How To Eat For Your Health And The Planet’s Health
The snow is (hopefully) melting this month as we look forward to greener views. And the prospect of green grass happens to coincide with the same month we think about going green to celebrate Earth Day! As a Registered Dietitian, I share a lot about how food impacts your physical health and even mental health. But another perspective to consider is how the food we eat impacts the Earth’s health! Our planet provides the food we eat and the way we harvest that food makes a difference in the resiliency of our food systems. So, learning how to eat for your health and the planet’s health is a great way to celebrate Earth Day this month!
What’s the difference between sustainable agriculture and regenerative agriculture?
Many of us are familiar with the term sustainable and how it relates to agriculture. It’s an effort to maintain the Earth as it is, using practices that conserve resources. But what about regenerative? Our team spoke with a representative from MN350 to learn more about what it means for a farmer to utilize regenerative agriculture. Here’s what he said:
“[It] builds on organic farming with minimal soil tillage, emphasizing land stewardship by incorporating cover crops, livestock, and diverse crop rotations.”
In summary, regenerative agriculture not only maintains the health of the soil, but it improves, or regenerates, it. Which is pretty cool! If you want to add regeneratively produced food items to your cart, look for Regenerative Organic Certified, USDA Organic, or Fair Trade Certified labels.
Here’s a couple of our Dietitian Team’s favorite regeneratively produced products!
Simple Mills
This brand believes that food has the power to transform people’s health and our planet’s health. And you can clearly see this belief in how they source ingredients, empower farmers to embrace regenerative techniques, and inspire other brands to do the same. I encourage you to check out their seed flour crackers – some of the sunflower used in the crackers comes from Minnesota!
Thousand Hills Beef
This beef is lifetime grazed and 100% grass fed. Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed beef utilizes regenerative agriculture to support biological diversity, natural resources, native wildlife habitat, and soil fertility. How do they support all of these amazing results? Their cattle graze in one area before moving to another and this technique prevents overgrazing the land to manage both watershed and soil health. Grab the 92% lean ground beef option to maximize the nutrition AND sustainability of your beef.
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Shopping regenerative and sustainable products like these is a great way to support our local producers of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and more. Find your favorite products and enjoy them all year round to do your part in improving our planet’s health!
October is National Seafood Month! Seafood, salmon in particular, has become an increasingly popular choice because of its lean protein and its stellar nutrition profile. Higher demand for salmon has led to more and more confusion on whether to purchase wild-caught or farm-raised salmon. The primary topic up for debate here is sustainability. And according to the Food Industry Association’s Power of Seafood 2022, 7 out of 10 people don’t feel very knowledgeable about sustainable seafood. So, let’s talk about salmon and sustainability!
First, Our Sustainability Promise is for all Fresh Seafood
At our stores we sell fresh wild-caught and farm-raised seafood with the highest standards in the industry. We partner only with suppliers that we know and trust. And that trust includes a commitment to help restore our marine and coastal ecosystems. That’s how we do our part to help build a more sustainable seafood market!
One of the most popular questions that I’m asked about salmon is: Isn’t wild-caught salmon more sustainable than farm-raised salmon?
The short answer is no. In fact, this answer is true of all seafood. Without farm-raised options, the seafood industry would be entirely unsustainable! We consume more seafood than the ecosystem can keep up with, making it impossible to rely only on wild-caught fish. Farming seafood allows the food supply to keep up with the needs of a growing population.
What about the environmental impacts of farm-raised salmon?
While there are valid concerns about how farming salmon impacts the environment, there are also many misconceptions about those concerns. Where do salmon thrive? Think sheltered, deep, and cold waters. Therefore, you will find most salmon farmed in places like Chile, Canada, and Norway. Large nets hold the salmon, comparable to how a fence holds cattle in the field. Salmon farming operations are committed to maintaining the marine ecosystem by moving the nets periodically to reverse any temporary damage to the sea floor. They are also required by law to monitor the sea floor for any environmental damage. Not only do governments require this, but organizations like the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council oversee these practices as well.
What about the “color” added to farm-raised salmon?
This is another common misconception! You may notice that the farm-raised salmon in the fresh department has “added color” on the ingredient list. To understand this, we need to take a closer look at the food chain of wild salmon. The diet of wild salmon largely consists of krill, and those krill consume an algae containing high levels of an antioxidant called astaxanthin. The astaxanthin naturally gets passed up the food chain from algae, to krill, to wild salmon. Ultimately giving wild salmon it’s pink hue! Have you ever heard about how flamingos are pink because of what they eat? Their diet contains the same antioxidant that makes salmon pink!
Farm-raised salmon do not eat wild krill, so the astaxanthin goes directly into their feed. It’s a healthy part of every salmon’s diet that also gives them great color!
Does “Wild-Caught” salmon have better nutrition?
A 2020 study looking at the nutrition of various salmon options available to consumers found that wild Sockeye, wild Chinook, farmed Atlantic, and farmed Atlantic organic categories of salmon were all defined as “best options” due to their nutrient density. In other words, some of the most nutrient packed salmon options are a mix of both farm-raised and wild-caught salmon. The study accounted for protein content, omega-3s, and mercury content in addition to general nutrient density.
