Category Archives: ingredients

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.

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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.

Coconut Milk — Not As Healthy As You’d Think

by Miradairy, drinks, gmo, ingredientscoconut milk, ingredients

Big news! Yesterday, Wednesday, February 4 2015, Starbucks announced that they would start offering coconut milk as a non-dairy option. It's scheduled to appear at a Starbucks near you beginning on February 17, 2105. Normally that would be a great option, especially for someone like me who is currently dealing with food sensitivities and needs to avoid dairy. It's also potentially better than their current non-dairy option, soymilk, which is quite possibly genetically modified.

While I don't drink coffee I do like an occasional green tea latte. However, on closer inspection it turns out this isn't going to be an option for me either. The ingredients panel shows several items that I can't consume and a couple more that I choose not to.

Carrageenan

Let's start with carrageenan. It's a red seaweed which has been shown to be problematic for those with digestive issues. Not just those who have serious bowel health issues such as crohn's or ulcerative colitis, carrageenan can also affect those who struggle with bloating or gas issue. Many of them find that they do much better when they avoid carrageenan. For more information check out this report by the Cornucopia Institute. In fact many people who struggle with carrageenan also have issues with excessive amounts of gums in food products. This coconut milk also contains gellan gum, xanthan gum, and guar gum.

"Natural" Flavors

For ingredients I choose not to consume, and which I advocate others avoid as well, we see "natural" flavors [quotes are mine] which could mean anything and sometimes is a code for monosodium glutamate. There's also corn dextrin which, because it doesn't specifically say organic, could be genetically modified. While coconut milk itself isn't genetically modified, corn is one of the most highly GMO crops we have and conventional corn products should be avoided as much as possible. The vitamin A palmitate is most likely a synthetic form of palmitic acid; it's used to fortify dairy products.

Guar Gum

There are coconut milks that do not contain these products however some of them contain a gum, usually guar gum, to help with thickening the coconut milk. Be sure to read the label to avoid ingredients you don't want to eat.

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Update: A reader wrote in and told me that Starbucks was aligned with Monsanto and supported opposition to GMO labeling. Research shows that Starbucks is not directly affiliated with Monsanto other than that they both belong to the Grocery Manufacturers Association which is vigorously opposed to GMO labeling. Starbucks claims to be an "affiliate" member and in a direct quote from Starbuck's website:

Starbucks is not a part of any lawsuit pertaining to GMO labeling nor have we provided funding for any campaign. And Starbucks is not aligned with Monsanto to stop food labeling or block Vermont State law.
The petition claiming that Starbucks is part of this litigation is completely false and we have asked the petitioners to correct their description of our position.
Starbucks has not taken a position on the issue of GMO labeling. As a company with stores and a product presence in every state, we prefer a national solution.

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.

Good, Better, Best

by Mirachange, grocery, habits, health, ingredients, nutrients

I recently had the absolute delight of being invited to cook in the fabulous kitchen at Three Goats Farm. Designed and operated by the amazing Primitive Diva, Melissa Humphries, this is a fun place to hang out and you couldn't ask for better company to hang out with.

Getting ready for the launch of Primitive Diva TV, PDTV, she invited me to film an episode while we chatted about the concept of good, better, best, when it comes to food and nourishing your body. I love helping people move up the nutrition ladder so to speak.

It's difficult to go from a highly processed food plan to one that truly nourishes your body. I certainly know, from personal experience and from working with clients, that it's a step-by-step process which takes time and effort to achieve. I don't know anyone who has made a huge jump overnight and managed to stick with it. You start where you are, decide what you're going to focus on, and begin to make changes. Just as in the fable of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race.

Small measurable changes, mindfully made over time are most often the ones that are sustainable and lead to long-term, healthier change. Extravagant changes and massive numbers of them, all at the same time, are overwhelming.

One way to manage this change is to focus on shifting food, recipes, ingredients up the ladder from good to better to best.

The Concept of Good, Better, Best in Nutrition

Here's an example that we used in the filming. [In case you're interested we made the polenta and Tuscan Stew recipes from The Pantry Principle on pages 124 and 145 respectively] In the example below I'm going to talk about upgrading your polenta.

Good is when you decide to shift from a heavy processed food and/or restaurant/take-away diet to making more foods at home. There is often less chemicals, less sugar, salt, and fat. The serving sizes are more reasonable. In the case of polenta this may mean purchasing a chub of polenta and heating it up at home as part of your recipe.

