People are beginning to realize that soy, the popular vegan protein source, can actually do more harm than good.

The good news is, you don’t have to cut out all soy. There is a safe way to consume this protein-rich bean. The fermented versions of soytempeh, miso and natto–are much better for human consumption.

Scary Soy

Did you know soybeans are toxic? You may have heard the news, but perhaps you didn’t realize there are exceptions to the rule.

Soy contains phytates, enzyme inhibitors and goitrogens. These anti-nutrients are meant to protect the plant and keep it safe from sun radiation, bacteria, viruses and fungi. When we eat soy, however, they can wreak havoc in the human body.

Phytate is stored in grains and legumes and binds to minerals in the gastrointestinal tract. These minerals, when bound, cannot be absorbed in the intestine, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The body produces phytase to break down phytate, but unlike other animals that rely on a nut or legume-heavy diet for survival, humans produce a limited amount of phytase. That’s why too much phytate consumption can lead to digestive difficulties.

Nuts, legumes and seeds, including soy, contain enzyme inhibitors, which prevent the enzymes from activating. This is ideal for small animals such as birds who do not want a nut’s enzymes to overwhelm their small tummies. For humans however, the enzymes are where the nutrition and digestibility are. Enzyme inhibitors are what make soy nearly impossible to digest

Goitrogens are any substances that cause the enlargement of the thyroid gland, or goiter. Goitrogens often interfere with iodine metabolism. Genistein is an isoflavone that is also found in soybeans and can affect the thyroid.

Additionally, soy has been linked to cancer. Studies continue to contradict one another, but for some, the way soy can mimic estrogen is alarming enough. And, a study of 8,000 Asian men revealed that those ingesting the highest amounts of tofu had a smaller brain size and about three-times greater incidence of senile dementia compared to those who consumed the lowest amounts.

Fermented Soy

Fermented soy products are another story. The fermentation process makes the nutrients inherent in soy more bio-available and, in moderate amounts, has a positive impact on health.

Fermentation breaks down the oils, proteins, and carbohydrates in soy, making them easier to digest. If unpasteurized, there will also be living, healthy bacteria present in the mix, which does wonders for digestion.

3 Types of Healthy, Fermented Soy

Tempeh (pictured at the top) is produced by cooking soybeans and then fermenting them with the addition of a natural culture. Once it hardens, a solid cake is formed and can be cut and used as a replacement for meat. Miso is another form of fermented soy which contains over 160 healthy bacteria strains and is packed with B vitamins and powerful antioxidants that scavenge free radicals. Natto is another type of fermented soybean that has a unique taste and slimy texture. It is commonly eaten for breakfast in Japan and has been showed to contain an enzyme that dissolves blood clots.

Here is a list of exciting recipes you can try using either tempeh, miso or natto. Enjoy!

• Thai Styled Tempeh Cutlets
• Tempeh Curry
• Miso Peanut Spread
• Miso Soup with Clams and Spinach
• Natto Toast
• Yamaimo, Okra and Natto Bowl

Related on EcoSalon:

20 Common Fermented Food

Kombucha Beer: Catch a Buzz!

Is Soy and Eco-Friendly Fabric

Image: SaucyGlo

The post This Is The Only Safe Way To Eat Soy appeared first on EcoSalon.

We often equate soy products with a healthy lifestyle, as they routinely replace meat counterparts with an alternative that is lower in fat and calories and more animal friendly. However, from soy milk to soy-based “burgers”, the benefits of soy products have been marketed in a fashion that has misled America.

There is no saying that soy is entirely bad — it’s not — as it is sometimes the better alternative to animal-based products. There is, however, a flip side to the so-called protein-packed savior of the vegan world. Soy has been linked to cancer prevention and cardiovascular health, but its real pull has come from being commercialized as a weight loss tool.

These health claims and assumptions about the benefits of soy don’t take into consideration the form that most Americans consume soy. The soy products we see on our plates are unlike the kind commonly prepared in Asia, where the soy is often used in its fermented form. Most of the soy that we consume is genetically modified, over-processed, and filled with chemicals to the point that it loses many of its health benefits. When processed, soy’s isoflavones biochemically change, and this change can contribute to tumor growth. Soy is also very difficult to digest after all these manipulations and can be allergenic and mucous-forming in the body. And, just to debunk a common myth, soy is not a surefire weight-loss facilitator.

