Freshworthy Friday: Dirty Food

Dirtying Up Our Diets
New York Times, Jeff D. Leach

I read this yesterday and immediately sent it out on Twitter and Facebook. Why? Because I totally agree. To add to the problems of today's food supply—it's too far from real food, it's too dirty, it's too processed—think about this. It's too clean. Way back in the day, we ate food off the floor (who started the 5-second rule, anyway?). These days, food allergies and autoimmune diseases are at "alarmingly" high rates, and the Leach argues it's because we're missing important stuff in our food supply. Namely, the dirt.

Leach goes on to write that we need microbes and pathogens in our bodies, much like probiotics introduce bacteria to our guts. And where do we get this dirt?

Farmer's markets.  Ohhhh yeah. Bring it on.

OVER 7,000 strong and growing, community farmers’ markets are being heralded as a panacea for what ails our sick nation. The smell of fresh, earthy goodness is the reason environmentalists approve of them, locavores can’t live without them, and the first lady has hitched her vegetable cart crusade to them. As health-giving as those bundles of mouthwatering leafy greens and crates of plump tomatoes are, the greatest social contribution of the farmers’ market may be its role as a delivery vehicle for putting dirt back into the American diet and in the process, reacquainting the human immune system with some “old friends.”

Having grown up on a farm, I got a taste of running around barefoot, shoveling hay into the trough for the cows, and picking caterpillar-ridden tomatoes from the garden ("Let's just cut that part off, and... perfect!"). While cleanliness is important to avoid really bad stuff, like salmonella or E. coli, a little bit of dirt never hurt anyone.

[Full disclosure: I habitually rinse before eating. I know, I grow 'em and I can trust 'em. But my mother must have drilled it into me at a very young age: rinse your food before you eat it, no matter where it came from! Also, when I was eating my thoroughly rinsed cherry tomatoes at lunch yesterday, I picked one up with a suspect-looking dot on the top. I pressed on the dot and out came a tiny (like, less than a centimeter long) green worm. I squealed as if a roach had just walked onto my plate and threw it directly into the trash.]

I was really struck by this article and hope all of you will read it and understand the importance—can we say it enough?—of eating food as close to the source as possible. Get to know your local farmers, and visit the farms if you can! Shop at the market, or grow your own food.

It's good for ya.

Oh! And another thing the author mentions briefly is that diets of the past included many more preserved and fermented foods. We don't eat as much of those as we used to, and I heard a compelling piece about fermented foods last week on NPR. 

Yes, compelling.

Fermented foods—anything from yogurt to kombucha to pickles, and including cheese, coffee, and alcohol—are wonderful for our guts and introduce a bunch of probiotics (good stuff) to our bodies. 

[Another fun me fact, since you asked: my favorite foods as a child were: 1) Dill pickles; 2) Hamburgers. I still LOVE dill pickles.]  

Freshworthy Friday: Glass Gem Corn, and Why You Should Cook

Glass gem corn. No Photoshop tricks here! Image via Seeds Trust.

Glass Gem Corn
Discover Magazine
Holy corn kernels, Batman! This is part of the joy of heirloom gardening. Heirloom varieties are unusual—and gorgeous...and not widely available. This exceptional heirloom has been cultivated recently and seeds were to hit the market in August. Bet ya can't get any now. But hopefully this corn cob gone viral will inspire plenty of folks to find out what other varieties are out there. Nature has so much more to offer than what sits on grocery store shelves; just wait until you see my heirloom pole beans next Wordless Wednesday!

How to Make Healthy Eating Easier on the Wallet? Change the Calculation
NPR
For those who contend that healthy eating is "more expensive" than living off processed foods, think again. A new cost analysis of a diet packed with fresh fruits and vegetables versus one that's full of sugary and fatty calories proves that it isn't how much money you have; it's how you spend it. Turns out that when you factor price per average amount consumed, fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods are less expensive than their unhealthy counterparts (if you can even call them that). I still maintain part of a healthy diet is making provisions for things you really enjoy. My own diet in the last few years has become weighted by health food. I never, ever purchase processed foods at the grocery store (not even granola bars or cereal) and limit them when I'm in settings where I'm unable to control my food environment completely. And I also focus on not wasting food, meaning my grocery dollars are well-spent.

