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Farmers Market: Health and Nutrition
We live to roam the farmers markets. There's something so inviting about buying fresh food straight from the producer and what's not to love about a leisurely walk through an open air market on a bright, Spring day?
Personally, it takes me back to my childhood growing up in Egypt where my grandfather, Giddou in Arabic, would take me by the hand and lead me through the fruit and vegetable vendor stalls in the open air market of Alexandria in pursuit of the day's bounty. Finger-slim, purple aubergines, buxom, crimson tomatoes and verdant, leafy herbs piled high among an array of fragrant, earth colors sat side by side, vendors hawking their prized produce to the sea of shoppers with their mesh carry-alls in hand. Giddou would smell, squeeze and prod at the picks before him to choose the finest he could find, haggling with the vendors for the best price. We'd proudly display our farm fresh assortment to the rest of the family, which would inevitably come together with fresh garlic, vinegar and olive oil for our mid-day feast.
What happens to our food supply between the field and the fork? Most food has not only traveled thousands of miles, it's been touched by dozens of hands and doused with who-knows-what, leaving the cleanliness of our meals questionable.
Rinsing with water alone is not enough to ensure your produce is as safe for your family's food supply as it should be. Pesticides, waxes, organic residues and surface contaminants can wreak havoc on your health.
Food production and distribution methods have changed over the years, leading to new safety issues. For
example, to optimize crop yields many farmers increasingly turn to pesticides to control undesired insects,
weeds, rodents, fungi and bacteria. Antibiotics are added to animal feed to counteract the growing
number of bacteria. However, these bacteria are becoming resistant to the antibiotics. These “super”
strains of bacteria grow inside animals and can be passed on to humans through tainted meat and
eggs. Fruits and vegetables can become contaminated when they are shipped or prepared with animal
products harboring bacteria.
The EPA also approves every pesticide before its use on foods, monitors pesticide residues in foods,
and surveys which such foods children consume in greater amounts. Some pesticides are rated by the EPA as known or possible carcinogens.
But the risk from pesticides is still uncertain, not thoroughly studied, and worrisome to consumers. It
makes sense that we should try to reduce our exposure to them, but how do we do this? Data from the USDA's Pesticide Data Program (PDP) show 90 percent or more of conventionally produced apples, peaches, pears and strawberries have pesticide residues. Substances such as Azinphos methyl, a dangerous neurotoxin banned in Europe , commonly found on apples. There is growing scientific consensus that even very small doses of pesticides can adversely affect people, especially during the vulnerable periods of in utero and early childhood development when organ systems are maturing most quickly, when toxic defenses are least established, and when early programming of risks for chronic disease later in life takes place. Exposure to pesticides is linked to chronic diseases including Parkinson's Disease, child and adult cancers and neurodevelopmental. The bottom line is many pesticides are water-resistant to help withstand the elements, so rinsing them under water just won't get the job done.
Dr. ‘Dad’ Shawki Ibrahim is a Ph.D. Environmental Health Sciences and M.S. Agriculture. Mareya Ibrahim, Chief Executive Mom of www.eatcleaner,com is a natural foods industry veteran and food safety education advocate based in Orange County
Think About Before You Bite
Save some green (and your sanity): The 411 on Lunchbox Fun
Balance - that elusive apple pie in the sky. Work, family, friends, exercise, phone calls, emails, grocery shopping,walks with fido, drop-offs, pick-ups...it's a precarious juggling act. In a grab-n-go world, there are simple planning and preparation tips that can help you stay sane in the kitchen and save some serious green, starting with what goes into your kids lunchbox. Alas, the long days of languishing poolside and sipping on sun tea have come to an abrupt end (like you had time for that anyway), replaced by early morning wake up calls, frenetic outfit coordination and lunch packing duties.