Better is realizing that corn is one of the most highly genetically modified crops on the face of the planet. You don't want to eat conventional corn anymore because you want to avoid the GMOs and probable heavy pesticide residue. So you choose organic corn. Possibly still in a chub. Or maybe you decide to make it from scratch and you use organic ground cornmeal plus other clean ingredients.

Best means you've decided to really focus on eating well and are buying organically grown, sprouted cornmeal. The sprouting adds extra nutrition, better digestibility, and reduces phytic acids and enzyme inhibitors which can interfere with nutrition.

One step at a time we work our way up the ladder to better digestion, better nourishment, better food sourcing.

We had a great time chatting in the kitchen. As you can see from the picture above the food was so enticing that the aromas got us and we didn't get a picture until after we'd dug in and started devouring it. Mr. Diva came in at the end and polished off a plate of his own. I promise, this recipe is a winner. And so is Three Goats Farm.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about food, nutrition, holistic health, or how to take your recipes from good to better to best, don't forget to take advantage of my 15-minute discovery call for FREE.

What Mcdonald’s Wants

by Mirachange, health, ingredients, nutri-washing

A recent headline, “McDonalds to eliminate eight menu items”, touted the fact that McDonald's is examining their menu, reducing choices, and possibly changing some of it's ingredients. They're also trying to shake their reputation as the “supersize me” place.*

McDonald's is changing, supposedly in response to consumer demands. But there are still so many things wrong with this. They are nutri-washing. Putting their spin on it to try to misdirect you away from the fact that this is still high caloric, nutritionally poor, chemically laden JUNK food. They want your dollars, that's why they're changing. But they'll do the least amount possible and trumpet the changes as loudly as they can to try to get your attention. Their claim is that this is in response to consumer demand. That's great, it's a good thing to listen to what people want. But let's be honest, it's also because profits are down.

I believe they are failing to take into account the fact that fewer people are going to McDonald's not because they have “too many choices” or because it takes “too long to get through the line.” They are not going because they are choosing to eat whole, more nutritious, real food.

When I was a kid going to McDonald's was a treat. We rarely went and if we did it was special. Somehow over time McDonald's has become a daily meal choice for a lot of people. Not just a simple burger and fries, not just for a treat, this is how we have been encouraged to feed ourselves. And we're paying the price for it in health. Yes, that $1 value meal or that $.79 supersize option may seem like a good deal financially, but when it comes to your health it's a poor investment.

Let's be honest, McDonald's isn't the only company doing this. Burger joints, fast food places, and other junk food options abound in our society. But if we want to be healthy, if we want to really nourish ourselves, we need to learn to make different choices. McDonald's is getting picked on mostly because they're one of the biggest and because they keep trying to spin it their way.

Their food transparency campaign backfired badly because they tried to look like they were responding to consumers demand for information. Well, consumers DO want more information. But they were shocked to discover what was really in their McD's meal. (Of course from a Pantry Principle perspective the transparency campaign didn't go far enough as it didn't address GMOs, antibiotics, pesticides, etc; it simply mentioned ingredients without revealing their impact on health — such as TBHQ which has been linked to cancer and asthma among other things.)

When it comes to this corporate spin it's important to learn how to look at what's really going on. Are changes being made across the board or just to a few items? Is there an underlying reason for the changes? Is the company touting “response to consumer demand” as their pat-themselves-on-the-back reason for change? Sadly they're quick to give themselves props for being responsive but frequently they only do the bare minimum when it comes to this responsiveness. Trying to do just enough to convince consumers to come back and buy their products. And let's not forget, while we're examining the headlines and corporate messages, are we eating the way we really want to? Are we nourishing ourselves and making choices for health? That last question probably should be the first one when you look at what's really in your food.

*If you still haven't seen the documentary film Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock, or you want to watch it again, it's available for free on Hulu.

photo: Kici

Goats Milk Soap

by Miraingredients, personal care, reviews

Recently I went to a health and wellness event at a retreat center in Montgomery, TX, Three Goats Farm. Melissa Humphries, the owner of Three Goats Farm is a Nutrition Therapy Practitioner and in the process of building her retreat center is connecting with holistic wellness providers of all kinds. It was a great event and I can't wait to see what else she offers out at the farm.

One of the people I met there was a lovely woman named Traci who runs Four French Hens, a skin care company. She makes fabulous soap from goats milk (from the lovely goat-girls at Three Goats Farm), beeswax candles, bath products and more. We had a wonderful conversation.

