The Hand That Feeds Us

S3 E1: The Art of Sourdough w/ Top Knot Artisan Bakery's Brad Webber

Brad Webber is the founder and creator of Top Knot Artisan Bakery, a beloved bakery located in Virginia Beach, VA. With a passion for creating high-quality, handmade baked goods, Brad has transformed his vision into a local favorite known for its commitment to artisan craftsmanship and fresh, simple ingredients. His journey began with a deep appreciation for traditional baking methods, cleaner eating and sustainable sourcing for his friends and family, and a desire to bring a new level of artistry to the food scene in Virginia Beach. Brad's expertise extends beyond just baking; he focuses on creating an experience for his customers, combining classic techniques with innovative flavors. Top Knot Artisan Bakery offers everything from freshly baked breads and pastries to customized treats, all with an emphasis on flavor, quality, and community. Brad’s dedication to excellence and his commitment to supporting the growing local businesses across Hampton Roads make Top Knot a standout in the region's culinary landscape. Whether you're grabbing a tuscan loaf of bread or ordering specialty cakes for a special occasion, Brad Webber’s passion for the art of baking shines through in every bite. Mentioned:  Wade’s Historic Ground Mill [https://www.wadesmill.com/] The Lab Commercial Kitchen [https://labkitchenvb.square.site/] Pinup Coffee [https://www.pinupcoffeeco.com/?srsltid=AfmBOookqSvW3bxFuO2G5ChMzPCYNBFZ5MsQFkVMekpmvp8Ejds5qoJg] We currently participate in NO paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. The above meentioned are simply based on our own opinions and lived experiences, and are shared so that we all continue to expand our horizons, together. Additionally, this podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Music by AudioCoffee:⁠ https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/] , thank you for sharing your talent! Find us on instagram @thehandthatfeedsus, send us feedback through DM or email us at handthatfeedsus@gmail.com! Your support means the world to us. Like, follow, rate, review, and subscribe!

S2 Ep 5: Gut Reaction: the gut microbiome and how sugar/dyes/modern life can negatively impact gut health

Why is everyone talking about gut health and the gut microbiome? How can sugar, food dyes, and ultra-processed foods negatively impact your gut? Join us as we discuss how modern life could be impacting your gut and subsequently your health! Curiosity Corner Topics: Bezos & methane vaccines for cows, VanMan Honey Tallow [https://vanman.shop/collections/vanman-collection/products/vanmans-tallow-honey-balm-jumbo-6oz?variant=44078742438096] & Tallow Sunscreen [https://vanman.shop/collections/vanman-collection/products/pre-order-vanman-s-tallow-zinc-sunblock], Handkerchiefs Resources: Sugar-sweetened beverages exacerbate high-fat diet-induced inflammatory bowel disease by altering the gut microbiome [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36572070/] Sugar disrupts microbiome, eliminates protection against obesity and diabetes [https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/sugar-disrupts-microbiome-eliminates-protection-against-obesity-and-diabetes] High intake of sugar & the balance between pro & anti-inflammatory gut bacteria [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7284805/#:~:text=High%20sugar%20intake%20seems%20to,regulate%20epithelial%20integrity%20%5B6%5D.] Impact of dietary sugars on gut microbiota and metabolic health [https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/3/4/42] U of G study finds food dyes can harm gut microbes [https://news.uoguelph.ca/2024/07/gut-reactions-u-of-g-study-finds-food-dyes-can-harm-gut-microbes/#:~:text=Harm%20Gut%20Microbes-,Gut%20Reactions%3A%20U%20of%20G%20Study%20Finds%20Food%20Dyes%20Can,microbial%20communities%20in%20the%20gut.] Dyes found in 90% of colored foods have harmful effect on gut function [https://nypost.com/2023/02/16/dyes-found-in-90-of-foods-have-harmful-effect-on-gut-study/#:~:text=Researchers%20from%20McMaster%20University%20in,the%20gut%20cells%20of%20mice.] Red 40 food dye in skittles, doritos & more trigger bowel diseases [https://nypost.com/2022/12/21/red-40-food-dye-in-skittles-doritos-and-more-trigger-ibd/] We’re out here talking to ourselves, therefore we currently participate in NO paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Above mentioned products are simply based on our own opinions and lived experiences, and are shared so that we all continue to expand our horizons, together. Additionally, this podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Music by AudioCoffee:⁠ https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/] , thank you for sharing your talent! Find us on instagram @thehandthatfeedsus, send us feedback through DM or email us at handthatfeedsus@gmail.com! Your support means the world to us. Like, follow, rate, review, and subscribe!

