The Dirty Dozen: Which Produce Should you Buy Organic?

We know that the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables, despite the pesticides that they often expose us to, outweigh the benefits of avoiding these foods in an attempt to steer clear of  toxins. The often cited reason for not buying organic, despite having concerns about these chemicals, is the cost or availability of fresh organic produce. A happy medium might be found in staying up to date with the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" (www.ewg.org).

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an organization that works to inform people of the chemical presence on common foods. They compile a yearly list of recommendations that they base on data from thousands of tests for pesticide residues by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA). This list provides you with the information to make informed decisions when deciding whether or not to buy organic. The 2011 list is below. The lower the number the higher the level of pesticides. These are food items that are highly recommended to be bought organic.

 Immune Boosting Ginger Tea & Ginger Mushroom Soup Recipes  

The best thing about the cool temperatures is how it accentuates the delicious experience of a fresh, piping-hot cup of tea. This November, as the leaves swirl around in fits of autumn joy, try a cool crisp walk to fill the lungs with fresh air in preparation for the pinacle of the fall immersion, curling up with a warming cup of ginger tea afterwards.

This month's recipe, in addition to adding a little burst of flavour and texture to your favourite cup of herbal tea, also incorporates fresh ginger just in time for cold season.

Ginger is one of those wonder foods used throughout history in many cultures to prevent and treat illness. It is used to treat stomach ailments and nausea due to its ability to relax muscles in the belly. In some studies ginger has been found to relieve arthritis pain and inflammation. Fresh ginger contains eugenol, which was shown in a study at the University of Illinios to activate infection-fighting T-cells and improve immune functioning within two hours. And if that weren't enough, in addition to being an immune system enhancing food in is also a natural antibiotic (thought to have been one of the reasons why pickled ginger is traditionally served with sushi in addition to it's palate cleansing properties). Ginger is also high in potassium and maganese, which promotes heart health, and silicon for healthy skin, hair and teeth. It's also a source of vitamin A, C E and B and more. So eat lots!

Pineapple Ginger Herbal Tea

Ingredients:

Your favourite fruity herbal tea

(I love to make this with cranberry herbal tea but it works well with orange flavoured teas and possibly lots of others as well. Be adventurous.)

1.5 cups of finely chopped fresh pineapple

4 tbs shredded coconut

4 thin slices of ginger, peeled

3 cups of water

Instructions:

In a saucepan bring water, pineapple and coconut to a boil. Remove from heat and add the ginger and two bags of your chosen herbal tea. Stir and let steep 2-3 minutes, then strain the tea into tea cups, squeezing out the solid ingredients to get most of the flavour into your tea cups.

Makes two cups

Immune Boosting Mushroom Soup

Click this link for an Immune Boosting Soup recipe from our Nov 2009 newsletter. This tasty soup is full of ginger, garlic and lots of Mushrooms, a powerhouse of immune boosting ingredients to keep you strong and healthy as we near the year end.