Toxic Sugar?

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  Following up on my previous blog, I wanted to stick with the food theme this week.

  I came across this video a few weeks ago, thanks to my smart Facebook friends, and it was a good one. So good, I wanted to share it on my blog.

  The video deals with sugar; how it's harming our health, why we should pay more attention to it, and explains why it's hidden in foods we never expect to see it in. 

  Well-worth watching!

"In only a few decades, there are now more obese people on the planet than there are undernourished. When it comes to getting fat, we've come to believe it's as simple as 'calories in' versus 'calories out' - if you want to shed pounds, you need to burn more calories than you consume. But not all calories are the same. Some people absorb calories more efficiently and it matters what types of foods your calories are coming from. Sugar is now being proposed by experts as the new dietary villain that's making us fat and sick. Dr. Maryanne Demasi investigates the bitter truth about the dangers of a sweet diet."

Designed to Move

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  It's become that obvious.

  Not to be overly dramatic, but our youngest generation is in a little trouble. 

  Why else has seemingly every organization formed, or sponsored, their own 'let's get kids moving' program?

  Thankfully, it's never too late to start chipping away at the problem, and inspire a change in culture.

  From the NFL's Play 60, President Clinton's Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the NBA's Get Fit, to First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move program (and so on), powerful organizations and companies around the country (and world) have seen the writing on the wall.

  Our children need an extra nudge to get moving.

  And today (Thursday, Feb. 28th), Nike threw their hat into the ring by joining forces with the First Lady, and others, to back and promote Let's Move! Active Schools. 

 Five Extra Years

 

Generation of Sitters to Generation of Movers?
  Schools are cutting PE classes. After school sports and activities are becoming less-attended, and less-occurring. Only 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools and 2% of high schools currently offer daily PE, and only nine states require recess in elementary schools.

  Their play time isn't organized (at school). And their play time isn't spontaneous either ('pick-up').

  Their 'play' time has become sitting. Studies show that kids are spending an average of seven-plus hours a day in front of one screen or another. And even though it's been shown that children need 60 minutes of physical activity per day to stay healthy, only one in three kids are active on a daily basis.

  Kids' days are spent playing more and more video games, on the computer, and watching TV. Getting them moving has become a chore.

  What has resulted is a generation expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents, record high obesity rates among children, and a generally unhealthy lifestyle.

  Food and nutrition is one thing (as you know, I strongly believe that our food supply/system has been just as harmful as inactivity). But depending on economic, and other factors, each child's access to high quality foods can vary a great deal.

Encouraging Activity = Encouraging Success
  There's one thing, however, that does not discriminate: playing. Moving. Being active.

  In addition to the health benefits of an active lifestyle, research indicates that regular physical activity can improve test scores, classroom behavior and attendance.

  'Physical activity does more than create good health. It contributes to leadership, productivity and innovation. It lowers depression and crime, increases education and income levels, and generates return to businesses. It unleashes human potential, and this is what drives economies forward.'

  Given those potential widespread effects, Nike is making an investment in the future. In our future. Over the next five years, Nike will invest $50 million to help create active schools and physically active communities around the US.

  The First Lady and Nike are joining forces with a few of those previously mentioned organizations, and others (a total of 70 'experts'), to spearhead an agenda to get this generation their five years back.

Michelle Obama & Nike kicking off Let's Move! Active Schools.

  The program is aimed at providing simple steps and tools to help schools create an environment to get students moving again. Resources will be provided to parents, teachers and administrators that will enable communities to organize activities that will get kids moving before, during and after the school day.

  This isn't about working out, or forcing kids to spend time in the gym. It's showing them, or reminding them, that moving, and playing, is fun.

  AND healthy. 

  Not every child is destined to be a competitive athlete. But they can be active, and they can be healthy. And active, healthy children grow up to be active, healthy adults.

  The Designed to Move/Let's Move! Active Schools agenda is focused on maximizing human potential. And shouldn't that start with kids?

  LINKS:

Designed to Move

Michelle Obama & Nike Join Forces

White House Press Release
Nike Press Release 

RELATED POSTS:

Children in Crisis: Kids and Our Food System 

Children in Crisis: Kids & Our Food System

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  I've made my feelings on the US Food System fairly clear during my 15 months writing Sabrina's Crossing.

  Unfortunately, the problems go beyond what we are putting on our plates for any one meal. And they go much deeper than any one individual.

  Our system is broken at the core.  

  I recently watched the HBO documentary The Weight of the Nation, a four-part series that explored the obesity 'epidemic' in the US, and came away shaking my head.

  Part 3, "Children in Crisis" (the full video is below), examined the steadily rising obesity rates among America's children.

  The marketing of foods to children, the national school lunch program, and sugary drinks (soda and juices) were the prime focus.

  While I don't have kids myself, I can't help but see that there's a problem. We should not be seeing a country of unhealthy children; struggling with their weight as youngsters, and living an overall unhealthy childhood. As the documentary notes this "will probably be the first generation with a shorter life expectancy than their parents."

  Kids should not have to be on diets. They're kids! But with obesity rates tripling in just one generation, and rising chances of developing obesity-related cardio-medabolic disorders and side-effects (Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc), it's clear this is not just an isolated problem.

