Debra's Natural Gourmet | February, 2012

Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Head Honcho

Recently, a study, “Arsenic, Organic Foods, and Brown Rice Syrup” was released online in a journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The study sent shock waves that resulted in articles in every paper in the country. This is what Adam wrote in response.

“It has been acknowledged and understood for quite some time now that arsenic contamination is a near-universal issue in rice, much the same way mercury contamination is a so common in fish.

“Of course we still eat fish. We just try and choose fish that’s as clean as it can be.

“The issue with rice is it’s a wet crop. It grows underwater. If the soil it’s grown in contains high levels of arsenic, that arsenic dissolves in the water, and then rice is very aggressive about absorbing it. ...Read More

Maitake Mushroom Asparagus Sauté

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Head Honcho

I made this on New Year’s Day, and it was a hit. People asked for the recipe, though one person said she couldn’t believe “those ugly mushrooms could taste that good!” Yes, I used organic ingredients…

The ruffly-looking maitake translates as “dancing mushroom” in Japanese. Eaten for more than 3,000 years, maitakes were an alternative currency in Japan, worth their weight in silver. Since they often grow to 50 pounds, it’s said that people danced for joy when they found maitakes. Maitakes go by other names too, and one of my favorites is “hen of the woods,” because it tastes a little like chicken. ...Read More

Krill Oil vs. Fish Oil

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Head Honcho

Which omega-3 supplement is going to win the throwdown?

Seems like you can’t turn on the teevee these days without someone touting a tiny, easy-to-swallow capsule of krill oil which will supposedly does everything fish oil does, and more. But – and I know this may come as a shock to some of you – some of the advertising on teevee can be a bit misleading, putting clever catch-phrases before facts, hype before substance.

This is something I’ve learned watching the presidential primaries.

ANYWAYS, let’s get down to it: krill vs. fish: what’s the difference? (Oh, and in case you wondering, krill are tiny, Antarctic, shrimp-like creatures). Both fish oil and krill oil contain compounds called “omega-3s,” short for “omega-3 fatty acids” (which may sound like a futuristic marketing term, but is in fact chemistry nomenclature to describe the structure of the molecule). ...Read More