Posts Tagged ‘certified organic’

10
Mar

Mangosteen Fruit – Queen Or Pauper

   Posted by: Fernanda    in Nutrition

Have you noticed lately when you browse a health magazine that there is some new exotic food being featured as the “New Super Food”?   We are constantly being inundated with new information and claims.  From all kinds of exotic berries to green teas, how do we know what foods have some good medicinal qualities?

I want to feature a fruit that I’ve recently been introduced too called Mangosteen. Mangosteen fruit has been used since the beginning of mankind in the eastern world and has only recently been discovered in the western world.  Introduction of Mangosteen fruit to the western world brought with it the title “Queen of Fruits”.

Mangosteen fruit, also known as Xango, originated in Southern Asia.  This location is where Mangosteen fruit is usually grown. It grows on Asian tropical evergreen trees where the climate is relatively warm, does not resist very cold temperatures and grows at a very slow pace. When these trees are about ten years old they begin to produce small purplish fruits which bear no relation to the Mango. In Asia, Mangosteen fruit is regarded as the “Queen of Fruits” due to its delicate taste and aroma.

The “Claim to Fame” for Mangosteen fruit comes from its plentiful source of xanthones.   These are phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties.  Many people don’t realize that most of the xanthones are found in the rind and outer shell, not in the fruit itself.  Slick marketing has promoted this exotic fruit for sale in the form of juices at outrages prices. On the internet I found Mangosteen juice for sale at $35.00 for a 750ml bottle. In a health food store I found 1 liter of Mangosteen juice for sale at $50.00. Are these prices justified?

Wikipedia advises that when Mangosteen was analyzed for nutrient content, antioxidant strength and potential impact for lowering risk against human diseases it was discovered that the overall nutrient content was absent of important content. 

I am very wary of any food items coming from China.  There was a recall on children’s toys because of lead contamination, milk products have been contaminated with melamine which is a known toxin that has poisoned thousands of children while chickens, being fed melamine, and their eggs are likewise contaminated.

A recent issue in The National Geographic magazine talks about the Yellow River in China being so polluted that the water is unusable. Thousands of villagers are dying of cancer and other terminal illnesses because they use the water from the Yellow River.  Equipped with this knowledge I must then pose some questions: 

– If Mangosteen fruit comes from China what are the soil conditions like where it is being grown? 

– What waterways are feeding these fruits and how badly are they polluted? 

– What toxins are we putting into our bodies when we buy these exotic products?

We tend to forget our own super-foods grown right here in our own backyards. Think of  blueberries, black cherries, concord grapes, blackberries and cranberries. All of these have been proven to have excellent antioxidant properties while they lower the risk against certain human diseases. We can get these delicious foods certified organic which means we know that no pesticides have been used,

While you can purchase our own homegrown foods, for your family, at a fraction of the price of Mangosteen juice you can also rest easier with the assurance of quality coming from our own certified organic farming.  My money and my families health stays with our own superfoods!

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9
Dec

Healthy Eating Habits – Are Pesticides Yummy?

   Posted by: Lita    in AA - Lita's thoughts, General, Nutrition

 

In the early 1980s you could find me teaching myself Yoga and shopping in health food stores (although there weren’t many of them back then).  My friends and family thought I was nuts.  I was also buying environmentally friendly cleaning products.  I once invited my Mom to a meeting so she could learn more about the products.  At the time, this type of thinking was non-conventional.  She actually thought I was involved in a cult!! 

Back then I was also practicing healthy eating habits by washing my fruits and vegetables in a cleaning solution.There is mounting evidence in the scientific journals regarding the invasive ways in which small doses of pesticides affect humans.  This is particularly so while in the critical stages of fetal development and childhood where the results of exposure in the long term  may be unknown  Also, consider those that have compromised immune systems and the elderly who may not eat properly to begin with.  Why take chances?  Why not practice healthy eating habits and lessen the risk as much as possible for yourself and your family?

 These days we now have organic produce to choose from.  The Organic industry embraces an ecological means to farming.  This means farmers are unable to rely on, or permit the usage of, toxic substances, synthetic pesticides, irradiation, genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge, antibiotics or chemical fertilizers.  Although produce that is “certified organic” will cost you more it may be your best bet for serving your family pesticide-free food.  

Consider the following 3 steps to healthy eating habits:

  1. If you can buy organic then do so.  Buying organic is expensive and many people are unable to afford to shop this way but don’t despair – read on.
  2. Purchasing in-season, locally grown produce from your community retailers will help you reduce your risk of exposure to preservatives that are used in food transported over long distances.  These include waxes, irradiation, gases, synthetic chemicals like fungicides and sprout inhibitors that will lessen the nutritional quality of your foods while having a negative effect on your health.
  3. Whether you buy organic or not, do practice healthy eating habits by washing your fruits and vegetables.  Over 70% of conventional produce samples have traces of pesticides and chemical residue.  A major problem lies in the fact that most pesticides and chemicals will penetrate the skin of the fruit and contaminate the inside. In spite of this, it is still a wise choice to thoroughly wash produce to remove superficial dirt and reduce the risk of spreading bacterial illnesses such as salmonella.  You will still have the potential for exposure to harmful pesticides that have penetrated the interior of the vegetable or fruit but at least you are doing what you can to reduce your risk.   For washing your produce look for an environmentally friendly cleaning product that is biodegradable, contains no phosphates and comes with the green seal certification or try the following homemade solution recommended by Kendra of handprints on the wall:

Produce Spray – Makes about 2 cups

  •  1 cup water
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
  • 20 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract
  • Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir slowly and carefully as the combination of vinegar and baking soda causes quite a bit of foaming.  Once the bubbles have gone down, pour the solution into a spray bottle.  Spray on produce before eating.  Let sit 10 minutes before rinsing well.
  • *Note: Don’t ever soak mushrooms in this solution as they will only absorb it.

Arm yourself with the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce produced by The Environmental Working Group.  This will give you a ranking of contamination found in 44 popular fruits and vegetables.  For example, peaches have the highest pesticide score followed by apples and sweet bell peppers.  This is not meant to force us to eliminate our favorite foods from our selection.  This is meant to help us with healthy eating habits and wise choices.  Armed with this list when you are shopping you can use the guide to shop for organic alternatives to the conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that are likely to contain the most residues of pesticides.  As organic food can be very expensive this list will help you choose conventionally grown food with the lowest residue of pesticide.  You can choose from the best of both worlds while keeping your family healthy and keeping your costs down.

The Environmental Working Group has also listed the “Dirty Dozen” contaminated fruits and vegetables and they believe that by switching those with the least contaminated or organic versions then people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent.

The key is to reduce the exposure that you and your family have to pesticides.  If you are able then buy organic.  In the alternative, try to substitute the most highly sprayed fruits and vegetables with organically grown and continue to buy conventional fruits and vegetables for the remainder of your needs.  Fruits and vegetables that you purchase in conventional form should be thoroughly washed and peeled in order to remove, as much as possible, the surface chemical residues.

By adding these suggested methods to your healthy eating habits and washing your fruits and vegetables you will do more to reduce your family’s risk of exposure to harmful substances than by doing nothing at all.

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