The Happy Meal. Sold by everyone's favorite ogre: Shrek.

  Yes, problems lie on the home front as well. But the blame cannot come down solely on parents. If it was just an individual problem, we would not be seeing rising rates across the board, throughout the country.

  As cliche as it may sound: kids are our future. We should be doing all we can do to protect them, and set them up for successes, instead of allowing them to be exploited. 

  The problem lies in our system. 

How Washington Has Gone Soft
  Instead of making strides in policy in recent years, either by overhauling school lunch programs, regulating what foods are marketed to children, or even a 'soda-tax', the food and beverage industry has won fight after fight at every level of government during the last decade.

  There have been attempts to go healthy, but we've failed thus far.

  In late-2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was signed into law by President Obama. The act instructed the USDA to develop higher nutrition standards based on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine. It was to invest more money than ever before into the school lunch program, and other food programs for children.

Pizza and fries. A common lunch at school.

  The act would immediately increase the quantity of fruits and vegetables served, limit french fries to only be served two times per week, require grains served be whole grain, and reduce saturated fat and sodium in lunches.

  But less than a year later, the bottom fell out. Remember the 'pizza as a vegetable' debacle last November?

  Congress took huge steps backwards with a spending bill that essentially nullified the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. By keeping french fries on the daily menu, allowing pizza to be classified as a vegetable, and delaying the requirement of whole grains, Congress failed our children.

  In 2011, there was an effort to develop one consistent set of nutrition standards regarding food marketing to children. Standards set by experts, not dictated by manufacturers and advertisers. Congress created the Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children (IWG), which was made up of experts from the CDC, FDA, USDA, and FTC.

A healthier, more well-rounded lunch. What it should look like!

  The IWG was tasked with improving the nutritional profile of children's diets. In July 2011, they proposed principles that would lower the levels of sugar, salt, and fat in the majority of foods marketed to children.

  Once the food industry got wind of the healthier proposals, there was huge push back. A joint hearing was called in October 2011 where there were complaints of policies going too far, and 'declaring war on many healthy products'.

  The food industry won out again. After the hearing, Congress declared that the IWG completely withdraw their recommendations, and 'conduct a study, and report the findings to Congress'. As of March 2012, no further progress has been made on the IWG study.

  In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama's childhood-obesity campaign went from criticizing food makers to only promoting exercise after lobbyists weighed in with their opinions, and more-importantly, their dollars.

Self-Regulation

Michelle Obama's Let's Move program

  Health experts have compared the tactics of the food industry to those used by Big Tobacco to fight stricter regulations. The most popular argument is to allow the food industry to regulate itself. The companies themselves decide what is, and what is not, healthy food. 

  I've talked about food labeling tactics before. Such as making health claims on sugary cereals. That comes from self-regulation.

  The food industry's interests do NOT lie in protecting children, or our overall health.

  $1.5 billion per year is spent by the food industry marketing food products to children. Young children don't understand what marketing is and how it works. They see a fun cartoon, or their favorite character, and want the related product. Essentially the food industry buys our children.

  For example, the worst cereals nutritionally are the ones that are marketed most-aggressively to children.

  This is not a new discussion. For 30 years, there has been an active debate in Washington over whether or not we should limit advertising to children. 

  In many European countries (you knew I was going there), where obesity and diet-related disease rates are much lower, there are warning labels (France), food and beverage advertising to children bans (Sweden and Norway), and bans on TV ads, including celebrity endorsement, for candy and fast food (Ireland).

                                                                       Who's responsible for getting us back on track?  

What child doesn't want Cookie Crisp for breakfast?

Yes, there is personal choice and personal responsibility. But there is also such a thing as social responsibility. 

  We encountered the same strong push back and roadblocks in regard to smoking, public health and the tobacco industry. But look how regulation and tobacco/smoking is looked upon now. 

  I see our food industry in the same light. And it's just as serious of a problem, if not more-so.

  Here are two small examples of the quality of foods marketed to children: 1) In the breaded chicken and mozzarella Lunchable by Oscar Meyer, there are 80 ingredients listed. Shouldn't it be three: chicken, cheese, and bread? The other 77 ingredients accounts for processed junk.

  And who eats Lunchables -- kids!

  2) In strawberry fruit roll ups, the ingredient list doesn't even include actual strawberries. It's all chemicals, and it's all marketed to kids.

What do we do?
  We need to hold industry leaders and our politicians accountable and demand that the lack of regulation for the food industry be addressed. That we don't allow the big dollars influence school lunches. The health of the younger generation is too important.

  In the past 15 years, the percentage of new cases of Type 2 diabetes (what used to be called adult-onset) among children has from three to 50 percent. Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has tripled.

  What's more, a 2006 USDA report states that the percentage of children who are overweight has doubled and the percentage of adolescents who are overweight has more than triple. This has nothing to do with looks, and everything to do with health.

  Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease, what previously were 'adult-only' ailments, are now becoming more and more common in children and adolescents. These conditions arise primarily from poor diets and consumption of poor quality foods.

  We need to fix our system. It's more than personal choice and responsibility. Our leaders must get tough on the corporations, and we must tell the food industry enough is enough.

