News
Grass-Fed Beef Better For You Than Grain-Fed
Think all red meat is bad for your health? Maybe not. A new study in the British Journal of Nutrition is linking grass-fed beef with higher blood levels of omega-3s, which have been associated with positive health benefits, compared to more common grain-finished red meat.
FDA: Some Chicken May Have Small Amount of Arsenic
The FDA said Wednesday that a new study developed by the agency shows that an ingredient in chicken feed that contains arsenic, called Roxarsone, may make its way into parts of the bird that are eaten. Previous studies have indicated that the arsenic was eliminated with chicken waste.
Irradiation and the "ick" factor
When it comes to irradiation, you might need a primer. (I did.) Simply put, irradiation - first approved by the FDA in 1963 to control insects in wheat and flour - kills pathogens in food by passing radiation through it. It doesn't make the food radioactive any more than passing X-rays through your body makes you radioactive; it just causes changes in the food. Proponents say those changes are beneficial: like killing E. coli or salmonella bacteria. Opponents say they're harmful: like destroying nutrients or creating damaging free radicals.
The Secret Ingredient in Your Orange Juice
Haven't you ever wondered why every glass of Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice tastes the same, no matter where in the world you buy it or what time of year you're drinking it in?
"Making OJ should be pretty simple. Pick oranges. Squeeze them. Put the juice in a carton and voilà!
But actually, there is an important stage in between that is an open secret in the OJ industry. After the oranges are squeezed, the juice is stored in giant holding tanks and, critically, the oxygen is removed from them. That essentially allows the liquid to keep (for up to a year) without spoiling- but that liquid that we think of as orange juice tastes nothing like the Tropicana OJ that comes out of the carton. [snip] Juice companies therefore hire flavor and fragrance companies, the same ones that formulate perfumes for Dior and Calvin Klein, to engineer flavor packs to add back to the juice to make it taste fresh. Flavor packs aren't listed as an ingredient on the label because technically they are derived from orange essence and oil."(source)
Home is Where the Healthy Meal Is
The findings, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that people who are in a good mood at home tend to prepare healthier meals -- and feel more emotionally rewarded after eating them. That cycle of positive reinforcement was more pronounced at home than elsewhere.
Do Your Grocery Shopping With a Cart Instead of a Basket: You'll Make Healthier Choices
That's right, according to a recent study, if you stroll the aisles of a supermarket with a shopping cart instead of a basket, you're likely to make healthier choices. Published in the Journal of Marketing Research, the study found that basket carriers were more than three times as likely to choose unhealthy items over healthy items than their cart-pushing counterparts.
Or the way the study puts it, "Basket shoppers were more likely to choose the vice over the virtue than cart shoppers."
Gone Bananas? Why I Don't Eat America's Favorite Fruit
Though not genetically modified (yet), all commercial bananas are genetically identical clones grown in monocultures. While this makes the product extremely consistent, it also leaves it vulnerable to disease since cross-breeding cannot confer any protective benefit.
Now all commercial bananas are the Cavendish variety, which was chosen for shelf life and shipping rather than flavor. Cavendish bananas are not immune to infection, however. An extremely virulent strain of Panama disease known as TR4 has wiped out Cavendish bananas in Southeast Asia and Australia, and scientists believe TR4 will likely reach Latin American banana plantations soon. There is no variety currently considered a viable replacement for Cavendish, and bananas may be gone from supermarket shelves in our lifetimes. As I hinted above, companies are working to genetically modify the bananas to be resistant to TR4.
What's Cooking Uncle Sam?
If you are in the Washington D.C. area check out this exhibit at the National Archives through Jan. 3, 2012!
We demand that our Government ensure that it is safe, cheap, and abundant. In response, Government has been a factor in the production, regulation, research, innovation, and economics of our food supply. It has also attempted, with varying success, to change the eating habits of Americans.
From the farm to the dinner table, explore the records of the National Archives that trace the Government's effect on what Americans eat.
Serious Reads: Fair Food by Oren Hesterman
Food advocate and professor Oran Hesterman's new book Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable Food System for All covers a lot of bases. Food justice, food safety, accessibility, quality-all of these fundamental issues are wrapped up in the solutions that Hesterman highlights.
Home & Garden
Recycled Cardboard Cooler Boxes
Travel Green: BPA and Eco-Friendly Reusables
Spray Tissues with Air Freshener and Layer Them in Luggage for a Fresh-Smelling Arrival
Skip the bin: Trench composting
Water new trees wisely with slow-release bags
How to Grow Your Own Food if you're a Renter
Lots of great tips for those of us without a yard or garden!
Add Epsom Salts to Water for Homemade Fertilizer
August Desktop Calendar and a Pickle Recipe
Neat free graphic download for your computer desktop.
The Power House: Teach Your Kids About Sustainability
The Thames and Komos Power House teaches kids age ten and up how it's possible to live sustainably by harnessing energy from the sun, wind and earth. The kit comes with 10 building projects including a solar collector and wind generator.
Andrew Pighills, Master of the Stone Wall
Really interesting interview with someone who is a master of the craft!
Tutorial: Summer Wind Chime
Using a leftover bamboo stake to make a fun wind chime!
Homemade Yogurt Pops
If you have one of those vacuum food-savers you can make these as well as other treats like pudding pops or juice popsicles!
Recipes
Melitzanosalata-eggplant dip recipe
Fresh tomato soup with roasted corn guacamole
Little Stuffed Zucchinis
If you happen upon some cute round zucchini these are adorable!
Poblano chorizo potato salad
Cheddar scallion polenta croquettes
Summer corn salad
Corn, buttermilk and chive popovers
Gluten-free: Tomato tart with parmesan rosemary crust
Feta and chickpea pita sandwiches
Snickerdoodle muffins
Cucumber basil slush vodka cocktail
This reminds me of my favorite cocktail at a local restaurant: A cucumber basil vodka gimlet. Yummmmmm! It's summer in a glass! |
