To improve human, ecological and economic health by increasing the cultivation and consumption of plant diversity.

From Dr. Cowan: The philosophy behind our company is simple and emerges from my almost 40 years of studying food and nutrition and from working with my patients.

My conception of a healthy diet is one that includes a liberal amount of healthy fats (grass-fed butter or ghee, coconut oil, olive oil) and proteins (wild fish, grass-fed land animals, pastured poultry and eggs) to build a healthy body, make hormones (fats), nourish our immune systems (fats and proteins) and obtain calories for energy (fats). These two categories of food should make up the bulk of most people's diets.

The plants have a different purpose. We eat grains (for those that tolerate them) as an energy food, and fruits and vegetables for their concentrated vitamins, minerals and varied phytochemicals, which are so important for human health. Unlike animals, plants are stationary and use chemistry to defend themselves against predators and disease. These chemicals also provide vitamins, antioxidants and other healing elements for humans.

In fact, taking our lead from healthy traditional peoples, we should strive to eat at least 10 to 12 different plants a day: some roots (carrots, beets), some stems (celery, Brussels sprouts), some leaves (kale, chard), and some fruits and flowers (tomatoes, zucchini). Eating different plant parts and colors is the surest way to avail ourselves of all the nutrients plants have to offer.

The problem is, even for someone with a large garden, it's challenging, if not practically impossible, to eat even five plants a day. Dr. Cowan's Garden powders were created to address this problem.