Category Archives: ingredients

Jell-O Simply Good (or Still Just As Bad?)

by additives, ingredients, labeling

Kraft recently released a new line of “Jell-O Simply Good” products. According to them, they are “delightfully honest” and “made with the good stuff.”

However, I found several questionable ingredients still lurking inside. Let's take a look…

A Closer Look at the Ingredients in Jell-O Simply Good

Cane sugar is the most abundant ingredient in this product (19 grams per 1/2 cup serving to be exact). And it's most likely made from genetically modified and pesticide laden sugar cane.

Gelatin gives Jell-O its gel-like consistency. And it can be a health-promoting ingredient if sourced from grass-fed and pastured raised cows. However, in this case, the source of gelatin is unknown.

Dried strawberry juice provides a “natural” flavoring. But, it doesn't add any nutritional value. In fact, it only adds more sugar.

Adipic acid gives Jell-O a bit of tartness. While it is an organic compound, adipic acid is the precursor of nylon. And it rarely occurs in nature.

Disodium phosphate helps control acidity. Scientists synthesize it by combining phosphoric acid with a sodium compound. According to the Environmental Working Group, sodium phosphates may increase one's risk of heart and/or kidney disease when consumed in excess.

Sodium citrate also controls acidity. And it is generally considered safe in small doses. However, it's most likely made from genetically modified corn. Thus, those with corn allergies should avoid products with sodium citrate.

Natural flavor additives lead consumers to believe the flavor is all natural. However, this is far from the truth. While the final product is derived from something found in nature, chemical solvents are used to manufacture them. Further, food companies are not required to disclose the actual contents of natural flavors. Thus, we'll never really know!

It's also worth noting that Jell-O Simply Good truly gets its flavor from these “natural” flavors as opposed to strawberry juice. Juice is actually quite bland and its flavor diminishes over time. On the other hand, scientists specifically design natural flavors to be potent and shelf-stable.

Fumaric acid is another additive used for tartness. In general, small quantities are considered safe.

Turmeric oleoresin is supposedly a “natural” coloring agent made from turmeric. However, volatile chemical solvents are used to make it. And when fed to rats and mice in this study, it had carcinogenic effects.

According to the same study, consumption of turmeric oleoresin was also associated with a higher incidence of stomach ulcers and inflammation of digestive organs.

And in case you're wondering, human safety studies don't exist. They wouldn't be ethical. And this is true for most food additives.

Vegetable juice is used for coloring in this product. And it's relatively benign. However, the type of vegetable juice used is unknown. And the vegetables are most likely grown with pesticides.

Jell-O Simply Good versus Original Jell-O Mixes

The main difference between Jell-O Simply Good and the original Jell-O mixes is the removal of artificial flavors and dyes. This is a step in the right direction. But, far from “simply good” or “delightfully honest” in my opinion.

Other than the flavors and colors, the products are almost identical. Both have questionable additives, zero nutritional value, and an abundance of refined sugar.

A Healthy Alternative

real gelatin peach gummiesAs previously mentioned, gelatin can be a nutritious addition to your diet. However, quality matters. I recommend using a clean, no additive gelatin made from grass-fed and pastured raised cows.  My preferred brand is Vital Proteins.

Here is a fun recipe you can use to make homemade “jello” gummies with fresh juice and natural sweeteners.

Do you already use gelatin? If so, what are your favorite ways to incorporate it into your diet?

Ingredients Based On Corn

by additives, gmo, grocery, ingredients,

Corn is one of the most highly genetically modified (GM) ingredients in the United States.  Because of the challenges that genetic modification presents for our health and for the environment, I encourage people to eat organic corn. This also helps to avoid the high levels of pesticides and glyphosate used in growing the crop. The ability to use these chemicals are the primary reason for the genetic modification in the first place.  

Varieties of corn

There are many different forms of corn. When eating fresh, frozen or canned, it is sweet corn which only represents approximately 1% of all the corn we grow in the United States.  Field corn, sometimes referred to as dent corn, is the most common variety grown in the U.S. It represents nearly 60% of the entire corn crop. This variety is used for ethanol and livestock feed.   

