An alarming pattern has been distinguished through meticulous scientific study and research. It concerns the rise of different human diseases that matches the increasing use of Roundup, with the active ingredient responsible being glyphosate.
Epidemiological patterns studied by Dr. Don Huber of Perdue University have illustrated a perfect fit, he says, for over 30 different human diseases that demonstrate a pattern identical to the increased use of glyphosate on food crops in the US.
Other scientists and researchers have discovered the same pattern. Information concerning the tremendous rise in autism which perfectly matches the use of glyphosate has been done by Dr. Nancy Swanson, PhD. She has meticulously collected and analyzed all of this data for people to read about. You can access her published articles and reports on Sustainable Pulse. This European website is dedicated to exposing the health hazards of GE/GMO foods. Check out this excellent website at: www.sustainablepulse.org
All of these studies and research point to the bioaccumulation of the ingredient glyphosate. Over the years, Monsanto has strongly asserted that glyphosate is not dangerous to human health because the body excretes it. However, it becomes clear that the epidemiological patterns of human diseases with increased use of glyphosate clearly indicate otherwise. In other words, there is increasing evidence that bioaccumulation of glyphosate is a VERY real health hazard.
The most recent evidence for the bioaccumulative effect of glyphosate that I'm aware of involves a study of American women's breast milk. The pilot study was conducted by Moms Across America and Sustainable Pulse. The study proves without doubt that Monsanto's assertions are wrong. For in fact, the study found that mothers had glyphosate that had accumulated in their bodies to such an extent that they were passing the toxin onto their babies via their breast milk. The really alarming point for me is that even those women who have been actively avoiding glyphosate by eating organically still have evidence of bioaccumulation. As a result, they too are passing on this terrible health hazard to their infants.
Two doctors by the names of Dr. Anthony Samsel and Dr. Stephanie Sneff have studied and written about the link between Roundup and celiac disease and gluten intolerance. You can read more about their article and work on the Sustainable Pulse website mentioned above.
So, what can you do? You can write to the FDA, USDA and the EPA and demand that this toxin be banned because of the evidence we now have of its accumulation in human beings to the destruction of their health. It's time for Americans to put pressure to bear on government agencies, whose mandate is to protect health. We must let them know that we insist on getting rid of this environmental health hazard.
Find or make some time to write a letter or send an e-mail. Personal letters sent via snail-mail count a whole lot more! I'm including the contact information (snail-mail) to make this as easy as possible for you.
FDA: 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993
USDA: US Dept. of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, Washington, DC, 20250
EPA: US Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC,
20460
Friday, April 25, 2014
2014 Highlights the Dangers of Roundup's Ingredient Glyphosate
The product we know by the name of Roundup, produced by Monsanto is an agricultural herbicide designed to deliver powerful and consistent weed control. The active ingredient in this herbicide is glyphosate. Glyphosate was approved for use in the US in 1974 and has been widely used ever since.
Scientists have looked carefully at glyphosate and its results. Many have come to the conclusion that glyphosate-based herbicides destroy soil, plant, animal and human health. Many farmers have come to the same conclusion.
Let's talk first about glyphosate's impact upon the soil where food is grown. Researchers have found that glyphosate decimates the beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Those organisms are essential for proper plant function and high quality nutrition. Without them, food is less nutrient dense. In other words, glyphosate sprayed food and crops are less nutritious. This has a direct impact upon our health.
In 2011, 250 million pounds of glyphosate were used in the US. The EPA recently doubled the amount of glyphosate allowed in our food. Be especially aware of conventionally produced soybean oil, flax seeds and peanuts. I strongly recommend only certified organic/organic for these food products, as a protection of you family's/your health.
Through scientific research, it has been established that glyphosate affects human health by causing disruption of your gut's microbial functions and life cycles. In addition, glyphosate has been found to preferentially affect the beneficial bacteria in your gut, while promoting the growth of pathogens in your intestines. Your gut's flora is critical to the proper functioning of your immune system. Let me repeat that. Your gut's flora is critical to the proper functioning of your immune system. When your immune system is disrupted, you can develop all kinds of health problems.
I'll speak more about the epidemiological patterns of diseases that closely correspond to our use of glyphosate in the next post.
Considering all this information is pretty disheartening. What can you do to safeguard your family's/your health? I've mentioned some suggestions in earlier posts and I'll repeat them here.
