The Growth of Organic Wine

Organic wine may seem like a new thing, but it is quickly becoming a standard for many people who enjoy wine and wine tasting.

Essentially, organic wine is wine that has been grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. The use of organic wine has steadily increased as well. In 2009, the consumption of organic wine grew by 3.7 per cent alone, and it has continued to grow and outpace the growth of the consumption of non-organic wine since then. It is estimated that there are currently, 1,500 to 2,000 organic wine producers throughout the world, with nearly 1,000 located in France alone.

In conventional wine growing, chemical fertilizers are used in order to promote a larger yield and protect from disease, but the problem is that these chemicals are then absorbed into the sap, and passed into the leaves and the fruit. Eventually, these chemicals make their way into the finished wine itself. The chemicals also damage soil and water quality, so many wine growers are looking to go organic. Many people do not even realize that many wine growers actually use hazmat suits and breathing apparatuses when spraying the vines, and we are putting that into our bodies.

In the United States, there are very strict rules in place for the growing of organic wine, covering all aspects of the growing, harvesting and production. Even the types of yeast, the storage conditions and more are all considered with organic wine.

In the United States, to receive organic certification on wine, there must be suffite levels of less than 20 parts per million.

In the United States as well, the National Organic Program handles the certification of organic wine, through the United States Department of Agriculture. Many different nations are also using certifications of organic, through government agencies.

It should also be noted that many wineries are organic without the certification, because they have always grown organically through their history.

There are also natural wines that only use native yeasts in the fermentation process and no sulphur dioxide. Roughly 10 per cent of all organic wine in the United States is natural wine.

De La Rosa Real Foods

Written by: Yehudith Girshberg

Kosher Food Symbols

When you are looking to eat kosher, you want to make sure what you are eating is actually going to be kosher. Just like organic certifications, there are kosher certifications to put the consumer at ease that what they are eating is actually going to be what it it says it is. In order to make sure you are actually eating kosher food, look for these companies and symbols on the food that you eat.

First of all, the four biggest kosher supervision companies in the world are all found in the United States and they use the symbols OU, Kof-K, OK and Star-K. They are very recognizable and if they have their symbol on the food, then you know for sure that it is kosher.

Other well-known and reputable agencies include:

1. Regional American Kosher Certifiers: These are the companies that regionally approve kosher meals. The United States has more of these than any other country in the world, and they are often found in areas where there are large groups of Orthodox Jewish individuals. New York, New Jersey, California and Florida all have several.
2. International Hecshers: The big four have already been mentioned, but there are several other international agencies that are very reputable and can be trusted. These are London Beit Din, Kashrus Council of Canada, Kosher Australia and Rabbi Mordechai Rottenberg, or the Chief Rabbi of Paris.
3. Israel has many agencies, and any one of the agencies based in the country will have reputable kosher practices and will be safe to import into the country because of the strict guidelines that they follow.
4. Speciality Certifications: These are certifications where the food is kosher, but also vegan, organic, or GMO-free. There are many companies that offer these certifications but the biggest are EarthKosher and Natural Food Certifiers.

If you are looking for kosher food, make sure it comes from an agency that is reputable with a long-history of customer satisfaction.

De La Rosa Real Foods

Written by: Yehudith Girshberg

Why Should You Eat Tahini?

Tahini is a unique dish that is foreign to many in Western countries, but it has been consumed in India and the Middle East for centuries. It is a simple paste, made from whole sesame seed, that has a great many health benefits for the body. There are many reasons why you should be eating Tahini, and these are just a few.

The first major reason is the fact that it is full of minerals that the body needs including lecithin, potassium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium. It is also a huge source of methionine, which helps your liver detox your body, which in turn keeps you healthy and happy.

Our bones need calcium and a lack of calcium can cause severe problems in our old age. As such, Tahini is a great dish for getting calcium back into the body as it is a big source of it. It is also a big source of vitamin E, B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15.

Studies done on Tahini have also found that it can promote healthy cell growth in the body, which is important for keeping us healthy and looking young. On a similar note, it can prevent anemia from developing while also maintaining healthy skin and muscle tone in the body.

One major benefit from Tahini is the fact that it is made up of 20 per cent protein. This actually gives it a higher amount of protein per serving than you get from nuts, and you can use Tahini in so many dishes that nuts are not a part of. While it is high in protein, it is very easy for the body to digest because it has a very high alkaline mineral content. This in turn can help you lose weight because of how easy it is for the human body to digest.

Tahini is also very high in unsaturated fat, which is the good fat that helps to clear your arteries and keep you healthy.

So, try a dish of Tahini today and start feeling healthy immediately!

De La Rosa Real Foods

Written by: Yehudith Girshberg