Christopher Ranch

At last week’s joint hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Obesity and Diabetes, “Exploring The Link Between Sugar-Sweetened Drinks & Obesity,” we heard how different sugars in different forms can trigger varying levels of harm to the body.

For example, sugars – such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup – found in sugar-sweetened beverages (like soda, Vitamin Water, Gatorade, juices, teas, etc.) can be particularly detrimental. These sugars increase caloric intake and strengthen the risk of obesity-related and cardiovascular conditions, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high-fasting insulin – all of which are early diabetic signs, according to several panelists and various studies, such as UCLA’s “Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California.”

Therefore, a strong relationship exists between drinking sugar-sweetened beverages and diagnosis of obesity and diabetes – a debilitating disease that can cause amputation, kidney failure, blindness and others, according to panelists, like Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D. and co-founder and director of the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and Francine Kaufman, M.D. and chief medical officer and vice president of global medical affairs at Medtronic Diabetes, director of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, director of the Comprehensive Childhood Diabetes Center and author of “Diabesity: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America – And What We Must Do To Stop It.”

Obesity and diabetes, panelists said, are assisting in the rise of such alarming health and economic numbers, as:
- 24 million Americans have diabetes;
- 1 in 3 children are expected to contract diabetes;
- Diabetes causes more deaths than breast cancer and AIDS;
- $174 billion in health care costs were attributed to diabetes in 2007;
- There are 164,000 youth with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, the argument stands that lowering intake of these beverages would lower the population’s obese and diabetic, as well as health care dollars spent on the diseases.

The opposing side states calories are calories, and you can’t point such a strong, accusatory finger at sugar-sweetened beverages, as numerous variables facilitate obesity and diabetes, argued Maureen L. Storey, Ph.D. and senior vice president of science policy at the American Beverage Association.

There was, however, one element that both sides agreed upon – “diabesity” is a rapidly escalating issue in the U.S. and needs to be combated before its severity increases.

This is where fresh garlic – particularly California heirloom garlic – enters the equation.

Numerous studies suggest fresh garlic can help fight obesity, cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, with its natural digestant and anti-inflammatory properties and ability to help control heart rate and lower cholesterol. This ability is largely attributed to the sulfur compound, allicin, activated in fresh garlic when it’s chewed, crushed, cut, sliced, etc., and two different compounds – alliin and alliinase – are combined.

Now, just to be clear – we at Christopher Ranch are not doctors, and we’re not claiming that fresh California heirloom garlic can cure obesity and diabetes. Far from. Rather, we’re sending a friendly reminder that consuming fresh garlic is one simple, natural step to build a healthier body to help contest such diseases.

Popping a clove a day might help keep the doctor away.

Halloween’s a popular holiday for garlic, particularly for those looking to ward off vampires.

Except, Twilight’s Edward Cullen, of course.

Still, cooking garlic can also keep the vampires at bay. So, remove that garlic clove from your neck, chop it up and toss in a tasty, ghoulish Halloween dish – characterized by a pumpkin ingredient or orange hue.

Perfect for a night awaiting trick-or-treaters, for trick-or-treating fuel or while doing the Monster Mash at said Halloween bash.

Pumpkin & Yellow Split Pea Soup

Pumpkin Soup With Smoked Paprika

Roasted Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Seed Pasta

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Cavatelli With Spicy Winter Squash

Pumpkin & Crispy Pancetta Risotto

Pumpkin-Turkey “Ghoulash” With Caraway Noodles

Caramel Apples

Disclaimer: these recipes are so scrumptious, you might wind up attracting the vampires you were hoping to scare away. It’s a risk worth taking.

Happy Halloween, and happy eating!

Flavor is a well-orchestrated symphony of the senses.
Nothing beats the experience of sinking your teeth into a perfectly ripe strawberry or a nice juicy peach. However, sometimes the senses fail us... ever felt the disappointment of a piece of fruit that looks and smells exquisite, but just doesn’t taste as good as anticipated? So how can you select fruit that will deliver mouth watering flavor, bite after bite, every time? Fortunately, we have another resource to support our pursuit of flavor…BRIX!

