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onyagrave · 2 years

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🦋 Food Tips for Myself 🦋

I'm gonna be buying and cooking most of my own food once I move out in a couple weeks SO here's my little list of healthy, but filling, foods and reminder notes for myself :)

General Notes

Stay on a vegetarian diet w/ no milk (unless it is used in store-bought bread, etc.). Milk is so expensive on the island and unnecessarily high in calories, even when it's skim milk.

Buy pasteurized eggs!!! They can be safely eaten raw as opposed to most Canadian eggs.

No snack foods unless they are 50 cals or less per serving AND that serving is filling. For example: apple sauce (50 cal), rice cake (40 cal), cucumber (22 cal), etc.

Carbohydrates

Alternate between brown rice and wild rice. Wild rice is healthier and has less calories, but brown rice is better for mixed dishes like fried rice and tamago kake gohan.

Use quinoa more often. 1/4 cup dry = 160 cal with 6g protein and 3g fiber. It's good to have at least one whole grain per meal.

Stick to sprouted whole grain, whole wheat or flax bread. They're low calorie, high fiber options when you're craving toast or something immediately filling.

Sprouted grain: high in fiber & protein, increase the amount and availability of certain nutrients, higher antioxidants and lower anti-nutrients (better absorption, no sky-rocket of blood sugar levels).

Whole wheat: high in fiber with less added sugars and vegetable oils.

Flax: high in fiber & protein, source of lignans (act as antioxidants), alpha-linolenic acid (digestion & antioxidants) and Omega-3 fatty acids (heart health).

No regular or egg noodles. Only chickpea, red lentil or soba noodles.

Chickpea: gluten-free, high in protein & fiber, very filling, very mild flavour.

Red lentil: gluten-free, high in protein, fiber & iron.

Soba: gluten-free (check ingredients), high in fiber, low cal.

Proteins

Up to 2 eggs per day. Highly nutritious and heart-healthy, not to mention filling!

Black beans over kidney beans: higher in fiber, protein & iron!

Chickpeas are higher cal than other beans BUT have very high protein and fiber with lots of iron. If you can buy dry & in bulk, they're cheap. Also you can use the aquafaba for protein-rich desserts (eg. pavlova & berries).

Tofu: full source of protein and high in it as well. Low calorie and versatile!! Firm tofu for scrambles or air-fried pieces. Silken tofu for desserts, soups and egg dishes.

Vegetables

Faves (1/2 cup, chopped)

Cucumber (8 cal)

Edamame (100 cal, 8g protein)

Salad greens

Spinach (3 cal, 93.8% Vit-A)

Romaine Lettuce (3 cal)

Arugula (2 cal)

Carrots (26 cal, 712.8% Vit-A, high K)

Peas (59 cal, high K)

Button Mushrooms (8 cal, 1.1g protein)

Celery (7 cal, high K)

Cabbage (11 cal, 1.1g fiber)

Bok Choy (10 cal, 1.3g protein, high K)

Eggplant (10 cal, 1.2g fiber)

Broccoli (15 cal, 1.1g fiber, 1.2g protein, high K)

Fruits

Faves (1/2 cup, chopped)

Strawberries (24 cal, 1.5g fiber, 74.5% Vit-C)

Watermelon (23 cal)

Banana (67 cal, 1.9g fiber, high K)

Apple (32 cal, 1.5g fiber)

Pineapple (41 cal, 1.2g fiber, 65.7% Vit-C)

Clementines (53 cal, 1.8g fiber, high K)

#e 🦋#🦋

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srflowerbakery · 4 years

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For just $29.99 Celebrate Dance Achievements of all age groups. Perfect for Recitals and Dance themed birthdays/ parties. Sets include: Cookies -double packed , sealed w/ ingredient labels. - cookies in total -8 cookies per kit 2 ballet, 2 dancer, 2 tu tu, 1 award, 1 # to indicate years in dance EGGLESS Royal Icing - 4 cups - plant based food coloring (NO ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES) Sprinkles- Plant based Natural Sprinkles- Vegan. Paint Tray - 1 tray for kids to share & mix colors (fun) Paint brush - 2 per cookie kit Great for summer fun or camps. (other options available - see choices) I award Cookie - How fun they can paint the award!! 1 number cookie- personalized for there years in dance. ex. 3 years dance-- 3 will be included. Cookies are Gluten Free, Eggless, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Vegan, Healthy and so tasty! All ingredients are ORGANIC!! Ingredients: Organic Sorghum Flour, Organic Brown Rice Four, Organic Cane Sugar, Expeller Pressed Olive & Avocado Oil Blend, Pink Himalayan Salt, Less than 2% Aluminum Free Baking Powder, Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour, Xanthan Gum, Psyllium Husk Fiber, Pure Vanillin Extract, Organic Maple Syrup. Cookie Paint is EGGLESS unlike most Royal Icing's. Colors & sprinkles are from all Natural plant sources. Painting is a great stress relief, DYI fun activity for kids and adults. I choose to include a painting palate rather than pastry bags. My son has special needs and to squeeze a pastry bag is extremely frustrating and challenging for him. This option is much easier. Hope this feature helps others like my son. No kid wants to be frustrated doing a fun craft!! Perfect for fun, parties, celebrations,socials, family gatherings, school functions- allergy safe, etc. Larger quantities & themes are available. - Baby showers, Zoom Parties, Birthday Parties, School fundraisers, etc!! SEE OTHER LISTINGS IN MY ETSY SHOP. WANT a specific THEME contact me- I would love to help you. ___________________________________________________...

