Organic Food Australia – What to eat, what is good for you

This beer is one of the greatest discoveries we have made after trying to find a healthy, organic and eco friendly beer to drink as Fosters had stopped importing the fabulous Mac’s beers from Nelson, New Zealand.

The Cascade Brewery is set in the beautiful and lush Tasmanian wilderness. It’s the perfect place to brew beer. Cascade Green is a full-flavoured, preservative free, low carb, refreshing lager made from 100% pure Tasmanian ingredients, Cascade Green is 100% carbon offset. According to cascadegreen.com.au – The emissions they haven’t already reduced, they have offset through accredited offset programmes. Full details at cascadegreen.com.au

They say that the Cascade Brewery has been committed to reducing their carbon footprint, not just because it’s fashionable but they have been doing this for over 10 years and in the last 6 years the brewery has reduced water usage by 30% per unit of production and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 16% per unit of production.

This relatively new beer is a 100% carbon offset beer. Cascade Green is officially certified by the Australian Greenhouse Friendly Program and has it’s own Emissions Monitoring Plan.

Our own beer fridge contents is currently 100% carbon offset thanks to Cascade Green and it tastes like that too, it’s an amazingly refreshing drink and you have to be careful as it’s easy to just gulp it down as it tastes totally fantastic. If your local liquor store hasn’t got it in stock then tell them to order it and put pressure on them. Give a ice cold bottle to friends and let everyone know this beer is the real thing!

When you buy foods marked or classed as organic then you can usually be assured these foods are free from chemicals, preservatives and other pesticides but this doesn’t always mean that non organic foods are all bad.

Here is a few organic & non organic foods sold at popular supermarkets and stores in Australia:

 Spinach Pasta – Pasta is a great source of carbs

Crackers – These don’t seem to have any artificial chemicals or preservatives which make a healthy snack food.

Organic Popcorn – Excellent snack food, make healthier than sweets and refrain from too make salt and coatings, use sea salt sparingly!

Fruit Juice should be consumed daily, I found this at a local Penshurst green grocer on Forest road at a cheap price and it tasted great.

Aldi also offer some products that are not officially organic but are still healthily like their Extra Virgin Olive Oil that is below $7 for a 1 litre bottle. It has quite an olive smell to it but it is still Extra Virgin Olive Oil and at that price who cares. You may want to use another less aromatic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in your cooking where the flavour is easily detected but for many common uses it can be a great general oil to use.

If you look closely at the yogurt offered in most food shops & supermarkets in Australia then it soon becomes obvious that the yogurt offered in Australia is just fast food or junk food packaged to make it appear as healthy.These yogurts are full of dangerous chemicals, additives,artificial colors, full fatty cream and other nasty ingredients.

In fact nearly all yogurt you buy in Australia includes cream which is full of fat and most yogurts have at least one artificial agent or preservatives and nasty chemicals which the pathetic Australian Liberal party should have banned years ago. If someone that knows anything about yogurt were to try these imitation products then they would also be surprised to see this crap as been allowed to be sold as yogurt. It is just cream with chemicals in packaging that deceives.

Australians should be ashamed that our country is allowed to continue to deceive and destroy the health of our population. Yogurt in Australia is a complete joke. Yogurt is one of the healthiest products in the world in it’s true form, it is well known to be able to benefit the digestive system like nothing else can. It is eaten daily be the people in Europe who live the longest. It is one of the top five most amazing health foods in my opinion and Australia sells cream with artificial colors & chemicals as yogurt.

Well I do have some good news besides making your own yogurt, there is a brand of yogurt that is close to what yogurt should be, this is true acidophilus yogurt and it is made by Attiki (not to be mixed up with their Continental brand which looks similar) but be warned, even this contains Pectin  which I gather is some sort of preservatives? Anyway it is the best I have found that can be purchased almost anywhere including most supermarkets and stores. You can find some smaller fruit shops etc that sell organic yogurt that is better than this but they are hard to find and of course you would be able to buy from Organic specialty stores if you are lucky enough to have one in your area.

Let’s hope we see some real yogurt in our shops in the future, too many unaware people would be buying what they think is yogurt and think it is good for them when in fact it is very bad for their health. Shame on Australia!