Steer clear of soy in all its forms, including all those prepared vegan “burgers” and “cheeses”, which are often not only soy-based but also full of other additives that, albeit vegan, are hard for your body to digest. When you do eat soy, look for organic whole soy products like edamame, miso, tofu and tempeh.

Photo Credit: Lillakanarie

The post Benefits of Soy? Not As Healthy As You Think appeared first on EcoSalon.

The frappuccino gets a major health revamp.

While it is high in calories, sodium, and cholesterol, it’s really the sugar content that blows one of Starbucks’s beloved beverages out of the water. Starbucks’s Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino Blended Smoothie contains 310 calories per 16-ounce serving, in addition to 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, and 67 grams of sugar.

Sugar will go straight to your head, give you a short-term high, and then leave you lethargic and glum. It spikes your blood sugar levels, leads to weight gain, is nutritionally empty, contributes to candida, and, to put simply, is actively bad for you. If you are going to consume sugar, get it from something a bit more decadent and lasting than a down-in-a-hot-second drink, regardless of how delicious it may be!

My version of a vanilla Frappuccino smoothie is sugar-free, save for the optional chocolate syrup glaze and whipped cream, using a few drops of zero-calorie, low-glycemic stevia instead. The recipe also goes a step further by replacing cow’s milk with almond milk. Almond milk is a mere 40 calories per 8-ounce serving and avoids the common issues that arise when ingesting dairy, such as hard-to-digest proteins, hormones, depletion of enzymes and vitamins through pasteurization, saturated fat, synthetic chemicals, and a boo-ing cow.

Cutting corners in so many other ways, it’s up to you whether you want to indulge with a topping of whipped cream and chocolate syrup. You can find vegan variations of both in your local health food store.

Enjoy!

Sugar-Free Vegan Vanilla Frappuccino

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coffee cooled
• 1 cup almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, or skim milk.
• 1 banana
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 handfuls of ice
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 4 drops of liquid stevia, or 2 packets of powdered stevia
• Whipped Cream (optional)
• Chocolate Syrup (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a Vitamix and blend until smooth.

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Image: Starbucks

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Big Macs aren’t good for you. You’d think the world would know this by now, but more often than not we witness McDonalds drive-thru traffic jams that our own friends and family are in. It’s one thing to hear, to know better, to understand; and it’s another thing to internalize, accept, and react accordingly. So let me say this again: Big Macs aren’t good for you and here are some reasons why.

An Icon is Born

In 1967, McDonald’s franchisee Jim Delligatti began to serve double-decker cheeseburgers on a double-cut bun in an effort to find a way to structure the messiness caused by the company’s token “special sauce.” Expanding from its humble beginnings in Uniontown, PA to locations across the nation as soon as the next year, the new burger was labeled the “Big Attraction” with its two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and sesame-seed bun. Today, the Big Mac has come to be a symbol of everything stereotypically American – capitalism, commercialism, and gluttony.

The original sales price of the iconic Big Mac was 45 cents, compared to the current $3.00, and today McDonald’s sells as many as 550 million Big Macs per year in the U.S., with a scope of some 120 countries.

The Fat Facts

Let’s talk about the one of the Big Mac’s biggest offenses: fat. A Big Mac is by no means a stranger to it. Each serving packs 550 calories, 260 calories of which come from fat. That’s nearly half of the entire burger’s calories and 45 percent of your daily balance! And of this whopping 29 grams of fat, 10 grams are saturated and 1.5 grams are trans. A Big Mac also contains 75 mg cholesterol, which is 25 percent of your daily allowance. And similarly alarming is the Big Mac’s sodium content. Each serving contains 1,070 milligrams.

Now, if you’ve done some of your own research, don’t be fooled by the Big Mac’s apparent virtuous side. According to the nutritional profile made available by McDonalds itself, each serving contains 3 grams of dietary fiber, 25 grams of protein and offers 6, 2, and 25 percent of our daily vitamin A, C and calcium requirements. Sounds positive, right?