Eat organic as much as you possibly can. Of course, it will be more expensive, but when you consider that you are saving yourself doctor and medicine expenses that will occur later, it's actually a kind of preventative spending. Consider growing some food yourself in your own back yard. It's relaxing and rewarding at the same time. Start with something easy like some greens and a couple of tomato plants. Third, start shopping regularly at your local farmer's market. You'll get a chance to make friends with fruit and vegetable farmers and slowly build a relationship where you can ask questions and learn. Knowing the producers of your food has many positive aspects to it. Finally, inform yourself as much as possible. Here's one example. Did you know that California is considering its own food labeling law for the state? Yes! Food activists are still working on getting GE/GMO foods labeled. Please consider assisting in this effort by endorsing the CA State Food Labeling Bill, SB 1381. You can sign on to do that at this site: http://www.caforgefoodlabeling.org/endorsement_main_page
If you'd like to read and keep informed about the health hazards of glyphosate use, I'd strongly recommend Dr. Mercola's articles. He does a lot of research and speaks very clearly on this issue. Check out his website at: http://articles.mercola.com
Remember to be vigilant about reading the labels as you food shop, because things are changing all the time. Good health to you!
Scientists have looked carefully at glyphosate and its results. Many have come to the conclusion that glyphosate-based herbicides destroy soil, plant, animal and human health. Many farmers have come to the same conclusion.
Let's talk first about glyphosate's impact upon the soil where food is grown. Researchers have found that glyphosate decimates the beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Those organisms are essential for proper plant function and high quality nutrition. Without them, food is less nutrient dense. In other words, glyphosate sprayed food and crops are less nutritious. This has a direct impact upon our health.
In 2011, 250 million pounds of glyphosate were used in the US. The EPA recently doubled the amount of glyphosate allowed in our food. Be especially aware of conventionally produced soybean oil, flax seeds and peanuts. I strongly recommend only certified organic/organic for these food products, as a protection of you family's/your health.
Through scientific research, it has been established that glyphosate affects human health by causing disruption of your gut's microbial functions and life cycles. In addition, glyphosate has been found to preferentially affect the beneficial bacteria in your gut, while promoting the growth of pathogens in your intestines. Your gut's flora is critical to the proper functioning of your immune system. Let me repeat that. Your gut's flora is critical to the proper functioning of your immune system. When your immune system is disrupted, you can develop all kinds of health problems.
I'll speak more about the epidemiological patterns of diseases that closely correspond to our use of glyphosate in the next post.
Considering all this information is pretty disheartening. What can you do to safeguard your family's/your health? I've mentioned some suggestions in earlier posts and I'll repeat them here.
Eat organic as much as you possibly can. Of course, it will be more expensive, but when you consider that you are saving yourself doctor and medicine expenses that will occur later, it's actually a kind of preventative spending. Consider growing some food yourself in your own back yard. It's relaxing and rewarding at the same time. Start with something easy like some greens and a couple of tomato plants. Third, start shopping regularly at your local farmer's market. You'll get a chance to make friends with fruit and vegetable farmers and slowly build a relationship where you can ask questions and learn. Knowing the producers of your food has many positive aspects to it. Finally, inform yourself as much as possible. Here's one example. Did you know that California is considering its own food labeling law for the state? Yes! Food activists are still working on getting GE/GMO foods labeled. Please consider assisting in this effort by endorsing the CA State Food Labeling Bill, SB 1381. You can sign on to do that at this site: http://www.caforgefoodlabeling.org/endorsement_main_page
If you'd like to read and keep informed about the health hazards of glyphosate use, I'd strongly recommend Dr. Mercola's articles. He does a lot of research and speaks very clearly on this issue. Check out his website at: http://articles.mercola.com
Remember to be vigilant about reading the labels as you food shop, because things are changing all the time. Good health to you!
Friday, February 7, 2014
Tips for Avoiding GMO Foods at the Grocery Store
Here in the US, there are GMO ingredients in most processed foods that are NOT labeled that way, because our government and food producers alike don't think you have a right to know what's in the food you're eating.
SO
How can a health conscious consumer find out if the food they want to purchase contains GMOs? Here are some tips that I'd like to share with you as avoidance strategies. These tips are hard and fast, hold them in your mind every time you're in the grocery store.
Assume that all non-organic corn, soy, cottonseed and canola ingredients are GMO. In the US today, these plants are very likely grown from genetically modified seeds. Essentially, if it's a food from the center aisles of the grocery store, than it is highly likely to contain one or more of the four ingredients I've just named. If you need something made with corn or soy, be sure to seek out certified organic products. Certified organic products have gone through that certification process because it guarantees that they cannot contain GMOs. This is a food shopping imperative; knowing what a certified organic product truly means.
