Category Archives: Uncategorized

Gluten-free — Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be

by Shirley Linadditives, gluten free, grains, grocery, ingredients, labeling, Uncategorized

Will eating a gluten free diet make you healthier? Not necessarily. While eating gluten free is necessary for those suffering from celiac disease, for the majority of people who don’t suffer from gluten intolerance it’s not necessary to go out of your way to avoid it. However doing a gluten elimination diet can help to determine if gluten sensitivity is an issue for you.

For the 1% of Americans who do suffer from celiac disease, it is critical to remove gluten from the diet completely. Otherwise it can cause damage to their small intestines as it is an autoimmune disease. A larger, growing percentage of the population are experiencing non-celiac gluten sensitivity. While they don't have damage to their small intestines, they can experience some symptoms similar to those with celiac disease. These symptoms may include brain fog, bloating, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, and more, all of which can be helped by removing gluten from the diet. Unfortunately however, a gluten free diet may be harmful to your health if you’re not careful as many gluten free items lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Not only that, but they often contain processed and or refined additives that can cause digestive upset.

According to a Consumers Report 2014 survey, approximately 25% of people questioned believed that gluten free foods have MORE vitamins and minerals than other foods. Many people simply think that eating gluten free is healthier. Because gluten free foods are usually highly processed, have less nutrition, and still contain unhealthy ingredients such as artificial colors , artificial flavors, additives, and preservatives, that may not be the case.

HIGHLY PROCESSED

Gluten is found in many whole grain products made from wheat, barley, rye, and spelt. These grains are commonly found in many foods that we eat. The gluten free alternatives for breads, pastas, cereals, pastries, and other processed foods are often made from highly processed alternatives such as starches, or flours from non-glutenous grains. They also usually contain fillers, extra fat, sugar, and/or sodium to replace the taste or texture of gluten. Whole grain products naturally contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber, highly processed food products however, do not have the same beneficial levels of these nutrients. If you’re trying to reduce the amount of gluten in your diet, aim for real, whole foods that are naturally gluten free such as quinoa, brown rice, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.

LESS NUTRITION

Gluten free baked goods typically use flour replacements that provide less nutrition than whole grain flours. These replacements are usually low in nutrients and high in carbohydrates. Tapioca starch, cornstarch, and potato starch are three ingredients commonly used to replace wheat (or other glutenous grain) flour(s) in gluten free food items.

Tapioca starch – often used as a thickener, however it contains no nutritional benefits and is over 88% carbohydrates by weight.
Cornstarch – very low in dietary fiber and contains negligible amounts of vitamins and minerals. An added challenge with cornstarch is that the corn may be genetically modified which present additional health challenges.
Potato starch – frequently used as a thickener, contains little nutritional value while having a very high starch content. Another issue with potato starch is that potatoes are increasingly being genetically modified. Currently there are five different varieties that have been modified.

DIGESTIVE UPSET

Gluten is a very important part of many food products, especially for bread. Gluten is like a “glue” that helps food products stick together so they aren’t crumbly and fall apart. The gluten in grains such as wheat allows it to rise and have a fluffy consistency rather than being dense and flat. In order to compensate for the lack of “glue” in gluten-free products manufacturers use gums to give the dough a sticky consistency. The most commonly used gums are xanthan gum (used as a thickener, emulsifier, and food stabilizer), guar gum (a thickening, stabilizing, suspending, and binding agent), and locust bean gum (used for thickening and gelling). While these gums are generally safe for consumption, because they are mostly indigestible fiber they often cause side effects such as intestinal gas and bloating. Some of these additive gums, such as xanthan gum, can be sourced from corn or soy (two highly GMO crops) which would be another reason to avoid them.