   In the meantime, exercise our right to make healthy choices. Educate ourselves about the food we put on the dinner table (and in the lunch box). We each can do more! 

  If you have the time, which I hope you do, watch "Children in Crisis", the third installment from HBO's The Weight of the Nation. And let me know your thoughts!


LINKS:
Kids Get Hooked Early and Often
How Washington Went Soft on Childhood Obesity
Congress to Kids: Drop Dead
Time to Stop Marketing Food to Kids
Jillian Michaels Podcast 9/15/2012
2006 USDA Report

Supermarket Sweep

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  Between sneaky food labels and grocery store-tricks, navigating our way through the supermarket can be a difficult task.

  I think a lot of us are making the effort. We're reading labels, we're being conscious of the things we are buying at the store. Or at least we're trying.

  But how many times have you looked at a box at the store, and had no idea what you're looking for? No matter how much we talk about it, deciphering food labels is still confusing!

  Why? Because advertisers and food companies play on the health-buzzwords of the moment, and adjust their packaging and advertising accordingly. They're trying to sell their product, and make money. Period.

  I listened to a few podcasts recently that had some great information in regard to helping us decipher those tricky food labels, and navigate through supermarket traps. 

Food Label Tricks
  Whole foods, fruits, veggies, etc, are at the top of everyone's 'eat right' list. But we also know how convenient, and readily-available processed foods are. Here are a few pointers in distinguishing between healthy options, what may appear to be a healthy option. 

• Local does NOT mean it's healthy

 - The phrase 'buy local' or 'locally produced' just means you're helping the environment because energy does not have to be used to ship products across the country/world. And buying local obviously benefits local farmers, who live in your own community. Since the food doesn't have to travel as far, nutrient content is greater because the fruits/veggies don't sit and oxidize. 

- Local does not mean Organic. At farmers' markets, don't presume just because they're LOCAL, that they're ORGANIC. Ask!! 

•  Gluten Free foods are not health foods

When zero doesn't mean zero.

- Gluten free does NOT mean 'healthy'. Production of gluten free foods have exploded in recent years, but they should not be the latest health rage. Gluten free foods are for people who are ALLERGIC to gluten, and suffer from Celiac disease. If you don't have Celiac disease, you don't need to be eating gluten free foods. Many times, gluten free foods are higher in calories, have less fiber, and are more expensive! 

• Trans Fat Labels

- We've all seen the label across the top of the bag of chips, or crackers: 'Zero Trans Fat'. But in actuality, there still can be up to a 1/2 gram of trans fat per serving. Most baked, packed goods (processed foods) purchased from the grocery store have trans fat. For example, a box of Ritz Crackers contains 14g of trans fat.

- Why all the hubbub over a half gram of trans fat? Studies show a strong link between consumption of trans fat and an increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression. The American Heart Association says that we should have no more than TWO grams of trans fat per DAY. If just 3% of our daily calorie allowance comes from trans fat, we've increased our risk to develop heart disease by 23%.

Whole Grains, it says. We know better.

- The take home: stay away from processed foods and you'll steer clear of trans fat! If you see 'hydrogenated' ANYWHERE in the ingredients list, there's trans fat. Put it back on the shelf. 

• Whole Grain/Whole Wheat Labels

- It needs to say '100% Whole Grain/Whole Wheat' NOT just 'Made with whole grain'. If it's 'made with' there can be just a fraction of actual whole grain used. 

• Natural food label

- I did an entire blog last year on the Natural food label. It's completely unregulated, and honestly, doesn't mean a thing. Natural is no healthier than a product not labeled  'natural'. But it surely will cost more.

  For the food companies, it's all about making a profit. They will do all they can to keep their production costs down, all while telling us their product is healthier than the competition's. Even if that means playing on words, looking for loopholes, and tricking the consumer.

Click to enlarge.

Navigating the Supermarket
  There are two supermarket tips many of us have already heard. 1) Stay on the perimeter of the store -- because the refrigerated/produce sections are on the periphery; while processed foods are in the center aisles. And 2) Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

  While those are helpful, the following tidbits are a little more specific, and hopefully will keep us on the right track!

  - Can you categorize the food into either a) Animal, b) Vegetable/Fruit or c) Mineral? For example, what is a chocolate chip cookie? Or a Cheeto? If you can't put it into one of those three categories, it's not food! It's chemicals and artificial ingredients, also known as, processed.

  - Make the cashier work! Things with bar codes = no. Those are processed foods. Things the cashier has to enter-in numerically = yes. That's produce.

  - Go with a gameplan. Don't buy things that aren't on your list.

  - Choose the shortest lines (obviously!). But studies have shown the longer you wait in line, where all those goodies are so nicely displayed, the more your will power is tempted, and the more-likely you are to buy those impulse items.

Navigating the supermarket can be tricky!

  - Invest in NUTRIENTS  not CALORIES. We complain that good food is costly. Instead of buying a bag of sweet potato chips or fries (at $3 a bag), buy sweet potatoes (at roughly $1 per pound). Broccoli instead of Cream of Broccoli soup. Buy strawberries instead of Smuckers jam. These options are 1) Less costly, 2) Less processed, and 3) More nutritious. Products in it's natural/original state are more healthful, and less expensive than when in the processed state.

