The Big Debate: Organic Food

Much controversy surrounds the benefits of organic foods. Some questions people may pose include, are chemicals used in food production really bad for you? Does “organic” always mean what it says on the label? There have been mis-selling scandals recently, with regular produce being unlawfully sold as organic for higher prices, which haven’t helped public confidence in this more expensive sector of the market.

The term “organic” in this context means produce farmed without the use of synthetic chemicals and pesticides, but in a world where some are starving, artificial means of food production can be more beneficial than is sometimes portrayed. Organic farming is generally seen as a holistic – and somewhat luxurious – method of production, that seeks to preserve the ecosystem, eliminate use of unnatural chemicals and, in the case of livestock, allow for free range rearing.

The Soil Association, the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for ethical food production and farming techniques, defines organic food as “food which is produced using environmentally and animal friendly farming methods on an organic farm.” This puts the focus on environmental and animal welfare. It doesn’t count as organic if you grow it in your garden – this would be called “home-grown”. Organic produce has to pass strict certification standards, and these vary from country to country. 

Soil Association Organic Logo

There is no single logo to denote organic food, but rather each producer will assign its own to organically-certified produce. 

Organic shoppers used to buy their food directly from the farmers, but at that time there were no certification standards. Whole food stores and co-operatives popularised organic produce among the general public, and ushered in the need for independent criteria. Some examples of these shops are Whole Foods Market, Planet Organic and As Nature Intended. Currently, 86% of households buy organic products and 4.2% of UK farmland is organically managed.

The organic food as an industry has boomed since the 1940s when it was conceived, but has recently been experiencing a reduced share of the market. Organic food sales increased from just over £100 million in 1993/94 to £1.21 billion in 2004 (an 11% increase on 2003).

However, in 2010, UK sales of organic products fell 5.9% to £1.73 billion. Some attribute this to the general public tightening their belts during the recession, but decreased confidence in the benefits of organic produce has certainly played its part.

In the past, there has been what is known as a “halo effect” surrounding organic food, which means that consumers think it is healthier or lower in calories, and therefore a better option to buy. This is a myth that has been dispelled in recent years. Organic food is, essentially, just the same as regular produce.

On the other hand, many studies have shown that organic food tends to taste better, and that there are in fact minimal health benefits:

• Raw organic milk possibly contains significantly more omega-3 fatty acids

• Organic chicken contains higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids than regular chicken

• Organic produce holds 30% lower risk of contamination by pesticide residue than regular produce

In general, it seems that organic food is not healthier than conventionally produced food, but there have been no studies following the long-term health of people upholding organic diets versus those who have not. Whether or not to buy organic food is a completely personal choice. 

What is not in doubt is that going organic is better for the environment, and, in the case of meat, for the livestock. Think carefully before you buy!

 Find out more here. 

By Catherine Heath

EU Organic Logo

Surgery and Sautéing

An essay called ‘Michelin-Starred Theatres,’ by R. Newton, et al, draws attention to the parallels between fine dining and surgical practice. Some of the similarities between the chef and the surgeon’s working day include long hours, top standards, intensive training and an emphasis on teamwork.

Cooking and surgery are both related to the promotion of good health. Though restaurant food can be full of unhealthy ingredients like fat, sugar, and salt, chefs play a key role in nourishing the nation’s body. Similarly, surgeons are specially trained to help the body if something goes wrong.

Though we may not all be Michelin chefs, each individual needs to learn vital cooking skills in order to feed him or herself. Everyone must go through the process of learning how to boil an egg, make pasta and maybe eventually sauté potatoes.

Unpronounceable ingredients and difficult recipes on cooking programs can scare the average cook out of the kitchen, but cooking doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy. There is a need to get back to basics, and just have some fun in the kitchen.

Here are some easy recipes to get you started:

• Spicy Salami and Tomato Pasta Sauce

• Easy Oven Frittata

• Black Beans and Rice

On the other hand, surgical practice is quite a bit more difficult, and should only be performed by qualified professionals! Happy cooking.

The Mini Cooking Club runs a variety of cooking workshops aimed at families and children, teaching members practical skills and essential nutrition knowledge. If you are interested in booking a free place for you or your children, please visit our website for more course information. 

By Catherine Heath

Camberwell Arts Festival Fundraiser

Saturday’s fundraiser at Camberwell Arts Festival was a big success! There was live music, craft stalls and art workshops. The Mini Cooking Club was in the middle of it all selling homemade cakes, breads and biscuits to raise funds for our organisation. 

It took a little while to build up momentum but by mid-afternoon there was quite a crowd. The most popular item was the rich chocolate and guinness cake, baked by one of our members, followed closely by the banana bread. 

When we finally packed away the marquee – which was threatening to blow away in the gale - all the cakes left on the table had been sold. We received a number of enquiries about our work and even an offer to volunteer or two.

The donations have not been counted yet but the support was overwhelming, despite adverse weather conditions. More pictures will be uploaded to Facebook soon! 

We’d like to thank Kelly O’Reilly (Camberwell Arts Festival) for giving us this opportunity. We also thank all the Mini Cooking Club volunteers who lent their time and baking skills to help us raise money for our vital work in the community. 

The festival continues until June 23rd with many more events to come! It would be great if everyone showed their support for the local area by attending. 

By Catherine Heath

The Mini Cooking Club Fundraiser: Camberwell Art Festival Bake Sale

The Mini Cooking Club is pleased to announce our latest fundraising event. We are running a charity bake sale in partnership with Camberwell Arts Festival (15^th-23^rd June). It is a yearly celebration of all things cultural in the area. 