Named for Adolf Ferdinand Wenceslaus Brix who developed the scale in the 1800s, BRIX measures the concentration of dissolved solids (usually sucrose) in a solution. BRIX has long been integral in the winemaking industry to measure sugar content of grapes and determine when they are ripe for harvest (There’s even a fantastic restaurant in the Napa Valley named BRIX in tribute ). Recently, BRIX measurements have become increasingly common throughout the produce industry as a means to quantify flavor using a handy device known as a refractometer. Refractometers measure the degree to which light is refracted when passed through a solution, thus indicating the density of solids.

Customers of Pocono Produce in Northeastern Pennsylvania enjoy the benefit of weekly “Brix blasts” issued by Executive Chef Doug Petruzzi. Petruzzi and his staff use portable refractometers several times a week to determine which fruits and vegetables are extraordinarily flavorful and then communicate that information to their customers.

In field operations across the country, inspectors for retail chains take BRIX measurements to determine whether everything from melons to peppers meet quality specs. If the product makes the grade, it ships. If not, the inspectors move on to another farm, and the pursuit of flavor continues.

BRIX measurements have been integral at Christopher Ranch, where America’s leading supplier of fresh garlic works to differentiate its product from the glut of imports flooding domestic markets. While "sweet" may be the last word people would choose to describe garlic, BRIX is still instrumental in identifying the compounds that give garlic its distinct aroma and flavor. In tests conducted by a 3rd party food lab, Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic hammered its Chinese counterpart by a score of 38° to 29° . Every 100g of Christopher Ranch garlic contains 38g of solids including amino acids, essential oils, and other minerals, which is 23% higher than water-saturated imports. Chefs agree that this has a huge impact on the quality of their dishes, confirming that Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic has a more pronounced and consistent flavor than Chinese…. It’s all about the BRIX!

The days of corn dogs and tater tots for lunch might soon be over.

Perhaps to the chagrin of K-12 students throughout the U.S. – what kid doesn’t consider tater tots one of the essential food groups? – much-needed nutritional reform is likely on the way, which will give school meals a makeover that looks more like salads, apples, carrots and sandwiches and less like fiesta pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and sloppy Joes.

The health wave might take some getting used to for the 40-million kids eating school meals, accustomed to traditional pizza and cheeseburgers, but our kids – and population – are among the most unhealthy and obese in the world, and in real danger of serious health conditions linked to unhealthy eating habits, which, scaringly, have been reinforced at schools.

Our kids are the future, and they deserve to lead a long, healthy life.

The produce industry, through the advocacy of the United Fresh Produce Association, strongly supports such menu changes, which haven’t been revamped in 14 years.

Such moves for nutritional change include:

1.) The Child Nutrition Act expired in September, and there are hopes the program will be renewed and expanded to incorporate additional and more accessible fresh produce. United Fresh, according to a release, has several suggestions for the act, including:
- Enacting a national “Salad Bar In Every School” policy.
- Increasing the current reimbursement rate for all school meals to reflect rising food, labor and transportation costs and to meet current nutrition standards and the Dietary Guidelines.
- Urging USDA/AMS to significantly expand its commodity purchases of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables for schools.

2.) The Institute of Medicine’s “School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children” report has quantified the portions of healthy foods that need to be incorporated into school menus, according to a release, including:
- Increasing the amount of fruit offered in school breakfast to one cup per day for all students.
- Increasing the amount of fruit offered in school lunch to one cup per day for students in grades 9-12.
- Increasing the amount of vegetables offered in school lunch to 3/4 cup per day for grades K-8 and to one cup per day for grades 9-12 and others.

3.) Rep. Sam Far (D-CA) is expected to introduce the Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Act of 2009 in Congress, which supports and emphasizes several of the Institute of Medicine’s suggestions and endorses salad bars as a way to encourage fresh produce consumption in cafeterias, according to United Fresh.

Overhauling school cafeterias is a major undertaking. However, it will benefit the health of children and general population for years to come and can be accomplished with your help. We encourage you to support the move by contacting your representative in Congress.

Like they say, do it for the kids!

I hate being sick.

I rarely come down with anything – knock on wood – but am recovering from a recent case of bronchitis. Apparently, my body does not appreciate it when I don’t sleep, sacrifice food, talk too much and indulge in one too many glasses of wine.

Therefore, I have been trying to ingest as many healthful products as possible, in addition to my 10 bottles of cough syrup and Z-Pak.

Now, numerous studies have indicated fresh garlic’s substantial medicinal value, equipped with antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral properties, but a recent study reaffirmed garlic’s positive health benefits, as a result of its high selenium content.

