According to the National Organic Program, organic wine is a “wine made from organically grown grapes without any added sulfites.” Before this specific definition, many organic wines were made from organic grapes, although they also contained up to 100 ppm of added sulfites.

It is increasingly difficult to locate wines without added sulfites, which makes the shift to organic wines that much more difficult. However, most wines in general are made out of 95% organic ingredients, and even with the added sulfites, that number jumps to 99.9%. It then becomes important to ask what the benefit is in switching to an organic wine, since most are made from the same ingredients, aside from the organically grown grapes and loss of sulfites.

What Makes Organic Wines Better?

Organic food in general is more than a part of an overall healthy lifestyle; it is also about the preservation of nature, which is particularly important in wine production. Producing grapes that are needed for wines can bring up issues such as soil depletion and erosion, water pollution, ecological impacts, chemical dependencies, etc.

Organic farming in general rids the farming process of these types of issues, resulting in a healthier environment for all. Additionally, the added bonus of drinking organic wine lies in the fact that the extra chemicals in regular wine pollute the earth. Thus the residue may end up in the wine we purchase. Organic wine does not contain these added preservatives or pollutants and therefore leads toward a healthier planet and a healthier bottle of wine.

Do Organic Wines Taste Different Than Regular Wines?

The taste of organic wines is not wildly different when compared to regular wines, but has been ranked among the top ten of the best wines of France. This is important to note due to the fact that many organic food products taste slightly different (often better!), which furthers the argument that organic foods can be healthy as well as tasty.

Despite these facts, organic wines have not received much publicity because of the lack of public awareness, which is genuinely surprising considering the organic movement that has taken place in the past few years. The entire process in creating organic wine is much more natural than the process involved in making regular wine; the grapes on organic vineyards have formed better resistance to bad weather and to pests, and their grapes are hand-picked rather than mechanically selected.

These organic wines have undergone a selective process wherein only the best grapes were used, which does not have a negative effect on price; most organic wines are the same price as regular bottles.

The Low-down on Organic Wines

Organic wine may not necessarily sound appealing at first, but has become a major underground element of the organic revolution. This has resulted in new wines that not only taste better, but are also better for the environment and for one’s body. Additionally, the quality of wine is exceedingly better than others which are grown in regular vineyards — reason enough to switch over to the organic side.

This post was contributed to Organic Eating Daily by Kimberly Peterson who writes about the Masters in Healthcare; the article was edited by Matty Byloos. She welcomes your feedback at KimPeterson2006 at gmail dot com

The kind folks at Pom Wonderful reached out to Organic Eating Daily, and offered to send over a case of the juice. We thought — sure! Why not? And boy were we glad. The juice is great, the bottles are shaped in an interesting way, the portions in each little plastic jar aren’t too big, and there is no sugar added: just 100% authentic pomegranate juice.

A Few Facts About the Healthy Side of Pure Pomegranate Juice

From Pom’s website: “POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is the only pomegranate juice backed by $25 million in medical research.” Apparently, they are the only pomegranate juice backed by any medical research.

According to Pom Wonderful, they’re up on the fact that much chatter has been going lately with regard to pomegranates and the health of our hearts, prostates, erectile function and more. Further, they commend the promising results in the preliminary stages, but assert that “all of the research has been done on POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice.” Not on the competition. Named after a unique variety of pomegranate (the Wonderful), all of their juice comes from this fruit, and from California. And all of the fruit is juiced with their own proprietary technology, making Pom Wonderful a truly unique beverage.

Pomegranates and Fresh Fruit Juice

This seemed to me to be an excellent way to get the benefits of healthy fruits and vegetables, which many of us, including myself, never seem to get enough of. The juice itself hedges towards prune juice in its basic flavor, like a thick red grape juice. It’s not as dense or heady as prunes, and not as sweet as grapes. It’s a bit bitter – but nothing to make your lips pucker. All in all, it’s kind of perfect. Rich, flavorful, refreshing.

Find out more on the Health Benefits of Pure Pomegranate Juice at Pom Wonderful’s website.

Post Copyright 2009 Matty Byloos

The Benefits of Soy Milk

Beyond the fiber and protein that come from the soy beans themselves, isoflavones are generally thought to be at the top of the list of benefits. Because the chemical structure of isoflavones is similar in nature to that of the hormone estrogen, while in the body, they can actually “compete with estrogen for the same receptor sites [on the body's cells] thereby decreasing the health risks of excess estrogen.” Conversely, in women experiencing menopause, isoflavones can also increase estrogen activity.

Isoflavones have also been found to reduce risk of heart disease, protect against prostate problems, improve bone health and reduce cancer risk.

Westsoy Unsweetened Vanilla Soymilk contains the following ingredients: Organic soymilk (filtered water, whole organic soybeans) natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors.

Westsoy products are also certified USDA Organic.




Copyright 2008 Organic Eating Daily

I drink the Multi-green Organic Raw Kombucha, which tastes strange (and strangely good!) at first, but grows on you quickly.

The drink contains raw kombucha, klamath mountain blue-green algae, spirulina, chlorella — and all that with just 70 total calories (0 from fat) in a 480mL bottle. From this recipe, you’ll be adding “beneficial probiotics, live active enzymes, L-Theanine (an amino acid), organic acids and polyphenols.”




