Leek Powder

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you use the powders?

In soups and stews; sprinkled on eggs, roasted vegetables, salads, baked potatoes, popcorn; blended in smoothies; folded into rice, pasta, baked goods or casseroles -- really, added to anything you like to eat. They're great for parents of picky vegetable eaters, people who travel or don't have much time to cook, and creative cooks who want to experiment with different flavor profiles.

What is unique about how the vegetable powders are processed and stored?

The vegetables are harvested at peak flavor and quality and dehydrated on low heat, almost always within 48 hours of being harvested. Low-heat dehydration retains most of the vitamin and mineral content of the vegetables. The greens are blanched before drying to release anti-nutrients, and the beets, pumpkins and winter squash are cooked to maximize flavor and digestibility. Once dried, the vegetables are ground into powders and immediately transferred to Miron violet glass jars.

The unique properties of the Miron violet glass jars don't allow any visible light to pass through; only the invisible parts of light -- UV-A and infrared -- are allowed in. This is significant because the sensitive substances within are protected against the aging processes that are released by visible light, thus enhancing both their potency and durability. Stored in violet glass jars, the vegetable powders will be nutritionally potent for months.

Why not just take a vitamin pill or supplement?

From Dr. Cowan: On the first day of medical school, I heard one of my professors make a statement that has informed my approach to medicine ever since: "Always remember, the dumbest kidney is smarter than the smartest nephrologist." In other words, we have a lot to learn about the human body, and its inherent wisdom is the ultimate teacher.

I apply that same thinking to food: "The dumbest plant is smarter than the smartest chemist." In other words, the nutrients in, for example, kale, work together in a way too complex for us to isolate and put into a pill. If we want the phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals from kale -- and other nutritious vegetables -- we should eat kale that has been grown without chemicals and picked when its color and flavor are at their peak.

Some supplement companies do use whole foods in their supplements, and they can be excellent adjuncts when dealing with a health challenge, but even the most conscientious whole-food supplement manufacturers use such additives as maltodextrin, soy flour, calcium stearate and other stabilizers, which many people seek to avoid. I maintain that our bodies want to be nourished by whole foods, not synthetics, and that means a diet of good fats and proteins and a large variety of vegetables.

To quote the Radiant Life catalog: "Synthetic or isolated forms of vitamins are poorly assimilated and stress cells, often unbalancing the body's enzyme substrates."

How long will the powders last for an average user?

The powders can last years, but we encourage you to use them within three to five months to consume them at their utmost vitality. It's best to check your powders from time to time and perhaps even give them a stir.

Each jar contains approximately 50 teaspoons of powder, and one teaspoon is the equivalent of an average portion of freshly cooked vegetables, such as kale or Swiss chard. Because we recommend using several powders at once to add as much vegetable diversity as possible to your meal, you could easily use just a half-teaspoon each of, say, three powders, which would make each jar last a couple of months at least.

Are the vegetables organic?

They are not only organic (although we are small and at this point there is no practical way for us to get certified), they are also grown in our hand-dug and hand-weeded beds, and the vegetables are picked at optimal ripeness, usually very early in the morning, when they are most potent. As far as we know, no fossil fuels or machinery have been used inside the garden fence for years. How do I know? Because it has been my wife, Lynda, my children, me and various friends and community members who have tended the garden. I have started many of the seedlings myself, I use only non-GMO seeds, mostly from the Baker Creek Heirloom seed catalogue. The "fertilizer" I use are things like organic bone meal, alfalfa, azomite and magnetic rock dust, all certified organic soil amendments. We also source vegetables from the best organic farms in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Are there any additives or preservatives in the powders?

If the label says "kale powder," only dehydrated (at low heat), blanched kale is inside. There is NOTHING else in the jar but vegetables. The only exception is our salts, in which we grind the vegetable powders with fine Celtic sea salt. Nothing else!!!