Keep away from any and all artificial sweeteners! I cannot emphasize this enough. Aspertame is made using GM bacterial strains of E. coli. In addition, more and more research indicates that consumption of aspartame carries a whole range of very negative health side effects. (I highly recommend watching the story of how aspartame received FDA approval, it is both chilling and informing.)
Acknowledge and beware of "invisible" GM ingredients that you will read on the food label, without necessarily understanding their origins. Some scientifically-sounding ingredients are derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Here's a short list of the most common ones found in almost all processed foods: whey, xanthan gum, glutamate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, cellulose, citric acid, maltodextrin and mono and diglycerides.
Be vigilant about choosing organic/certified organic dairy products. At the very least, you need to choose rBGH-free dairy products. All of the conventional dairy products produced here in the US are made from cattle raised with rBGH. This growth hormone very likely contains genetically modified components. Fortunately for food shoppers, there are many options out there to choose from and they are being distributed much more widely, as a result of consumer demand. For instance, there are dairy products with labels that declare the product "rBGH free". If you look carefully, they are becoming available in mainstream grocery stores. This option was unavailable even a couple of years ago.
Beware of produce stickers and PLU codes on fruits and vegetables. There are many myths out there concerning these small coded stickers on produce. Specifically, I've been informed that these codes can help identify GMO fruits and vegetables. However, while many people are convinced that a 5-digit code beginning with an 8 identifies a GMO, that kind of identification is completely optional. As far as I'm aware, no produce providers have chosen to be so transparent.
WITH THAT SAID
There is one you can trust. It is a 5-digit code starting with a 9. 9 identifies organic fruits and vegetables and by this classification, they are non-GMO.
I've talked about this before, but I want to just emphasize the worst 10 foods for GMO ingredients. Obviously these are the ones you and your family must absolutely avoid.
They are: corn, soy, sugar, aspartame, papayas from Hawaii, canola, cotton/cottonseed, dairy, zucchini and yellow squash.
If you want to eat these foods, consider organic but to be truly safe, I recommend certified organic. You can think about gardening at home and growing some of these items yourself. It's always a good idea to get to know a local farmer from your farmer's market and you can find out about the quality of the produce she/he is selling by building a personal relationship with her/him. To me, this is getting to be one of the safest things we can do---eat locally from a farmer we've built a personal relationship with.
For great informational reading on all things natural, visit http://naturalsociety.com
SO
How can a health conscious consumer find out if the food they want to purchase contains GMOs? Here are some tips that I'd like to share with you as avoidance strategies. These tips are hard and fast, hold them in your mind every time you're in the grocery store.
Assume that all non-organic corn, soy, cottonseed and canola ingredients are GMO. In the US today, these plants are very likely grown from genetically modified seeds. Essentially, if it's a food from the center aisles of the grocery store, than it is highly likely to contain one or more of the four ingredients I've just named. If you need something made with corn or soy, be sure to seek out certified organic products. Certified organic products have gone through that certification process because it guarantees that they cannot contain GMOs. This is a food shopping imperative; knowing what a certified organic product truly means.
Keep away from any and all artificial sweeteners! I cannot emphasize this enough. Aspertame is made using GM bacterial strains of E. coli. In addition, more and more research indicates that consumption of aspartame carries a whole range of very negative health side effects. (I highly recommend watching the story of how aspartame received FDA approval, it is both chilling and informing.)
Acknowledge and beware of "invisible" GM ingredients that you will read on the food label, without necessarily understanding their origins. Some scientifically-sounding ingredients are derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Here's a short list of the most common ones found in almost all processed foods: whey, xanthan gum, glutamate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, cellulose, citric acid, maltodextrin and mono and diglycerides.
Be vigilant about choosing organic/certified organic dairy products. At the very least, you need to choose rBGH-free dairy products. All of the conventional dairy products produced here in the US are made from cattle raised with rBGH. This growth hormone very likely contains genetically modified components. Fortunately for food shoppers, there are many options out there to choose from and they are being distributed much more widely, as a result of consumer demand. For instance, there are dairy products with labels that declare the product "rBGH free". If you look carefully, they are becoming available in mainstream grocery stores. This option was unavailable even a couple of years ago.
