Food | The Green Foodprint

Monsanto – evil, or just obscenely successful?

In Food Politics, GMO's, Toxins and Pesticides,
Tags: GMO

Posted on June 13, 2013
Author: Linda,
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Recently, 2 million people in 436 cities in 52 countries (according to organizers) marched in public protests to show their opposition to the global seed and pesticide corporation Monsanto and everything it stands for. That would include: its development of GMO (genetically modified organisms) food crops, its intimidation of farmers who won’t go along, its history as developer or producer of things like DDT, agent orange, bovine growth hormone, aspartame, nuclear weapons, PCBs, its participation in the “revolving door” in Washington, where industry leaders become regulators or elected officials are given cushy industry jobs after they leave office. Not surprisingly, Monsanto is hugely profitable. According to its 2012 annual report, in the most recent year its net sales amounted to over $13 billion, with a B, 14% more than the previous year..

With the profits goes power. Industry has defeated almost every effort to require labeling of GMO foods (including last year’s Proposition 37 in California). The times may be changing. Connecticut this week actually passed a law requiring GMO labeling, though it’s a conditional one.

Some people don’t agree that there’s a problem. A heated debate recently occurred in the website Motley Fool, which is a commercial financial advice site. The original article, aptly titled “Why is Monsanto the Most Hated Company in the World?”, questioned the validity of claims on both sides, but concluded by saying,

“It seems that GMOs will inevitably become a larger part of our food supply, because the corporate motivator in the United States has proved to be stronger than the citizen motivator in recent years. A few protests won’t change that. It will take concerted, long-running national efforts to change diets and attitudes before Monsanto and its peers are forced to loosen their grip on American farmlands.”

The comments are as revealing as the article – check them out.

Trans fats have not totally disappeared

In Food to Avoid, Take Action,

Posted on May 26, 2013
Author: Linda,
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You may recall that some years ago trans fatty acids (TFAs) were declared a health danger. TFAs are produced by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils until they are in a semi-solid state (like lard or butter). This makes them convenient from a manufacturing standpoint, but dangerous from a human one. They were so clearly linked to heart and metabolic risks that a major study of them was halted before completion so the researchers could warn the public. Labels began to require notification of TFA percentages in 2006.

Well, what’s happened in recent years? Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health, working with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), have examined commonly available manufactured foods, comparing 270 products in 2007 and again in 2011. They found mixed results. Good news: some manufacturers have reformulated two thirds of their products to reduce (or even eliminate) TFAs. Hmm, seems to me that this is another example of “the sky did not fall” when regulations based on good science are enforced. Bad news: some manufacturers have not, and even those who began going the right direction have slowed their efforts. Result: TFAs can still be found in hundreds of products.

“Artificial trans fat wreaks havoc on Americans’ metabolism and blood chemistry, something the FDA has known for 15 years,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. “This study clearly indicates that some food companies simply can’t be relied upon to get rid of trans fat on their own. The FDA could solve this problem once and for all, and save thousands of lives, with the stroke of a pen.”

How to protect yourself? You can’t be expected to read this whole study, even though it lists all 270 products the authors studied. The table of results is pretty complicated. What you can do: Read labels! Anything with trans fat should be avoided completely. Unfortunately, “Products that contain less than half a gram of trans fat per serving may list zero grams on Nutrition Facts labels,” said one of the study’s co-authors Dr. Fadar Otite. Let me add that the phrase “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” is a euphemism for TFAs and any product containing it should be avoided as well. Here’s one more reason to choose organic whenever possible.

A great restaurant in San Jose

In Food to Try, GMO's, Good News, Recommended Company,

Posted on April 29, 2013
Author: Linda,
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On Earth Day last week, some friends and I dined at The Vegetarian House, which is both vegan, non-GMO, and organic. Wait – don’t go yet! Vegan is delicious, and I just found out (again) how delicious!

As you may know, a vegetarian does not eat (dare we say, eschews) meat, fish, poultry – anything that was once a living animal. He or she may eat dairy and eggs. A vegan doesn’t eat these either. Just as carnivores wonder how one can live without meat and dairy, I used to wonder how one lived without cheese. But creative vegans have dreamed up incredibly delightful recipes and menus.

The six of us chose a variety of dishes and shared, so I got to sample a range of The Vegetarian House’s goodies. I’ll just list a few: Won ton soup (with shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, tofu, cilantro, and more), sweet and sour (pineapple, bell peppers, soy nuggets), clay pot (bean cakes wrapped in seaweed, with gravy and pepper), asparagus (with soy slices, bell pepper, mushrooms), curry masala (jicama, broccoli, shiitake, cauliflower, and more with coconut milk curry sauce) — well, you get the idea. Culinary influences are from China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Middle East, Europe and the Americas

What other earth-friendly practices do they have? Solar panels on the roof, energy-efficient lighting and appliances, local sourcing of ingredients whenever possible.

