Category Archives: additives

Harmful FDA Approved Food Additives

by MaryAnn Marksadditives, ingredients, labeling

What is a food additive?

A “food additive” is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as any substance that directly or indirectly becomes a component or otherwise affects the characteristics of any food. This includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation, or storage of food.

Food additives are used to maintain or improve safety, taste, texture, freshness, appearance, and nutritional value. The use of these additives is skyrocketing due to the increased production of prepared, processed, and convenience foods.

How are additives approved for use in foods?

To market a new food or color additive or for an alternative use, a manufacturer or other sponsor must first petition the FDA for its approval. Under the Food Additives Amendment, ingredients that are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) were exempted from the regulation process. GRAS food ingredients are generally recognized by experts as safe based on their history of use in food before 1958 or based on published scientific evidence. Among the several hundred GRAS substances are sugar, spices, vitamins, salt, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). As you'll see in this article, not all of these additives are as safe as GRAS status would lead you to believe.

What is a “direct” food additive?

According to the FDA, “direct food additives are those that are added to a food for a specific purpose in that food.” For example, using trisodium phosphate (TSP) in meat and poultry products to retain moisture and protect the flavor, using monosodium glutamate (MSG) to enhance the flavor or using carrageenan as a thickening agent.

The FDA maintains a database called “Everything Added to Food in the United States” (EAFUS) that contains over 3,000 ingredients approved to be added directly to food but does not require all of these ingredients to be listed on the label.

Several of these food additives are harmful and cause serious health issues!

Let’s take a closer look at a few dangerous, yet so-called safe, direct food additives, one of which can even be hidden on the label. Click on the name of each to be taken to a separate article where you can find out more about that additive's health risks and how to avoid it.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – The FDA does not require manufacturers to label foods with MSG unless the “added ingredient” is 99% pure MSG. The FDA does not require MSG to appear on the label if MSG is produced as a result of protein hydrolysis or a byproduct of protein processing. Furthermore, a product labeled “No added MSG” may still have MSG or free glutamic acid as a result of protein processing, as long as pure MSG was not added.
Carrageenan – Must be called out on the label. Long term use can cause chronic inflammation, which is the root cause of all chronic diseases. It's prevalent in ice cream, packaged meats, alternative dairy, and non-dairy products.
Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) – Prevalent in breakfast cereals: must be called out on the label. Long term use can lead to kidney damage, among other health concerns.

What is an “indirect” food additive?

“Indirect food additives are those that become part of the food in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or other handling but are not intended to be directly added to, become a component of or have a technical effect in or on the food,” according to the FDA. As an example, minute amounts of packaging substances may find their way into foods during storage, such as the well known example of plastic particles that seep into the water you drink from plastic water bottles.

Another lesser known example is “modified atmosphere packing” where oxygen is replaced with carbon monoxide so meat forms an attractive, bright red color and doesn’t oxidize as quickly. The carbon monoxide by itself isn’t harmful but this reaction prevents the meat from browning naturally with age, so it’s difficult to tell how fresh it really is. The meat could possibly already be spoiled when you purchase it because it still “looks good.” For this reason, the use of carbon monoxide in modified atmosphere packing is banned in the European Union (EU), but the FDA still permits this practice in the United States.

What to do to avoid these harmful food additives and packaging practices?

The long term damaging effects of these so-called generally recognized as safe food additives and food packaging practices the FDA is allowing the food industry to use should open your eyes to the fact the FDA does not have your best interest in mind. This means you have to take it upon yourself to “know what’s really in your food”… as Mira would say.

Start by avoiding all processed and packaged foods and instead eat whole (unrefined and unprocessed), organic (chemical-free and non-GMO) and nutrient-rich food that comes from as close to home as you can find.

Buy your meat, poultry, eggs and dairy from your local farmer whenever possible. This way you can make sure the cows are grass-fed/grass-finished and organic (not shot up with any hormones or antibiotics), the chickens are pasture-raised throughout their entire lives and neither animals are fed any grains.

Eatwild.com is a good site to find local farmers who sell grass-fed meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.
Realmilk.com is a good site to find local farmers who sell raw milk, meaning it’s not pasteurized (another harmful manufacturing process).
Findrealfood app is an app for your phone that finds “real” food (raw dairy, grass-fed meat, etc.) based on your specific location.
Check out Mira's Resources Page for a wealth of valuable information on where to find high quality products that Mira recommends.