It is important to keep in mind that not all nutrients are the same across the board, and this supposed uplifting aspect to the Big Mac is shadowed by its downsides as well as the quality of its ingredients. For example, the protein you get from animal products differs substantially from the protein you receive from plants, in terms of quality, assimilation, and overall health benefits. The fiber, protein and vitamins in a Big Mac are frankly not that compelling.

If You Can’t Pronounce It, Don’t Eat It

Given the stats, it doesn’t take a wild guess to know the Big Mac is compromising big time in the ingredients department.

Among the many ingredients that make up the Big Mac bun, for example, are high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium silicate, wheat gluten, emulsifier (mono- and diglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of fatty acids, ethanol, sorbitol, polysorbate 20, potassium propionate), sodium stearoyl lactylate, dough conditioner (corn starch, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, calcium peroxide, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, enzymes), and calcium propionate (preservative).

That’s a mouthful.

Aside from the fact that most of those are nearly impossible to pronounce at first go, many of these ingredients are dangerous. Azodicarbonamide is even banned in some countries around the world because it is a respiratory sensitizer and may harm people with asthma or those prone to allergies – to say nothing of the obvious culprits in the list, such as high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.

The “special sauce” is indeed special – for its creepy add-ins, that is. The sauce includes high fructose corn syrup, sugar, the preservatives propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, and hydrolyzed (corn gluten and wheat) proteins.

And if you knew what any of that actually meant, you’d realize “hydrolyzed proteins” is just a fancy way of spelling out monosodium glutamate, or the infamous MSG. The flavor enhancer, MSG, has been picking up a lot of heat these days, because it is reported to cause headaches, flushing, sweating, numbness, a rapid heart beat, chest pain, nausea, and weakness, among other things. The sauce also contains the fertility-damaging polysorbate 80 and its preservatives are known to inhibit nutrient absorption – if, of course, there were any particularly beneficial nutrients to speak of in the Big Mac to begin with.

Best of the Worst

On a positive note, the only time you should eat a Big Mac is by association. A Whopper contains 760 calories and 47 grams of fat, a Wendy’s quarter-pound single with cheese has 500 calories and 26 grams of fat, a Hardee’s Thickburger comprises 910 calories and 64 grams of fat, a Sonic Cheeseburger with mayo packs 700 calories and 42 grams of fat, and a 10-sack of White Castle sliders has 1,700 calories and 90 grams of fat. But that’s the only health list a Big Mac will top.

So, instead of rolling through the drive-thru, consider making a homemade, “real” version of a burger.

Vegan Chickpea Burger

Serves 5

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas, mashed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion
• 2 hot peppers (or 1 jalapeno)
• 2 scallions
• 2 garlic gloves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 3 tbsp ground oats
• Buns, avocado, tomato, red onion, and lettuce for garnish

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Image: Leo Almighty

The post The Breakdown: Looking at the Nutrional Value of a Big Mac appeared first on EcoSalon.

After a photo of a grocery store note went viral, the discussion about food marketed as “natural” got a lot more heated.

Natural cereal brand Kashi made headlines in recent weeks after information about the company’s corporate ownership and use of genetically modified and pesticide-containing ingredients went viral in the social media space. The firestorm was ignited by a photograph, taken of a note posted in a Rhode Island natural foods store explaining why the store had pulled Kashi products from its shelves. Since the image has made the rounds on the internet, customers and food bloggers have been up in arms, posting nasty messages on Kashi’s Facebook page and writing impassioned editorials expressing their disappointment and betrayal.

It’s all very dramatic, but it’s raised some important discussions on the marketing of natural products and the politics of genetically modified foods. One also has to wonder how much of the information circulating on the internet about the subject is valid, how much is exaggerated, and how much is downright false. In this week’s Behind the Label, we take a look at the facts behind the recent Kashi controversy.

The Good

Kashi was founded in 1984 by Phil and Gayle Tauber, a health-conscious couple living in La Jolla, California, who were passionate about whole-grain nutrition. The company’s first cereal, Kashi Breakfast Pilaf, contained a blend of seven whole grains and sesame, and its subsequent offerings included the same basic ingredients throughout a variety of natural breakfast foods. With its small line-up of products, Kashi grew slowly and steadily through the 1980s and 1990s, until the Kellogg Company purchased Kashi in 2000. The acquisition propelled Kashi’s distribution forward, turning it into a household name.