Selenium is a prominent nutrient found in fresh garlic, and, according to the European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies, selenium could provide “protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage, normal function of the immune system, normal thyroid function and normal spermatogenesis.” (See article – “Positive Selenium Health Claim Opinion Welcomed)

Huh? I was wondering the same thing. So, I did some research.

In layman’s terms, selenium is stimulates the production of antibodies, which the immune system uses to locate and battle bacteria and viruses, and is believed to activate T cells that trigger white blood cells to combat infection. Therefore, the nutrient is believed to help boost the immune system and fight harmful cells and tumors.

With that being said, you better believe I accelerated my intake of fresh garlic in recent weeks.

I’m obviously no doctor, and it’s hard to identify whether it’s my meds, my nightly scotch (soothes the throat) or aggressive doses of fresh garlic (maybe all three?!), but I feel much better.

If you’re looking for a holistic approach to remedy the plethora of sicknesses going around – be it bronchitis, flu, swine flu, allergies, etc. – popping a daily clove of California heirloom garlic definitely couldn’t hurt.

The reasons for this are plenty – the leaves begin changing (in Los Angeles, the palm trees turn a darker hue), the air turns cooler, Saturdays – and Sundays – are centered around football (and drinking beers), I ditch the sandals and don the boots and – arguably most exciting – it’s chili season.

I love me some chili, but the air’s got to be cool, and football has got to be on TV. Therefore, the time has come.

There is an art to chili, however. One cannot just slosh some beef, chili spice, beans and tomato sauce in a pot and call it “chili.” This is not goulash we’re talking about it. Being from Kansas – we take our chili seriously.

Good chili has requirements. You need fresh ingredients – fresh bell pepper, fresh chili pepper, fresh onion, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes. You need serious heat – Tabasco, hot chilies, cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, etc. You need lean meat – like fresh ground chuck meat, turkey meat or bison – none of that highly processed, low-grade mystery meat. You need red kidney beans, black beans, etc. – not the chil-doused beans. Like I said, there’s an art to chili.

So, I compiled some delectable chili recipes – of all shapes and sizes – that pay heed to the caliber of dish chili is:

Building A Better Chili – Garlic Style

Turkey Chili

Bison & Bean Chili Recipe

Vegetable & Bean Chili

My Husband’s Homemade Chili

White Bean Chicken Chili

Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili…in honor of Halloween

Three Bean Chili With Garlic

So, cozy up in a blanket, get the fireplace burning, turn on College Gameday and grab a bowl of chili. It’s the season

Bill Christopher, Christopher Ranch owner, shared his insight on the news show about how cheaper Chinese garlic has disrupted the domestic garlic market.

In recent years, he said, despite a steady supply of fresh, domestic garlic yearround, imported Chinese garlic has come to represent at least 50% of fresh garlic consumed in the U.S. Read more about the conversation in this article – China-U.S. Trade Dispute Key Issue at G-20

The influx of Chinese garlic compromises not only the business of domestic farmers, but the quality of garlic many consumers are receiving, as Chinese garlic has proven inferior in flavor, freshness, safety, health and sustainability to domestic garlic.

For example:

- Chinese garlic can take up to 60 days in an ocean container to reach the U.S., threatening freshness, flavor, safety and the environment.
- Chinese suppliers are not forced to adhere to the strict food safety and quality control standards that U.S. suppliers must comply with, including Good Manufacturing Practices, Good Agricultural Practices and third-party food safety audits.
- Sensory evaluations testing for flavor – conducted by leading Chef Cary Neff – proved that California heirloom garlic maintains its flavor throughout the cooking and serving process, whereas the flavor of Chinese garlic drops dramatically – at times, losing up to 50% of its original flavor.
- California heirloom garlic contains higher levels of essential oils and nutrients (including vitamins, amino acids, proteins and minerals) than Chinese, Mexican and Argentine garlic, according to brix and allicin tests performed by the National Food Laboratory. This translates to more flavorful, healthier garlic.

There is a contentious water problem raging throughout California’s San Joaquin Valley – an area that produces a major portion of domestic food – that pits environmental protection against domestic agriculture and food supply.

The problem being – water is scarce. And, becoming increasingly scarce, as multiple contenders – farmers, residents and endangered fish – vie for the same water reserve.