Stay abreast of food recalls using the Foodsafety.gov site. There is an option on the left of this website called Get Automatic Alerts that will send you an email every time a new recall is announced.

Why Is Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) Added To Our Food?

by MaryAnn Marksadditives, ingredients, labeling

Trisodium phosphate (TSP) is an industrial cleaning product used as a degreasing agent, mildew remover and lead abating agent and to clean interior and exterior walls before painting. Because of its alkalinizing cleaning properties, TSP was used in dishwashing soap and laundry detergent until it was phased out in 2011 after the EPA found it was harmful to the environment. The Clean Water Act, published by the EPA, lists TSP as a “Hazardous Substance” while the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends to “Avoid All Contact." The CDC lists these TSP ingestion symptoms: abdominal pain, burning sensation, shock, or collapse.

If the EPA says TSP is hazardous to the environment and the CDC tells us to avoid all contact, why does the FDA allow it in our food and personal care products?

Why is TSP used in our food?

TSP is most commonly used to reduce the acidic nature of foods, especially breakfast cereals, as it modifies cereal color and aids in the cereal’s flow through the extruder. Other uses are:

Added to meat to retain moisture during storage and cooking.
Acts as a leavening agent to “fluff up” foods like cakes, breads and baked goods.
Added to cheese to help keep its shape and melting properties.

TSP is also used as an antimicrobial cleaner for washing produce. Poultry is dipped in a TSP solution to potentially kill off bacteria.

Why should you avoid food with TSP?

Studies have shown that ingesting high levels of phosphate (the major mineral in TSP) can cause kidney damage, soft tissue calcification and removal of calcium from bones. Chronic high levels of phosphate intake can result in osteopenia and ultimately osteoporosis. TSP also irritates the stomach and intestinal lining as well as reduces lactic acid in muscles.

What foods commonly contain TSP?

Breakfast cereals seem to be the products that most commonly contain TSP. Note that you may also see Sodium Phosphate, Disodium Phosphate or Tripotassium Phosphate on the label instead of Trisodium Phosphate. These also cause the same health problems as TSP.

Products Commonly Containing TSP
Breakfast Cereals		Other Foods	Personal Care Products
Cheerios* - all types Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cocoa Puffs Cookie Crisp Dora the Explorer Cereal Golden Grahams Kix - all types Lucky Charms	Raisin Nut Bran Reese's Puffs Heart Healthy Cereal Trader Joe's O's - all types* Mom's Best Cereals Honeycomb Trix Spongebob Squarepants Wheaties Total Raisin Bran	Lunchmeat Ham Other processed meats Processed cheese Cheese sauces Rice syrup Canned soups Cake mixes Bread Pizza dough Other baked goods	Toothpastes for adults, kids and babies Mouthwash Hair coloring and bleaching products

* These cereals have either trisodium or tripotassium phosphate (TPP). TPP is just as harmful as TSP.

Check out this slideshow of popular breakfast cereals that contain TSP.

The FDA has approved 70 mg/kg of body weight as the maximum tolerable limit of TSP that a person should ingest per day. (For a 150 lb person, this translates to 4,772 mg/day).

With TSP in all of these foods, we have no idea if we’re ingesting more than the maximum tolerable limit. So just to be safe, stay away from all foods containing TSP.

Avoiding Chinese Food But Still Consuming MSG?

by MaryAnn Marksadditives, ingredients, labelingingredients, MSG, read the label

If you think MSG is only in Chinese food, think again. This toxic flavor enhancer is allowed by the FDA to be hidden under dozens of ingredient names and is in all sorts of processed foods, especially canned goods, soups and low-fat foods as well as restaurant foods, beverages, chewing gums, supplements and even in packaged meats!

The side effects of MSG can be widely varied, making it difficult to connect ingestion with side effects.

People who ingest even small amounts of MSG are experiencing these side effects:

Stomach cramps
Nausea/vomiting
Diarrhea
Migraine headaches
Heart palpitations
Rapid heartbeat
Blurred vision
Joint pain
Sharp rise in blood pressure
Rapid drop in blood pressure

Stiffness in joints
Achiness all over body
Dizziness and loss of balance
Light headed
Depression
Frequent need to urinate
Swelling of the face
Pain or tightness in the chest
Shortness of breath
Numbing or burning sensation in mouth

What is MSG?

