TulsiPeople.com – An Organic India blog about organic farming, Tulsi (Holy Basil) and sustainability

A new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, showed that organic dairy and meat products in a mother’s diet positively affect the nutritional quality of her breast milk-markedly increasing beneficial fatty acids.
Specifically, a diet in which 90% or more of dairy and meat products are organic is correlated with measurably higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a type of fat that is believed to have anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-diabetic and immune-enhancing
effects, as well as a favorable influence on body fat composition. For newborns specifically, CLA is believed to especially aid immune system development. Read more…

People who choose organic fruits and vegetables to avoid pesticides and other chemicals may have another reason to buy organic. A new study finds that organically grown tomatoes have higher levels of flavonoids, which may protect against cardiovascular disease.
Ten-Year Comparison of the Influence of Organic and Conventional Crop Management Practices on the Content of Flavonoids in Tomatoes (Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry)Writing in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers said the level of one flavonoid in the organic tomatoes was almost twice as high as that in conventionally grown tomatoes.
Because of evidence that flavonoids may fight age-related diseases, the study said, researchers have been trying to develop crops with higher levels of them. In the United States, only potatoes are eaten more often than tomatoes. Read More (from the nytimes.com)

Various pollution-free organic produce now makes up 20 percent of edible agricultural products on China’s markets, according to sources at the ongoing National Working Conference on Pollution-free and Green Food.
Statistics from the meeting showed there are a total of 23,636 certified pollution-free agricultural products, 4,615 manufacturers producing 12,868 kinds of certified green food, and 520 manufacturers producing 2,278 kinds of certified organic food in China.

According to a recent report “World Organic Foods And Beverages Report (2006)” published by RNCOS, it has been found that in comparison to the world organic food market’s present growth rate, US organic food market will decelerate, but the region would remain the highest revenue generator globally even in the future.
Parents, at present, are more concerned about the health hazards of conventional food their children are exposed to. This worry is causing them to drive the sales of organic baby food, consequently encouraging more and more, firms to either join or expand their present offerings in this sector. Read more…

Today, all green grocery automatically goes into basins of water. That half-hour wait is a matter of routine. We know when we pay for fresh food, we get unsolicited freebies – could be pesticides, harmful bacteria and/or mould. Scrubbing our hands is no guard against many germs. No, we are not in danger of imminent collapse. But those inconvenient bellyaches, bouts of diarrhoea, even breathing problems are from crawlies we hadn’t thought existed. Read more..(from thehindu.com)

IT was once seen as an unnecessary shopping expense and was the domain of fussy parents and so-called tree-hugging environmentalists.
But now the booming organic food industry is worth around £140 million a year to the Scottish economy and will continue to grow, according to a recent Scottish Executive report.
Television programmes such as chef Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Dinners and warnings from healthy eating gurus such as Scottish diet “doctor” Gillian McKeith, are making consumers increasingly aware of what goes into their food. Read more…

New evidence has emerged showing that organic food does contain nutrients that deliver health benefits, contrary to the view put forward earlier this year by David Miliband, who said it was only a “lifestyle choice”.
Scientists in Britain, France and Poland examined organic carrots, apples, peaches and potatoes and discovered that they have greater concentrations of vitamin C and chemicals that protect against heart attacks and cancer than non-organic produce. The research could challenge official government guidelines which suggest there is no evidence of organic food being healthier than conventional produce. That led to the assertion by Mr Miliband, the Environment Secretary, which he later qualified by saying that he ate organic food both because of its taste and the environmental benefits. Read more…

According to a study Consumer Reports, organic food for babies is a good option. Baby food is generally made from condensed vegetables and fruits. This indicates that the pesticide residue, sometimes, can also be concentrated. So you may get higher levels of pesticides than regular food.
In fact, studies have revealed that children who take organic food have low pesticides levels in their blood than children living on regular food. Pesticides can be far more dangerous for children than for grown-ups. Read more..

What does the term “organic” mean? Will eating organic foods boost your health?
The term “organic” denotes a method or philosophy of growing food that is sustainable and friendly to the environment. The general idea is to produce as much food as the local farm environment (or farm ecosystem) can support while at the same time not threatening the health or diversity of any plant or animal populations within that ecosystem. Read more…

NUREMBERG, Germany - Organic food is going mainstream in the U.S. and Europe, with sales rising by $5-to-$6 billion annually, and it should be a boon to producers in Third World countries, industry experts said on Friday.
Five years ago European sales were concentrated at health food shops and specialist retailers,” Amarjit Sahota of consultants Organic Monitor said. Read More..

Ask Alamelu Vairavan about Indian cuisine, and she’s quick to point out the differences between the average American diet and the more natural, healthful foods that are indigenous to her native country. Read More (from the OrganicAuthority.com)…

A new study by the GFK research institute on the consumption of food organicly produced has revealed that in 2006 ninety percent of all German households at least once bought organic food. For the period from January to September 2006 expenditure on organic food also increased by 17 percent as compared to the same period in 2005. Given that the organic food range was broadened in food retailing the customer catchment area was also increased. Everything indicates an organic food boom. Read More..

Suzanne England feeds her children organic foods in the hopes that it stops early puberty. Like some other mothers, England also believes the extra hormones in most milk and meats can cause her daughters to develop early. Read More..

“Wake up America! Pay attention to what you eat!” That is the message on the cover of the September 11 issue of The Nation Magazine that is completely dedicated to examining America’s food ethics. From Wal-Mart and organics, to Monsanto, fast food, and holistic healing being used to renew New Orleans, the publication digs deep into every aspect of what we serve on our plates and the culture it perpetuates. Other articles feature investigations into labor rights within the agricultural industry, humanitarian rights regarding global hunger, and the reformation of lunches in public schools. (more…)

The Organic Consumers Association is encouraging citizens to swiftly take action against the “National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005″ in order that food industries may continue to be required to post vital safety labels on their products. On March 8, 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill with a 283-139 vote that would allow the Food and Drug Administration to trump all state laws that do not coincide with the bill backed by Big Food Corporations. The bill will now go before Congress for approval. Currently, food safety requirements are controlled at the state level where 80 percent of all food inspections occur. Critics argue that the bill would take away any state governments’ authority to enforce that such ingredients as those that cause cancer, birth defects, allergic reactions, as well as genetically modified ingredients (such as recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) be labeled on food packaging. This latest assualt on the food industry comes as consumers continue to further their strides towards a culture embracing the vitality of sustainable organic agriculture and natural nutrition - an evolution that has definitely stung the business of conventional and genetically-modified foods, as they are now forced to seek a bandage from Washington for their unethical and harmful standards. (more…)