Original Post on April 4, 2011 by Jill Ettinger from Organic Authority

A herd of more than 200 cows have been genetically modified so that their milk contains characteristics most similar to human breast milk, according to Li Ning of the China Agricultural University, as reported in the Times of India.

Human milk is obviously critical for newborns, containing vital nutrients essential to immune and central nervous system development. Other mammal milks such as cow, goat, sheep and camel—all consumed by humans for thousands of years—contain nutrients vital to the maturation of their respective offspring, lacking key nutrients for humans. Despite this, the global market for non-human milk continues to grow every year.

The genetically modified milk product would be most similar to human breast milk, which would make it an appealing option to work into rotation for nursing mothers, and for those having trouble nursing. But the researchers say that it’s not just designated for infants; Chinese emperors and empresses were reported to drink human milk over the course of their entire lives, and the market may be ripe for a considerable interest by adults, especially those suffering from lactose intolerance to cow’s milk.

The idea is being met with both praise and criticism. But it’s not the first effort to market human breast milk. An NYU grad student has been making human breast milk cheese, and an ice cream maker in the UK recently sold a human breast milk flavor.

Come to the West Nashville Farmers Market this Saturday to taste test local milk from Gammon Family Dairy to pre-order your gallon for the following week. (Starting in May, their milk will be available at the Woodbine Market)

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Openers (8:00-10:00am): Calling all early birds! Openers will arrive at Coleman Community Center at 8:00 to help vendors and the market manager arrange tables and merchandise.  You’ll also stick around once the market begins to help run the main table and assist the market manager. Two openers needed per market.

Closers (10:30am-12:30pm): Sleep in, read the paper, and then head to the Woodbine Farmers’ Market! Closers will assist the market manager, run the main table, and help breakdown when the market ends at noon. Two closers needed per market.

May: 7, 14, 21 (no market on May 28th)
June: 11, 18, 25
July: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
August: 6, 13, 20, 27

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So what’s the big deal about Kale? If you have your pulse on any of the latest food trends, Kale is at the top of the list. Once used as only a plate garnish, Kale has skyrocketed in popularity and is making it’s way to the family table all around Nashville. As I started doing a little research I was expecting to find Kale ranked in nutritional value next to spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens, or lettuce. Man was I mistaken! Not that those other leafy greens don’t have significant value, but Kale was off the charts. What I found out was that Kale is considered a superfood. It is said to lower the risk of several cancers including breast, ovary, prostate, colon and bladder cancers. It is an anti-inflammatory and rich with antioxidants.  It is said to lower cholesterol, helps your body detox and aids in digestion. Plus did I mention that it is very high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese; and is a very good source of copper, tryptophan, calcium, vitamin B6, and potassium; and a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B2, protein, vitamin B1, folate, phosphorous, and vitamin B3. If this isn’t enough to convince you to try it, I urge you to give it a chance and try out one of the delicious recipes below. It is sure to become a dinner staple.

Where do I get it?

• Farmers Markets – the West Nashville Farmers Market is going on during the winter from 10-12 indoors every Saturday at the LOVE Building.
• Grocery Stores – Whole Foods, Turnip Truck

How do I cook it? (Here are some recipes I have personally tried and can vouch for)

• Cannelloni Bean and Kale Soup with Ham and Sherry Vinegar recipe
• Sauteed Kale recipe
• Baked Kale Chips recipe (Just like popcorn, you’ll LOVE this preparation)
• Massaged Kale Salad recipe
• Berr Battered Fried Kale recipe

For your information: There are several different varieties of Kale. When in doubt, just choose the one that looks freshest to you. They all carry that same benefits and I typically like to mix them together. However, curly kale is usually used to decorate your plate, the other ones are great for recipes.