Number one, you've got to get in front of the garbage food bus. It would be very easy to succumb to those non-descript, pre-packed wrapped lunch meals and neon-colored 'phood' snacks but you know better than to slap that processed, phony baloney onto your kid's buns. The sad reality is childhood obesity has grown to epidemic proportions, literally and figuratively. According to the Center for Disease Control, in the last 30 years, the prevalence of obesity has tripled. Kids age 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008 and in adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, we've seen increases from 5.0% to 18.1%. What's equally disturbing is pesticides and chemicals such as BPA can act as obesogens, interfering with their ability to metabolize foods properly.
You've bought them school supplies. Now get them food wise. I mean, white bread and fluorescent snacks are so 1982.
Five Reasons Why Packing a Lunch Makes So Much Sense (Cents):
1. It's bound to be cheaper than what's on the menu
2. No waiting in the lunch line, so they have time to chew
3. You can clean your foods of bacteria and pesticide residue
4. Peace of mind that their meal has been given the stamp of approval by you
5. We hear packing a lunch is what the cool kids do
Here's the 411 on Lunchbox fun…8 great make ahead, flavorful treats that pack a nutritious punch:
" Roll on: Layer sliced chicken breast, lettuce or sprouts and chopped tomato onto a sprouted grain tortilla with a dab of stone ground mustard. Roll and slice into pinwheel pieces.
" Pita the Pocket: Fill a sprouted grain pita with tuna salad seasoned with lite mayo and studded with celery and raisins.
" Snappy Sticks: Clean and cut up your own celery, carrot and cucumber spears with Eat Cleaner All Natural Fruit + Vegetable Wash to remove residue like wax and pesticides that water can't. Pack them in an ice-filled cup so they'll be nice and crisp when they get snapped up. Add a side of whipped veggie cream cheese to dip.
" Fruity Kebabs: Who doesn't love food on a stick? Skewer fresh strawberries, slices of melon and grapes with a side of low-sugar vanilla yogurt and a sprinkling of natural granola. Makes a great breakfast on the run, too.
" Rasta Pasta Salad: With a vegetable peeler, create long ribbons of carrot and zucchini. Steam and add to brown rice pasta (let them pick their fave shape). Season with a little grated cheese and butter and heat up in the morning before they head out the door.
" Veggie Grilled Cheese: Cheddar, red bell pepper and steamed broccoli get cooked between two pieces of sprouted grain bread. Press with a spatula and seal it all in for one-handed eating ease.
" Simple Sushi: Sushi rolls are no longer a snooty snack. Grab some Sea Snax olive oil toasted seaweed and roll up some vinegar-seasoned brown rice, avocado and cucumber hand rolls.
" The A+: Most classrooms are peanut free, so opt for almond butter and sliced apples onto a warm sprouted wheat tortilla and fold in half. Give it a quick glow in the pan for a nice nutty flavor. An A+ in our book!
2 more cents of food sense: Prepare lunchboxes the night before and put them in an insulated lunch box to keep them cool longer. Add in an ice-pack if food is sitting for more than 3 hours. And always opt for BPA and thalate-free plastic storage containers.
When it comes to lunch time, help them think before they bite and play it smart for a future of healthy, happy, safe eating. And cute lunchboxes.
Mareya Ibrahim, Chief Executive Mom of EAT CLEANER, is a natural foods industry veteran and food safety education advocate based in Orange County, CA. www.eatcleaner.com
Think before you bite
Let loose the juice
Growing up in a warm country, a prerequisite for a blistering hot day - about 10 months out of the year -was to pay a visit to the juice bar around the corner from our flat. The proprietor would stack the counters up with colorful pyramids of oranges, beets, mangoes, guavas and pomegranates, depending on what was in season. Vases filled with rods of sugar cane and long carrots anchored the artful arrangements to create an edible landscape. Once the juicers started to whir, the sweet scent of freshness would dance through the steamy streets, luring customers in like a pied piper. He'd create his own signature fruit and veggie 'cocktails', mixing beet with orange, carrot and mango, a soulful blend of sweet and savory. At a time when soda made it to our side of the globe, juicing was just pure refreshment.