The amino acid called glutamic acid (aka glutamate) exists naturally in very small amounts in certain foods such as cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms and broccoli. In its natural and whole-food form, glutamate is important to the health of our brains, gut, immune system, kidneys and pancreas. The food industry chemically concentrates glutamate, freeing it from its whole food form, turning it into monosodium glutamate (MSG) and adding it to food to enhance the flavor. This allows us to consume glutamate at much higher levels than our bodies are designed to handle, resulting in serious brain issues that can even lead to death, particularly in athletes who typically have low levels of magnesium.

A recent scientific study done on rats has shown a direct link between MSG and female infertility. The study (from the International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences) found that not only did those rats given MSG have a significant body weight increase, the MSG induced considerable structural changes in their ovaries such as degenerated follicles and congested blood vessels of the ovaries. These abnormalities usually lead to anovulatory infertility.

How is MSG hidden on the label?

MSG occurs naturally during the chemical processing of ingredients such as hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast and soy extracts. While the FDA requires that these products be listed on the ingredient label, they DO NOT require the label to specify that they naturally contain MSG. Foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” on their packaging, but they can say “No added MSG”, even if the MSG is naturally occurring. These are marketing tricks that you need to watch out for.

What can you do to avoid buying products with MSG?

Buy only whole, unrefined, unprocessed, organic food and stay away from food with the following ingredients on their label:

Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG	Additives that OFTEN contain MSG	Additives that MAY contain MSG
Monosodium glutamate “Hydrolyzed” anything “Hydrolyzed” any “protein” Plant protein extract Sodium caseinate Calcium caseinate Yeast extract Autolyzed yeast Yeast extract Gelatin Anything “protein” Soy protein Whey protein** Soy sauce Anything "enzymes”	Carrageenan Bouillon and broth Stock Any “flavors” or “flavoring” Natural flavor “Malt” or “malted” anything Maltodextrin Seasoning and spices Citric acid, citrate Anything “ultra-pasteurized” Brewer’s yeast Pectin	Corn starch Corn syrup Modified food starch Lipolyzed butter fat Dextrose Rice syrup Brown rice syrup Milk powder Reduced fat milk “Low fat” or “no fat” Anything “enriched” Anything “pasteurized” Vinegar

** Non-hydrolyzed whey from organic grass-fed cows processed by low-temperature filtration or ion exchange is acceptable.

Hydrolyzed proteins can be found in bouillon products, dressings and dressing mix products, flavoring base and seasoning products, frozen food products, gravy mix products, prepared salad products, ready-to-eat meal products, sauce and marinade mix products, snack and snack mix products, soup/soup mix and dip/dip products, spread products and stuffing products.

Check out this slideshow of popular processed foods that contain MSG.

Reading the label to avoid MSG is also important for personal care products, such as shampoo, cosmetics, etc. as they may contain hydrolyzed proteins which we have learned is a code name for MSG.

For those who are significantly sensitive to MSG, check with your pharmacist as some medications use MSG as a binder or filler. If your medication does have MSG, the only way to avoid it is to consider using a compounding pharmacy.

What can you do to avoid MSG at restaurants?

MSG use in restaurants is widespread. To be proactive, ask your server which menu items are MSG-free, and when ordering, request that no MSG be added to your meal. Assume that any soup made at a restaurant has MSG or at least high amounts of table salt (which contains aluminum and should be avoided at all costs).

The only place where you "know what’s really in your food", as Mira would say, is in your own kitchen.

Glucerna – Is It A Healthy Choice?

by Miraadditives, artificial colors, gmo, ingredients, questions, sweeteners

Meal supplement beverages, such as glucerna, are frequently promoted by doctors for a variety of reasons. In some cases it may be due to concerns about the amount of protein a patient needs, or if they are a “picky eater” and not getting enough nutrients. An increasing number of these products are aimed at diabetics, purporting to help them control blood sugar levels. Sadly these products come with a massive ingredient list and are not as healthy as the manufacturer would have you believe.

What's in the can?

