The Green On Produce

I have said many times that going green is possible for anyone who is willing to be creative. However, when you are on a very tight budget, it can be extremely hard to go green in the food department. And, produce is what we will discuss today. Yes, it can be pricey. However, again, if we can be creative and know all our options, we can do this green thing!

Going Green with Produce Tips

• Buy Organic. Yes, pricey. However, only buy in season and only buy local. You will find that it is not as expensive that way. Better yet, grow your own if feasible!
• Wash and Peel. If organic is just not in the cards for you, make sure you wash and peel produce very well.
• Widen the Gap. Eating a wide variety of produce will minimize eating the same bad chemicals over and over.
• Children. Only feed them organic. They matter more than a latte from Starbucks. Invest in their health and development.
• The Most. Whatever produce you notice is consumed the most in your family, consider buying that only in the organic versions.
• Avoid the Worst of the Bunch. If  you cannot go organic, then avoid the following produce items. They have the highest levels of contamination; apples, peaches, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, potatoes, carrots, green beans, hot peppers and cucumbers. Yeah, I know. Some favorites for you too, eh? Well, make some budget changes and buy the above in organic. It really is the only option. They are way too contaminated for any sane individual to not take notice!
• Go for the Least Contaminated. The following produce still have unhealthy pesticides and chemicals like the previous list. However, they are the least toxic. A few are; onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mango, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.

We need to pay better attention to what we are eating. We especially need to protect our children. Mostly, we need to make changes that will affect the produce industry as a whole. If consumers rise up and say NO MORE, these companies will be forced to make better choices. They will be forced to stop poisoning our food, and contributing to cancer and many other unnecessary diseases!

Think. Pray. Most of all…DO something!

Copyright © Green Christian Network

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Avoiding Hidden Chemical Poisons in Our Food and Going for Natural Choices

It’s very scary how much our food has changed in recent years.  Just look at the labels and you need a degree just to pronounce half the ingredients!

Money has become more important that nutrition and keeping foods healthy and harmful chemical free. We must eat. So, food is naturally “big business.” In order to make the most profit, farmers began spraying crops with gallons of pesticides and fungicides.  These chemicals make their way into the food we eat every day.  That’s only a part of it. Don’t even get me started on the food colorings, artificial sweeteners, hormones and antibiotics are all added to our processed foods.

Here’s a jaw dropper…Did you know that potassium bromate is illegal in every country except Japan and the United States?? The reason the rest of the world has banned it is because it is a carcinogen. Do we bother to get on the intelligent wagon? Uh, no! We add it to bread. It gives bread that chewy texture because it makes the bread rise higher.  Hmmm…Knowing this, I would rather eat paper!

The harmful chemicals, additives, preservatives and pesticides that we, as a society allow into our foods can cause serious health issues and even life threatening diseases like cancer.

What can we do to stay ahead of the chemicals in food game??

Learn to read labels. Take the time to understand what additives and preservatives are in the food you and your family eat.

Food Additives and Preservatives

Food additives are quite simply, things that are added to our food.  For example, if you make grape jelly, you will add pectin and sugar. Both would then be considered “food additives.”

Unfortunately, unless you are buying an all natural product, if you buy jelly in the grocery store, the label is likely going to list more than just grapes, pectin and sugar.  There will probably be a slew of big words and ingredients that are not necessarily good for your body. Longer shelf life means fatter wallets.

Some of the many jobs of food additives are:

• Acids modify the flavor and preserve food. Some examples; vinegar, citric acid, and lactic acid.
• Acidity regulators modify the acidity and alkalinity of foods.
• Anti-caking agents keep powders from caking or sticking.
• Anti-foaming agents reduce or eliminate foaming in foods.
• Food colorings and color retention agents enhance or maintain food’s color.
• Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain combined.
• Flavors and flavor enhancers enhance or add flavor.
• Humectants keep foods from drying out.
• Tracer gas improves shelf life.
• Preservatives prevent food from spoiling. Lengthen shelf life.
• Sweeteners are added to foods for flavoring.