#DairyFree #CampActivity #Recital #BirthdayActivity #KidsActivity #Ballet #CookieKit #Dance #Eggless #DiyCookieKit

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gethealthy18-blog · 5 years

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Soothing Collodial Oatmeal Bath Recipe for Itchy, Dry Skin

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/soothing-collodial-oatmeal-bath-recipe-for-itchy-dry-skin/

Soothing Collodial Oatmeal Bath Recipe for Itchy, Dry Skin

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You won’t find a bowl of oatmeal at my breakfast table, but I do keep oats on hand for DIY skincare projects like these cleansing grains. An oatmeal bath is another skin-loving way to use oats. People have used oatmeal baths for centuries to soothe damaged skin. Research in recent decades reveals even more evidence behind the practice.

What Is Colloidal Oatmeal?

Like colloidal silver, colloidal oatmeal is just oats that are transformed into very very tiny particles (like 1/100th of a millimeter tiny!). Manufacturers make colloidal oatmeal with special grinders or proprietary processes that involve cooking and drying whole oats.

How to Make Colloidal Oatmeal at Home (Spoiler Alert: You Can’t!)

Colloidal oatmeal is made when the whole oat, including the bran, is ground into microscopic particles. Coffee grinders and kitchen food processors aren’t going to cut it.

Oat flour is much finer than home-ground whole oats, but the skin-loving bran is removed rendering it nearly useless for an oatmeal bath.

So why are we making a homemade oatmeal bath recipe if we can’t make colloidal oatmeal? Ground, whole oats are still beneficial to skin even when not as fine as colloidal oats. They make for lumpy lotion, but they’re still great in a bath!

Why Oatmeal Is Recommended for Skin Conditions

Allow me to get geeky for a minute here. The results speak for themselves when it comes to the benefits of a soothing bath with oatmeal. Yet, there’s actually a lot of science behind the practice.

Moisture-Balancing Barrier

Colloidal oatmeal is especially good for dry, damaged skin. The oats provide an emollient, moisturizing barrier that locks in moisture.

A 2017 study looked at eczema sufferers and found that colloidal oatmeal users saw more than 82% improvement in their eczema and nearly 86% had less itchiness. Another study around the same time found oats can help strengthen skin’s barrier by regulating fats in skin and balancing skin pH, which improved eczema-related skin damage.

Inflammation Reducing

One reason why oatmeal baths are a great home remedy for eczema is their ability to ease inflammation. A 2015 study found colloidal oatmeal is anti-inflammatory and reduces inflammation-causing cytokines.

Antioxidant Power

Several studies show colloidal oatmeal acts as a powerful antioxidant for skin. How does that work? Oats contain phenols that help absorb UV rays and reduce damaging inflammation.

Which Skin Conditions Are Oatmeal Baths Good For?

It’s hard to go wrong with an oatmeal bath. These skin conditions can usually benefit from an oatmeal bath soak:

Sensitive skin or dry skin

Allergy prone skin (i.e. hives)

Eczema and psoriasis

Sunburn

Damaged skin (from pollution, chemicals, or UV damage)

Anal itching

Baby acne

Chickenpox and shingles

Diaper rash

Bug bites

Rashes from poisonous plants (like poison ivy)

Who Shouldn’t Use an Oatmeal Bath

A 2012 meta-analysis looking at the safety and efficacy of personal care products containing colloidal oatmeal found that out of over 445,000 people who use colloidal oatmeal, there were few adverse events. There are some things to watch out for though.

The water should be warm, but not hot.

It’s also important to not soak for too long… 15-20 minutes is ideal. A bath that’s too hot or too long can dry skin out, the opposite of what we’re going for here.

People with Celiac disease could have a reaction to gluten contamination in the oats. You can buy certified gluten-free oats (linked below) here to be on the safe side.

Use only steel cut or rolled oats. Instant or quick oats are highly processed (and usually high in glyphosate!) and don’t contain the same nutrients needed for skin health.

DIY Colloidal Oatmeal Bath Recipe

This soothing oatmeal bath is a science-backed and easy to use home remedy for itchy, dry, or even eczema-prone skin

Course Remedy

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 1

Author Katie Wells

Ingredients

Instructions

Run the oats and herbs through the grinder in batches until they’re a very fine powder.

If using the essential oils, add this to some of the ground oats and grind to combine.

Combine the oats, baking soda, and herbs together in a glass jar.

To use, dump the jar’s contents into warm water. If the oats aren’t super fine, then put them into a panty hose leg and steeped in the bath water before taking your soak. This prevents the bottom of the tub from getting yucky.

Soak for about 15-20 minutes in a warm bath, not piping hot water. Hot water and/or a long soak can cause the skin to dry out further and cause more skin irritation.

Pat the skin dry once you get out.

Notes

Try my other favorite DIY detox bath recipes here

Have you ever tried a DIY oatmeal bath? Did it work for you?

Sources:

Charousaei, F., Dabirian, A., & Mojab, F. (2011). Using chamomile solution or a 1% topical hydrocortisone ointment in the management of peristomal skin lesions in colostomy patients: results of a controlled clinical study. Ostomy Wound Management, 57(5), 28-36.

Criquet, M., Roure, R., Dayan, L., Nollent, V., & Bertin, C. (2012). Safety and efficacy of personal care products containing colloidal oatmeal. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol, 5, 183–193. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S31375

Ilnytska, O., Kaur, S., Chon, S., Reynertson, K., Nebus, J., Garay, M., Mahmood, K., & Southall, M. (2016). Colloidal Oatmeal (Avena Sativa) Improves Skin Barrier Through Multi-Therapy Activity. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 5(6), 684-90.

