LASSENS – NATURAL FOODS & VITAMINS

Worried about Plastic? Crystal Geyser is on it

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 15:28:19 GMT

We are all concerned about the amount of plastic that we use, but it is very hard to avoid. Plastic bottles are everywhere. Crystal Geyser is such a great partner with us at Lassen’s, so it’s nice to know that they are doing their part to recycle. They felt the same concern, and knew they had to be part of the solution.

A couple of us at Lassen’s went out to San Bernardino to tour the Crystal Geyser recycling plant. This plant has the capacity to process 35 million pounds of rPET (recycled PET plastic) per year. They told us that this is the equivalent of nearly 1 billion plastic bottles!

New Bottles From Old

It was so interesting to see how they are making their bottles from old. The company receives sorted, cleaned, and shredded plastic from the California Recycling System.

These flakes look like they might be ready for processing, but far from it! There are particles of metal and other foreign items that need to be removed. The plastic is purified by heating to 545 degrees and then filtered five time to remove contaminants.

The design of the plant makes transitions from one station to another smooth and simple. The shredded plastic is fed into the machinery that heats, filters, and then processes it into the next useable form.

Let’s Clean it Up!

You can see how much has been removed from the shredded plastic on two of the filters shown. The filters on the upper right are unused. The lower filter is the first step, and it caught a lot of contaminants! The filter on the left catches smaller bits that went through the first. The waste left over after all those filters is actually sold to other recyclers to produce tech grade recycled materials.

After going through five filters, the remaining plastic is ready to mix 50/50 with new (virgin) PET (polyethylene terephthalate). According to the Crystal Geyser scientists, “PET requires less energy to manufacture than nearly all other bottles and is 100% recyclable.”

While it would be ideal to have the bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, right now it isn’t feasible. Every time plastic is recycled, it loses strength and flexibility, which are important qualities in water bottles. After mixing the rPET and Virgin PET, it is made into strings like spaghetti and then cut into rice-grain sized pellets.

The pellets then go through a “pellet flush,” where hot air (315 degrees) is shot through the pellets. This removes any toxic chemicals left after the other processes.

Testing, Testing!

At each step along the way, the Crystal Geyser chemists are busy testing. They make sure that the finished product exceeds FDA requirements for food grade plastic. We toured their lab and saw the tests that they were running on each batch. If any batches do not meet their standards, the process starts all over again with heating and filtering.

I asked the chemists if they could foresee a time when plastic bottles would be made from 100% recycled materials. They were optimistic! It would require us all to be more vigilant about recycling every plastic bottle we use. Used plastic ends up in landfills — or worse, into our waterways — so make sure to recycle! If there were more recycling, there would be more materials to work with and greater incentive to improve the process. So let’s all pitch in to help!

Touring the Crystal Geyser plant has made me feel better about the times when I have to buy bottled water. It has also made me more aware of how important recycling really is!

Independent and Family Owned, Just Like Lassen’s!

Crystal Geyser is a family-owned company that’s been bottling water at the source for over 30 years. Learn more about them by visiting their website .

We love supporting other independent, family-owned businesses!

Earth Day is in our DNA

Mon, 09 May 2022 16:33:42 GMT

From the very beginning, Lassen’s has supported Earth Day. The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, and Lassen’s opened the next year. We’ve been celebrating Mother Earth ever since! Still independent, family owned and run, Lassen’s is committed to environmentally friendly, sustainable, healthy products and practices.

This philosophy didn’t start with the official Earth Day, however. The Lassen family learned the power of healthy food and a healthy planet during the shortages and devastation of World War II Denmark. They brought this appreciation of Mother Earth — and a desire to protect her — when they immigrated to California in the early 1950s.

In the early years, our founder Oda sourced as much organic produce and environmentally responsible products as were available. As the environmental movement grew, so did we. Today, our buyers search out and support companies that pay attention to their impact on the earth. Our produce is 100% organic so you don’t have to worry about checking the signs. It’s all organic! Our deli offerings are made with organic ingredients, too! Lassen’s supplement, body-care, grocery, and perishable buyers are constantly on the lookout for companies that share our earth-friendly philosophy.

Dr. Bronner’s — Since 1948

One such company is Dr. Bronner’s. Established in 1948 by German-Jewish soapmakers in California, their products have been on our shelves and in our homes for 51 years. Their website ( https://www.drbronner.com/ ) states, “Still family-owned and run, Dr. Bronner’s honors its founder’s vision by making socially & environmentally responsible products of the highest quality.” No matter where I hike or camp, I always have a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap in my gear. Besides being a good-for-the-earth compay, Dr. Bronner’s embodies a deeply responsibile philosophy, and you can read all about it on their labels. A Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) since 2015, Dr. Bronner’s has lived their philosophy with integrity for nearly 75 years. Now that’s a goal worth shooting for!

