemade bread and jam? Let’s go to the Farmer’s Market!

Buying locally grown food is a great way to be green and get healthy, and is just a few of the reasons I shop at the FM. Through an organized FM, many communities where fresh, nutritious foods are scarce gain easy access to food. FM also promotes nutrition education, wholesome eating habits, and better food preparation, as well as boosting the community’s economy. Also, there is a whole environmental side to the FM. Eating locally grown food guarantees that local land stays in agricultural production. This, in turn, reduces the impact of transportation, use of harmful pesticides, and unfair labor practices. Steven L. Hopp proposes that “if every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.”

There has been a misconception that people who shop at the FM must be able to purchase spendy food. The truth is that good food that’s worth eating is more expensive no matter where you purchase it. Quality produce, organics, food that hasn’t been bred more to travel than to taste good — are going to cost you more. However, I have been going to the FM for quite sometime and I usually only spend $35-40 for the entire week for two grown adults. I normally buy lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, 1-2 artisan goods, eggs and a bunch of flowers. I, also, stop by Whole Foods each week to buy milk, OJ, meat, seafood, and anything else I just could not get at the FM. Many markets have been established to provide consumers with fresh produce at lower prices than local supermarkets. In other cases the goal has been to provide fresher, superior product at competitive prices. Either way, the customer finds better value, which is defined by the relationship between product and price.

As I have said before, the FM makes me swoon. I feel like I am in a time and place where life is always simple and romantic. Somewhere like France or Italy, where I can load up my basket with a fresh loaf of crusty bread, raw honey, cheese, and wine to enjoy at nearby park with my lover .

While traveling, visiting the local FM or bazaar is a great way to experience local culture. There is nothing like stall after stall of fresh, beautiful and seasonable produce intermingled with stalls selling dried fruits and nut, cured meats and roasted chestnuts.

In conclusion, when you spend a dollar at a FM, not only have you have bought fresh local food, but you have also had an enjoyable experience, voted for your local economy, and saved farmland. The FM can be a great date place too!