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NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina MS, RD
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Kale |
Organic eating has gone mainstream. Responding to consumer demand,
supermarkets now feature centrally placed organic produce sections. Over
the past decade, the organic food industry has increased at 20 percent
per year. What drives this growing support for organic food?
With insight and common sense, savvy consumers figure that if a whiff of insecticides can
kill bugs dead, these chemicals aren’t going to do our bodies a whole lot of
good. After all, our cells respond to poisons in the same general
manner. And toxic herbicides aren’t that appealing either, even if
just a trace remains at harvest time.
To put things in perspective, the use of pesticides for agricultural
purposes has been a common practice for just half a century. Prior to
the 1950s, organic farming was the normal system of food production. The
pesticide industry and the chemical warfare industry grew together as
siblings; the research that supports these fields has much in common.
Many pesticides were registered long before extensive studies
established links to cancer and other diseases and the sometimes-tragic
effects on farm workers became known. Today the list of permitted chemicals
varies markedly from country to country.
Already by a 1993 National Academy of Sciences study entitled "Pesticides in the
Diets of Infants and Children", pesticide regulation was
considered outdated and
flawed. The risk assessment that has been done is based on
on animal studies, or occasionally on studies of
adult
consumption of one pesticide at a time. Yet the
concentration of toxic chemicals in the body of a rapidly growing child is
likely to create a different and possibly higher risk. Furthermore, we
have no idea of the effects when dozens of these substances are
of ingested and then interact
over a lifetime.
Are there further advantages to choosing organic produce? Though fresh
vegetables and fruit of any type can be flavorful, some consumers
report that organic produce tastes better. What factors contribute to the development
of a flavorful tomato or a luscious strawberry? Sunlight, clean water
and soil with the full spectrum of minerals and essential nutrients are
high on the list. Organic farmers keep their soils balanced and well fed
through proper tillage, crop rotation and the use of beneficial pests
and predators.
A 2004 study showed organic tomatoes to have more vitamin
C and protective substances known as carotenoids. Canadian consumers like
the fact that organic foods are not genetically modified. (To earn the
organic label in Canada,
produce
must be GMO-free as well as pesticide-
and herbicide-free.) Eating low on
the food chain, we avoid the toxins that accumulate in animal fats.
An easy way to boost your intake of organic produce is to arrange for
weekly delivery. Search in your area (or by internet) for "Community
Supported Agriculture" and "Organic delivery" services. Farm markets are
also great places to get organic produce in season.
World’s Greatest Greens
Kale and collards are great calcium sources, but we may be at a loss
about how to prepare them. Here’s a solution from
Becoming Vegetarian
(in the US titled The New Becoming Vegetarian, by V. Melina and B. Davis, 2003) that is so delicious that it’s
practically addictive. A 3/4-cup serving provides more well absorbed
calcium than a cup of milk.
12 cups (2 pounds) kale or collard greens
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. cumin
3 cups parsley, cilantro, or a mixture, chopped
1/2 tsp. tamari (or to taste)
1 lemon, cut in wedges (or 2 tsp. lemon juice)
Remove stems from kale or collards; chop in strips about one inch wide.
Place greens in a steamer, cook until soft and drain well. In preheated
frying pan, combine oil, garlic, cumin and paprika; cook over medium
heat for 1-2 minutes, without letting garlic get too brown. Add parsley,
steamed greens and tamari; stir to distribute seasonings. Serve with
wedges of fresh lemon or sprinkled lemon juice.
Makes three cups (four servings).
Vesanto Melina is a dietitian, author and consultant; see
www.nutrispeak.com. |
