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Fun Food Fact: The drying action of salt on food
Amongst its many properties, a key aspect of salt is that it draws water out of cells. In the presence of salt, water moves across a cell membrane to try to equalize the concentration of salt on both sides of the membrane — this process is called osmosis. So when you add salt to a…
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How to Eat Your Beer and Reduce Climate Change
My name is Dihan Chandra. Karma Co-op was the first retail location to carry our products. Here’s my story. Like you, I need to do something more about the climate crisis. I feel I should be doing a lot more to have significant impact especially if there is less than twelve years before irreversible damage.…
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A Look at the 2019 Canada Food Guide
The 2019 Canada Food Guide is the most health evidence based Guide to date, with a comprehensive and inclusive approach to food selection. The diversity of food options, including offerings for vegetarian and vegan diets, with decreased emphasis on meat, eggs and dairy products, provides more information for Canadians towards making healthy food choices. The…
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Non-GMO certification, explained
Non-GMO certification and product labelling can be confusing. The leader in non-GMO certification is the Non-GMO Project. Developed by The Big Carrot in Toronto and The Natural Grocery Company in California, it has provided and continues to develop a standardized definition for non-GMO products in the North American and international food industry. The Non-GMO Project…
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Almond milk and bee health
A Karma member recently approached the Food Issues Committee with a concern about the connection between the almond milk industry and bee decline. Since Karma carries two different brands of almond milk — Blue Diamond, which is conventional, and Pacific Foods, which is organic — it’s worthwhile to consider whether buying one over the other…
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Aquabounty’s AquAdvantage Salmon has been approved for sale in Canada
Between April and June of 2017, approximately 4.5 metric tonnes of genetically modified salmon were imported into Canada and most likely sold in Quebec, according to the National Observer. This salmon is not labelled as a genetically modified organism (GMO), nor does it legally have to be. The GMO Atlantic salmon, created by AquaBounty Technologies,…
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Karma’s best practices for reducing food waste
Karma members have a yearning to enjoy food at the height of its quality. Karma members also feel a deep sense of responsibility for the impact of our food consumption on the environment and society. One aspect of this is to ensure that food is enjoyed as much as possible and not wasted. Canada wastes…
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What do all the labels mean?
Karma carries food items with a variety of labels. But what do those certifications mean, and who sets the standards? The Food Issues Committee has done the research—so let’s set the record straight on some of these labels. Products that are grown in China and carry an organic logo must meet Canadian Organic Standards (COS).…