Kurtz, E., & Wallo, W. Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company, Scientific Affairs Department. (2007). Colloidal oatmeal: history, chemistry and clinical properties. J Drugs Dermatol, 6(2), 167-70.

Lisante, T., Nunez, C., Zhang, P., & Mathes, B. (2017). A 1% Colloidal Oatmeal Cream Alone is Effective in Reducing Symptoms of Mild to Moderate Atopic Dermatitis: Results from Two Clinical Studies. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 16(7), 671-676.

Reynertson, K., Garay, M., Nebus, J., Chon, S., Kaur, S., Mahmood, K., Kizoulis, M., & Southall, M. (2015). Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 14(1):43-8.

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/422679/colloidal-oatmeal-bath/

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choclette8 · 5 years

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Recipe for classic fig rolls (aka fig newtons), but made with wholemeal spelt flour. The fig paste is lightly spiced and gently sweetened and the pastry casing is delicious in its own right with subtle notes of lemon. These biscuits are easier to make than you might think.

Fig rolls are one of those biscuits that divide opinion. They have a Marmite, love them or hate them quality. Needless to say I’m in the appreciative camp. So, I was delighted that Paul Hollywood chose these childhood treats for the technical challenge on Great British Bake Off last week. I was surprised he chose such an easy challenge, but I’m not complaining. Finally, it gave me the oomph required to bake these delicious cookies. They have been on my must try list for years.

Great British Bake Off

Every year I try and make something from the current series of the Great British Bake Off. Last year I made a spinach and lemon cake for #CakeWeek. It was my super simple version of Le Gâteau Vert and most delicious it was too. Amongst other recipes, I’ve also made chocolate Viennese whirls, triple chocolate bread and Black Forest gâteau. This year it was the fig rolls in #BiscuitWeek that grabbed my attention.

But it’s #BreadWeek tonight, so who knows, I might be inspired all over again.

Fig Rolls

Fig rolls are a classic British biscuit – or so I thought. Turns out, they originated in ancient Egypt. The commercial variety that we know and sometimes love were first produced in 1891 by Charles Roser from Philadelphia in the United States. He patented the automated process which was almost immediately bought by the Kennedy Biscuit Company. Fig rolls are known as fig newtons in the States, so called as the factory that made them was in Newton, Massachusetts. I can’t find out when the fig roll came to the UK, but suffice to say, it’s been around for quite a long time.

There is some dispute as to whether fig rolls are a cake or a biscuit. I think this might be because fig newton casings are softer and more cake like, whilst ours are crumbly and more biscuit like. But in the UK, fig paste is encased in an enriched sweet pastry and chopped into small flattened rectangles. This makes it a biscuit in my book. Plus you’ll find them in the biscuit aisle in shops and supermarkets not the cake aisle.

Fig Roll Adventures

My mother was quite strict when it came to sweet treats. Well, apart from her famous puddings. She certainly didn’t believe in buying biscuits anyway. My introduction to fig rolls came when I first went to stay with a friend of my mother’s at the age of seven. She lived on a remote Cornish smallholding which you could only reach by tractor or by walking a mile down a steep and sometimes treacherous path. She didn’t have a tractor, so walking it was.

The house had no electricity and in those early days, no running water either. I used to love staying there, it always felt like a real adventure. Down to the well to collect water and to bed by candlelight. Anyway, once a week, a grocery van used to stop at the top of the aforementioned path just so she could catch up on supplies. And one of those supplies was always a packet of fig rolls.

Many’s the time we made that journey across the river and up the track. We had to cross an old rickety wooden bridge and I always wondered if I’d make it safely across before it collapsed into the turgid water below. But it was always worth it. Those fig rolls were such a treat.

Wholemeal Spelt Fig Rolls

I found lots of recipes for fig rolls, both online and in some of my baking books. But in the end I based mine on the Paul Hollywood recipe that the bakers used on #GBBO. His was simpler than most, used less sugar and seemed more like the “real” thing. Obviously I changed it somewhat. I added a few extra spices, changed the method to make it easier and used wholemeal spelt flour for my pastry casing. Oh, and I swapped Paul’s vanilla for lemon zest in the biscuit dough.

Fig Paste Filling

The fig filling is really easy to make. It’s just a question of bunging all of the ingredients into a pan, then simmering them and blitzing. It’s best to do this bit first so the fig paste can cool and firm up whilst you’re getting on with making the pastry.

I didn’t have any stem ginger, so I used some crystallised ginger as I always have a jar of that to hand. Although I adore cinnamon, I thought the quantity Paul used might overpower the other flavours, so I used less of this and added a pinch of ground cloves and a grating of nutmeg instead.

Making the Biscuit Dough

Although the dough casing is more like pastry than a snappy biscuit, it’s made using the creaming method rather than the rubbing in one. It’s very straightforward. I just use a bowl and wooden spoon for this, but you can use a handheld or stand mixer if you prefer.

When it came to rolling the pastry out, I found I made a larger rectangle than the one Paul stipulated in his recipe. Perhaps this is why I made sixteen fig rolls rather than only twelve. In order to make a neat (ish) rectangle I cut ragged bits off the edges and pressed them into the sides which weren’t quite wide enough. The dough is quite malleable, so this wasn’t difficult. I wasn’t going to waste any of it, that’s for sure.

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Form the dough into a ball with your hands.

Roll pastry dough out into a rectangle, then cut in half down the long side.

Filling the Fig Rolls

This was the bit, I felt, where it could all go hideously wrong. But it didn’t. It was all a lot easier than I was expecting. The wholemeal spelt pastry cracks quite easily, so don’t expect your fig rolls to look perfectly smooth. Mine certainly weren’t. But then I like a homemade look.