Other uses for corn include corn flour, corn starch, corn syrup and in the confectionary business.  Popcorn is a separate variety. According to the Popcorn Board, the average American eats 42 quarts per year for a total consumption of 13 billion quarts.

Corn is also used in the textile industry and as a biodegradable plastic.

On the label

Corn by itself is easy to identify in foods or on the label. The challenge is that it can be turned into a rather startling variety of ingredients. These ingredients make an appearance in nearly every single food category at the grocery store. This is problematic for the nearly 10 million people in the U.S. diagnosed with an allergy to corn. 

For those trying to avoid it, whether due to allergies or a desire to avoid GM contamination, it's not always easy to know which ingredients got their start from corn.  If you're looking to avoid GM products the easiest way is to choose either organic or GMO Project Verified products.  In the case of a food sensitivity or allergy use this list as a resource to help you know which products to avoid.

Corn-based ingredients

  • Ascorbic Acid - also sometimes listed as vitamin C
  • Baking Powder - this may contain cornstarch
  • Brown Sugar - made from white sugar with caramel coloring added 
  • Calcium Citrate - also known as 'calcium salt of citric acid' 
  • Caramel - coloring agent frequently used in soft drinks.  Can be made from cane sugar but most commonly made from corn; a known carcinogen
  • Cellulose - a form of plant fiber (note: this ingredient can also be made from wood) 
  • Citrate - this sour flavor enhancer comes in several different forms: Calcium Citrate, Magnesium Citrate, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Citrate, etc. 
  • Citric Acid - made by adding the mold Aspergillus niger to a base of corn steep liquor, molasses, hydrolyzed corn starch, or other cheap sweet solutions
  • Corn
  • Corn Meal – as well as being used for cooking, cornmeal can be used for dusting baked items
  • Corn Starch – may be found in OTC tablets
  • Corn Syrup - may be found in liquid OTC medications such as cough syrup
  • Decyl Glucoside - often found in shampoo and other personal care products
  • Dextrin, Maltodextrin – used as a  thickening agent for condiments, frozen confections, and other foods
  • Dextrose (glucose) – found in sweets, may also be present in processed meats
  • Ferrous Gluconate - an ingredient found in black olives
  • Flavoring - Artificial or "Natural Flavors" may be corn-based
  • Golden Syrup 
  • Honey - HFCS is sometimes fed to bees causing their honey to then have corn in it
  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
  • Iodized Salt - Dextrose may be added to iodized salt to help stabilize the iodine 
  • Lactic Acid 
  • Magnesium Citrate - Magnesium salt of citric acid
  • Magnesium Stearate
  • Malic Acid
  • Malt/Malt Flavoring
  • Maltitol - a sugar alcohol made by hydrogenating maltose
  • Maltodextrin
  • Maltose
  • Mannitol - This sugar alcohol is often blended with corn-based sugars
  • Methyl Gluceth - a cosmetic emollient
  • Modified Food Starch
  • Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - MSG can be made from corn
  • Polydextrose
  • Polysorbates (i.e. Polysorbate 80)
  • Potassium Citrate 
  • Powdered Sugar - may contain cornstarch
  • Saccharin
  • Sodium Citrate 
  • Sodium Erythorbate - may be made from beets, corn, or sugar cane
  • Sodium Starch Glycolate - may be made from corn, rice, or potatoes
  • Sorbitan - made by dehydrating sorbitol  
  • Sorbitan Monostearate - may be found in various types of yeast (baking, brewing)  
  • Sorbitol – this sugar alcohol often appears in diet candies or gum, can also be in oral care products
  • Starch – unless otherwise specified (such as potato starch) this is probably cornstarch
  • Sucralose - Splenda is often made with dextrose or maltodextrin 
  • Sweet’N Low - made with dextrin 
  • Vanilla Extract – may be made with corn syrup 
  • Vinegar, Distilled White 
  • Xanthan Gum - often grown on a base of corn or corn sugar 
  • Xylitol - can be made from birch or corn, in the US it is frequently corn
  • Zein – used in time-release medications

More Food Allergy Info

All About Eggs
Do You Have Oral Allergy Syndrome?
Food Intolerance Testing

 

 

 

 

What’s Really In Sport Drinks?

by drinks, ingredients, water

I'm going to be blunt. Under no circumstances would I recommend commercial sport drinks. Period.  Well, maybe if you are dehydrated (literally) and no other liquid exists for miles. 