I was given a couple of bars of soap as a gift, to try them. The scent is clean and, I know this sounds odd, delicious, even the unscented version. I'm really enjoying using this soap. Made from fabulous clean ingredients and naturally homogenized, it lathers well and is very moisturizing. With just a few simple ingredients — Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Sodium Lardate, Goats Milk, Lye, Essential Oils. Honey Oatmeal: Also contains Raw Honey, Oats — the allergen possibilities are lower and the chemical burden is very low.

As my long time readers know, I advocate eating clean and avoiding as many chemicals as possible in our food. However I am also a big proponent of clean personal care products. Our skin is our largest body organ, what we put on it gets into our system. Making sure you have chemical free personal care products is an important part of health. Enjoying a hand made, locally sourced product, in my opinion, is even better. For those who don't want to make their own soap (or don't have access to such fabulous ingredients) this is a really good option.

What’s In A Biscuit

by Miragmo, ingredients, labeling, Uncategorized

For some reason I've been seeing a number of recipes lately that seem to include the use of a can of biscuits. Maybe it's because Fall is here and so there are more stews and “comfort” foods being made to accompany the change in seasons.

Truthfully I used to use these a lot myself. Especially when my children were younger. It was an easy to way to get a quick batch of biscuits into the oven to have with dinner. They also made great donuts when coated with cinnamon sugar and fried. Or rolled out they made a quick and seemingly tasty crust or wrap for something. They even made great snacks when cut into bite size pieces, rolled in melted butter, and sprinkled with parmesan.

Now I shudder to think about eating that and I'm horrified at the thought of all of those chemicals that I fed my children. For those who can and do eat gluten, if you're still eating this type of whack-and-bake product it's truly not a good choice.

Let's start with the Nutrition Facts:

This label demonstrates one of my biggest issues with how the label works.It doesn't tell the truth. Right there on the label we see “Trans Fat 0g.” That leads us to believe that there are no trans fats. And since we've all pretty much learned that trans fats are bad for you we think we're doing a good thing by avoiding them. But are we really?

Not here.

Because when we skip down to the Ingredients List we find the following:

Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Water, Soybean and Palm Oil, Baking Powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda), Dextrose. Contains 2% or less of: Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sugar, Salt, Vital Wheat Gluten, Mono and Diglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Yellow 5, TBHQ and Citric Acid (preservatives), Butter, Red 40, Color Added, Natural and Artificial Flavor.

Near the bottom we see Hydrogenated Palm Oil and Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil. ANYTHING that is hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated IS a trans fat. So how do manufacturers get away with this? Isn't that lying? Not according to the standards used for nutrition fact reporting which allow them to say there are no trans fats if there is less than 0.5g per serving.

What is a serving? It's what the label says it is. A portion is what you serve yourself. Regardless of how many biscuits you eat, even if you just eat one you are still getting trans fats. Guaranteed. Because it's in the ingredients.

And that doesn't even begin to address all of the other nutritionally damaging ingredients found in this product.

Enriched flour is nutritionally deficient. Notice all of the ingredients after “wheat flour” in the parenthesis? Those are mostly B vitamins with some iron that are put back into the flour by Federal mandate. But the flour is still missing all of the other ingredients which are stripped out in processing. And then it's bleached. Enriched anything is not a healthy choice.

The dextrose is probably from corn and mostly likely genetically modified corn at that. The soybeans are probably also genetically modified. GMO foods are simply not a good choice for health. The citric acid is possibly also sourced from corn and therefore likely to be GMO as well.

Artificial colors, yellow 5 and red 40. While it may not look like a colored item this canned biscuit product does have artificial colors. TBHQ, Propylene gycol alginate, artificial flavor, there's a huge array of chemicals in this product and it's not something that anyone should be consuming.

Sadly we often think that convenience foods are, well, convenient. We don't realize that in order for them to be shelf-stable and ready to go it means lots of chemicals and not a lot of nutrition.

For those who can eat gluten and who want biscuits to go with their meal it's still possible to have them. And although it takes a little more work, it's truly not that much effort and the results are far better (and much better for you) than a chemical concoction from a can.