Recently Dr. Bronner’s has added a line of chocolate bars. They saw an opportunity to support fairly-treated cocoa farmers who use regenerative and organic practices. World class artisans make this product line magic! In fact, that’s what Dr. Bronner’s calls the bars — Magic All-One Chocolate!

All the Way from Canada!

A more recent entrant in the environmentally-friendly space is Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods. Growning hemp since 1998, Manitoba Harvest is committed to sustainability and positive community impact. Also a B-Corp, they are Carbon Neutral and FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) approved.

I love to toss Hemp Hearts into salads and smoothies. They are a nutty and healthy addition to all kinds of recipes. Packed full of nutrition, I’ve been making this chopped salad since 2013!

So this Earth Day — and every day — support independent companies that are committed to protecting the earth. You’ll find many more such companies as you browse Lassen’s aisles. And don’t forget to stop by during our week-long Earth Day event, April 18-23, 2022!

Can Fats be Healthy? Yes!

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:39:57 GMT

Times Have Changed!

It wasn’t that long ago that fat was a dirty word. I recall attending a gym class where the teacher advised choosing all-sugar treats (such as Starburst or Skittles) over treats with any fat at all. Many were excited to see no-fat products on the market — cookies and cakes made without fat. It was easy to get caught up in the no-fat craze.

But just a few days of unnaturally cutting fats completely out of your diet leaves you feeling hungry, tired, and grumpy and, frankly, unhealthy. The fats in those products were generally replaced with a real dietary villain — sugar — as well as other refined carbohydrates. So you ended up with the spikes and dips in energy that come with a high sugar diet. Not a happy place to be.

And it’s true, there are unhealthy fats — Transfats (fats that have been hydrogenated) can increase the risk of several chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, among others.) We want to avoid those, such as refined fats and oils (think margarine and corn oil).
There are also very serious possible effects of eating no fat. This article from Dr. Axe mentions poor brain function, compromised heart health, hormone imbalances (including fertility issues), overeating and weight gain, among other problems. I knew a young woman who desperately wanted to get pregnant, but had stopped menstruating when she turned to a practically no-fat diet in order to control her weight. Yes, things went this extreme.

Fortunately, the pendulum has swung away from that craziness, and we are in a much healthier place as it relates to dietary fat. In 2015 the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee sent recommendations to the Government that advised against restricting dietary fat, and had no upper limit on total fat intake.

And that’s good news, because including healthy fats in your diet will help reduce hunger and cravings, help you feel satiated (satisfied), as well as help with energy and brain function. The supplements that you take will be better absorbed, as well as the nutrients in the food that you eat — all fat-soluble vitamin as well as calcium. Your liver will be protected from damage. Your “good” cholesterol will go up and your “bad” cholesterol will go down. You will even burn fat more efficiently! These reason and more are why the ketogenic diet has become so popular lately.

But we all have to careful about which fats to choose. The fats from raw dairy products, coconut oil, grass-fed beef, nuts, avocados, and much more are beneficial to our health. Here are some healthy fats to choose.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Butter (especially raw, but from grass-fed cows as well), Ghee (clarified butter), and Coconut Oil. The Danes have been right all along. Butter and Ghee contain healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are essential, and our bodies don’t produce them; we have to get them from our diets. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, high in antioxidants, is great for brain and cognitive function, and even lowering blood pressure. Make sure you choose Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, since processing can eliminate many of the healthy benefits.

Avocados, Full-fat Dairy, and Eggs. One of my favorite lunch go-tos is a half of an avocado, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, topped with a squeeze of lime and Mexican spices. If I’m extra hungry I’ll add some full-fat cottage cheese. If you prefer, add a hard-boiled free-range organic egg for even more protein! This lunch will keep me satisfied for the whole afternoon. An avocado has the advantage of being high in protein, as well as vitamin E, folate, and of course healthy monosaturated fat.

Nuts, Seeds, and Dark Chocolate. A handful of nuts is full of super nutrients, including healthy fats. Add a chunk of dark chocolate — at least 70% cacao (to reduce the amount of sugar) and you have an energy-boosting snack.
Omega-3s from Seafood, and Grass-fed Beef. Make sure you choose wild-caught, sustainable varieties, and Grass-fed, Organic beef for the best nutritional punch. Both are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, and high in protein as well.

Lassen’s carries many healthy fats in many forms and varieties — including brands such as Bulletproof, which are formulated to take advantage of the nutritional strengths of these fats. This is not a new bandwagon for us — Lassen’s has carried these nutritious and healthy (as well as delicious!) products since day one in 1971! Come see our selection!

Love,
Lassen’s

Happy 100th Birthday to Our Founder, Oda Lassen!

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 03:56:00 GMT

Celebrating a Life Well Lived
Monday, August 20, 2018, is the 100th Anniversary of the birth of our Founder, Oda Lassen. Although we lost her in 2013 (at the age of 94 1/2), her spirit and spunk have stayed with us.