LESS VITAMINS MORE SUGAR

Just because something is gluten free doesn’t mean it is a healthy choice, low in calories, or low in carbohydrates. Actually many processed gluten free foods are less healthy in that they have more calories and sugar than regular foods. Many gluten replacement foods are actually not only low in nutrients, they’re very high in carbohydrates. Because these carbohydrates are highly processed they are foods that can have a significant impact on blood sugar levels. This is a significant difference from gluten-free whole grain products such as quinoa or amaranth which, because they are whole grains, do not have the same effect on blood sugars.

As an example, a Consumer Reports comparison of a regular blueberry muffin with a gluten free blueberry muffin found that the gluten free muffin contained 30 more calories and 7 more grams of sugar.

Regular muffin: 340 calories, 17 g fat, 24 g sugar
GF muffin: 370 calories, 13 g fat, 31 g sugar

Whole grains are a good source of many nutrients especially the B vitamins, iron, and fiber. It’s important to understand that even gluten free grains when consumed in their whole grain form provide a high level of nutrients. It is the processing that damages, or reduces, the micronutrient levels while increasing carbohydrates. Gluten-free grains include: quinoa, teff, amaranth, rice, corn, millet, buckwheat, and oats.

Check out this slideshow of popular gluten-free food products

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ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS

Just because a food item is gluten free doesn’t mean that it is free from artificial colors, artificial ingredients, or preservatives. If you’re trying to eat gluten free, make sure you read the label. Rather than relying on gluten-free versions of cakes, cookies, crackers, cereals, and other starchy crutch foods, it is best to find whole foods that are naturally gluten free. Whole foods which aren’t processed are more likely be free from artificial additives. It's important to remember that gluten-free isn’t the magic pill to a clean and healthy diet. Choosing vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits, fish, and lean meats will provide the healthiest options.

Are Natural Flavors Really “natural”?

by Tenaya Craigadditives, grocery, ingredients, Uncategorized

If asked about the connotation of the word “natural,” descriptors like “healthy,” “fresh,” “made without chemicals” or “made in nature” come to mind. According to the Environmental Working Group, “natural flavor” is the fourth most common ingredient listed for processed food, but do we really know what this term means?

Here’s a short video that effectively uses humor to illustrate what “natural” really means.

Natural Flavors Defined

The truth is that “natural flavors” are defined so broadly that they can encompass a vast number of substances that we wouldn’t consider natural. As defined by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Code of Federal Regulations, “natural flavor” or “natural flavoring” means [quote]the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.[/quote]

What does this mean? “Natural flavors” listed on a nutrition label does not refer to any one specific kind of additive but includes any chemical or combination of flavorings derived from any of the above “edible” sources as long as they aren’t synthetically formulated. Lisa Lefferts with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says that:

A flavor ingredient can consist of some combination of about 2,300 different substances.

Would you believe that food manufacturers can add beaver anal gland secretions to your food and call it “natural flavors”? These secretions, known as castoreum but rarely labeled as such on packaging, are often added to ice cream and utilized for “natural” vanilla and raspberry flavoring.

If that isn’t disturbing enough, natural flavors can also include GMO ingredients, mold, fungus, bug shells, pig stomach lining and animal bones. It is daunting to think that vegans trying to avoid animal products could be inadvertently eating some of these items labeled as “natural flavoring.” In addition, wine and beer are often clarified with isinglass, which is prepared from the bladder of a sturgeon, or gelatin derived from the skin and connective tissue of pigs and cows. And you won’t find isinglass on the label of your favorite beer since no law requires it.

Russel Blaylock, M.D., author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, has written that even the controversial additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) falls under the “natural flavors” umbrella and can be added to processed foods with no mention of it on the label. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamate, described as a normal neurotransmitter in the brain by its defenders. However, when introduced to the body in high concentrations, it causes neurons to fire abnormally, literally exciting our cells to death. Food manufacturers add this cheap, concentrated form of salt to our food in order to excite our taste buds. It can make us crave sugar, and it interferes with satiety hormones like leptin.

Many popular processed foods list “natural flavors” among their ingredients as we can see in this slideshow.

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Food manufacturers use this “natural” designation loosely to deceive consumers into believing questionable ingredients are healthy, fresh and wholesome.

“Natural flavor” is an important additive to watch out for and a good reminder to be vigilant when reading food labels in order to be fully educated about what we are consuming.

Giving Up Dairy

by Mirachange, food intolerance, substitutions, Uncategorized, vegan

Food Intolerance Journal – Week One
With my recent discovery of food intolerance issues I've had to make some changes to my nutritional plan. Honey is a little tricky and I do need to read the label to make sure that it's not part of the sometimes cascading list of sweeteners found in some foods. Berries, and melon are fairly easy to avoid and since they aren't in season right now I'm telling myself that by avoiding the frozen ones I'm on a journey to heal my gut in time for them to be back in season again and hopefully back on my plate.

Dairy on the other hand? Well that's proving to be more challenging. In my first week I've had less than stellar success with my new dairy-free lifestyle. This is in part due to the need to travel and in part due to all the places that dairy hides in the diet. When looking at labels remember to also look for casein, lactose, and whey or variants of those since they are a part of the milk product.

I should clarify, I need to avoid cow's milk dairy products. Goat's milk is fine and sheep's milk (if I could source it here in Texas) would also be fine. Luckily I like goat's milk cheese and goat's milk yogurt is available at my grocery store. But I'm also looking to alternative dairy (coconut, almond, rice, hemp, oat, or flax milk-based products) to help replace any dairy in baking or drinking as a less expensive and easier sourced option. The biggest challenge with the alternative dairy is that most products come with added carrageenan. Made from a red seaweed it's not a healthy option for anyone, but especially for someone with a challenged digestive tract. Found in products that come in those convenient containers in the dairy case, in the tetra-pack versions, in frozen confections made with alternative dairy, it's really hard to get away from carrageenan. My options are to find brands that don't have it or to make my own. Feeling squeezed for time I'm really not interested in making my own at the moment so my current favorite option is to purchase coconut milk in BPA free cans.

For other dairy options I am definitely looking in a more vegan direction. I'm not switching to a vegan diet, but it does offer some great substitutions for dairy. One that I was recently introduced to is a fabulous dish called RawFredo. A raw vegan version of spaghetti alfredo made with spiraled zucchini and a cashew based “alfredo” sauce. This sauce was so delicious that I can't wait to make it again. I'm not ashamed to confess that not only did I lick my bowl, I grabbed my spatula and, ahem, “cleaned” the blender jar. I'm grateful to my friend and colleague, Primitive Diva, for introducing me to this delicious dish.

While it takes time and effort to make these changes the end result is definitely worth it. In order to be successful when accommodating any shift in nutritional plans, the key is to find delicious alternatives to what you are used to eating,

photo credits: MaxStraeten, wax115

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

Kitchen Tools

by Miracrockpot, Uncategorized

I frequently get questions from people wanting to know what sorts of tools I have in my kitchen. I get the impression that folks think I have a huge gourmet kitchen with all of the latest gadgets and fancy equipment. While I have at time had kitchens that are very large, right now I have an extremely tiny, inefficiently designed kitchen with approximately 3 feet of usable counter space. We're eventually going to redesign the space but for now we work with what we have. And I'm here to tell you that it is possible to make real food meals even in a tiny space.

I do, however have a number of important tools that I use on a regular basis. This is a list of appliances, it does not include other kitchen tools which are a definite must have such as a good chef knife, paring tool, grater, etc. Here are five of my favorites and how I use them. These are listed in no particular order:

Crockpot – I can't say enough about this wonderful appliance. I write about crocking frequently and share a number of great recipes. It truly is one of my most versatile appliances, I use it for breakfast, dinner, snacks, and as a means of preparing some of my foods such as rehydrating beans. One of these days I will buy my dream crockpot/slow cooker, a VitaClay.

Vitamix – I use my vitamix on a regular basis to make smoothies and other great recipes. It's great for frozen desserts as well as for mixing nut butters, making alternative milks, and more. I don't use it for dry mixes as I don't have a dry grains container but if you bought one you could do that too.

Immersion Blender – my immersion blender is the handiest, dandiest, most wonderful small appliance ever invented. I use mine for making dressings, mayonnaise, blending soups and more. I no longer use my applesauce mill (although it's a way cool looking appliance) because I use the immersion blender instead. It's worth it to get the one with the attachments so you can chop herbs and other things in the little container attachment.

Pressure Cooker – I can't believe I waited so long in my life to get one of these. They are, quite simply, fabulous!!! I make many meals in the pressure cooker mostly because it's so very quick and easy. Our family favorite is my curried rice and beans but I would highly suggest getting Lorna Sass's terrific book Cooking Under Pressure; everything I've made from this book has been great. If you're going to get a pressure cooker of your own consider getting a combination pressure canner and cooker.

KitchenAid Mixer – for many years (and I mean A LOT) I mixed everything by hand and it sure took a long time to get things done sometimes. Especially around the holiday season with all that baking. Then my amazing DH bought me a KitchenAid Mixer and I've never looked back. I use it for more than mixing cookie dough. When I make a meatloaf or meatballs, it all goes in there and I let the machine do the work. If you get some of the fancy attachments you can make pasta, sausages, ground meat, and more. This is definitely a cool machine to have around.

And one more thing…

One Gallon Jar – okay, so not an appliance, but still, you need one (or more) gallon glass jars if you're going to make kombucha. This is a permanent fixture as I keep my culture going. On a side note, this is also an excellent reason to avoid harmful chemical exposure from plastic and recycle other glass jars. 1/2 gallon ones are great for a kombucha scoby bank. Snapple jars (friends give these away by the dozens) are great for taking your kombucha drink with you. And I collect other jars to store all sorts of dry goods or even leftovers in. Glass jars are definitely a good thing.

Interested in finding out what I cook in my kitchen? Be sure to get a copy of The Pantry Principle. It has delicious recipes for breakfast, soups, condiments, desserts, and more.

standard disclosures apply

5 Powerful Brain Boosting Tips

by Mirahealth, Uncategorized

If you are looking to improve your brain function, there are many things that you can do to boost the speed and accuracy of your mental facilities. Even as humans continue to age and their brains begin to weaken, sometimes due to dementia or simply due to lack of brain-training, it is still possible to make changes in daily life that will help to boost brain power.

Strength Training – Although exercise in general is a widely beneficial method of boosting brain power, research has shown that strength training, even when compared to such exercise as aerobics, does more to increase healthy brain function than most other types of physical exertion. When you participate in exercises that target muscles in particular, you use the stored energy in the cells of that particular area. That “burn” of a good workout is the sensation that occurs as muscles regroup and rebuild. Activities such as lifting weights can increase the bodily function which controls the growth of nerve cells, which in turn, increases the strength of mental function and speeds-up the synapses of cognition.

Meditation – Meditation has the capacity to improve, not only general brain function, but can improve your memory, increase your I.Q., lengthen your attention-span, and even promote the use of parts of the brain that control advanced thought processes. This means that meditation can improve your ability to think quickly as well as your ability to think deeply by improving your analytical and decision-making skills.

Avoid Junk Food – Avoiding junk food should really be a no-brainer, but it can actually be a brain-booster. While consuming excess foods that are full of things that can be bad for your body, eating junk food has also been proven to promote inactivity and can slow down, not only your body, but your brain as well. Instead of satisfying your cravings with unhealthy junk food, try some Brain Boosting Foods, such as apples and leafy green vegetables.

Laugh it Up – Laughter is a natural reliever of stress, and promotes a healthy attitude as well as a healthy brain. Laughter increases the brain’s flow of endorphins which increase your ability to deal with pain as well as your ability to think in a more creative manner. Because it is such an effective way to relieve stress, laughter also gives your body, and especially your brain, more room to function at higher levels.

