Our Promise
What Is ...
Here is a glossary of terms commonly used at ET's. Food labeling and food terminology can get confusing, especially when there's so much information to consider. Ellwood's wants to help you make the most of your shopping experience and ensure that you're making educated food purchases. We hope the following information will guide you along the path to food enlightenment.
Fair Trade
Fair trade products are produced by farmers, workers and artisans in developing countries who have received fair wages for their work. Farmers who work with Fair Trade Certified products, are often able to more than double their formerly meager incomes, which helps them make positive steps toward providing basic needs for their families and communities like healthcare, education and safe housing. Also, products like coffee, chocolate, sugar and nuts are grown and harvested in a sustainable way, which protects the land and respects the rights of workers.
Food and Global Warming
First, everyone talks about global warming, but what is it exactly? In general, the term global warming refers to the rise in the Earth's temperature resulting from an increase in heat-trapping gases that hover in its atmosphere. This is one of the toughest challenges the world has ever faced, and while technology exists to help solve the problem, immediate action must be taken before it's too late.
What is the main culprit behind global warming? CO2 (carbon dioxide). This gas traps the earth's heat and doesn't allow it to rise away from earth's surface. CO2 accounts for 80% of global warming pollution and is caused mainly from the burning of coal, oil and gas for energy and vehicle emissions.
What can we do as a company, as a community, as individuals? Ellwood Thompson's offers more local products than ever and we're focused on adding new local items all the time. How does this help global warming? Local farmers and producers work on a smaller scale without employing big manufacturing plants that use lots of energy. And, then there's transportation. Produce and other local items are being driven in from 100 miles or less; they're not being air freighted, or shipped by rail or truck across the country.
There's also the opportunity to manage your energy use. As a retailer, this means we have an energy management system. At home, we can use dimmer switches, turn off lights when we're not in a room, unplug appliances that aren't being used, etc. Alternative energy credits can also be purchased to offset traditional energy expenditures. Ellwood Thompson's uses the services of www.RenewableEnergy.com.
To learn more about what you can do to counteract the growing threat of global warming, visit the Environmental Protection Agency at www.EPA.gov or the Union of Concerned Scientists at www.ucsusa.org.
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Gluten-free
For people who suffer with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, dermatitis herpetiformis, wheat allergy, or other food allergies, food containing gluten can wreak havoc on their digestive systems and severely threaten their health. Ellwood Thompson's strives to make shopping and eating pleasurable for those who follow a gluten-free diet by offering a wide variety of gluten-free products that are clearly marked on our shelves. If you're making a shopping list and wish to include some non-gluten items, please to a look at our gluten-free product list (PDF).
As celiac disease and gluten intolerance diagnoses continue to increase, Ellwood Thompson's is dedicated to meeting the gluten-free dietary needs of our customers. Our bakery department is developing special recipes for gluten-free baked goods that will be available soon.
What is Gluten? Gluten is a type of protein that is commonly found in wheat, barley and rye. It is found in many foods, including most baked goods, cereals and pasta. Gluten gives dough elasticity.
What is Celiac Disease? An autoimmune disease affecting 1 in 100 Americans (and growing) caused by a gluten intolerance that damages the small intestine and prevents nutrients from being absorbed.
Locally Grown
Locally grown refers to crops produced locally, of course. Local products simply taste fresher and maintain more nutrients. Some grocers define local as 250 miles. At Ellwood Thompson's Local Market, we're focused on bringing in products that are within 100 miles of our store. And every department in the store has local offerings.
The emphasis of eating local is on seasonal, fresh produce, meats and dairy products, but keep in mind, these items may have been raised in a conventional manner, not organically. Fortunately, most of Ellwood's local producers go the organic route.
Locavore
A person who seeks out locally produced food. "Locavore" was coined by Jessica Prentice from the San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of World Environment Day 2005 to describe and promote the practice of eating a diet consisting of food harvested from within an area most commonly bound by a 100-mile radius. "Localvore" is sometimes also used. The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore as its word of the year 2007. (Wikipedia)
Natural
Natural foods produced by leading natural/organic companies do not contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (otherwise knows as trans-fats), artificial preservatives, additives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, bleached or bromated flour, refined sugar or HFCS, MSG, vanillin, or cottonseed oil. These foods typically have low or no modified starches.
Ellwood's stringent quality standards ensure that products labeled "natural" meet these criteria. However, if you're shopping elsewhere, be sure to check ingredient lists, as there is not a "natural" certification and any product can reference "natural" regardless of its ingredients.
Organic
To earn the USDA organic label, a product and its ingredients must be at least 95% free of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and sewage sludge as verified by an accredited, third-party certifier. This designation also ensures the product hasn't been genetically modified. Hormones and antibiotics are not allowed. Animals must be fed organically grown feed and treated humanely, with access to the outdoors.
Products containing at least 70% certified organic ingredients can't display the USDA label, but can show the logo of the organic certifier.
There are many farmers and producers who grow crops and raise animals organically, but who have chosen not to participate in the USDA certification program due to the costs involved and/or because of philosophical differences.
Sustainable
Sustainable agriculture encompasses diverse methods of farming and ranching that are more environmentally sound, better for communities and more profitable. Sustainable crops are grown in ways that don't harm the environment. Typically, cyclical plantings are planned to replenish the soil, thus enhancing the environment in the farming process. Sustainable farming operations support farm workers and farming communities and treat farm animals humanely.
For more information, visit the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) - www.sare.org/publications/explore/elements.htm
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And speaking of seasonal ...
Eat the Seasons
At ET's we strive to bring you the best of local, seasonal offerings. Make sure you check out our Eat the Seasons section.
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Want an Ellwood Thompson's near you?
Do you wish you had a mid-sized, friendly market in the heart of your neighborhood? Maybe you and your neighbors have difficulty finding natural and organic products? Let us know! Ellwood Thompson's is expanding and always looking for new locations. Email Chris Castillo.
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