I wrote a few weeks ago about how at the age of nearly 53, she bravely opened the first Lassen’s in 1971 (you can read that post here ) and this week I just want to celebrate the person that she was.

Oda was unafraid to say what she thought. I don’t know if it was the fact that English was not her native language that made her so blunt, but she would just tell you what she thought. When some of our boys were teenagers with long hair, she complained to me about it. I told her it was just hair and not a big deal, and she replied, “But it looks so awful!”

Oda was very willing, and often anxious, to pass on her wisdom, regularly with humor. She had heard someone say that the only reason you should raise your voice at home is if the house was on fire. One day she came into my house and caught me yelling at — well, who knows what. She just said, “Where’s the fire?” That made me laugh, and, as you can tell, I don’t even remember what all the yelling was about.

Oda had a quick wit. During a Sunday dinner she scolded one of her grandchildren for being so sassy. He replied, “Well, I can’t help it since I got it from you!” She shot right back, “You couldn’t have gotten it from me because I’ve still got it!” She was well into her 90s and hadn’t skipped a beat.

Oda was very smart. She loved learning everything that she could about Natural Foods and Supplements. She was constantly reading and studying so that she could help her customers in the store. She also loved to read magazines that carried stories about people and products, and in the 1990s was even featured in a local paper with an article about how Green Magma had helped her arthritis. That laminated article was on the wall of the store for a long time! She was very proud of that!

Oda also had quite a head for math, and could keep track of every expense and sale. She watched the books very closely, and didn’t make risky moves in the business. This vigilance carried into her personal finances — If we went to a store together and she paid for both of our items, you can bet she would make sure that she was repaid in a timely manner, and to the penny!

Oda put her family first. She had a large family — seven children — and a large extended family but everyone knew that she loved them. Most of all, her husband Hilmar knew it. One day I was at her house in the morning when she left for work at the store. After a few minutes she came rushing back into the house with an explanatory, “I forgot to kiss my husband goodbye!”

There was no greater Bedstemor — Danish Grandmother — than Oda. Sometimes, when my kids were little, she would call me and tell me I needed a break. She would drive to our house, pick up the children, and take them for a walk or to the park while I had some time to myself. She was also a great Svigermor — Danish Mother-in-law. One of her daughters-in-law tells about how Oda would show up at their front door with a broom, mop, and bucket and announce that she was going to mop their floor. She’d sweep and mop, then be on her way.

After she and Hilmar downsized from their home, they came to live in a granny flat next to our house. Our children grew up with Bedstemor and Bedstefar just a few steps away, and that enriched their lives every single day. I would often go see what she and my children were up to, and they were making cookies together or watching Shirley Temple or Disney movies, or just sitting on the couch, Oda patting their little legs, listening to music. When the grandchildren were babies, she was in heaven. She would swoop up a screaming baby, hold him close, and dance and sing until he calmed down. Her trick was to sing louder than the baby was crying. She had a special “dep-a-dep” song that all of the Lassen children, grandchildren, and most of the great-grandchildren can still sing.

Oda was blessed with beautiful olive skin (not a standard pale Dane!) and a thick, full, head of hair. I liked to tell her that she had enough hair for three people, and several of her children — including all of her sons — inherited that thick hair. So lucky!

There is not a day that goes by that I don’t miss Oda. She was a woman of incredible integrity and perseverance, even in the face of real hardship. Honest, hard-working, and loyal, all of us in her personal and business family knew that we could count on her, no matter what. There are so many things that we have been able to accomplish and experience because she paved the way. It is our quest to honor the legacy she left for us. It’s what gives us our values: Passion, Commitment, and Respect. Happy birthday, Oda!

Lassen's Started with a Brave Woman and a Problem to be Solved

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 18:59:00 GMT

Oda Saw She Could Help Solve that Problem
When I came into the Lassen family and learned that Oda owned and ran a Health Food Store, I just sort of thought, “Oh, that’s cool.” It wasn’t until about ten years ago that it really hit me how astonishing that was.

Oda was born in August, 1918 — nearly one hundred years ago. That means that when the first Lassen’s store opened in 1971, she was almost 53 years old. Fifty-three. At a time when most are thinking about the end of their careers, she bravely began one. But she was driven to do so because she saw a problem and she knew she could help solve it.

As mentioned in previous posts about Oda, she felt very strongly that quality food was extremely important. She had lived through food rationing as a young mother during the WWII in Denmark, and knew what it felt like to not be able eat or to feed her children healthy food.

