Pendragon Apple - 800 year old Variety complet with mottled skin for higher phyto-nutrient content

Organic versus Conventional

A recent study published in the UK caused a big kafuffle in the organic industry when it claimed there was no nutritional benefit to organic produce over conventional. The researchers looked at studies conducted over the last 40 years, and while the organic foods often did contain a higher amount of vitamins and minerals, they decide the difference was not “nutritionally” significant. In a single piece of produce, a 17 % difference in beta carotene, as one study found, may not be significant, just as they said. But what if that 17% were missing from everything you ate, day after day, year after year? Would that make a difference? Probably, but that is the holistic nutrition perspective, not the conventional.

I put that concept out there because it needs to be said. Good health is easier to achieve if all the food consumed has the maximum amount of nutrients possible. However, the important aspect of the study to note, is that the studies they looked at examined vitamin and mineral content. Unfortunately, they did not look at the phyto-nutrient content, the new superstars in the health world, linked to prevention of many diseases prevalent today. As part of the plant's defense system, phyto-nutrient content goes up in food when the plants are attacked by bugs and fungus.

A case can be made that vitamin and minerals content will be affected by a number of factors, such as vine-ripening, good soil management or varieties and these can affect the nutritional value of both organic and conventional. Most studies over the last 40 years, like the ones they considered, tested produce grown separately and this fact has been used for years to discount the higher nutrient content found in organic foods.I am not sure why the researchers were not aware that there was this general opinion, before they looked at all those studies that had already been deemed invalid by the conventionally-minded. The argument was always, in order to truly judge, the same variety of food would have to be grown, at the same time, in the same geographical location, one organically and one conventionally, in order for any claims to be made. Perhaps, like the following study:

The £12m EU–funded four–year Quality Low Input Food project—the biggest of its kind to date used a farm in northeast England to grow conventional produce alongside organic, side by side, same conditions, same time, same varieties. Up to 40% more antioxidants and phytonutrients, were found in organic fruit and vegetables than in those conventionally farmed. Cattle were also farmed on the 725–acre plot, where it was discovered that organic milk contains 60% more antioxidants and desirable fatty acids than ordinary milk.

That makes a pretty compelling case for organic. And generally that is what I will always choose. The only issue I have is in the summer, when there is so much local fresh produce, some of it is not organic. Here are some facts that can help make the decision to buy local conventionally-grown produce easier.

1.Local means the farmer can leave the produce on the vine longer before shipping. That is the true reason for the superior taste. The longer on the vine, the more opportunity for vitamins and phytonutrient content to increase, minerals to be chelated from the soil and the flavor to develop.

2.Don’t assume that local farmers are using a ton of chemicals. Farmers are more aware of the health issue with chemicals than the public. They tend to be well-educated and try to be the best stewards of the land they can be, despite the system they think they must follow, So you may find, if you get to know your local farmer, they use as little as possible.

3.Pick the ugly fruits and vegetables. The ugly produce earned its scars from battling bugs, which means phytonutrient content was increased. Even when chemicals are used, they can often miss the plant. So there is a general rule. Scabs are good as it means the plant won. A hole is bad because it means the bug won.

Please note that some organic farmers, in their misguided attempt to meet the public’s perception of what food should look like, sometimes use non-toxic, natural pesticides and fungicides that are not harmful to the environment. However, they do eliminate the need for the plant to defend itself and therefore, will limit the phytonutrient content just like conventionally-pretty produce. Let organic farmers know you are a savvy consumer who understands ugly food is healthy food!

Here two recipes for you to enjoy:

Sour Cherry Coffeecake

Peaches in Creamy Yogurt with Lace Cookies

Varieties make a nutritional difference too. Read this article for more information.
The oldest North American varieties, commonly found, are the Granny Smith and the Northern Spy which date back to the mid-1800’s.

800-Year-Old Apple ‘Healthiest to Eat’

A Sweetener, By Any Other Name, May Taste As Sweet But …

Should a chef, who is probably 60 pounds overweight, be promoting the use of a “no- calorie” artificial sweetener as “healthy” This was the question I asked myself as I channel flipped the other night and I happened upon the Food Network’s TV show “Unwrapped” and a promotion of Splenda as “healthy” with absolutely no discussion of any of the health problems surrounding it. l was incensed. I was angry. Their promotion of a commercial food product, and a controversial one, at that, was so blatant, like it was actually a food. And then I realized their brilliance. This was not a sell-out. This was a very clever demonstration of subliminal anti-marketing: To the general public, oversaturated with information and the attention span of a gnat, all they will see is:

Overweight Chef + No-calorie Artificial Sweetener = Does Not Work!

Ironically, studies, including a recent one at Duke University, have shown that sucralose (Splenda) caused weight gain in rats. There are no human studies to compare this with so we have to make do with rats. The food networks visual presentation on the topic said it all. Very clever!

As holistic nutritionist, I do not see a weight issue as a matter of calorie counting. I have work with and seen too many case studies of people who do not over eat. If anything they do not eat much at all, and despite frequent exercise, cannot move 40, 50, 60 extra pounds. So
I am not making light of anyone’s weight dilemma. Weight issues have many causes far more complicated than excess calories. So it is not helpful to anyone when the media and medical system equates health with thinness and low calorie. And convincing people that all they have to do to be healthy is be thin or that anything low calorie is good for them, just because it is low calorie, is doing them a great disservice.

Splenda is controversial. As with many commercially developed products, it is hard to find independent studies and when they occur, the manufacturer of the product counters with their own studies that state the opposite. Despite that, many concerns have been raised such as reduced intestinal flora, enlarged liver and kidneys, brain lesions, diarrhea and male infertility, to name a few.