Beware of produce stickers and PLU codes on fruits and vegetables. There are many myths out there concerning these small coded stickers on produce. Specifically, I've been informed that these codes can help identify GMO fruits and vegetables. However, while many people are convinced that a 5-digit code beginning with an 8 identifies a GMO, that kind of identification is completely optional. As far as I'm aware, no produce providers have chosen to be so transparent.
WITH THAT SAID
There is one you can trust. It is a 5-digit code starting with a 9. 9 identifies organic fruits and vegetables and by this classification, they are non-GMO.
I've talked about this before, but I want to just emphasize the worst 10 foods for GMO ingredients. Obviously these are the ones you and your family must absolutely avoid.
They are: corn, soy, sugar, aspartame, papayas from Hawaii, canola, cotton/cottonseed, dairy, zucchini and yellow squash.
If you want to eat these foods, consider organic but to be truly safe, I recommend certified organic. You can think about gardening at home and growing some of these items yourself. It's always a good idea to get to know a local farmer from your farmer's market and you can find out about the quality of the produce she/he is selling by building a personal relationship with her/him. To me, this is getting to be one of the safest things we can do---eat locally from a farmer we've built a personal relationship with.
For great informational reading on all things natural, visit http://naturalsociety.com
Thursday, January 16, 2014
What's NOT Listed in the Food Label
So, food labels are important to read--that's obvious. But what can you do about ingredients that are not listed? I'm talking once again about GMO ingredients, because they do not have to appear on the label.
This is where consumer savvy comes in. You need to spend some time reading about food crops that are GMO. Then you need to make a list or create a little jingle that you'll always remember so you can use that information when you are food shopping.
As a short aside to this, and concerning additives that ARE listed, make up a list of the ones you want most to avoid when shopping and keep it handy in your wallet or purse so you can refer to it when food shopping. It's up to you to safeguard your family's health.
Getting back to what's not listed on food labels, today in America, as many people are aware, most of the soybeans and corn that are produced are GMO. If you have been reading food labels, you'll know that two of the most common ingredients used in most processed foods are soy and corn. And they are not listed as GMO soy or GMO corn, because they don't have to be.
But there are other ingredients frequently used that are also GMO, but not listed that way. They include: sugar beets, canola (think canola oil) and cotton (think cottonseed oil).
I call these the Big 5 and I count them off the fingers of my right hand as my personal jungle to be aware of when I'm food shopping. Corn, soy, sugar, canola and cotton. For the sake of our health, we must absolutely avoid these food ingredients, unless they are labeled organic.
Different states have been working on their own state laws requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients in food. People may remember Proposition 37 here in California, requiring such labeling. It was narrowly defeated at the polls. Recently, California's neighbor state, Washington went through the same process by putting the initiative in front of the voters (I-522) and again it was very narrowly defeated.
All together, about 30 states have drafted legislation on this issue. To date, only Maine and Connecticut have successfully passed it.
But other groups who are players in the way food is manufactured and distributed in this country have decided to take matters into their own hands. The GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association has plans of its own concerning GMO foods labeling. According to a draft bill outline leaked by Politico last week the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is proposing a federal voluntary labeling bill that would preempt states from passing meaningful mandatory labeling bills, redefine GE food as “safe” and even allow GE foods to be labeled as “natural.” I urge your strong opposition to this or any similar bill.
With all of this said, it is basically a situation of "consumer beware" when you are food shopping. Read all the labels carefully, consult your list or jingle so you can avoid GMOs and safeguard your family's health. Refer to you additives list so you can avoid the ones you feel are the worst.
Fortunately, there is some help for consumers who want to avoid GMOs in processed foods. The Center for Food Safety has published the True Food Shopper's Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy. www.centerforfoodsafety.org/.../true-food-shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-g
The Institute of Responsible Technology has published a Non-GMO Shopping Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy www.responsibletechnology.org/.
Both these guides are small and can fit into a wallet or purse for your easy reference when shopping.
Last, but not least, the Non GMO Project has dedicated itself to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, along with education of consumers about GMOs.
Look for these images on any food product and you can rest assured that it is GMO free.
It's our job to guard our health and the health of those dear to us. Be vigilant with reading food labels and doing your own research. Good luck to you in doing this!
This is where consumer savvy comes in. You need to spend some time reading about food crops that are GMO. Then you need to make a list or create a little jingle that you'll always remember so you can use that information when you are food shopping.
As a short aside to this, and concerning additives that ARE listed, make up a list of the ones you want most to avoid when shopping and keep it handy in your wallet or purse so you can refer to it when food shopping. It's up to you to safeguard your family's health.
