Supplied by Purebread, NZ’s first BioGro Certified, Organic bread and bakery. Read to the end to find a recipe to make your own bread at home.
The term organic is more about what is not in our food, where artificial chemicals and pesticides are commonly found in modern grain growing. The last Total Diet Survey that creates the ‘Dirty Dozen’ or foods with most pesticides, revealed that 87% of wheat products found 23 different pesticides.
(See www.Safefood.Org.NZ for more detail)
What’s wrong with pesticide residues in food?
We do not know enough about the effects of these chemicals in our food, however, there are various serious long term effects associated with particular pesticides that are found in our food. We also know that various pesticides used to grow food have damaging effects on wildlife and the ecosystem.
Most at risk of course are our children as they take in more food in proportion to their body weight than adults do.
They and the unborn fetus are also more sensitive to chemical exposure that may result in an array of health problems, including diabetes, attention deficit disorders, prostate cancer, nervous system damage, fertility problems, thyroid disorders and even obesity.
What can we do to improve the health of our families?
If you buy organic food, then you will be significantly reducing the pesticide load on your bodies. This is particularly important for infants and children with fruit, as it is more heavily sprayed. A recent American study has found that if children eat mostly organic food, then the average amount of organophosphate residues as measured in their urine is nine times lower than those children eating conventional food.
If you think organic food is too expensive, remember that non-organic food does not include the cost of biodiversity loss and other environmental degradation. With organic food you pay the real cost for real food, and you give the grower a fairer return. By having organic food you support a system which better protects our children and the environment.
We do not need to be staunch about it, just do what you can afford or you can grow, as every little bit definitely counts towards a healthier family and planet.
Feel bloated after a sandwich?
Other health benefits come from Purebread using old fashioned fermentation processes over several hours. Time allows the natural enzymes to get working, breaking down the complex carbohydrates which in turn greatly assist our bodies ability to digest the grains better.
Purebread use organic ingredients that offer high nutritional qualities like wholegrain buckwheat, oats, coconut oil, honey and eggs from pasture fed hens.
“Of course, as this is all fermented, we can digest these better, so our bodies can absorb their valuable, natural vitamins and minerals from the organic ingredients” said Founder of Purebread, Robert Glensor.
