
Health & Food Articles


Neurotoxic Pesticide in our Food
Recently the Safe Food Campaign presented an oral petition to the government’s Petitions Select Committee, asking for the urgent reassessment and ban of the insecticide chlorpyrifos, due to its harmful effects, particularly on babies and young children.

Facts About Flour – The Grist On Wheat Flour
Traditionally, wheat was a protein and vitamin-packed staple chiefly used for
grinding into flour and making bread. Theresa Sjöquist investigates how it is
grown and processed in New Zealand today and details its composition and
effects on our health.

Miner’s Lettuce – Claytonia Perfoliata
It is prolific, grows just about anywhere with minimal care, and self-seeds for the following season. Anna-Marie Barnes describes an easy-care plant that provides fresh greens all winter long.

Cooking with oil – which one is good for you?
Trans or saturated, polyunsaturated, or monosaturated? What’s the difference between cold-pressed and virgin, light and refined? Paula Sharp smooths out the choices of what is best for our bodies in terms of oils and fats.

To GE or not to GE?
We are at a critical point in decision-making about releasing genetically engineered organisms into New Zealand's environment. Philippa Jamieson outlines some of the potential risks and benefits of our options in a comprehensive flowchart.

Live2Give: Focusing on foundations, making good ethics a viable business
Two Manawatū couples with a big vision made hard choices, distilling their operation down to its essence. Rachel Rose talks to the owners of Live2Give about how their business has grown, diversified, adapted, and prioritised, all the while keeping the culture of doing it for good.

Support your liver and DETOX
Whether it was a summer of excess or just daily life, Laura Hett advises how you can support your liver to eradicate toxins from your body.

The battle for the future of food
Jon Carapiet outlines why the push for automatic acceptance of unproven technologies that have the potential to irreversibly contaminate our food and environment (aka GE) is the wrong direction.

Hydration: more than water
We have all heard we should drink water, but Laura Hett dives into the intricacies of cell hydration that can keep us looking, and feeling, young and healthy.

The wonders of water
It’s prolific, peculiar, fundamental, and all too often, unappreciated. Dr Charles Merfield marvels over the properties of banged-up stardust and explains why it is essential to life on Earth.

Contaminated ground water in New Zealand: The causes of and solutions for nitrate leaching
Tests are showing a high percentage of New Zealand’s ground water is contaminated at levels that pose a serious health risk. Rebecca Reider outlines the cause and potential solutions.

Studying the benefits
An ambitious new study looks at nutrient-dense food production in New Zealand. Many growers and their customers believe biodynamic and organically-grown food has specific health benefits. Kete Ora Trust is undertaking research here in Aotearoa New Zealand that compares the nutrient density of food produced...

Happiness Begins With Good Food
The hormones that support us to feel calm, content, and happy
are produced in our gut from the food we eat. Laura Hett
explains how our diet affects our state of mind.

Beauty and business on borrowed land
You don’t need land to have a garden. Nor capital to start a business. Diana Noonan finds out from an innovative artist how she turned her life around to create a satisfying organic lifestyle and income - without land or start-up capital.

What we know about chronic and post-COVID fatigue
Chronic fatigue has been around for a while, and there is renewed interest due to one of the main triggers being viral infection. It might be too soon to tell, but the recent outbreak of COVID-19 could be a trigger. Holistic nutritionist Laura Hett looks at what we know about chronic fatigue.

Growing organic hazels
Hardy hazels are well suited to organic growing in New Zealand, and the nuts are nutritious and versatile. Philippa Jamieson profiles Otama Hazels in Southland as an example of a successful small block and looks at the opportunities for more growers to enter the market.

Drink smart: the impacts of alcohol
Always wondered what that glass of wine does to you? Holistic nutritionist Laura Hett breaks down how alcohol impacts the body, deals to some classic myths, and leaves us with a few tips and tricks.

Eco-friendly period products
The average menstruating person uses up to 15,000 sanitary products in their lifetime, with the majority of them ending up landfill, waterways and the ocean. Claire Brunette investigates planet-friendly alternatives

Meet the locals: Organic Pantry by Shakti
Organic Pantry is a social enterprise in Ranui, West Auckland, run by Shakti – an organisation that supports migrant and refugee women in vulnerable situations. We talked to its founder, Farida Sultana.