I baked mine for fifteen minutes as I wanted to ensure the biscuit dough was properly cooked. Plus I wanted them to look properly golden. But if you prefer a paler fig roll, try baking for twelve minutes instead.

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Spoon the fig paste along the middle of the two sides of pastry and form into a sausage shape.

Bring the two sides of pastry together and seal with your fingers along the middle. Turn the rolls over so the seem side is facing down.

Cut each roll into eight equal pieces.

Place pieces on a baking tray, spaced a little apart. Flatten each one with a fork, marking along the length with the prongs as you go.

Finished Fig Rolls

Once baked, the fig rolls just need to cool, then they can be eaten or stored in a tin until needed. They’ll last a few days, but the pastry gets steadily softer as the days go on. Having said that, this batch lasted five days and the biscuit dough held together just fine. I took one in to work with my packed lunch on day two and another on day four. They’re quite substantial, so I reckoned one was enough. As for the rest, CT and I polished the lot off at home.

I doubt Paul would have been impressed by the unevenness of my bakes, but I was delighted with the result. They tasted much as I remember them and CT thought so too. Only better, because they were homemade, healthier and bigger.

Other Classic Biscuit Recipes You Might Like

Bourbon biscuits via Tin and Thyme

Breton butter biscuits via A Baking Journey

Chocolate hobnobs via Donna Dundas

Chocolate Viennese whirls via Tin and Thyme

Custard creams via Lost In Food

Garibaldi biscuits via Tin and Thyme

Ginger shortbread cake via Tin and Thyme

Gluten-free custard creams via Tin and Thyme

Jammy dodgers via Veggie Desserts

Nigella’s florentines via Tin and Thyme

Not so jammy dodgers via Tin and Thyme

Scottish shortbread via Farmersgirl Kitchen

Show Me

Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these wholemeal spelt fig rolls, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or via social media. Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them. For more delicious and nutritious recipes, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Homemade Fig Rolls. PIN IT.

Fig Rolls with Wholemeal Spelt Biscuit Pastry.

Fig Paste

200 g dried soft figs (Can use dried hard figs, but will need to cook them for longer.)

20 g crystalised ginger (Can substitue for a large ball of stem ginger in syrup.)

20 g muscovado sugar (I used dark muscovado.)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

grating of nutmeg

Biscuit Dough

60 g unsalted butter – softened

40 g light muscovado sugar

pinch of fine sea salt

½ lemon – zested (optional)

175 g wholemeal spelt flour

⅓ tsp baking powder

1 medium egg

Fig Paste

Place the figs in a small saucepan and add enough water to just cover them. Add the ginger and sugar.

Bring to the boil, then simmer, stirring occassionaly for about 8 minutes or until the figs are cooked through and the water has evaporated.

Add the dried spices and purée with a stick blender or mini food processor until you have a rough paste. Leave to cool and firm up.

Biscuit Dough

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the salt and lemon zest and cream some more.

Beat in the egg.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until it's mostly incorporated. Bring it all together with your hands to form a soft dough. If it's really soft, you may want to cover it and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. But you shouldn't need to do this.

Heat the oven to 200℃ (400℉, Gas 6).

On a floured surgace, roll out the dough to a rectangle measuring 21cm by 27cm. It should be about 4mm thick. Cut lenghtways into two strips measuring 10 1/2 cm by 27cm.

Spoon half of the fig mixture down the middle of one strip and the rest down the middle of the other strip. Neaten it up with your fingers, if needed.

Bring the two sides of each strip of pastry up to join in the middle and roughly crimp with your fingers to seal.

Turn the rolls over so the seem is at the bottom and cut each one into eight equal sized pieces.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper (or silicone mat) and gently transfer the rolls, placing a little apart. With a fork, press each one gently down to flatten it slightly and to add a pattern on the top.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Can keep for up to a week in a sealed container, though the pastry will soften.

Sharing

I’m sharing my wholemeal spelt fig rolls with with Jo’s Kitchen Larder and Apply to Face Blog for #BakingCrumbs. I’m also sending them to Casa Costello for #BakeOfTheWeek and #CookBlogShare, which is hosted this week by Everyday Healthy Recipes.

Fig Rolls with Wholemeal Spelt Biscuit Pastry Recipe for classic fig rolls (aka fig newtons), but made with wholemeal spelt flour. The fig paste is lightly spiced and gently sweetened and the pastry casing is delicious in its own right with subtle notes of lemon.

#figs #GBBO

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johnboothus · 4 years

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The Industry Set Itself Up for a Clean Wine Reckoning

Earlier this week, I posed a question on Twitter: What is the biggest threat facing the wine industry right now? Dozens of wine professionals weighed in. Macro challenges like climate change and the global recession led the charge. These were accompanied by a swift current of frustration surrounding the wine industry’s indifference toward consumers and its slowness to modernize (DTC, packaging formats, etc.). Peppered throughout were comments about the rise of wellness marketing and the “clean-washing” of consumers.

While the macro challenges are no doubt troubling, it’s these latter issues that have me most concerned about the future of wine. Industry analyst, consultant, and commentator Robert Joseph, of Meininger’s Wine Business International, said it best:

Apathy. On the part of producers who believe (and are encouraged to believe by some media) they have a right to exist w/o changing. And on the part of consumers, most of whom don't really care very much what they're drinking, who made it, how and where.

— wine thinker (@robertjoseph) August 4, 2020

That comment gets at the heart of my concern. Wine companies seem unwilling or uninterested in engaging with consumers on their terms, with messages they’re interested in hearing. And consumers — especially millennials — seem disinterested in the marketing messages that resonated with boomers and Gen Xers. So wine finds itself at an impasse.