Soaked Flour Biscuits

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
1 cup organic whole milk
1 tablespoon raw unfiltered vinegar

Mix vinegar and milk together and let sit 5 minutes until milk curdles slightly
Add to wheat and oat mixture, combining thoroughly
Let sit 8 hours to soak

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup organic, unsalted butter, cut into slices

Preheat oven to 450 F
Sprinkle baking powder, salt, and baking soda over the flour mixture
Add butter and gently work butter into mixture to fully incorporate
Don't over-mix the dough or your biscuits will be tough

Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to about 1″ thickness
Cut biscuits out with a glass that has been dipped in flour (so it doesn't stick)
Place on baking tray
Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown

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.

Your Food – Fortified With Fish

by Mirafats and oil, fish, ingredients, labeling

As the Food Ingredient Guru I advocate reading the food label. It's your best line of defense against all of the chemical cr@p that manufacturers insist in stuffing into your food. If you or someone in your family has a food allergy it becomes imperative that you read the label because you need to pay attention to those ingredients that may cause a serious or life threatening reaction.

In my case it's fish and seafood. For me it's not just a food intolerance (sometimes called a food sensitivity). It's an actual full-blown food allergy. I have an epi-pen. And as much as I advocate and believe in the power of fish oil for health, I can't take it myself.

While fish itself is generally easy to avoid sometimes it gets added to food under the guise of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Now we've all heard that omega-3s are good for us (they are) and that we don't get enough of them (most of us don't). Manufacturers want to capitalize on this and they add omega-3s to the food, fortifying it*, and displaying this information in big bold letters on the front of the package. But that's not the whole story.

There are three different kinds of omega-3 fatty acids. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). ALA comes from plant sources, such as flax, olive oil, walnuts, and soy. EPA and DHA come from fish, with the best sources being cold water fatty fish like sardines and salmon.

Omega-3 fortified products can include milk, yogurt, eggs, juices, bread products, baby food, peanut butter, protein bars, protein shakes, and more. While ALA, or vegetable-sourced omega 3s, are cheaper, that doesn't always mean that that's what the manufacturers are using in their food.

Recently I was doing in a client's pantry and came across this jar of peanut butter. Looking at the label we can see that the omega-3 was is from fish (because is says DHA and EPA on the front). In the ingredient panel (sorry for the fuzzy photo) it lists anchovy and sardine oils as well as tilapia gelatin. I'm not sure why the tilapia gelatin is there except for some sort of binder, but as a source of omega-3 it's not a great one. For someone with a food allergy the difference between vegetarian and animal sources of omega-3 could potentially be huge.

It is also important to note that farm raised fish, such as tilapia, have been shown to be higher in omega-6 fatty acids. We already get too many of these in our modern diet and they're known to be more detrimental to cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels. This is because farm raised fish are eating corn and soy (both probably genetically modified by the way) instead of beneficial algae. When fish eat algae they can convert it into the omega-3 fatty acids we need. When they eat corn and soy they can't and so wind up with the higher omega-6 levels.

Another issue to be aware of is that when we add omega-3s to our food by fortifying it, studies appear to show that the fortified versions don't have the same beneficial effect as the original, whole food source. Additionally, the amount of omega-3s in fortified foods may not reach the levels needed to truly have a beneficial effect on your health. Once again, manufacturers are capitalizing on buzz words and media focus to add something to their food products in an attempt to convince you to buy. Unfortunately it may not provide the health benefits that you think it will.

The solution? Stay informed, read the label, and eat real food.

*Quick reminder: Fortified foods are those that have an added substance that was never in there to begin with (like omega 3s in peanut butter). Enriched foods are those that have ingredients removed during processing added back (usually chemically synthesized versions).

Making Vanilla

by Miraingredientsrecipe, gluten-free, gmo

Used in a lot in baking, vanilla adds a subtle undertone to a number of dishes, especially sweet things. It's wonderful to help to intensify the flavors. The beans for real vanilla extract are harvested from orchid flowers. There are a number of different places where they can be grown, many people consider those from Madagascar to be the best.

Pure vanilla is very expensive. And given current weather-related difficulties, the costs are going up. For a 4 ounce bottle, I've seen it priced anywhere between $4-$9. That's quite a bit when you consider that there are only two ingredients in that bottle, alcohol and vanilla beans.

