Is Organic always more expensive?

I was just as my local grocery store and found something worth mentioning (oh, and making a short video clip of it, of course!)… Organic avocados were cheaper than conventionally grown avocados.

Here’s my proof:

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Tags: Organic

Top Foods to Buy Organic

I understand that you can’t always buy every single thing Organic, whether it’s because of a budget or just availability. Find out which foods you should always buy USDA Organic, and which ones you can buy Conventional without worrying about harmful pesticides.

The Environmental Working Group compiles data from the FDA and USDA tests which measure how much pesticide is left behind in Conventionally grown produce. Based on data collected from these tests from 2000 to 2008, the Environmental Working Group put together a list of foods that contain the most and the least amount of pesticides.

The Dirty Dozen

This is a list of foods that are at the bottom of the barrel, which means they contain the most amount of harmful pesticides. It’s best to buy the following produce Organic, even if you are on a budget.

1. Celery

2. Peaches

3. Strawberries

4. Apples

5. Blueberries

6. Nectarines

7. Bell Peppers

8. Spinach

9. Kale and Collards

10. Cherries

11. Potatoes

12. Grapes (imported)

The Clean Fifteen

This is a list of produce that are considered to be the top of the list, which means they are the least contaminated with pesticides, even when Conventionally grown.

1. Onions

2. Avocados

3. Sweet Corn

4. Pineapples

5. Mangoes

6. Sweet Peas

7. Asparagus

8. Kiwi Fruit

9. Cabbage

10. Eggplant

11. Cantaloupe (domestic)

12. Watermelon

13. Grapefruit

14. Sweet Potatoes

15. Honeydew Melon

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Tags: fruits, Nutrition, Organic, produce, vegetables

Pedicure, anyone?

With Spring in full bloom and Summer on it’s way, I think it is about time women take out the nail polish and rock a beautiful pedicure. You deserve it.

Nail Polish 

Women seem to spend more time picking out the color they want rather than a brand of nail polish that will be safest for them to use. I know I have been guilty of this!

Ideally, you should choose an all natural nail polish  is water or mineral based rather than chemical based. This means  you would be buying nail polishes that don’t contain ingredients like dibutyl phthalates (DBP), which is an unhealthy chemical you will want to avoid.

Check out the nail polish from Go Natural®, a company that sells chemical free nail polish that is durable and chip-free. If you are looking for a nail polish that is geared towards girls, check out Piggy Paint®. They sell high quality nail polish that is non-toxic and provides plenty of colors to choose from.

Nail Polish Remover

Now that you use a non-toxic nail polish, it’s time to remove it once you are ready for a new color.

Try avoiding nail polish removes that that contain ingredients such as acetone, since it is a harsh chemical that dries out your nails and any skin that’s exposed to it.

You can try a natural nail polish remover such as the one from Honeybee Garden, which is enriched with horsetail extract to strengthen nails and fortified with vitamin E and aloe to soothe and protect cuticles. Another nail polish remover you can try is “Almost Natural” Nail Polish Remover by Miss, since it doesn’t have any acetone, ethyl acetate, or harsh odors. Also, it’s made with all organic ingredients.

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Tags: all natural, Beauty, chemical, Health, nail, nail polish, nail polish remover, non-toxic, Organic, Vitamin E

“Low Calorie” doesn’t mean “Healthy”

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the term “low calorie”. Companies market their product as a “low calorie” meal or snack, which as a result, leads consumers to believe they are buying a healthy product. Unfortunately for us, “low calorie” doesn’t mean that it is “healthy”! This concept is a huge misunderstanding that I would like to clear up for everyone.

When Low Calorie doesn’t mean Healthy

I went searching for what consumers thought was a great low calorie snack for weight loss. Here are some of the most common low calorie snacks consumers suggested to others, and my suggestions of healthy alternatives.

•JELL-O Brand Gelatin and Pudding Snacks- The low calorie snack packs make this product easy to consume on a daily basis, which is concerning once you read the label and see what ingredients are listed in the product. They may be labeled as sugar-free and fat-free, but there are tons of artificial sweeteners and unhealthy ingredients you just shouldn’t be putting into your body.

Alternative- You can make your own Pudding using Dr. Oetker’s Organic Pudding mix. You can make a small batch and divide it into small serving size containers to enjoy throughout the week. This product still contains sugar, but I think this is a better alternative than the snack packs mentioned above, but still should be used only in moderation.