Meanwhile, we have entered into an unprecedented period of innovation in the drinks industry, with breakneck product evolution propelling hard seltzer and RTD cocktail growth. Among millennials, health and convenience are driving purchasing decisions, and wine is losing market share. SVB Bank’s Rob McMillan called this a key challenge in his 2020 State of the U.S. Wine Industry forecast, stating, “There are solutions, but hoping millennials will adopt boomer values as they age — and, as a result, move away from spirits and gravitate to wine — just isn’t a sensible business strategy.”

You might think this would be a wake-up call for wine companies, that they would lean into the problem, looking to engage millennials where they’re at (reading product labels and online), with the messages they want to hear (nutrition and product information). Yet that’s not what’s happening.

So let me say it plainly: Millennials want to know what’s in the products they buy. That means ingredient labeling, nutritional facts, and product claims. It’s not a fad, and it’s not going away. If anything, the demand for this type of transparency is going to become louder. Yet wine companies are stonewalling, refusing to come clean about how they make their wines.

The wine industry’s opaqueness about its practices has done two things: It has turned many consumers off wine to other categories, like RTDs, that provide adequate product labeling. It also created an information void that dubious marketers exploited, demonizing commercial wine to promote their “clean wine.” This type of marketing relies on customer misinformation about how wine is made to sell its products, and it is snowballing.

Credit: Atlas Wine Co. The back label of the brand’s Cabernet Sauvignon shows ingredients.

How Did We Get Here?

By this point, most CPG categories have responded to rising consumer demands for transparency. Food, beverage, makeup, and household cleaners are among those that have added ingredients and disclosures to their labels and packaging. In fact, a clear majority (81 percent) of consumers say transparency is “important” or “extremely important” to them when shopping online and in-store, according to a report released in March, based on a survey of 1,000 online shoppers, most of them millennials, by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Chicago-based Label Insight.

Some in the wine industry may argue that wine is special, and should be held to a different standard. But that’s not how consumers see it. It’s no longer good enough to put a region and a grape on the label — consumers expect more. In the Food Marketing Institute’s survey, respondents said the most important areas for labeling transparency were ingredients, certifications, and in-depth information about the nutrition of products, followed by product claim and allergen information.

Yet wine brands have not made it easy for consumers to find any of this information. Millennials search for information primarily through web and mobile platforms, but winery websites provide little useful information. There are plenty of vineyard vistas, tasting descriptors, and critics scores to be found, but not much about how the wines are made or what goes into them.

While wine lagged, hard seltzer and other RTDs picked up the slack. It’s no surprise that hard seltzer is the fastest-growing segment of the beverage alcohol industry, and that it’s taking share from wine, according to Nielsen. RTDs are already an $8 billion industry in the U.S., with volume that grew by almost 50 percent in 2019, due largely to the popularity of hard seltzers (led by brands such as White Claw and Truly), according to IWSR data.

Take Truly. The brand makes it easy to find product facts on its website and on cans. A can of grapefruit-flavored Truly lists that it has 100 calories, 5 percent ABV, 1 gram sugar, 2 grams carbs, and is gluten-free. The ingredients are filtered carbonated water, alcohol, natural flavors, cane sugar, citric acid, and sodium citrate.

For most consumers, that’s good enough on the labeling-transparency front. They want to know how many calories are in it, the sugar content, and the carb counts. Others, like vegan wine drinkers, are interested in knowing whether the wines use animal products like isinglass, gelatin, or egg whites. The wine spritzer Ramona gets this, disclosing the information in an easy-to-understand way.

Credit: Ridge Vineyards. The company includes ingredients on its back labels and explains processes on its website.

Enter “Clean Wine” Marketers

If natural wine opened the door, setting up a dichotomy between virtuous wines (organic, low-intervention) and dangerous wines (commercially made with pesticides and additives), “clean wine” drove a truck through it. Scout & Cellar, Dry Farm Wines, Good Clean Wine Co., and Winc’s Wonderful Wine Co., are among the many companies that have perfected the art of health-related, buzzword-heavy, word-salad marketing. (For a deep dive on the deceptive marketing tactics of “clean wine,” check out the VinePair Podcast episode “The Dirty Truth About Clean Wine.”) They all use the same techniques, preying on consumers’ lack of understanding about how wine is made, and pitting their “clean wines” against the “dirty wines” sold in restaurants and stores. Take a spin through Dry Farm Wine’s Facebook Ad Library for a master class on the topic.

According to this Dry Farm Wines ad: “Commercial wines you buy in stores and restaurants often contain sugar. But, you have no idea how much sugar is in each bottle because wine companies don’t have to tell you.” While wine professionals may scratch their heads, pointing out that most dry wines have little to no remaining sugar after fermentation, consumers are easily duped into thinking that “commercial wines” are loaded with sugar. (This ad is also ironic, considering that Dry Farm sources commercially available wines that — gasp — are sold in stores and restaurants.)

And ignore the fact that most dry wines would qualify as low-carb, low-sugar when Wonderful Wine Co. can rebrand that information as “paleo-friendly.” “On top of being low sugar and low carb, our wines are crafted using minimal intervention winemaking practices. It’s basically what a caveman would do — if that caveman had a degree in viticulture,” according to its website.

Frankly, I think that Cameron Diaz’s Avaline — a brand that has been under attack since it launched last month for its “clean wine” marketing messages — is among the least problematic in this segment. The brand is giving consumers what they want: transparency (or at least the illusion of it). On its website, Avaline lists the ingredients and processing aids that went into its wines, with simple explanations about why they were used: sulfites, bentonite, pea protein, cream of tartar, yeast, and yeast nutrients are all there. The wine label clearly states its health claims: “Made with organic grapes. Free from added sugar, artificial colors, concentrates.”

