Organic Foods Taste Test

These days it is costing us more and more to treat our bodies like the temples that they are. According to the USDA, organic produce costs and extra $0.13 to $0.36 per pound! Organic milk can have the most overwhelming influence on our pocketbooks costing $6 per gallon. So why am I, along with other health professionals and food experts, still recommending sticking with organic foods as much as possible?

Although the nutrients in produce are arguably similar for both conventional and organic fruits and vegetables, it's the pesticides and added chemicals we are most concerned about. The conventional milk, for example, is made from cows treated with hormones and antibiotics. The hormones are given to the cows in order to produce more milk and antibiotics are used to keep the cows healthy since they are housed is such close quarters with other milking cows. As kids gobble down their bowls of cereal, think about the milk they are slurping with every bite. The antibiotics found in the milk can lead to resistance by our immune systems and the extra hormones disrupt hormonal balance, especially in sensitive individuals.

Besides avoiding the chemical burden, taste is also an upside of organic foods. Time Magazine gathered some of the leading chefs in the industry to sit down and do a taste test comparing organic versus conventional foods. Results were overwhelmingly in favor of organic, at least for such items as chicken, white nectarines, pork, tomatoes, and eggs.

Kluger J. What's so great about organic food? Time Magazine. 2010; 176 (9): 30-46.

Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens have been getting exposure in the media for their connection to early onset puberty, endocrine disruption, and influence on cancer risk for men and women. A xenoestrogen is defined as a substance that has an estrogenic effect but chemically differs from the naturally occurring estrogen produced by living beings. Certain substances including food, environmental chemicals, beauty products, and household cleaning products have been identified as possible xenoestrogens.

• Foods

Processed soy products (soy protein isolates & soy protein concentrates, Bisphenol A (found in the lining of cans and in certain plastics), artificial colors (ie Red No. 3), propyl gallate (used to emulsify and prevent oxidation with fats, certain hormones in non-organic meat, dairy, poultry and eggs, BHA (preservative)

• Chemicals

PCBs (paint, adhesives, and lubricants), insecticides (DDT, methoxychlor, dieldrin), nonylphenol (industrial surfactant), DEHP (plasticizer for PVC)

• Beauty Products

4 MBC in sunscreen, parabens in lotions, nail polish and nail polish remover, perfumes or fragrances

If you or a family member has thyroid problems, breast, uterine, or prostate cancer or premature signs of puberty, or if you are simply trying to reduce your exposure to these potentially damaging chemicals, it is in your best interest to take some of the following precautions.

1. Use glass, stainless steel, or other plastic alternatives
2. Make your own natural cleaning products with lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar or look for commercially available products that take special care to avoid xenoestrogens and other carcinogens (brand names like Seventh Generation, Green Works, Aubrey, Desert Essence)
3. Choose organic meat, poultry, dairy and eggs whenever possible. Buy organic produce at least for the "Dirtiest Dozen"
4. Choose paraben free beauty products for anything that remains in contact with the skin (Natural Health magazine always has great suggestions!)

Rice (and Quinoa, Buckwheat, or Oats) Cooker

If anyone has ever heard me speak about quinoa, you know it is one of my favorite foods to discuss. Although its quick stove top cooking time (15 minutes) is one of the reasons I speak so highly of this little grain, I am now even more impressed with the ease of preparing quinoa. I threw it into my rice cooker last week and it produced a fluffy, hands-off side dish in no time at all. I didn't have to watch for overflowing pots as the water began to boil and I didn't have to turn the heat down when it was time to simmer!

In an age of multi-tasking and eating on the go, a rice cooker is the perfect household gadget. Searching online, I found cookers ranging from a small 6-cup cooker for under $15 dollars to a high-tech rice machine for over $300. I am spreading the benefits of a rice cooker in hopes that you will venture out of your white rice comfort zone and try a new whole grain. Search your local grocery store for millet, quinoa, buckwheat groats (aka kasha), steel cut or Irish oatmeal, teff, or amaranth. Most grains can be cooked using a simple 2:1 ratio of liquid (water or a low sodium vegetable broth are my suggestions) to grain. Add some flavorful spices such as cumin or smoked paprika or saute some garlic and onions for a ton of great flavor (and aroma!).

Check out these helpful cookbooks for more great rice/grain cooker ideas!

• Everything Rice Cooker by Hui Leng Tay
• The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Did I mention that quinoa has all the essential amino acids...?

Let's Do Lunch

Tired of the same old turkey sandwich? Sick of the local restuarant's salad? Join Melissa Majumdar, Registered Dietitian, and Wendy Pecache, Whole Foods Rockville's Food Demo Specialist as they whip together some delicous, nutritious lunch box recipes. Melissa will teach you how to balance a lunch to prevent the afternoon slump and latenight cravings. Wendy will show you how spending just a few minutes a day can entertain the noontime tastebuds.


Who: You! Sign up at customer service or email Gina
Lanacaster at gina.lancaster@wholefoods.com
What: Cooking Demonstration
When: Wednesady, August 11 at 6:30 pm
Where: Whole Foods Rockville, 1649 Rockville Pike
Why: To eat a more balanced, natural lunch by brown bagging it
How: It is FREE to attend!

Can't wait until next week and need some ideas for tomorrow's lunch? Check out what other Whole Foods' customers are eating and enter the Pack-a-Lunch contest by visiting the Whole Foods blog.