I've chosen Glucerna because it's one of the more popular products aimed at people with diabetes. It claims to “Help Minimize Blood Sugar Spikes”, has 190 calories, and provides 10 grams of protein. Just because something has a lot of protein does not mean that it's helpful for managing blood sugar. You need to read the label to see what's really in that can.

INGREDIENTS: Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, Fructose, Glycerol, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Soy Protein Isolate, High Oleic Safflower Oil. Less than 2% of the Following: Canola Oil, Soy Oil, Cellulose Gel, Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Phosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Liquid Sucralose, Potassium Hydroxide, Magnesium Chloride, Carrageenan, Turmeric Concentrate, Acesulfame Potassium, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, FD&C Red #3, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Chromium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Sodium Molybdate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Phylloquinone, Cyanocobalamin, and Vitamin D3.

That's quite a mouthful. Literally. So now let's break down that long list so you can really understand what you're getting.

Glucerna ingredients

Sugars

This product delivers 6 grams of sugar per serving. That's a lot of sugar in my book, especially for a beverage that's supposed to balance blood sugar. The very first thing that stands out for me on the ingredient list is that the first ingredient is water, meaning that most of this product is water.

When we go through the list of ingredients we see that it has several different sources of sugar and sweeteners. To have all of this in a product clearly aimed at people trying to better manage their blood sugar levels does not make sense.

Corn Maltodextrin: The corn is most likely genetically modified meaning that this has GMOs in it. I do not advocate consuming GMOs and recommend avoiding them as much as possible.
Fructose: This is probably from either sugar cane, sugar beets or corn. While I don't know which one it is I will point out that the sugar beets and corn are most likely to be from GMO sources. Excess consumption of fructose has also been shown to have a negative impact on the liver.
Glycerol: This is a sugar alcohol which can be synthesized or made from either plant (soy, i.e., GMO soy) or animal (tallow) sources
Sucralose: An artificial sweetener which can cause a host of negative health issues including migraines, dizziness, digestive disturbances, and allergic type reactions.
Acesulfame Potassium: Another form of artificial sweetener. Unfortunately studies appear to show that consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners may be linked to weight gain.

Other negative ingredients

Artificial flavor: Made from “proprietary chemical formulations” the actual ingredients are not required to be listed on the label as long as they are considered GRAS. However, many artificial flavor formulations have been shown to cause nausea, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, chest pain and more.
FD&C Red #3: Made from petrochemicals, this artificial dye can have a very negative impact on brain chemistry. Studies have positively linked inattentive type behaviors, anxiety, and aggression with consumption of artificial food colors.
GMO ingredients: In addition to the probable GMOs found in the sugars listed above, this product also has Soy Protein Isolate, Canola Oil, Soy Oil, and Soy Lecithin. Soy and canola are two of the most highly genetically modified crops currently out there and should be avoided.
Milk Protein Concentrate: Sometimes listed as MPC, this highly processed ultra-filtered product is highly likely to come from cows that have been treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics. These artificial hormones have been linked to overall immune system issues, metabolic syndrome, and even diabetes. Overconsumption of antibiotics through animal products have been linked with antibiotic resistant diseases.
Carrageenan: is made from red seaweed and is often highly problematic for those who have digestive issues.

Many of the other additives are most probably synthesized versions of the vitamins that they represent, not the forms found in nature which are more readily absorbed by the system.

Overall this is not a product that I would suggest for anyone. There are too many negative ingredients and I do not believe it's a product that delivers any sort of health benefit.

Update

When I posted this on my Facebook page it generated a number of comments asking what would be a good alternative. If you're looking for a protein drink there are powders that have a reasonable protein content, far less sugar, and few to no dubious ingredients. I encourage you to read the label and understand what's in the can before you make a choice. The object is to choose one that has no negative ingredients.

An even better choice than a beverage would be the addition of real foods that are nutritionally dense and provide balanced protein without junky ingredients. One of my favorites is soaked raw nuts or grass fed bison jerky. My friend and colleague Trudy Scott is a huge fan of tinned sardines. There are plenty of other options out there if you read the label.

Cheese Or Not Cheese?

by Miraadditives, dairy

Reading the label often starts with the front of the package. In the case of this product it allows you to skip the need to read the label altogether. As the graphic indicates, it's a cheese “product”, not really cheese. Sometimes you will see “cheese food” on the package. What's the difference? It turns out that to be declared a cheese food a product must be at least 51% cheese. If it is less than 51% cheese then it is classified as a cheese product. In both cases, cheese food and cheese product do not, in my book. qualify as cheese.