Obviously not ALL additives are harmful. Natural additives are OK. However, you must know the difference.

Dangerous Additives:

• BHT. Causes liver and kidney damage, behavioral problems, infertility, birth defects and cancer.
• Artificial coloring. Causes hyperactivity in children, learning disorders, nerve damage and it may be carcinogenic.
• Artificial sweeteners. Cause central nervous system damage, menstrual difficulties, may affect brain and growth development in an unborn fetus, and may even cause cancer.
• Brominated vegetable. Cause organ damage, birth defects, and growth problems.
• Carrageenan. Causes ulcers and cancer
• Partially Hydrogenated vegetable oils. Associated with heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and allergies.
• Nitrates. Cause cancer and even death.
• MSG. Causes headaches, reproductive disorders, high blood pressure and allergic reactions.
• Potassium bromate. Causes nervous system, kidney disorders, gastrointestinal issues and cancer.
• Red dye #3. Causes thyroid tumors in rats, and may cause them in humans as well.
• Yellow dye #6. Is a carcinogen and has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumors.

Pesticides In Your Food

As I mentioned earlier, profit is what really matters to the big food manufacturers. We learned how they add harmful additives to our foods. Well, they also harm our food while it is still growing. Pesticides are used to maximize their crops put our health at risk.

The health effects of pesticides depend on the type of pesticide. Some, like organophosphates and carbamates, affect the nervous system. Others can irritate your lungs, skin, or eyes. Other pesticides are carcinogens and cause cancer or affect your body’s hormones.

A chemical like acephate can over stimulate your nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and respiratory paralysis or death. Alachlor was classified by the EPA “likely” to be a human carcinogen at high doses, but “not likely” at low doses. Oh, and another one is ethanol, which is generally recognized as a human developmental neurotoxin. YIKES!

Pesticides not only affect the individual who eat them and come in contact with them, they also affect the unborn, resulting in birth defects and neurological problems.

The Top Most Dangerous Produce…aka “The Dirty Dozen”

These are the most likely to have the highest levels of pesticides and harmful chemicals in them.

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

You should also know that many of these produce items contain pesticides not approved for use on that particular crop.  For example, a pesticide, which is approved for spinach, may not be approved for use on peaches but was nonetheless found on peaches.  Additionally, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, raspberries, domestic grapes, and oranges all rated very highly in the studies for containing pesticides.

I can almost hear the psycho movie theme music in the background even as I write this!  It all sounds just terrible! No worries though! We CAN win this chemical food battle. How? By learning to read food nutrition labels, and by buying more natural and foods. Making a decision to stop buying foods with harmful chemicals. It we, as consumers, make a stand, the food industry WILL take notice and will be forced to make changes!

Simple Choices to Reduce Exposure to Harmful Chemicals while Saving Money on Food Bill.

Read the label. You should be able to recognize every item on the nutrition label.  If you start seeing preservatives, artificial sweeteners and food colorings then place it back on the shelf.

Avoid all processed foods. Anything that comes in a box and has undergone physical or chemical treatment resulting in a substantial change in the original state of the food.  However, there are organic choices that are better for your family…even if the do come in a box.

Avoid the dirty dozen. Buy organic fruits and veggies when you can.  If you cannot buy organic fruits and veggies because they’re unavailable or too expensive, wash them thoroughly and peel your fruits and veggies.

Organic meats and dairy. Farm animals are not only fed antibiotics and hormones to maximize production, they also eat crops contaminated with pesticides.  Buy organic dairy and meats.

4 Tips Saving Money on Organic Food

Buy what is in season. Buying strawberries in December is definitely going to cost you more than buying them in July.  If you find that you need strawberries in December, consider comparing the cost of organic frozen compared to organic fresh, you’ll often find the frozen option is less expensive.

Buy according to your store’s sales. Every week, grocery stores put their produce on sale. If organic carrots are on sale, then add it to your menu for the week.  You’ll save 20% or more on your food bill following this simple plan.

Buy local. Local organic farmers charge much less for their produce because they don’t have to pay for distribution.  Plus, you’re helping to sustain your local economy.

