PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: Guar Gum

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Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

Guar gum is everywhere these days. A staple in various processed goods, from alternative milk to gluten-free goods, this binding agent makes foods thicker. Since it's an additive, however, we wanted to examine it. Here's everything you need to know. 

What is Guar Gum?

Often referred to as gellan gum, Guar gum is a galactomannan, a polysaccharide (carbohydrate) found in the cell walls of guar gum beans, which grows on Cyamopsis tetragonolobus plants native to Pakistan and India. Cultivators de-husk and mill the shells of the beans, which then is turned into a powder food additive. Guar gum has high water-absorbing capabilities, making it an effective way to thicken soups, milk, and other foods.

What does Guar Gum do?

The primary purpose of guar gum is to make food thicker and palatable. Because it rapidly absorbs water, guar gum creates a gel-like consistency. Used as an emulsifier, it bolsters the texture of certain foods. These include: 

  • Yogurt 

  • Nut and plant milk

  • Ice cream

  • Canned soups 

  • Protein bars

  • Supplement powders

  • Vitamins

  • Gluten-free baked goods

Farmers grow guar gum beans on several continents. While it's used as an emulsifier in personal care and household products, most guar gum is found in foods today. It's also available on its own.

Is Guar Gum Bad?

Research on guar gum and its potential issues is limited. Still, some studies have shown it to interfere with the gut microbiome. Because it absorbs water quickly, research has also shown it interferes with the digestive system. Popular diet pills and appetite-curbing supplements include guar gum because it causes food to swell in the stomach, leading to a feeling of fullness.


Our PrimaFoodie Take

Like any additive, we're hesitant to give guar gum a thumbs up. The fewer additives, the better, in our book. We advise paying attention, reading labels, and seeing how this additive impacts your digestive system. 

Further reading: The Primafoodie Ingredient Spotlight on Soy Lec.

What does ethical meat look like? A Conversation with the founders of Pasture PDX

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Pasture PDX is a butcher shop doing things differently. At least, differently by conventional American standards. Founders Kei Ohdera and HJ Schaible take a European approach to their butchery, sourcing retired dairy cows and using the entire animal for butcher cuts and meats for their Portland, Oregon deli and butcher shop. Every cow Ohdera and Schaible acquires comes from a regenerative farmer they know who has raised the animal ethically and humanely. 

Ohdera and Schaible’s approach is common in Europe and other parts of the world. However, it’s rare here in the US, where the corporate concentration of meat production and factory farming are growing issues. Only four companies dominate the production—more than 80 percent—of our nation’s meat. This monopoly comes at the cost of many, including small farmers, animal welfare, and the health of our planet. 

We recently spoke to Ohdera and Schaible about being more conscious meat consumers. By focusing on ethical animal husbandry—an all-encompassing term that describes the mindful day-to-day care of animals raised for meat, dairy, and other products—Ohdera and Schaible are bringing high-quality meats to their customers while also supporting a more inclusive, humane, and ethical local food system.  

A Conversation with Kei Ohdera and HJ Schaible

You take a European-style approach to butchery, and source retired dairy cows for your meat. Please walk us through why this is unique and ethical.

Ohdera: Our whole project was inspired by sourcing retired dairy cows. It's historically done quite often in European countries because there's a lot of logic to it, even though we have yet to be able to reestablish that supply chain here. The thought is that the animal is raised to live a longer life and provides a product to the community that has value through the milk and everything else, and then the meat. So not only does it have incredible flavor, the animal is living longer. Also, when farmers have the right rotational program, it's also helping the soil. But mainly, you're providing a product to the community, not just raising these animals just to be slaughtered.

A lot of commodity ground beef will be combined with hundreds of different animals. The farmer typically gets underpaid for these cows, and [the cow and meat] are not respected in the same way.

Why is the US meat industry complex for smaller farmers? What are some issues you're seeing?

Ohdera: The USDA holds too firm a grip on these small producers. There aren't enough slaughterhouses. For instance, there used to be 32 slaughterhouses in Oregon. For a myriad of reasons, there are only eight to 10 remaining. Some burned in the fire a few years ago, and others shut down because it's a tough industry to turn a profit. It's also challenging work because the USDA has such strong oversight. Many of these smaller producers can only sell directly to consumers if they sell it by half a cow or a quarter. So, with the smaller producers, in terms of retired dairy cows, they don't have the time or the infrastructure to take these animals down to the auction. So typically, they hire somebody to come pick up the animal, then it goes down to auction, where it won't get a premium price.

It's hard to talk about the meat industry and not touch upon the big feed lots throughout this country. I see them when I drive I-5 from San Francisco to Los Angeles: fenced-in areas with tons and tons of cows packed in. What is essential to know about these?

Schaible: That's a huge industry, and, going back to what Kei touched on, the USDA has played into it. The beef industry—or the meat industry—is massive. Multiple countries have a hold on it. The idea that meat should be your source of protein and you, therefore, must eat a lot of meat and drink a lot of milk has been pushed forward so much here in the US.

Ohdera: In terms of these big feedlots, the animals aren't being treated very well. They're not given the space that they need. Their diet is typically a lot of grain, which is not good for their health and not good for our health. When you say you're driving to LA, you have a high concentration of animals in one particular area because that's where the land is cheap. So these big producers buy up the ground, and then they raise a ton of animals on them, and they end up not contributing to the health of the soil because there are too many animals in one place. Also, all of that waste gets concentrated and often wastes into the water supply, which is not supposed to happen. So that is both environmentally and ethically speaking in terms of the animal's welfare.

If someone wants to support a more ethical meat industry, how can they be more conscious about the meat they consume?

Schaible: Something that Kei and I talk about a lot is eating less meat in general. Even though we're a butcher shop, we encourage people to eat what's necessary and to engage in more conscious buying. Many of our customers, as well as people who walk in for our lunch menu, are aware that we're taking one whole animal, breaking it down, and turning it into our menu in retail. So we focus on showing people and informing them of certain cuts, how to prepare them, and the quantity for the amount that they're feeding.

So again, even though our bread and butter is butchery, we encourage people to have a more mindful approach to buying meat and how much, and also to consider how much vegetables or starches they're eating with it. Instead of doing the whole slab of meat on a plate, we inform people that you're going to be spending a premium price for grass-fed locally raised meat, so respect it.

What should someone look out for when they're more consciously buying meat? Are there markers to seek or questions to ask?

Ohdera: It's a tough question to answer because there are a lot of tag words used for branding. You may see the word organic, but that doesn't always mean that the lives of these animals are being considered. It typically does because somebody likely wouldn't go through the licensing process to just mess it up in terms of how they raised the animals. Increasingly, smaller producers who are ethically minded are using the term regenerative. That means considering the health of the soil and the total environment that the animals are in, and so it's contributing back instead of just taking from the land.

To support and learn more about Kei Ohdera and HJ Schaible and their butcher shop, Pasture PDX, visit pasturepdx.com.

The Critical Organ Connection a Nutritional Psychiatrist Wants Us All to Know

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It may seem obvious that fresh arugula will nourish your brain while a candy bar will deplete it, but Dr. Uma Naidoo helps us see why. A nutritional psychiatrist and author of the bestseller This Is Your Brain on Food, Dr. Naidoo breaks down the link between what we eat and how our brains function in a compelling, direct, and inspiring way. “I want people to feel hopeful," she says, "and really start to eat healthier for your brain health and your mental fitness."

Dr. Naidoo, who is the director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry Services at Massachusetts General Hospital, recently joined Nichole on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ to talk more about the brain-gut connection and its riveting impact on our mental well-being. Here we break down four fascinating facts from their conversation. 

#1: Our gut and brain are inextricably connected.
The gut and brain arise from the same cells in the human embryo and then divide to form two organs, explains Dr. Naidoo. “The two organs remain connected throughout our lives by the tenth cranial nerve called the Vagus nerve” which allows for chemical messaging between the two organ systems. So throughout our lives, these organ systems are always in communication. 


#2: Most of the “happiness hormone” comes from the gut. 
More than 90 percent of our serotonin, the so-called “happiness hormone” that influences a host of human functions including mood, digestion, and sexual desire, is produced within the gut. Additionally, 70 percent of our immune system is in the gut, adds Dr. Naidoo. “So we start to understand that as we eat food, and food is digested, it is starting to interact with this two-way connection that exists between the gut and the brain.”

#3: Our microbes are critical—so we must take care of them.
The gut contains 39 odd trillion microbes, says Dr. Naidoo. While their types and roles vary, they’re mainly there to work in tandem with our body regarding vitamin production, sleep and circadian rhythm, hormones, immunity, mental health, and so much more. With this said, when we are under stress or eat unhealthy foods, those microbes become impacted and can evolve into bad microbes. “When we eat poorly, the bad microbes are fed and nurtured,” continues Dr. Naidoo. “And when we feed and nurture the bad, the bad bugs, the bad microbes, they start to take over and then they set up for gut inflammation. This is why it’s critical to nourish and care for our microbes with proper sleep, stress management, and healthy healing foods such as vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes. As Dr. Naidoo puts it, “We want to live in community with our gut microbes.”

