ALL'S FARE

A new Novi market goes au naturel.

BY DAVID MOSS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN

inviting atmosphere, fresh and tasty produce,
and samples galore. I tried some organic black-
berries that exploded with flavor. In the veg-
etable area, I bought some bok choy, peppers
Riding the backlash against super-sized,
and pea pods to include in a stir-fry.
calorie-laden, processed foods,
There are bulk items like gra-
stores catering to health-conscious
nola, oatmeal, nuts and herbs.
families are coming back into
Equal Exchange Fairly Traded
style. According to the Organic
Coffee is also available in bulk.
Trade Association, which repre-
The coffee is delicious and
sents hundreds of North American
comes direct from small-scale
businesses that produce and han-
farmer co-ops in Latin America,
dle organic food, consumer sales
Africa and Asia.
nationwide have topped $10 bil-
In the fish showcase, there's a
lion a year, nearly tripling since
nice selection of mostly organic
1997.
seafood and deep sea fish. Over
Organic meats, poultry, eggs
at the meat counter, Better
Ted Handels man: owner
and dairy products come from ani-
Health features grass-fed organic
mals that are given no antibiotics or growth
meats from local farms, including lamb chops
hormones. Organic fruits and vegetables are
— plain or marinated — steaks, and chicken
produced without using most conventional
breasts, either plain or already marinated in
pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic
ginger teriyaki, Jamaican jerk or lemon pepper
ingredients, or bioengineering.
sauces.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture does
The natural deli features meats and cheeses
not claim that organic food is safer or more
from Applegate Farms that are free of nitrates,
nutritious than conventionally produced food.
chemical preservatives, antibiotics, growth hor-
But advocates say it's common sense that food
produced with few, if any, chemicals and syn-
thetic ingredients is better for you.
Better Health Market features a clean and

alk into Novi's Better Health Market
and you'll find 23,000 square feet of
organic fruits and vegetables, meats,
fish and packaged items to satisfy any taste.

W

Better Health: 42875 Grand River, Novi
(248) 735-8100; 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily

8 •

JUNE 2005 •

JNPLATINUM

mones, gluten and casein. There is also a salad
and soup bar, as well as prepared foods to take
home and just re-heat, that are all organic.
Grocery items include a large selection of
bottled water, juices and teas, and olive oils,
rice and pasta. In addition to some brands that
you might not recognize, Better Health fea-
tures Newman's Own as well as Amy's
Organic.
Other aisles are divided by ethnicity, with
foods of Hispanic, Asian and Jewish origin.
There's also plenty of wheat-free, gluten-free
and low-carb products.
People on the go will love the selection of
energy bars. Parents will appreciate the choices
of fiber-rich, low-sugar and low-sodium cereals
by Envirokidz, which my kids love.
Over in the frozen food aisle, the store has
plenty of Amy's Organic main dishes and sides,
and I was happy to see that in addition to the
Soy Delicious "ice cream," there was a space
for my old friends, Ben & Jerry's.
In addition to food, the store sells floral,
bath and beauty items, vitamins, nutrition sup-
plements and even diapers.
Health-conscious shoppers in the Novi area
will welcome this store.

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For past restaurant, reviews, go to
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