How to Find Truly Organic Food (trusting labels)
Soil Association has very strict laws for farming (The Wholesome Food Association used to offer a based-on-honesty affordable alternative, but it’s disappeared).
Brian May recently resigned as vice-president of the RPSCA as (although they do great emergency rescue work), there were appalling videos coming out of abattoirs that were ‘approved’ under welfare standards.
Major supermarkets have recently suspended (not cancelled) farms in Lincolnshire, where pigs were being killed (illegally) with blunt force trauma.
CIWF (Compassion in World Farming) wants its own six-tier labelling system, for people to know and trust which animals foods to buy. And of course you can buy vegan foods, but The Vegan Society even approves foods made with palm oil, which is harming orangutans (Greenpeace says there is no such thing as sustainable palm oil).
The best solution is to simply make your own food with real ingredients. If you do eat animal foods, buy from local organic farms. Red Tractor and ‘made in Britain’ means not much in welfare terms, other than it complies with the law.
Organic Laws Are Very Strict
In England, we have our Soil Association. It’s strict, but due to the long time and money needed to certify, many small farms can’t afford to get on board.
In Austria, nearly everyone eats organic food, as there are subsidies to encourage making foods free from pesticides and chemicals.
Remember that chemicals on food are made from oil. So this is another reason why Austria is greener. Because a country of walkable communities (less cars, less oil) and organic food (less oil) means that it has achieved its aim of making green energy affordable (with no nuclear) as less oil is needed.
This is the answer – not plastering wind turbines everywhere, as that’s just ‘replacing one energy with another’. Instead, a mind-change in lifestyles is needed. This is what has happened here in Austria.
Austria is an earthly paradise of woods and lakes. Franz Grillparzer
Sustainability Labels
- The international palm oil free certification trademark is better than ‘sustainable palm oil’, which is just a self-policed term by industry, that Greenpeace says is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Some ‘certified’ forests have been burned to the ground, along with orangutans and their babies. Just cook your own meals with real ingredients.
- Marine Conservation Council’s Blue Label offers a logo to apparently avoid over-fishing and by-catch, but again a few decisions have proven controversial. And as this money takes money to promote fisheries, it’s always going to have vested interests
Austria Has Higher Food Label Standards
Austria has some of the toughest labelling rules in Europe. Clear standards mean shoppers can trust what they buy, and farmers who follow the rules see fair reward for their work.
For places to eat, this travel blogger has a says Austria is one of the best places to eat plant-based food. Recently, one supermarket chain opened its Vienna branch – all vegan!
Austria goes further than EU laws, with recognised marks that signal compliance at a glance.
False claims meet stiff penalties. Products can be delisted, labels withdrawn, and fines imposed. In severe cases, authorities can suspend operations or refer matters for prosecution. This firm response keeps the label honest for the many who follow the rules.
Greenscents Fruit & Veg Wash
Greenscents is a wonderful eco-cleaning company, everything is vegan-friendly with no palm oil, made with natural ingredients, not tested on animals and sold in refillable bottles, which also saves you money! Everything is also made in Somerset with Exmoor water.
Greenscents Organic Fruit and Veg Wash is made with 97% organic ingredients, to help reduce exposure to potential threats like listeria, E.coli and salmonella, for cleaner food and peace of mind. Even organic fruits and vegetables can pick up bacteria in transport.
Use code GSENGLANDNATURALLY for 15% off entire order (minimum purchase £20)
Cantaloupe melon carries a slightly risk of salmonella poisoning, due to the netted ring. Keep cut melons in the fridge away from other foods, use a clean knife and wash the melon thoroughly underneath the rind, using up within a few days.
Free from fragrance, it’s perfect to clean grapes, leafy greens, berries and salad veg. It’s also good to clean apples (though it’s always best to buy organic, as most non-organic ones are spayed with waxy shellac, which is made from dead insects).
One 500ml bottle will clean over 330 apples, the 5 litre bottle will clean over 3,300 apples and the 20 litre container will clean over 13,200 apples (ideal for restaurants or people who eat an awful lot of apples!
How does the refill scheme work?
You can buy 500ml glass amber bottles (don’t handle with wet hands) for everyday use (and retail sale). Then you can buy refillable items in 5 litre and 20 litre containers. Just return empties for sanitising and reuse, as simple as that! You can buy bundle sets to save money, with the refills included with your first order.
Use with one-time purchase pumps for easy use and refilling.
Vegums Vitamin C Supplements (for adults or children)
Vitamin C should be one of the easiest vitamins to get, because it’s found in all fresh fruits and vegetables. And actually in England, we eat a good portion more than most countries. But pesticides and processed foods, means many people go short.
It also helps the body to absorb iron, but if you smoke, you likely are deficient.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means if you take those mega-supplements, in most cases you are just peeing out expensive urine, as it doesn’t stay in the body. And unlike most animals, we don’t make our own vitamin C (an exception would be guinea pigs, which is why they have to have lots of fresh goodies to eat).
Other creatures that can’t make their own vitamin C are monkeys, apes and bats.
Not just in oranges, vitamin Cis found in red peppers and broccoli, and kiwi fruits. And in all organic fresh produce. It’s great to help your skin produce collagen but also for antioxidants to keep you fit and healthy, and having less colds and flu.
Sailors used to be sent off to sea with lots of limes, to prevent a severe deficiency which would cause scurvy (a serious disease f left untreated).
Vegums vitamin C supplements (for adults or children)
Vegums vitamin C supplements are quality supplements (created by pharmacists), of tasty lemon chewable supplements sold in cellulose (wood pulp) bags that you just cut and compost, after use (or bin to naturally break down in the bin, without harm).
Ideal for daily health and immunity, they are also gentle on the stomach. Save 20% when you subscribe online for monthly home delivery.
Before taking supplements, check with GP if pregnant/nursing or on medication. Keep them away from young children and pets (these look and taste like sweets and citrus is toxic to pets), and recycle unused supplements at pharmacies.
These supplements deliver extra vitamin C, made from baked whole fruits and natural vitamins. Ideal to:
- Support natural body defences
- Reduce fatigue
- Promote collagen and heal dry skin
- Help immunity in sports
Also in a children’s version
How to take these supplements
Just take 2 gummies daily (or 1 gummy daily for children ages 3 to 12). Ideal for anyone who has regular colds and sniffles.
NHS website has good (regularly updated) information for parents of vegan children.