Today, Kashi continues to be “independently operated” in La Jolla (though we’re still not quite sure what that means when you’re owned by a corporation). The product line has grown to include snack bars, crackers, cookies, waffles, and frozen entrees, all stamped with words like “all natural” and “nutritious.” While Kashi does not specifically claim to use organic ingredients in all of its products, the company has taken steps toward greater supply chain sustainability, like releasing a handful of USDA certified organic products and working with the Non-GMO Project to verify the organic ingredients of seven of its cereals.

And just on Monday, in response to the consumer outrage of the past few weeks, Kashi general manager David DeSouza announced the Kashi Commitment, which stated that all new Kashi foods will be Non-GMO Project Verified and contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients, starting in 2015. The announcement also promised that all existing GoLean® Cereals and Chewy Granola Bars — the company’s most popular products — will be Non-GMO Project Certified by the end of 2014.

The Bad

The man behind the now-infamous note is John Wood, who owns The Green Grocer in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Wood told USA Today that he decided to remove Kashi products from his shelves after reading a report on natural cereals from the Cornucopia Institute, an advocacy group for family-scale farming.

The report, called “Cereal Crimes: How ‘Natural’ Claims Deceive Consumers and Undermine the Organic Label,” explores the difference between organic products and “so-called natural” ones, which the organization says tend to contain ingredients that are genetically modified and/or contain harmful pesticides. The report called out Kashi for its use of hexane-extracted soy protein, which is immersed in a bath of more than 50 percent n-hexane, a known neurotoxin. The report also included the findings of a GMO Mon 40-3-2 test on the soy ingredients contained in Kashi’s GoLean® cereal, which were shown to be 100 percent genetically modified.

Responding to the reaction generated from the note and report, general manager DeSouza told USA Today that Kashi had done nothing wrong, since the FDA does not regulate the term “natural.” The company also released a video from a Kashi team member and nutritionist, which aimed to dispel the “inaccurate information being circulated online about Kashi ingredients.” The response passed the buck for Kashi’s GMO usage to the fact that more than 80 percent of crops being grown in the United States are grown using GMOs and suggested that blame can be assigned to “factors outside our control,” like pollen drift and practices in agricultural storage, handling, and shipping.

The Cornucopia Institute immediately snapped back with a news item criticizing the video response, particular where the nutritionist calls Cornucopia’s information “scientifically inaccurate and misleading because it was not based on actual testing of Kashi products.”

“This characterization of our work by Kashi is blatantly false,” said Will Fantle, Cornucopia’s Research Director. “We purchased a readily available box of Kashi’s GoLean® cereal from a Whole Foods store. We then sent a sample to an accredited national lab for testing, finding that the soy in the natural cereal was 100% GMO.”

How dangerous are these findings, exactly? According to Cornucopia, studies have found health hazards and toxic effects associated with genetically modified soy, which “suggest” that there might be an effect on human health. However, they admit that the possibility has not been properly investigated. As for whether hexane-extracted soy protein is safe for consumption, the Soyfoods Association of North America says that it is because virtually all of the hexane is removed from the soybeans before they are processed. The FDA also recognizes hexane solvent extraction as a safe processing method, so long as residue levels don’t exceed a specified amount.

That information may not sway organic food purists, but it might comfort regular consumers who have been spooked by media reports into thinking that Kashi products have extremely high levels of poisonous toxins.

The Questionable

One of the most significant byproducts of the recent Kashi controversy is the resulting discussion, with consumers questioning what companies mean when they use words like “natural.” As DeSouza pointed out, the FDA doesn’t regulate this sort of language, so each company is left to define for themselves – and their customers – what their standards are. Kashi, for instance, defines natural as “food that’s minimally processed, made with no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners.” Only their certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified products claim to use organic ingredients that haven’t been genetically modified.

Another big shocker for many Kashi customers was the revelation that the company, which on its website represents itself as a small business – “after 25 years, still fewer than 70 of us” – is actually owned by Kellogg, the mega-corporation behind fellow cereal aisle brands like Froot Loops, Corn Pops, and Frosted Mini-Wheats. Nowhere on Kashi’s packaging is the Kellogg’s logo found, nor is Kashi listed on the Kellogg Company’s online list of brands. It’s obvious that both parties want to maintain the psychological distance that exists between Kashi and its high-fructose-corn-syrup-heavy sister brands on the supermarket shelf.