Vanilla Extract vs. Artificial Vanilla

For extract (not pure), sometimes labeled "Natural Vanilla Extract" you may find yourself looking at more than two ingredients:

Sugar. I'm not sure why this would be added since vanilla extract by itself is not expected to be sweet, it's used to flavor things to help bring out the sweetness. If the sugar source is not identified as cane sugar it is possibly beet sugar which has the potential to be from genetically modified (GM) sources.
I've also seen labels that contain corn syrup. This is, again, a sweetener, however, since it's from corn it is most likely to be GM and therefore not something you want to purchase.
Potassium sorbate can be added as a preservative. This is probably done when the alcohol content is low since alcohol by itself would be a preservative. For some people, this preservative can cause rashes, itching of the mouth or eyes, congestion, or digestive disturbance.
Caramel color is another additive. True vanilla does turn brown but perhaps the manufacturers want a consistent-looking product and therefore they use caramel coloring. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown this additive to be carcinogenic and therefore something you want to avoid.

Artificial vanilla sometimes referred to as vanillin, has no extract from vanilla beans at all. Instead, it is chemically synthesized. One common substance used is lignin, a waste product from papermaking, which is treated to release vanilla flavor overtones. Vanillin can also be synthesized from the oils from cloves. The most common source is guaiacol, an oily yellow petrochemical-like substance made by distilling wood tar (wood tar is also referred to as creosote). In some people, vanillin can bring on migraine headaches or cause other allergic reactions.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Extract

For those who need to eat gluten-free, many dessert recipes call for gluten-free vanilla extract. The interesting thing is that most pure vanilla uses distilled alcohol as the base. The distillation process creates a gluten-free product as the gluten proteins cannot carry over through vaporization, cooling, and re-liquifying that happens. However, if you want to be absolutely sure there is no gluten in the bottle you'll need to choose a distillation base that is not grain-based.

Having said all that, it's easy, and not that expensive, to make your own pure vanilla extract.

Musings on Making Pure Extract

Supposedly it does best if you make it in an amber-colored bottle. I didn't have one the size I wanted so I just used a recycled glass bottle. But I have a dark, fermentation cupboard so I figure it's good in there.
The bean does not at all smell like vanilla when you cut it open and scrape out the stuff. I'm not sure what it smells like but, to my untrained nose, certainly not vanilla.
The longer the extract sat the more it smelt like vanilla.
Things to watch out for with the alcohol you are using. Vodka is sometimes made from wheat so if you have gluten sensitivity issues you need to use gluten-free vodka which is made from grapes (seek out organic in order to avoid pesticide residue from the grapes), potatoes or corn (potentially GM so look for organic if it's sourced from either of those). Bourbon is made from corn and therefore potentially GM, you'll need to look for organic bourbon (not easy to find I've been told). Rum is made from sugar cane and should be fine. Brandy is made from fruit pressings, grapes, apples, or pears usually. Since apples and pears are high on the dirty dozen list look for organic to avoid pesticide residue.
As you use your vanilla extract you can continue to top off the jar and let it sit awhile to infuse.

How to Make It

Vanilla Extract

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Ingredients

3-4 vanilla beans
1 cup of alcohol (I chose Vodka)

Instructions

Slice open the beans and scrape out the stuff in the middle. Scrape this stuff into your jar/bottle of alcohol.
Cut the beans into pieces and add them to the jar with the scrapings.
Cap the jar tightly.
This is the part that requires patience. Wait.
In two weeks shake the jar. Wait some more. Repeat.
It takes approximately four months for your extract to be ready (some people say six is better)

Wait, There's More

It turns out that there's a little secret to vanilla beans. Once you've used them to make extract you can get just a little more flavor out of them.

After you've finished making your vanilla you can make vanilla powder. To do this simply take the beans out of the extract and dehydrate them. Using either a dehydrator or an oven set to 150°F dry them until they are crisp and snap when you bend them. How long this take will depend on how thick the bean is and, if you're using a dehydrator, the temperature of your dehydrator.

Once the beans are completely dry cut them into 1" pieces and grind them in a spice grinder. I use a coffee grinder that is clearly marked "Not For Coffee." Otherwise certain other people in the house are known to just grab a grinder and add beans. This is not pleasant because once a grinder has processed coffee beans it's difficult to get rid of the coffee flavor.

Culinary surveys show that vanilla powder, from vanilla beans, is very potent and far more flavorful. When using the powder instead of the extract you only need 1/2 teaspoon for every teaspoon required in the recipe.

Another option is to dry the beans thoroughly, not dehydrated, and put them into a quart jar filled with sugar to make vanilla sugar. Because the beans have already been used to make the extract and you're not adding the inner scrapings this can take a while, possibly up to a month for the beans to infuse the sugar. This can be a wonderful topping for special desserts or for those who add a smidge of sugar to a cup of tea.