Tim E

One food that we know is extremely good for you and is endorsed by any nutritionist is some good quality organic muesli. From reading about it’s health benefits many years ago from a European nutritionist it is  clear that muesli is a real wonder food. Our bodies need the fiber, roughage, grains and fruit the muesli contains.

I have usually had to make my own muesli as the quality of what is offered at supermarkets is a usually poor. Often the muesli they offer is not much more than just rolled oats with a few sultanas thrown in. Thank goodness I was able to find some top quality organic muesli at my new favorite supermarket Aldi earlier this year. It is another from their new line of organic products that are locally made they now sell. Gee, have Aldi come a long way recently, I used to hate going to Aldi as the only foods they had there were just packaged processed food and strange imports. Now they offer this great new range of organic products which is a huge step forward.

Anyway getting back to this fantastic muesli which they offer for just under $5 a packet comes in a white paper bag (see picture I have uploaded here). It is actually called “Just Organic Cranberry and Almond Muesli”. It contains Mixed grains, Rolled Oats, Puffed Spelt (which I presume is the honey puff like wheat), Whole Almonds, Figs, Pepita’s, Cranberries, Currents and Linseed. They are an excellent choice of ingredients. I also like to mix it up with a few other things like some more Pepita’s, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, black currents and whatever else I have on hand to bulk it up and then it is mixed and stored in a large airtight container.

This muesli tastes delicious and has no artificial additives etc and I throughly recommended this.

I hope this is helpful and I’m in no way associated with Aldi or the company who makes this muesli.

Gary L

Finding a good brand of honey has often been quite a daunting task when visiting local super markets in Sydney. I look for a dark texture, with traces of honey comb, clear but dark, rich and firm. Most honey’s in supermarkets have been heat treated, chemicals and additives added and by the time they get to our dinner table it is more like sweetened syrup than honey.

Then one day I walked in to Aldi and I came across a brand right at the front door which had the words ‘Organic” on it… I picked it up and low & behold, it was the real deal, unprocessed, unheated and pure organic honey with the honeycomb still visible which is always a good sign of it’s quality and authenticity.

When I got home I served it up with some fresh fruit and muesli and I was so happy to have found a honey in Sydney that was affordable, untreated, delicious and organic. I have taken a picture of the product below, check it out for your self, it tastes wonderful believe me..

Honey has been used for centuries as a wonder food, it is full of goodness and a great natural form of sugar and glucose. Honey contains small amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin .. It was mentioned in the Bible as a special food for kings, Samson found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of a lion  and John was a strong man who ate a lot of honey. Honey is a real health wonder food that has special properties to help you with archiving optimal health.

Article by Gary L
The product reviewed has not bee endorsed but this review was the honest opinion of the author.

I’m still shocked, fascinated and horrified all at the same time when I visit my local supermarket on the rare occasion. It literally is a toxic haven and I am angered and frustrated at the inability to find even a miniscule array of true organic products that will not harm me or my environment.

The extreme over consumers that we lovely humans have become accustomed and even a slave to is ridiculous and embarrassing. Let me ask you this… What do you intend to tell your children or your grand children when they cannot swim in the ocean or any water way for that matter because it is completely unsafe? When it is too hot to go outdoors without 60 plus sunscreen or the fear of a third degree burn? When the amount of weird and wonderful diseases that they will face cannot be explained (though could have been prevented and cured) due to overstuffing them with a cocktail of who knows what both internally and externally for a vast number of years?

Are you smirking at these remarks and thinking to yourself that this is an impossible notion. Is it really?

If you have read a newspaper or listened to the radio recently you would realise that this is not so impossible anymore. The chemicals in your skincare and your food are absorbed directly into your system and passed directly into your immediate environment. Have you ever heard the saying ‘Little Hinges Swing Big Doors’. It only takes small mistakes to cause catastrophic damage yet it only takes a small amount of effort and change to cause the opposite. So which side of the fence are you on?

Kevin Farrow in his latest book ‘Skin Deep’ talks about our society being the first to choose commerce over health. He seems to be right as we all knowingly poison ourselves everyday. He also discovers in detail the real truths about chemicals and their testing, the political arena surrounding this industry, the big companies and in detail, every chemical you should be scared of and need to take out of your daily regime. Kevin also mentions that there are now over 200 synthetic chemicals found in our bodies that weren’t even invented in 1900. For a list of toxic ingredients please visit my website.