So what could have prevented the consumer outrage and Kashi’s extensive crisis management response? On the industry’s part, further definition of and regulations around the marketing of natural products. On Kashi’s and Kellogg’s part, greater transparency about their business relationship and practices. And on the customers’ part, due diligence and a more critical approach toward the products they choose to consume.

Image: New Hope 360, Mayce Hodges

The post Behind The Label: The Kashi Controversy appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon’s top bathing suits for summer ’11 are made from sustainable fabrics, locally sourced or fair trade.

Warm days are here and it’s that magical time where we prance around in our underwear and call it a bathing suit. Yours a little worn, tight, faded? Well, we’ve compiled an up to date list of what we consider the best (sustainable), summer ’11 bathing suit lines going.

You can thank us now or later.

Kelly B

Kelly B attacks environmental and social consciousness via her line’s flattering silhouettes and subtle sexiness. “Clothing is a form of art that everyone can relate to. Everybody wears it. It’s a platform to get everything that is important to me out there,” says Kelly. Looking stunning in her bathing suits beach side is another way to further carry out her green views.

Mociun

Caitlin Mociun of Mociun has niched out our closets already with some of the more graphic and forward thinking styles available in the eco fashion world but she’s pushing us into a deliberate love for her bathing suits too.

Karla Colletto

Karla Colletto is a luxe swimwear line that combines high fashion with figure-flattering cuts. The result is runway-ready swimwear that will make women of all ages wish they were as style savvy as you. She offers lots of different suit options but her cut-out suits are a sure standout from the rest.

Emobi

Emobi prints are all original and designed in-house, using a range of environmentally friendly water based dyes, that minimize the impact on beaches and waterways combined with premium breathable UPF 50+ fabric.

Olga Olsson

Each Olga Olsson bikini is totally unique and hand painted by fair trade artisans in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All bathing suits are made to order so the line can create as little waste as possible.

Lina Rennell

Sure you could have a traditional bathing suit as you bask on the beach but then what fun would that be? Lina Rennell’s swimwear line is always full of surprises from vintage cuts to graphic prints that meet to form the world’s cutest bathing suit.

Meadow

All of Meadow’s designs are proudly sewn in Miami, where the brand focuses on local production and sourcing. Meadow only works with sustainable materials such as bamboo, soy, organic cotton and upcycled fabrics. Her entire line features a coastal vibe for laid back luxe pre and post beach.

Niksters

Nikster’s bathing suits are made from soy, organic cotton, bamboo, and other natural fibers to further promote your sustainable lifestyle.
These exotic bikinis are accessorized with shells, pearls, stones, bamboo, coconuts, and other hand-selected elements from tropical destinations around the globe. Some of the designs are also carefully hand-finished through macramé stitching, embroidered beads, or hand-painting.

Top Image: Cali Dreaming

The post The Best Eco Bathing Suits for Summer 2011 appeared first on EcoSalon.

You’ve started buying eco-friendly clothing. Check. You’ve realized that buying vegan shoes and paying a higher price is okay because really, how often do you buy new shoes? Vegan shoes. Check. You are eating amazingly well with your organic veggies and tofu scrambles. Eating right. Check.

But there’s a final frontier, something you hadn’t thought of but it lays closest to your skin (besides your favorite necklace). It’s your undergarments – the foundation of who you are and the secret pieces that make you look seamless.

Tiffany Phipps, founder of T-Luxe lingerie, created her line to cater to those women not only ready to tackle that final frontier, but who appreciate well made panties and bras, bustiers and sumptuous silk robes. Women who don’t and won’t skimp on their lingerie no matter how eco-friendly they have to be.

Tiffany goes eco-glam on lush fabrics used in the production of T-Luxe with blends of soy, organic cotton and bamboo. And the fact that they come from a Fair Trade facility with low carbon emissions? It doesn’t get any better. Not to mention that she designs and manufactures everything in Brooklyn which cuts down on her (and your) carbon footprint when it comes to getting you your essentials.