Sadly commercial sport drinks such as Gatorade and Vitamin Water are nothing but liquid sugar and chemical additives. The cons far outweigh any benefit. Most young children simply need water. Teenage and adult athletes may need extra support, but there are much healthier alternatives. And I guarantee professional athletes are not drinking Gatorade despite the advertisements you see on TV.

A Closer Look at the Ingredients in Sport Drinks

While there are minor differences in different sport drinks, many of them have the similar ingredients. Let's take a closer look at the ingredients in Gatorade…

Gatorade sport drinks nutrition label

Water: Good!

Sugar: And lots of it! An entire 16-ounce bottle contains a little more than 13 teaspoons of sugar. It's counterproductive to encourage our kids to play sports to be healthy, but then load them up with sugar. Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) are the primary source of added sugars in the standard American diet. And several studies have linked SSBs to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease [1].

Dextrose: Just another form of sugar. Unfortunately this form of sugar is made from corn and therefore most likely to be genetically modified (GM).

Citric Acid: A flavoring and a preservative. It may seem harmless because it is naturally found in fruit, but the citric acid found in foods and beverages is chemically produced from black mold secretions.  It's also another product that comes from corn and another source of GM contamination.

Natural Flavor: Don’t let the name fool you. The “fruit punch” does not get its flavor from real fruit. These are flavors made in a laboratory. And no one really knows how or what is used to make them.

Salt: Salt is one of the electrolytes (the other major electrolytes are calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and phosphate) however sea salt would be a better option here because it actually provides minerals. 

Sodium Citrate: A “sodium salt of citric acid” this chemically processed food additive is used to regulate acidity. It has a potential to cause allergic reactions, dizziness, or restlessness. 

Monopotassium Phosphate: This ingredient is a potassium salt that has the potential to cause abdominal discomfort. It's a common food additive as well as a fertilizer and fungicide. 

Modified Food Starch: Another chemically processed food stabilizer.

Red 40: Artificial dyes are linked to behavior disorders and hyperactivity in children. Some kids are more sensitive than others. For those that are sensitive, it can be disastrous for them and their families. These dyes are made from petroleum and coal tar and are banned in several other countries. [2]

Glycerol Ester of Rosin: A food additive designed to keep oils suspended or evenly mixed in water. It is produced from pine tree wood rosin using a long list of chemicals.

Caramel Color: Another artificial coloring additive. Unfortunately it contains 4-methylimidazole which has been linked to cancer.

Unfortunately the “zero-calorie” options typically contain the exact same ingredients. However instead of sugar, they use artificial sweeteners. While many people turn to artificial sweeteners to consume fewer calories, studies have actually linked them to weight gain. [3]

Healthy alternatives

There are more “natural” brands on the market today, but they’re mostly made of concentrated fruit juice (another form of liquid sugar). And they still have a few unnecessary additives. Therefore, why buy over-sugared drinks when water is a much healthier, and cheaper, option.

And from an environmental standpoint, we’d use much less plastic if every team player brought a reusable water bottle filled from home. Further, you'll also your reduce exposure to the harmful aspects of plastic by using a glass or stainless steel container.

While one sport drink won’t cause permanent harm, drinking them routinely is another story.

When you or your children truly need a source of electrolytes after an intense or prolonged period of physical activity, try one of these options instead:

  • Make your own electrolyte drink by combining water, lemon, raw honey and sea salt
  • Make an agua fresca
  • Choose coconut water, a well balanced electrolyte beverage (but, be sure to read the label and avoid harmful additives)

 

Containers

One other issue with sports drinks and vitamin waters is that they come in a plastic container. This is a problem due to the BPA (to learn more watch my interview with Lara Adler, The Environmental Toxins Nerd). Bring your own drinks with you and use glass or stainless steel containers as your healthiest option. My personal favorite is Glasstic, a shatterproof plastic cylinder around a glass center cylinder. Easy to take apart and wash in the dishwasher, the company claims these are the last water bottle you'll ever need. I bought three over a year ago and they're still going strong. Get 10% off with this link.

