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Homegrown

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In Nutrition

Nutritional Benefits of Strawberries

Strawberries are such a delightful fruit and homegrown, oh my goodness, there is nothing that beats that sweet, juicy taste. We love them in smoothies, as a topper for acai bowls, yoghurt and granola and even just on their own!

Remember to wash thoroughly if you are not buying organic or growing your own. Unfortunately, strawberries are one of the most heavily sprayed fruits in commercial growing.

See here for a list of the Dirty Dozen.

And here are some of the amazing health benefits of strawberries..

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect your cells against free-radical damage and it helps form and maintain bones, skin, and blood vessels.

MANGANESE

Manganese helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.

FOLATE

Folate is an essential B vitamin that is necessary for the production of red and white blood cells in bone marrow, producing DNA and RNA and transforming carbohydrates into energy.

POTASSIUM

Potassium helps the body maintain normal levels of intracellular fluid and it also helps muscles to contract, supporting normal blood pressure.

Do you love strawberries?

Have you tried growing them at home?

Let me know if they are your favourite fruit!

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In Low Tox Life

2022 Dirty Dozen Food List

Once upon a time we didn’t call food organic or non-organic, it was just food.

Can we all just go back to that please?

It bothers me that organic farmers have to prove their organic-ness and pay for organic accreditation just so we, the consumers, know their food is just as nature intended. Shouldn’t it be the other way round?

I’m not an agricultural expert by any means but I have grown my own and know all too well the effort it takes to produce a crop without the use of synthetic pesticides.

And that’s just for my little backyard garden!

So, why do we want to avoid these nasty chemicals in the first place?

Pesticides are toxic chemicals designed to kill agricultural pests and unfortunately when consumed by humans have been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, ADHD and even birth defects.

THE DIRTY DOZEN AND CLEAN 15

The EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ (aka Dirty Dozen and Clean 15) is updated each year and ranks pesticide contamination on 47 popular fruits and vegetables.

While this isn’t Aussie specific, it does give you a very good indication of the types of fruits and vegetables that are the most hard hit.

We don’t want to avoid any fruits and vegetables, so if you can’t buy local and organic, opt for an all natural fruit and veggie wash like the Thieves Fruit and Veggie Soak as a great alternative.

We actually use it even on our organic bought produce and it’s surprising to see what’s left in the water and the difference it makes to the longevity of our fresh food.

SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMERS

Many local farmers grow their crops using all or mostly organic practices but aren’t big enough, or simply choose not to, pay for accreditation. It makes sense to get to know them and ask them how they do things so that you can happily buy their produce and feel good knowing you are not only supporting them but also giving your family high quality and nutrient dense local foods.

Do you know where your local organic market is?

Or are you growing your own!

Let me know in the comments.

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In Recipes

My Super Fresh Strawberry and Mint Sorbet Recipe

Summer is officially over but it’s not too cool to still enjoy a freshly made strawberry and mint sorbet.

This recipe ticks all the boxes if you are needing something sweet and tasty but you want to make it at home quickly and easily without any silly chemicals or unhealthy ingredients.

There is the option to add a little refined caster sugar or rapadura if you want to but the strawberries, mint and apple are quite sweet on their own.

I needed to supplement my homegrown strawberries at the market with this recipe as I’m not producing as much right now. I also grabbed some beautiful organic apples to juice up.

My mint is growing great guns however, so I was super excited to add that in to the recipe.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED

  • 250 – 280g of strawberries (you can use frozen)
  • 3/4 cup ice cubes
  • 60 mL organic apple juice
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tsp caster or rapadura sugar (optional)

METHOD

  1. Blend all ingredients together until your desired consistency.
  2. Add a little water or extra juice if you need it smoother.

Want to know the nutritional benefits of strawberries?

Check out this post here.

And if you’d like to know the latest Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list for 2022, go here.

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