When the Lassens arrived in America in early 1952, the industrial packaged food trend was really gaining steam. Oda was appalled. She was horrified with much of American food — low quality, pre-packaged, tasteless, full of refined sugar, salt, preservatives and artificial ingredients, and definitely lacking in nutrition. This did not seem like progress to her. She knew how vital quality food was to overall health — she’d lived without it during the war and knew how detrimental that could be! She knew that families needed access to more healthy foods as well as information about natural solutions to health issues.

So once her youngest children were in school and more independent, she decided that she could do something to solve that problem. She took a job at a local Health Food store, and devoured as much information as she could. She took advantage of every opportunity, even questioning the way the owner ran the business. She was disgusted with much of what he did, from his product mix (junk food right next to the supplements) to his habits (smoking fat cigars in the office.) When he let her go in favor of a younger woman, she decided that losing the job was a blessing — that she could do better. She wanted to help her community to be knowledgeable about natural remedies and have access to healthy, nutritious foods .
The idea to open her own store began to grow and expand, and as she discussed it with Hilmar, he said he would help her do it. They found a little store to lease on Pickwick Drive in Camarillo, and got to work. They made plans and received permits, then built and set up everything. The shelves were cleaned and stocked. They opened the doors for business.

Forty-seven years ago this week, on July 6, 1971, Lassen’s Health Food Store held its Grand Opening. This ad ran in the local paper. People began to shop at the little store, and Oda gained more confidence. At first the divider between the selling area and the back room was close to the front of the store, but as her sales volume grew and as the product offerings expanded, that divider was moved back farther and farther. After a few years she moved across the street into a larger store, and that store has been expanded another time since then.

This was very much a family undertaking, as shown here with a teenaged Anna. All of the Lassen siblings spent plenty of time after school and during the summer dusting shelves, stocking product, bagging nuts and dried fruits, and helping customers. Hilmar did the produce run to LA and served as the handyman, while still maintaining his masonry business. But Oda was the hub of the business, and her customers remained loyal to her well after her retirement.

It was a big step when Oda was able to hire her first employee, Jennie. She became a wonderful asset to the business, and almost part of the family. You can see that there is a lot more product on the shelves than in the previous photo!

Many people told Oda and Hilmar that the Health Food craze was just a fad, and would never last. But Oda knew that this wasn’t just a hippie thing — it was a basic, human, need to nurture bodies, strive to heal naturally, and to take care of the earth.

All along the way, Oda kept uppermost in her mind her purpose to provide families in the community with healthy, nutritious, high quality foods and supplements. In those early days organic foods were difficult to find, but she sought them out wherever she could. And of course, the organic standards were not codified into law at that point, so she had to be extra vigilant in checking ingredients and manufacturing practices.

There were plenty of discouraging times, but Oda continued to build on her foundation of caring about everyone who came into the store. She learned more as she attended seminars and read everything she could so that she could help them with their health concerns.

Now, forty-seven years later, we at Lassen’s strive every day to build on Oda’s foundation of caring about our communities. Our dedicated buyers constantly search for the highest quality healthy, sustainable, and ethically produced items. We feel grateful to have so many great producers, many who live and produce locally. Our knowledgeable staff is trained and anxious to help you find solutions to your health needs. Those are traditions that Oda started so many years ago — supporting both suppliers and the community.

Thanks, Oda, again for setting us on this path!

Love,
Lassen’s

From Immigrants to Entreprenuers

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 21:26:00 GMT

When the Hilmar and Oda Lassen family immigrated from Denmark to California in the early 1950s, their first order of business was to find a way to earn a living. Hilmar and Oda had always been hard workers, and the trial of the German occupation of Denmark during World War II had strengthened their persistence in even the most challenging times. In preparing to immigrate, Hilmar learned the bricklaying trade in Denmark before they set sail. When they got here, however, he found that the American method of laying bricks was different from the Danish way. So the best job he could find was a bricklayer’s assistant. He took the job, learned the American method, and struggled to learn English.

They settled in the San Fernando Valley, and the girls entered school. Hilmar and Oda took English lessons — he didn’t like to study, but she did. Oda told me that she would do Hilmar’s homework for him. She was very motivated to learn, probably because she was not out in the working world and wasn’t about to have the practice that he did. There were no dual language programs in the 50s, so Bee, Ida, and Doris had to just learn on their own. For the first six months they felt completely lost, and came home crying from school every day. But within a year they were pretty much fluent English speakers.

The years went by and Oda and Hilmar had three American-born children — Anna, Peter, and James (Jimmy). Hilmar earned his Contractor’s License and they became American citizens. Hilmar traveled all over Southern California, building everything from block walls to custom homes.

The Lassens began to live the American dream, even buying a house in San Fernando. In 1963, Hilmar decided to build a spec house in the little Ventura County community of Camarillo. It was mostly avocado and orange orchards then, and there was only one stop sign in town. One Sunday Hilmar brought the family to Camarillo to see the house, located behind the Catholic Church on Las Posas. They attended church in town, and liked the community so much that they decided to not sell the spec house, but instead to sell their house in the Valley. So in December 1964, the family moved into that house and began to sink their roots deep in Ventura County.