  - Choose what you buy organically wisely. I've written previous blogs on the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. Produce that should always be bought organically (because of their thin skins, and the presence of pesticides and toxins on them), and produce that is okay to buy conventionally. Organic meat & dairy to avoid the anti-biotics and hormones.

  - Be wary of the natural food stores -- the Whole Foods of the worlds -- many times they grossly overcharge for certain products. Compare prices between markets. Sometimes Safeway has the same product for far less money. Pay attention, you'll be surprised!

  Do you  have any tips for avoiding supermarket tricks and money traps? Sharing is caring!

  Hope this was a helpful entry, at finding the true healthy buys, and keeping a few extra dollars from being thrown down the drain! 

LINKS:

Jillian Michaels Podcast 8/18/2012

Jillian Michaels Podcast 8/25/2012

5 Sneaky Supermarket Food Labeling Tricks

Sugary Ban: Right Intentions, Wrong Execution

Mayor Bloomberg announcing extreme ban of sugary drinks.

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  Today is going to be a quick interruption to my vacation blogs. As much as I like to write about traveling, I needed a change up. Lucky for me, something popped up in recent days that gave me the perfect distraction.

  We've all heard about Mayor Michael Bloomberg's intention to ban the sale of large sugary drinks in New York City.

  I have to admit when I first heard about his proposal, I thought it was the right thing to do, and a great start to hopefully reversing our nation's obesity problem.

  Nationwide: 68.8% of adults are overweight or obese (35.7% are obese), and 31.8% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese (16.9% are obese). In New York City, more than half of the adults are overweight (34%) or obese (22%).

  So it is clearly just that: a PROBLEM. And something needs to be done.

  Regardless of what is causing Americans to become more and more obese with each passing year, I initially felt this extreme ban could potentially catapult us into working towards a solution. I mean really, when do you ever need a pop (soda, whatever you want to call it. OR juice -- which is just as dangerous to our waistlines/health as pop is) larger than 16 ounces???

  NYC and Bloomberg have been trendsetters in the past when it comes to health and adopting aggressive regulations. They were among the first to place bans on smoking in restaurants and parks, to prohibit artificial trans-fat in restaurant food, and require health inspection grades to be posted in restaurant windows.

  At first people complained and argued that those restrictions infringed on our personal rights and freedoms. But after a short time, similar restrictions have been adopted throughout the country. And throughout the world.

  Placing the health of our people and public safety ahead of personal freedoms.

Anything larger than 16 oz would be banned under Bloomberg's proposal.

  But I knew this 'sugary' drinks ban would cause an uproar. I could hear the arguments against it start before I even finished reading about Bloomberg's proposal:

  This is not America! What is happening to our freedom? This is not the business of the government! What will be next?

  After thinking about it for a few days, and thinking about the slippery slope we'd be stepping onto, I realize a widespread ban of sugary drinks would not be a good thing. Both politically and nutritionally.

  Politically, we'd be opening up a whole new can of worms. Dangerous, new precedents would be set, and there would be no turning back.

  And nutritionally, though I think at times we need a nudge in the right direction in this department, we need to learn personal responsibility on our own. Instead of banning, educate. What is it about sugary drinks that is harmful to our health? What is it about sugar that leads to obesity?

  If anything, now I hope Bloomberg's sugary drink ban re-opens the discussion, and makes people realize this is serious business. We DO have a problem, and we need to start searching for solutions.

 LINKS:

NY Times: Bloomberg Plans a Ban on Large, Sugary Drinks

US Obesity Rates 

NYC Obesity Rates 

Agave Addendum

Agave Nectar

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  A couple months ago, I wrote an entry about sugar, artificial sweeteners, and possible alternatives to refined white sugar. My message in that particular blog was that real sugar isn't as evil as it's made out to be. It's how much of it we're consuming (many times, unknowingly). And it's too much of the fake stuff -- the processed sugars and sweeteners -- that get us into trouble. 

  That message hasn't changed, but I have an update on one of the possible alternatives.

  Almost immediately after pushing the 'publish' button on that blog in February, I received feedback about one of the alternatives: Agave (or Agave Nectar). 

  Even though I was a somewhat skeptical, I had started using Agave this Fall to sweeten my morning coffee. When I received feedback to look further into Agave, I did just that. And what I found resulted in immediately stopping my usage of Agave.

What is Agave Nectar?

  Agave is relatively new to mainstream markets, but it is definitely becoming more and more well-known. It's often touted as a 'health food' because it doesn't raise blood glucose levels in the same way refined white sugar does. I've also seen it advertised as natural and organic. Marketers call Agave a health food because it's considered a low-glycemic sweetener. Since Agave is very high in fructose (most consist of 70-80% fructose), it does not get absorbed into the blood stream as quickly as white sugar does.

  However, with further research, it seems that Agave Nectar is just as processed as High Fructose Corn Syrup (which is 55% fructose by comparison). So that debunks the claim that Agave is organic, natural or traditional.