Did I mention how friendly and informative Tiffany is? You’ll just have to meet her and come and peruse her garment rack. What? Did you say where? Why at EcoSalon Shops! on June 4th, of course.

The post EcoSalon Shops! Presents: T-Luxe Lingerie appeared first on EcoSalon.

In your closet is the black section, the gray section, the formal section and then the “whatever section,” filled with neutrals and maybe a jewel tone here and there.

Hmm, do you think it might be time to ask yourself why there isn’t a fun section in your closet? An area that delights you when contemplating wearing what’s in there?

I have one and have noticed over the past two years that it’s being filled with Feral Childe. I’m not kidding, it actually makes me feel happy to wear their clothing. And this dress above? Well, that baby is mine as soon as it hits the stores at the end of summer. A dress made with a Lite Brite print? Are you kidding me?!

Feral Childe is the bi-coastal collaboration of Moriah Carlson (Brooklyn, NY) and Alice Wu (Oakland, CA) who both come from a fine arts background. Seasonally, the two lock themselves away and focus on the job at hand: To create a thoughtful (fun, colorful) women’s line that’s completely wearable in many settings.

Each season, the design process begins with the duo’s collaborative drawing sessions where the drawings then become become textile prints, and elements are incorporated into construction details such as shaped facings and hems, as well as the buttons and accessories. Feral Childe then ties in fabrics like organic cotton and wool, tencel, soy, hemp blends, and silk, as well as mill-ends, deadstock and overstock treasures.

The collection is proudly produced in New York’s Garment District which will be in full force representation at EcoSalon Shops! on June 4th (as well as both designers).

And for the record, just meeting the designers and seeing how they put their clothes together, will make you smile.

The post EcoSalon Shops! Presents: Feral Childe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Designers tend to have a variety of visions when it comes to their lines, but the most important part should be to simply design well thought-out lines. Nixxi does just that and juggles fit, high quality sustainable fabrics and production methods like a seasoned pro.

According to the Fashion Takes Action’s website – where Nixxi was recently a nominee for a Canadian Design Forward award – “Nixxi recently presented their designs as an “˜Eco & Ethical Ready-To-Wear Label’ at the EcoChic Fashion Show and Exhibition in Geneva in January. By presenting at EcoChic Geneva, Nixxi has partnered with Green2Greener, and aligned their designs with the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity.”

We love how they employ not just organic cotton and bamboo as so many designers do, but also knits and wovens made from hemp, bamboo, soy, lyocell, organic wool, silk, and linen.

On their production facilities Nixxi says: “We choose to work with a local production house that employs fair wages and a comfortable working environment for their employees, thus sustaining a positive working relationship which also results in a more quality finished, longer-lasting garment.”

We were more than thrilled when Nixxi offered the Empire Dress to us for this week’s giveaway. Though the image above shows the dress in white, you’ll also have the choice of a beautiful Italian linen in either a faded blue or a misty gray if you win.

Drooling yet? I sure am. Leave a comment below to try your hand at snatching up this pretty frock.

(For complete giveaway guidelines click here. All offers are FTC compliant.)

Good Luck!

The post Ooh La La: Nixxi’s Empire Dress Giveaway appeared first on EcoSalon.

I hope you’re not one of those people who squirms when a mother breastfeeds her baby in public, because I’m one of those publicly breastfeeding mothers. If that makes you uncomfortable, well, talk to the breast!

There is no better food for babies than breast milk, of course, so it’s a great decision for mothers who are able to do it. And when it comes to social graces, I’m just not sorry to say that I won’t run off to nurse in a bathroom or tote bottles around to preserve a faux Victorian modesty (ahem, Facebook). We see more breast online and at Fox news than I could possibly compete with.

Besides, the breast is the ultimate eco-friendly feeding option. Formula is made from either cow’s milk or soy, and both come with problematic environmental implications. Then there are the bottles, usually made of plastic, which even when BPA-free, still need petroleum to be made.

What’s with our shyness? I say it’s high time to get rational and respect the breast. There’s no need to look away in embarrassment or frown disapprovingly if you see my baby noshing on my nipple. After all, what could be more sane, healthy and normal than using breasts the way nature intended? Sure, the world might be sex-crazed over boobies, but for my baby, it’s what’s for dinner. Nomnomnomnom.

Image: Raphael Goetter

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