For your Monday visual pleasure:
What do you think?
We want to let you in on a little secret: buying and eating organic products doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s healthier or more nutritious. Most of the time, it does. But sometimes, organic brands and organic products are now what they seem to make out to be. Read all about it below:
At Just Add Good Stuff, we always promote self-education and awareness about what actually goes in and on your body. So we would like you to ask yourself … who owns organic? Who actually owns organic brands and who’s behind the clever marketing that is transforming our eating and buying patterns? The truth will scare you… it sure frightened us when we dug a bit deeper into the organics industry and how it is affected by the big conglomerates.
The frightening research that was published by Phil Howard, a respected professor of Agriculture at Michigan State, shows how the organic industry has changed over the past few years. So who owns organic? Did you know that organics and organic brands are now being gobbled up and taken over by the big conglomerates without the consumer even knowing? Well, Phil Howard embarked on researching which organic brands have been bought out and are now controlled by some of the 25 large conventional worldwide food processors.
He produced this Organic Food Industry Chart back in 2002 when the organic industry was at its infancy. This was also the first year in which the USDA first implemented the organic food labeling system/standard. In addition, Phil Howard also published an animated graphic on how the organic sector consolidation has taken place between 1997 and 2007.
Here’s some of his research in the ‘who owns organic’ question in the United States (and globally):
HEINZ is in strategic partnership with HAIN CELESTIAL. Hain Celestial is the maker of many ‘organic brands’ that include Celestial Seasonings, Soy Dream, Rice Dream, Arrowhead Mils, Garden of Eatin’, Spectrum Organics, Earth’s Best and Westsoy. In addition, Hain Celestial controls ShariAnn’s, Little Bear, Westbrae, Mountain Sun, Walnut Acres, Nile Spice, Casbah and Breadshop, which in turn are controlled by Heinz.
CARGILL also controls parts of HAIN CELESTIAL and FRENCH MEADOW
KELLOGG owns and controls BEAR NAKED, WHOLESOME & HEARTY (garden burgers), KASHI CEREAL and MORNINGSTAR FARMS (and Natural Touch, makers of many organic veggie burgers and vegetarian/vegan products).
GENERAL MILLS owns both CASCADIAN FARMS (organic produce) and MUIR GLEN (organic canned products).
CONAGRA owns both LIGHTLIFE and ALEXIA FOODS.
M&M MARS owns SEEDS OF CHANGE.
CADBURY owns GREEN & BLACK’S.
HERSHEY FOODS owns DAGOBA (organic chocolate).
KRAFT owns BOCA FOODS and BACK TO NATURE.
DEAN FOODS owns WHITE WAVE/SILK (organic soy products), ALTA DENA, HORIZON (maker of top selling organic milk products) and THE ORGANIC COW OF VERMONT.
NESTLE owns TRIBE MEDITERRANEAN FOODS (maker of top selling hummus in the United States).
PEPSI owns NAKED JUICE.
COCA-COLA owns ODWALLA JUICE.
Now, we’re not concluding that these organic products and fresh organic produce are unsafe, but as a consumer, wouldn’t you want to do more research into how this happened, and whether these so-called organics are truly unaltered, healthier and more nutritious than other brands that these conglomerates own? If these big global companies are buying out all the smaller organic produce and organic brands, they will have complete control over the organic industry… which to us, is quite scary.
There are, however, some independent North American certified organic food brands that are not yet owned by big companies (as of late 2009). These independent organic food brands total more than $25 million worth of annual sales (and growing) which make them likely acquisition targets in the near future. However, right now, here is a list of independent organic brands:
Next in line for the Just Add Good Stuff INFOGRAPHIC SERIES is our Wheatgrass Infographic. The infographics (or infograms) that we are compiling provide you with interesting facts and things about the best vegetables, fruits, whole foods and general health. From weird and wacky facts to nutrition information per serving, these infographics is a starting point to help you kick start a more happy and healthy lifestyle. We hope you enjoy them!