#4: To honor our mental health, we must eat well.
Inflammation in the gut leads to inflammation in the brain. This fact underscores why Dr. Naidoo sees food and nutrition as one of the most critical ways to care for our emotional and mental well-being. By moving away from foods that are processed and high in sugar and toward fresh, whole options “we’re immediately making a better choice for mental health and an improvement in our gut health and ultimately, our brain health.”

To learn more from Dr. Naidoo, listen to ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ here. 

PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: Nitrates

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Nitrates have been around for centuries—even longer. A food additive widely known for its presence in deli meats, nitrates are nitrogen compounds. But are they harmful, healthy, somewhere in between? We break down the facts.

What are nitrates?

Nitrates are naturally occurring compounds that consist of oxygen and nitrogen. We say 'naturally occurring' as nitrites have an organic presence in animals, including humans, as well as in water, soil, and various plants. 

There are also added nitrates, which humans have been putting into foods. 

How do nitrates and nitrites differ?

People often talk about nitrites and nitrates interchangeably because the compounds are in the same chemical family—but there is a difference between the two. While both are oxygen and nitrogen compounds, nitrates (NO3) have three oxygen atoms that bond with one nitrogen atom, whereas nitrites (NO2) have only two oxygen atoms. 

This slight chemical variation can make a difference in how our bodies digest and convert them. When consumed, nitrates can naturally convert to nitrites in our bodies. Biological research shows nitrites and their two oxygen atoms to be more chemically prone to react with other chemicals. Additionally, some nitrites convert to nitric oxide in our bodies, a chemical that aids in brain functioning and blood flow regulation.

Where are nitrates found?

Naturally, nitrates are abundant in some vegetables, including:

  • Leafy greens

  • Beets

  • Spinach

  • Celery

Nitrates are also naturally found in animal meats, poultry, and dairy.

Why are nitrates added to foods?

While nitrates organically show up in nature, humans have been purposefully adding nitrates to foods for centuries, with some historians starting as early as 3000 BC. The main reason for adding nitrates to food is for preserving purposes. Nitrates keep bacteria, particularly clostridium botulinum, and other organisms from growing. 

But more recently, particularly in the past century with the proliferation of processed foods, nitrates were also lauded for their ability to improve the texture and appearance of meats. This is why nitrates are so widely and rightfully associated with processed meats, such as cold cuts and hot dogs. They keep these processed foods shelf-stable and give them that certain pink hue and specific texture.

Are nitrates harmful?

When it comes to naturally occurring nitrates, the research underscores that these have benefits. For one, these compounds are natural and are found in some of the most essential and healthy foods to consume, such as leafy greens. Also, as we noted, when consumed nitrates convert to nitrites which then convert to nitric oxide—and nitric oxide plays a role in regulating blood pressure, not to mention other benefits such as boosting circulation. A 2019 study found that eating dietary nitrates through about one daily cup of vegetables can reduce heart disease. Of course, other nutrients in these vegetables play a critical health role.

Now when we start looking at added nitrates, things get murkier. There’s been wide speculation that nitrates are potentially harmful to our health. Various reasons propel this: One is that when certain foods with added nitrates are cooked on high heat, the nitrates convert to nitrites which then convert to the chemical nitrosamines, which health studies have linked to cancer in laboratory animals. 

Furthermore, a 2015 report from the World Organization (WHO) flat-out said that eating processed meats could lead to colon cancer. But is this all because of the nitrates or because of other factors related to processed foods? The jury is still out on this one, but the evidence has many heads turning—so much so that WHO considers processed meats with nitrates to be a Group 1 carcinogen. 

Additionally, various advocacy groups and researchers have warned and continue to warn that added nitrates are potentially harmful and carcinogenic.  

Our PrimaFoodie Take

We confidently and wholly say: We avoid added nitrates. Our reasons vary. 

For one, we always ask: If something doesn’t need to be in a food, why add it or consume it? We now have the refrigeration capabilities to keep meats and other items fresh without the need for such preservatives. 

Also, the research mentioned above gives us great pause. Our bodies respond differently to natural nitrates versus human-manipulated and added nitrates. If WHO has been warning against nitrate-added foods, we’re listening. Like so many additives, consuming these in small amounts may be fine, but the cumulative effects could very well be dire.

But here’s the bigger conversation: Foods that contain added nitrates are often ultra-processed and filled with other manipulated and unhealthy additives. Nitrates or not, we view most processed foods as a threat to our wellbeing. Give us fresh organic vegetables and a steak over processed deli meat any day. 

This Annual Natural Products Expo Compels Us Every Year. Still, Were Surprised at What We Found and Learned This Year

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Of all our efforts to reveal the health hazards in our food system, our most recent eye-opening education came from an unexpected place: Natural Products Expo West. 

If you’re not familiar, Expo West is an annual gathering in Anaheim, California that attracts manufacturers, distributors, practitioners, media, and educators in the business of natural and organic lifestyle products. (There’s also a yearly sister event, ‘Expo East’ that happens in Philadelphia.) A giant exhibition, it’s a rush of discovery and connection. Brands from all over come to tout their health-focused foods, vitamins, and personal care items. They wax poetic about innovations in the industry, from newly revealed super ingredients or sustainable ways to package. 

In many ways, Expo West is a place we tap into our energy. So many people here are our people—those who’ve built smaller brands dedicated to providing a clean, just, equitable way to provide better, more wholesome products. But in truth, there’s still a lot that lives between the lines here. This crush of creators, marketers, and information—as exciting as it all is—demanded our most discerning hats. The following are some of the biggest things we learned this year.

#1: Small Brands Have It Hard

As Nichole and Adrienne walked the aisles, they talked to many smaller food brands. Some brands were more established, others new to the industry. The drive fueling these companies was infectious: Their goal was to create high-quality, healthy food products for the masses. Yet they all faced a challenge: How to grow in a sea of corporate food giants without compromising their values. 

The consensus among these brands is that it’s hard to keep up in a market dominated by giant companies that put profits over health. This shows us mostly in ingredients. Let’s say a small brand starts by using a high-quality natural alternative to sugar, such as dates. They market this choice as a healthier option, which it is. But dates are expensive, and when a company needs to scale beyond a niche audience, they may choose to nix the dates for less costly sugar. This is especially true if a brand wants to get shelf space in a mass-market grocery store. 

So what gives? We don’t have the answer here. In many ways, we’d rather see a brand make some concessions if it’s still providing a better alternative to the conventional mass-produced options. On the other hand, it’s unfortunate how steep a hill many values-aligned food brands must climb. 

#2: We Need to Continue to Read Our Ingredients

Let’s stay on the topic of small brands scaling. We were thrilled to see so many boutique companies striving to reach a broader audience, whether this means selling to larger markets or scaling their manufacturing to meet demands. But as we’ve mentioned, many end up altering their ingredients to keep up. This may mean swapping one ingredient for a less expensive one. But it also includes incorporating additives that bolster a product’s shelf life or enrich its consistency. For instance, we saw brands incorporating guar gum for shelf stabilization when they didn’t include this ingredient last year. (We also found loads of sugar and erythritol in certain products.) This is part of the business cycle, as these brands need to grow and reach a broader market. 

The onus is on us to keep learning and reading our ingredients. Our takeaway: Never take a product’s ingredient list for granted. One brand may start with a limited and clean ingredients list when selling at a farmer’s market, but once they reach a broader consumer base, they start to weave in things that may or may not be healthy. We must stay educated and know our ingredients.  It’s a hard truth: Most food companies don't exist for our health. They exist to sell their product. So keep picking up and turning over every product.


#4: Every Choice—Big or Small—Matters

It can be overwhelming to always stay positive and joyful in the face of wellness. (Note: We’ll be exploring this topic in an upcoming feature!) At PrimaFoodie, we lean into clean, healthy food every day, and still, we recognize how it can be a slog at times. Especially when a supposed clean brand starts including subpar ingredients. What? Does this bar have erythritol in it? But here’s what we want to say: Small decisions matter. Tiny steps make a difference. For instance, it may be impossible to completely rid packaged foods from your diet right now. But by swapping out conventional crackers for ones made by a smaller brand that uses cleaner ingredients, you’re choosing your health that you can build on. You’re also supporting the companies who are fighting the good fight in a giant and still corrupt food system.

This sentiment underscores why we love to offer you recipes. Starting by cooking one more meal at home than you usually do can lead to a giant difference. This creates momentum for more healthy decisions. 

We call these the small wins—and they’re one of the best things we can do for our health, hands down.  

This Author and Clean Foods Advocate Has Some of the Most Important—and Refreshing—Food Advice We’ve Heard

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At the start of her career, Haley Scheich worked for Pfizer. This sentence might not seem radical, but once you learn how committed to seeing food as medicine Scheich is today, you can see the value mismatch between her and the pharmaceutical giant. Still, the experience taught her about pharmacology, biochemistry, “and how the body works and different disease states,” she tells our founder, Nichole. It was, in a word, eye-opening. 

Even more eye-opening was the education Scheich received after she left her Pfizer job. When a friend suggested she join her in a yoga class, Scheich was reticent but curious. By the end of the class, she was transformed. “It was really through the practice of yoga that I became more aware of my body and understood the power of food, as it related to what I ate and what I didn't eat,” she says. Yoga sparked a newfound understanding of what made her feel good and what made her feel sluggish, foggy, and tired. She started reading books on alternative nutrition, like Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter, and ridding gluten and dairy from her life. “I felt like a new person,” she says. “And so, of course, then I was all in and just read every book that I could get my hands on.”