* * * * * * 

Resources:

[1] Sugar Sweetened Beverages: Over time, too much liquid sugar can lead to serious disease
[2] Food additives and hyperactive behavior in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-0ld children 
[3] Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings 

 

Clean Label Starches: Better For You Or Just Another Bait & Switch?

by additives, ingredients, labeling

Are clean label starches a healthy choice? Well, the answer depends on whom you ask. If you ask the food manufacturers, clean label starches are definitely a better choice over more traditional modified food starches. Not because clean label starches are actually better for you, but because they allow processed foods to have a cleaner looking list of ingredients.

What are Food Starches?

Both starch additives are derived from ingredients such as corn, potato, tapioca and wheat. Both are modified from their original native state to withstand extreme food processing conditions, such as ultra high heat and homogenization.

So what’s the difference? It all comes down to HOW the starches are modified.

Modified versus Clean Label Starches

Chemicals (usually acids) are used to make modified food starches. As a result, the FDA requires them to be labeled as “modified” food starches.

On the other hand, clean label starches are produced by physical means, such as purification and heat treatment. Since no chemicals are used, a clean label starch may simply be referred to as “starch.”

Why use Food Starches?

Modified food starches and clean label starches both act as thickening agents, emulsifiers and stabilizers in many processed foods. Both are added to improve “mouth-feel” as well as maintain a desired texture and taste.

clean label starch in yogurtModified food starches are found in a wide variety of foods.  One example is yogurt. Take a look at the list of ingredients of this popular brand of fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt:

INGREDIENTS: Cultured Pasteurized Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Cane Sugar, Non-GMO Corn Starch, Organic Natural Vanilla Flavor, Organic Carob Bean Gum, Organic Vanilla Bean Specks, Gellan Gum

One of the biggest hurdles manufacturers face with fat-free products is texture. This is where starch additives come to the rescue. They produce a thick and creamy yogurt in the absence of fat.

“Corn starch” sounds cleaner and more natural than “modified corn starch.” But from a health standpoint, clean label starches are no better than their chemically treated counterparts. Clean label starches are just another bait and switch in my opinion.

Potential Health Concerns

Both starches are nutritionally void. And it’s not always clear what ingredient the starch was originally derived from. In most cases it’s genetically modified corn, but not always.

There are also concerns regarding cross-contamination during the manufacturing process. So be extra careful if you have any food allergies and/or sensitivities.

Some argue modified starches are difficult to digest and there is some scientific evidence to support this. Scientists in this study found certain modifications decreased the rate of digestion in vitro. However, they put a positive spin on it. They suggest modified starches may act as a good source of resistant starch.

The truth is resistant starches aren’t all bad. Our bodies can’t digest them, but they do feed the good bacteria in our digestive tract. And a healthy gut flora is essential to optimal health. However, moderation is still necessary, especially for those with digestive conditions. And most importantly, there are much healthier sources of resistant starch available, such as whole grains, legumes, seeds and cooked then cooled potatoes.

Other Potential Hidden Ingredients

Lastly, there’s buzz about modified starches containing up to 10% maltodextrin, a complex sugar and a common hiding place for monosodium glutamate (MSG). But without access to industry formulations, we’ll never really know!

Healthy Alternatives

When it comes to Greek yogurt, there are several truly clean options available. But, only if you buy it “plain” and spice it up at home.  Or you can make your own Greek style yogurt by straining 32 ounces of plain, organic, whole milk yogurt in a lined colander overnight.

For a treat, top your yogurt with fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. If a little sweetness is needed, add a drizzle of raw honey or pure maple syrup. A little bit goes a long way!

In Conclusion…

As always, you need to read the ingredient lists to know what’s in your food. But even then manufacturers keep coming up with new ways to trick consumers. When it comes to food starches, both the chemically modified and clean label versions are nothing more than highly processed additives manufacturers use to make foods highly palatable.

To stay in the know about other clean label ingredients food manufacturers are using, sign-up for Mira’s newsletter today! As a thank you, you’ll receive a free copy of Mira’s eBook “Eating Out, Eating Healthy”. It’s packed with tips for making healthy choices when eating out.

Cream Of Whatever Soup

by ingredients

It's winCream of mushroom soup - Campbellstertime and meal planning seems to turn to soups, stews, and casseroles.  For a lot of people that includes taking a shortcut by using some kind of creamy soup as one of the ingredients in their recipe.  Unfortunately while this seems to save time it's actually not a great idea.