So what I’m wondering is, do you actually know what the jargon is that is placed on the behind of your ‘beauty’ products? Are your truly aware of what you lovingly lather all over yourself everyday? More importantly, are you taking action and choosing sustainable products?

Whilst on the subject of chemical nasties and the under regulated big industry giants who line their pockets at the expense of your health… how is it that the Organic and Bio Dynamic Farming Industry who produce our goods naturally and how they once originally were have to pay large sums and undergo a lengthy test process to prove themselves to be ‘Organic’ when the companies producing products full of toxic chemicals, additives, fertilizers and antibiotics don’t pay a cent and don’t have to label their goods to any suitable standard? Why are we not all asking for the latter to label their products for exactly what they are…UNNATURAL, INORGANIC, DANGEROUS FOR YOUR HEALTH, NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERBODY. Where is the common sense?

What the real issue is here is changing our lazy ways and taking responsibility. I could moan about this for hours but I don’t. I trot off to my local Organic Farmers Market and buy my goods. I shop for my healthy whole foods, natural beauty products, fantastic eco friendly cleaning products and my medicinal herbs all at my local health food shop or my healthy supermarket. I can do this because I am lucky to have it available to me and I allow time to educate myself and make an effort.

Is it more expensive to shop this way… sometimes but generally not if you shop smart? Is it worth making the effort for my health, the taste, the feel and a clear conscience that I am doing what is best for my body, for future generations and my environment; ABOSLUTELY! In fact I quite enjoy it.

I won’t continue to lecture or enlighten you. All I am asking you to do is use your common sense and awareness and make an effort for the benefit of YOU and for a sustainable future for our planet. Its just little hinges….

For those of you who are not able to jump around the corner to grab your organic goodies, visit my website and find the best online selection of every Health, Wellness and Sustainable Product in Australia. Everything is reasonably priced and all of our suppliers deliver to your door so you will save loads of time and effort, we’ve done all of the hard work for you!

Happy & Smart Shopping!
Warm Regards
Heidi Shannon
www.healthspot.com.au

P.S I would also love to hear from you. Email me your thoughts and feedback at info@healthspot.com.au or simply go to my site for a peek at what can be easily delivered to your door.

About the Author
As the Author of health and wellness website Healthspot.com.au I am passionate about the health industry and the challenges we face. I can’t do enough to promote products and companies that care for the health of the individual and the future of our planet.

Many people are now becoming aware of the health benefits of emu oil. It’s use originated from the Aborigines in Australia hundreds of years ago. Did you know that emu oil is almost identical to the fatty acid makeup of your skin? This makes it one of the few natural skin products that actually nourishes and heals your skin.Due to the increasing popularity of this healthy oil, more and more people are looking for the best emu oil to buy. So how do you choose the best emu oil? What about quality and purity? How do you know you’re getting the highest quality emu oil for your skin? Since you’re most likely using emu oil as a topical preparation for your skin, using a good quality product is very important.

There are 3 main criteria for choosing the best emu oil:

1) Are you getting 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil?

2) Do you want emu oil from an organic farm – raised without antibiotics, steroids, and hormones? How do you know your emu oil is from an organic farm?

3) If you buy emu mixed into cosmetics, such as soaps and shampoos, how much actual emu oil are you getting in your products?

1. Always buy 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil!

Research studies have proven the effectiveness of 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil. Emu oils of lesser quality cannot guarantee the same effectiveness or quality. 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil assures you that the oil is free of bacteria, toxic metals, and other contaminants.

One organization that provides a certification program for 100% pure refined emu oil is the American Emu Association. It’s one of the largest organizations that provides leadership and guidelines for emu farming in North America. Members of this non-profit trade assocation practise humane and enviromentally-friendly farming.

AEA-Certified emu oil is 100% pure, Fully-Refined Emu Oil that:

- Hasn’t been mixed with other refined oils

- Has been tested and certified by the American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS)

The American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS) provides strict guidelines, rules and regulations for an oil to be classified as Fully-refined. A sample of each emu oil batch is held for further testing – should it’s purity be questioned.

Emu oil with the ranking of “Fully-Refined” is deemed appropriate for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and/or dietary supplement use. Fully-Refined emu oil has been processed at high temperatures to remove any contaminants. The AEA has researched the effects of high temperatures and found there was no damaging effects to the emu oil itself. Emu oil certified by the AEA is considered to be the highest quality for personal use.