Ultimately, all salmon varieties, whether wild-caught or farm-raised, can be part of a healthful diet. The nutritional benefits are plentiful for both categories of salmon, and either one makes a great choice for your recommended 2-3 servings of seafood weekly!
My personal experience with farm-raised salmon
All the fish at our fresh seafood counter arrives from all over the world within 24-72 hours after harvesting. But did you know that there is a salmon farm much closer to home? I recently had the opportunity to spend a few days touring Superior Fresh in Hixton, WI. They produce remarkably sustainable salmon – in the USA! Not only is their salmon sustainable, but it also contains 2x more omega-3s compared to other salmon. The farming operation includes two sides (really three if you include the land restoration focus surrounding the farm) – salmon farming and an aquaponic greenhouse. The salmon and plants rely on each other like an ecosystem. The plants thrive off the water from the salmon pools and purify the water in the process. The water then returns to the salmon pools! What a great example of how the future of salmon farming continues to evolve and match our need for even more sustainable food systems. And the best part is – you can find their salmon at our fresh seafood counter!
Truly, each of these topics could be a blog on their own! The world of seafood and sustainability is challenging to understand, and it feels like misinformation exists at every turn. When you’re choosing your salmon, keep in mind: It’s not about wild-caught versus farm-raised. Instead, it’s about wild-caught and farm-raised each having a place in our food choices. Either is an excellent, nutritious choice and both are necessary for a sustainable food system. And in other good news, we can look to organizations like Superior Fresh to pave the way for even further elevating sustainable practices in salmon farming.
Have more questions about wild-caught and farm-raised salmon for our team of Registered Dietitians? Reach out to us below!
Colombo SM, Mazal X. Investigation of the nutritional composition of different types of salmon available to Canadian consumers. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 2020;2:100056. doi:10.1016/j.jafr.2020.100056
At Coborn’s, every day is Earth Day! From the farm, to the shelves, to the table, we know that what we all do matters for people, animals, and the planet. Health and well-being is on our minds more than ever, so let’s dig into the story of the food we eat and the farmers who grow and raise it.
It Starts on the Farm.
Farming isn’t just a job — it’s a calling and a commitment. It takes knowledge and passion to combine science with the care needed to grow an amazing variety of nutrient-rich foods you find in our stores to fill your pantries. Most farms (97%!) across the country are family owned and passed from generation to generation. Rochelle Krusemark is a Minnesota based farmer raising pork and growing soybeans, among other crops. For her, farming is a family affair, which she shares with her husband Brad, their two children and their three grandsons.
Each farm is different, with each farmer considering the soil, weather, water, and many other factors that directly impact their farm and the people, animals, and natural resources that surround it. Rochelle’s 2,100 acre farm presents a unique set of challenges – one she rises to every morning year round. This is why we proudly share the farmer story – to teach about what they do to ensure a safe, delicious, nutritious and affordable food supply is available to us every day.
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To help bring this story to life, let’s take a closer look at soybeans and pork. Minnesota’s geography and weather make it a perfect place to grow and raise both of these nutrient-rich foods. Most people don’t realize that soybeans are actually the number one vegetable oil crop grown worldwide, and one of the largest row crops in the United States. Soybeans are a high-quality protein source (containing all the essential amino acids) for both animals and people. Soybeans are also used to make heart healthy soybean oil, commonly labeled vegetable oil in the grocery store. They contain several nutrients we need to thrive, including folate, potassium, fiber, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition to feeding animals and us, soybean and pig farmers care for the planet, too!
Soybeans are a sustainable choice because they use nitrogen from the atmosphere to grow, which means they don’t require extra fertilizer. This is important for both the plants and for healthy soil.
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Like soybeans, pork is a sustainable, nutrient-rich choice. Pork has many beneficial qualities that make it easy to incorporate into a balanced menu. From decadent cuts like bacon to lean cuts like the pork tenderloin, pork provides a variety of options that are flavorful, easy to make, and enjoyable for people of all ages.
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For decades, America’s pig farmers have worked closely with veterinarians and other
Visit PorkCares.org for more information
pig health professionals reviewing and researching what pigs eat and how they are raised and bred to develop leaner, higher quality meat that people continue to prefer. In fact, pork has consistently been the number one protein enjoyed worldwide.
Pork, by definition, is an “excellent” source of nutrients important in supporting our health, including vitamin B-6, thiamin, phosphorus, niacin and selenium, and protein and a “good” source of zinc, riboflavin and potassium. Both the pork tenderloin and pork sirloin roast meet the criteria for the American Heart Association.
In addition to the nutrients and flavor pork provides, pig farmers are committed to managing their farms in environmentally responsible ways. Renewable energy, conservation, recycling, land management, water and air quality, and manure management are priority areas of continuous improvement for pig farmers.
