Aquaculture: Let’s Go Fishing to Uphold the Environment

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy.

Everyone knows that a pescetarian diet’s a good one — and we’re pretty sure you’ve heard of those vegetarians touting the whole fish diet as well (making a good case for it even, given the fact that fish are live animals). Some don’t even realize, though, that vegetarians do eat fish not only for the fact that it’s good for them — but also good for the world, and here’s why:

Aquaculture May Be the Wave of the Future of Food

That’s a bold statement given the culture we’ve monopolized, what with agriculture making millions — crops, beef, poultry. You name it. Our very economy is funded by it. But aquaculture? Can that be the answer?

It can be when satellite photos of cow feedlots show up looking like manure oceans of waste management efforts cluttered with clusters of methane gas and the like. Makes you think that the whole agriculture thing just isn’t good for the environment. And, truthfully, what farmers do does have an impact on the overall health of the planet.

Aquaculture’s different, although there are some issues with leveraging the “last wild food” to its peak consumption. Overfishing, for example, can cause major issues. The bluefin tuna, in fact — currently endangered — could end up extinct within our lifetime. We manage aquaculture and leverage the overall health benefits of fish, and we might be looking at a full-on sustainable industry worth literally $220MM to the country — nay, to the world.

Will Farms Be Managing Vats and Tubs Over Coops and Pens?

We’re going to be honest here: they just might be some day soon. After all, 50% of the world’s fish supply are actually raised on farms. Not in the oceans. Food for thought there. Pretty soon you might end up seeing grocery stores only selling tilapia over ground beef. It’ll be an interesting future.

What Are Collard Greens?

Posted by & filed under organic produce.

Collard Greens

Kale has become a vegetable superstar in the past handful of years, and it’s certainly considered a King of Greens. However, there are a whole family of greens that are just as good for you – and equally as versatile as the celebrated Kale  – and collard greens are a prime example.

What Are Collard Greens?

Collards are in the greens family – the same one where we find kale, cabbage, broccoli  and other cruciferous vegetables. They have large, beautiful green leaves on a very thick stalk – visually they look like what you would get if spinach married a rubber plant and had a baby.

Want to get excited about adding a new vegetable to your diet? Take a look at these nutritional facts, brought to you by Medical News Today:

Calories: One cup of cooked collard greens has about 63 calories, 5 grams of protein (yes, plants have protein too!), 1 gram of fat and and 11 grams of carbs (the large majority of which are fiber).

Vitamins and minerals: Here’s what that cup of cooked greens will yield in terms of nutrient content (RDA) – it’s pretty impressive.

  • Vitamin A – 250%
  • Vitamin B6 – 10%
  • Vitamin C – 50%
  • Vitamin K (100+%)
  • Calcium – 26%
  • Magnesium – 10%
  • Iron – 1%

They are also a good source of choline, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorous and potassium.

Collard Greens Are Great For Your Body

In recent studied, collard greens have been associated with facilitating weight loss, and reducing the risk of developing serious, epidemic-esque health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Speaking of the heart, here’s another amazing fact about collards – they reduce bad cholesterol levels. The bile binding acids in your digestive tract “capture” bad cholesterol from the foods you eat. When these acids bind to bile binding acids, they are more easily excreted by your body, preventing them from getting into your vascular system. Steamed collard greens are one of the most effective foods for facilitating bile binding acids, and have been shown to lower cholesterol levels in recent studies.

Collards and other cruciferous greens have repeatedly been associated with lower risks of cancer, specifically lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers, and possibly melanoma, esophageal and pancreatic cancers.

We could go on and on about the health benefits of collard greens but you get the idea. Let’s move on to more important information – like the best ways to prepare them.

