I've been thinking A LOT lately about changing the food we eat to be more organic and natural. It's something I've been working towards for a while now, but I've been reading this book called "Master Your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels. This book has pushed me and my thinking a little further along. She is very extreme in her thinking and she is all about natural food (to the extreme). I don't want to necessarily adopt all of her practices, but I have learned a lot from her book and it has given me a lot to think about. One of the things she thinks is important is eating dairy and meat that are from grass fed/range free type sources. So today I went to check out a local health food store called Real Foods Market. I was hoping for a regular size grocery store that happens to be natural and organic, but it turned out to be another tiny one - actually even smaller than the others. But their big thing is their raw milk. It's unpasteurized and it's from grass fed cows. The sales associate told me how amazing this milk is for you and so I thought that I could just give it one gallon of a try. It was super expensive ($6.29) and you also had to sign a waiver saying that you understand that buying unpasteurized milk is risky. But again, I just wanted to give it a try. Oh - and I also got some range free eggs. Those were expensive, too ($5.99 for a dozen and they had a buy one, get one free, so I got 2 doz).
The kids and I have tried both of these things today and I'm not so sure I like either of them, actually! The milk is okay. It's thick and rich (it is whole milk) and the idea grosses me out just a little bit. It doesn't really QUENCH your thirst like regular milk does.
The eggs...I had a harder time with those. I'm kind of funny about eggs to begin with and so these are hard for me to eat. The yolks are a different shade of yellow and one of the eggs I cracked was bloody - that one had to go.
The kids liked both the milk and the eggs.
I don't really think I will be re-purchasing either of these products. Although there may be another version of extra-healthy milk and eggs out there to try.
SO - have any of you ever tried these kinds of products or anything similar? What have your experiences been?
12 comments:
We had chickens at our home when I was younger and I remember people being scared at how dark yellow our cooked eggs were. My Mom would always tell them that was because they weren't used to eating FRESH eggs! So when they look different, it's probably b/c they're actually a lot more fresh!
I also have had fresh eggs bc my parents have chickens - and the blood spots can weird me out too :) But, they're just fine w/the blood spot and you can remove it w/a knife if you want. I always thought the blood spot was there bc the egg had been fertilized, but I believe it is actually just an anomaly on the part of the hen.
I am QUITE intrigued by the raw milk! I've never had it before and I am just curious what it tastes like. Not sure if I am curious enough to spend $6 just yet though. haha
Good luck!
My sister-in-law is really into natural foods and she has her girls on rice and/or almond milk. I'm not sure what the price is compared to "regular" milk, but it might be something to look into.
Amy I have been working on the same thing, tackling one issue at a time. I haven't gotten to the raw milk part, but I have cleared my entire house out of any product that contains corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, and bleached or unbleached enriched flour. I can't afford to get everything organic, but there are some fruits and veggies that are especially prone to pesticide residue so I try to get those organic.
I am also trying to tackle the product side of it as well. I'm working on learning about natural household cleaners, and I use a steam cleaner when I can instead of a chemical. I'm learning about products that are low on the chemical scale from a website called cosmeticsdatabase.com that rates makeup, lotion, shampoo, etc. for the chemicals and toxins in them. I've been having a lot of hormone problems and all the products w/ chemicals and the unhealthy food we eat have been known to contribute to hormonal issues.
We eat Eggland's Best eggs and I think they taste the same. I agree that blood is gross looking but I have seen it in regular eggs as well, not just organic. I'm not ready to take the plunge on the milk yet. :)
Simply due to my educational background, I am very leery about claims made regarding the "health benefits" of supplements and organic foods. Often I have found the evidence supporting these claims to be completely bogus and devoid of scientific evidence.
I certainly don't have problems with organic foods - particularly vegetables. The fewer pesticides in the environment the better. The only problem is the ridiculous cost. Unpasteurized milk is another story. Unpasteurized milk is no better for you than pasteurized milk. It can actually be a lot worse for you which is why they make you sign a waiver. Pasteurization kills bacteria such as E. coli that can colonize raw milk. After the age of two, we don't need all the extra fat in whole milk either.
The key to being healthy is moderation in our diet - especially when it comes to our meat and simple carbohydrate intake. Unfortunately, steak and candy tastes good. Diet moderation coupled with a good exercise program will keep anyone healthy - even someone like me who can gain wieght just by looking at food.
I just realized how long this comment is. Sorry. I didn't mean preach but this is one of the soap boxes I tend to climb on top of at times.
Love you guys.
Since Jack's milk allergy I have been eating healthier without really meaning to. Soy milk and almond milk are actually really yummy and since anything that says contains milk ingredients (usually items with preservatives have that) is out, we have been eating just rice, veggies and a small meat item, or noodles, veggies and a protein item for dinner. I think this is healthier than a casserole with tons of preservative items in them, or even like a hamburger which usually the buns have milk in them. I agree with Jason that I don't think organic really makes that much of a difference, and if you're washing it off- and or cooking it, you should be fine. As well I agree with Jason that it's all about moderation. I have been doing more research, but mainly it's also about how you feel, and if you're exercising and getting those fruits and veggies in, great I feel that's really healthy. But keep us updated on your journey, because it is interesting to me.
I don't know...I think I live in this century for a reason. I'll take my milk pasturized and safe, thank you very much. It's fun to try something new though!
P.S. Who is this other Brooke with a son named Jack? :)
I haven't tried raw milk yet, but our doctor claims that its really good for you...but I think I'd rather have it right from a cow instead of bottled and sent to a store - seems like leaving potato salad out on a sunny table at a picnic otherwise:) We get eggs from people in town all the time, and it definitely took a little getting used to - if I find a bloody one, I tend to throw it out...that's just me, though, I don't think its necessary, it just grosses me out:) I think the fresh eggs make better scrambled eggs and the brown ones ROCK the egg dye at Easter :)
Hey Amy,
Sarah and I are coming to Utah the first week of July and are dying to get together with you, if you have time. Maybe we can go to lunch together or something?
T
We only drink organic milk and I like getting mostly organic when I can, not to mention natural unmedicated/unenhanced meats but I really believe you do what you can and it's not necessary to live in an alternate universe...going out to dinner would be a nightmare for example...you've always made good choices though Aim...I distinctly remember being at red Robin with you and you eating 4 French fries b/c that's how many fit in your daily calories...Jillian Michael's is a basically...xox
I wrote Jillian Michael's is a nazi...not sure what happened up there...but she is!
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