An important note, when purchasing cheese, or any other dairy product, you also want to avoid added hormones. This can be done by purchasing either organic dairy (the organic label does not allow for the use of artificial hormones in dairy production) or dairy products which are at least rBGH or rBST free. You can look it up or you can look on the label. Sometimes you will see the following statement on a dairy product

According to the Institute for Responsible Technology there are a number of companies that have pledged not to use this artificial hormone in their dairy products.

This is a positive step forward. As more consumers purchase milk that is free of added hormones, the more food producers and retailers will reject the use of this harmful additive. The hope is that eventually the United States will join countries like Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Argentina, and all of the countries in the European Union.

So read the front of the label, if it's not real cheese don't buy it. It if appears to be cheese, look at the rest of the label and make sure there are no added hormones.

Obesity Starts In The Past

by Miraadditives, sweeteners, weight

This Rewind The Future public service ad from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta shows the consequences of a lifetime of unhealthy choices and it's impact on obesity. Rewinding from a 32 year old man having a heart attack back through moments in his life that collectively brought him to that point.

The ad is a, hopefully, sobering look at how your food DOES matter. We're often taught “a calorie is a calorie, just eat less and exercise more.” To that I would like to point out the vast difference between 100 calories of broccoli and 100 calories of french fries. Our bodies are amazing but they still need the correct fuel to run properly. Borrowing a metaphor from Liz Lipski, “We fuel our bodies the way we fuel our cars. Stop. Gas. Go.” I'd like to point out that at least we give our cars the fuel they need. If you put water in your gas tank your car isn't going to make it very far. Unfortunately that's what we wind up doing with our bodies; sugar is not a healthy fuel choice, excessive and overwhelming amounts of unhealthy fats, chemicals, sodium, all add up to have a negative impact on health. I frequently say, and I strongly believe, you need to eat well to be well.

I do like this ad and I hope it shocks people and then gets them to make a change. I'd also like to point out the following:

1. It is never too late to make a change. Every thing that you do for health is one thing more than you were doing the day before. And it all adds up. Rather than giving up in defeat (“oh I'm already fat/sick/diabetic/ill”) resolve to love your body and your life by committing to make a change.

2. Food producers are large part of the problem, they create foods which are high fat, high sugar, highly addictive and then spend tens of millions of dollars marketing them. And we are surrounded by it every day in almost every setting. It's extremely challenging to make changes when you are immersed in an environment that's calculated to encourage you to eat poorly.

3. Part of #2 above but so important that I'm going to give it it's own number is the fact that manufacturers overload our food and deliberately seek out that perfect balance to make us desire them. And then claim that it is not in any way their fault. It's us, we should have better control. While I'm not saying that we do not have individual responsibility I feel strongly that they need to acknowledge their role in what's happening. Shoving excess sugar, fat, and chemicals into our food because they know it makes it seem to taste better is upsetting. Refusing to accept that this is a part of the issue is just plain wrong.

4. Family habits are…well…a habit. Set healthy ones for your family. It's not easy but it's worth it to make that focus on healthy eating, exercise, and wellness.

5. The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is that it takes so very long for these health issues to show up, in some cases decades. That makes it difficult to stay focused sometimes. We don't see the effects immediately after eating a particular food. It's after years of eating that way that our body finally begins to show the results.

One eye-opening movie that looks at some of this is Fed Up. A documentary to examines sugar in our food supply. Below is a trailer from the movie followed by a video of a 10 day no sugar challenge.

Sugar For Pregnancy

by Miraadditives, family, ingredients

We consume far too much sugar in this country. Manufacturers shove enormous amounts of it into a wide variety of foods making the amount that the average American eats shockingly high. According to information found at the Department of Health and Human Services, 200 years ago Americans ate an average of 2 pounds of sugar per year. Now, thanks to modern food production methods, combined with cheap and easy access to sugar, the average American eats 3 pounds per week! That's the equivalent of about 6 cups of sugar or approximately 1,500 calories worth (it varies depending on the type of sugar). The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day for women (9 teaspoons for men). Six teaspoons times seven days brings the total suggested consumption to 42 teaspoons or less than 1 cup of added sugar per week, an enormous difference.