Hilmar stayed busy in the construction business. He became not just a bricklayer, but a craftsman — even an artist. When I first came into the family in the early 80s, we would often take Sunday drives and Hilmar would show us what he was building, and also point out other jobs he had done over the years. He built the first Taco Bell in Camarillo on Arneill Road, which is now Hector’s Fresh Mexican Food. He loved to tell how he built the fireplaces and other brick and stone work in Ronald Reagan’s house in Pacific Palisades.

All the while, Oda was very busy holding down the fort at home with those seven children. She nurtured and taught them, and ran them to and from their activities. The Lassen siblings enjoyed their family life, learned, and grew. John enjoyed scouting, eventually earning the rank of Eagle. Peter especially loved the American pastime, baseball. The older ones left for college, married, and the grandchildren began to arrive.

Once all of the children were in school, Oda began to work outside the home. She had always been interested in the area of health, and one of her jobs was at a local Health Food Store. The job was short-lived however, as she was fired — mostly because, according to Oda — the owner wanted to hire a “younger, more attractive” woman. But even if Oda had not been let go, she was disgusted with the way the owner ran the business — selling healthy items right next to processed and definitely unhealthy foods, and smoking big cigars in his office. She was ready to strike out on her own.

Next Month — Oda the Brave decides she can do a better job herself, and leaps into another adventure!

Love,
Lassen’s

Happiness amidst Turmoil — Oda & Hilmar, Denmark, and World War II

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 17:05:43 GMT

One of my favorite stories about Oda — our founder — was how she met her husband, Hilmar. In the early 1930s, she went to a dance in her hometown of Aalborg, Denmark. She was only fifteen, so when this 20-year-old older man showed interest in her, she knew he was too old and worldly for her. He had been sailing around the world in the Danish Merchant Marine since he was fourteen, and seemed overly confident and maybe even a little arrogant to her. He asked if he could walk her home, and she accepted. But she really didn’t want to encourage his attention, so she excused herself to go to the ladies’ home. Out of sight of Hilmar, she slipped out the back way and didn’t return. This lady always knew her mind and followed her instincts!

Despite this brush-off, several years later Hilmar saw her again and the time was right. They started to see each other and their romance blossomed. Hilmar was an accomplished sailor, and had access to his father’s sailboat. Picnics, friends, and sailing often went together.

Oda and Hilmar were married on April 15, 1939 at the City Government Building and then her mother hosted a dinner for family members. They moved into a little apartment and started their happy life together. Their oldest daughter was born the next year.

But it wasn’t much longer before war knocked on their door. Less than one year after their marriage, Germany invaded Denmark and the little country was occupied until the end of World War II in 1945. Denmark knew that they stood no chance against the much larger German army, so they agreed — under protest — to the occupation. Oda and Hilmar had a second daughter soon after.

But the Danes are an independent bunch, and they found ways to undermine the occupiers. An active Underground was established and Hilmar and many of his friends were part of that resistance. They received dropped shipments of arms from the Allies and hid them for the time when the Allies would arrive on Danish soil. The Danes could then join with the Allies against the Nazis. The Danes supplied military intelligence to the British throughout the War. They also refused an attempt by Germany to isolate or round up the Jewish population, which meant that most Danish Jews were rescued and saved from the Holocaust.

To hear Hilmar and Oda talk about those years was thrilling and frightening. During the War they owned a little neighborhood dairy shop, and Oda would slip Resistance pamphlets into the bags of their shoppers. Hilmar delivered purchases by bicycle, and after one frightening night of soldiers searching their apartment building, he took the guns that had been hidden there by bicycle to a more secure location.

It was a difficult time of rationing and fear, but the Lassen family tried to enjoy their lives as much as possible. Children played in the courtyards of the apartments, and Oda did her best to nurture her family as well as she could. After the war she never took fresh fruits and vegetables for granted, and remembered that one year during the war she only had one orange.

On May 5, 1945, the German Army capitulated, and the occupation of Denmark was over. The Danish Resistance marched openly in the streets with their weapons. Hilmar is shown here proudly marching with his fellow members of the Resistance (in the center about five rows back.)

The war years were challenging for the Lassen family and for all of Europe. But from that challenge they knew they could thrive in hard times, especially when they bravely worked hard together. Those qualities served them well as they faced new challenges for the next 67 years.
Thanks for all you taught us, Oda and Hilmar!

Love,
Lassen’s

A Love of Good, Healthy Living Started in Denmark

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 17:18:45 GMT

Quality First!
If you have ever been to Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley (between Santa Barbara and Santa Maria), you’ve had a taste of Danish culture, and hopefully Danish food! Æbleskivers (round pancake balls, eaten with powdered sugar and jam), Pølser (sausages) and Kartofler (potatoes, usually boiled), and Smørrebrød (open faced sandwiches) are easily found in the Danish Village. Oda, our founder, grew up with these traditional Danish foods in Aalborg, Denmark.