We didn’t try the desserts but they look tempting (organic tiramisu, carrot cake, banana fritters, etc.). And even raw desserts – strawberry cheesecake, carob mousse pie, and more. Looks as if I’ll just have to go back there and try them all!

520 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 95112 (408) 292 3798

info@vegetarianhouse.us

www.vegetarianhouse.us

Whole Foods will label GMOs

In GMO's, Good News, In the News, Recommended Company,

Posted on April 26, 2013
Author: Linda,
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Last month there was good news for those of us who a) want to know what’s in our food, and b) have hopes that a successful food chain can retain (or regain) its moral compass.

Whole Foods, possibly the largest and best-known earth-friendly food chain, announced in early March that by 2018 every product sold in its stores will have a label stating whether or not it contains genetically modified organisms.

Why does this matter? Because there hasn’t been enough independent research to determine whether genetically modified foods are safe – for our bodies and for the environment. I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust that the people whose livelihoods depend on proving something is safe will objectively weigh the evidence – and tell us what it says. My friend Michele Simon has been studying corporate misbehavior for years, and on her website eatdrinkpolitics.com (and accompanying newsletter) you can find out all the reasons you should be skeptical, too.

Five years is a long time to wait for full labeling of GMOs to appear in this chain, but in the meantime you can look for organic foods, which by definition do not have GMOs in them. You can also support the wave of legislative proposals to require labeling of GMOs. According to the Organic Consumers Association, there are 25 states currently working on such laws!

Saturday April 20 wonderful event in Berkeley

In Author Event, Food to Try, Holidays,

Posted on April 19, 2013
Author: Linda,
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The Berkeley Vegan Earth Day will be a fun-filled, action-packed day that focuses on the intersection of veganism and the environment. There will be a bevy of knowledgeable speakers, an eco chef battle, interactive Q&As, food demos, a panel discussion, and a film screening of Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home.

Location: David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way at Oxford St., Berkeley. Near downtown Berkeley BART. Time: 11 am to 6 pm. I’ll be speaking at 12.45 on how people who avoid meat are helping to save endangered species.

We will have a series of speakers throughout the day, starting at 11:15 AM sharp.

At any given time, there will be two to three speakers or events going on at once, including an eco-chef battle, the showing of the film Peaceable Kingdom, and food demos

There will also be vendors selling and/or sampling their vegan and eco-friendly products. Come hungry!

There will be a variety of amazing food for sale, lovingly made by catering companies and restaurants that are a part of this event. Plus, of course, many items to try out before you decide just how much of it you want to purchase to bring home with you!

Even if you can only attend for a portion of the day, you don’t want to miss this fun, educational, and inspiring event.

The great tomato plant sale

In Food to Try, Good News, In the News, Take Action,

Posted on April 7, 2013
Author: Linda,
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The Great Tomato Plant Sale. That’s the name given by master gardeners in Contra Costa to the plant sale they held yesterday in Walnut Creek. And it was great! I had no idea so many hundreds of people devotedly grew their own tomatoes. One of the many volunteers hosting the event said to me, “Last year, we planted 4,000 tomato starter plants, and sold out in three hours. So this year, we planted 14,000.”

It’s a good thing they did. When I arrived a few minutes before the official start time, there was a line three deep winding down the block and around the corner. People had come carrying boxes, flats, and other containers because boy, they were ready to start buying! The mood in the line was friendly but slightly competitive, as we all lusted after the rare heirloom varieties that had been advertised.

Tomatoes come in all colors and have snazzy names. Black tomatoes can be had in varieties called Black Cherry, Black Ethiopian, Black Prince, Chocolate Stripe, and more. Yellow tomatoes rejoice in the names of Yellow Brandywine, Wapsipinicon Peach, and Isis Candy. Classic reds are Box Car Willie, Principe Borghese, Red Zebra, and Cuore de Toro. Then there are Sugar Sweetie, Cherokee Purple, Chianti Rose – oh, you get the idea.

Master gardeners are people who have taken specified classes through university extensions and passed a rigorous exam. If you want to contact Contra Costa Master Gardeners, they are at mgcontracosta@ucdavis.edu ccmg.ucdavis.edu

CCMG also collaborated with the Contra Costa Times to create a project called Our Garden, where volunteers and master gardeners offer demonstrations and classes every Wednesday from April through October.

Check it out! These people know how to grow and how to teach. Very inspiring. Stay in touch with Contra Costa Master Gardeners so you can plan to attend next year!

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