Costco products and an amazing video

As I mentioned previously, I would be providing some "Josh approved" products that are available at Costco locations.  Many of our readers have written in with their suggestions and favorites too, and some of those have been included in this list (thank you to those who wrote in).  Although there are others, this list will give you some idea of what I purchase or recommend.  Additionally, here is some general advice, whether you are shopping at Costco or anywhere else…

Always look for Organics and Non-GMO (click here to see a previous post on GMO). Obviously, not everyone can afford to maintain a solely organic diet, so click here to see a little cheat sheet and find out what the most important items to buy organic are (scroll down until you see item #3, The "Dirty Dozen" image, then click on it and you can print it copy for your shopping trips).

I also wanted to share this amazing video below. It certainly makes us consider the intelligence of other beings we share our planet with.  Hope you enjoy it!

The list...

Fruits & Veggies:

If you can find organic fruits…go for them!  I am fortunate enough to live in a location with a weekly farmers market, so I get many organics from a stand there.  As far as fruits at Costco…Refer to the list of the most important produce items to buy organic.  

Earthbound Organic:

Baby Greens
Spinach
Heirloom Lettuce Heads
       Baby Carrots
       Table/Juicing Carrots
Organic Apples
Pesticide Free – Hot House Grown
       Bell Peppers:  Red 6 large
       Bell Peppers:  Red, Yellow, Orange
       Tomatoes: (Cherry, On the Vine and Roma)

Refrigerated:

Hannah Organic “Hummus” 
Emerald Valley Organic Medium Salsa

Freezer:

I would always recommend eating non-processed, whole foods whenever possible.  However, I do feel that frozen veggies and some fruits (like berries) are fine.  Again, I would prefer organic in any selection.

ByBee Foods: Organic Frozen Peas,  Organic Petite Whole Green Beans
B Bee: Copper Sweet White Corn (sustainable and non-GMO)
Triple Berry Mix
Blueberries
Village Harvest Whole Grain Creations
Madame Edamame (non-GMO)

Dried Goods: 

Tru-Roots Organic Quinoa
Tru Roots Organic Sprouted Trio Beans
Organic Golden Flax Meal

Canned Goods:

Organic Amy’s Soups

Breakfast:

Barbara’s Organic Cereals (I of course recommend those with vegan only ingredients).

Snacks:

Organic Kirkland Corn Chips
Food Should Taste Good Multi-grain chips – Non-GMO
Kettle Baked Salt & Pepper Chips – Non-GMO
Trio Bars

Beverages:

Vita Coco Young Coconut Water
Kirkland Organic Soy Milk
Pacific Organic Rice Milk
       
Nuts: (note: the best nuts you could buy would be raw and organic - but they can be expensive and found at specialty stores or online)

Marantha Organic Almond Butter - It is awesome!
Almonds
Walnuts
Pine Nuts
Pecans

Just say no…to GMO

Photo Credit: Lindsay StradtnerSo many readers have been writing in looking for specific product recommendations…which I will provide, promise!  However, today, instead of a specific product recommendation, I need to make a broad product suggestion…And that is...AVOID GMO products whenever you can.

"But the real shock came when the rats started dying. Within three weeks, 25 of the 45 (55.6%) rats from the GMO soy group died compared to only 3 of 33 (9%) from the non-GMO soy group and 3 of 44 (6.8%) from the non-soy controls". (this data is taken from a study conducted by Irina Ermakova, a leading scientist at the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), added GMO soy flour (5-7 grams) to the diet of female rats. Other females were fed non-GMO soy or no soy at all. The experimental diet began two weeks before the rats conceived and continued through pregnancy and nursing).

So, what are GMO's? (which can also be labeled/referred to as genetically engineered organism, or GEO's).

*GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.  Not very natural sounding is it?

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.   But…there is money to be made by those doing it!

There are those who will argue that GMO's are safe…but are they?  *Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.

If there was ever a broad recommendation I would have for you, it would be this one…avoid GMO's whenever you possibly can.  *Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show that a significant majority of Americans want to know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed choice they deserve.  (The Non-GMO Project website can be reached by clicking here)

Unfortunately, due to these labeling requirements…finding Non-GMO products can be quite a challenge. So what can you do?  Look for products with "NO GMO" on the labels or packaging. The Non-GMO Project offers a great online tool (CLICK HERE) that will help you find Non-GMO products by category, brand or specific name. 

You may never know when dining out…but you can know what you are putting in your fridge and pantry…so be an advocate for yourself and your family.

Whether you are vegan/vegetarian or not…and whether you believe the research…or think the verdict is still out…I for one, will do everything I can to mitigate the risk!

In the near future, I will be sharing my favorite NON-GMO products here.  So, keep your eye out.

Josh

* Excerpts from the not-for-profit, The Non-GMO Project - CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE