You've already seen that xylitol isn't as healthy as it's claimed to be. Neither are the other sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, mannitol and the rest of the "-tol's".
Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, splenda, acesulfame-K and saccharin are across the board even worse.
You've been warned that genetically engineered sugar is on it's way to the grocery store shelves.
So what do you do when you want something sweet?
Look for these ingredients:
Stevia. You won't find this as an ingredient in a food item in the U.S., but you may find it in a tea or other product classified as a nutritional supplement. You can buy it in a dark liquid, clear liquid or powder. Make sure it's the Paraguayan variety, not the Chinese.
Pure maple syrup. This is one of the healthiest sweeteners. Organic grade B is recommended.
Raw honey. Just remember it should not be given to young children. If you're buying honey, buy the local variety.
Rapadura. Unrefined, unbleached organic dehydrated sugarcane juice.
Always remember that sweets, even natural ones should be eaten in small amounts.
Learn more about the healthfulness of ingredients in your foods.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Xylitol: Is It Really As Healthy As It's Claimed To Be?
Xylitol has been put on a pedestal. It is claimed to prevent tooth decay. It is said to be safe for diabetics. It is in everything from sugar-free chewing gum, candy and jams to breath sprays and toothpaste.
Touted as being natural, from birch bark, the xylitol on the market is really an industrial product, manufactured through a chemical process.
As an additive, xylitol has been shown to cause gastrointestinal distress, including gas, bloating and diarrhea. It has caused cancer in lab animals in high doses. It can cause weakness and seizures in pets.
Furthermore, no safety testing has been with children. The levels that can cause adverse effects with children are UNKNOWN!
This is just one additive of the many thousands of chemicals added to our food. Learn more about food additives and how they can affect your health.
Touted as being natural, from birch bark, the xylitol on the market is really an industrial product, manufactured through a chemical process.
As an additive, xylitol has been shown to cause gastrointestinal distress, including gas, bloating and diarrhea. It has caused cancer in lab animals in high doses. It can cause weakness and seizures in pets.
Furthermore, no safety testing has been with children. The levels that can cause adverse effects with children are UNKNOWN!
This is just one additive of the many thousands of chemicals added to our food. Learn more about food additives and how they can affect your health.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Is Your Child Reacting to Artificial Food Colors?
If you think your child is adversely affected by the artificial colors found in most of the processed foods on the market today, you can voice your opinion now!
Artificial colors appear on food labels as FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, or Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 6. These and other synthetic food dyes are being phased out in European countries because of the evidence showing their connection to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children. The U. S. FDA denies that they cause any problems at all.
However, now you have the opportunity to file a report online and make your voice heard.
Read more...
Find out more about the additives in your food, the effects they can have on your health and how your can protect your family.
Artificial colors appear on food labels as FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, or Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 6. These and other synthetic food dyes are being phased out in European countries because of the evidence showing their connection to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children. The U. S. FDA denies that they cause any problems at all.
However, now you have the opportunity to file a report online and make your voice heard.
Read more...
Find out more about the additives in your food, the effects they can have on your health and how your can protect your family.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Genetically Engineered Sugar on the way to the Grocery Store Shelves
GE Sugar from GE sugar beets is scheduled to hit the market this year. One company that plans to use the GE sugar is Kellogg. When asked to not use the GE sugar, Kellogg replied that consumer's don't care if their food is genetically engineered. They obviously haven't been listening to consumer opinion lately.
While it's best to avoid processed foods altogether, if you do eat them, avoid the Kellogg brand.
It's also important to know that there are already genetically engineered ingredients in processed food on the grocery store shelves. In fact about 70% of the processed foods on the market contain GE ingredients.
The ingredients most commonly genetically engineered in processed foods are derived from corn, canola, soy and cotton. If you see any ingredients like corn starch, corn gluten, corn oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or any ingredient that contains corn in the name, there is a high probablity that it's genetically engineered. It's also highly likely that the canola oil, soy oil and cottonseed oil on the package are GE as well. All soy ingredients are suspect too. Additives like hydrolyzed soy protein, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, soy lecithin, soy sauce may all be genetically engineered.
