Great Food Tips

Organic vs Non- Organic

It's true that organic foods are more expensive than nonorganic; however, if you can afford it, the benefits or organic far outweigh the few dollars' difference.

It all starts with the soil. Non organic soil uses fertilizers containing three primary nutrients-nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. But healthy soil should contains over fifty nutrients. Poor soil health leads to poor plant health because the plants draw their nutrients from the soil. If the soils if deficient, the plants are deficient. Because of deficient soil, the plants are not as naturally pest and disease resistant, so they are sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides to keep them healthy enough to sell at market. When we eat nonorganic food, we not only eat food deficient in nutrients, but we also ingest harmful chemicals that have compromised that plants as they have grown.

Studies show that organic soil has higher levels of zinc. boron, sodium, iron, and more. Organic soil also enhances a number of biological properties such as enzyme activities and micronutrient levels. Depending on the specifics of the farm or other location where the produce is grown, the organic benefits can range from moderately better to abundantly better in nutrient richness. Not only is organically grown food healthier, but it also consistently tastes better.

Why and how to wash your vegetables

Fresh produce can harbor bacteria, fungi, and other microbes along with trace amounts of chemicals-wash it well. Always start with clean hands, clean countertops, and clean cutting surfaces.

Wait until you are ready to use it to wash your produce. Wash it under running water slightly cooler than the temperature of the produce. If you are soaking, use a bowl rather than the sink, as the sink often harbors bacteria. Do not use detergents or bleach to wash produce since it is porous and might absorb harmful contaminants.

For leafy green vegetables, they can be difficult to clean sufficiently, so immersing them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes will help loosen contaminates. Follow with a cool-water rinse. After washing, prop in colander to drain or pay dry with paper towels. If you are using the leaves for juicing, additional moisture does not have to be removed.

Juicing vs blending

Juicing and blending are not the same thing, nor do they provide the same result. The great value of juicing is that the nutrients are absorbed directly into the bloodstream within about twenty minutes, bypassing the digestive system. Juicing gives you maximum nutrient absorption with the lease amount of stress on your body.

In contrast, blending retains the pulp and solids, making it necessary for the substance to travel through the digestive system. This takes hours instead of minutes and requires your body to work harder with slower and less absorption of the the needed nutrients.

When I had cancer, if I had eaten the amount of vegetables and fruit I juiced, I would have had to chew and digest approximately twenty pounds of food a day - and would still not have received the benefits I received from juicing. Eating instead of juicing is simply not practical when you are trying to get well.