Eat Healthy – Providing your body with a proper supply of the energy, vitamins, and nutrients that it needs is a large contributing factor to increasing brain-function. Eating food that is unhealthy not only lessens your brain’s ability to function properly, it limits its capacity to function at its full potential. When you eat healthy food, your brain replenishes its supply of energy, and instead of wasting that energy elsewhere in your body, such as it would be when trying to break down and store unhealthy chemicals consumed through unhealthy food, it can utilize it energy in more beneficial ways. Eating healthy food will allow your brain to function at a much closer level to maximum-capacity than can be achieved by eating junk food.

Julian Hooks writes about health, beauty tips, holistic care and much more on LiveningUp.com, a website based on Your Ideas, Your Life, Your Decisions.

photo: clarita

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

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

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

Sugar Overload

by Mirasweeteners, Uncategorized

Here we are at the end of January. If you're one of those people who made a New Year's resolution, or goal, to “lose weight” or “give up sweets” chances are high that you're either struggling right now or you've given up completely.

As I've talked about before, this is in part a matter of making absolute statements. But a significant part of reaching your health and weight goals is to understand where sugar is coming from. Especially fructose as excess fructose consumption can put a strain on your liver.

Sadly sugar is highly prevalent in our diet. We are predisposed to want it from a biological perspective. Manufacturers capitalize on this by including it in many foods. Additionally food producers will often break up the sugar in processed foods using a variety of types of sugar, especially fructose. As you know, the more of a particular ingredient that is in a food the higher on the label it needs to appear. By using different kinds of sugar they can make it look like there is less in the product. You can learn more about this in Chapter Five of The Pantry Principle. There's also an appendix that lists all of the different types of sugars so you can learn properly identify them.

In addition to reading the label we need to learn where sugar hides in our diet. We often don't realize how much is contained in everyday foods, even something simple like unsweetened apple juice. The infographic below highlights sugar content in common foods. Learning to be aware if where sugars appear in your diet will help you make healthier choices so you can eat well to be well.

fructose overload infographic

Discover the fructose content of common foods, beverages, sauces, and even sugar substitutes in our infographic “Fructose Overload.” Use the embed code to share it on your website or visit our infographic page for the high-res version.

<img src="https://media.mercola.com/assets/images/infographic/fructose-overload-infographic.jpg" alt="fructose overload infographic" border="0" style="max-width:100%; min-width:300px; margin: 0 auto 20px auto; display:block;"><p style="max-width:800px; min-width:300px; margin:0 auto; text-align:center;">Discover the fructose content of common foods, beverages, sauces, and even sugar substitutes in our infographic "<a href="http://www.mercola.com/infographics/fructose-overload.htm">Fructose Overload</a>." Visit our infographic page for the high-res version.</p>

“natural” Food Label Under Attack

by MiraFDA, gmo, labeling, Uncategorized

When it comes to food labeling there is currently a lot of media attention to GMO issues and whether or not GMO foods should be labeled. So far legislative challenges have either failed or been so severely curtailed as to be very difficult to achieve. Consumers are very outspoken about their desire for GMO labeling and some retailers have responded by mandating GMO-free products on their shelves within a certain timeframe. I have no doubt that GMO labeling will happen, it's simply a matter of time.

But this column isn't about GMO-labeling. It is, however, about the label that appears on our food and how it can be manipulated to hide information. At this point the only ways to avoid GMOs is to purchase foods which are known to not be genetically modified, foods which are labeled by the Non-GMO Project, or to purchase organic for those foods known to be highly contaminated by GMO. Sadly many people think that the “natural” label also means it is not genetically modified; this is not true and could lead to the purchase of foods with ingredients you do not want to eat. Not only are there very few legal rules regarding the use of the “natural” label, it's currently under attack.