Ideas for Preparing Collard Greens

  • Eat them raw. Eating raw veggies is the best way to optimize their nutritional value. Read, Why You Should Be Eating More Raw Foods, to learn more about that topic. While collards can be tough and/or bitter when eaten without any prep, they become delectable when massaged for a few minutes with a little olive oil and lemon juice – or apple cider vinegar – and then thrown into your salads. You can also use them in place of basil (or in addition to) in your favorite pesto recipe.
  • Steam them. If you love greens, then you’ll love collards. Green lovers are happy to keep it simple, removing the tough stems, rough chopping the leaves and throwing them in a steamer for about 5 – 7 minutes, but no more than 10. Like other cruciferous vegetables, all of which contain sulfur (Click Here to read about the health benefits of sulfur), overcooking will yield that sulfurous odor that gives healthy greens a bad rap.Once they’re done, you can eat them tossed with a smidge of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), salt and pepper – and perhaps a little red chili flake. Some people like to sprinkle them with apple cider vinegar.
  • Use them as wraps. Try removing the leaves from the stalks and blanching whole leaves to make them malleable. Now you can use them as a nutritious exterior for your favorite wrap recipe. Or, try one of our favorites – Raw Thai Spring Rolls w/ “Peanut” sauce (actually made with almonds). We’ve yet to have a single bit left over, now matter how many times we’ve doubled or tripled the recipe – they’re that good.

In truth, collards can be substituted for kale in any recipe, so go wild and start experimenting. Look for collards in the green section of your local grocery produce aisles. Let us know what you think!

Why You Should Be Eating More Raw Foods

Posted by & filed under organic produce.

Raw foods have amazing benefits that could be changing your life. And you don’t have to adopt a completely raw diet to see the benefits from adding more raw foods to your daily routine. Even swapping one cooked food for a raw option at each meal can make a difference in how you look, feel and perform in your daily life or special activities!


Some of the benefits of eating more raw foods include:

images-4 raw foods-Increased energy production and mental clarity (getting more daily work done and increased productivity)

-Natural cleansing effects

-More available enzymes to break down your food and absorb nutrients (Check out how raw food can build muscle!)

-Less risk of overeating (eat as many raw fruits and veggies as you like and you’ll still never reach that comatose-full feeling you get from cooked foods)

-Less food packaging (Check out 10 raw foods to change your life!)

-Digestive regularity

-More antioxidants

-Better complexion

organic-78920_960_720 raw foods-Better for the environment (Check out this article about how you can save the world by eating organic!)

 

 

And there are many more! So give raw a shot with Golden Gate Organics! 

How You Eating Raw Fruits and Veggies Can Save The World

Posted by & filed under organic produce.

More fruit, vegetables and whole grains, less meat, more locally-grown produce, more seasonal raw materials, more natural foods, more seafood and more ecology. Eating raw can change the world.

You’ll Be Doing The Environment A Great Favor


“A mostly raw diet contains a great potential for reducing the negative effects that our eating852904568_ef9b647ab4_b habits have on the environment,” says Henrik Saxe, an associate professor who specialises in sustainability at Copenhagen University’s OPUS Centre.

“Our findings show that the emission of greenhouse gases is at least 6 percent lower with people who eat a mostly raw diet. And there’s a potential for a 27-percent reduction in these emissions, compared to the average person’s diet.”

“It also benefits the environment to eat locally produced goods and replace some of the beef with lamb, chicken or pork – or to eat more vegetable protein foods such as beans and other leguminous fruits.”

Eating Raw Is More Than Just A Study


The study also shows a raw or mostly raw diet has the potential to reduce the negative effects that food has on the climate by as much as 27 percent. That’s amazing!

download-8The growth of organic produce has been proven to emit much less greenhouse gasses than their mass produced counterparts, and they are healthier for you as well!

Good thing Golden Gate Organics is ready to deliver the perfect world saving organic fruits and veggies to your door! Go forth and save the world!

10 Foods To “Beef Up” Your Raw Diet

Posted by & filed under organic produce.

Here are the top 10 raw foods you should be adding to your diet on a regular basis. The pros? The9041948559_ae975fe9d8_by’re all amazingly delicious foods that you don’t have to choke down for the sake of good health!