Home Cooking Increases Longevity
Huffington Post
Oh, really? Cooking at home is good for you? I never would've guessed it. Yes, it's amazing: when you cook at home, you tend to use more fresh foods and fewer prepared foods. I know of a great website where you can find plenty of recipes with whole, real, natural ingredients. :)

Freshworthy Friday: A New Rule for Antibiotics

They said the food movement was gaining momentum. They said it would begin making an impact. They said it was possibly the thing that could save the environmental movement.

The food movement, the food revolution, a focus on ethical and sustainable food—that's the whole reason Sustainable Diet exists. So believe me when I say I'm excited to hear the food news from this week; while many say it's not enough, it is a start.

U.S. Tightens Rules on Antibiotics Use for Livestock
Gardiner Harris, NY Times
On Wednesday, the FDA announced a new rule requiring farmers and ranchers to get a prescription from a veterinarian prior to using antibiotics in farm animals. Let's all pause for a moment and think about what a great thing this is. The overuse of antibiotics in cows, pigs, and other farm animals has put a strain on the food supply by creating drug-resistant forms of bacteria.

At least two million people are sickened and an estimated 99,000 die every year from hospital-acquired infections, the majority of which result from such resistant strains. It is unknown how many of these illnesses and deaths result from agricultural uses of antibiotics, but about 80 percent of antibiotics sold in the United States are used in animals.

Initially, the rule is being implemented voluntarily; drug companies will gradually begin shifting their drug labels to prescription only. I think the most encouraging thing here is that something has been done, acknowledging to the public by way of a new law that we have got to change the way we farm our food.

And coming up, here are some great events to take part in, wherever you are:

May 3–10 is Shop Your Values Week
This may be based in NYC, but really this is a great chance to make a difference wherever you are. Shop locally, and purchase ethical, sustainable, organic products and produce! Any day is a great day to take part in Shopping Your Values—and be sure to take a moment to share those practices with your friends and family.

Food Revolution Day — May 19th
Join Jamie Oliver and many, many others to claim May 19, 2012, as Food Revolution Day. Sign the petition and stand up for REAL FOOD at his site. I'm tossing around the idea of an Austin-based potluck; please comment if that's something you readers are interested in and we'll try to make that happen.

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

Freshworthy Friday: The Chicken and The Egg

Photo by flickr user Gina Pina, licensed under Creative Commons.

After two-plus years of vegetarianism, I branched out for the sake of brisket. A couple of times since then, I've sneaked a small bite of chicken off my husband's plate, and remarked, "I'm kind of over the texture of chicken." It's true; I don't much care for it any more. Eggs are clearly another story.

That said, I'm glad I'm over chicken. Because while I would always, always opt for organic and sustainably raised chicken if I were buying it to cook myself, I might not have that option when eating out.

Which leads me to the news of the day. Pink slime has been all over the news the last few weeks, and now there's more to think about. New studies show that chickens on industrial farms have been fed a mix of caffeine, drugs, and arsenic.

Here's something to consider as we bring our families around a table to celebrate this weekend:

Arsenic in Our Chicken?
The New York Times, Nicholas D. Kristof

What does all this mean for consumers? The study looked only at feathers, not meat, so we don’t know exactly what chemicals reach the plate, or at what levels. The uncertainties are enormous, but I asked Nachman about the food he buys for his own family. “I’ve been studying food-animal production for some time, and the more I study, the more I’m drawn to organic,” he said. “We buy organic.”

I’m the same. I used to be skeptical of organic, but the more reporting I do on our food supply, the more I want my own family eating organic — just to be safe.

Freshworthy Friday: More Pink Slime!

It's been a big week for food news, and while these first two links are important, the last—about our favorite, PINK SLIME, is the most important.