Just Add Wheatgrass! Wheatgrass (or wheat grass) is one of the best superfoods available! Wheatgrass is a powerful health food supplement that is packed with highly concentrated chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, trace elements and enzymes. Because wheatgrass is a complete food that contains 98 of the 102 earth elements, it is often called a ‘superfood’. Here is our Wheatgrass Infographic that outlines the Top 10 health benefits of wheatgrass, wheatgrass nutrition information, wheatgrass recipes and some interesting facts about wheatgrass in general. Here is the Just Add Good Stuff Wheatgrass Infographic:
* All of our recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan! Click here for more recipes!
The Just Add Good Stuff wheatgrass infographic (we also call it a wheat grass infograph) talks about general wheatgrass facts and nutrient information. For more details about the health benefits and nutritional information, please contact us and we will find out more from licensed dieticians and medical science professionals. It is our goal to provide the best information possible and to help inspire you to become more healthy through diet, nutrition and fitness. The wheatgrass infographic will be updated whenever necessary, as studies and clinical research provides us with more insight into the health benefits of wheat grass which would affect our Top 10 wheatgrass health benefits on the Wheatgrass Infographic. In addition, we constantly experiment with uses of wheat grass in various dishes, so our wheatgrass recipes will also reflect that. Lastly, if we find any more interesting facts and figures about wheatgrass in general, we will also update the ‘Did You Know?’ section of our Just Add Good Stuff Wheatgrass Infographic.
The information on this infographic is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended to nor should it be a substitute for advice, consultation or visits to your health care provider.
‘Nutrition Facts’ provided by FatSecret.com and verified by Just Add Good Stuff.
Just Add Good Stuff presents “TIPS for a HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS & HAPPY LIFE” series. This is Set #2 following the hugely successful first set (click here)! The infographs serve as a reminder and guide to a healthy, more prosperous and happier life through nutrition, diet, and fitness.
Just right-click to ‘save’ the images to your computer -OR- click on these images for the ‘full-size’ version.
Just Add Good Stuff presents some tips for a happy, successful and healthier life:
subtract the bad stuff in your life | definitely add more of the really good stuff
but everything in MODERATION | smile all the time | RELAX | re-connect with a friend
call a family member | buy from local grocers | recycle + compost | DON’T smoke
adopt an organic whole foods plant based DIET | drink lots of water | meditate
say NO to fast food | eat LOTS of veggies | get some SUN | prioritize
be SPECIFIC about your goals | continue dreaming + thinking BIG
forget about your EPIC MELTDOWN… there’s always next season
Here’s our second infogram in our INFOGRAPHIC SERIES on Just Add Good Stuff. The infographics give you some introductory information about health benefits, recipes and interesting facts about various whole foods, vegetables and fruits. We hope you enjoy them!
Just Add Ginger! A powerful, aromatic, gentle and flavorful herb, ginger or ginger root has been used as a natural remedy for hundreds of ailments for centuries. The stunning health benefits are now being scientifically proven and they range from treating bacterial infections to digestion to cancer. Here is a Ginger Infographic that outlines the Top 10 health benefits of ginger, ginger nutrition information, ginger recipes and some interesting facts about ginger root. Here is the Just Add Good Stuff Ginger Infographic:
* All of our recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan! Click here for more recipes!
The ginger infogram (or ginger infographic) talks about high-level information regarding the ginger root. For more details about the health benefits and nutritional information about ginger and ginger root, please contact us and we will find out more from licensed dieticians and medical science professionals. It is our goal to provide the best information possible and to help inspire you to become more healthy through diet, nutrition and fitness. The ginger infographic will be updated whenever necessary, as studies and clinical research provides us with more insight into the health benefits of ginger root which would affect our Top 10 ginger health benefits on the Ginger Infographic. In addition, we constantly experiment with uses of ginger root in various dishes, so our ginger recipes will also reflect that. Lastly, if we find any more interesting facts and figures about blueberries in general, we will also update the ‘Did You Know?’ section of our Just Add Good Stuff Ginger Infographic.
The information on this infographic is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended to nor should it be a substitute for advice, consultation or visits to your health care provider.
‘Nutrition Facts’ provided by FatSecret.com and verified by Just Add Good Stuff.
For your Sunday visual pleasure:
What do you think?
