September is definitely one of the biggest harvest months, at least in our area. I love this time of year when I can harvest tons of fresh fruits and vegetables from my own garden (grown organically of course), and purchase fresh organically grown fruits and vegetables from local roadside stands, and farmer’s markets. So why not celebrate National Organic Harvest Month by supporting your local growers?

There is still quite a bit of low cost produce in September, and this time of year the price isn’t really much different whether you purchase conventionally grown produce, or organically grown, both are low …read more

Although we do buy organic foodstuff from time to time, we are by no means buying exclusively organic. It must be as tough as not buying anything that’s made in China!
So I take my hats off to Dr. Greene, the 100 percent organic man, who has been eating only organic produce (including meat!) for 3 years, even when eating out! Contrary to expectations, eating purely organic food isn’t really that much more expensive, since he has cut his meat intake quite a bit, so it somehow just balances off. Is he better off eating organic? He says he gets sick …read more

Do buy organic produce? Do you feel that the extra $ is worth it? Do you feel that products that bear the lable “organic” are safer? How much of these are true, and how much is pure marketing ploy?
In his newly released book — The Truth About Organic Gardening: Benefits, Drawbacks, and the Bottom Line  — Jeff Gillman examines gardening practices and products to prompt gardeners and consumers alike to make informed, responsible, and effective choices.
Here are some examples of eye-openers you will encounter in the book:

The Kopali Supergood Superfoods. They’re loaded with antioxidant phytonutrients and fiber that, as you know, have been repeatedly proved to have a wide range of health benefits. But best of all, they are organic, and certified to be manufactured under Fair Trade.
Their organic dried fruits (mango, pineapple, goldenberry, and mulberry) are wonderful for snacks, or as a yogurt topping for a better breakfast. But for me, the clear winner are the organic, fair trade dark chocolate-covered bananas, goji berries, mulberries, cacao nibs and espresso beans. Antioxidant boost!
Am sure these packets will cost a bit more than the regular stuff …read more

In celebration of their 24th anniversary, Earthbound Farm is giving away three autographed copies of Food to Live By cookbook each day (open to US residents only). All you have to do is fill up an entry form and if yours is the 24th, 124th, or 224th entry of the day, you’ll win a free cookbook.
Check out the reviews and feedback from those who already got a copy of this book at Amazon. It’s seems to be a great general cookbook to have around, whether you’re using organic ingredients or not.

I’ve added a new blog on my Blogroll: The Take a Bite. This one is not just another health or food and nutrition blog. Rather than its impact on health, Take a Bite tackles the impact of the food choices we make on the environment, an issue that we consumers should all take into consideration.
Take a Bite plunges into the heart of the debate with a powerful message: If we are serious about the crisis, we’ve got to talk about food.With nearly one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions coming from the food and agriculture sector, we at Take a Bite …read more

In the previous entry, nutritionist and gourmet vegetarian Joy Pierson shares her insights on vegetarianism. However, no matter how convinced we are on the health benefits of going vegetarian/vegan, it’s often difficult to make the shift. Here are tips from Joy on how to “start exploring healthier food options without giving up the joy in eating”:
1. Don’t be afraid of new foods, such as tempeh, tofu and seitan (wheat meat).
2. Make changes that work for you, so you don’t feel deprived.
3. Make it an adventure, and learn new things along the way.
Read more of Joy’s tips from Capessa.

While I do buy organic veggies and fruits, I don’t make it a rule to buy only organic food. Often, the price tags make me double take, but for some stuff like tomatoes, bell peppers and bananas, I have the impression (it could be that I’m imagining it, or perhaps I’m comparing different varieties) that the organic sorts taste better.
It seems that there’s one more reason to eat organic: it may be more nutritionally better than their conventionally-grown counterparts. In an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, chemists discovered that organic tomatoes have a higher flavonoid …read more

Do you buy only organic foods, believing you’re doing the environment a favor since pesticides and other chemicals are not used? According to a new study, it looks like that school of thought has loopholes.
The study, conducted by a team of student researchers in the Department of Rural Economy at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, showed that the greenhouse gas emitted when the produce is transported from great distances mitigates the environmental benefits of growing the food organically.
“If you’re buying ‘green’, you should consider the distance the food travels. If it’s travelling further, then some of the benefits …read more

The belief (I bet it’s going to be tough to prove it as a fact) that chocolate is an aphrodisiac has been doing the rounds since about 1,500 years ago, among the Mayans and Aztecs in South America. To a certain extent, chocolate does lift up mood by trigerring the release of happiness hormones in the brain, but to say it’s an aphrodisiac is a bit off the mark, a claim that still lacks solid proof.
So if chocolate is not an aphrodisiac, why not make it into one?
An array of organic chocolates bearing unusual names such as ‘Dreamy‘, ‘Beautiful‘, ‘Fantastic‘, …read more