I personally believe that man is not smart enough to outsmart nature and none of mankind’s tampering with our food has ever been beneficial. If we ignore all the negative studies, the best that can be said of sucralose: it is nothing. It has no calories, no vitamins, no minerals, no phytonutrients, no carbohydrates for energy, no protein for building blocks, no fats for brain and nervous system health. Nothing. What is the definition of “nothing? Something that has no quantitative value; no substance or importance; a nonentity Is this the description of something “healthy”.

Sucralose may be used to taste just as sweet as sugar but does this mean it should be used? The fact that it is created from the sucrose (sugar) molecule to be 600 times sweeter than sugar should be enough to scare anyone away. More importantly, there is no compelling health reason to consume this product. It is far better to consume whole sugar cane, raw honey, maple syrup, agave syrup or coconut sweetener, which will provide taste satisfaction as well as vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, all substances that have been studied to prevent disease. They are also all low glycemic which means they do not spike blood sugar. Yes, they have calories but those calories provide energy. It is far better to eat these real foods with all their nutrients and if a lower calorie count is required, eat smaller portions.

The Wild Blueberry and Apricot Flan (pictured above), cut into 8 slices, is 361 calories If it were made with sucralose, the calorie count per slice would drop to 316, a savings of 45 calories. However, if the flan is cut into 10 slices the calorie count drops to 289 calories per slice, saving 72 calories. Best of all, the ingredients used would contain nutrients the body can use and there are no “unknowns” with regard to potential health problems. More importantly, it tastes better!

Three Teenagers and a Buckle

It only took 6 hours and two teenage hissy fits , one each from the two teenagers I was not legally responsible for (although she was the cause), for my first adventure with berry picking to be completed and I could finally attempt to make a fruit buckle.

Two weeks ago, I had a lovely dinner with two of my cousins at Oliver at Bonacini, where I quite enjoyed, as part of their Summerlicous special, a Rhubarb Buckle. I was not quite sure what a buckle was so it became my mission to recreate this delicious treat only with a more holistic spin.

For the record, a buckle is a layer of cake cover with a layer of fruit and baked with a crumble topping. A crisp is just baked fruits with a crumble top, a cobbler is bake fruit with a biscuit top and a betty is baked fruit with a bread crumb topping. Any one of these provides a lovely excuse for berry picking.

I was actually surprised that an 18 year old boy and two nearly 17 year old girls would consider this suitable entertainment considering how much time all three spend attempting to be counter culture rebels. But other than the afore mentioned hissy fits, conveniently occurring at the beginning and end of our trip and one very short lived berry fight, they were extremely congenial and helpful.

Our adventure took us to a beautiful Mennonite farm in Leaksdale, Ontario, just north of Uxbridge, which has both pick-u-own raspberries and black currants, chemical-free. A pint of raspberries can be purchased for $3.00, which is quite a deal considering those little plastic containers we all buy throughout the year are $3.99. They even charged me less since I had not quite filled the pints up to the top. How often does that happen?
It actually only took us about 2 ½ hours to complete our task but once done, the kids thought we should keep going. We drove to Port Perry to have dinner by the lake which two of us quite enjoyed. Hissy fit number two was in full progress when we arrived so my niece and her friend sat dinner out with her trying to coax him back to good humour after she (“he was suppose to block it”) threw a booklet at his face. It reminded me of the day trips my mother would take us on, including the crying and bouts of temper, and it is a great comfort that to know such simple pleasures still exist.
As for the buckle, delicious! The kids enjoyed it, too. Check it out for yourself.

Raspberry and Black Currant Buckle

My 16 Year Old Niece Cooks!

Parents, take heart. Your efforts to lead your children to a healthier way of eating may pay off in the end. My niece, who I inherited, after the death of my sister, came to me as a 15 year old, whose issues extended far beyond her junk food addiction. It has been nearly two years of many struggles on many fronts and a few months ago, I gave up on the food front to reserve my energy for the school issue, the boy issue, the drug issue, the smoking issue and anything else she managed to come up with.

Up until then I was compromising on the food, half my way, half her way but I found I was suffering, eating food I did not want to eat. So I started taking her grocery shopping and turning her loose. She has her food and I have mine. It was peaceful, and it worked. I saved money, saved time and ate what I liked. But somewhere along the way, this messed with her head and sent her ever so slightly on a different path. Who knew failure could have a side benefit!

I am not sure where and when it happened, and especially given the total write-off of a year she has had, but she turned a small corner. Two night ago she made a delicious beef stew with organic beef, red wine, carrots, onions and celery and selection of fresh herbs from the garden. Tonight, she volunteered to make dinner and the picture above is what she created.

Now I would have prefered brown rice but that is a stirfried chicken dish with lotus root, enochi mushrooms and green onions. Now the yellow blob in the picture is an icky mayonaise she made me buy at the local Asian market complete with MSG but she kindly put it to the side so it was a matter of choice. All in all, a nice presentation

More importantly, I tried the lotus root. She taught me something. I enjoyed it and when I looked it up, I found it had all kinds of health benefits.

So parents, this is a small win, and hopefully there will be many more, but it shows there is a light at the end of the tunnnel, which a few months ago, I would have said was impossible. It is has always been my believe that to influence, you lead by example and you do not preach. I have never lectured but I have explained, especially when she asks. However, I think what made the biggest impression was my refusal to eat what she wanted to eat. I would like to say that I did it on purpose, as part of a clever reverse psychology thing, but it was really for my own sanity and well-being. But I guess to her it said something different. I wish I had thought of it sooner.

For more food and discussion: www.pastryqueengoesgreen.com