Are Food Blogs Over?
The Amateur Gourmet
First things first: please tell me food blogs aren't over. I really, really like writing this one.The gist of this article is this: food blogs that offer new recipes aren't enough—we food bloggers have to push the envelope, offering readers something fresh and different. For me, this means honing in on a very specific way of eating, and offering more than just recipes on my site (I profess in my bio to be a novice cook, anyway).

Freshworthy Friday: Ghostwriters, Death by Bacon, and Dark Rye

This week I'm less enthralled by pink slime and more interested in the lighter side of food news. Well, except for this first story. Oye.

Death By Bacon? Study Finds Eating Meat is Risky
NPR
Seriously, I have to ask... What's good for us any more? But this is a study I find myself agreeing with. Spoiler alert, the takeaway lesson here is, "Everything in moderation." The study shows that people who eat more meat are less likely to avoid dying (well, that's the gist of it). It also finds that processed meats (like bacon, sausages, and hot dogs) are riskier. It makes sense; this goes back to the notion of eating pure, whole foods. A sustainable diet. Hmm, who knew?

I Was a Cookbook Ghostwriter
Julia Moskin, NY Times
This isn't so much newsworthy as it is just fascinating. As someone who, one day, would love to write a cookbook, this is an interesting glimpse into the behind-the-scenes. Maybe I'll ghostwrite, but I'd much rather be the person on the cover, touting my homegrown, home-cooked dinners. The only thing that baffles me is all the recipe testing. Oye, to have time to do that... What about you?

Dark Rye
Whole Foods
It should come as no surprise that I'm a huge fan of Whole Foods. Those folks have it down, and are always putting something out there that is exactly what I want to eat/read/see/hear. This week they launched their online magazine, Dark Rye. It's hip and refreshing, so check it out!

Freshworthy: Willie Nelson, Whole Foods, and European Organics, Oh My!

Image: Chipotle/YouTube (screenshot). View the ad here.

Chipotle Ad Promotes Sustainable Farming
NYTimes.com

Let me start by saying that Chipotle is one of the few fast-food restaurants I enjoy eating at, and do so in a care-free manner. We shun the others; I haven't been in a McDonald's or Taco Bell in nearly a decade. I respect Chipotle's food policies, even if it means that only 1 out of every 3 beans I ingest is actually organic. They have made a promise to customers to provide "more natural" products, as the NYT article puts it. The uplifting and cheery ad, which aired during the Grammy's last week (right after Coldplay performed, no less) was Chipotle's first national television spot. Willie Nelson, the president of Farm Aid, is advocating for family-owned farms and sustainable food practices, sings a cover of Coldplay song "The Scientist" in the ad, sealing my happy-good feelings about Chipotle.

How do you feel about Chipotle? And Willie Nelson? Do you think these types of things can change our food system?

Freshworthy: Drugs, Sugar, and Pink Slime

I didn't mean for this Freshworthy to be quite so icky, but it turns out there's plenty of that kind of food news out there this week.

First up, pink slime. Mmmm.

Image: Flickr member pointnshoot, licensed under Creative Commons.

McDonald's Burgers: Now Without Pink Slime?
The Week

I mentioned having watched and been inspired by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, and here's another newsworthy story that comes straight from the pressure Jamie Oliver put on the food industry and the awareness he has raised. To tell you the truth, I can't remember the last time I ate at McDonald's. But back in the day, my little sister and brother and I begged for Happy Meals. Now I'm glad I began to shun the place once I got older; the "meat" is not anything worth ingesting. In any case, McDonald's is bowing to pressure and is reportedly removing pink slime—beef trimmings washed in ammonia—from their meat.

Let's be clear: I am NOT advocating eating at McDonald's. In fact, if you eat there, I would strongly encourage you to stop that immediately and instead turn to organic fast food chains, if you must eat fast food, or ditch the drive-through all together! But let's face it, for the millions of folks worldwide who do eat there, this is a small step toward improving their health, and to me, that's pretty fantastic.