Eat one more vegetarian meal each week. Meat and dairy are the most expensive items on your grocery list.  By cutting back and eating one less meal with meat, you’ll save money. Also, pay attention to your grocery stores sales. Stock up on organic meats when they go on sale.

God Created a beautiful planet with all the food and things we need to live healthy lives. Let’s not allow manufacturers who want to fatten their wallets take that away from us. The best way to stay healthy, make a difference and avoid all the harmful yuck they put is food is to eat more natural, organic and unprocessed foods whenever possible.

Copyright © Green Christian Network

Stay Green!

               

Slow Food

I recently learned about one of the latest crazes in the “green” movement and I thought it was pretty interesting.  It is called “slow food”.  According to Wikipedia, the slow food movement actually began in Italy as a way to “combat fast food”.  The idea was to preserve cultural cuisine.  Since its origins in Italy the slow food movement has spread across the globe as not just a way to cook, but also a way of living – the fresh, true, organic way.

A few of the main things that the slow food way of life encourage are:

• More organic farming - doing away with things such as pesticides.
• Less genetic engineering in products we eat – the slow food movement lobby’s against this.
• Educating people on the risks associated with fast food and other not so wholesome ways of eating.
• Keeping culinary traditions alive, including using fresh and true to the original ingredients.
• Teaching gardening methods to people.

Slow Food USA is a great place to get information on the slow food movement as well as information on local chapters and events (such as a local slow food potluck where you just may get to try something you didn’t even know existed).  The slow food movement helps to create nutrition programs in schools, mobilize youth to help created programs and educate communities, and also form what is called an “Ark of Taste” which lists hundreds of foods that are in danger of disappearing from our grocery shelves – the idea being that if these foods are promoted people will once again buy them and use them, thus ensuring that they continue on in our diets.

This whole movement makes me think about and wonder just how much of what we eat is not in its original form.  I once had a friend tell me she wouldn’t eat corn anymore because it had all been so genetically modified that it wasn’t even what God created as corn to begin with.  If you look around your pantry and refrigerator you would be hard pressed to find something that wasn’t chemically altered in one way or another.  Food has been so altered that most people don’t think it tastes good if it hasn’t been processed a few hundred times.  It’s really sad – I mean, if we all were to be taken back to the Garden of Eden right now we probably wouldn’t want to eat anything God provided because it didn’t come with a list of ingredients a mile long or in a box.  I know that is a bit harsh, but that is how we live these days.  I think it is time for all of us to do an analysis on our kitchens and just what it is we are feeding our families.  Are you up for that challenge?

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Green Tip – (08/06/09) – Green Kid’s Lunch

If you read our last feature, Send Your Kids Back to School Green, then you already know that a green lunch is just another way to be a better steward of God’s planet. So, I thought I would share some vegan recipes and ideas to get you started!

Banana Cake:

5 very ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup 100% natural sugar
½ cup vegan margarine, melted
2 cups unbleached flour
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the margarine, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and mashed banana in a large bowl. Then sift in the flour. Mix thoroughly and pour batter into a non-stick, lightly oiled 13×9 inch cake tin. Bake at 350F for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until the cake is golden and baked through.

Peanut Butter Drops:

2 tablespoons 100% natural brown sugar
½ cup granola
¼ cup shredded coconut
¾ cup peanut butter

Combine sugar, granola and coconut in a large bowl. Mix well. Heat the peanut butter over low heat in a non-stick pan for about a minute. Add the warm peanut butter to the other ingredients and mix together well. Once slightly cool roll into balls and place on a non stick baking tray. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or longer – they will keep well in the fridge) and enjoy.

Cinnamon and Sugar Fruit:

Use a variety of fruits such as bananas, mangos, pears,  and apples and cut them into bite size pieces. Place cut fruit on a serving platter and serve with a small bowl of 2 parts 100% natural sugar and 1 part cinnamon. Then let the kids dip their fruit pieces into the mixture!

