Garden Kauai » Health

Poisons in Paradise

GK — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:39:16 +0000

Help Make a Salad Cost Less than a Big Mac

GK — Sun, 23 May 2010 18:44:12 +0000

Thanks to agricultural subsidies, the least healthy foods are also the cheapest to buy.

From GOOD ….

In 1933, Congress passed a cornerstone of New Deal reform, the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which paid farmers to cut the production of commodities like wheat and corn in an effort to lift farms out of the depths of the Great Depression. Since then, government farm programs have evolved into a confusing labyrinth of tax reductions, price supports, and direct payments designed to help farmers deal with fluctuating weather patterns and market prices—all to ensure a stable supply of food.

Just mention subsidies and most people’s eyes glaze over. But government subsidies transfer hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to large farmers who grow just a few types of crops, creating some of the country’s least deserving welfare recipients. Subsidies set price minimums and ensure that corn, soy, wheat, and rice producers get paid regardless of how low prices for their crops are or whether they even need assistance in the first place. These subsidies support the cheap and unhealthy domestic food that shows up in the aisles of the supermarket. And they’re the reason why a salad costs more than a Big Mac.

Super Food: Sprouts

GK — Sat, 08 May 2010 02:09:36 +0000

The health benefits of sprouts, both medicinally and nutritionally, have been studied for centuries and it is time we made them a household name and a permanent special place in our kitchen adventures. From prevention to treatment of life-threatening diseases, the chemical/molecular composition of sprouts is so impressive, it’s been said by the medical community that sprouts are better for you then the actual full grown produce (veggie/legume/grain/etc..)

The Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet

GK — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:32:14 +0000

The world’s cutest pocket guide to buying organic

While always preferred, buying organic is often cost-prohibitive and, with some produce, sometimes less important. Heidi Kenney’s downloadable Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet makes that split-second decision on whether to spend that extra 20 cents a pound on organic bananas or organic strawberries a little easier.