In her words, Scheich was starting to see how food can be medicine. Rather than taking a pill to fix an issue, a theme surrounding her early-career work, she saw food as a way to unlock the body’s power. She’s since turned into a passionate advocate for whole foods, most recently making her wisdom palatable for young readers in her children's book, My SuperHero Foods. Coauthored with Dr. Tarek Pacha, this book is a fun, uplifting read that helps little ones understand what they put into their bodies matters. And it all stems from how Scheich got her own children to eat better. “ I would share the power of that whole food that they were eating. For example, avocados. They're full of monounsaturated fat, which just gives us this incredible energy. If we want to go out and jump rope and jump higher, let's eat avocado because it's going to give us that power!” 

But all this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Scheich’s deep (and infectious) knowledge about food, our food system, and getting our little—and all loved ones—to eat better. Luckily, we got to learn so much from Scheich on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’—including the following three pieces of food wisdom we all must know.

#1: The FDA Doesn’t Have Our Backs

Much to our dismay, this still is true. So we must look out for ourselves. People may think “this fruit punch drink with the bright blue has vitamin C and antioxidants in it [...] must be healthy,” says Scheich. “Or the FDA allows it to be in the grocery store, so it has to be healthy.” But that isn’t the case. Dig deeper and you’ll find these ingredients are not only unhealthy but harmful. Scheich’s advice: “Question everything.” 

And dig into the ingredients. 

#2: Changing How You Eat Will Change Your Life

Scheich stands by this—because it did for her. “Once you see the changes, by learning for yourself, this food works for me, this food doesn't work for me, it’s incredible,” she says. You can start small, and it may take time. For starters, Scheich says “the less processed that you get, the better off you are.” Ridding your days of ultra-processed packaged foods is a strong start. 

#3: See Food as “Your Best Friend”

Scheich’s view on this is a radically empowering way to look at what we eat. Clean, whole, nutrient-dense food really is akin to a great friend, coach, and ally. It will work for you, not against you. It will improve your cognition, motor skills, and health, thus making life better. So when healthy eating gets tough, use this as a motivator. 

Even more so, Scheich suggests using this approach when trying to encourage better food in schools. By saying to the teachers, you’re “doing great work and we're very appreciative of the work you do—and food can supplement. It can be like your best friend to your classroom, because kids on a bunch of sugar, versus kids not on a bunch of sugar—it's totally different.”


To learn more from Haley Scheich, listen to The PrimaFoodie Podcast and visit mysuperherofoods.com. 

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Olive Oil

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Olive oil is one of the most popular kitchen staples. “In most of our pantries is a bottle of olive oil, “says Alison Carroll, founder of the California-based olive oil company Wonder Valley. Still, like so many staples, this golden liquid is a mystery. We might douse it on our salads and in our pans, but how much do we know about where it comes from and—most importantly—how to spot a high-quality one? Here, we break it all down.

Olive Oil 101

Olive oil is the bright, often golden, sometimes green liquid that comes from pressing the olive fruit. It’s deemed oil and used and treated as such, but olive oil is technically a fruit juice. Used for centuries as a means of cooking, dressing, and adding depth and flavor to dishes (some historical records date its use to 2000 BC), olive oil is beloved for its fruity taste and abundant healthy unsaturated fats.

What are the different types of olive oil?

Extra virgin, light, cold-pressed—there are various types or “grades” of olive oil. Mostly, these modifiers are linked to when the olives are harvested and how the juice is extracted and handled. But there’s so much more here, including incredible flavor, smell, and feel. 

A quick note on acid: Olives naturally have fatty acids. One of the main types is called oleic acid, which makes up the majority (70 to 80 percent) of olive oil. A true extra virgin olive oil has a lower acidity than other olive oils, generally below 2 percent.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The gold standard for olive oil, extra virgin is touted as the tastiest, purest form. When oil is deemed extra virgin, it means it’s the first pressing from the olives (sometimes olives are pressed several times to extract the most juice), and the juice has been extracted using a cold-pressed method—a chemical and heat-free process. Once extracted, the juice is then kept pure, and never heated, pasteurized, or refined. Extra virgin olive oil is usually the fruitiest, most peppery olive oil with the lowest natural acidity. A true high-quality olive oil has no defects, such as poor taste or “fustiness,” fermentation that happens from a lack of oxygen.

*PrimaNote: Extra virgin olive oil is the only type we choose. Still, quality can vary when it comes to extra virgin olive oil. That’s because there are no regulated standards for stating an oil is such. As Carroll says, lab analysis and a professional taste panel determine quality. “And because of this subjective science, many oils can unjustly label a defective/ lower quality oil as extra virgin.” 

Olio Nuevo

This is a type of extra virgin olive oil that comes from the very first olive harvest of the year. These olives are super young and green, giving olio nuevo varieties a bright green color and a strong peppery taste. This is touted to have the highest levels of nutrients, including polyphenols.

Virgin olive Oil

Virgin olive oil is still supposed to be high quality from the first pressing of an olive. It’s also unrefined. The difference from an extra virgin is that a virgin oil often has some defects.  

Light Olive Oil

This is oil that’s been refined and treated to rid any impurities. Usually from a second or third extraction, it lacks in color and taste, and even in nutrients. The “light” here can be misleading because olive oil is fat, so it can’t be light, in any sense. While some may like this variety because of its lighter taste, we recommend opting for another neutral oil if that’s the case. (Simply put, we avoid this type of olive oil at all costs.)

Pure Olive Oil

In theory, all olive oils should be pure, so this word is a red flag. Essentially, pure or light olive oils are refined options that are a blend of various types, such as virgin and refined. 

Shopping for Olive Oil: What to Look For

Now that we’ve outlined the different types, we’re going to strictly refer to extra virgin olive oil from here on out.

Finding a great, high-quality, real extra virgin olive oil can be hard. Countless companies claim to offer a true option when they’re mislabeling, mixing, or offering stale or fake oils. Here’s what to look out for to make sure you grab a stellar bottle:

Harvest Date

A harvest date is one of the most critical things to look for—NOT an expiration date, which can mean nothing. A harvest date tells you when the olives were crushed. And given that olive oil doesn’t have a long shelf life—a great oil should be consumed within a year, ideally six months—it’s best to aim for the freshest oil possible. 

For context, here’s what Alison Carroll has to say: “The harvest date is the most essential component on the bottle. Expiration dates can be arbitrary and overgenerous. When you see a harvest date, what you are buying is something that is freshly pressed and doesn’t have a long shelf life.”

Sustainable Packaging

Aim for oil that’s packaged in a sustainable material like aluminum, stainless steel, or dark glass. Each of these blocks UV rays, which can break down the oil, and don’t leach chemicals into the juice. 

A List of the Types of Olive Varieties

If a company is offering a high-quality oil, they’ll spell out the olive varietals that have been pressed—i.e. if they’re olives from Italy, Spain, Portugal, California, or elsewhere. This level of transparency usually means the company cares. 

But let’s dig deeper: We encourage skepticism over inexpensive oils labeled “Product of Greece” for instance without listing the varietals. It can be quite likely that the olives weren’t grown or pressed in that country, but rather they were just bottled in that country. This is a tactic many companies use to buy cheap oil from around the world, blend them, then call them a “Product of Greece” when they’re a product of several countries, and of poor quality. As Carroll says, “Read the fine print on the label. The front label could say, for example, ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany’ but on the back label you see ‘product of Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Greece.’ This is common for cheap olive oils.”

In general, aim to buy olive oil that derives all from one place.

How to store your olive oil

This is key: Place your oil away from heat and light (even when it’s packaged in a proper container). And use it up! We love what Carroll says about using high-quality olive oil: Enjoy it! Experience it! “A lot of our context with olive oil is that it’s this ubiquitous condiment and usually next to vinegar (which ages wonderfully),” she says. “Don’t be precious with it and let it sit and collect dust. Store it away from direct heat or sunlight, not next to a sunny window or stove. A pantry is great.”

A Few PrimaFavorite Extra Virgin Olive Oil Companies
These are some oils derived from a single source and produced by companies who care. 

McEvoy Ranch
Wonder Valley
Brightland
Nuvo Olive Oil
Fat Gold
Kosterina Everyday Olive Oil 

Curious to learn more about cooking with olive oil? Check out our Guide to Cooking with Oils and Fats. 

Exploring the Purity and Allure of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Alison Carroll

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By Stacey Lindsay

One look at Wonder Valley, the naturalist collection of pure extra virgin olive oils and olive oil products, and you’d think its founder was obsessed with the gold liquid for their entire life. 

In truth, Alison Carroll began looking closely at olive oil and its nuances when she started working at the California Olive Oil Council. “It was like discovering gold hiding in plain sight,” she tells us of what she learned. “I am someone who buys most of their produce at the farmers market, grew up working on farms, loves to forage, and has apprenticed in kitchens —but I never really gave much thought to olive oil.”

Once she started to dig in, learning about the notes, freshness, cultivation, and industry, Carroll fell deeper in love with olive oil. So much so that in 2014 she and her husband, Jay, launched Wonder Valley in Joshua Tree, California. The collection, which includes freshly harvested extra virgin olive oil from California and olive oil-based skin care products, is as aesthetically stunning as it is pure. Bottles that exude the bohemian allure of the high desert hold extra virgin olive oil, which is cold-pressed unrefined olive oil of the highest grade, that is fresh, buttery, and rich in polyphenols. 