What's in that soup can?

When it comes to canned products there are number of ingredients that are used in order to make the product more shelf stable. Or they're added because they're cheaper, easier to source, and more convenient for the producer.

For a lot of people using cream of potato/mushroom/onion/whatever in a recipe is something that they have a difficult time giving up.  Just adding milk to the recipe doesn't really seem to work out too well as it's too much liquid.  So they make a lot of changes but hold on to their creamy condensed soup-in-a-can.

I'm not only talking about Campbell's here.  All of the canned soup companies use these types of ingredients in them.  This just happens to be the one that I'm talking about for the purposes of this article.  Remember, if you're going to buy canned soups you must read the label and avoid negative ingredients.

Luckily you don't need to rely on the can.  But let's start by looking at what's in that can and then I'll share my favorite cream of whatever soup mix recipe.

Ingredient breakdown

Cream of mushroom soup ingredients - Campbells

  • Funny enough even though it's condensed soup the first ingredient is still water.  That means you're paying a lot for all of these ingredients but mostly water
  • The vegetable oils include corn, canola, and soy, three of the most genetically modified foods on the face of the planet.  GMO foods are not a great choice for health, you can read a brief blurb about it here
  • Modified food starch is often made with corn (making is a GMO) and can be more difficult for your digestive tract to process
  • Monosodium glutamate can cause a wide range of health issues.  In this particular can it's there as monosodium glutamate, but may also be present as part of the “yeast extract”
  • Soy protein concentrate is obviously made from soy and is therefore a probable GMO ingredient. Extracted from defatted soy flour there may be a concern about pesticide accumulation during the concentration process as GMO crops tend to be heavily sprayed with glyphosate
  • Dehydrated cream is most likely to be from cows treated with rBGH, an artificial hormone linked to increased risk for diabetes, cancer, and several other heath issues.  It's also been shown that cows treated with rBGH have a higher risk for mastitis and infertility
  • Flavoring is a very generic term and we don't really know what it includes

Homemade alternative

Instead of reaching for the can, consider making your own cream of whatever soup mix.  Because it's a powder it is shelf stable for quite some time and you can make enough to always have on hand for your favorite recipes

Cream of Whatever Soup Mix
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups powdered organic milk
  2. 3/4 cup organic cornstarch
  3. 1/4 cup organic bouillon powder or organic bone broth powder
  4. 2 tbsp dried onion flakes
  5. 1 tsp dried basil
  6. 1 tsp dried thyme
  7. 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. To use simply mix 1/3 cup of dry mix with 1 1/4 cups of cold water in a saucepan
  2. Cook and stir until thickened
  3. If desired add 1/2 cup of additional items such as diced mushrooms
  4. Can also add directly to a casserole calling for cream of soup
Notes
  1. Store in an airtight glass jar
  2. Keeps well for 3-4 months
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
 
Enjoy using this and be sure to share your favorite recipes that call for cream of whatever soup mix below

Top 10 Ingredients To Avoid

by additives, artificial colors, fats and oil, gmo, ingredients, labeling, sweeteners

I'm often asked which ingredients we should avoid in our food.  There really isn't a simple answer for that.  I could say all of the fake ones, but that leaves you to decide which ones are fake.  And truthfully some of them aren't "fake", meaning they're not entirely from chemicals.  They're just highly modified.  Either because they've been through some sort of a chemical process to invert, alter, or manipulate their chemical structure to change them significantly from their original form. 

An overview of Splenda (TM)

A perfect example of manipulation is Splenda.  It started out as sugar (which some could argue is highly processed, stripped of all minerals and therefore not a great choice to begin with).  In processing it becomes modified by the addition of sucralose which is made by replacing three hydrogen-oxygen atoms and inserting three chlorine atoms in their place. Because it contains less than 5 calories per serving it's labeled as having no calories.  (A single packet, weighing 1 gram, actually provides 3.36 calories -- a miniscule amount, however this is still misleading labeling).

