Organic Food and Drink Newsletter - August 14, 2008

Yes, I know it's been a while, and I apologize! Unfortunately I'm battling a bout with the Epstein-Barr virus, and it's had me pretty wiped out for several weeks now. But it's past time I got moving, and while this won't be my most informative newsletter, I'll have some good stuff for you.


For you Whole Foods shoppers, I want to be sure you're aware of the ground beef recall. Read all about it here.

Specials and Recommendations

Not a lot this time, but I found a few. Most will apply primarily to US readers.


As a Southern Californian I live in a dry climate, but as a traveler I know only too well that's not true for all of you. And with that humidity comes bugs. If you're not big on chemical pesticides, try Arbico Organics for natural pest control solutions for your organic home, business, lawn, garden,
farm and pets.


Wine drinkers, try Wine Enthusiast. Currently offering free shipping on its Eurocave wine cellars- no small thing for you wine drinkers - and on other things as well. They haven't posted an end date on this one, but I'm sure there will be one!



While you're at it, wine drinkers, how about 1 Cent Shipping on purchase of $99 or more at Wine.com! Enter code 1CENTGOLD at checkout. Valid Aug 11-15, 2008, so hurry.


Sorry to be thin on the specials this time. Keep checking the web site:

Organic wine

Organic coffee

Organic meat

Organic produce

Organic chocolate

Organics - fad or the future?

Organic food has been one of the biggest trends in the food sector in recent years. FoodNavigator is seeking your views on whether organics have staying power, or whether consumers will lose interest over time.

Drought no barrier to organic growers

An organic food craze has sent business booming in Dubbo, despite the widespread drought.

A new report has found that organic produce growers have experienced an 80 per cent growth in farm gate sales over the last four years and locally the organic market seems to be thriving.

How to be a budget organic

With all the news about rising food costs, you may be wondering if the organic milk you've been putting in your cart is worth the extra cash. It is. Organic food is more expensive, but when it comes to the staples of your diet, organics are a worthwhile investment, with payoffs that might surprise you. The benefits influence your health today — and long-term. Here, why certain foods are worth the splurge, plus tips to save you money while keeping your diet nutritionally and ecologically sound.

Organic food 'good for you' says EU

The European Commission has launched a campaign to inform consumers of the benefits of organic food and support those involved in the ever-growing organic market.

Health experts push for organic lifestyles

CONSUMERS hear and read about organic farming but they are not always sure what that means. They sometimes question what ‘makes’ food organic – and why it is more expensive than other foods. They may be puzzled by the typically higher cost of these foods, wondering why this should be so as the benefits of such foods may be perceived as being not worth the extra expense.

Farmers told organic is way to grow

Agricultural experts and officials are urging farmers to stop using chemical pesticides and start growing organic, non-genetically modified produce for export to European markets.

Prospects flourish within organic industry: expert

As the perception of health and taste benefits from organic produce drives sales across all demographics, opportunities are arising in every sector of the food industry.

George Pontiako, president and CEO of Bi Nutraceuticals, told FoodNavigator-USA.com that while fresh fruit and vegetables are proving the most popular among health-conscious consumers, more unusual organic products, such as beer and vodka, are also becoming successful.

Spotlight on organic food

HEALTH is one of the biggest single concerns for people living in the UK. Research shows that organic food can be more nutritious for you and your family – it does not contain any additives, E numbers, pesticides, drugs or flavourings. What it does contain is more of the good stuff we need – like vitamins and minerals.

Finns Lose Taste for Organic Products

The demand for organic products is mushrooming across the globe; however, Finns seem to be losing interest. In fact the popularity of organic products in Finland seems to have declined since the year 2000.

Health enthusiasts reluctant to give up pricey organic foods

In a display fridge at Claudia's Natural Food Market in Sylvania, Organic Valley Orange juice sells for $7.39 a half gallon. Nearby, a 15-ounce bag of Kettle Brand potato chips costs $5.29. Despite rising fuel and food costs, sales at several local organic and health food markets remain strong, managers said. For loyal customers convinced that natural foods are the key to good health, purchases are not discretionary spending that can be reduced like movie tickets and restaurant trips, they added.

The lowdown on organic food

What is the truth about organic food? Well, organic simply means that it doesn’t have anything artificial in it. Fruits, vegetables and livestock are grown all-natural. Okay, we all know that but how does that really relate to us? Why are people being encouraged to switch to organic even though it is relatively more expensive? Is it really that better and beneficial to our health? Don’t take my word for it; let’s hear it straight from the experts.

What you need to know about organic food

Organic foods are now part of the mainstream food supply as fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, eggs, canned goods, cereals and snack foods are flooding the store shelves.