When Hilmar (Oda’s husband) turned eighty, we gathered all the fixings for a traditional Danish open-faced sandwich Smörgåsbord. Oda and Hilmar were happy to pose for us — and he was wearing his Danish sweater! (I think Oda was making a joke!)

This is not an advertisement for Solvang, but if you’ve eaten in a nice restaurant there, you may have tried the kinds of foods the Lassen children grew up with, even after they came to America. Meats, carefully prepared, potatoes, and spectacular gravy were on the table regularly. For someone who grew up in a casserole kind of household, this was a revelation to me when I entered the Lassen family. (Don’t get me wrong; I had a very health-conscious upbringing. But seeing this traditional way of cooking very regularly was new.) I loved learning how to make many traditional Danish dishes, and our children grew up on many of them too. I have already shared a couple of Danish recipes here. Each month I will share another of Oda’s recipes on this blog, so keep coming back!

Oda started to become a really terrific cook when she was a young woman in Denmark. (And she had a way with hats, didn’t she?) One thing I noticed about her cooking was that she wasn’t interested in experimenting. There was a way that things were supposed to taste and look, and the goal was to make a dish as delicious and beautiful as possible. Gravy, in particular, had to be exactly right — smooth, the right consistency, and without any specks or flecks of debris. I learned to strain the broth. And the first time I saw Hilmar (who was also a really good cook) add cream to gravy, I was stunned. No wonder their gravy was so delicious! Quality, quality, quality.

It’s Not All About the Food, Though

As you can see from this map of Denmark, the sea is incredibly important in every aspect of Danish life. The Lassen family came from Aalborg, up near the north of Denmark, and the Danes love to sail in the fjord. Sailing, walking, and cycling were everyday activities. I love this photo of Oda (on the right) with some relatives on the sailboat Else when she was a teenager. (And she now has a granddaughter named Else!)

Family is terribly important to the Danes, and whenever we have traveled to Denmark, they roll out the red carpet for us. This photo shows Oda (on the right) with her sister Irene. Her son Freddie (along with his wife Jette and their children and grandchildren) have become wonderful friends as well as relatives.

Christmas is a really important holiday to the Danes, and I will share some of the Lassen traditions in December. But as a teaser … think the Whos down in Whoville!

This year we continue to celebrate 100 years since Oda, our founder, was born. The culture in which she was raised is certainly part of that celebration. That culture helped to shape who she was — an amazing, brave, and strong woman who thrived through World War II in Europe, immigrated to America in the 1950s, and raised a family. And then she went on to start a little Health Food Store in 1971. That business has now grown to one of the largest independent chains of Natural Food stores in California. Lassen’s insistence on high quality and care all started with Oda. Thank you!

Love,
Lassen’s

One Hundred Years Ago…

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 17:26:46 GMT

It was a Different World, for Sure!

When the year 1918 began, the Great War — World War I, as it would be later known — was still raging, although it would end before the year did. Russia declared a republic of Soviets. There was a huge, worldwide health crisis — the Great Influenza Pandemic — which would kill between 50 – 100 million people. Europe was in turmoil, and America was too.

In that upheaval, the little country of Denmark, situated just north of Germany, tried to remain neutral. Family life continued, and on August 21, 1918, a baby girl was born to Larsine and Thomas Nielsen. They named her Oda Helene. Her father was at sea — a common career for numerous Danes — and didn’t see her until she was 8 months old. Larsine had a photograph taken of herself and two-month-old baby Oda so she could send it to Thomas.

Although born into this worldwide upheaval, once World War 1 ended, Oda grew up in a Denmark which began to thrive once again. Oda loved being with her two sisters and three brothers, excelled in school, had many friends, and enjoyed her life in Aalborg. She developed a love of nutritious and delicious food. She particularly enjoyed visiting her neighbors who might sell some of the produce from their gardens. Every spring, even many decades later, she was on the lookout for young English peas which reminded her of those sweet childhood days.

Oda developed and displayed many of her strongest qualities at an early age — strength, determination, and bravery. She was smart and capable. She was happy and energetic.

These characteristics served her well during the challenges that she would have to face during her lifetime.
Now it is 2018, and in the coming months watch this space for monthly updates on the life of our founder, Oda Lassen. On January 8, we remember and mourn once again her loss five years ago in 2013 at the age of 94 1/2. But we honor her and everything that she dreamed for our family and our business.

So Oda, we are thinking of you in 2018 — one hundred years since the year of your birth!

Love,
Lassen’s

B Corps

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 17:35:55 GMT

B Corp is to business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk. 