Want a great spring/summer salad dressing recipe? Look no further as Just Add Good Stuff is publishing their favorite Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing recipe right here!
Strawberries and mango are a perfect pairing when it comes to flavours, textures, colours and nutrition. Both of these fabulous and nutritious fruits are combined in this simple and very quick salad dressing recipe that can go on any spring or summer mixed green salad. Personally, we love the combination of fresh organic spinach, arugula, kale, cucumber and lettuce coupled with this Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing, but it’s really up to you. Below is our recipe … let us know what you think and how we can improve it!
Please share with your friends and family!
Servings: enough for a starter salad for 6-8 people
Preparation Time: 5 to 10 minutes
1 mango (organic, ripe, champagne mangos are preferable)
8 strawberries (organic, ripe and large size, de-stemmed)
1/8 cup almond oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup mango nectar (organic, no sugar added!)
2 tbsp orange juice (freshly squeezed, organic)
2 tsp lemon zest
1 pinch salt
Step 1: Wash all fresh ingredients thoroughly
Step 2: Cut the fruit from the mango. Try to get the least amount of ‘mango hair’ when cutting close to the pit.
Step 3: Add all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Step 4: Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth
Step 5: Empty salad dressing into a serving container or a sealed jar for up to 5 days
Step 6: Serve with a mixed green salad of your choice
Step 7: Enjoy and Share with your friends and family
Remember that cooking is all about experimenting and changing things up all the time.
For instance, this Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing recipe can easily be converted into a spread or dip. By combining these ingredients along with some banana or avocado, you can easily make this salad dressing recipe into a thicker dip that goes well with gluten free crackers and breads.
Alternatively, the Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing recipe can also be cooked with chia seeds in order to create a jelly or jam spread. This will be even thicker than the dip and will likely be sweeter as most of the moisture of the fruits will be boiled away.
Of course, Just Add Good Stuff promotes healthy, organic and raw foods as much as possible … so the closer it is to its natural state, the better and more nutritious the ingredients will be for your mind and body.
This is the first of our INFOGRAPHIC SERIES on Just Add Good Stuff. The infographics (or infograms) will provide you with interesting facts and figures about various vegetables, fruits, whole foods and general health. From weird and wacky facts to nutritional information per serving, these infographics is a starting point to help you kick start a more healthy and happy lifestyle. We hope you enjoy them!
Just Add Blueberries! Blueberries are one of the best superfoods in the world! Blueberries are high in nutrition, vitamins and trace minerals. All of these aid in our cognitive, circulatory, nervous and digestive systems. Here is a Blueberry Infographic that outlines the Top 10 health benefits of blueberries, blueberry nutrition information, blueberry recipes and some interesting facts about blueberries. Here is the Just Add Good Stuff Blueberry Infographic:
* All of our recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan! Click here for more recipes!
This blueberry infographic (we also call it a blueberry infograph) talks about general blueberry facts and information. For more details about the health benefits and nutritional information, please contact us and we will find out more from licensed dieticians and medical science professionals. It is our goal to provide the best information possible and to help inspire you to become more healthy through diet, nutrition and fitness. The blueberry infographic will be updated whenever necessary, as studies and clinical research provides us with more insight into the health benefits of blueberries which would affect our Top 10 blueberry health benefits on the Blueberry Infographic. In addition, we constantly experiment with uses of blueberries in various dishes, so our blueberry recipes will also reflect that. Lastly, if we find any more interesting facts and figures about blueberries in general, we will also update the ‘Did You Know?’ section of our Just Add Good Stuff Blueberry Infographic.
The information on this infographic is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended to nor should it be a substitute for advice, consultation or visits to your health care provider.
‘Nutrition Facts’ provided by FatSecret.com and verified by Just Add Good Stuff.
Since embarking on my vegan journey this year, I’ve received incredible support from family, friends and strangers. I have to admit that many people, including myself, were very skeptical about veganism and how I could manage without eating my favourite foods that included fast foods, fruit juice and lots of candy. It’s now been more than 5 months since my vegan experience began and this article serves to talk about things that I’ve learned by going vegan and how my life has changed due to veganism.