2. Is your emu oil from a farm that practices humane and enviromentally friendly farming?

How do you know if the emu oil you’re using was from emu raised on steroids, antibiotics or growth hormones? One benefit of using AEA-certified emu oil is that all of its members practise safe and humane emu farming. They don’t use steroids or antibiotics on their emu and they believe in organic farming practises.

3. How much emu oil are you getting in emu soaps, emu shampoos and other cosmetics?

Many companies now offer emu oil in different preparations, such as emu oil shampoos, skin lotions, etc. One important thing to look for is the actual amount of emu oil in your product. A general rule of thumb is the higher up the ingredient is listed on the ingredient list – the higher amount of that ingredient mixed into the total product. If you buy emu oil soap and you see that emu oil is listed at the very end of the ingredient list, this tells you that you’re probably not getting too much emu oil in it.

Even better if the product lists the actual amount of emu oil in your cosmetic product…but this is rare. Again, it’s “Buyer Beware” – always look at the ingredient labels to see exactly what your getting…or not getting.

FAQ to Buying Emu Oils

1. Is there a difference between white emu oil and yellow emu oil?

The color differences in oil is most likely due to the diet of the emu. Research has shown there is no difference between different colors of emu oil for its intended effect.

2. Is Australian emu oil better than American emu oil?

Some people that sell Australian emu oil will try to convince you that Australian emu oil is a better product than American emu oil. Nothing could be further from the truth. The American Emu Assocation compared the fatty acid components of emu oils from 9 different countries, including USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia – They found no significant difference in quality.

3. How much should you pay for Fully Refined emu oil?

The cost of emu oil will vary with the amount you’re buying. You can get small 1 ounce bottles, up to large 1 liter jugs. My research found that the average cost of emu oil works out to about $5 – $10 per ounce. Buying larger quantities will usually get you a cheaper price per ounce since you’re buying in bulk.

4. Can you get a money-back guarantee when buying emu oil?

Some producers of emu oil may offer you a money back guarantee. This tells you that the emu farmer stands behind the purity of his/her product and is willing to offer you a refund if you’re not pleased with it. Most AEA-certified emu oil comes with a money-back guarantee.

5. Should you only buy AEA-certified emu oil?

This is your own decision. There are many emu farms that produce excellent products and are not members of the American Emu Assocation. The benefit of AEA-certified emu oil is that each batch is tested for purity – and a sample is held for analysis if there’s a question about its purity. You may not get this with non-certified emu oils.

Just like any buying any product, it pays to shop around, do some research and make your decision. Using emu oil is a wonderful, all-natural treatment for your skin. There are many documented studies on the healing powers of emu oil. As word gets out about this health-giving oil, more and more people will be eager to try this secret from the Australian outback.

About the Author

Kevin Lee is owner of http://www.healthy-oil-planet.com, a website devoted to benefits of healthy oils such as fish oils, flaxseed oil, emu oil, virgin coconut oil, tea tree oil and more.

There is a complex invisible world beneath your feet and it is necessary to make an effort to develop an appreciation of how the state of the soil affects plant growth.

Soil is a mixture of tiny rock particles, living organisms, chemicals and the remains of dead plants and animals. Spaces between the particles will also contain a certain amount of air and water depending on the type of soil.

Rocks near the earth’s surface are slowly broken down in nature by a process called weathering. Eventually small particles such as sand, silt and clay are formed. These particles create the environment for billions of mostly tiny organisms to live. Larger organisms such as earthworms and insects are also found in soil. A healthy soil is teeming with life.

The main aim as a hobby farmer is thus to try to improve soil health by good management. Poor management can lead to a loss of fertility and degradation of the soil. In extreme cases the valuable topsoil can also be blown or washed away. In the end poor soils lead to low quality crops lacking in nutrition.

Below are examples of some checks I plan to carry out on my farm with the aim of improving soil fertility.

1) Carry out a pH test in different places. This test will determine if the soil is acid, alkaline or neutral. Most plants prefer a pH level around 6.5. Should the pH level be too (below 6) corrections can be made by adding lime. Should the pH be too high (above 7) this can be lowered by adding plenty of organic matter and mulch. Extremely alkaline soils can be changed by adding ground sulphur.