Yes, I get it that Avaline says its wines are “transparently produced,” and that statement sounds false to most in the wine community. But that’s because wine professionals define transparency differently than consumers. Transparency, to those in the industry, means a tech sheet filled with complicated information that would make a casual imbiber’s eyes glaze over. I know it may be hard to accept, but most consumers, as Joseph stated it, “don’t really care very much what they’re drinking, who made it, how and where.”

For wine companies, that means reconsidering brand marketing techniques. Pastoral landscapes and winemaker stories are not as persuasive to millennials as cold hard facts. Brands can take a page from Avaline by stating, in simple terms, what is in their wine, and explaining the ingredients and processing aids that were used. Permitted chemicals and additives (deemed safe by the TTB, by the way) like grape concentrate, yeast nutrients, tartaric acid, calcium carbonate, oak chips, isinglass, and others sound less scary when they’re explained.

This is a relatively simple concept, yet few wine companies are willing to do it. I commissioned an article in 2017 on labeling transparency. At the time, Wine Institute, a public policy organization representing more than 1,000 wineries and related businesses in California, said the issue was not a priority for the industry or for consumers.

I followed up this week to ask if that had changed. “We recognize that there is a growing interest among some for ingredient labeling and are exploring how this could work for wine,” spokesperson Nancy Light told me. “Wineries are permitted to voluntarily list ingredients but there are no standards about what must be listed.”

Credit: Shinn Estate Vineyards

Yet, movement on this front has been glacially slow. In 2017, I could only find two wineries disclosing ingredients and processing information: Ridge Vineyards and Atlas Wine Co. Since then, I’ve added Long Island’s Shinn Estate Vineyards to the list, but these companies are far and away the outliers. They were ahead of their time, anticipating the “clean wine” reckoning that has indeed materialized. Their wine labels and websites are a template for the kind of fact-based, accurate labeling and disclosure information that is useful to consumers, providing a level of transparency that isn’t peppered with the nonsense claims of “clean wine.”

Had other wine companies followed suit, providing easy access to ingredients and nutritional facts along the way, helping to educate consumers about how wine is made, the industry wouldn’t be facing its current situation. Now, “clean wine” marketers have positioned the entirety of commercial winemaking as dangerous and suspect. My hope is that the wine industry takes this threat seriously, labeling its wines and disclosing its processes, before millennials turn off the category for good.

The article The Industry Set Itself Up for a ‘Clean Wine’ Reckoning appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/industry-clean-wine-reckoning/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/the-industry-set-itself-up-for-a-clean-wine-reckoning

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years

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The Industry Set Itself Up for a ‘Clean Wine’ Reckoning

— wine thinker (@robertjoseph) August 4, 2020

Credit: Atlas Wine Co. The back label of the brand’s Cabernet Sauvignon shows ingredients.

How Did We Get Here?

Credit: Ridge Vineyards. The company includes ingredients on its back labels and explains processes on its website.

Enter “Clean Wine” Marketers

Credit: Shinn Estate Vineyards

The article The Industry Set Itself Up for a ‘Clean Wine’ Reckoning appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/industry-clean-wine-reckoning/

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isaiahrippinus · 4 years

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The Industry Set Itself Up for a ‘Clean Wine’ Reckoning

Apathy. On the part of producers who believe (and are encouraged to believe by some media) they have a right to exist w/o changing. And on the part of consumers, most of whom don’t really care very much what they’re drinking, who made it, how and where.

— wine thinker (@robertjoseph) August 4, 2020

Credit: Atlas Wine Co. The back label of the brand’s Cabernet Sauvignon shows ingredients.

How Did We Get Here?

Credit: Ridge Vineyards. The company includes ingredients on its back labels and explains processes on its website.

Enter “Clean Wine” Marketers

Credit: Shinn Estate Vineyards

The article The Industry Set Itself Up for a ‘Clean Wine’ Reckoning appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/industry-clean-wine-reckoning/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/625806128195010560

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maciaslucymua-blog1 · 7 years

Text

10 Ways to Use Cod Liver Oil to Promote Health

New Post has been published on http://www.healthgoesfemale.com/10-ways-to-use-cod-liver-oil-to-promote-health/

10 Ways to Use Cod Liver Oil to Promote Health

Image by Pixabay

By Danielle, Contributing writer

You’ve certainly heard the buzz about cod liver oil (CLO). If you’ve been a crunchy mama for more than a minute, you’ve read on the amazing everyday benefits of adding a cod liver oil to your little one’s regimen. Indeed, cod liver oil has a host of benefits when supplemented daily, but did you know that it should also be used to promote healing for certain ills?

Cod liver oil boasts some of the highest levels of vitamin D and A as well as omega 3’s in a supplement. Parents have noted changes in both their child’s health and behavior from regular supplementation. It is truly the one supplement I would not go without, just based on my child’s own positive health and behavior changes. Omega 3’s and vitamin D are increasingly found to reduce inflammation, promote heart and cardiovascular health, and aid in behavioral and brain illnesses. Don’t forget to consider adding this supplement in therapeutic doses for chronic, serious illness.

10 Ways to Use Cod Liver Oil to Promote Health

Ailments Helped by Cod Liver Oil

CLO has been studied extensively for its healing properties. Many have used CLO to heal the ailments below, as well as other immune conditions.

Heart Health

Cod liver oil has been shown to prevent and aid serious heart condition. Studies have shown that cod liver oil can prevent atherosclerosis, as well as treat high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. How can a fat help heart health? It acts to lower triglycerides, which are like a bad fat in the blood vessels causing impaired heart function.