  In fact, Agave and HFCS are made in the same manner: 

"using a highly chemical process with genetically modified enzymes. They are also using caustic acids, clarifiers, filtration chemicals and so forth in the conversion of agave starches into highly refined fructose inulin that is even higher in fructose content than high fructose corn syrup."

 What's the problem with fructose?

  Concentrated fructose isn't found anywhere in nature. Not even the sweetest of fruits. Fructose is a man-made sugar created by the refining process. Refined fructose doesn't contain any amino acids, vitamins, minerals, pectin, or fiber. As a result, the body doesn’t recognize refined fructose.

  Levulose is the naturally occurring sugar in fruits. It contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fruit pectin.

  Refined fructose is processed in the body through the liver, and not digested in the intestine. Whereas levulose is digested in the intestine. This is a crucial factor to our bodies and digestive systems. Because fructose is digested in the liver, it is immediately turned into triglycerides or stored body fat. Since it doesn’t get converted to blood glucose like other sugars do, it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels in the same manner either. Hence the claim that it is safe for diabetics, and is a low-glycemic sweetener.

Who do we believe?

Agave plant

  But still, here's the problem with Agave. The information within public reach is extremely inconsistent.

  One place you might read that it IS indeed a health food, and a solid alternative to white sugar. That it takes your body longer to break Agave down.

  While other sources claim that it is no better than High Fructose Corn Syrup (or possibly worse), and the excess fructose in Agave increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to brain shrinkage and mood instability.

  Google it quickly, and see the varying stories you get.

  With all the differing stories about Agave at our disposal, I wanted to pass along the new information I had become aware of. As always, knowledge is power! And since I had previously written that I used Agave, I wanted to issue an addendum of sorts. I don't want to provide bad information to my readers! 

What now?

  With Agave seemingly thrown out the window, I was back at square one. If I want to avoid refined white sugar, what is my best option?

  The best bet I have come across is Organic Cane Sugar. Again, I really only use sugar to sweeten my coffee. So if you are baking and are looking for another alternative, there might be a better solution.

  I have also come across people who rave about Beet Sugar. I personally have not used beet sugar, so I cannot speak of it one way or the other.

  If anything, we need to realize that no sweetener or sugar is a 'health food'! There is no magical sweetener that has zero calories, and won't harm our bodies in other ways. Sugar and other sweeteners should always be consumed in moderation, and is something we should always be mindful of. If you want something sweet, choose the calories NOT the chemicals!

 

LINKS:
Rodale: The 4 Best, and 3 Worst Sweeteners
Rodale: Food and Depression
Agave Nectar by Dr. Paul Gannon
Why is White Refined Sugar Unhealthy?
Agave Nectar: Good or Bad?

Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

Common artificial sweeteners.

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  Sugar is the root of all diet-evils, isn't it? That MUST be the case since all we hear about is sugar-free this, and sugar-free that. We are told to avoid it wherever we can. Then we are shown the high obesity rates, rising cases of heart disease, and high occurrences of diabetes that sugar has caused in Americans.

  But here's the thing: Sugar alone is not the problem. TOO much sugar (and PROCESSED sugar) is the problem!

  So we run from real sugar, to artificial sweeteners. Splenda, saccharin, Equal, Sweet n'Low, aspartame; we've all tried them. And we think they're great. They have little-to-no calories, and they still make things taste great!
 
No Chemical Policy!
  Only one problem: they're ARTIFICIAL. Meaning, they're chemicals; not naturally occurring. And with these artificial sweeteners, Americans still are more obese than ever. So much for 'sugar-free' being the great diet savior.

   So here's a quick rundown on artificial sweeteners:

  -Aspartame: is the technical name for NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. Aspartame is made of aspartic acid (act as neurotransmitters in the brain), phenylalanine (an amino acid normally found in the brain), and methanol (wood alcohol/poison). These 'ingredients' can cause birth defects, cancer, diabetes, emotional disorders, and seizures. So lets steer clear of Aspartame.

  -Saccharin: is the technical name for Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin, Sweet'N Low, and Necta Sweet. Initially saccharin was tested and shown to cause bladder tumors/cancer in lab rats, so it was required to sport the warning label: "Use of this product may be hazardous to your health. This product contains saccharin which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals." The FDA since pulled the label when it was shown to cause cancer ONLY in rats. But researchers agree that in sufficient doses, saccharin is carcinogenic in humans as well. The question is, how do you know much saccharin your body can tolerate? That's not something I'm willing to risk, so lets stay away from saccharin too. 

  -Sucralose: also known as Splenda. The most-recent of the artificial sweeteners to hit the market, and has been touted as 'deriving from sugar'. However, it is processed using chlorine, and actually might have more scientifically in common with pesticides than with food. It has a zero calorie claim because once it reaches the gut, it goes largely unrecognized in the body as food. Splenda/sucralose is still too new to fully know it's effects on our bodies, but I think I'll avoid the chlorine. 

  -High Fructose Corn Syrup: also known as HFCS and/or Corn Sugar. Recent studies link HFCS to fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and elevated risk of heart disease (because of increased LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, & a protein called apolipoprotein-B (which can cause plaque buildup in arteries) levels in the blood after consistent consumption). HFCS are metabolized ONLY by the liver (whereas naturally occurring sugar is metabolized by every cell in the body) which could explain the tie to liver and heart diseases. 