Genetically engineered ingredients are not labeled in the U.S. The only way to be sure that any of these ingredients are not GE is if they are organic.
For help checking the safety of ingredients in your packaged foods, get a copy of FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...
While it's best to avoid processed foods altogether, if you do eat them, avoid the Kellogg brand.
It's also important to know that there are already genetically engineered ingredients in processed food on the grocery store shelves. In fact about 70% of the processed foods on the market contain GE ingredients.
The ingredients most commonly genetically engineered in processed foods are derived from corn, canola, soy and cotton. If you see any ingredients like corn starch, corn gluten, corn oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or any ingredient that contains corn in the name, there is a high probablity that it's genetically engineered. It's also highly likely that the canola oil, soy oil and cottonseed oil on the package are GE as well. All soy ingredients are suspect too. Additives like hydrolyzed soy protein, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, soy lecithin, soy sauce may all be genetically engineered.
Genetically engineered ingredients are not labeled in the U.S. The only way to be sure that any of these ingredients are not GE is if they are organic.
For help checking the safety of ingredients in your packaged foods, get a copy of FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Are You Checking the Ingredients List Before You Buy?
How do you decide what box, bag bottle or can to put in your grocery cart?
Do you look at the label? The front, the Nutrition Facts or the ingredients list?
Manufacturers are very aware that consumers are becoming more conscious about eating healthier foods. But instead of making healthier foods, they make the packaging more deceptive so it's harder for the consumer to determine how healthy the food item really is.
When you're choosing items from the grocery store shelf, the first choice should be fresh whole foods. However, if you do buy prepackaged foods, skip the front of the label. That's what the manufacturer want you to think about the product. What's on the front of the label is not necessarily true about the product inside the package.
As shocking as that statement may sound, it's true. The reason it's true is that there are terms that are not defined in the industry, like natural and healthy, so manufacturers can use them to mean anything they want - and they do.
Next, skip the Nutrition Facts. The first thing you should look at when you pick up a package is the ingredients list. If the products has harmful ingredients, and most processed foods do, the Nutrition Facts are meaningless. If the ingredients are healthy, then look at the Nutrition Facts if you like.
If you have a hard time reading the ingredients list because it's so tiny, carry a magnifying glass with you when you shop. If you don't know if the ingredients in the product are healthy or not, get the book FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shoppers' Guide To What's Safe & What's Not and take it with you every time you shop. You'll become an expert label-reader in no time. It's simple to use, even kids can do it.
Do you look at the label? The front, the Nutrition Facts or the ingredients list?
Manufacturers are very aware that consumers are becoming more conscious about eating healthier foods. But instead of making healthier foods, they make the packaging more deceptive so it's harder for the consumer to determine how healthy the food item really is.
When you're choosing items from the grocery store shelf, the first choice should be fresh whole foods. However, if you do buy prepackaged foods, skip the front of the label. That's what the manufacturer want you to think about the product. What's on the front of the label is not necessarily true about the product inside the package.
As shocking as that statement may sound, it's true. The reason it's true is that there are terms that are not defined in the industry, like natural and healthy, so manufacturers can use them to mean anything they want - and they do.
Next, skip the Nutrition Facts. The first thing you should look at when you pick up a package is the ingredients list. If the products has harmful ingredients, and most processed foods do, the Nutrition Facts are meaningless. If the ingredients are healthy, then look at the Nutrition Facts if you like.
If you have a hard time reading the ingredients list because it's so tiny, carry a magnifying glass with you when you shop. If you don't know if the ingredients in the product are healthy or not, get the book FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shoppers' Guide To What's Safe & What's Not and take it with you every time you shop. You'll become an expert label-reader in no time. It's simple to use, even kids can do it.
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