S2 Ep 4: Gotta Keep 'em Separated: Emulsifiers, thickeners, and stabilizing agents like Carrageenan in food, their impact on our health, and sneaky but prominent ultra-processed food additives

It's not shaken or stirred... it's emulsified. Why are thickening agents so prominently used in the big food industry, when evidence suggests inflammatory and metabolic impacts could be taking a toll on our health? In this EP, we discuss Carrageenan, a once naturally sourced, proportionately utilized, and traditionally heralded food additive, that has become far more commonplace in store-bought foods than you might realize. Join us as the phrase "well combined" takes on an entirely new meaning. Curiosity Corner Topics:  The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt [https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book], Homeschooling [https://simplycharlottemason.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqLsh9EyDaYBQtw0vQI6SEzYSkorgzCk4yP3FZiRrFQzzPDy15A], Fermentation and gut health, Challenging big industries. Resources: What's the Controversy Over Carrageenan? - Cornucopia Institute [https://www.cornucopia.org/carrageenan/] The Carrageenan Controversy | Scientific American [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-carrageenan-controversy/#:~:text=Carrageenan%20is%20an%20extract%20from,a%20thickener%20and%20gelling%20agent]. Is Carrageenan Safe? | Follow Your Heart® [https://followyourheart.com/is-carrageenan-safe/#:~:text=What%20is%20Carrageenan?,and%20colds%20(1).%E2%80%9D] Irish Moss: The History of Carrageenan’s Roots - Food Ingredient Facts [https://www.foodingredientfacts.org/irish-moss-the-history-of-carrageenans-roots/] http://ifacprod.wpengine.com/facts-on-food-ingredients/sources-of-food-ingredients/carrageenan [http://ifacprod.wpengine.com/facts-on-food-ingredients/sources-of-food-ingredients/carrageenan/] Food Emulsifiers and Metabolic Syndrome: The Role of the Gut Microbiota [⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9331555/⁠] We’re out here talking to ourselves, therefore we currently participate in NO paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Above mentioned products are simply based on our own opinions and lived experiences, and are shared so that we all continue to expand our horizons, together. Additionally, this podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Music by AudioCoffee:⁠ https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/] , thank you for sharing your talent! Find us on instagram @thehandthatfeedsus, send us feedback through DM or email us at handthatfeedsus@gmail.com! Your support means the world to us. Like, follow, rate, review, and subscribe!

S2 Ep 3: : Why so CORNy?: corn as food, fuel, and feed

Are you ready for an EARful about corn!? Why is corn in everything? We will discuss the unexpected places corn may be popping up in the food on your plate. How much of America's corn is actually feeding people, and how much is feeding livestock? Don't forget the big biofuel debate--is it better for the environment, worse, or neutral? And what about these government subsidies?? We cover it all! Also mentioned: The Omnivore's Dilemma [https://www.amazon.com/Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History-Meals/dp/0143038583] Curiosity Corner Topics: yoga (yin and face), frownies, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt [https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Down-Dirt-Kate-Messner/dp/1452161364], Espresso, whole house water filters Articles: How corn ethanol for biofuel fed climate change [https://civileats.com/2022/02/14/how-corn-ethanol-for-biofuel-fueled-climate-change/] How the US became a global corn superpower [https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/06/how-the-us-became-a-global-corn-superpower-.html] Corn & other feed grains [https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/corn-and-other-feed-grains/] US corn use by market year [https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10340] EPA: Biofuels & the environment [https://www.epa.gov/risk/biofuels-and-environment] Interactions between US biofuels policy & the endangered species act [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320722004220] Corn: it's everything [https://www.iowacorn.org/corn-products/] Corn free diet [https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/nutrition/corn-free.aspx] We’re out here talking to ourselves, therefore we currently participate in NO paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Above mentioned products are simply based on our own opinions and lived experiences, and are shared so that we all continue to expand our horizons, together. Additionally, this podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Music by AudioCoffee:⁠ https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/] , thank you for sharing your talent! Find us on instagram @thehandthatfeedsus, send us feedback through DM or email us at handthatfeedsus@gmail.com! Your support means the world to us. Like, follow, rate, review, and subscribe!

S2 Ep 2: Hold the Guac 🥑: Avocado culture, environmental impact, cartel, local sourcing, and ethical consumption

Your avocado toast has a dark secret... Join us while we explore the cultural phenomenon surrounding avocados, their environmental impact, and the complexities of their production, including cartel involvement and deforestation. In this episode, we discuss the historical context of avocado imports, the importance of local sourcing, and the ethical considerations consumers should keep in mind when purchasing avocados. Let's reach for mindful consumption and talk about the impact of individual choices on broader societal issues. Curiosity Corner Topics: Personal stories in the Amazon and indigenous tribes, Bug spray Articles and Sources: As cartels take a stake in ‘green gold,’ US and Mexico rethink how avocados reach American kitchens | CNN [https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/13/americas/avocado-cartel-us-mexico-intl-latam/index.html] Avocados | Agricultural Marketing Resource Center [https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/fruits/avocados] U.S. halts avocado imports from Mexico after inspectors caught up in violence | TPR [https://www.tpr.org/economy-and-labor/2024-06-21/u-s-halts-avocado-imports-from-mexico-after-inspectors-caught-up-in-violence] THE U.S. MARKET FOR AVOCADO [https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KP28.pdf] Why 90% of the U.S. avocado supply comes from Mexico [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/17/why-90percent-of-the-us-avocado-supply-comes-from-mexico-.html] Avocado History [https://avocadosfrommexico.com/avocados/history/] We’re out here talking to ourselves, therefore we currently participate in NO paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Above mentioned products are simply based on our own opinions and lived experiences, and are shared so that we all continue to expand our horizons, together. Additionally, this podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Music by AudioCoffee:⁠ https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/] , thank you for sharing your talent! Find us on instagram @thehandthatfeedsus, send us feedback through DM or email us at handthatfeedsus@gmail.com! Your support means the world to us. Like, follow, rate, review, and subscribe!