1. Cultured vegetables – (or fermented) vegetables are some of the best foods you can put in your body. They’re not only an easy to digest raw food (the fermentation process pre-digests the starches in the foods and makes them easier for your body to process and absorb), but they are also a super source for a wide range of enzymes and probiotics that help build immunity, improve digestion and nutrient absorption and enliven your overall health.

2. Coconut – are one of the most naturally hydrating foods, especially the young varieties. The natural electrolyte composition of coconut water is better at re-hydrating the body than any other sport/nutrition drink and is the best match to what your body already produces.

3. Chia Seeds – they have more omega 3’s and antioxidants than flax and have been used for centuries as a life sustaining food. In addition, Chia seeds are an easily digested food, provide easy access nutrients to the body and are one of the most complete plant-based sources of protein available.

4. Leafy Greens – it’s almost impossible to get enough greens. If given the chance, you could ingest greens for every meal and see only benefits from it. Leafy greens like kale, chard, beet greens, collards and spinach, are high in chlorophyll, a powerful antioxidant, vitamins C and E, fiber, enzymes and amino acids. Eating leafy greens raw preserves their utmost nutritional concentration and makes for a more filling meal.

5. Seeds – are high in fiber, vitamin E, and healthy unsaturated fats that can help keep your brain and heart healthy. Raw seeds are also a good source of protein, zinc, which is good for your immune system, and have been linked to lower levels of the bad LDL cholesterol.

3147501806_ac8bc5efda_z6. Seaweeds – such as kelp, nori, wakame and arame have an estimated 10-20 times the average nutrients in land plants and are one of the richest sources of chlorophyll available. Seaweeds are extremely high in minerals and are said to be one of the most easily assimilated sources of minerals for the human bloodstream.

7. Sprouts – As the growth process begins during sprouting, food enzymes are activated, nutrient levels increase and new vitamins and minerals are taken on. In fact, per calorie sprouts are said to provide more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and proteins than any other food. Sprouts are also high in phytonutrients and chlorophyll, which play an antioxidant role in your body.

8. Blueberries– they have more antioxidants than any other fruit, quite a bit of heart healthy fiber and are a natural brain food. Blueberries are not a hard one to add to your diet, they’re versatile, ready to eat and you can never have too many!


9. Bee Pollen – It is made up of about 40% protein and, as you may assume due to all its nutrients, is an amazing source of energy. It has also been studied for its ability to decrease seasonal allergies when you eat locally produced pollen, as well as its impact on endurance during exercise.

download-710. Chocolate – ok, so not just your plain old chocolate bar but raw chocolate, or cacao, sits right up there in the super-food category. Raw cacao nibs, which are what chocolate producers roast and process into cocoa, are rich in magnesium, which is an essential nutrient for energy production in your cells. Raw cacao is also packed with antioxidants and may help relieve stress due to natural serotonin levels. Don’t get carried away with this one though – like other superfoods, raw cacao is good in moderation and it’s benefits decrease quickly when sugar and processing is involved.

So go forth and eat raw with Golden Gate Organics! All of the fresh and organic produce delivered directly to your door!

Eating Raw AND Building Muscle?!

Posted by & filed under organic produce.

While going to a 100% raw diet (which means steering clear of any food heated to about 115° or more) can be daunting, there are undeniable benefits from including more uncooked foods in your training diet.

All About Those Vitamins

For starters, loading up on raw fruits and vegetables will flood your body with a larger dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can improve muscle recovery and strength. Most raw veggies are also low in calories and high in fiber, which can be ideal for folks trying to slim down in a healthy way.