1. Live a healthier and happier life through a vegan diet and vegan lifestyle
2. Educate myself on general health and vegan nutrition programs
3. Become more aware of what I’m putting into and on my body through making tough conscious decisions
4. Debunk myths about veganism or vegans that were unconsciously planted in my brain during my adolescence
5. Continue my ever changing fitness and core training routines
6. Learn to cook (both raw dishes and cooked meals) that follow a vegan diet
7. Talk to and research about vegans or people who have experienced going vegan
8. Watch at least one documentary per week about food, water, whole foods plant based diets, veganism, vegetarianism, physiology or happiness/emotions
9. Inspire those around me to adopt a vegan diet and to experience veganism (for perhaps 1 month at least)
I haven’t felt more physically and mentally strong since going vegan five months ago. It’s been a life-changing experience so far, and this 1 year experiment may need to last a lifetime. I’m really enjoying educating myself about veganism and what it means to be vegan in addition to becoming more aware of everything surrounding us when it comes to our food supply, diet and fitness. All of these things contribute to a healthier and happier life and I’m very grateful to have embarked on this vegan experience at this point in my life. If you are interested in learning more about my first 5 months of going vegan, please read below.
1. Going vegan has allowed me to sleep a lot better. I’ve never slept through a night before (unless with harmful medication), but now, I get at least 5 to 6 hours of solid sleep a night. I attribute this to my vegan diet and lifestyle.
2. Simply said: I don’t get painful migraines anymore. I used to get at least a migraine every other day. They were painful and crippling both physiologically and mentally. I couldn’t work, play or relax. I haven’t had a single migraine since starting my vegan diet!
3. I also used to get allergies throughout the year that were triggered by pollen, temperature or altitude changes. These allergies were often debilitating, causing an unstoppable runny nose, itchy eyes and migraines. I still get allergies, but certainly not as bad as before I went vegan. If I get a runny nose or itchy eyes, I can take a half dose antihistamine and the allergy will disappear completely.
4. Since my vegan experience began, my body weight has continued to be very stable (around 155-160 pounds). As an athletic person who weight trains, I certainly didn’t want to lose any body weight or muscle mass by cutting out animal based proteins and whey protein powders from my daily routine. However, I’m pleased to say that I’ve found plenty of plant based natural protein sources to accommodate my protein needs for fitness.
5. Further to my body’s physiological changes, I’ve noticed that my body fat content has actually decreased since going vegan. I’ve now got a more ‘defined’ body that actually looks ‘more muscular’ even though my body weight hasn’t changed.
6. By switching to a whole foods plant based diet, I no longer have extreme tiredness in the afternoon (I often had to take naps around 2-3pm). I also don’t have the sugar spikes and troughs throughout the day, which has lead to a more balanced and healthy life.
7. My teeth are whiter than before. Yes, that’s correct! My teeth have increasingly become more white since cutting out candy, refined sugars and sugary drinks from my diet.
8. My digestion is better and I’m more regular (enough said). I also don’t get heartburn, cramps or bloating anymore (enough said there too).
9. I’m a lot less anxious now. Whether it was too much caffeine or refined sugars, I was always anxious about something: work, schedules, travel and everything else. Now, I feel like I’m a lot calmer and more patient with everything… which is who I was when I was younger. It’s nice to get this feeling back. It’s great to have control again.
10. My skin is clearer and my hair is healthier and shinier. I’ve also noticed that other small things have changed gradually, including healthier looking skin, hair and nails.
1. Never assume anything. Always educate yourself in what matters most to you. If it’s veganism or going vegan or health & nutrition in general, self-educate. It’s a life changing skill, so work on it!
2. My top 10 superfoods include: spirulina, raw cacao, maca, papaya, kale, spinach, chia, hemp, flax, lemon. These are followed closely by: banana, goji, almond, pistachio, wheatgrass, blueberry, ginger and broccoli.
3. Top 10 food products that are most susceptible to food fraud: milk, olive oil, honey, saffron, fish, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, black pepper and tea leaves.
4. Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables that are laced with pesticides: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, imported nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and sweet bell peppers. This is followed closely by kale and summer squash.
5. Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables that are the cleanest and contain the fewest pesticides: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, sweet corn, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, mangos, mushrooms, onions, papayas, pineapples, sweet peas (frozen) and sweet potatoes.
6. The United States just approved a pesticide that has been linked to the Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD whilst the European Union just banned the same substance for at least 2 years.
7. Always buy organic, locally grown produce. Not only are they the safest to consume, but they are also the healthiest when it comes to nutritional value.
8. Almonds, cashews and hazelnuts have the highest nutritional value when it comes to nut nutrition. This is followed by pistachios and peanuts. Of course, these nuts should be roasted and not salted.
9. There are always more healthy alternatives and substitutes for unhealthy foods and processed products. Take for instance… baking and eggs are synonymous with each other. However, you can easily substitute an egg with 1 tablespoon of flax with 4 tablespoons of water when baking. Or, you can also substitute refined sugar with organic dates, coconut palm sugar, stevia or honey.
10. Our bodies require a lot less food (in terms of weight/quantity) when we focus on eating nutritious whole foods and plant based foods. Our bodies are filled with more nutritious calories (versus empty calories) which tell us to stop eating sooner. Because of this, we spend less money on food now when compared to the pre-vegan lifestyle. Now that’s food for thought.
1. It has only been 5 months, but organic wheatgrass has NOT stopped my hair from turning grey, nor has it turned my grey hair back to black. Perhaps it’s just a myth, or maybe I need to keep growing and eating wheatgrass to see these benefits. In any case, I’m not taking wheatgrass so that I stop greying … my friends tell me that I look more distinguished and perhaps sexy with grey.
2. I buy all of my organic produce from a local market on my way back from the gym. It’s a family run Chinese market that sources fresh, organic and beautiful vegetables and fruit that I can’t get anywhere else. They refer to me as ‘The Papaya Man’. But lately, I’ve bought more organic kale than papaya, and so they’ve changed my name to ‘The Healthy Kale Guy’. They’ll probably end up just calling me ‘The Strange Vegan Guy’.
3. Because I wanted a true vegan experience, I decided to start a vegetable garden in my backyard. One day, the topsoil (essentially, it was shit … but I hate to use that word, but it really was just shit) arrived and they dumped it all in the back lane that is used often by my neighbours. Unfortunately for me, I had to spend hours shoveling this manure into my vegetable gardens … it was tough work, smelled really horrific, but hopefully it was worth it.
4. While going out with friends and family, I often felt like a ‘social pariah’. I felt like an outcast and sort of ‘isolated’ from my friends because not many other people were going through my vegan experience at the same time. In addition, many people often made fun of my vegan diet and veganism in general, which was hard to take at first. However, as time went by, I realized that these people were manifesting their own fears and doubts about their own diet, nutrition and fitness. In many ways, there were only trying to justify their unhealthy lifestyle by putting down veganism, which is unfortunate.
5. When I went vegan, I didn’t know what kale, Swiss chard, spirulina, raw cacao or maca were. No idea. Didn’t know if they were vegetables or fruits or meat or whole foods. Things have changed.
I started my ‘vegan’ experience by gradually taking out the ‘bad stuff’ and ‘bad food’ in my diet while continuing to exercise at least 5 times per week. I didn’t go cold turkey on things like organic meats (mainly chicken and beef), gluten or dairy products. I did, however, go cold turkey on all candy and fast food from the beginning. It took about 30 days (1 month) to get from a very unhealthy lifestyle to a completely healthy vegan diet and nutrition program.
I understand that many people don’t have the support network, time or commitment to make a full scale life-long change to veganism, and that’s why I started Just Add Good Stuff. I want to inspire people to take on a whole foods plant based diet as much as possible, but I also understand the complexities of everyday life that are so unique to every person.
Therefore, Just Add Good Stuff, is all about taking the ‘bad stuff’ out of our lives gradually while adding more ‘good stuff’. By doing so, you can still enjoy life to its fullest … and in many ways, by taking care of your health first, you will be much happier, successful and healthier in everyday life.
For your Friday visual pleasure:
What do you think?