The effects of excess sugar consumption are well known, weight gain, diabetes, cavities, gum disease, suppression of the immune system and a number of other issues. Obviously it makes sense to try to avoid excess sugars as much as possible.

One area where it especially makes sense to reduce sugars is for those who are pregnant. Excess sugar consumption by the expectant mother not only affects her health, but also that of her unborn child. Unfortunately this does not stop manufacturers from using excessive amounts of sugar in products aimed specifically at pregnant women.

I was shopping with a friend at a maternity store last week. As we waited at the checkout I noticed a few “impulse buy” products near the registers. Being the Food Ingredient Guru that I am I could not resist the impulse to pick them up, flip them over, and #ReadTheLabel. Here are the results of two of the items I saw:

Marketed specifically as candies for pregnant woman, this has 12 grams of sugar per 3 pieces. And the ingredients are not a healthy choice: dried cane syrup, corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, and natural colors. Breaking this down we have two kinds of sugar, one of which, the corn syrup, is most likely to be genetically modified. We also have citric acid which is often made from corn and therefore probably genetically modified. Natural flavor is often code for monosodium glutamate. I'm not sure in this instance as they talk about essential oils, but it's an ingredient that I feel would be best avoided.

The other product was a pregnancy “boost” bar with 8 grams of protein. It's important to remember that many protein bars are just glorified, grown-up candy bars. They're often not a healthy choice due to the high levels of sugar. This bar is no exception.

I find this one especially frustrating because the packaging specifically calls out health claims such as “bone health for mom and baby”, “supports baby's healthy brain function”, and :enhanced immune function”. However 13 grams of sugar per bar are not going to be supportive for the immune system.

The ingredients in this product are as follows:

Brown rice syrup, oats, milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk, chocolate liquor, dextrose, soy lecithin, vanilla), soy crisp (soy protein, tapioca starch, salt), toffee (evaporated cane juice, butter [cream, salt], crisp rice [rice flour, sugar, malt extract, salt]), brown rice crisp (brown rice flour, rice flour, distilled monoglycerides), soy nuts (soybeans, sugar, natural flavors, sunflower oil, salt), soynuts, almonds, vegetable glycerin, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, pear juice concentrate, non-fat dry milk, natural flavor.

Fortified with: calcium carbonate, magnesium citrate, cholecalciferol (vit D3), potassium iodine (iodine), choline bitartrate, ascorbic acid (vit C), zinc oxide.

The company does claim to use non-gmo soy however

The dextrose is from corn and probably genetically modified.
Sugar appears five times on the label.
The listed dairy products are not organic and therefore are likely to have added hormones, antibiotics, and potential pesticide residue and/or genetically modified on the feed given to the cows.
The soy crisp, rice crisp, and brown rice crisp are all exploded grains and as simple carbohydrates are quickly broken down impacting the blood sugar.
Malt extract and natural flavor are potential sources of MSG.

All of these combine to make this an unhealthy option. Consider instead having a real food snack such as an apple (if you're looking for something sweet), or a clean source of protein such as a handful of raw nuts or an organic whole milk yogurt with some fresh berries.

Remember that whatever the claim on the front of the package it's always important to Read The Label.

Ingredients In Strawberry Jam

by Miraadditives, fruit, jelly/jam, preserving

Who doesn't love strawberry jam?

When strawberries are fresh and in season there's nothing like them. That ripe, fragrant, delicious fruit that tickles your nose and makes your tastebuds sing. Strawberry season is also the perfect time of year to consider making your own strawberry jam. To illustrate why I've done a quick rundown on several brands of strawberry jam available at my local grocery store.

Just a few notes

About strawberries

Strawberries are one of the Dirty Dozen. Put together by the Environmental Working Group every year, this list shows the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to be contaminated by pesticides. In the case of strawberries, it's overwhelming.

Just last year the USDA examined pesticide levels in food. Strawberries were found to contain a wide variety of fumigants that were linked to developmental problems in children, cancer, hormonal disruption, neurotoxicity, and even some which were toxic to honeybees.

All of this adds up to make it vitally important that we choose organic strawberries. And strawberry products. Like jam.