More good news for your future six-pack: in a new study by Harvard scientists determined that
coman-641691_960_720oking increases the amount of energy your body absorbs from food. Think of it like this: cooking food performs some of the digestion for you, so your body doesn’t expend as much energy in the digestive process. Eating raw food puts your body to work! So the calories gained from raw spinach or beef tartare could very well be less than from the same portion of cooked spinach or hamburger. Don’t worry, you will never struggle to open a pickle jar again!

raw_vegan_veggy_pattyThere Are Options

 But you don’t have to shut of your stove permanently if you’re trying to reap the benefits of raw foods. Instead, simply look for opportunities to work more raw foods into your diet. Mix berries into your oatmeal and raw almonds into your Greek yogurt. Use large leafy greens, like collards or Swiss chard for sandwiches. Raw salsas can gussy up chicken, and grated raw kohlrabi or zucchini makes a perfect base for meat sauce without using starchy pasta. And if you are feeling cheap, you can even elevate convenience items like frozen pizza by adding raw vegetables.

 

Don’t doubt what changing to a raw diet can do for you!

And luckily for you, Golden Gate Organics will deliver these life changing fruits and veggies straight to your door!

Is Corn Good For You?

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Corn

Corn has gotten a bad rap these days, largely as the result of industrial farming techniques and the fact that the byproducts of highly-processed corn (think sugars) abound. In its most genuine form, non-GMO corn, grown in healthy soil without the use of toxic herbicides or pesticides is very good for you. Not only that, since it is considered a vegetable and a whole grain, it’s incredibly versatile.

Let’s be clear that for this article, we’re talking about the traditional white or sweet corn you see in your grocery store produce aisles. If you’re shopping at farmer’s markets or you belong to a CSA, odds are you have access to a much wider range of corn products, including colorful heirloom corns – all are healthy but not all are as sweet and different varieties have different uses. For example, some are best to eat right off the cob, some are better for drying and popping (a very healthy snack, we might add!) and still others work best when used for tortillas or breads.

The Nutritional Value of Corn

Here is a breakdown of the nutritional value (RDA) for one cup of sweet yellow corn, assuming it’s grown in optimal conditions.

  • Carbohydrates (20.86%)
  • Vitamin B5 (20.80%)
  • Vitamin B1 (18.75)
  • Phosphourous (18.43)
  • Vitamin B3 (16.03%)

Below, we’ve included information about how unprocessed corn is beneficial to your health.

Corn can be used as a whole grain

In an era where wheat- and gluten-sensitivities are on the rise, corn is an excellent whole-grain option. The key is to find and purchase cornmeal, polenta, grits – the label should say “whole corn” or “whole grain corn.” Some products may have the word “degerminated” on them and these dried corn products are not considered “whole grain”.

It’s a healthy starch

When you review the nutritional contents of corn, you see that a cup of corn has about 20% of the carbohydrates you need each day. This shouldn’t be alarming to those who are watching carb intake; unlike other empty carbs, the starches in corn are considered “healthy starches.” When they’re eaten in their natural form, they are much easier for your body to assimilate and they aren’t as disastrous for blood sugar levels. Our advice is to skip packaged foods and snacks that have “corn” byproducts in their ingredients (unhealthy sugar) and get your daily carb intake via delicious, healthy corn.

Corn is high in fiber

Corn has a high fiber content. In addition to being good for your digestive tract, high fiber diets help to control the rate at which sugars enter your blood stream. So, consuming these whole-grain, high-fiber vegetable can be beneficial for those who have heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Again, the trick is to pay attention to food labels. Corn makes its way into just about everything so you’re best off skipping all the processed foods, making it easier to track how much “real food” you are eating each day. A high-fiber diet also helps to protect you from getting hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer.

It contains important antioxidants

Antioxidants work to fight the free radicals in your body. These molecules cause cells to age faster and can lead to increased inflammation, disease and even cancer. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant so eating fresh corn, or dried corn products, is a smart way to fight free radicals using a delicious food product. You’ll benefit even more if you pair corn with other foods high in Vitamin A, like carrots, yellow squashes, and sweet potatoes.