Opinions vary on who is depleting the supply and who deserves a greater piece, but one thing is clear – the supply is waning steadily and has critical, far-reaching implications on, not only California’s farmers and the American food supply, but the California and American economy, the environment and ultimately – the American consumer.

Without water, crops obviously cannot grow in California, and California is the only state where many of these crops are capable of growing. Therefore, numerous farmers could be forced out of business, and their respective crops could be reduced or eliminated. We’ve already witnessed significant cutbacks.

Domestic crop reduction could potentially burden the American consumer in several ways.

For starters, if these crops are not grown in California, U.S. consumers will either go without them or will be forced to rely on foreign countries for these fruits, vegetables, etc. In some cases, imported crops are more expensive than domestic produce and some pose a greater food safety risk than domestic produce, as foreign safety standards often aren’t as stringent as those in the U.S. Imported products also compromise freshness, flavor and the environment.

However, endangered fish apparently need this water, too. Hence, where do we go from here?

A little background might help.

Differing Views

- The California water crisis stems largely from environmental restrictions that have ceased water supplies flowing into the San Joaquin Valley – to famers and residents – from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (a conveyance system many call antiquated), in order to redirect it to the endangered delta smelt fish, many say.

San Joaquin’s farmers have faced water reductions for multiple years, but the recent move to turn off the delta pumps mean San Joaquin farmers are now receiving only 10% of the water supply they were previously allocated. And, previous water supplies were marginal, considering farmers south of the delta received only half of what they anticipated in 2007, and 40% in 2008 (due to federal mandates), said Lester Snow, director of the California Department of Water Resources, in a Los Angeles Times article.

Tom Birmingham, general manager of the Westlands Water District, said 1 million acres of almonds, tomatoes, lettuce, grapes and other commodities are “in a crisis” due to environmental regulations, according to an article on the San Diego News Network.

- On the other hand, biologists say the health of the delta smelt – a 2- to 3-inch fish – indicates the overall health of the ecosystem, including other fish species, like striped bass, longfin smelt, threadfin shad and Chinook salmon, according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle. (Likely why the federal government is on the brink of implementing further water restrictions to protect the Chinook salmon, the steelhead and other fish, with estimates predicting further eradication of 500,000 acre-feet of water, according to an article in The Washington Times.)

- Others claim California’s three-year drought is to blame for the water reduction.

- Still, some environmentalists say the agricultural industry needs to operate more efficiently and learn to use water more conservatively.

Numbers show, however, that California’s limited water supply is causing economic catastrophes, particularly scaled-back crop production (due to lack of water and, thus, higher water costs) and rising unemployment (fewer farms and, thus, farm jobs).

According to estimates by agricultural and business groups, 250,000 acres of farmland are dying or inactive. Agricultural production from California’s Central Valley is projected to drop by between $1 billion and $3 billion this year, compared to last, as stated in The Washington Times article.

These are critical numbers, considering California’s Central Valley provides “94% of America’s tomatoes, 93% of our broccoli, 89% of our carrots, 86% of our garlic, 78% of our lettuce, 90% of our strawberries and 88% of our grapes…just to name a few,” said South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, in an article on KMJNow.

Minimal Solutions

While solutions are being proposed from government, farmers, environmentalists and the general public, finger pointing, as well as a seeming lack of understanding among parties, remains, allowing for no consensus.

- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack promised California farmers he’d work towards solutions to resolve the water dilemma. But how? And when? And who receives the brunt?

- Senator DeMint suggested an amendment to the Interior Appropriations Act for 2010, stalling funding for one year for the two environmental restrictions that caused the delta pumps to be turned off. Doing so would allow farmers to replenish their lands, plant crops and put people to work, while providing lawmakers additional time to determine an answer to the problem, according to the KMJNow article. The Senate rejected his plan.

- A study entitled – “California Water 2030: An Efficient Future” – conducted by The Pacific Institute details a High Efficiency plan for water savings that conserves significantly more water than the status quo. It relies on farmers adopting more efficient water programs and transitioning to higher-valued crops, with the belief the “price farmers receive for particular crops remains the same.” As a result, the “High Efficiency scenario assumes that improvements in irrigation efficiency do not increase total yields, but rather that farmers capture the savings by reducing total water demand.” Great in theory, but switching to more efficient programs is costly, and crop prices do not stay consistent year round, as there are several variables – besides water – to consider.