Chemicals versus calories.

Diet Soda, Not So 'Diet' After All 
  Before you roll your eyes at me, take one more thing into account: diet soda (which is sweetened with artificial sweeteners, of course) drinkers had a 70 percent increase in waist circumference over a 10-year study (by from the University of Texas Health Science Center), compared with those who didn't drink any soda at all.

  In a separate study conducted on mice, it was suggested that when your liver encounters too much glucose, the excess is converted to body fat. Diet soda: making us fat. Awesome.

  So now that I've ruined all your zero calorie fun, now what?

Real Sugar
  Let's not forget that sugar is naturally occurring in our world. One teaspoon of sugar has 14 calories in it. That's it! And where we get into trouble is having TOO much sugar, remember? Sugar consumption has tripled over the last 50 years.

  So let's forget the Big Gulp from 7-11 (whether it's diet soda, or not), or the Venti Mocha from Starbucks, and the boxed cookies from the grocery store. And let's get back having a well-balanced diet, and have naturally occurring forms of sugar in MODERATION. 

  I know, boring isn't it? But it's reality! If you're concerned about calories, don't resort to chemicals for the quick fix. And of course we're allowed to have treats and desserts! But remember, there's a huge difference between calories and chemicals! We should never be eating chemicals.

A few natural options.

  If you're still hesitant about table sugar (or insulin resistant/diabetic), there are some other natural options as well.

Other Sweeteners
  Raw honey and pure maple syrup, while still containing calories, are not going to harm you.

  There's also Agave (which I have used --but remain cautious about) and various sugar alcohols. They are naturally occurring, but break down more-slowly in the body (having a lower glycemic index).

  Stevia is plant-based, and contains zero calories. I have tried Stevia, but found it to have a very strong aftertaste. I have used it in baking, and thought it worked out okay.

  Finally, you can try organic cane sugar, which is what I currently use.

  Let's be clear, sugar can be cause for harm. But ONLY when we don't pay attention to the QUALITY of the sugar (artificial or not), and the QUANTITY of the sugar. We're all responsible adults here (is that a bad assumption to make?), so let's take control of what we choose to consume.

  It's my choice to never opt for chemicals. We can have REAL sugar in moderation, and then we won't have to worry about the calories, OR the chemicals.

LINKS:

Aspartame: Most Dangerous Food on the Market  

Jillian Michaels Podcast 8/5/2011

Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar Substitutes
HFCS Consumption
HFCS and Sugar
Food Politics: Sugar
Nine Disturbing Side Effects of Soda
Natural Sweeteners

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GMOs - What Can We Do?

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  Here we are...back to GMOs! You didn't think I was done calling-out the American food supply, did you?

  First I told you what GMOs were. Then I told you how they negatively effect our health, and our environment.

  So now, what can we do to identify them in the grocery store and more importantly, avoid them?

GMOs & Their Effects
  But first here's a QUICK recap: GMOs are Genetically Modified Organisms. They are organisms (seeds, plants, animals) whose genetic material has been altered from its natural state. DNA molecules are combined with different sources to create a new set of genes, and essentially a new organism.

  The US food supply is full of GMOs, but they are most prevalent in corn and soy crops. Unfortunately for us, corn and soy is found in virtually everything these days!

  And while the effects on our health (rise in infertility, obesity, Diabetes, Autism, Parkinson's, asthma, cancer, etc rates) cannot yet be directly linked to GMOs, they haven't been proven safe either.
 
  In 2009, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine publicly condemned GMOs in our food supply. Saying GMOs posed 'a serious health risk.' They also asked the U.S. government to implement an immediate moratorium on all GMO foods, and urged physicians to prescribe non-GMO diets.

GMOs have infiltrated our food supply!

  Personally speaking, I'm not going to wait for the government to tell me they're unsafe. The long term consequences of GMOs on our health and environment have NOT been adequately researched. Since learning how potentially harmful GMOs are to our health and environment, I quickly became determined to avoid them at all costs. So what do we look for?

How Do We Identify Genetically Modified Foods?
  Since GMO foods are not labeled in the US (like they are required to be in over 40 countries worldwide), identifying them can be somewhat difficult. But it's not impossible. All it takes is a little diligence on the part of the consumer!

Non-GMO Project seal.

  Keep in mind that roughly 80% of packaged foods in the U.S. contain GMO ingredients.

  First and foremost, when buying processed/packaged goods, look for the Non-GMO Project verified seal. Products with this seal have undergone independent third-party testing to ensure they have been made to best avoid GMO ingredients. So this is a helpful tool.

  The second thing you must do when buying processed foods is look at the ingredients list! Avoid at-risk ingredients (the big 4): corn, soybean, canola, and cottonseed products. Okay, this is nearly impossible, so let's move onto step three.

Pick & Choose When to Buy Organic -- the Dirty Dozen & Clean 15
  When buying fruits and vegetables it's a whole different ballgame. Federal researchers found that certain types of organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins we consume on a daily basis by as much as 80%!

  The "Dirty Dozen" is a list of produce that contain the highest amount of chemicals, and should ALWAYS be bought organically.

  When 'conventionally' grown (non-organic, with chemicals), these fruits and vegetables tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67. Those numbers are frightening if you ask me!

  Do we really want those pesticides in our bodies? Here are the Dirty Dozen: Apples, Celery, Peaches, Strawberries, Domestic blueberries, Nectarines, Sweet bell peppers. Spinach, Kale and Collard greens, Cherries, Potatoes, Imported grapes, and Lettuce.

  I know buying Organic produce can get expensive. So there's also a "Clean 15" that lists fruits and vegetables that have little to no traces of pesticides when grown 'conventionally' (non-organically).

  The Clean 15 are: Onions, Avocados, Sweet corn, Pineapples, Mango, Sweet peas, Asparagus, Kiwi fruit, Cabbage, Eggplant, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Sweet potatoes, and Sweet onions.

   By keeping these two lists in mind, you can avoid a great deal of harmful and unnecessary chemicals! In my opinion, it's best to have a "No Chemical Policy." Since when is it okay to consume chemicals?

Just Label It!

Demand GMOs Be Labeled  
  The last thing we, as consumers can do, is continue to push our government to label GMO foods. We need to make these harmful foods more-easily identifiable in the grocery store!

  As I mentioned before, over 40 countries worldwide label modified foods, so why is the US so far behind?

  The Center for Food Safety recently started the Just Label It campaign. The CFS has petitioned the FDA demanding it require the labeling of modified foods. Go sign it! This link will send your comment/request to the FDA and President Obama.

  While it may be difficult, and somewhat time-consuming, I encourage you to be diligent on your own, and pay attention to what is in your food! A chemical is never a good thing to put in our bodies.

  After all, we only get one of them! Be mindful of how we are treating it!

  RELATED POSTS:

Do You Know What GMOs Are? 

The Dangers of GMOs

The Harmful Effects of Soy

 LINKS:

Non-GMO Shopping Guide

The Fight Against GMOs

Non-GMO Project

The Dirty Dozen

Center for Food Safety

Just Label It campaign

Our Fear of Fat

Good vs. Bad Fats.

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  How many of you, when buying groceries, turn the box over and look at the food label?

  Great first step.

  It's important to know what's in our food. But what's the first thing you look at? If your first glance is at the fat content, stop it!

  Being afraid of fat is what's gotten us into trouble in the first place.

  Though the years, Americans have developed this fear of fat. That all fat bad for us, and we should stay clear of it at all costs. That couldn't be further from the truth.

  Fat does NOT immediately store in/on your body as fat! Fat is created on your body though stored energy, which is excess/extra calories!

  You know those low-fat/no-fat diets that were pushed for years and years? Turns out they might have made Americans fatter than ever before.

  The healthy fats (yes, there are healthy and necessary fats) have been cut out of our diets, and have been replaced with processed carbohydrates and refined sugars (that store in our bodies as fat after digestion). THAT is what has made obesity rates sky rocket. Along with rising rates of heart disease and Diabetes, low-fat diets have done a number on Americans' health.

  Meanwhile, a fear of fat continues to be instilled in us. The fear of fat has got to stop. Fat in your diet is not the enemy, and it never has been our enemy. 

Four Kinds of Fat

Trans Fat - What we should AVOID!

  There are four different kinds of fat, but they are far from equal. Only one of them (trans fat) should be avoided at all costs. The rest (saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated), if consumed within a healthy diet and normal caloric intake, are perfectly healthy to have!

Avoid
  Trans fat (the one we should avoid!!): This shows up on food labels as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil. These fats do NOT occur naturally, and are produced through a process where vegetable oil is heated up using hydrogen gas, making it more solid (called Hydrogenation).

  This process was intended to increase shelf life and improve the texture of processed foods.

  In a nutshell, trans fat wreaks havoc on our bodies. It has been shown that if only 3% of your daily calorie intake are trans fats, you raise your risk of heart disease by 23%!

  Trans fat is most commonly used in commercially baked goods, crackers, salad dressings, and fried foods. And just because it says "Trans Fat Free" on the box, doesn't mean there isn't any trans fat in the product.

  The FDA allows that label on anything that has less than a half-gram of trans fat per serving. Sure, a half-gram is nothing, but it adds up over time! So word to the wise: check the ingredient list. If you see hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, put down the box and find something else to buy!

In Moderation
  Up until recently, saturated fat (found in animal fats/protein) has gotten a bad rap. It was widely claimed that saturated fat raised your cholesterol, and was so bad for you, it would kill you. Studies now show that, while animal fats do in fact raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, they help raise your HDL (good cholesterol) as well.

Trans fats break down of fast food fries and chicken.

  For that reason, it should be noted that you don't want to over-do it, and consume massive amounts of saturated fat. But there is no need to avoid meat entirely! Instead we should be on the lookout for trans fat and processed carbohydrates!

'Healthy' Fats
  Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are essential to a healthy diet, and an optimally functioning body. It has been shown that fatty acids help our cells stay move-able and flexible, and also help build cell membranes.

  Fatty acids also benefit nerve function as fats compose the material that insulate and protect our nerves. Consuming healthy fats also slows the digestion process, allowing our bodies to absorb more nutrients. 