B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Today, there is a growing community of more than 1,600 Certified B Corps from 42 countries and over 120 industries working together toward 1 unifying goal: to redefine success in business.

The Honest Company

A dad named Christopher and a mom named Jessica found themselves utterly frustrated trying to find the perfect products for their babies and homes.

We both wanted an ideal: not only effective, but unquestionably safe, eco-friendly, beautiful, convenient, and affordable – everyone should have it. We believed every baby deserved the best we can create for them. We are dreamers.

But, more importantly, we are doers.

You know what they say, if you want it done right, you gotta do it yourself.

We tried to think of all the qualities we would want in a dream brand – savvy style, sustainability, and extraordinary service & convenience all wrapped in a passion for social goodness, tied with a bow of integrity and sprinkled with a little cheeky fun.

We knew it wouldn’t be easy juggling all these demands, but we’re parents, we’re used to multi-tasking.

So, our goal is to relieve you of a few tasks by delivering the best family essentials to your doorstep – to simplify your life and bring more delight to every day. Our dream is to re-define the “family brand” and create something – with you – that’s better for all families, everywhere.

HERBATINT

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”, this is the African proverb chosen by the three founders to express the Interdependence that links B Corps from all around the world.

THE CHANGE WE SEEK

Promoting a healthy lifestyle that could help enhance the concept of natural beauty while respecting the world we live in.
Contributing through business to solve social and environmental issues and improve the quality of life of present day and future generations. Using business as a force for good, Antica’s company practices become concrete actions.

Herbatint products are just like the brand, simple and timeless, symbols of its inheritance and its knowledge. Thanks to its strong expertise and know-how strengthened over time, Antica Erboristeria looks ahead to the future with passion and desire for continuous innovation.

Country Life

On every bottle, you will see our Pledge of Integrity because at Country Life, Integrity is our number one ingredient. We do this because you deserve high-quality nutrition, specifically crafted with the high quality standards to support your health. To guarantee our products are consistently of the highest quality and efficacy, we ensure that we operate a NSF-GMP compliant and USDA Organic certified manufacturing facility, and that all of our products fulfill our Pledge of Integrity, acheiving the five core integrity standards.

Authenticity of ingredients.

We always use a pure form of each ingredient and all our ingredients are laboratory tested to ensure accurate identification so you can be assured we use real, authentic ingredients.

Cleanliness of ingredients.

Ensuring our ingredients are completely clean is a top concern. Our manufacturing facility was one of the first NSF registered GMP facilities in the industry and maintains strict quality control towards this end. We also ensure every one of our products are certified gluten-free.

Freshness of ingredients.

Because we manufacture our own products, our products go from tested raw material, to manufactured good, to bottled and packaged products immediately so you can be assured of product potency throughout its shelf life.

Consistency of the formula.

Our manufacturing plant is NSF-GMP certified to ensure the best, consistent product formulations, with quality inspection at each stage of manufacturing to ensure our products remain uniform from batch to batch so you know it works the same each dose, but as we use natural ingredients, color variations may exist from batch to batch.

Accuracy of labeling.

We always ensure that if an ingredient appears on our supplement facts label, it’s in our product in the exact ratios and potency that our label says. We also ensure that if a product contains any known allergens, the label says so. No surprises.

We ensure our products meet these standards, because we care about your health. We believe that, in every product we make for you, integrity should always be our number one ingredient. Treat yourself to great health with Country Life.

Peeled Snacks

Our Real Food Philosophy

We decided to take the mystery out of snacking and put the joy back into it! Peeled Snacks started with a line of organic dried fruit that still continues to offer a whole lot of flavor without any added sugar, sulfites, preservatives, or oils.

We’re committed to expanding the snacking aisle to create snacks that make a positive impact on you and the environment. That means each bag of Peeled Snacks is packed with wholesome ingredients you can feel good about eating. Peeled Snacks energize your mind and body, and support the way snacks should be made – with real food!

Making Healthy Snacks for 10 Years

In 2004, Noha Waibsnaider founded Peeled Snacks in her tiny New York City apartment when she noticed there was something missing from the snack aisle. Store shelves were full of processed potato chips, corn syrup-filled candy, and energy bars made with too many mysterious ingredients, leaving snackers to feel the “spike, crash and burn” effect. Without finding any options both healthy and enjoyable, Noha set out to fix that problem.

Her solution? Tasty and nourishing snacks made with pure, wholesome ingredients to satisfy your cravings at anytime or anywhere, while lifting your mood and leaving you feeling energized. Noha’s vision was and is still today to make healthy snacking as close to nature as possible. What began with three varieties of organic fruit snacks has now expanded to include crunchy veggie snacks and we’re not stopping!

What Is Organic?

Pick your snacks on the facts! The USDA organic seal means all our fruit and ingredients were grown with natural fertilizers, without chemicals or toxins. Peeled Snacks is proud to be part of the organic food revolution, which sets the bar for conscientious farming practices, encouraging clean food production, and supporting healthy communities.