This is a bold mission, given how the olive oil industry is filled with companies claiming to offer a pure extra virgin product when they’re bottling stale, mixed, or even fraudulent oils. To this end, Carroll and her husband dedicate much of their energy to education around transparency, freshness, and all-around great oil. 

We asked Carroll to fill us in on what to look out for when sourcing an extra virgin olive oil. She offers her expert insight, as well as why driving her own business for nearly the past decade has given her such purpose. “It feels like being in the California wine industry back in the 60s as it's just starting to take off,” she says. “I feel lucky to be involved at such an exciting time and to contribute to growing the awareness of California’s incredible olive oil industry.” 


A Conversation with Alison Carroll of Wonder Valley

There are countless olive oil companies out there claiming to sell great extra virgin olive oil when they’re actually not. What concerns you in the olive oil industry that you’d like people to be aware of? 

The process of certifying olive oil as extra grade is a rather complicated one. The first step is lab analysis, which is a straightforward process that will confirm things like the polyphenol count —which will tell us that it is, in fact, a freshly pressed, not old olive oil. Lab analysis also reveals any fraudulent oils that might be cut with seed oils or older virgin-grade oils. But it can miss a lot of the more nuanced defects that disqualify an oil from extra virgin grade—defects that only a trained professional olive oil panel can notice. 

My former role was to oversee the taste panel for the California Olive Oil Council, the only one of its kind in North America. This organization was formed to put transparency on an unregulated industry and give meaning to the term ‘extra virgin’. There are counterpart panels throughout the world with the same task of sniffing and tasting any potential defects in the olive oils of their region. While the COOC’s panel does evaluate the majority of olive oils made in California (which really represents all domestic production), there is no requirement to submit your oil. The complications are that the evaluation is a human process, that it needs to happen annually with each harvest, that it's a voluntary process for producers, and that the number of trained olive oil tasters is eclipsed by the volume of olive oil out there and does not include imported oils.

If someone were to start investigating high-quality, pure olive oil, what are some things to watch out for? 

Keep in mind that olive oil is a fruit juice, and unlike wine, it doesn’t age well. Olive oil’s enemies are light, time, and heat. Oxidation (the defect is called rancidity) is a very common issue for olive oil and even the best extra virgin grade oil will eventually turn rancid with time. This is why a harvest date is essential, so you know when it was made. Read the fine print on the label. The front label could say, for example, ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany’ but on the back label you see ‘product of Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Greece.’ This is common for cheap olive oils. What this tells us is that it’s impossible to know really when this olive oil was made or to have transparency on the process of growing or production. 

Alison Carroll with an olive oil harvest.

Glass or metal is best for storing, not plastic, which will make the oil more vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Dark glass will help with UV protection and extend the shelf life. 

If you’re taking the time and care to invest in high-quality extra virgin olive oil enjoy it! A lot of our context with olive oil is that it’s this ubiquitous condiment and usually next to vinegar (which ages wonderfully). Don’t be precious with it and let it sit and collect dust. Store it away from direct heat or sunlight, not next to a sunny window or stove. A pantry is great. 

Remember to use it up, cook with it—and savor it.

Why is a harvest date more important than an expiration date?

The harvest date is the most essential component on the bottle. Expiration dates can be arbitrary and overgenerous. When you see a harvest date, what you are buying is something that is freshly pressed and doesn’t have a long shelf life. 

For your company, Wonder Valley, you pick your olives “under-ripe”? What benefits does this offer?

All olives start a pale green then mature to purple hues and then when fully ripe turn a deep black. It’s an easier process to harvest overripe olives. Think about any time you’ve picked fruit: it’s harder to pull that blueberry off the bush when it's green. Also, harvesting fruit that’s overly ripe and juicy gives a bigger yield. But harvesting olives on the greener side gives us an oil with a higher concentration of polyphenols, a longer shelf life, and a very bright and robust flavor that—to me—stands out. You can notice the olive oil in a dish. 

What do you love most about olive oil?

I love that olive oil is both elemental and a common denominator. In most of our pantries is a bottle of olive oil. Even with the widespread food allergies and dietary preferences, olive oil is still something we all use, perhaps daily. And a very good olive oil can make something simple like a salad extraordinary.

Alison Carroll in the California desert.

To learn more about Wonder Valley and pure extra virgin olive oil, visit welcometowondervalley.com.




PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: MSG

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PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: MSG
Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

What Is MSG?
Monosodium glutamate, commonly referred to as MSG, is a food-grade salt compound derived from glutamic acid in seaweed and various vegetables. Glutamic acid is a ubiquitous naturally occurring non-essential amino acid found in most living things, from animals to plant life to humans. The food-grade MSG used today is primarily extracted from corn, beets, molasses, and sugar cane.

How is MSG used?
MSG is a flavor enhancer that adds richness and depth to foods often referred to as umami, the fifth taste. For more than a century it’s been a go-to additive used by chefs, companies, home cooks, and more.

MSG is commonly associated with take-out Asian foods, but the truth is that it’s added to a host of conventionally prepared, processed, and packaged foods—and you’d likely never suspect it. These include:

  • Salad dressings

  • Condiments, such as ketchup and mustard

  • Marinades and seasonings

  • Spices

  • Fast food

  • Restaurant foods, specifically from mass-chains

  • Packaged soups

  • Frozen meals

  • Instant noodles 

Editor’s note: While MSG is naturally found in many foods, most notably certain cheeses and savory vegetables, like tomatoes, here we’re referring to the human-created flavor enhancer.

When was MSG discovered?
In the early 20th century, Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda discovered that a certain kelp added a savory richness to his kelp soup. As he dug deeper he learned that the glutamic acid in the kelp naturally carried this ability to bring out a food’s unique depths. Ikeda eventually found a way to extract and package the monosodium glutamate. Since then, it has taken off commercially.

Is MSG bad for your health?
In the century-plus since MSG has been in existence, people have been eating it generously. The FDA deems it “GRAS”, which translates to “generally recognized as safe” for consumption—which is nebulous terminology that doesn’t necessarily deem if something is, in fact, safe for our health. (Note: Food substances recognized as GRAS do not go through the same reviews as foods labeled as FDA-approved.) The FDA does require MSG to be included in ingredient lists.

Okay, so MSG is legal. But is it bad for your health? That’s a heated debate. Around the 1960s a heated campaign against MSG infused media headlines, pointing fingers at Asian restaurants for infusing foods with the vilified ingredients. This inspired advocates of the flavor enhancer to speak out in favor of it. Many believe since it’s a natural-occurring substance it poses no threat to humans. MSG advocacy groups have sprouted, as have studies that show no link to health concerns. 

Then there’s the other school, which believes MSG to be a toxic additive that poses health concerns. One study found MSG to potentially cause nerve and brain damage in laboratory animals. Others have found it to be the culprit of a host of reactions, including sweating, chest pain, headaches, and numbness. Researchers in the medical field have referred to these reactions as MSG System Complex. 

The PrimaFoodie take on MSG.
Simply put, MSG is an additive, and like any additive, it causes us to pause. The two biggest factors behind our stance are the fact that it’s a processed additive, and it’s everywhere, which means it can have a cumulative effect. 

MSG is a naturally-occurring substance in its organic form, but when it’s extracted from a source and turned into an additive, it’s processed in some way. And while it’s impossible to totally avoid processed foods these days, we aim to limit them as much as possible. Add to this that MSG is found in many foods, so while it may be technically fine to consume in small to moderate doses, what happens when we eat it consistently all the time? It compounds in our systems. 

We’re also concerned by the limited research around MSG. The FDA may state it to be “generally safe,” but this gives us zero confidence that it’s truly okay to eat. 

For this reason, we avoid MSG at all costs. We suggest reading labels and asking the brands or companies if they include it, and why. There are plenty of foods naturally rich in umami flavor—so why opt for a manipulated version?

This is the question to ask. 

Curious to learn more about what’s in your food? Check out our other Ingredient Spotlights.

Chile Is Touting the Food and Wellness Advice We All Need to Hear

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One of the most critical facts about our health is that it’s a communal affair. We each need to make individual efforts to eat well and take care of ourselves, but our solo choices around the foods we consume and the products we support impacts those around us. What and how we eat has a domino effect. 

We were thrilled to see this truth underscoring Chile’s new Dietary Guidelines. The South American nation rewrote its health and food suggestions for its citizens—the first update it’s made since 2013—to include accessible tips to complement people’s habits and lifestyles, and to consider the wellbeing of the planet. It’s all-encompassing, and it’s exactly what we need here in the US. 

As Chilean doctor and Minister of Health Ximena Aguilera says, the guidelines reflect the collaboration of doctors, governmental officials, suppliers, and producers. It highlights the importance of “sharing the table, hygiene in food, sharing kitchen tasks and protecting the planet—because with our eating habits, consuming seasonal, fresh food and avoiding waste, we also help the health of the planet.”

What’s even more inspiring, is how tangible the report actually is. Our guidelines in the US span a whopping 164 pages. But Chile created succinct, easy-to-follow 20-minute videos to break down the main components. As Nichole points out, “they actually want its citizens to watch and understand.”