World of difference for Fairtrade as credit crunch takes its toll

Those who say a ripple in America creates a wave in the UK looked to have been proved right.

The global credit crunch which was born out of the US sub-prime crisis has hit Britain hard and with more of us conscious about how much we spend and what we spend it on, one of the first casualties appears to be the organic and Fairtrade goods which until a few months ago filled middle-class shopping baskets.

Organic produce...from China??

You buy organic because it's better for you and the environment because the produce is grown without pesticides or other potentially-harmful chemicals.

But what if those organic vegetables came from China? Would you serve them to your family?

It turns out you may already have.

Organic trend produces confusion

Some shoppers may have noticed an increase in the number of organic items for sale in the grocery store.

Organic food sales in the United States have escalated by 17 to 20 percent a year for the past few years, compared to 2 to 3 percent a year for conventional foods. This could be partly attributed to the concern many have about the potential harmful effects of foods exposed to hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics used in conventional farming.

Industry Fails to Explain Organics to Public

The fresh produce industry is failing to help consumers make an informed choice between organic and non-organic produce. It is also failing to invest in the market opportunities that exist in both the organic and nonorganic markets because of its lack of understanding of what consumers want.

These were the findings of a sixmonth study on organic fruit and vegetables, published this week by the dunnhumby Academy of Consumer Research at Kent Business School, Canterbury.

Organic farming important in producing clean, safe food

Turning to organic farming has become a global goal to help clean and safe agricultural products get to the dinner table, particularly while insecticide-related diseases are increasing.>



Organic farming depends on environmentally-friendly resources like natural fertilizer. It uses biological ways to combat agricultural problems and tries to stay away from chemical substances that can alter the food and its quality.

Local and organic are the buzzwords, but they don't always mix

Local and organic are the latest foodie buzzwords - but don't always mix well. Good intentions can be lost in an ethical minefield.

Organic ingredients may clock up many air miles and the eco-aware restaurateur is left weighing up the evils of air freight over the lower environmental impact of organic farming.

New test to show if vegetables are really organic

A New Zealand scientist has invented a test to discover if vegetables have been grown organically.

GNS Science's Karyne Rogers said she developed the test to stop people being "fobbed off by someone else's half-baked organic vegetables", the Dominion Post reported today.

The isotope test looks at base elements in vegetables, and shows whether they were raised with organic manure or industrial fertiliser.

Organic-friendly Americans buy farm shares

Health scares, food shortages and growing concern about the environment have boosted so-called community-supported agriculture across the United States.

Going organic an investment in health

Shoppers who are toying with the idea of buying organic products are sometimes dissuaded by sticker shock.

Even proponents of going organic acknowledge that it’s not easy on the pocketbook, with prices for organic products sometimes significantly higher than comparable nonorganic items.

But making the switch and spending a little bit more money is worth it, they say.

Organic wine-making moves on to a new level

WITH almost 6% of its vineyard converted to organic production Alsace can claim to be the greenest wine region of France.

Although the prediction made a few years ago by one top grower that 90% of Alsace’s vineyards would be organic by 2010 now seems wildly optimistic, the rate of conversion is steady and sustained. There are also a large and growing number of vignerons who, while stopping short of full organic status, claim to practice sustainable viticulture and only spray their vines with agrochemicals as a last resort.

Biodynamics: the heart and soil of winemaking?

CONTRARY to popular opinion, biodynamic wine is not the same as organic wine, and to proponents of the former, it should never be viewed as such.

While both viticulture practices are concerned with sustainability, restoring the health of the soil and a zero tolerance of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, this is probably where the organic bit ends and the biodynamic thing begins.

Organic foods offer twice as many antioxidants

New study finds organic foods offer up to twice as many antioxidants

A new study throws light on just how much healthier organically grown foods are compared to mass produced foods - up to 97 per cent richer in certain antioxidants.

And with more nutrient content by weight, organic foods can provide more health benefits for your money.

New Zealanders fastest with uptake of Fairtrade products

New Zealand has reported the fastest growth in sales of Fairtrade products in the world - a 45-fold increase in just four years.

This is from the latest edition of the newsletter, in case you missed it!

This issue's article talks about the thoughts and struggles behind
following an organic eating plan. Can you relate? Let us know what you think!

Specials and Recommendations
Up north of the equator we're heading into full summertime grilling season. Timing is never better for your gardens or your local farmer's market. If those don't work for you, the Internet is as always loaded with choices.