Unfortunately Splenda (TM) is far from the harmless non-nutritive sweetener that it's advertised to be.  It has been shown to alter intestinal pH and reduces intestinal microflora.  We need a balanced pH for good health.  We also require beneficial levels of bacteria to help support good digestive health.

According to one report published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, there seems to be some evidence that Splenda (TM) may not be as biologically inert as advertised.  It also appears that exposure to high temperatures can cause it to break down into a toxic substance.

Ingredient Overview

While I frequently write about what ingredients are, where they appear, and other information you need to be aware of in the newsletter, I also recognize that it's helpful to have a "cheat sheet" of sorts to give you an overview and help you break it down a little bit further.  So I've created the infographic below.  These are my top ten "baddies" and the ones that you really want to watch out for.  Print it out, write it down, whatever you need to do to be able to bring this information with you to the grocery store. 

Note: click on each card to zoom in. 

If you're looking for more in-depth information about ingredients your best resource is The Pantry Principle:  how to read the label and understand what's really in your food. 

For regular, weekly updates on what's going on in the world of food manufacturing and processing be sure to check out my newsletter, Food News You Can Use.

The Myth Of Weight Loss Programs

by ingredients, weight

A new book is out that accuses Weight Watchers of targeting and tricking women.  (This blog post is not meant to be a dismissal of Weight Watchers alone.  It's more of an observation of the industry as a whole.) In the article the author of the book shares a couple of sobering thoughts:

“I would boldly stand by the claim that health food, today's health food is worse for you than junk food. It's usually the same thing; the difference is that no one eats Fritos or Papa John's thinking it's good for them.”

“The whole game is about distracting people. It's kind of like a magic trick. If we're pointing out to you, “Hey, look over here because it's low fat!” it's because we're distracting you from the fact that it's high sugar.”

The article essentially boils down to a couple of truths.

  1. Crutch foods don't teach you how to eat real food – if you're being taught how to lose weight because you're buying snacks, meals, and foods from a particular company and you can only buy their products, chances are once you go off that you will gain weight again.  This is because you get stuck in their system, you're not learning how to nourish your body independent of their products.
  2. You MUST read and understand the label – the article actually encourages people to avoid reading the label. I believe that's the wrong approach.  Yes, you can be easily mis-lead and manufacturers do manipulate in a number of different ways.  However I believe that if you understand the label and know what you're looking at, this is your best option to be able to make informed, intelligent decisions about your food.

I know a lot of people who have successfully lost weight with Weight Watchers. Unfortunately I also know a lot of people who have lifetime memberships. If you've lost weight that's wonderful and I'm happy for you. Really I am. But if you're yoyo-ing and you think it's your fault I want to tell you you're really not to blame.  The truth is even though you lost weight on the program, you still haven't learned how to eat real food.

Another truth? Not everyone who eats real food is super skinny. Thin does NOT equal healthy.  In some cases thin is unhealthy.  That's counter to what the beauty industry, all those glamor magazines, and the weight loss industry would have you believe.  But I promise you there are people out there who are thin and unhealthy.  What's more important is to be nourished.  To learn to avoid crappy ingredients, to be healthy in body and mind, and to eat real food.

What’s That Flavor?

by additives, artificial colors, gmo, grocery, ingredients, labeling, snacks

what's that flavor

Food manufacturers are always looking for new ways to keep consumers engaged with their brands.  They're also looking for new ways to encourage you to eat, or a new flavor to tempt you with.  After all, the more you eat, the more profitable their product is.  Unfortunately this has turned us into a nation of snackers.

We've been so effectively marketed to that we think we have to have snacks.  Even more than that, when we say the word snack most people think chips, pretzels, granola bars, or other high carbohydrate foods which deliver a lot of calories and little to no actual nutrition.  

a snack is not a meal

Unfortunately the more we snack the less hungry we are when meal time comes around.  So perhaps we don't eat a real meal.  And then a couple of hours later we're hungry again and it's time for another snack.  By the time you get to the end of the day it's possible that you've simply snacked for the entire day.  You go to bed, wake up, and do it all over again. The challenge is that you're just making yourself hungrier and hungrier.  Your belly may be full, but your body is not nourished.