Below are our three biggest takeaways from the new Dietary Guidelines for Chile—all of which we’re determined to advocate for in the US:

#1: The guidelines are accessible.
The new Food Guidelines for Chile present 10 suggestions for people to incorporate into their routines, offering citizens concise and actionable ways to eat. A few of these include:

  • Consume fresh, seasonal food from fairs and established markets over processed food. (This is groundbreaking, as the US never warns against processed foods because of a fear of lobby groups.)

  • Add color and flavor by choosing more fruits and vegetables.

  • Consume legumes in stews and salads as often as possible.

  • Avoid ultra-processed products and with "HIGH IN" stamps.

  • Drink water—not juice—throughout the day.

One note: Chile does include the suggestions to “consume dairy at all stages of life” and to “increase the consumption of fish, shellfish, or algae from authorized sources,” both of which give us pause and make us wonder if there are ulterior industry objectives behind these.

#2: Community plays an important role in our wellness
Food is more than sustenance. It’s also a means to be with others and to enjoy the present. We applaud Chile’s following actions that speak to this:

  • Share kitchen tasks and look to cook new and traditional meals.

  • Enjoy your food at the table and eat with others, when possible, without phones or other distractions.

  • Respect food cultures and appreciate the importance of making food at home.

#3: Chile considers social, biological, and environmental concerns
While the overarching goal of the guidelines is to better the wellbeing of its citizens, a subsequent benefit is that it aims to “empower sustainable food systems.” Eve Crowley, a representative with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Chile, says the scope of the new guidelines go beyond nutrition to include facts that reflect the entire food system, from the health of fisheries and farms to how we manage food waste. “For us, it follows the state of the art of dietary guidelines very well,” Crowley adds. “It is something very accessible to the public.”

Here at PrimaFoodie, we applaud Chile. Echoing Marion Nestle, these new standards certainly have “much to teach us.” Now it’s up to us to advocate for this on our own soil. 

 

 

 

 

Our Food future: 3 facts we all need to know

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Parker Brook took a huge leap—and we applaud him for it. The former food executive spent more than a decade as a brand manager for various giant food labels before he left to start his cereal company, Lovebird. As he tells Nicole in our premiere episode of ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast,’ he could not get behind what many food companies were doing to turn a profit, which included using low-quality ingredients to make food faster and cheaper. “Now my journey is really focused on Lovebird and how to clean up all that stuff and provide better options for people,” he says. 

The following three takeaways from his conversation with Nichole are information we all need to make smart decisions for our health and to fight for a better food system. 

And if you haven’t yet, be sure to listen to ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ here.

#1: Most conventional corporate food companies do not have our backs.
We need food to survive. Yet so much of the food marketed to us is laden with sugars and made with low-quality ingredients. As Brook says of many corporate package food companies, “their primary objective is to maximize shareholder value, not your health.” To do this, companies will cut costs in every way they can. “I just couldn't sit in another meeting and be like, ‘We need mermaid yogurt, so kids can eat our yogurt that has 19 grams of added sugar in it,’” he adds. 

#2: It’s critical to be wary of what goes into packaged foods.
Food marketing is cryptic and often dangerous. A company can market something as better for our health, but a closer look proves the opposite. Brook uses the example of the low-fat foods that came into popularity in the late 80s. “If you look at what they had in them, there was a ton of sugar and oils, canola oils, and things like that. They use sucralose, which is a non-caloric sweetener, artificial aspartame […].” Brook’s statement underscores the need to read package food labels. “There are certain things and ingredients you should just avoid because there's really no nutritional benefit to them,” he says. 

#3: We hold the power for our food future.
Brook is running a food company, but his mission is way bigger. He wants to “elevate cleaning eating and clean ingredients” and to educate people about how to read ingredient labels and what to watch out for—" because as soon as you stop buying something, they will stop making it. That's a fact.” His rallying cry to know what’s on our plates, support transparency, and vote with our dollars is empowering to hear. “Each one of us has the power to really decide what our food future is,” he says. I'm trying to do it by making a product to give you an option, instead. Hopefully, I invite competitors and other people to follow.” 

The PrimaFoodie Podcast

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Since early 2022, we’ve invited you to join us in a movement to change the way we eat for the better. As a loyal community, we are in joint advocacy for an equitable and transparent food system and accessibility to clean foods for all—and this begins in conversation, at home, and in community.

Therefore, we are so excited to launch our new venture, The PrimaFoodie Podcast.

More than a year in the making, The PrimaFoodie Podcast is a raw, fun, and unfiltered series concentrating on what and how we eat, and the ways we can collectively improve our food system and well-being. Hosted by our founder, Nichole, the series features loud, talented voices in science, agriculture, nutrition, integrative health, and other fields.

In each episode, Nichole and her guest pull back the curtain on the nutrition, health, and food wisdom that is still hard to come by yet deserved by all to know. Their talks break barriers. They also may make some mad (hint: the FDA). There’s no holding back here. Because we believe the way we can create the change we need is to shout the truth as loud as we can. As Nichole says, “We can’t wait for the next generation. The time is now.”

Change starts with honest words. Talking openly was the impetus for PrimaFoodie. Sharing ideas, spreading knowledge, and supporting small makers by word-of-mouth are what drives us and a better world.

We hope you join in this conversation with an open heart and mind. Let’s always keep talking.

Click over to our PrimaFoodie Podcast and you can directly subscribe from there.
**copy and paste the URL from the address bar into the podcast app of your choice.

Editor’s Note: The PrimaFoodie Podcast is for inspirational and informational purposes only. We feature the insight of medical physicians and health care and wellness practitioners, but this is in no way intended to be a substitute for any professional diagnosis or medical advice. All views the interview subjects express in this podcast are their own.

 

 

The PrimaFoodie 2023 Conscious Holiday Gift Guide

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We admit: When it comes to vetting products, we are tough. We research and try the heck out of something to ensure that it: 1.) amplifies our lives 2.) is ethically and sustainably made, and 3.) delivers on quality. This is a tall order, but one we love—especially this time of year, when we provide our favorites to you.

Our 2023 Gift Guide selects are nothing short of the best. Like in years past, you'll find a little of everything, from products to foods to services. Each is packed with intention (and nutrition, for some) and will undoubtedly please those you love—including yourself. Happy conscious gifting!

Wentworth Personalized Puzzle

We love these wooden puzzles. They don't fray at the edges and last forever. They are crazy complex and very satisfying. Such a great family gift.—Nichole

We are Amma Nursing Cover

This cocoon is simple, stylish, and easy to wash. Great for the nursing mama in your life. —Adrienne

Maria Mayer Feng Books

Truly so beautiful and memorable. This company turns your photos and mementos into beautiful book keepsakes. —Nichole

French Bloom Organic Sparkling Non-Wine

Because there is always a reason to say cheers—with or without the alcohol. I love that these varieties are organic and truly taste like French bubbly. —Stacey

Williams Sonoma Air Fryer

The options are endless with an air fryer. The best part? There's no oil needed to make foods satisfyingly crispy. —Adrienne

Flamingo Estate Holiday Bonbon Chocolate Box

Little works of art that are so decadent and delicious. —Nichole

Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Coconut Cashew Keto Granola

The only commercial granola I buy. Perfect for a stocking stuffer. —Nichole

Alignment Alchemy Pillow Mist

Pure, clean, and relaxing, this light mist is the perfect treat for the person in your life who's yearning for deep rest. —Stacey

Flamingo Estate Jasmine Rose Bath Set

It is impossible to choose from the entire Flamingo Estate collection, as everything is stunning. This floral bath set is sweet and heady with a hint of pink peppercorn. —Nichole

Kibou Vegan Leather Bag

This sleek fanny pack doubles as my chic diaper bag. It's compact, has a pocket that keeps wipes wet for seven days, and a credit card pocket. —Adrienne

The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp 

Jing Gao is a brilliant founder and chef who single-handedly educates the Western world about the nuanced, elevated, and incredibly complex realm of Chinese cuisine. —Stacey

Beth Blends Grain-free Flour Blend

A staple for the conscious home cook. —Nichole

Scandinavian Glass Tea Set

A statement piece meant for everyday use. —Nichole

Nipaqui Zero Waste Kit

People always ask me where I get my silicone reusable snack bags. This kit will get your friends started on a journey to a healthier planet. —Adrienne

Tuscan Cooking Class

I don't know a better way to say 'I love you' than with a cooking glass in an old-world villa outside of Florence. —Stacey

Parsley Health Membership

A generous-yet-important present that everyone deserves. Parsley is a membership program that offers 10 clinician appointments with a functional medicine doctor and 10 health coaching sessions when you sign up. This would be the gift that continues to give. —Adrienne

Casa Zuma Wood Cheese Board

Whoever receives a beautiful board like this will use it repeatedly. —Nichole

Jonathan Adler Salt and Pepper Servers

These can double as ring holders while you're cooking! —Adrienne 

Understanding the Convoluted World of Sugar and Its Metabolic Impact—with Functional Nutritionist Margaret Floyd Barry

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There is no question that sugar continues to both allude and allure. We know it’s the culprit of so many health issues, and we know how it’s hidden (and not so hidden) in endless foods. Yet sugar and its metabolic impact are still widely misunderstood. 