- The Pacific Legal Foundation presented a “Save Our Water” petition with 12,000 signatures, asking Governor Schwarzenegger to request the federal government summon the federal Endangered Species Committee, aka the “God Squad,” to eliminate the water restrictions. The God Squad, though rarely utilized, is a clause within the Endangered Species Act, allowing the committee to overrule species protection in the cases of economic emergency, according to The Washington Times article. Both Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Lester Snow discouraged that idea.

Obviously, there is no simple conclusion, but, ideally, a decision needs to be reached that protects American farmers, American food, American consumers, the American economy and the country’s environment. If that can’t be brokered, it comes down to what’s more important for the greater population – domestic food and jobs or endangered fish? Hopefully, we don’t have to choose.

I fell in love this weekend.

Though not with a person. Or anything breathing, for that matter. My heart now belongs to this little place called San Diego.

There are hundreds of reasons why San Diego is the new object of my affection. It’s beautiful. It’s clean – especially its beaches. Its downtown is vibrant, tidy and easily accessible – you can walk everywhere. People are friendly. Traffic actually flows. And, they have rickshaws.

However, what truly stole my heart was the city’s fresh, delectable array of seafood.

As a result, we ate our way through our vacation. Literally.

We wandered from La Jolla, to Chula Vista to downtown, making key stops at El Pescador Fish Market, TJ Oyster Bar and Blue Point Coastal Cuisine. Food coma city, I was the mayor.

As I perused the menus – and indulged in the garlic shrimp tacos at TJ’s and lobster-crusted Alaskan halibut at Blue Coastal (I am an equal opportunity lender when it comes to fish) – I was reminded how prominent an ingredient fresh California garlic is in seafood dishes. The robust, smooth flavor of garlic compliments nearly all fish types, particularly mild species, and garlic’s flexibility allows for sautéing, steaming, poaching, searing, baking…you name it.

Therefore, my San Diego/seafood love affair inspired me to compile a list of several favorite seafood dishes (definitely not in its entirety) – all of which include fresh garlic. Preferably, California heirloom garlic.

Cioppino

Garlic Scallops

Grill-Roasted Clam Linguine

Paella Madeira

Southern Seafood Gumbo

Mediterranean Fish Tacos

I loved everything about San Diego, but since food is the key to my heart, I supposed seafood takes the cake. They say separation makes the heart grow fonder…just not sure how long I can wait for another round of garlic shrimp tacos.

We’re being told to brace ourselves for round two of the H1N1 virus – otherwise known as the swine flu.

This is true. Yet, the good news is the U.S. is better equipped to confront the next go round with the virus – we know it’s coming, are more aware of the symptoms and necessary precautions to take, and the Food and Drug Administration has even approved four vaccines against the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. See release.

Still, H1N1 is a reality that needs to acknowledged and prepared for in the very near future, as flu season starts Oct. 4.

Like I said, a slew of measures for preventing the infamous H1N1 disease – namely the same steps you’d take to ward off the common flu – have been outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, President Obama and doctors and scientists, alike.

The CDC’s three primary steps are:
- Get a flu vaccine.
- Practice everyday preventative measures, such as frequently washing hands with soap and water (I heard on NPR you should wash for as long as it takes to recite the ABC’s), cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough, avoid other sick people and others.
- Take flu antiviral drugs, if suggested by your doctor.

However, you can take matters into your own hands by eating foods known for their antiviral abilities, such as California heirloom garlic.

California heirloom garlic, also regarded for its antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties, has a high concentration of valuable oils and nutrients – including potassium, zinc, phosphorous, iron, allicin, manganese, selenium, Vitamin B and C and others – which research suggests make the herb an effective flu combatant.

When choosing garlic for healthful purposes, however, ensure it’s California grown, as California heirloom garlic has proven to contain stronger levels of these aforementioned nutrients than Chinese, Mexican and Argentine garlic, according to brix and allicin tests conducted by the National Food Laboratory.

To determine a California origin, look for the Christopher Ranch label, or pick a bulb that has its roots intact, is more off white in color and boasts rounder bulbs.

Now, we are are, by no means, suggesting that eating California heirloom garlic will avert the swine flu. We’re simply informing that it’s an easy, flavorful and inexpensive move to bolster your own health.

A clove a day just might help keep the doctor – and swine flu – away.