Carob Nut Clusters:

2 cups carob chips
½ cup natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup pecans
½ cup walnuts
½ cup almonds
½ cup sunflower seeds

In a non-stick pan melt the peanut butter and carob chips gently – stirring the whole time. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, nuts and seeds. Mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a non-stick baking tray or waxed paper and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm (you can also store these in the fridge).

Bon Appétit

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Eating Green

Yes, we can even go green with our eating! Eating green is a lot more than just buying organic foods. It is knowing where your food comes from, packaging information,  etc.

Below are several ways that people can make better choices for the environment when it comes to eating.

Tips for Eating Green

Go Local. Look for local farms that provide organic produce and only feed their animals organic foods. Not only are you helping the little guys, you are also, in many cases, making a greener choice.

Find Fairtrade Foods. When you are not going with local choices, this is a relevant alternative. The “Fairtrade” label means that the products meet the Fairtrade standards. This means that the goods usually priced fairly and producers are being treated fairly.

Go Organic. Make sire that what you buy has been made organically and in an eco friendly manner. Avoid chemicals and other harmful things that hurt the environment.

Recyclable Materials. Pay attention to packaging. Is it made from recyclable materials…or can it be recycled? This should be a major part of your decision making when choosing what to buy.

Just Say NO….to genetic modification. These are living things that have had their genetic make up changed and mixed with another living thing. Yuck. Plus, we do not know the long term negative affects of this ungodly way of doing things. There is only One God.

Free Range and Kindness are the only ways to go. Who wants to eat something that has been abused or mistreated? Not me. God never intended for us to mistreat animals. I do believe we can eat meat. However, I do not think that means be inhumane and cruel to them. Let the chicken run free, I say! LOL!

Seriously, this is a lot more than eating green. It is making choices that are not only good for the environment, but also ones that are pleasing to the Creator of the environment. God wants us to do what is right. It’s as simple as that, people!

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Organic Pet Food Option – Make Sure You KInow What You Are Getting

One of the latest health food crazes is organic food.  It used to be only a handful of farmers produced organic products.  Even when organics became widespread, only a few different food products were available.  Now there’s an organic alternative to almost every product on the market, snack foods, shampoo, and now even pet food.  You’re probably thinking “organic pet food, that’s crazy”, but consider this: when national dog shows are sponsored by a dog food company, the winner gets free dog food.  Most winners then donate that food to local shelters instead of giving it to their dogs.  Why?  Because they know traditional dog foods are bad for dogs.

Most pet foods contain the same chemicals as the food we eat: pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, and other dangerous chemicals. In addition, many pet food producers add small amounts of chemicals that are known to be toxic to pets.  Most house pets have only recently been domesticated.  That means that until recently, dogs and cats ate raw, chemical free meat and fish.  Their bodies aren’t adapted to deal with all the chemicals we feed them.   Feeding your pet all natural organic foods will help their bodies function more efficiently and keep them from building up toxic chemicals in their systems.  This will help your pet have more energy, stay healthy, and live longer.

Unlike food for human consumption, organic pet food is not strictly regulated.  This means that if a dog food contains organic vegetables, the producer can then use non organic beef and chicken, add preservatives and other toxic chemicals, and still label their dog food as “organic”.  While some certifiers have seals for organic pet foods, that doesn’t mean the pet food is 100% organic.  For example, if there is a USDA seal on a pet food package, that means that 70% (or more) of the ingredients in the pet food are organically produced.

While there is not certification that can prove a pet food product is entirely organic, there are steps you can take to find the safest food for your pet.  First, look for foods that claim to be organic and all natural.  Another step you can do is to talk to other dog owners.  You can find experts at a local kennel club, or go online to find out what other pet lovers say.  Just be sure to verify where you’re getting online info from.  It’s very easy for companies to pay someone to say that their food is better than it is.  The best way to verify the quality of a pet food is to look at the ingredients list.  Words that are not pronounceable are probably not organic or natural.  Also be wary of vague terms like “natural flavors”.

While it might take a little time and effort to find a quality organic food for your pet, they’re likely to thank you for it for a long, long time.

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