Margaret Floyd Barry is working to change this. A functional nutritionist, Barry has an accessible way of breaking down the convoluted-but-critical topic of sugar and how it affects blood sugar. We say “accessible” for good reason: Before she discovered the power of whole clean foods, Barry was a self-described “total mess” who was on a constant “energy roller coaster.” She was a vegetarian who thought she was healthy, yet she was eating starches—aka sugar—that impacted her moods, energy levels, and overall well-being. “I had migraines all the time,” she tells us. “I had severe digestive issues.”

When she began to study nutrition, Barry learned about how sneaky and invasive sugar is. She overhauled her diet and discovered an entirely new world of eating unprocessed foods that didn’t contain all the starches and hidden sugars and left her feeling good. As she says, “Life on the other side of sugar feels better than you probably even know possible.” Today, as the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen, she educates about the metabolic and life-changing impacts of clearing out sugar and leaning into whole foods, which she recently discussed with Nichole. Here we break down the main facts about sugar that Barry wants everyone to know. 

Why Sugar Has Us Held Captive

Sugar has the same qualities as any addictive substance, says Barry. “It is embedded into our social fabric,” from having a presence in celebrations, treats, and other ubiquitous offerings. Because of these facts, sugar is challenging to step away from. “It’s woven into what we do on a day-to-day basis in our society.”


Blood Sugar 101

The glucose in your blood is what constitutes blood sugar. “If you've ever had blood work that your doctor has run, you will see glucose is typically one of the first markers on the panel,” says Barry. “That's telling you about your blood sugar.” Since sugar is one of the primary sources of fuel in our body, it is critical for us to maintain proper blood sugar levels, or what Margaret calls “our blood sugar happy zone.” But what often happens is our blood sugar starts to get too high (or spikes) or too low depending on the foods we eat. 

Here's the ideal blood sugar scenario: When we wake up in the morning, our blood sugar ideally will be on the lower end of that “happy range,” says Floyd. Then after a balanced breakfast that doesn’t have too much starch, blood sugar levels will gently start to push up. As the blood sugar starts to reach that upper threshold, your pancreas secretes the hormone insulin. What insulin's job is, explains Barry, is to take any excess sugar from the blood and shuttle it into your liver cells and muscle cells and it stores it as glycogen, which is basically stored sugar for later energy use. From there, blood sugar levels start to dip down into the lower threshold where another hormone called glucagon is secreted by your pancreas. Glucagon's job “is basically the exact opposite of insulin,” says Barry. Glucagon takes the stored glycogen and mobilizes it back into the blood to use as fuel. Overall, you have a “nice gentle ebb and flow” of your blood sugar going up and down but staying within the “happy range.” This is called “metabolic flexibility,” which is where the body uses sugar or fat, whatever fuel source is available, effectively. This is the ideal scenario in terms of energy management, add Barry. “It's just feeling good.” 

Where We Go Wrong with Our Blood Sugar

While the above is ideal, it’s not the norm for most people today. What often happens is instead of eating a nice balanced breakfast, we eat foods that are filled with sugar or things that convert quickly to sugar. This includes a variety of foods, from cereals to whole wheat toast to oatmeal to smoothies. “Some of these things that we think of as healthy foods, and there might be aspects of them that are healthy, but if they convert really quickly in your bloodstream to sugar, what happens?” Instead of that nice ebb and flow that Barry describes above, our blood sugar will spike up and past that upper threshold. This causes the body to pump out insulin in a state of emergency type response, which causes the body to store extra sugar in the muscle and liver cells, and as fat. Ultimately, our blood sugar crashes down. “Think about when you do eat something that's overly sugary like a sundae,” Barry adds. “You get the manic high and then you get a crash. And so that kind of high and low is happening even with something like having oatmeal for breakfast.” 

The Physiological Effects of Spiked Blood Sugar

It’s amazing how the sugar we eat impacts our day-to-day life. Barry explains that blood sugar spikes and crashes can cause the following:

· Irritability

· mood swings

· headaches

· energy fluctuations

· fatigue

· poor sleep

· weight gain 

“Your body is trying so hard to bring those blood sugar levels back.” Physiologically, this is extremely stressful on the body as it causes the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline to kick in, as well.  

What Is Sugar?

When we think of sugar, we tend to think of chocolate bars and ice cream, says Barry. While these foods do contain massive amounts of sugar, they’re not the entire picture. “You need to expand your definition of sugar to anything that causes a spike.” Therefore Barry thinks of sugar more as starches—which quickly convert into sugar once consumed—more than anything else. 

Now, it’s important to note: Everyone responds to food differently. A banana may spike one person’s blood sugar and not others. With this considered, the following foods are some of the highest sugar culprits:

· grains or products from grains, such as pasta, crackers, pizza dough, and more

· fruits

· juices

· dairy

· alcohols

· condiments, dressings, and sauces

· sodas

· commercially made dips, hummus, salsas

What to Eat

First and foremost, what you first put into your body is critical, says Barry. “What you eat for breakfast sets the tone.” You want to aim for foods that encourage that slow, gradual increase in blood sugar so you don’t have a crash. This includes healthy fats and proteins, such as eggs and vegetables with some avocado for healthy fat. If you love oatmeal, says Barry, be sure to add some coconut milk, butter, or nuts for fats.

Overall, be wary of ingredients. In considering the above list, always opt for things with the shortest ingredient lists that include whole foods that you understand. Fructose and things that end in “ose,” fruit extracts, and syrups are all common code names for sugar.

Blood Sugar Tools

Blood Sugar Glucose Monitor

Barry swears by a continuous glucose monitor, which is a device typically worn around the arm that monitors glucose levels in real-time. Originally made for those with diabetes, “this is now commercially available for people to know their dietary triggers, exercise, and sleep that are impacted,” she says. “You can see in real-time the impacts of every dietary choice you make.”

Real Food Reboot Program

Barry and her husband James, a whole foods chef, have designed this program for people who are seeking to revamp and invigorate their relationship to clean, whole foods. A self-guided 21-day program is designed to restore blood sugar levels and ignite new eating habits. 

  

Margaret Floyd Barry is a functional nutritionist and author, and the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen. She’s been working with clients to transform their health—and lives—since 2008. Learn more and get the Real Food Reboot at eatnakedkitchen.com.

The 4 Healthy Kitchen Essentials to Always Keep Stocked—According to a Functional Nutritionist

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As a functional nutritionist, Alanna DeSalvo knows a thing or two about cooking healthy, nutrient-dense meals at home. Yet still, DeSalvo admits it’s not always easy. “Everything is so busy nowadays,” DeSalvo tells us. “It's hard for me to even prep meals at times.” Therefore, DeSalvo believes in setting up her clients for cooking success—i.e. making it easy to create simple, clean meals without copious ingredients or time. The place to start is stocking clean pantry and freezer staples.

We asked DeSalvo where to start. Here she walks us through the kitchen staples she always keeps on hand and why. Because when you have ingredients to work with, you’re more likely to get in the kitchen—which she says is most important. “One of my main beliefs is that cooking is nutrition and action,” DeSalvo adds. “The more you can get into your kitchen, even just throwing something easy together with what you have in the pantry or the freezer, it can make a difference in your health and how you feel at the end of the day.”


4 Pantry and Freezer Staples to Keep on Hand

Healthy Fats

From oils to nuts to ghee, DeSalvo believes in keeping healthy fats on hand for cooking, as well as for adding nutrients to salads and other dishes. She recommends having two to three clean oils on hand, her favorites being olive oil, avocado oil, and ghee. Be mindful of how you’re using them, she says, as different oils have varying smoke points. She also recommends nuts and nut butter, which are a great “healthy fat and that helps keep blood sugar stable.”

Clean Easy Proteins

This included sustainable canned or frozen fish, organic jerky, and beans. “These are all ideal for putting together a nourishing meal quickly,” she says. Look for options that you can keep in your pantry or the freezer.


“Pantry Vegetables”

Fresh is always ideal when it comes to produce but sometimes it’s not an option. For this reason, DeSalvo recommends stocking what she calls “pantry vegetables”—things like jarred or canned olives, artichokes, capers (which she says are high in antioxidants), and tomatoes. “If your fridge is empty, you can pull these from your cabinet and just add this to a meal for extra antioxidants and nutrients.”


Healthy Sauces and Spices

Part of what makes food good for us is the pleasure factor. So a quick meal doesn’t need to lack flavor and interest. DeSalvo says to keep clean sauces and spices on hand to add to a dish. This includes a quick stir fry sauce, teriyaki sauces, a good quality tomato sauce, fresh dried herbs, and spices. “Not only do they add lots of flavors, which is important to enjoying a meal, but also herbs and spices have a lot of antioxidant properties. Even a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper can boost the nutrient density of your meal.”

Tips for Sourcing the Best Pantry and Freezer Staples

Not every pantry staple is a healthy one. To ensure you’re stocking your shelves healthily, DeSalvo recommends following these guidelines:

  • Always read the ingredients label. “Look for whole food ingredients. If you see something that you wouldn’t put in the recipe yourself, look for one that is more aligned with what you would make in your kitchen.”

  • Beware of hidden sugars. “They're hidden in everything, including sauces and nut butters,” says DeSalvo. Read the labels and opt for options without added sugars. 