Snacking is not meant to replace mealtime.  It's a mini-meal.  A little something to keep you going if you're hungry in between regular, nourishing meals.  Preferably something that has a little protein and a healthy fat.  Healthy snacking can help to keep your blood sugar stable.  All day snacking, especially with high carbohydrate snack foods can put you in the front row seat of the blood sugar rollercoaster.

manufacturer manipulation

As part of their effort to keep you snack-engaged, food manufacturers sometimes run campaigns designed to get consumer feedback on flavors.  One example is the Pepsi Co. “Do Us A Flavor” campaign which they've been running since 2012.  [I'm deliberately not linking to it because I don't want to participate in bringing attention to it — you'll see why in just a minute]  Thanks to this campaign they've come up with different, unusual flavors of potato chips such as Korean Barbeque or Smoked Gouda and Chives.  Some manufacturers are looking to build brand excitement by “retiring” flavors or creating “limited editions” in an effort to create a scarcity effect.

By creating these campaigns the manufacturers are hoping to build further brand engagement.  To hook you a little bit more closely to the brand.  They don't need to guess at developing new products.  Consumers tell them exactly what they want so the manufacturer can make it.  It allows them to save money and tempt you to eat more snacks.

All of these flavors, however, don't add up to good nutrition.  They simply add up to more chemicals and more calories. 

new flavors

 

resources

If you're looking for a healthy snack check out this article on protein snacks to boost energy.

Want to know more about flavors and how they're used in food?  

When you're looking for a snack, remember, a snack is not a meal.  Choose a little something with some protein in it and have just enough to get through your day to your next meal.  You'll feel better and your metabolism will be more balanced because of it.

Boy Scout Popcorn – What’s In That Bag?

by additives, gmo, ingredients,

It's Girl Scout cookie time. Everywhere you turn, at the grocery store, at the mall, outside shopping centers, are young girls dressed in their uniforms, selling cookies.  And if you live in suburbia, they're knocking at the door, earnest little faces selling what is arguably one of America's favorite cookies. However people are more aware of what's really in those cookies and it seems like everywhere you turn people are complaining about the trans-fats, the GMOs, plus all the other negative ingredients.  The Food Babe even wrote an article dissecting the cookies and their ingredients.  *

I was talking about this with someone recently and she mentioned that she no longer buys Girl Scout Cookies because as much as she loves them she doesn't want to eat all of the negative ingredients. Then she followed up with, "Thank goodness popcorn is safe. Because I love my Boy Scout Scout popcorn, we always buy enough to last the whole year."  Ummm, excuse me? Well that's a big whoops. Everyone is so focused on the Girl Scouts and their cookie sales that no one is really paying attention to Boy Scout Popcorn. Unfortunately it's not as great as you might think. Let's take a moment and look at the label of just two of the different flavors.

What's in the Popcorn?

Mira_PopcornInfoGraph1_FIN

Mira_PopcornInfoGraph2_FIN

Important Points

More than just what's in the infographic is the story behind a few of the ingredients:

  • The dairy products are most likely to be from conventionally raised cows. These animals are given antibiotics, a lot of antibiotics.  In fact some estimates are that more than 70% of all antibiotics prescribed in this country are given to animals, not to directly to humans.  Studies have shown that overuse of antibiotics does contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria. You can read more about it here, here and here.
  • Citric Acid sounds safe enough, most of us think of it as being sourced from citrus fruits. Unfortunately in the world of food production that would be too time consuming and too expensive. This citric acid is most likely to be made from fermenting mold with genetically modified corn. Virtually all of the citric acid in the U.S. is manufactured this way.
  • By now many of you are aware of the fact that trans-fats have been banned. However manufacturers have until 2018 to remove them completely from their products and they can apply to the FDA for a permit allowing them to continue to use it.

In August when the Boy Scouts start knocking on your door you may want to reconsider buying that popcorn. By all means, continue to support your local troop; but consider making a donation directly to them rather than buying the popcorn.

And if you want popcorn? My suggestion is to make it at home. Here's my favorite recipe:

Delicious Noosh Popcorn

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Ingredients
  

  • organic popcorn
  • 2-3 tablespoons organic cold pressed coconut oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1-2 tablespoons dulse flakes
  • 1 tablespoon Himalayan sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Pop popcorn in hot air popper according to directions
  • While popcorn is popping melt coconut oil
  • In a separate bowl mix together nutritional yeast, dulse, and salt
  • When popcorn is done drizzle coconut oil over popcorn
  • Sprinkle dry mix over popcorn and oil
  • Mix well to combine
    Enjoy!

