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Naturally Healthy spring 2016

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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2016 n GOURMET NEWS N H 4 2 Lotus Foods: Healthier Rice for a Healthier Life By Caryl Levine, Co-Founder and Co- Chief Executive Officer, Lotus Foods Why are we so passionate about changing how rice is grown? A lot of it comes down to water and women. Some four billion people — half the planet's population — eat rice to survive. Growing the global rice crop uses up to 35 percent of the Earth's renewable fresh water for irriga- tion. This depletes aquifers, rivers and lakes, depriving people, other crops, fish and natural ecosystems of life-giving water. Most of the back-breaking work to put rice into those four billion bowls is done by women in muddy, unsanitary con- ditions, where their health is compromised by exposure to disease, parasites and agri- culture chemicals. And with flooded rice paddies contributing to global warming with methane gas emissions as well, it's critical we support innovative solutions that reduce the draw on water and women's labor. One such solution is the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), or what we call More Crop Per Drop™ (MCPD). In 2015, Lotus Foods launched a new campaign to Do the Rice Thing with More Crop Per Drop, a Water Smart and Woman Strong way to grow rice. The goal is to highlight how an affordable change in rice-growing practices can save trillions of gallons of water, empower women, im- prove food security, mitigate climate change and promote biodiversity. Since 2008, Lotus Foods has provided organic and fair trade incentives to farmers using MCPD methods. Farmers are able to dou- ble and even triple yields while using 30- 50 percent less water, 80-90 percent less seed and reducing the amount of time women have to spend in the fields. New seeds or purchased agrochemicals are not necessary. Because rice fields are no longer con- tinuously flooded, methane gas is reduced or eliminated. Lotus Foods has developed supply relationships with farmers using MCPD methods to grow organic, heirloom rice in Cambodia, Indonesia, India and Madagascar. The Cambodian rice is a traditional jasmine, both brown and white. With the bran retained, the whole grain brown rice has a rich buttery taste. In Indonesia, we work with a large organic cooperative that blends brown and red varietals indigenous to West Java, grown on fertile volcanic soils. The rice is very high in micronutrients. Madagascar is where we source our Dista Pink Rice and now also Red Rice. Scaling operations in Madagascar will mean more families benefit from organic premiums and add to the country's rice sup- plies. In 2016, we are in- troducing a truly authentic Indian basmati called Dehraduni. It's grown by farmers in Ut- tarakhand, who can now generate marketable sur- pluses using MCPD methods. It is not easy to create supply channels in so many remote areas, but we are committed to supporting these innovative farming fam- ilies, many of whom were food deficit be- fore implementing SRI methods. In 2015, all of the MCPD rice Lotus Foods im- ported resulted in the conservation of over half a billion gallons of water! Recently, a good friend and colleague who does in- store demos for us said that we are in- volved in "global healing deliciously." We couldn't think of a higher compliment. For more information, visit www. lotusfoods.com or stop by booth #3020. Retail Ramen Goes Gourmet Innovative soup, broth and noodle pur- veyor Nona Lim has a new line of authen- tic and fresh ramen noodles. Quality fresh ramen noodles are what differentiates restaurant-grade ramen bowls from all the rest and with this exciting new line from Nona Lim, the highest level of fresh ramen noodles will be available to the home cook for the first time. With Nona Lim Tokyo Ramen, Nona Lim Hakata Ramen and Nona Lim Whole Wheat Ramen, there is truly something to suit the taste of all ramen enthusiasts nationwide. "Nona Lim Ramen Noodles empower home chefs to create truly gourmet ramen bowls," says Nona Lim Founder Nona Lim. "We are so excited to share the secret ingredient of ramen houses with the world because fresh ramen noodles make any ramen bowl thrillingly delicious." Just as there are many different types of pasta, there are many types of ramen. Tokyo Ramen is originally