  • Aim for organic. “At least, as much as possible,” she adds. 

  • Understand your packaging. BPAs and other toxins in canned food packaging are still ubiquitous. “When your food is sitting in that for a long time and the BPAs leach to your food, that can mess with hormones and create inflammation,” DeSalvo warns. Look for packaging that is non-BPA or—even better—in a box. 


 
 

5 Organizations that Are Working to Change Our Food System for the Better (and Why We Need to Support Them)

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Our biggest driver at PrimaFoodie is revealing how our food ends up on our plates. How our food is grown, processed, packaged, and marketed is a winding, complicated journey. Often our food system is fueled by legislation and corporations that put energy toward profit and efficiency over human and planetary health. 

Because a handful of corporations run the main links on the food supply chain, smaller farmers are often left scrambling. This has been the work of administrations for decades with a goal to bring cheaper food products to the masses. But the result has been catastrophic. Foods laden with pesticides and antibiotics and lacking nutrients have become the norm with nutrient-rich whole foods harder to come by.

We can create change by understanding the backstory of our food and supporting independent farmers. By turning our attention toward those who care about their products, we can bring resilience, equity, and health back to our food system—and to our future. These five organizations are working toward just that.

 

5 Organizations Working to Change Our Food System

Slow Food USA

In the 1980s, Italian activist Carlo Petrini gathered a group of people to revolt against the inclusion of a McDonald’s in Rome. His fight won legions of followers and attention, and eventually spawned what is now known as Slow Food. Equal parts movement, mindset, and organization, Slow Food aims to reclaim the organic and just roots of food. There are chapters throughout the US and world, each of which organizes educational activities that teach about the connection between our planet, culture, and wellbeing. 

Quivira Coalition

The aim of this organization is on the soil. Quivara works with local farmers and land advocates to educate people on ecosystem resilience and restoring the health of our agriculture—from the ground up. The end game is to bolser rural, local food systems and the economic health of farmers, ultimately to have widespread impacts on land management across the US.

Healthy Food America

Healthy Food American attacks the issue of bettering the food system from two ends: by working to make access to fresh, healthy foods easier while making adulterated, processed foods less accessible. The team here works tirelessly for policy change, with one of its biggest drivers is advocating for a tax on sodas and other sugary drinks. Through community partnerships, advocacy, and policy reform, this non-profit aims to spread awareness around food, its origins, and equitable availability.

Environmental Working Group

For anything we put in and on our bodies, the EWG has our best interest. This third-party organization works with researchers and scientists to bring the latest information on additives in our food and water, as well as in our personal care products. The site is brimming with guides, all of them easily navigable, to help us better understand labels, source the the cleanest produce and items, and advocate for greater transparency and change.

Cook For America

“School food is the solution, not the problem.” Such is the motto of Cook for America, which sheds light on the transformative power of fresh, whole, “scratch-cooked” school meals. The team believes that this access to healthy food is a catalyst for change in the fight against diet-related health issues, including childhood obesity. It makes sense, particularly given research over the last decade that links healthier school lunches to both better test scores and children’s willingness to make healthier eating choices outside of school hours.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Los Angeles’s Best Eateries Serving Fresh Local Foods

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Los Angeles has our hearts. It’s the city where PrimaFoodie was born. It’s also the home of some of the country’s best when it comes to living a clean lifestyle. Fresh juice shops, gorgeous hikes, naturopathic practitioners, and eateries focusing on quality ingredients abound here. (Not to mention, the farmers’ markets are stellar.) It’s no wonder why so many think of LA as the wellness capital. 

All this considering, LA is a giant metropolis, which makes it hard to zero in on the best of the best. For this guide, we’re spotlighting our shortlist of favorite small independently owned restaurants that focus on fresh ingredients. Each of these is as inventive as it is intentional in how it sources, prepares, and serves fresh, nourishing food. 


Destroyer
Jordan Kahn, the inventive chef and restauranteur, always amazes with his skill for amplifying the most hyper-fresh and local ingredients in a fine dining experience. At Destroyer, his small-but-mighty daytime café, he does so in an accessible way for lunch. The dishes here, from fried organic eggs to toasted heirloom grains, are perfect for a mid-day meal but noteworthy enough that you’ll keep talking about them. 

Botanica

The brunch and lunch scene in LA broke into a new portal when Botanica opened in 2017. This bright little spot in Silverlake serves some of the tastiest and freshest small plates we’ve had, all made of local ingredients. Everything is seasonal and made in-house, with an emphasis on plant-based bowls and entrees, and gluten-free desserts. They offer a robust selection of provisions and natural wines for sale upfront. 


Wild Living Foods

For its first few years, Wild was a quiet storm tucked in downtown LA. Few knew about the insanely fresh and delicious nutrient-dense, plant-based food they were serving. Its popularity has rightfully grown over these last few years (through the pandemic, even). It’s a terrific spot to grab a sandwich, small plate, or pizza from its entirely organic, plant-based, and gluten-free menu. 

BreadBlok

Breadblok checks all the boxes critical to us: It’s dishes are organic, gluten-free, and contain no soy, gum, or refined sugar. Their breads are unparalleled, as are their fresh salads and sandwiches. This is a fantastic place to meet a friend for breakfast, brunch, or lunch outside in the sunny LA weather. Be sure to grab a one of their loaves to freeze at home.

Malibu Farm

The location—a rustic patio on Malibu Pier overlooking the sapphire waters—pulls everyone in. But we love this oceanside spot for its clean and super fresh menu. Vegetables sourced from local southern California farms reign, complemented by sustainably caught fish and organic meats.

Forage

Juicy free-range roast chicken. Fresh salmon belly tacos with sliced avocado and crispy coleslaw. Black rice with coconut and ginger-spiced vegetables. Suman serves up farm-fresh favorites in Silverlake, all from a team that is super small and family-run. If you’re sensitive to gluten, you must parse through this menu a bit—but it’s worth it. Every dish here is made with produce sourced in southern California. 

Kismet

Chefs and owners Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, two NYC restaurant superstars, teamed up with LA food celebrities Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo to conjure up this incredible minimalist, clean-food eatery. The dishes marry Middle Eastern notes with California produce, resulting in a menu that is bright, vegetable-centric, and mostly free of gluten. 

Kye’s Feel Good Food

Several years ago, Kye’s quickly won over locals for its healthy take on the hand-held burrito, which it aptly called “Kye-ritos.” Seaweed and lettuce-wrapped organic vegetables and grains with organic chicken or salmon, these bites are that good—so good that people from the east side often flock here at lunchtime. They also serve excellent clean smoothies and vegetable bowls. 

The Butcher’s Daughter

For years, The Butcher’s Daughter was a hit in New York City, calling us every time we landed in the Big Apple. Thankfully, it expanded out west several years ago and is now a healthy staple right along Venice’s Abbot Kinney. Known for its avocado toast, this bright eatery—which has a lovely terrace—prides itself on plant-based dishes that are hearty, fresh, and nourishing. They also serve fresh-pressed juices. 

Gjelina

When Gjelina first opened over a decade ago, you couldn’t get a table there for months. Well, years later, and it’s still a bit tricky to get into (showing up without a reservation is often your best bet). This Venice destination really is that good. The food is hyper seasonal and fresh, the service is friendly, and the menu is inventive but still accessible. Come here on any diet, from Paleo to gluten-free, and the staff will guide you toward the many fresh options. A stellar spot in a beautiful setting.

Gjusta

The magic of Gjelina eventually resulted in this this beloved communal Venice spot. Gjusta started at Gjelina’s commissary kitchen but grew into is own deli, cafe. bakery, and marketplace. The team here makes fresh gluten-free bread, and they source their produce, meats, and seafood as purely and locally as possible from many of the same sources we do at PrimaFoodie.


honey hi

​​The founders of this small Echo Park eatery create food that is organic, community-sourced, and transparent. Everything in kitchen is gluten and refined sugar-free. They never cook with vegetable oil, and shop at the local farmers markets for most of the organic produce, grass-fed meats, and pasture-raised poultry that go into their vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes alike. With ample gluten-free options, everything here is bright, delicious, and nutrient-dense. Don’t skip the chocolate shake or the lambwich.

Amara Kitchen

This tiny and humble spot, which has locations in both Altadena and Highland Park, serves food that is freshly made and locally sourced. We visited the Highland Park location and ordered the breakfast sandwich (served on a gluten-free English muffin!) and the Pearl & Rose tea, made with their housemade Amara nut milk and Chinese herbs. Gluten-free accessible and mostly organic, this is a great spot for a casual and healthy lunch. 

Jon & Vinny’s 

We respect how Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo approach their food: with honesty and transparency. The integrity that fuels this restaurant duo’s work is one of the reasons why they’ve garnered such a following in the city and a respected name in the industry. This is their first restaurant, which now has three locations in LA. With a focus on fresh and minimal ingredients, the menu boasts fresh housemade pasta dishes, including their famous spicy fusilli, and meat and poultry dishes sourced from sustainable purveyors. While the menu is gluten-rich, there are many options for those looking to cut out gluten entirely. (The Niman Ranch skirt steak is not to be missed.) Be sure to make a reservation, as every location is a hotspot.