Garden of Life

Making a Difference

With your help, we’re both making a difference.

Every time you, our valued customer, purchase certain Garden of Life products, you not only are supporting your health,† you are also supporting various charities specially chosen for their outstanding work.

At Garden of Life, our primary mission is to Empower Extraordinary Health by providing the highest-quality, USDA Organic, Certified Non-GMO, RAW, whole food nutritional products on the market. Of equal importance is that we do so while preserving the integrity of our planet through eco-friendly initiatives and helping those who are less fortunate by supporting various philanthropic organizations throughout the world. We are proud to partner with the following organizations and foundations who are devoted to improving people’s lives through their efforts.

NAVITAS Organics

Our commitment starts with our Superfood Promise: Using the most health-boosting plants in the world, we promise our superfoods are organic, nutrient-dense and handled with care at every step.

Made from the most potent part of the plants, they are carefully handled to bring you the purest and most effective benefits of these centuries-old heritage foods, in ways that make them easy to incorporate into your every day.

All of our superfoods are:

Certified Organic

Our surperfoods are 3rd-party certified organic. This ensures the integrity of our foods—and protects the environment and health of farmers.

Third-party Tested for Safety and Quality

Our facility and processing systems are certified organic, and are also certified under GMP and HACCP—important voluntary programs for ensuring food safety and quality.

Minimally Processed

All of our products use methods such as freeze-drying and low temperature processing to ensure maximum nutrition and flavor.

Sustainably Grown

Direct purchasing partnerships create and expand fair trade economic opportunities for farming communities in developing regions globally. What’s more, close relationships with suppliers help maintain our strict quality standards.

ORGANIC INDIA

Organic Tulsi Teas and Herbal Supplements for conscious, healthy living.

Our Vision

To be a Vehicle of Consciousness in the global market by creating a holistic sustainable business modality, which inspires, promotes and supports True Wellness and respect for all Beings and for Mother Nature.

Our Mission

To be a trustworthy and innovative global leader in providing genuine organic products and solutions for conscious, healthy living.

Our Values

Service to all
Total integrity
Absolute commitment to quality
Respect and devotion to Mother Nature
No compromise on being who we are

Our Commitment

To deliver exceptional quality True Wellness organic Tulsi tea products and herbal supplements to our consumers. To introduce a unique and successful business modality that is committed to service, sanctity and integrity and therefore harms no one and benefits all. To support natural sustainable organic agriculture practices that serve, honor and protect Mother Nature. To support the livelihood and well-being of farmers and tribal wildcrafters in rural India.

ORGANIC INDIA ™ means absolute commitment to quality. All our products are organic, pure and natural, because you want the best for your family and so do we.

The guiding principles of our company are health and happiness for all beings and great respect for the Divine Mystery of Mother Nature who selflessly sustains humanity and naturally provides us all with a bounty of nourishing foods and healing herbs.

True Wellness

True Wellness is the guiding principle of ORGANIC INDIA . We embrace the fundamental truth that everything, and all of us are interconnected. We understand that in order for True Wellness to be, it must include All: All beings; the whole earth; the visible and the invisible. True Wellness is our guiding light, so that we can be loving, respectful and compassionate towards all beings, while caring for, and serving Mother Nature.
True Wellness is a sustainable, holistic vision, an open invitation for All to celebrate the divine gift of Life.

LASSENS – NATURAL FOODS & VITAMINS

Worried about Plastic? Crystal Geyser is on it

New Bottles From Old

Let’s Clean it Up!

Testing, Testing!

Independent and Family Owned, Just Like Lassen’s!

Earth Day is in our DNA

Dr. Bronner’s — Since 1948 ﻿

All the Way from Canada!

Can Fats be Healthy? Yes!

Happy 100th Birthday to Our Founder, Oda Lassen!

Lassen's Started with a Brave Woman and a Problem to be Solved

From Immigrants to Entreprenuers

Happiness amidst Turmoil — Oda & Hilmar, Denmark, and World War II

A Love of Good, Healthy Living Started in Denmark

One Hundred Years Ago…

B Corps

The Honest Company

HERBATINT

THE CHANGE WE SEEK

Country Life

Authenticity of ingredients.

Cleanliness of ingredients.

Freshness of ingredients.

Consistency of the formula.

Accuracy of labeling.

Peeled Snacks

Our Real Food Philosophy

Making Healthy Snacks for 10 Years

What Is Organic?

Garden of Life

Making a Difference

NAVITAS Organics

Certified Organic

Third-party Tested for Safety and Quality

Minimally Processed

Sustainably Grown

ORGANIC INDIA

Our Vision

Our Mission

Our Values

Our Commitment

True Wellness

Dr. Bronner’s — Since 1948