Getting back to what's not listed on food labels, today in America, as many people are aware, most of the soybeans and corn that are produced are GMO. If you have been reading food labels, you'll know that two of the most common ingredients used in most processed foods are soy and corn. And they are not listed as GMO soy or GMO corn, because they don't have to be.
But there are other ingredients frequently used that are also GMO, but not listed that way. They include: sugar beets, canola (think canola oil) and cotton (think cottonseed oil).
I call these the Big 5 and I count them off the fingers of my right hand as my personal jungle to be aware of when I'm food shopping. Corn, soy, sugar, canola and cotton. For the sake of our health, we must absolutely avoid these food ingredients, unless they are labeled organic.
Different states have been working on their own state laws requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients in food. People may remember Proposition 37 here in California, requiring such labeling. It was narrowly defeated at the polls. Recently, California's neighbor state, Washington went through the same process by putting the initiative in front of the voters (I-522) and again it was very narrowly defeated.
All together, about 30 states have drafted legislation on this issue. To date, only Maine and Connecticut have successfully passed it.
But other groups who are players in the way food is manufactured and distributed in this country have decided to take matters into their own hands. The GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association has plans of its own concerning GMO foods labeling. According to a draft bill outline leaked by Politico last week the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is proposing a federal voluntary labeling bill that would preempt states from passing meaningful mandatory labeling bills, redefine GE food as “safe” and even allow GE foods to be labeled as “natural.” I urge your strong opposition to this or any similar bill.
With all of this said, it is basically a situation of "consumer beware" when you are food shopping. Read all the labels carefully, consult your list or jingle so you can avoid GMOs and safeguard your family's health. Refer to you additives list so you can avoid the ones you feel are the worst.
Fortunately, there is some help for consumers who want to avoid GMOs in processed foods. The Center for Food Safety has published the True Food Shopper's Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy. www.centerforfoodsafety.org/.../true-food-shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-g
The Institute of Responsible Technology has published a Non-GMO Shopping Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy www.responsibletechnology.org/.
Both these guides are small and can fit into a wallet or purse for your easy reference when shopping.
Last, but not least, the Non GMO Project has dedicated itself to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, along with education of consumers about GMOs.
Look for these images on any food product and you can rest assured that it is GMO free.
The Non-GMO Project
It's our job to guard our health and the health of those dear to us. Be vigilant with reading food labels and doing your own research. Good luck to you in doing this!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
The Food We Eat and What's In It
So, continuing on with the discussion about reading food labels. I think it's important to realize that the way food is processed and made has been changing over the years. We need to take time when shopping to read the labels so we know what's in the food we're buying (and eating/feeding to our families).
A good summary to examine is the % Daily Value section of the label. Based upon a 2,000 per day calorie diet, this % daily value of a food tells you how much this food meets that daily requirement.
It's important to check on the serving size that the % Daily Value summary is based on. It will be clearly listed on the container. For example, it might be one cup of a cold breakfast cereal. That will be the portion that the % daily value is figured on.
It's unbelievable, but there are over 300 food chemicals that are used in processed foods today. With that in mind, here's a list of 12 - 15 that I think are the most important to avoid:
sodium nitrite/sodium nitrate
BHA/BHT
propyl gallate
MSG
Aspartame/Acesulfame-K
food colorings: Blue 1, Red 3, Green 3, Yellow 6
olestra
potassium bromate
high fructose corn syrup/white sugar
sodium benzoate
artificial flavoring
You can do more reading on your own to learn more about hazardous food additives. I trust Dr. Mercola's advice and research, so I'm including a link to one of his articles on this topic here.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/24/12-food-additives-to-avoid.aspx
In summary, realizing that the way food is processed and made has changed greatly over the last 5 years means we need to food shop with caution. Take your time andslow down while shopping in order to read the food labels carefully. Avoid as many dangerous food additives as possible---use this list or do some research and make your own. Take that list with you when you shop, so you can refer to it if you need to. Then you'll be in a good position to shop for the healthiest food for you and your loved ones. Good health to you!
A good summary to examine is the % Daily Value section of the label. Based upon a 2,000 per day calorie diet, this % daily value of a food tells you how much this food meets that daily requirement.
It's important to check on the serving size that the % Daily Value summary is based on. It will be clearly listed on the container. For example, it might be one cup of a cold breakfast cereal. That will be the portion that the % daily value is figured on.