What's in the jar?

As with any jar, the lid most likely contains BPA. Heat, pressure, and food contact are some of the ways that BPA can be transferred to the food. It's nearly impossible to avoid.

When looking at labels I deliberately did not choose those jars which contained artificial sweeteners. I believe these to be so toxic to the body that no one should eat them. Ever. So it did not make sense to include them in this post. I do want to point out, however, that there were just as many jars that contained artificial sweeteners as there were jars without.

Making strawberry jam

Strawberry jam is super easy to make on your own. Canning itself is a simple, albeit hot and humid, process. When I teach canning classes I usually teach how to make strawberry jam because it's so easy. After learning how to make it, invariably, the students say, “Is that it? That's so easy.” Yes it is. If you have a good source of organic fresh strawberries near you, consider making your own jam.

This very simple recipe comes from The Ball Blue Book. My copy is rather old, tattered, and stained. But the recipes are still delicious. This is a great book to start with if you're just learning about making jams, jellies, pickles, and chutneys. There's a host of good recipes in this book.

It is important when using this recipe to measure the amount of strawberries first and then crush. If you do it the other way you will make a delicious strawberry sauce but it won't set. If you have the opportunity to pick your own strawberries try to get some that still have the white tips on them. I find that these help to make it set better.

It's also important to use evaporated cane juice crystals and not sucanat. I'm assuming that it's because of the higher mineral content, but I have not had success using sucanat in canning.

Simple Strawberry Jam

Print Recipe

Servings 4 pints

Ingredients

2 quarts strawberries, washed, hulled, and crushed
6 cups evaporated cane juice crystals

Instructions

Combine berries and sugar in a large sauce pot.
Bring slowly to a boil stirring until sugar dissolves.
Cook rapidly until thick, about 40 minutes.
As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Pour hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
Adjust caps.
Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

February Is National Canned Food Month

by Miraadditives, grocery, Uncategorizedcanned goods, grocery

Due to the invention of canned foods in the early 1800's our ability to store food for long periods of time has dramatically increased. (I am always amused every time I remember the can opener wasn't invented until approximately 50 years after the invention of the can -- I discovered this while researching my book The Pantry Principle.) And if the ingredients in the can are dry or dehydrated in some way that storage can be as long as 30 years. Quite handy if you're preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse.

There are two major types of canned goods, those you make yourself at home (such as jams, pickles, chutneys, etc), and those you purchase at the grocery store. For the purposes of this post when I talk about canned goods, I'm referring to those that you purchase.

Leaving aside the matter of zombies, it is prudent to have some canned goods on hand either as part of a well-managed pantry, or in case of an emergency. While it's a great thought to prepare all of your food fresh and from scratch, in our over-scheduled American culture this can be a little difficult to achieve on a daily basis. And if the power goes out or there's a storm preventing you from getting out to the store it's helpful to have canned goods on hand.

How much you have on hand is a matter of calculation; determining how many people, how many days/meals you want on hand, and how you plan to rotate things through your storage. That's a little more complicated than can be addressed in a blog post. If you're interested in working with me to figure out your food storage needs email me and we'll schedule a time to talk.

When buying canned goods one of the big issues is what's in that can. I've talked about this before in The Pantry Principle as well as in blog posts like this one about peaches. Unfortunately many canned foods these days come with a raft of chemicals added to them. This is meant to extend the shelf life. However given the fact that there are alternatives I'm not convinced that we need to buy canned food with these health-harming additives in them.

One specific example that I use when demonstrating this to clients on a Grocery Store Tour* is coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is an option that is (a) more portable than the refrigerated cartons, and (b) easier than making your own (recipe below for those who really want to know how).

However many brands of canned coconut milk contain harmful ingredients that you don't want to consume such as sodium metabisulfate, polysorbates, and possibly citric acid which is, contrary to popular belief, not from lemons but often from corn, making it a probable genetically modified ingredient. So an important point when purchasing canned coconut milk, or any canned ingredient, is to look at the ingredients list and avoid ingredients you don't want to eat.

Even more challenging however is the use of BPA in many canned foods. And this includes those canned foods that come in jars because the lids have BPA in the lining. BPA is an obesogen, a hormone disrupting chemical, and something that you want to avoid as much as possible. Sadly it is extremely difficult to avoid it altogether as it also appears in paper products, grocery store receipts, DVDs, reusable cups, and other places. But the more we reduce BPA in our food, I believe the better off we are.