from the capi- tal of Japan and is also the most popular type of ramen around the world. Nona Lim Tokyo Noodles are a great place to start for any home chef. Nona Lim Hakata Ramen is pale and very thin, which allows it to be cooked more quickly with a unique delicate texture. Pair it with its Miso Ramen or Spicy Szechuan broths for a hot bowl of noodles in minutes. Nona Lim Whole Wheat Ramen puts a Califor- nia twist on traditional ramen recipes. Nona Lim's Whole Wheat Ramen has a natural brown hue, and more nutrients and fiber. Home chefs can either create their own homemade broths to pair with Nona Lim Ramen Noodles or pick up a fresh Nona Lim broth for a truly gourmet dining ex- perience ready in minutes. Nona Lim Thai Curry and Lime Broth, for example, won a Gold sofi Award in 2015 for it's spectac- ular flavor. Made with a traditional bone broth base and spiced to perfection, Nona Lim Thai Curry and Lime Broth, a few sliced veggies and proteins and a Nona Lim fresh ramen noo- dle package can cre- ate a dinner the whole family will love in under 10 minutes. Other Nona Lim broths include Nona Lim Vietnamese Pho Bone Broth, Nona Lim Szechuan Spicy Bone Broth and Nona Lim Miso Ramen Vegan Broth. Nona Lim Fresh Ramen Noodles and all Nona Lim products are made without ad- ditives or preservatives of any kind and sold fresh in the refrigerated section of fine stores. For more information, visit www. nonalim.com or stop by booth #5836. Blue Buddha Tea Brings 5,000 Years of Wisdom to Modern Times To those in the know, the name says it all. Knowledge of the Blue Buddha ® , or the Medicine Buddha, dates back thousands of years in ancient Indian and Tibetan cul- tures. Traditionally, the Blue Buddha used plants and herbs to create drinkable elixirs to help keep people in a healthy balance, healing not only the body but the mind and spirit as well. Today, Blue Buddha Organic Wellness Tea pays homage to the ancient teachings of the Blue Buddha and Ayurvedic medi- cine. In 2015, Ayurveda experienced a modern-day rebirth, with sales of Ayurvedic supplements growing at 13 per- cent. In fact, according to CNN, one-third of all Americans seek "alternative" medi- cine treatments including herbs. This number is sure to grow as younger Amer- icans especially turn away from traditional beverages in favor of functional beverages that promise benefits on top of refresh- ment. Blue Buddha Tea combines clinically studied herbs, organic tea and fruit ex- tracts for a refreshing tea that touts height- ened acuity, immunity and vitality. It's able to deliver those benefits, thanks to a formula that contains a meaningful amount of Ashwagandha, Maitake Mush- room and Indian Gooseberry (Amla). Re- search on these specific ingredients has proven to help sharpen focus, counteract the effects of stress, support the body's immune function and protect against the visible signs of aging. While there are many great benefits to Blue Bud- dha, the best one may be its taste. Each 14-ounce bottle contains only 40 calories (10 grams of sugar) and is certified organic. Lightly sweet fruit flavors combine with herbal blends to create four exciting varieties: lemon-elderflower, raspberry-hibiscus, cherry-lavender and blueberry-rose. Count Blue Buddha as a unique, well- packaged addition to the growing func- tional beverage shelves in grocery and specialty markets. In fact, while natural and alternative beverages represent only 6.6 percent of the beverage category (Spins 2015), they represent 31 percent of dollar growth. Consumers who buy these products are also highly experimental and spend 14 percent more each year on bev- erages. "It may be hard to believe today, but iconic brands such as Pepsi and Coke were once sold as "functional bever- ages," said Andy Horrow, Chief Marketing Officer of Wholesome Tea, makers of Blue Buddha. "Since then, juices, sports drinks and hundreds of others have joined the ranks by combining refresh- ment and functional benefits. We've learned a lot since then and Blue Buddha over delivers on consumers' desire for ho- listic, balanced health with something they can truly enjoy. We can't wait to see this product take off!" Blue Buddha is available from distribu- tors like UNFI and Kehe. For more infor- mation, email guru@bluebuddha-tea.com or call 630.861.0422. Try Blue Buddha at Salon E, booth #5314.

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