It's unbelievable, but there are over 300 food chemicals that are used in processed foods today. With that in mind, here's a list of 12 - 15 that I think are the most important to avoid:
sodium nitrite/sodium nitrate
BHA/BHT
propyl gallate
MSG
Aspartame/Acesulfame-K
food colorings: Blue 1, Red 3, Green 3, Yellow 6
olestra
potassium bromate
high fructose corn syrup/white sugar
sodium benzoate
artificial flavoring
You can do more reading on your own to learn more about hazardous food additives. I trust Dr. Mercola's advice and research, so I'm including a link to one of his articles on this topic here.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/24/12-food-additives-to-avoid.aspx
In summary, realizing that the way food is processed and made has changed greatly over the last 5 years means we need to food shop with caution. Take your time andslow down while shopping in order to read the food labels carefully. Avoid as many dangerous food additives as possible---use this list or do some research and make your own. Take that list with you when you shop, so you can refer to it if you need to. Then you'll be in a good position to shop for the healthiest food for you and your loved ones. Good health to you!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Reading Food Labels Carefully
So, let's continue the discussion about reading food labels. I talked briefly about the salt and sugar content so I'd like to address fats, in particular trans fats, that may be in the food you're considering. Trans fat is found in a variety of processed foods like vegetable oil or shortening, margarine, crackers, cookies and many snack foods.
What is trans fat? It's a chemical fat formed when manufacturers change a liquid oil into a solid fat. The manufacturer uses a process called hydrogenation to make this new chemical fat. Manufacturers like to use trans fat because it helps them to reduce their costs of production. They also use trans fat to increase the shelf life of the food product.
What are the health problems associated with trans fat? Researchers have found that increased heart disease, diabetes and obesity have all been linked to regular consumption of trans fat.
What can you do to avoid it? First, take your time when food shopping. Read the food label carefully and look for the words partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening. If it appears, look for another product that does not have this ingredient listed because it's a healthier choice for you and your loved ones.
What is trans fat? It's a chemical fat formed when manufacturers change a liquid oil into a solid fat. The manufacturer uses a process called hydrogenation to make this new chemical fat. Manufacturers like to use trans fat because it helps them to reduce their costs of production. They also use trans fat to increase the shelf life of the food product.
What are the health problems associated with trans fat? Researchers have found that increased heart disease, diabetes and obesity have all been linked to regular consumption of trans fat.
What can you do to avoid it? First, take your time when food shopping. Read the food label carefully and look for the words partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening. If it appears, look for another product that does not have this ingredient listed because it's a healthier choice for you and your loved ones.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Eating right and keeping healthy
Today we live exceedingly busy and demanding lives. As a result of this hectic daily pace, many of us are interested in streamlining daily activities as much as possible. One of those major daily activities is time spent in food preparation. It's nice to be able to use prepared foods to keep food prep. time down.
When we are purchasing prepared foods, we need to look carefully at the label to be sure about the ingredients that are included. These days, reading a food label may be just like reading a table of contents of a book. It takes time to check each label out. That is making food shopping more complicated than it used to be. So, careful food shopping takes a little longer than it used to.
The first thing to keep in mind when reading a food label is to know that it is based on a daily adult diet of 2,000 calories. This is the average amount that an adult consumes. So when a food label gives a percentage, it's telling you how much of that nutrient is provided based on the adult daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories.
The other thing that's important to read is the ingredients list. They are listed in order of the amount of each ingredient that is in the food. So, if the first ingredient is tomato, then there's lots of tomato in that food. Be aware of salt and sugar ingredients that appear high on the ingredients list-----they are likely to be salty or sweet foods that are not particularly healthy.
When we are purchasing prepared foods, we need to look carefully at the label to be sure about the ingredients that are included. These days, reading a food label may be just like reading a table of contents of a book. It takes time to check each label out. That is making food shopping more complicated than it used to be. So, careful food shopping takes a little longer than it used to.
The first thing to keep in mind when reading a food label is to know that it is based on a daily adult diet of 2,000 calories. This is the average amount that an adult consumes. So when a food label gives a percentage, it's telling you how much of that nutrient is provided based on the adult daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories.
The other thing that's important to read is the ingredients list. They are listed in order of the amount of each ingredient that is in the food. So, if the first ingredient is tomato, then there's lots of tomato in that food. Be aware of salt and sugar ingredients that appear high on the ingredients list-----they are likely to be salty or sweet foods that are not particularly healthy.
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