This requires more research, looking for brands which don't have BPA in their can lining. I have compiled a list, based on information from the vendors, that lists BPA free producers. Bear in mind that some of these companies are still in transition. However they are making the effort, and spending the money (BPA free linings are more expensive), to bring you a BPA free lined can:

Amy's
Eden Foods
Muir Glen
Native Forest
Sprout's - I believe they're still working on it
Trader Joe's - in transition
Wild Planet - in transition

On a side note: In the United States 1 in 6 people doesn't have enough to eat. Approximately 14 million of them are children. If you're cleaning out your pantry and shifting to foods which are free of chemicals and BPA you may want to donate them to the Food Pantry. If your budget has a little room to spare consider buying a little extra and donating it. As much as I teach and promote eating as clean as possible, I also believe that eating is better than not eating. It's a good-better-best philosophy. Click here to find a food pantry near you.

Something else to keep a lookout for which may be coming soon to a canned product near you is SLIPS. This stand for Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surface. It's a product which has been invented to get the container absolutely squeaky clean. Unfortunately it looks like it's going to be made from chemicals and infused into a teflon substrate which will then be used to coat or line the inside of your jars and bottles. I'm waiting and watching. If you find a ketchup container (or any other jar) that comes absolutely clean with no sticky bits and no scraping be sure to let me know.

Want to know what's really in your food? In addition to reading this blog you truly must have good resources at hand. One is to buy yourself a copy of The Pantry Principle, the other is to sign up for my newsletter. New subscribers also get a great free e-book, Eating Out Eating Healthy. It's all about learning how to eat well to be well.

And now here's that recipe I promised you.

Homemade Coconut Milk

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Ingredients

2 cups hot water
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

Blend together (I use my Vitamix) until it's creamy looking, 1-2 minutes
Strain into a fine mesh strainer (I have one I use for rinsing quinoa)
Press to get all of the liquid out
Store in the fridge, use within 2-3 days
Optional - 1-2 drops of vanilla added to this is fabulous when pouring into a cup of Teeccino

*Want your own personalized Grocery Store Tour? Contact Mira

Gummy Bears Give You Diarrhea

by Miraadditives, artificial colors, sweeteners

A friend of mine recently shared a link to a product she saw on Amazon; sugar free gummy bears. For those who like gummy bears this might seem like a great idea. I'm here to tell you that it's not. Gummy bears are normally not a great choice to begin with. Loads of sugar, glucose syrup, wax, starch, artificial flavoring, artificial colors, citric acid, and some form of gelatin. Obviously, as I've said, this is not a great choice.

This particular package of sugar free gummy bears? They're even worse. It starts with the fact this it comes in a five pound bag. That is just far to much junk food to consume, much less have around the house. If the sheer quantity is not enough to dissuade you how about the fact that smack dab in the middle of the page is this statement, “This product is a sugarless/sugarfree item with ingredients that can cause intestinal distress if eaten in excess.” Followed, further down the page, by this statement, “Safety Warning: Consumption of some sugar-free candies may cause stomach discomfort and/or a laxative effect. Individual tolerance will vary. If this is the first time you’ve tried these candies, we recommend beginning with one-fourth of a serving size or less. Made with Lycasin, a sugar alcohol. As with other sugar alcohols, people sensitive to this substance may experience upset stomachs.” Somehow none of that sounds tempting.

So what is this sugarless/sugarfree ingredient you ask? It's one you probably haven't heard of before called lycasin. A hydrogenated glucose syrup, also known as hydrolyzed starch (remember hydrolyzed is code for free glutamic acid and therefore a form of MSG). Derived from maltitol, a disaccharide made from corn (and probably genetically modified corn at that), it is known to cause bloating, flatulence, intestinal disturbance, and more. Online research revealed that according to a study done by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition a mere 15-20 of these gummy bears produced a significant laxative effect. And the more you ate the worse it was.

The reviews for this product are an unfortunate mix of horror and humor. One review claimed that this would be a much more delicious way to prep for a colonoscopy. Another claimed that after eating these they were “praying for a fart.”

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this, but my advice? Don't Eat That!!!