Blog | easy peas

Should you be eating organic?  The short answer is yes.  The long answer is do what you can, especially for little ones.  Pound for pound babies and toddlers ingest more pesticides then adults do. 

There are several benefits to eating organic. 

You'll be avoiding eating pesticides.  Yes pesticide amounts are regulated by the government however combining of pesticides is not regulated.  Your lovely green broccoli may have a cocktail of 3 to 4 different types of pesticides. 

If you're eating meat or consuming dairy you'll be avoiding antibiotics and hormones that are used to avoid infections in the animals and to speed their growth.  It's not a very far fetched thought to link the use of antibiotics in our food to the growing amounts of antibiotic resistant bacteria, amongst other things. 

You'll also be avoiding eating genetically modified foods.  I've always advocated eating foods that are closest to its natural source.  Although we are being told that GM foods are safe, no long term testing has been done on them.  GM foods have been used widely since the 1990's and many studies have linked GM foods to food allergies, asthma, digestive problems and fertility problems. 

Organic produce has a higher nutritional value, at least 20-40% according to a 4 year study done by Newcastle University in England.  If your toddler is already skimming by in the vegetable department, get the most out of the veggies he does eat!

My personal reason for eating organic is that it tastes so much better.  Fruits and vegetables taste so much crisper, juicier and more flavorful. It's like they're infused with flavor. Most vegetables don't even need a dip or seasoning since they taste so wonderful.  The way nature intended it.

Ely Kettle, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Have I mentioned recently that I love my Cake + Loaf breads? I
get a little giddy every time I get my fresh baked whole grain loaf
of goodness. But when I found out that they use sea salt instead of
table salt in their baked goods, I was over the moon!

Most people tend to write off salt as a necessary evil. It's needed
for baking and in some cooking but we know about the health
consequences of excess salt. It causes high blood pressure, heart
troubles, eczema and kidney diseases to name a few. You'd love to
write it off completely but a salt free word would be a little bland,
non?

So why switch to sea salt if salt isn't that good anyway? My
philosophy has always been to eat food as close as possible to
its original source. Whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables
have the most vitamins, nutrients and enzymes when they are left
whole. They are easier to digest and contain health benefits that
we have yet to discover.

Sea salt follows that philosophy. It's the least processed choice
and it's better for you too! And if you ask any chef, it also tastes
better.

Table salt comes for salt mines and is heavily processed in order
to remove all trace minerals. An anti-clumping agent is then added
to the salt prior to packaging. Thanks to the refining process
table salt is mutated far from its original source. Sea salt on the
other is collected using sea water that is dried under the sun. The
remaining salt contains over 80 minerals and micro-nutrients that
are found under the sea!

Additionally granule per granule sea salt contains less sodium
then table salt. The reason being that table salt is so refined that
is becomes 99% sodium chloride and no additional minerals. As
well, since sea salt is more flavourful, a lot less salt is actually
needed.

A word or two of caution...

Always read labels and ensure that what you are purchasing is
indeed sea salt. Some companies have also been boiling sea
salt instead of allowing it to dry out under the sun, essentially
eradicating the benefits of sea salt.

Although sea salt is a far healthier option, a little goes a long way!

For more details on easy changes to improve your health contact
me at easy.peas.nutrition@gmail.com or visit http://at-easy-
peas.blogspot.com/

Good day all Cake + Loaf’ers!  I’m Ely, a Holistic Nutritionist at Easy Peas in Hamilton.  

As a Nutritionist and a lifelong student of all things healthy and natural, I was immediately drawn to the philosophy of Cake + Loaf.  Organic, locally grown breads that are not only healthy but mouthwatering.  

There’s no doubt in my mind that eating locally is a wise decision.  In generations past, eating organic and locally grown was not a fad, it wasn’t even a choice.  Families did their grocery shopping from farmers and meals were made from scratch on a daily basis.  Fast forward 100 years and time is at a premium.  But should our health suffer because of it?

Eating locally has many health benefits.  It’s safer for one.  Smaller farmer tend to use less chemicals when growing their crop.  That means less chemicals in your body and in the body of your family.  Farmers are also far less concerned with shipping and therefore pick produce that is ripe and at it’s best.  Mass produced grains are drenched with chemicals to ensure maximum profit.  

Eating locally also means eating seasonally for the most part.  And that means eating breads that are made fresh and with grains that have maintained their full nutrients.

Best of all, eating locally tastes better!  If you’ve ever tasted a fresh picked apple, you’ll know the taste is unparalleled. Flavors are unique and intensified.

Since my first CSB I have never looked back.  How much more of a win-win situation could this be?  Healthy and tasty!  

I look forward to contributing to the Cake + Loaf blog on a regular basis.  Feel free to contact me regarding any health or nutrition questions you may have or any ideas for future blog topics.

You can reach me at easy.peas.nutrition@gmail.com or visit http://at-easy-peas.blogspot.com/.