The Grocery Manufacturer's Association (GMA) is a trade organization which is the front group for more than 300 companies in the food business. Large names such as ConAgra, Coca-Cola, Monsanto, and PepsiCo. GMA is currently being sued in Washington State amid claims that it illegally hid contributions from large corporations in the GMO labeling fight for Initiative 522. GMA is once again serving as the spokesgroup for it's member organizations and petitioning the FDA to allow genetically modified foods to be classified as “natural.” It is important to note that there are very limited rules governing the use of the word natural. The FDA specifically states, “FDA has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.” Some of the claims made in the GMA's letter are:

GMA's members have a strong interest in “natural” labeling for foods containing ingredients derived from biotechnology. Several of the most common ingredients derived from biotechnology are from crops such as corn, soy, canola, and sugar beets. There are 26 state legislatures considering whether foods containing ingredients derived from biotechnology should be labeled and whether they are permissible in “natural” foods. Moreover there are approximately 65 class action lawsuits that have been filed against food manufacturers over whether foods with ingredients allegedly derived from biotechnology can be labeled “natural.” Given the predominant use of crops derived from biotechnology in our economy as well as consumer and state interest in this issue, whether foods that contain ingredients derived from biotechnology can be labeled “natural” is an important matter to GMA members and one that warrants FDA's involvement.

This is startling for a number of reasons. One is that GMA admits that GMO food labeling is an important issue but obviously spins this in their direction. They are conveniently leaving out the millions of dollars they have already spent in other states to fight against labeling. Another issue to remember is that if this change were permitted to be amended into the limited definition of “natural” foods, it would be a hidden use as the GMO ingredients would still not be declared on the label. And lastly is the number of lawsuits and legislative actions currently on the books regarding this issue. To my knowledge not a single state legislature vote is against GMO labeling. And it is probable that the majority of the class action lawsuits are against the use of GMO in “natural” food products.

But again, GMA is spinning this in their direction. They want labeling as long as it is to their benefit and does not allow consumers to truly understand what's in their food. Genetic modification is not natural. And while the natural label is so weak as to be close to worthless, it should not be modified or amended to specifically include the use of GMO items. There is no petition or open comment from the FDA at this time regarding this issue.

The only way to stay on top of food labeling and health issues is to become an educated consumer. One good resource is the book The Pantry Principle: how to read the label and understand what's really in your food. Staying informed is the best way to know how to make the healthiest food choices for yourself and your loved ones.

Peaches – What’s In That Can

by Miraadditives, gmo, ingredients, labeling, thanksgiving, Uncategorized

Thanksgiving is a very special time. It's become one of my favorite holidays. After all, what's not to like about spending time with people you love, eating your favorite foods, and having a little downtime. Of course shopping for the holiday feast comes to mind as one of those less-than-fun activities. Mostly because the stores are crowded, and if you didn't plan well you're in the thick of the fray looking for what you need.

This year I wasn't cooking. We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter, her fiance and his family. Our responsibility was to bring mashed potatoes, braised carrots, and homemade cranberry sauce. I also wanted to bring canned peaches. It's a tradition in our family started by my father-in-law. He likes canned peaches and he always wants them at the Thanksgiving table. Even though we weren't spending the holiday with him it's been adopted as a permanent part of our family tradition. One which we wanted to share.

I haven't made canned peaches in a while so we had none on hand. This meant buying them at the grocery store. Something I haven't done in a very long time. I was stunned by the sheer number of canned peaches available at the store. I was amazed at the ingredients in them. I thought I'd share the results of my canned peaches shopping expedition so you can see what's really in that food.

It's important to note that peaches are one of the dirty dozen foods (those foods highly contaminated by pesticides). I did not find any organic canned peaches at my local grocery store. Also, the notes about these containers do not include the issue of BPA which is often found in plastic containers, the linings of cans, and the lids of glass jars. Therefore all these containers are equal in respect to those issues.

Note: If you want to read the labels you'll need to click on the images to enlarge them.

Above you have the information you need to make the right choice for you depending on what's important to you. For those who want to take it one step further it is possible to make your own canned peaches. There are many recipes out there on how to do this, one of my favorites is the Ball Blue Book Honey Spiced Peaches recipe substituting evaporated cane juice crystals instead of white sugar.