Diabetes

A handful of studies have shown that supplementation with CLO can help manage glucose and insulin levels in the blood. Supplementing during pregnancy and through the young years of life may even less the chances of being diagnosed with diabetes. It’s a common misconception that fat causes you to be overweight in the same way which sugars do. The truth is good fats help us balance our less beneficial fats, and cause essential body systems to function.

Arthritis

Because of its ability to severely limit inflammation, CLO is often prescribed in therapeutic doses for both the pain and to heal arthritis. Arthritis is caused by an inflammatory autoimmune condition, and CLO can ease the pain and cause the immune system to begin functioning to a point where it can heal the arthritis and joint pain.

Bone Health

Moms have long forced gallons of pasteurized milk into our babes convinced that the calcium will build strong bones (and lessen our ER visits). We now know that vitamin D plays a much more crucial role in bone health than once thought, and the high levels of vitamin D in CLO will strengthen your little ones’ bones much more than the moo juice.

Growth

I know a number of moms (me being among them), who is worried about their child’s growth and weight gain. Many may turn to Pediasure and other chemical-laden child vitamin supplements in this case. But the high levels of omega 3’s, DHA and EPA, and anti-inflammatory effects of CLO make this a go-to.

Fertility, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding

The omega 3 and anti-inflammatory properties of CLO can balance hormone levels involved with libido, sexual hormone production, and ovulation. If you are trying to conceive, supplement with CLO to ensure that your hormones and hormonal glands are working optimally.

If you scour the commerical prenatal vitamins on the shelf, you will see most with added DHA and/or EPA. DHA has been found to boost brain development in fetuses and babies. Supplementing with CLO during pregnancy and breastfeeding will ensure your babe has all the DHA needed for a brain boost, without the synthetic chemicals of most prenatals.

Ulcers

The majority of our immune system is in our gut, and everywhere you turn, digestive issues abound. CLO has been shown to aid the healing of gastric ulcers.

Brain Function and Concentration

Omega 3’s have been shown time and time again to promote overall brain health, including aiding conditions such as ADD, ADHD, and autism. Numerous studies have found a connection between low omega 3 levels and Alzheimer’s.

Cavities, Soft Teeth, and Teeth Sensitivity

Your dental health truly matters as they are an insight to what is occurring internally. Certain teeth can even explain which organs or systems in the body are malfunctioning. A soft spot, cavity, or sensitivity should not go ignored. The vitamins and minerals in CLO can aid in remineralizing teeth which are weak and sickly.

Wound healing

The vitamins in CLO help prevent infection in a wound taken internally. Studies have also shown that CLO is beneficial topically on wounds to speed healing. Yet another reason to have this one on hand at all times.

Dosage Suggestions

You certainly need higher doses of CLO to bring about healing and therapeutic results, as opposed to your daily dosage for maintenance. Before adding a therapeutic amount of CLO, begin slow and test how you feel. If you feel nauseous or experience digestive upset, lower the dosage. This may be a normal part of your immune and other systems detoxing or starting back up from a paralyzed state, but you still should pay careful attention to your body when adding any new supplement. The suggested dosages below are a guide, but be sure to monitor your own body’s response.

Daily dosage for children (3 to teenage): 1/4 teaspoon daily

Daily dosage for adults (teens to adult): 1/2 teaspoon daily

Daily dosage for pregnant and breastfeeding women: 1 teaspoon daily

Therapeutic dosage for children: 1/2 teaspoon daily

Therapeutic dosage for adults: 1 teaspoon daily

Therapeutic dosage for pregnant and breastfeeding women: 2 teaspoons daily

Types of Cod Liver Oil

Recently, cod liver oil, the fermented type to be exact, was in the news (the crunchy news, at least) for having questionable safety. As soon as any fat is extracted from its natural source, the utmost lengths must be taken to ensure it does not become rancid. Heating or otherwise altering or preserving it may cause rancidity and ruin its effects. This is you should do your research, and purchase a CLO which is sustainably-made and minimally processed. Other fish and vegetable oils (think flax, hemp, etc) are also available, but they do not contain the high count and may also contain trace minerals which are not beneficial to your body.

Here are some main points to look for in a healthy CLO:

Cold processed, because heating and other methods of processing can cause rancidity and lose vitamins and minerals.

Sustainably-farmed.

Openly claims where the fish is farmed. Even when properly processed, a fish’s health hinges on the health of the water in which it grew. Be sure to find a company which openly tells of where its fish are farmed and certifies the waters’ quality.

Non GMO. Many fish are fed GMO feed, be sure that it is not the sustenance of your supplement.

What oil should I purchase?

Your health food store shelves are lined with a number of oils, and after a few glances at the labels, you may have realized that they don’t quite fit the health bill. You may be able to receive some of the benefits, but the trace amounts of toxic minerals, possibly rancidity, and questionable make these options not a good fit for therapeutic use or high doses for healing.

Fortunately, a company has recently rose to supply a quality CLO which meets all requirements for a healthy and safe oil for healing use. Dropi fits the bill, covering all our points above. It is sustainably-farmed in areas fished where there is no industrial use. This is possibly one of the most important points to look for, as we know that a quality product is only as good as where and how it’s raised (you’ve seen those fish photos on Facebook, too, haven’t you?). The oil is cold-processed in a plant which uses renewable energy. It is also non-GMO and gluten free.

Image by Pixabay

CLO can be used very successfully to heal mainly ailments. Be sure to monitor how you feel when beginning supplementing, as you may need to increase or lower your dosage for the perfect dosage to bring about your healing.

How have you used CLO to heal? Please share your stories of healing!