•Quaker® Rice Cakes - What’s not healthy about a low calorie snack that is gluten free containing 9 grams of whole grains in it? Lots of sugar and corn syrup. Once you add the sugar and corn syrup (among other things) to the healthy ingredients, it’s no longer healthy.

Alternative- If you are looking for a yummy whole grain, check out Arrowhead Mills® Organic Puff cereals. You will find that there is only one ingredient in this product, just how it should be! They taste fantastic plain or with your choice of milk.

•Popcorn- These are usually full of ingredients that are anything but real butter. Lots of chemically altered ingredients and additives.

Alternative- Buy popcorn with nothing added or make it yourself.

•Frozen Desserts- Consumers recommended Sugar-Free Fudgsicles, Low-Fat Ice Cream Bars from The Skinny Cow®, and Sugar-Free Ice Pops. Notice a common theme here? Companies are selling frozen desserts in small quantities and replace the sugar and/or fat with even more harmful artificial ingredients and tell you that they are now healthy because they have fewer amounts of calories. Sadly, a lot of consumers fall for this gimmick.

Alternative- I love Organic Blackberry Sorbet Bars by Julie’s Organic. Natural ingredients with no sugar or artificial sweeteners added. You can also try making your own healthy desserts, such as frozen grapes!

•Dannon Light ‘n Fit Non-Fat Yogurt- This is made with Splenda®, and goes along the same line as the gelatin and pudding snacks.

Alternative- All Natural Yogurt or Greek Yogurt with no added ingredients.

•100 Calorie Snack Packs- These low calorie snack packs were highly suggested by consumers, mainly due to taste and because it’s a “mindless alternative”. You can choose from cookies, crackers, and chips. Low calorie? Yes. Healthy? Not one bit. The company just provided small portions that are prepackaged and sold as low calorie. These products are full of sugar, which creates fat in your midsection. Not something you should do for fat loss, right?

Alternative- There are plenty of healthy crackers or other snacks to much on, without all of the processed ingredients, additives, and preservatives.

•Fiber One® Chewy Bars- Consumers suggested this low calorie snack because they taste like a candy bar. Not surprised, considering these snacks contain a lot of sugar and high maltose corn syrup (a sneaky way of adding a cousin of “high fructose corn syrup” into products).

Alternative- Looking for a chewy bar that tastes delicious? Check out all of the Fruit and Nut Bars by LÄRABAR®. Most of the flavors are made with healthy ingredients, with only six ingredients or less. The Pecan Pie flavor, for example, only has three ingredients; dates, pecans, and almonds. You wouldn’t believe these are healthy and low calorie once you taste how delicious these bars are.

•Campbell’s® Healthy Request® Soup- The soup may only have 90 calories per serving, but with two servings per can, most people are going to eat more than one serving. 180 calories still isn’t all that bad, but considering there are 410 mg of sodium per serving, that means you would be consuming 820 mg of sodium in just one serving. This soup may be marketed as “Heart Healthy”, but that still doesn’t make this soup healthy for you. It’s crazy how marketing works sometimes.

Alternative- Make your own homemade soup. Even if you buy an Organic or All Natural Soup with very few ingredients (think Amy’s Kitchen soups), you are still going to find more sodium than you bargained for.

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Image Credits: arrowheadmills.com; larabarstore.com

Tags: all natural, artificial ingredients, Dessert, gelatin, Healthy, Healthy Alternative, healthy snack, jell-o, Lara Bar, low calorie, low calorie snack, Nutrition, Organic, Popcorn, pudding snacks, snack, soup, sugar, USDA Organic

Just Fruit™ Spreads by Crofter’s

Most jams available on the market probably have more sugar in them than the fruit named on the front of the jar. Luckily for you and me, I have discovered Just Fruit™ Spreads by Crofter’s.

Why Just Fruit™ Spreads?

Besides the fact that these delicious spreads aren’t full of processed sugars, they are delicious and only made with the most simple of ingredients.

My favorite is the Strawberry Just Fruit™ Spread, which only has 5 ingredients: Concentrated Organic grape juice, Organic Strawberries, Apple pectin, Ascorbic acid, and Citric acid.

The Fruit spreads come in Strawberry, Wild Blueberry, Superfruit, Raspberry, Black  Currant, Blackberry, and Apricot.

Be sure to check out all of the delicious flavors that are available, and make sure you always choose the jams that don’t need processed sugar to taste wonderful.

There’s no need to sacrifice flavor for your health, right?

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon

Calories: 35

More information at: Crofter’s Organic

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Tags: Fruit, fruit spread, Healthy, jam, no sugar, Organic, preserves, sugar free