Now, we know that fresh juice provides us with pure goodness in a glass. Some even believe it can transform your health, with celebrities and medical experts like Dr. Oz extolling the virtues of green drinks. Packed with live enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, fresh juice also helps boost metabolism, fight infection, build tissue and strong bones…and help everything move along the way it's supposed to, if you know what I mean.
Here's 5 Reasons Why Juicing At Home Is a Savvy Thing.
- It's alive! Most of the juice you purchase at the store has been heat pasteurized, which destroys bacteria along with many of the beneficial nutrients. Making it at home, you get the benefit of live enzymes that activate your digestion.
- The cleaner way to leaner. You get the best of F+V, including fiber and concentrated nutrients, while reaping the benefits of quick-release energy in a flash. This can make you feel fuller faster with few calories.
- You get your daily dose. Squeezing in your 5-9 a day in a glass is a cinch when you sip it.
- Kids love the action. Get them involved and introduce them to healthy eating habits.
- Saves you dough. At only about $.40 a glass, you can't beat that at any juice bar.
You'll get your money's worth out of a good quality juicer, or you can put your blender to work on easy-to-mix matchups, including fresh berries, citrus fruit, melons, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach and herbs. Apple, beet and celery with a dash of ginger are the perfect cool weather warmer while watermelon and carrot with a splash of mint makes a sweet, refreshing chiller on a hot day. If you're diabetic or watching your sugar intake, kick up the veggie content. Strive for two 8-oz glasses each day and let your inner gourmet shine with countless combinations. Follow our chef's tip and drink seasonal fruit and vegetable combinations to take advantage of the freshest produce at your local farmer's market.
Your waistline and your bottom line will thank you.
Eat Cleaner Juicy Concoctions.
Important Tip: Make sure to clean all fruit and vegetables with Eat Cleaner Fruit + Vegetable Wash and Wipes before you juice to enhance safety and flavor. If you're washing a lot at once, pick up our Fruit + Vegetable Wash Concentrate, add 2-3 capfuls to water and let them soak for 2 minutes. Scrub with a veggie brush and you're in business.
The ABC Mocktail
Eat Cleaner Insight. Beets are an incredible blood tonic and natural cleanser for the liver. This combo is rich in vitamins beta carotene, zinc, vitamin C, and chromium, excellent for boosting carbohydrate metabolism.
Makes approx. 14 ounces
1 green or golden apple cut into slices
1/2 small uncooked beet
5 celery stalks, ends trimmed
1/2 lemon, peeled
1/2- to 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled
In a juicer, push through apple, beet, celery, lemon, and ginger. Stir the juice and pour into a glass. Serve at room temperature or chilled, as desired.
Watermelon Carrot Chiller
Eat Cleaner Insight. Watermelon contains even more Lycopene than tomatoes, which has been linked with cancer prevention. The added benefits of beta carotene from carrots rounds out this tasty warm weather welcome.
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Makes approx. 12 ounces
8 Large Carrots
3 Large Rindless Watermelon Wedges
1 Large Fresh Mint Sprig
In a juicer, push through carrots and watermelon wedges. Chill for at least one hour. Garnish with fresh mint sprig.
Cool Cuke and Honeydew Fizz
Eat Cleaner Insight. Cucumber is a good source of folic acid, potassium, vitamins A and C and is a natural anti-inflammatory, maintaining overall health and wellness. Honeydew melons are also chock full of vitamin C and are naturally low in calories. Combined with sparkling water to give it a fun fizz, Cukes and Honeydews are the perfect mates.
Makes approx. 16 ounces 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 cups cubed honeydew melon 1 cup sparkling water 1 Fresh lime
In a blender, pulse cucumber and honeydew until smooth. Add sparkling water and blend thoroughly. Pour over ice or chill and finish with a squeeze of lime.
Mareya Ibrahim, Chief Executive Mom of EAT CLEANER, is a natural foods industry veteran and food safety education advocate based in Orange County, CA. www.eatcleaner.com
Think before you bite