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consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis · 7 years

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Chunky Banana Bread Energy Balls (Gluten Free, Vegan, Nut Free)

New blog post! There's always something especially comforting about a hefty slice of banana bread. When I was a child, my mom would bake banana bread and pumpkin bread during the holidays, and we would eat a thick slice as an after school snack, licking the crumbs off our plates. Even though decades have passed and I'm now living on my own for grad school, I still crave banana bread when I need a comforting, stick-to-my-ribs snack...

...which is why I dreamt of banana bread energy balls after one especially stressful week of grad school, and I made my dream a reality as soon as I could!

These healthy energy balls might not be baked or bread, but they have all the flavors of your favorite banana bread. After all, these bliss balls don't just boast mashed ripe banana - they're also full of banana flour and crunchy banana chips for tons of banana flavor. Add in some sticky dates, crunchy rice flakes, coconut flakes and seeds, and a liberal shake of cinnamon, and these no bake energy balls will become your new favorite healthy snack, breakfast or dessert.

Like this recipe? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "Banana bread got an upgrade w/ #glutenfree, #vegan & #allergyfriendly banana bread energy balls via @collegeceliackc! http://bit.ly/2harHVE"

As a bonus, these banana bread bliss balls are gluten free, vegan, nut free and refined sugar free (as long as you use unsweetened banana chips). And if you're trying to add more nutrition to your snacking routine, you'll love that these banana bread energy balls offer a decent dose of potassium, fiber, healthy fats and vegan protein. Talk about comfort food that loves your body back!

The Ingredients For Your Banana Bread Bliss Balls

Ready to taste these banana bread bliss balls for yourself? Start by gathering the following allergy-friendly ingredients. This creates 16 medium sized bliss balls.

8 dates, mashed/pureed (optionally soaked beforehand) 1/2 ripe banana, mashed 1 tbsp banana flour (or another form of gluten free flour, like coconut, quinoa, buckwheat, etc) 3 tbsp rice flakes, buckwheat flakes, quinoa flakes or oats 2 tbsp coconut flakes 1 tsp chia seeds 1 tbsp sunflower seeds Handful of banana chips, chopped small

How to Make Your Vegan Energy Balls!

The other awesome thing about this gluten free and vegan snack? It takes 15 minutes or less to make! Start by preparing your dates. If you'd like smoother, less chunky banana bread energy bites, soak your dates for 15 minutes or until tender and gooey. Then, you can mash them with a fork or use a food processor/high-speed blender to create a date purée. I was impatient the day I made my energy balls, so I skipped soaking and just tore the dates apart with my fingers and a fork. In the end, I loved being able to taste chunks of dates in every bite of my gluten free energy balls!

If you haven't already, put your mashed dates in a mixing bowl and add your ripe banana, mashing until incorporated. Then, add the rest of your ingredients, except for the banana chips. Mix everything thoroughly. If your energy ball batter feels too dry, add a little water or extra banana; if it's too wet, add some more flour, coconut flakes or rice flakes.

Once you've gotten your energy bites well mixed, crush a handful of banana chips and stir the pieces into the batter. The size of the banana chip pieces and how many you add depends on how chunky you want your banana bread bliss balls to be!

Next, gather a little less than a tablespoon of batter between your hands and roll them into balls. Feel free to make bigger or smaller bliss balls, depending on your snacking preferences. I like my energy balls on the small size - mainly because I get to eat more at a time. Place your bliss balls in a sealed plastic bag or freezer safe container, and store them in the freezer.

You can also keep your energy balls in the fridge. However, I find that the freezer ensures my bliss balls don't go bad before I've devoured them all! The dates in the banana bread energy balls will keep them from freezing completely; when you want to dig in, just take out your desired number of energy bites and let them sit at room temperate for a few minutes before eating.

How to Make the Best Healthy Energy Balls Recipe for You

As always, you can tweak this gluten free snack recipe in countless ways. Don't have banana flour? You could make these banana bread protein balls by using flours like buckwheat or quinoa, which are high in vegan protein. You could also substitute protein powder for some of the flour. Coconut flour is another favorite of mine for bliss balls, though you might have to add more mashed banana or liquid.

As for other add ins, if you're a chocoholic, why not create some chocolate banana bread energy balls by throwing in chocolate chips and/or cacao powder? If you don't need nut free bliss balls, you could replace (some of) the seeds with chopped nuts. (Banana walnut bread anyone?) For an extra antioxidant boost, you can even add superfood powders like maca or turmeric.

As for how to enjoy these healthy energy balls, they make a delicious pre-workout or post-workout snack. You can also enjoy them for breakfast or dessert, and I've become especially fond of crumbling these banana bread bliss balls on my coconut yogurt for a sweet night snack!

You've probably heard the old saying, "Stressed backward spells 'desserts.'" (And if you haven't heard that saying, the world finally makes sense!) However, there's no reason that comforting "desserts" can't be healthy as well as delicious...and these banana bread energy balls are proof.

Like this recipe? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "Banana bread got an upgrade w/ #glutenfree, #vegan & #allergyfriendly banana bread energy balls via @collegeceliackc! http://bit.ly/2harHVE"

Because, sure, they definitely aren't my mom's banana bread. Yet, the combination of sweet banana with crunchy banana chips and chewy dates still make me think of sweet memories from back home.

And, when I do see my mom again during Christmas break, I'll be sure to ask if she wants me to make the banana bread (energy balls) this year!

What's a comfort food that you grew up with and have given a makeover? What's your favorite kind of sweet bread? Tell me in the comments!

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#Blogger #college #celiac #gluten free #coeliac #celiacs #paleo #primal #foodporn #foodart

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