Food Activist and Chef Camilla Marcus Is On a Mission to Better Our Food System

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By Stacey Lindsay

Several years ago, I stopped into west~bourne, an eclectic all-day café in NYC’s Soho neighborhood, and had one of my favorite lunches to date: a simple grain bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, and kale topped with pickled beets and savory tahini. The food was fresh and delicious. But it was the vibe of that warmly lit café that stuck with me. west~bourne exuded the breezy feel of California blended with the sound feeling that the staff truly cared about what they were doing—and serving.

That integrity stems from west~bourne’s founder and owner, Camilla Marcus. A California native and longtime food activist, Marcus has always put the why, how, and who behind what we eat first. She fights for zero waste and honors those who grow, cultivate, cook, and serve our food by giving back to various non-profits. For Marcus, creating food that is “naturally delicious and nutritious” and “better supports a sustainable food system” has always been her drive, she tells us. “It’s the only way to forge a future that we can be proud of passing to the next generation.”

Marcus closed the physical café doors to west~bourne in 2020, but its greater purpose lives on via her new provisions collection of the same name. The west~bourne line consists of sweet and savory snacks (think: organic yellow mushroom popcorn with maple and vanilla and crunchy rice squares with smoked almonds and Japanese togarashi spices), sustainably sourced avocado oil, and spices. Marcus considers everything, from ingredient sourcing to supply chain. “Our production is locally centered with our carbon footprint in mind, and so we can create products that are made up of traceable, responsibly grown ingredients, all while supporting local communities,” she says.

Still fueled by my memorable lunch in NYC, I dug a little deeper into west~bourne’s latest iteration by asking Marcus about her mission and how we all can take part. As Marcus proves, we all can take steps—big and small—toward building a more inclusive and transparent food system. “We love to eat and drink, but our food consumption accounts for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions—one of the largest contributors to climate change. Good news is, we can do something about it.”

 A Conversation with Camilla Marcus

Let’s start out with your new provisions line, west~bourne. Walk us through its zero-waste and inclusive ethos.

Our production is locally centered with our carbon footprint in mind, and so we can create products that are made up of traceable, responsibly grown ingredients, all while supporting local communities.  Our packaging is on the cutting edge of sustainability technology and is made with a variety of low-impact, recyclable, and compostable materials. We’re obsessive about our supply chain as well, which includes a proprietary network of local partners to minimize transportation impact and utilize innovative and regenerative farming practices as well.

We offset the carbon footprint of all orders by purchasing climate credits through The Garcia River Forest Project, a redwood forest preservation and management project in Northern California that protects carbon reservoirs, preserves wildlife habitats, reduces risk of wildfires, and safeguards the California watershed. Our customers can also match our donation directly during checkout as well, which gives them the opportunity to make their orders carbon negative. 

What is the greater social mission behind west~bourne?

Food has the power to forge connections and nourish a community. Our mission is to harness the supernatural power of vegetables to invite more people to the table together to transform plant based, zero waste eating that sustains our health—of our own bodies and our planet. 

What sparked your advocacy work for giving back and paying attention to people first?

My upbringing centered around being a generous and thoughtful member of our community.  Both of my parents were active through regular volunteering and leadership in philanthropic organizations throughout Los Angeles. Being an active part of my neighborhood fueled my soul.

While I was in culinary school, I was also part of the opening team at dell’anima, which had an incredible decade run in the West Village. That experience was a crash course in figuring out all the elements that come together to make a restaurant run smoothly—and it’s also where I fell in love with the hospitality industry and the people who dedicate everything to taking care of others. My first restaurant family was where I started integrating my environmentally focused practices that I grew up into how food is crafted for our neighborhoods, through creating a composting system for the restaurant and implementing an energy-efficient lighting system. This ultimately drove me to want to build west~bourne the cafe, which was the first zero waste certified restaurant in Manhattan. We partnered with The Robin Hood Foundation to forge a unique closed loop giveback system with The Door to support our team growth and local job development. When COVID started, I knew I could not be idle while our whole industry and our beloved teams were left without government support, particularly given those who work in restaurants can’t work from home.  So, I jumped into action immediately as a founding member of both ROAR and the IRC, fighting daily for relief. 

The other element of advocacy work that is very important to me is centered around childcare. Hospitality workers do not work a traditional 9-5, Monday through Friday job. Women and in particular mothers make up a significant portion of this industry, but the structural childcare system in this country categorically excludes hospitality workers, which is shocking when you consider restaurants are the second largest private employer in the country. You are faced with having to choose between your work or your family—which is no choice at all—and it's imperative that this changes. I’m very focused on driving legislative policy to address this inequity so all parents, especially those in our industry who dedicate so much to others, can have the right to earn a living, build a career, and take care of their families. 

How can we all be advocates of zero waste at home?

Everyone can take little steps to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle at home for themselves.

·   Plan your meals out ahead of your weekly shopping routine so that you are not buying in excess.

·   Use the full fruit or vegetable. The ends of carrots, radish greens, or even onion peels can be repurposed into more than we think if we get creative.

·   If space and resources permit, grow your own vegetables. Even an apartment dweller can grow herbs in a kitchen windowsill.

·   It’s equally important to address proper food storage in your home.  Small adjustments like keeping produce in organic cotton mesh bags to keep them fresh and dairy in the back of the fridge where it stays coldest or separating out the items, such as bananas or avocados, that can speed up the ripening of everything around them can have a significant compound effect. 

·   Lastly, composting goes a long way. Start with a compost system you could keep on the counter or under the sink and use it to collect scraps, eggs shells, banana peels and other biodegradable matter. If you have an outdoor space, you can compost the materials in your backyard, or you can dispose of it at a collection site or community garden. Many major cities are making composting a requirement and can provide additional resources. 

Simple, mindful steps can add up if we do it together.  We can all be part of a collective work in progress. Just put one foot in front of the other. 


Furthermore, how can we all advocate for more inclusivity in the food industry?

Each of us has the power in our daily lives as individuals or through our businesses to take some action to promote food access.  Our system has deeply rooted issues that can only be addressed over time through committed collective effort, whether that’s helping build awareness, supporting others in their equity work, or creating programs through your own ventures.

You can learn more about Camilla Marcus, her advocacy work, and west~bourne at west-bourne.com

 

Composting: Why Is It So Important?

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In early 2022, a law passed in California requiring residents to compost their food waste. The law, which is part of the state’s aggressive plan to reduce food waste and up recycling efforts, doesn’t require residents to do their own composting at home per se. Rather the charge mandates that every person or household must separate their tossed food from their trash and then dump those scraps into the city- and state-provided composting bins outside.

The idea behind California’s progressive effort is to get a handle on the amount of perishable food waste that ends up in landfills. (Food waste is the largest category of matter that fills landfills.) When food is tossed, it breaks down and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and climate change contributor. Experts see this as both a detrimental habit and a lost opportunity: Trashed food emits gas and adds to landfill bulk when instead its nutrients could be benefitting soil and crops.


What Are the Benefits of Composting?

With its composting law, California is looking to mirror the work of the natural world: In nature, an uneaten piece of fruit decomposes on the ground before getting digested by microorganisms and fungi and then converted into nutrients that nurture new plant growth. Composting, essentially, does this in contained settings within our communities and cities—all the while reducing reliance on landfills. It is a win-win.

Two more reasons why composting is beneficial on a municipal and individual level include:


It enables sustainable and healthy agriculture. A challenge of modern-day farming is a depleting topsoil layer. Research shows that land degradation is happening at a rapid rate. Roughly 25 percent of the total land area in the world has been degraded, according to the Global Environment Facility: “When land is degraded, soil carbon and nitrous oxide are released into the atmosphere, making land degradation one of the most important contributors to climate change,” as stated on GEF’s site. Composting helps to replenish soil’s lost nutrients, aiding in restoring land fertility for agriculture. 

Composting supports cleaner agricultural practices.

The United States’s reliance on toxic and potentially carcinogenic pesticides and herbicides is grave. The Environmental Working Group states more than 70 percent of non-organic fruits and vegetables have residue of potentially harmful pesticides. This is serious given how these chemicals have been linked to negative health and environmental effects. Experts say that replacing pesticides with composted matter naturally emboldens the soil, thus reducing the need for pesticides. 


How Do You Start Composting in Your City?

Ideally, we would all compost our scraps at home. This isn’t too hefty of a feat, given how the marketplace for chic and easy composting bins has grown. We’d all live in cities and states that mirror California’s compost mandate. Thankfully, a growing number of cities, including Boston, are making composting easy by providing compost waste drop-off sites. To find out if your city offers this, look to the following:

  1. Your city’s waste removal department. Reach out to our local City Hall or city government headquarters for a contact in the waste removal department. This contact will inform you if your town, city, or county offers compost removal services or drop-off locations. If they do not, push and ask why. (The pressing questions of residents often spark new city ordinances.)

  2. Your local recycling or trash service. Your town or city may have resident waste removed by an outside non-municipal organization—something that is quite common. The name and contact can be found via your local government, homeowners association, or landlord.

  3. Your local schools. More schools are developing unused land into working community and educational gardens to teach children about growing and cultivating produce. 

  4. Your local farmers’ market. This is always a win for any sustainably-founded question. Chances are the local farmers and purveyors in your region have a composting system in place. Ask to see if they would accept your scraps or refer you to a service they use.

To learn more about composting visit the National Resources Defense Council.