Posts Tagged: healthy food
These things pop up in the avocado orchard
Boom, just when you think everything is going fine, you run across a reminder that there are little things going on in the orchard that are out of our control. In Goleta, I just ran across these crick-side, crook neck fruit that are a reminder that we just had about 3 weeks of foggy weather (in the fall, when it's supposed to be in the spring) and then a week of hot weather which is just the condition to create this calcium imbalance and distorted fruit. It's no big big deal, unless it was all over tree. Just more of an oddity. Harvest time is past this year so didnt expect to see it on this new fruit.
At avocado harvest time, growers are in the orchard checking things out a little more closely and to see what is going into the bins…..and they see some unusual shaped fruit. Here's what's been popping up and some possible explanations.
Crick-side - First described by Dr. J. Eliot Coit as kink-neck and later by Horne (1931) as kink-side. Finally, the name crick-side (Horne, 1934) was adopted. It is characterized by a definite depression on one side between the stem end and the larger portion of the fruit causing a distortion. In some cases, the area of depression turns black and the fruit drops. In other cases, the fruit grows and matures but the distortion remains. Crick-side is usually found on trees carrying a heavy load of fruit. It has been suggested that high temperatures or temporary water-stress may relate to the occurrence of crick-side, but no definite determination as to its cause has been made.
Carapace Spot - First described by Horne (1929), the name carapace-spot was chosen because of the resemblance to a turtles' back. This external blemish is corky and usually cracked into somewhat regular, angular divisions. The flesh under the carapace spot is undamaged, but exterior appearance is such that the fruit is reduced in grade. Slight rubbing or brushing of tender young fruit on leaves or stems appears to cause this corky growth to start. Fruit on trees exposed to strong winds are more apt to develop the trouble. Windbreaks should reduce injury in windy areas.
Photo: Avocado thrips damage, carapace damage and greenhouse thrips damage.
Sunblotch - This is a viroid that can affect fruit, leaves, and stems with a yellow or reddish streaking, cause a compacted growth and willowy growth habit. The streaking in the fruit is usually depressed and doesn't extend the length of the body.
Sunburn - Fruit exposed to full sun may be injured by sunburn. This occurs when trees defoliate, or partially defoliate, from any of several causes, leaving the fruit exposed. It is normally most severe on fruit on the south and southwest portion of the tree. Sunburn shows as a pale yellowish area on the exposed side of the fruit. Often the center of this area turns brown to black and may wither.
Ring Neck - This trouble has been observed occasionally, particularly with Hass. The cause is unknown but is believed to be related to soil-plant water deficiency at a critical time. A ring of tissue on the pedicel just above the attachment to the fruit dies, turns black and peels off. If only superficial, the fruit remains on the tree. Growth may be retarded because the restriction impedes movement of nutrients and water outward to the fruit. Most severe in humid coastal areas.
Embossment - Occasionally, and particularly on Fuertes, a section of the surface will be raised slightly or be a darker or lighter color. This is referred to as a sectional chimera or genetic mutation.
Healed over damage - if fruit has mild damage that allows it to heal over (remember avocado fruit expand by cell multiplication not enlargement), then a scar is left, such as this likely amorbia feeding
Cuke - As in cucumber but not a squash. These are seedless fruit that can most often be seen from a fruit set in cooler weather or due to some hormonal stimulus. We don't know the reason, but seems to occur more commonly along the coast.
Double Fruit - In some instances there may be a normal shaped fruit with a single cuke attached ot in some cases there is a double ovary and two fruit are attached.
Woody Avocados - For some unknown reason, avocado fruit will form into a grotesque woody structure hardly resembling an avocado. The cause is genetic and non-transmissible.
Sources: R.G. Platt - California Avocado Society Yearbook 1972-73 and Reuben Hofshi and M.L. Arpaia Yearbook 2002.
NPI study finds that prices for fruits and vegetables may be higher in low-income neighborhoods
Shoppers purchasing fruits and vegetables in stores located in low-income neighborhoods in California may pay more for those fruits and vegetables than shoppers in other neighborhoods, according to a study that examined prices in a large sample of stores throughout the state.
Published online in March 2018 in the journal Public Health Nutrition, the study, conducted by researchers at UC's Nutrition Policy Institute, involved more than 200 large grocery stores, 600 small markets, and 600 convenience stores in 225 low-income neighborhoods (where at least half of the population was at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level) and compared observed prices to purchased price data from chain grocery stores in the same counties during the same months.
The study found that produce prices for the items examined (apples, bananas, oranges, carrots and tomatoes) were higher in stores in low-income neighborhoods than the average prices of those items sold in stores in the same counties during the same month. Fruits and vegetables for sale in convenience stores in low-income neighborhoods were significantly more expensive than those for sale in small markets or large grocery stores. Yet even in large grocery stores the study found prices in the low-income neighborhoods to be higher than average county grocery store prices during the same month.
“Americans eat too few fruits and vegetables to support optimal health, and we know that dietary disparities among socioeconomic groups are increasing,” said study author Wendi Gosliner. “This study suggests that one important issue may be fruit and vegetable prices — not just that calorie-per-calorie fruits and vegetables are more expensive than many unhealthy foods, but also that there are equity issues in terms of relative prices in neighborhoods where lower-income Californians live.”
Additionally, the study examined the quality and availability of fruits and vegetables in stores and found that while less than half of convenience stores (41 percent) sold fresh produce, even fewer (1 in 5) sold a wide variety of fruits or vegetables, and few of the items that were for sale were rated by trained observers to be high quality (25 percent for fruits and 14 percent for vegetables).