2) Check the soil texture of the soil by rubbing some moist soil between your fingers. This will help to determine the type of soil present. Sandy soils will have a coarse feel. These soils dry quickly. Adding lots of organic matter will improve sandy soils. Very sandy soil can also be improved by adding clay. If the soil feels sticky when rubbed it contains too much clay. Clay soils drain slowly and are difficult to work when wet. Adding gypsum will help in most cases. Should the soil have a good balance of sand, silt and clay you will be blessed with a loamy soil. These soils are generally easy to manage and do not require treatments.

3) Check the level of organic matter in the soil. This can be done by shaking a handful of soil in a jar and seeing how much organic matter floats to the surface. If only a thin layer is present on the surface, lots of organic matter needs to be added. This means more microorganisms can be sustained, these in turn will release essential health giving chemicals needed by plants.

The above tests are simple to carry out and much information is available on these topics. Further tests require equipment or a soil testing company to analyse the soil. These include salinity, especially if bore water is used. Individual soil nutrient levels for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium as well as trace element levels can also be measured. Other aspects such as fertilizer application and cultivation practices to maintain soil structure also need attention.

Soil care requires years of experience and looking to older gardeners will give you lots of essential tips. Also, experienced gardeners can often identify soil problems by looking at the general appearance of plants. Getting a spade and digging around will give you information about conditions such as waterlogging and excessive dryness.

Do all you can to look after your soil and allow your plants to carry out the magic task of turning fertilizers and compost into healthy and nutritious food.

Ben is a close associate of Alf, the proud owner of a hobby farm in Australia. Ben encourages Alf to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences on hobby farming by writing articles and books. Ben helps Alf to luanch the website www.farmforfun.com. Ben is also in the process of helping to help Alf to publish an eBook on his writings. This article is taken from Alf’s Hobby farm site at www.farmforfun.com/Soil.html.

About the Author
Ben is a close associate of Alf, the proud owner of a hobby farm in Australia. Ben encourages Alf to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences on hobby farming by writing articles and books. Ben helps Alf to luanch the website http://www.farmforfun.com Ben is also in the process of helping to help Alf to publish an eBook on his writings. This article is taken from Alf’s Hobby farm site at http://www.farmforfun.com/Soil.html

Again, I find myself torn apart with choices when deciding which is the most ethical, eco friendly and/or healthy option when it comes to shopping for food and non-food products.

Should I buy food and products that support workers in Third World by buying Fairtrade labelled products even though these goods normally travel thousands of miles from Africa, South America or South East Asia? What if these foods were produced with the use of pesticides and additives? It makes sense then to look for and to buy Fairtrade, organic food to both help the producers in the Third World and fulfil my lifestyle choice to eat healthy and additive/pesticide free food. Thankfully, many producers are now wising up to this dilemma by increasingly producing organic and Fairtrade labelled products.

I am currently using Fairtrade, organic t-bags at home! Now comes another important question, should I buy Fairly Traded organic sugar from Kenya that has travelled thousands of miles, or should I buy apples grown in the UK (ideally from a farmers market) that have only travelled only a few hundred miles which means less carbon dioxide and other nasty emissions from the lorries that you see constantly on the motorways in the UK? Buying UK products not only ensures less food miles but also supports local farmers, communities and economies. Unfortunately, choice is often limited and can be more expensive then food produced in other countries……… Decisions, decisions, it’s probably best to abstain from eating and give your choice making brain a rest!

But I can safely say that I make attempts to avoid food or products that have travelled from far away destinations such as Australia even if they are organic! Next time you are in the supermarket or wherever you buy your food from check the labels and you will be surprised by how far your food has travelled. Also look at the amount of unnecessary wrapping such as individually wrapped peppers, mushrooms and kiwi fruit in wrapped boxes. When I buy from the local market I tell them to throw it all into one bag, the customer next to me often has 10 individually wrapped portions of fruit and veg. That’s 11 (10 plus one big plastic bag) bags into the landfill site that day. For maximum eco efficiency we need to be using jute or other bags made from recycled materials and putting all the loose food into that.

For recycled bags, Fairtrade and Organic companies, products and food see GuideMeGreen.

About the Author
Davinos Greeno works for the organic directory . This green directory lists 100s of Organic Food and Drink Companies and Eco Jobs and Campaigning Videos