March Against Monsanto

This past Saturday, May 25th, millions of people, from across the world, participated in a global march to rally against the atrocities that have been committed by one of the biggest, and most hated, biotech companies that has, and ever will exist, Monsanto. Unfortunately, despite the huge turn out ?(52 countries, and over 436 cities participated), major news sources did not pay much attention to this event, which is founded in an ever growing desire for GMO’s to not only be labeled, but to be eliminated entirely. Click here to learn more about this important rally.

What’s in Your Green Tea?

For many, no drink is more synonymous with good health than green tea. But a new report by an independent laboratory shows that green tea can vary widely from one cup to the next. Some bottled varieties appear to be little more than sugar water, containing little of the antioxidants that have given the beverage its good name. And some green tea leaves, particularly those from China, are contaminated with lead, though the metal does not appear to leach out during the brewing process. The report was published this week by ConsumerLab.com, an independent site that tests health products of all kinds. The company, which had previously tested a variety of green tea supplements typically found in health food stores, took a close look at brewed and bottled green tea products, a segment that has grown rapidly since the 1990s. It found that green tea brewed from loose tea leaves was perhaps the best and most potent source of antioxidants like epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, though plain and simple tea bags made by Lipton and Bigelow were the most cost-efficient source. The new research was carried out in several phases. In one, researchers tested four brands of green tea beverages sold in stores. One variety, Diet Snapple Green Tea, contained almost no EGCG. Another bottled brand, Honest Tea?s Green Tea With Honey, claimed to carry 190 milligrams of catechins, but the report found that it contained only about 60 percent of that figure. The drink also contained 70 milligrams of caffeine, about two-thirds the amount in a regular cup of coffee, as well as 18 grams of sugar, about half the amount found in a can of Sprite. Another phase of the study looked at green tea in its more natural forms ? loose tea leaves sold by Teavana and tea bags sold by companies like Bigelow and Lipton. A single serving of Teavana?s Gyokuro green tea, about one teaspoonful, was chock-full of antioxidants, yielding about 250 milligrams of catechins, a third of which were EGCG. It also contained 86 milligrams of caffeine, slightly less than a regular cup of coffee. The most surprising phase of the study was an analysis of the lead content in the green tea leaves. The leaves in the Lipton and Bigelow tea bags contained 1.25 to 2.5 micrograms of lead per serving. The leaves from Teavana, however, did not contain measurable amounts.

Connecticut Senate Backs Bill To Label Genetically Modified Foods

A bill that would require food made with genetically modified organisms to carry labels cleared the Connecticut state Senate late Tuesday night. The Senate’s approval, on a 35-1 vote, gives new energy to a measure that had strong grassroots backing but appeared stalled at the Capitol this year. But its prospects in the House of Representatives are murkier. Even if the bill passes the House and is signed into law by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, it would not take effect until at least three other states pass similar legislation. GMO labeling legislation is pending in more than a dozen states. Some food would be exempt from the labeling mandate: food served or sold in a restaurant for immediate consumption, as well as alcoholic beverages and farm products sold at farmer’s markets, roadside stands and pick-your-own farms. Still, supporters hailed the bill as a victory for consumers. We hope to see a similar success story in New York. In order for that to become a reality, we need everyone to make their voices heard, and demand GMO labeling. Please click here to find out how you can contact a New York state elected official and make this a reality.

Who Owns Organic – Updated

The latest version of Who Owns Organics has been released by Dr. Phil Howard, an Assistant Professor at Michigan State.? Dr. Howard teaches in the University?s Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies program.? The latest update now includes the top 100 food processors in North America. Click here to find out who is really profiting from sales of your favorite organic and natural foods.

Breeding the Nutrition Out of Our Food

Studies published within the past 15 years show that much of the produce currently consumed is relatively low in phytonutrients, which are the compounds with the potential to reduce the risk of four of our modern scourges: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. The loss of these beneficial nutrients did not begin 50 or 100 years ago, as many assume. Unwittingly, we have been stripping phytonutrients from our diet since we stopped foraging for wild plants some 10,000 years ago and became farmers. These insights have been made possible by new technology that has allowed researchers to compare the phytonutrient content of wild plants with the produce in our supermarkets. The results are startling. Click here to read more.