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Animal welfare is foundational on the farm and drives every decision farmers make, from growing and providing nutritious soy feed for pigs all the way to the type of barns built. What farmers grow and raise demands their attention from the ground up – check out some of the ways farmers have been caring for the land and animals for decades and with an eye to the future.
In recent years, the idea of “sustainability” has become top of mind in our food conversations. To farmers, sustainability is more than just a word – it’s a way of working. It’s a way of life. Sustainability is making sure that
Visit PorkCares.org for more information
natural resources like water, soil, and nutrients to support plants and animals are used efficiently and intentionally. Sustainability means conserving those resources when possible, using only what we need now so that future generations can continue to grow and raise our food.
This is why many farmers raise and grow multiple things. Modern farms of all sizes are diversified, doing everything needed to grow and raise our food. Rotating crops seasonally allows farmers to grow efficiently, while also refreshing and restoring the soil. Many farmers, like Rochelle Krusemark, even let plants and animals share their land. Rochelle raises pigs and cows and grows soy and corn.
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From the Farm to the Store
Now that you’ve heard from your farm team – the farmers, animal nutritionists, and veterinarians, it’s time to hear a little from us at Coborn’s Inc, because it’s not just farmers and their families who do this. Retailers like Coborn’s are also engaged in sustainability initiatives tied to our food supply. Our Coborn’s team supports and promotes sustainability with employees, suppliers, communities, and you!
“Coborn’s continued success depends upon sustaining our environment, the people in our company, the communities we serve, and the way our business operates. Coborn’s has always been committed to the responsible use of environmental resources, and seeks continuous improvement in sustainability. These aspirations consider the well-being of our employee/owners, customers, suppliers, communities and ethical commitments.”
Just like farmers (and you!), Coborn’s makes reductions wherever practical in consumption of energy, fuel, water and materials. We explore, and implement wherever practical, alternatives for reducing, reusing, and recycling materials.
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Cooking with pork is beneficial in many ways. It is an extremely versatile protein and certain pork cuts like pork tenderloin and pork chops provide us with the proper pork nutrients our body needs. With a variety of pork cuts and cooking methods, the opportunities for how to cook pork are endless. Short and simple videos bring it back to the basics while also providing new and fresh ideas. Check out the globally inspired and mouthwatering dishes for a delicious staycation this spring
Our food has a delicious, rich history from the farm to the store to your table. The biggest question to start with is, what will you cook first?
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Written By Kim Kirchherr, MS, RD, LDN (IL), FAND, ACSM-CPT on behalf of the United Soybean Board and National Pork Board in partnership with Coborn’s Dietitians Amy Petersen, MS, RD, LD and Emily Parent, MFCS, RD, LD
Coborn’s Inc loves supporting local and today we’re excited to give you an inside look at Revol Greens!
In Feb. of 2021, our Registered Dietitians took a field trip down to Owatonna, MN to explore how a local MN grower can provide fresh, leafy greens to our stores 365 days a year. We toured the facility with Chayla Balko, Director of Business Development at Revol Greens, and are giving you the inside scoop on their growing practices including the varieties they grow and their sustainability efforts. Check out the full video for more information and to see the inside of the greenhouse!
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How large is the greenhouse?
Revol Greens greenhouse is 10 acres (equivalent to about 7 football fields!) Although smaller than a traditional farm, their ability to grow leafy greens 365 days a year is extremely advantageous.
How are the leafy greens grown?
Revol Greens grows leafy greens using a hybrid-hydroponic system. This combines the best of all farming methods. They use a small amount of soil to get nutrients to the plants right away, but rather than planted in the ground, they are “planted” on a pond. The roots grow into the water to soak up nutrients while they float through the pond. (The video provides great visuals to how this works- check it out!) From seed to harvest, it takes an average of 3 weeks for these leafy greens to grow.
What sustainability efforts are in place at Revol Greens?
Revol Greens is proud of their strong commitment to sustainability. First off, as a local grower, once their leafy greens are harvested, they are packaged at their facility and sent directly to our stores. This allows the fresh product to be on your dinner table in a matter of days, and reducing the total miles that the produce has had to travel.
Another incredibly sustainable practice they have in place is using recycled water. Revol Greens actually captures and UV sterilizes MN rain water and snow, and can utilize that inside the greenhouse. It’s a win-win! On the days when it’s sunny, the greenhouse windows let in natural light for the crops. On overcast days, the Revol Greens team has LED and HID lights to provide the light and nourishment needed to keep their crops growing strong 365 days a year.
Revol Greens is a great choice!
Eating more vegetables is always encouraged! Revol Greens provides a variety of products that meet the needs of all our guests including both a conventional and organic line. Of course, their products have great nutrition, too! Leafy greens are packed with vitamin K, and also include fiber, vitamins A & C, magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, and antioxidants.
We hope you enjoy the full video to give you an inside look at the greenhouse and more tips from Chayla, their Director of Business Development. Revol Greens can be found at Coborn’s, Cash Wise and Marketplace Foods stores.
Simple Mills
Thousand Hills Beef
To help bring this story to life, let’s take a closer look at soybeans and pork. 