We recommend trying this Pinto Bean Chili with Corn & Winter Squash to enjoy a high-fiber, vegetarian meal that will knock your socks off. It’s a perfect complement to a cold, winter evening. Are you looking to add more meat-free meals to your dinner rotation? Read, Balance an Omnivore Diet… for more information on that topic.

Corn abounds this time of year so take advantage of it. From entrees and side dishes to healthy breads and snacks, it’s easy to make corn a regular part of your weekly menu.

 

Health Benefits of Avocado

Posted by & filed under fruit.

Health benefits avocado

Two of the most popular New Year’s resolutions here in the U.S. are to lose weight and get fit. These are both worthy goals, but be very careful if they’re yours. Losing weight often involves dieting, which involves reducing your fat intake – and that can lead to the reduction of the wrong fats.

Contrary to popular belief, fat is not the enemy. In fact, healthy fats are essential to a healthy body – and therein lies the key: healthy fats.

Among other nutritional benefits, avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats  – the kind of fats your body needs to be healthy. In fact, the good cholesterol found in avocados’ monounsaturated fats (HDL) actually reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body.

Eating avocados is a smart way for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores to consume lots of creamy, delicious fat without all the negative side effects.

7 Health Benefits of Eating Avocados

So! Healthy fats. That’s a bonus benefit. Here are 7 other scientifically-proven health benefits of adding avocados to your meal.

  1. They’re packed with fiber. A single avocado has about 9 grams of fiber (more than 25% of the daily-recommended allowance (RDA)) Fiber is good for your heart and good for your digestive tract. It keeps things moving through your system, reduced cholesterol and it also helps to balance blood sugar levels by regulating the rate at which sugar enters your blood stream.
  1. Nutritional values read like a multivitamin. Scan down the list of nutrients housed in a single avocado and it feels like you’re reading the nutritional information on the side of a daily multivitamin. A 3.5 ounce serving of avocado contains 10% or more of the RDA of:
    –Vitamin C
    –Vitamin E
    –Vitamin B6
    –Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid (20% RDA)
    –Vitamin K (26% of RDA)
    –Potassium
    –Copper
    Avocados also contain smaller amounts of vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), zinc, iron, phosphorous, magnesium and manganese.
  2. It’s a superfood. The designation of a superfood means that a food product packs a valuable nutritional punch without any bad cholesterol, salt and is low in fat. Avocados meet all those requirements. Plus, at only 160 calories per fruit (they are a fruit since there’s a seed inside), 2 grams of protein and 9 grams of monounsaturated fat, they help to fill you up without needing a whole lot of calories.
  3. Avocados have more potassium than a banana. Potassium is an essential mineral because it facilitates a healthy heartbeat and cell function. Bananas are often touted as a natural potassium supplement – and they are. However, they don’t hold a candle to the amount of potassium found in an avocado. While a whole banana contains about 10% of your RDA of potassium, a 3.5 ounce serving of avocado has about 14% of your RDA, and that’s not even the whole avocado!
  4. Reduce arthritis symptoms. Avocados have gained notoriety in the press lately due to recent studies that show avocados can reduce the painful and debilitating side-effects of arthritis, especially for osteoarthritis patients who have trouble with their knees and/or hips.
  5. They lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. After your annual wellness visit, your doctor provides you with readings of your healthy cholesterol (HDLs), bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. Ideally, you want your LDL to be in the higher range, while your LDL and triglycerides should be lower. Depending on your age, genetics and lifestyle habits – many adults find their measurements are in the opposite categories. If this is the case for you, adding avocado to your diet can boost good cholesterol and lower your LDL and triglyceride levels. These findings are enhanced even further if you migrate towards a more vegetarian diet.
  6. Sponge up extra nutrients. Remember we said it’s not a good idea to completely eliminate fat from your diet? Some nutrients, like vitamins A, D, E, and K are considered fat-soluble. This means they need to be ingested along with fat, in order for your body to absorb them. If you cut fat out of your diet, these fat-soluble nutrients can run right through your digestive tract without being absorbed. The same holds true for certain antioxidants. Including avocados or avocado oil in your salads, snacks and meals helps your body to make the most of any fat-soluble nutrients it consumes.