Copyright 2008 Organic Eating Daily

For those who have permanently made the switch from processed dairy to soy or nut milks, do it yourself now, saving money in the process and reducing your output of waste without store-bought packaging to dispose. With the ability to make soymilk, soup and more in around fifteen minutes, the Soyabella™ Soymilk Maker ($99.95) is the perfect tool for anyone dedicated to healthy living. It’s safe, easy and well-designed, so leaving it on the kitchen countertop won’t be unsightly.

Soymilk in just fifteen minutes, with the additional ability to make homemade soups, porridge, sesame paste and more. Bonus? Make your own fresh, raw milk from nuts like almonds in less than a minute. Grind organic coffee beans, seeds, grains, nuts and herbs with the detachable grinder accessory. The Soyabella™ Soymilk Maker comes with a 2-year warranty, tools for cleaning, recipes and instructions.

Look into the Soyabella™ Soymilk Maker now!




Copyright 2008 Organic Eating Daily

The Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Daily Cocktail

To aid in my own pursuit of health, then, I’ve started to regularly take a cocktail made out of apple cider vinegar, particularly the brand made by Bragg. The benefits are many, including everything mentioned above, and it’s a relatively simple pursuit. Not entirely uncommon, the potential remedies and cures are enumerated in many places such as the Earth Clinic: Folk Remedies and Holistic Cures blog.

With a little research on the Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) website, you will find that the benefits of the ACV cocktail stem from the following logic:

“Following the old cliché, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ apples are one of the oldest, most nutritious foods on earth. They are rich in potassium, a mineral many of us are deficient in, and a deficiency that causes old age to creep upon us sooner. Calcium maintains our hard tissues such as bones, and potassium is the equivalent to the body’s soft tissues, keeping the body’s flesh and arteries soft and resilient.”

“Fresh, organic apples are used to make Apple Cider Vinegar, which contains necessary ingredients, such as enzymes, and life-stimulating minerals, mainly potassium, in a natural state. Besides being a natural stimulant for vitality, Apple Cider Vinegar cleanses and restores nutrients to the body so that the body can heal itself.”

How to Make and Take the Apple Cider Vinegar Cocktail

Before you tune out, thinking that shots of vinegar are nowhere near what you’d be willing to do to promote health and wellness, hold on. It’s not quite that bad. You simply shake up and add two teaspoons of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar and one to two teaspoons of raw honey to an eight-ounce glass of distilled water. Mix it up and drink it down, and do it three times a day for the best results. That’s it.

Apple cider vinegar draws toxins from your body tissues, so the diluted mixture makes the process a bit more comfortable. Though the addition of raw honey is not absolutely necessary, it is recommended. According to the Bragg site, it is honey’s “proven bioactive properties and […] vitamins and enzymes [that are] necessary for the proper digestion and metabolism” of the ACV cocktail. Keep the apple cider vinegar in the ‘fridge when you’re not using it, or on the counter out of the way of direct sunlight and in a cool place.

A 16-ounce jar of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar can be purchased from the website for around $12.95, and it includes a small book that covers the “powerful cleansing and healing qualities” of the product. Additionally, Bragg is also available at a number of super markets including Whole Foods Market.




Copyright 2008 Organic Eating Daily

Breaking From the Morning Coffee Habit

Part of the experiment has been to break off the morning dependency on what is essentially a drug. Further, I wanted to see what it would feel like to wake up every day, and not put something detrimental to my system in there. Sure, you get a jolt of energy, but then you crash and have to go through the whole routine again just to keep your head up.

A while back, I had heard about the positive health benefits of the morning berry smoothie. I decided, why not substitute rituals and see what happens? After several months off of the coffee, I have finally given the morning smoothie a real shot.

Ingredients in the Morning Berry Smoothie

Here’s how it breaks down. I get an organic banana and some almond milk, which I sometimes make from scratch. I use about a third of a cup of almond milk, every once in a while substituting soy milk. I add mixed berries from a bag of frozen organic berries (I promise to do a post soon on the health benefits / differences in nutritional value between fresh, frozen and canned fruits!). This usually includes blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. I will often add more blueberries from another bag. Love the flavor. I’d say a cup and a bit extra of the berries.

To this mix, I add 4 tablespoons of hemp protein powder, one tablespoon of raw honey, one tablespoon of flax seed oil and one tablespoon of coconut oil. I usually throw in some flax seeds, too. Blend in a blender on high until smooth in consistency, and drink.

The Benefits of the Morning Berry Smoothie

In a word — energy. And tons of it. I wake up with a ton of pep, and that energy lasts typically until noon. (I get up at 6:30 and have the smoothie around 7). I also don’t feel hungry for a few hours, either — it’s very filling, and can stand as its own meal. So that’s become the new habit, and the ritual substitution has worked out ok. I miss coffee sometimes, but feel better than I ever have.

Recipe for the Morning Berry Smoothie

1 organic banana
1 cup mixed frozen organic berries
1/3 – 1/2 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
4 tablespoons hemp protein powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon flax seed oil
1 teaspoon flax seeds

Copyright 2008 Organic Eating Daily