* Full disclosure: I used to be a Girl Scout, a Girl Scout Leader, and I raised three Girl Scouts. There was a lot of cookie love going on in our house for years. But all of that was before I became more conscious about ingredients. At this point when Girls Scouts I know ask for the sale, my response is to simply make a donation to the troop.

What’s In Your Tea?

by additives, drinks, ingredients, Uncategorized

With the weather getting colder I'm definitely drinking more hot tea.  Mention tea drinkers and most people tend to think of the United Kingdom.  The United States, however, is growing as a nation of tea drinkers.  According to the Tea Association of the U.S., from 1990-2014 the U.S. wholesale market grew from two billion dollars to more than 10 billion. Tea appears to be taking more shelf space at the grocery store and there's an increasing number of brands and flavors.

Health Benefits

Tea has many health benefits.  Starting with the fact that it often has far less caffeine than coffee.  Different types of teas offer different benefits:

Green – high in the polyphenol EGCG, studies show that tea may be supportive against a variety of cancers as well as preventing clogged arteries and improving cholesterol levels.

Black – the highest caffeine levels are found in black tea.  In studies it appears that black tea may protect the lungs against damage from cigarette smoke and may even help to reduce the risk of stroke.

White – Appears to have the highest anticancer properties compared to other varieties of tea.

Oolong – A partially fermented black tea, this has been shown to help lower cholesterol level.

Pu-erh – Fermented and aged, this tea showed benefits for lowering cholesterol and helping with reduced weight gain in animal studies.

Flavoring

Recently one of my readers, Mary, wrote in and asked, “How do they make the flavored teas.  I like the fruity flavors but after reading your book I'm wondering how they get the flavor in there.”

Great question.  The answer, unfortunately, is that often the flavors are from artificial ingredients.  Many companies list their ingredients on their website making it easy to find out what's really in your tea.  For the fruity teas (which seems to be the most popular judging by conversations with friends) although they have fruit pieces in them they also have artificial flavors.  Some tea companies use “natural” flavors, but as we've discussed before, natural doesn't always mean what we think it does.

And then of course there's other negative ingredients such as citric acid and maltodextrin, both of which are sourced from corn and therefore highly likely to be genetically modified. Another issue with tea is the use of pesticides however that is a rather deep topic and I'll be covering it at another time.

Here's a slide show with the ingredients of some popular flavored teas

 

Make your own

So what's the answer if you want to drink flavored tea but don't want all the additives?  Tea can also be flavored with juices, extracts (such as vanilla or lemon), or fresh herbs and spices (such as ginger, vanilla, cardamom, or mint) but remember blend cautiously for balanced flavoring.

In my opinion the best option is to blend your own.  I typically buy my teas and ingredients at Mountain Rose Herbs.  Their ingredients are organic and many of them are  fair trade and ethically wild harvested. Starting with a base (black, green, white, roiboos, etc) add in your flavorants.  Mix well and place into a jar.  Good choices for flavorings can be: jasmine, rose, lavender, mint leaves, citrus peel, ginger, lemon, cinnamon, vanilla, or other spices.  Choose just a couple of flavorings that will go together, it takes a while to learn how to make complex blends without overwhelming the base tea or creating a mish mash of flavors that are not pleasant.

One of my personal favorites is a lemon tea made using a number of lemon flavor ingredients. Before I started making my own tea blends I didn't even know that there was a green roiboos.  Now it's my favorite, I really love it.  It's not as sweet as the red and has a pleasant grassy note which I think pairs well with the lemon.  When I make this tea blend I purchase all of the ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Lemon Tea

equal parts:
lemon verbena
lemon grass
lemon peel
green roiboos tea

Mix together and store in an airtight jar in a place away from sunlight

To brew a cup of tea add 1 heaping teaspoon of tea to 1 cup boiling water and let steep for five minutes
A tea ball can be helpful, otherwise strain before drinking
Enjoy!

Enjoy these teas hot or cold and take advantage of them as a delicious alternative to plain water (especially the decaffeinated varieties).