 The Mini Cooking Club stall will be on 15^th June, run by Cecilia, Catherine and Jessica.

We are looking for volunteers who want to contribute their baking skills. If you enjoy making cakes, biscuits, flapjacks, meringues, scones or anything delicious we would appreciate the help. Please deliver them from 11am onwards to Camberwell Green, SE5 7AN. Look for The Mini Cooking Club stall.

Join us for the Art Picnic to kick off the festival, involving art, cake and conversation.  Come with friends or get to know other members of the community. Maybe you’ll find a great piece of local artwork to take home.

We will also provide a cake and biscuit decorating service run by Elizabeth Heath, an illustration student at Camberwell School of Arts. You can decorate edible gifts for Father’s Day, keep the kids occupied for half an hour, or indulge your creative side just for fun. The theme of the festival is “travel” so we want to see lots of ships and aeroplanes!

Cutty Sark - by Catherine Heath

All proceeds will go towards running costs for The Mini Cooking Club charity, which provides free educational cooking workshops for people in South London. We hope to see you there, and fingers crossed for good weather!

Please email Catherine to confirm that you will be donating goods, if you want to find out how else you can help or have any questions at all.  

The Mini Cooking Club is registered charity number 1146783. Camberwell Arts Festival is Registered Charity Number 1138225. 

By Catherine Heath

The Best Start To Life: Healthy Eating Week 2013

The British Nutrition Foundation is launching Healthy Eating Week in order to promote healthy eating habits and exercise in all schools and nurseries. Part of the focus will also be the origins of the food we eat and practical cooking skills. Over 3,000 schools have registered to take part (that’s over one million children and young people). 

Research shows a strong correlation between diet and academic performance. It was shown that children who eat balanced meals are far more likely to do well than children who eat more consume more processed foods and higher levels of fat, sugar and salt. (Aldridge et al, 2008).

The key is not low calorie intake or eating large amounts of fruit and vegetables, but actually to consume enough types of food from each dietary group (fats, dairy, carbohydrate, protein and vitamins and minerals) to fulfil each quota. The focus is on diversity of diet throughout the school day. 

Britain still needs to improve standards of nutrition knowledge and cooking abilities. As processed food and ready meals become ever more widely and cheaply available, children can grow up without managing to learn these essential life skills. 

Academic performance in school influences future educational achievement and therefore adult income levels. It is our responsibility to make sure every child gets the best start possible in life. This may seem obvious, but the amount of money spent on advertising by companies that promote unhealthy food like Nestle and Cadbury is ten times as much as the government spends on healthy eating campaigns.

Parents can try their best to feed their children nutritious food and still lose out to clever marketing campaigns targeted at kids, and too many snacks available in school. Instead of giving children money to spend on chips, try making them a healthy salad or tortilla wrap. If they are hungry in between meals, replace crisps or sweets with fruit or sliced vegetables. Involve children in the preparation of the evening meal to encourage confidence in the kitchen.

Show your support for Healthy Eating Week 2013 by eating your homemade food and tweeting us pictures @EatinCampaign or post on Facebook. 

Ref:

‘Diet Quality and Academic Performance,’ Aldridge, et al. (2008)

By Catherine Heath

The Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme: Week One

It’s been a busy week for the Mini Cooking Club since the launch of our brand new Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme, which started on Monday 13^th May at East Dulwich Community Centre. I went down there to check it out.

It was off to a bit of a wobbly start when we discovered that the community centre put locks on their equipment cupboards for safety, leaving us with no key. Off I popped to the local Co-op to see if they could help.

The first class was a success! The programme was created and is run by our certified nutritionist, Karen Buckley ANutr. On the menu this week was a delicious and surprisingly simple mango and lettuce salad, homemade chips and homemade burgers, both veggie and meat. Dessert was to be Karen’s signature mouth watering banana and carrot muffins.

One of our attendees

It was off to a bit of a wobbly start when we discovered that the community centre put locks on their equipment cupboards for safety, leaving us with no key. Off I popped to the local Co-op to see if they could help.

We started off baking the muffins first, much to the dismay of the weight watchers group in the next room. Next, we prepared the burger mixtures, chopping and blending to create coriander and butterbean for the veggies, and onion and minced beef patties for the meat eaters. We sliced up large baking potatoes for chips, and baked them in the oven along with the burgers.

We had a break for the nutrition class, during which Karen taught the students about the stages of pregnancy and associated physical changes, weight change, The Eat Well Plate, and the necessary nutrients to stay healthy.

After our work was done, we sat down to eat and get to know one another. Thankfully we had cutlery, as the salad covered in lemon juice would have been impossible to pick up with our hands! Sitting down to eat together at the end is one of the key elements of the programme, because it encourages the attendees to discuss their experiences. According to all involved, the first class was a success! You can view more photos here. We headed for home, tired but happy.

As a brand new programme, Nutrition During Pregnancy holds much promise and is the first of its kind. Our aim is to reach out to people who might not otherwise have taken an interest in the food they eat and teach them useful information at such a crucial stage of their baby’s development. It’s also an important way for mums-to-be to network with one another, and make friends.
 

If you are pregnant and looking to learn about the best nutrition for you and your baby, or know someone who is, please email Karen, or call 07779129371. Places are still available.

Our two nutritionists and an attendee

By Catherine Heath