We’re lucky to live here in California where avocados grow profusely and have a shorter distance to travel to find their lucky grocery store purchaser. Visit Golden Gate Organics and place your order. Ripe, delicious and nutritious, certified-organic avocados will be waiting on your doorstep before you know it.

Why Traditional Organic Farmers Think USDA Organic Certification HAS to Be About the Soil

Posted by & filed under organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, produce report.

After all, from the beginning of time, crops were planted and harvested where? You guessed it: in the Earth. That’s how it’s always been. That’s how the divine whatevers intended it to work, and it honestly can’t work any other way. Hence why organic farmers are arguing the fact that hydroponics can’t possibly be considered USDA organic certified since the process doesn’t even require soil.organic-farmers

The Argument Organic Farmers Are Making, of Course, Is Backed by the Very Best

The Cornucopia Institute, for example — there you have the standard watchdog group for everything USDA organic, stating that the actual goals of organic production simply require soil. The nutrients in the soil are unmatched. It also contributes to the environment given that it’s a 2-way street. Planting and harvesting crops benefits the Earth just as much as it benefits us as human beings, so then the question again remains:

Why should hydroponics be considered USDA organic? Good question. A question for every foodie, chef, or culinary hopeful.

Of course, hydroponic farmers everywhere are putting up a good literary fight on this deliberation, but it remains to be seen. It’s going to be a long battle on whether or not hydroponic produce can deserve the label of ORGANIC just like the rest of our products done the true and tried way. Sure, hydroponics requires an artificial system of growing. Sure, they’re not using an ounce of soil to grow their produce. But should that matter? Hmm….

What Do You Think, Readers?

Should the label ORGANIC strictly be only for those organic farmers tilling the Earth? Or can be apply it to those innovative growers operating tubes and vats of amplified water? At the moment, hydroponics can be labeled as organic, but that may change. Your opinions matter. Let us know what you think.

 

Hydroponic Farmers Say They’re Contributing to the Organics Industry, and Here’s Why

Posted by & filed under organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery.

You can’t shake the fact that hydroponics has made a dent in the health foods market for good reason. They’re basically growing produce without soil and using honestly the healthiest substance known to man on this Earth: water. Infused water with all the natural nutrients crops actually need. A genius form of farming when you think about it. However, when it comes to the USDA organics industry, there’s some deliberation on whether or not hydroponics has earned the right to be considered organic. As in, these crops aren’t even utilizing the Earth at all. Plain and simple.hydroponic-farmers-1

Hydroponic Farmers, Though, Have Made an Important Point Here:

By simply not using the soil of the Earth, they’re contributing to the environment while providing the healthiest foods. An interesting viewpoint. Since organics does promote sustainability, that leaves soil alone, resulting in less damage, deterioration, and longevity. After all, water never gets ‘stale’. Lakes and rivers don’t exactly dry up or get contaminated, so to speak. Hydroponics aren’t necessarily governed by the weather, global warming, and other adverse effects that could contaminate the Earth. By leaving the Earth alone, hydroponics actually contributes to the environment in much the same way traditional organics do, which adheres to the basic principles behind the USDA.

Whether or not the board of public volunteers comprised of organic farmers, environmentalists and consumer advocates would agree with that assessment is another story, though. Still, it’s quite compelling, and the proof is in the hydroponic pudding, as it were. The question then is simple:

Does This Argument Hold for You?

Or are hydroponic farmers grasping for straws here? They make a point about the Earth and the efficiency of traditional organic farming, albeit very healthy, determined, homegrown and reliable. If you can make the highest quality produce with minimal effect to the Earth, wouldn’t that also be considered as organic? You be the judge. Let us know what you think.