You've heard me tell you about Ideal Bite, right? Daily organic tips in your inbox? I recently saw a report that it's been bought by none other than Disney.That's validation not only of the newsletter, but of the market it serves (i.e., us.) Check it out and see why 230,000 others already find Ideal Bite so fascinating.

Pfaelzer Brothers: Take 15% off your entire purchase - just enter promotion code Summer15 at checkout. Free steak seasoning with any steak purchase too!

If you like Hickory Farms better, use promotion code FATHERDAY and get 10% off your entire purchase, through the end of June. Father's Day may have passed, but this hasn't!

And at wine.com, save 20% off any 6 or more bottles of clearance sale wines. They do frequently include organic wines in their specials, so be sure to check.



Our newsletter community spans the globe, but it's tough for me to find specials that do. So be sure you're checking the web site for providers that ship to or service your part of the world:

Organic wine
Organic coffee
Organic meat
Organic produce
Organic chocolate


Feature Article: Organic Eating Habits Aren't As Wide Spread As They Could Be

Unfortunately with the easy and ready availability of processed foods, organic eating habits aren't as wide spread as they could be. Even those of us who prefer not to literally riddle our bodies with pesticides and chemical toxins find that sometimes a fast food meal from our favorite drive-in or takeaway is easier than going to the trouble of preparing our own organically cooked meals.

I have to admit that I sometimes even go to the lengths of heating up a TV dinner when I'm too tired to even lift a finger to dial the pizza joint for a meal that has to be better than a first frozen and then nuked meal eaten in solitary confinement in front of the TV.

In fact this is why I turned to organic eating habits to begin with, to get out of the rut that my life had fallen into. It did take some doing, and I did fall off the organic eating wagon quite a few times, but perseverance finally won through and I was out of my fast food junkie and TV dinner rut, and onto the benefits of organic eating.

The problem is though, that sometimes I'm just too tired to bother about cooking a meal for myself and that's when I resort to the fast foods or the TV dinners. In order to combat the seductive quality of these fast paced lifestyle ruts, I even went so far as to find and buy organic TV dinners, but common sense finally set in on that one, and I switched back to stocking my freezer with non-organic TV dinners.

Why? Simply for the reason that after all the processing these foods have gone through, along with the freezing process, and then the nuking, it renders useless any type of goodness that might be found in the foods. So why pay more for what turns out to be essentially the same item? That was my theory anyway.

If you decide to follow an organic eating regime however, you will find that your life just became healthier and more difficult at the same time. It became healthier because you're eradicating pesticides and other toxins from your body, and it became more difficult because now you have a larger monthly food bill, and you also have to search specifically for organic foods!

The benefits however, far outweigh the disadvantages, and you will most definitely be glad later on that you went to the trouble to change your eating habits to organic eating habits.

About the author:
Muna wa Wanjiru is a Web Administrator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Organic Foods for Years. For More Information on Organic Eating, Visit His Site at Organic Eating.

Shoppers to 'abandon organic food to cut bills'

Shoppers who have previously been willing to pay up to 50 per cent more for organic meat, or fair trade coffee, could soon ignore ethical concerns in favour of keeping their shopping bills down.

Canada’s retailers may need organic certification

A lot of details still need to be sorted out before the new Canada Organic Regime goes into effect.

One key item — whether or not retailers will have to become certified organic in order to carry bulk organics and do in-house fresh-cut organic produce — is still uncertain.

Organic foods, sustainable fashion going from niche to mainstream

Organic food, once the sole domain of farmers' markets and small health-food stores, is going increasingly mainstream as the aisles of large, chain supermarkets fill with organic produce, groceries and convenience foods.

Organic shoppers have also changed, growing beyond a loyal core of earth mothers to a wider base of soccer moms.

Organic winemaking a worldwide rarity

You don’t have to be an organic evangelist to buy some organic products in your weekly shop, and or to have a weathered eye out for new organic products.

For instance, restaurants for the first time are starting to offer some organic selections in their wine lists.

Scientists Find Pesticides Change DNA, Increase Cancer In India

Pesticides were once touted as a tool of the agricultural green revolution designed to help increase crop yields but now are being blamed for causing cancer, reducing the nutritional value of some food crops and failing to boost crop yields.

Safer, healthier notions boost growth of organics

Organic businesses are seeing an upswing in demand for their products, partly because consumers see organics as safer and healthier options compared with conventional produce, according to a recent survey.

Organic producers need to understand customers, not cut costs

Organic farmers should work on developing consumer loyalty rather than concentrating on cutting costs, a survey into shoppers' perceptions of organic fruit and vegetables has found.

Few organic fruit and vegetable producers understood people's reasons for buying organic produce and thought price was the biggest barrier to them buying it.