“This study suggests that convenience stores in low-income neighborhoods currently fail to provide access to high-quality, competitively priced fresh fruits and vegetables," said Pat Crawford, nutrition expert and study author. “A healthy diet can prevent disease and reduce health care costs in the state. States need to explore new ways to help ensure that families, particularly those living in low-income neighborhoods where convenience stores are the only food retailers, have access to healthy, high-quality foods that are affordable,” Crawford added.
The study also found that convenience stores participating in federal food programs (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] and/or the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC]) were more likely to sell fresh produce and to offer higher quality and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables than stores not participating in either program.
The study was conducted under contract with the California Department of Public Health. Funding is from USDA SNAP. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
5 Tips for Holiday Food Donations
1. Ask what is needed before you give.
Sometimes what we want to give—holiday foods, homemade jam, or cake mixes---may not be what is needed. Check the website of your local food bank or call to see what foods they currently need. Generally, the most needed items are:
• Peanut butter
• Canned meats such as tuna or chicken
• Cereal
• Canned and dried fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Macaroni and cheese
• Canned soup.
2. Choose a more nutritious form of the food you want to give.
?For example, select:
• Fruit canned in its own juice rather than syrup
• Vegetables canned without added salt
• Cereals that are high in fiber and don't have much added sugar
• Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and quinoa
• Low sodium soups and low-sodium versions of other products such as pasta sauce
• Lean protein, such as beans and canned tuna.
3. Check the use-by or expiration date on canned or packaged food items.
If donating food items from your own pantry, check the freshness date. Most food banks will not give out food that is past the use-by or expiration date printed on the container. (Use-by and expiration dates refer to the quality of the food, not the safety.)
4. Avoid foods in glass containers or damaged packaging.?
Some food banks don't accept food in glass containers---even baby food or infant formula---because they chip and break easily. Inspect the packaging of an item. Avoid dented or bulging cans. Food banks won't accept damaged or open paper or plastic containers. Only donate commercially prepared foods. Food banks cannot take home preserved foods.
5. Give with the food bank clientele in mind. ?
Are the clientele homeless? If so, they probably don't have access to storage or refrigeration. Dr. Lucia Kaiser, Nutrition Specialist at the University of California Cooperative Extension, suggests giving easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat foods such as:
• Pop-top cans of stew, chili, and soup
• Shelf-stable milk and cheese
• 100% fruit juices in single serving boxes
• Convenience foods like granola bars, packaged crackers (low fat), beef jerky, and single-serving packages of nuts.
Programs for children may want single serving sizes of foods, such as;
¥ 100% fruit rolls
¥ Raisins
¥ Graham crackers
¥ Unsweetened applesauce
¥ Fruit cups
¥ Low-sugar cereal bowls
¥ Pretzels
Ideas to Help You Plan a Healthy Food Drive?
Request donations by meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner), by food group (fruits and vegetables, dairy, protein, etc.), or by recipes. Another option is a SuperFood Drive where participants donate items on a list of nutrient-dense foods that you provide. Or, help potential donors by giving them Dorothy Smith's food bank gift list.
Here's to healthy living and giving during the holiday season!
LREC and UCCE educate NY metropolitan area school children about California agriculture
Kurt Schmidt, Lindcove Research and Extension Center (LREC) Superintendent and Elizabeth Fichtner,...
Kurt Schmidt and Elizabeth Fichtner answer questions posed by elementary school students at Stewart School in Garden City, NY.
Students congregated in the school library for a video conference with Elizabeth Fichtner.
Paper or Plastic? Pay Cash for Groceries and Eat Healthier
Small step: Pay for groceries with cash, not credit.
Does grocery shopping for healthy food sometimes feel like walking through a minefield?
It does to me!
Temptations are everywhere---cookies, cakes, and ice cream, oh my!
I go to the store with a detailed grocery list, determined to make healthful choices and avoid high fat, high sugar, high calorie foods.
But marketers are clever and there are hazards everywhere I turn:
- A beautiful red velvet cakes bring back childhood memories
- The smell of freshly baked French bread coming out of the oven as I shop calls me to take some home
- In-store samples of the zebra popcorn (coated with chocolate and caramel) melt my sales resistance
New Research Findings
It's possible to change shopping
behavior to limit unhealthy food
purchases by paying cash for groceries.
A study reported in the Journal of Consumer Research* found that consumers who paid cash took home healthier foods than thos who paid with a credit card.
Researchers analyzed the shopping behavior of 1,000 households over six months to learn what they bought and how they paid for it. Their investigation was based on 2 concepts from behavioral economics: impulsive consumption, and psychological effects of different payment methods.
Impulsive consumption
Impulse buys are purchases made on the spur of the moment without any forethought or planning.
Grocery stores are designed to promote impulsive consumption. It's no mistake when shoppers have to pass by the bakery (with its cakes, pies, and cookies) and the deli (with its savory roasting chickens) in order to get to the meat, eggs and dairy products at the back of the store. Or, go past the big displays of chips and soft drinks to reach the checkout.
Payment method
So how does the way we pay for our groceries influence whether or not we buy unhealthy foods?
It’s because paying with a credit card "feels" different than paying with cash. Using a credit card is relatively “painless” since the purchase is separated in time from actual payment. But handing over hard cash is a different matter, it's painful.
In other words, it’s easier to buy junk food with credit because we don’t feel the pain of putting actual dollars on the counter!
What YOU Can Do
When the cashier asks “Paper or plastic?” pull out cash rather than your credit card to pay for the groceries, and take home healthier foods.
Tip: Rodale author Emily Main suggests you go by the ATM and get cash before you go to the grocery store, and don't forget to bring a shopping list along, too.
How credit card payments increase unhealthy food purchases