• Red Kale     
• Green Kale
• Dino Kale    
• Curly Kale  

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For many of you, the reason you shop at Whole Foods, or at your local Farmers Market is because you want to avoid Genetically Modified Foods (GMO).  There is a common perception that all of Whole Foods Market foods are devoid of GMO’s, however this is not necessarily true. As I wrote in a previous post, natural and organic do not mean the same thing. 2/3 of all Whole Foods Market “natural” processed food inventory and animal products are contaminated with GMOs. They are conventionally grown with chemicals with genetically engineered seed sold at a premium price. 1/3 of their inventory is still certified organic and is safe and untainted.

The major crisis now is that some organic companies have approved the use of GMO alfalfa plants. My first thought when I heard this was, ok well I don’t eat alfalfa so I’ll just continue to avoid this. However, with the exception of the “grass-fed and grass-finished” meat sector, most “natural” meat, dairy, and eggs are coming from animals reared on GMO grains and drugs, and confined, entirely, or for a good portion of their lives, in CAFOs. And using GMO alfalfa on organic farms guarantees to contaminate the alfalfa fed to organic animals; guaranteed to lead to massive poisoning of farm workers and destruction of the essential soil food web by the toxic herbicide, Roundup; and guaranteed to produce Roundup-resistant superweeds that will require even more deadly herbicides such as 2,4 D to be sprayed on millions of acres of alfalfa across the U.S. (Common Dreams.org)

Essentially major organic companies including Stonyfield Farm, Organic Valley and Whole Food Market are giving into Monsanto bullying tactics to “coexist” with GMOs. This is a serious issue and we must fight to get all GMO foods labeled, so that we, as the consumers, can make educated choices about what we put into our bodies.

I urge you to read this entire article about what is really happening behind the scenes despite the public appearance Whole Food Market is conveying.

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I came across this article that helps to explain simply what the difference is between something that is organic and something that is natural. I too have unconsciously bought into the propaganda and have (without realizing it) put organic and natural foods in the same category. This helped set me straight.

From  Living Maxwell: A Guide to Organic Food and Drink

These past few days have been heaven for college football junkies such as myself. Why?

We got to watch a ton of great bowl games and the best is yet to come — January 10th when Auburn and Oregon play for the National BCS Championship. Then, a few months later comes March Madness, the college basketball championship tournament.

Now that I got the sports plug in, let’s talk about Organic vs. Natural.

I am addressing this now because when I was watching the Rose Bowl game yesterday (TCU vs. Wisconsin), a major potato-chip manufacturer kept popping up with its “all-natural” ads. The vegetables in the ads looked pristine, the kitchen was sparkling white and the cutting board was beautiful. It was about as picturesque and healthy looking as you can imagine.

And, they kept saying their potato-chips were “all-natural”.

According to the USDA, “natural” means food that “contains no artificial ingredients or added colors and is minimally processed.” In my view, “natural” means almost nothing.

Why?

(1) There is practically no enforcement or stringent standards.

(2) “Natural” has been badly abused as a marketing technique.

(3) “Natural” can include genetically-modified foods (GMOs) and growth hormones, both of which we know are very, very unhealthy.

Most conventionally-made potato chips and snack foods are made from GMOs. Furthermore, it is very likely that the vegetables used in them have been sprayed with toxic chemicals.

If these potato chip companies said “Made from Non-GMO Ingredients” or “Organic”, then we have a very different discussion here.

When I interviewed Maria Rodale a few months ago, one of the things that she told me was that studies are showing that the general public thinks that “natural” is much healthier than “organic”. This can be attributed to the huge marketing muscle of the major food manufacturers and is a grave misunderstanding that we must work to reverse.

Don’t be fooled into believes this “natural” marketing propaganda or hype.

Organic food has very strict standards — no GMOs, no pesticides or chemicals, nothing artificial, nothing can be irradiated or grown in sewage sludge — and the certification process is rigorous. Organic food is MUCH healthier for a person and for the planet.

I look at anything that says “natural” with a very heavy dose of skepticism. “Natural” does not mean healthy to me. What it does mean to me is that it is an over-used, manipulated food marketing term and something very vague.

So, the next time some person or some advertisement says that a food product is “natural”, give it a second thought.

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