  Monounsaturated fats which are found in whole milk products, olive oil, sunflower and flax seed oils, red meat, nuts, and avocados, have great benefits. Fats are essential to brain function (the brain is composed of 60% fat!!), and aid in learning ability and memory retention. They've also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
  

'Healthy' fats.

  Polyunsaturated fats are found in most seeds and nuts, fish, leafy greens, and where we get the infamous Omega-3 fatty acids. These fats have been found to be naturally anti-inflammatory, are beneficial to heart health, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

  These fatty acids are also particularly important during pregnancy, as they are are critical to fetal brain development.

  The fact that these fats are 'healthy' should always be kept in mind. However it's not permission to eat an entire package of almonds, or go crazy with guacamole every night.

  After all, there are nine calories per gram of fat in food (versus four calories per gram in both protein and carbohydrates). The idea is to enjoy these things in moderation on a regular basis, within a balanced diet to aid body/brain function, lower cholesterol, and decrease the risk of heart disease.

  The stigma of fat, that it makes you fat and it is bad, needs to change! What will make you fat is excess calories that will be converted and stored as fat. Again, fat does not go directly into your body, and become fat on your body. So stop being scared of fat! Stop worrying about the fat content of foods, and start paying attention to the quality (no trans fats and processed carbs), and quantity of your food!

  Hope you found this helpful!

 




LINKS:
   Jillian Michaels Podcast 4/8/2011

Where'd All the Fat People Go?

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In front of my favorite door in Germany! LOL

  Ok, that may seem harsh...but there's no nice way to put it. The first thing I notice when I get back to Europe is exactly that: why are there no obese people here? And it's always the first thing that comes to mind when I step foot back onto an American soil. So WHY is this the case?

  Believe me, it's NOT because Europeans eat any healthier than Americans. They enjoy their cakes, bread, cheese, pasta, ice cream, beer/wine, candy, chocolate, ETC! just as much as we do (you should see the candy aisles in Europe!!! 1 entire aisle for chocolate, and 1 aisle for gummy candy, like Haribo). You walk by a cafe here in Dunkerque at anytime in the afternoon, you're guaranteed to see table full of people enjoying a bowl full of frites (french fries), a beer, or a crepe,
or maybe all three!

CANDY in Sweden! All those bins are filled with candy.

  So if they're not necessarily eating any healthier, what gives?

  One thing you can chalk it up to, I think, is the walking lifestyle versus the driving lifestyle. Space comes at a premium in European cities. That means there aren't giant parking lots around every corner here in Dunkerque waiting to be filled with errand-runners and their cars. I've been in enough cities in Europe to realize this is a commonplace, and not just specific to one particular country or town.  So when a person has numerous errands to run, they park their car in a central location (or maybe they walk, or take the bus into town), they get out, and they walk. So most of their time is spent walking, not in a car.

  In the U.S. however, when we have errands to run, we might spend 75% (??) of our time driving in our car, going from stop to stop. Say we have five places to go to on a given afternoon. More times than not, that's going to mean five times parking the car, isn't it? Blame it on the strip malls, I don't know. But how many of us are guilty of driving our cars across the street to another parking lot when it'd be just as easy to walk? Sure it might be faster and more convenient. But what is that convenience costing us?

Plaza in Wroclaw, Poland.

  Another related reason, is simply where most of the people live and how the cities are designed. It's city-living versus suburb-living. In Europe, most of the people live in apartments in the city. Whereas in the States, the majority live in residential/suburban areas. I'm not citing any facts today, so I'm just basing this on my observations. Again, this makes it easier for someone living in Europe to walk down the street to the market or the cafe. While those 'lazy Americans' (you know the stereotype) get in their cars, and drive a couple miles to the same places.

Can't drive, gotta walk! Luleå, Sweden.

  The third, and probably the most significant reason obesity rates in Europe pale in comparison to those in the U.S., is the grocery store experience. This opens up a whole new can of worms, and I'll be writing more about this at a later date. But it IS the main culprit in my opinion. It's the foods on our shelves and in our aisles that are doing us the most harm.

 I'm the first to complain how quickly my vegetables go bad when I'm in Europe; or when the loaf of bread I just bought has mold growing on it five days later. There's a reason for that. There are less (or no?) chemicals and preservatives used in food in Europe. It's the dreaded GMO (genetically modified organism) debate. Our bodies were never meant to break down chemicals, so in turn it doesn't know how to! But again, that's a blog for a later date.

  Less preservatives and chemicals equal shorter shelf-life. Foods don't sit on the shelves in the grocery stores for six months (or more!!). Then in turn, sit in our cabinets for another two months.

How awesome is this street?!?! Wolfenbüttel, Germany.

   That's why you see Europeans making more frequent visits to the store. Several times a week it is necessary to take a trip to the grocery store for meat, bread, milk, fruits, and vegetables. Yeah, you get tired of having to go to the store so often. But if you keep in mind that you're getting fresher foods as a pay off, it's something you can get used to doing!

  I'm lucky enough to be able to spend a good amount of time living in both the U.S. and in Europe. It's given me the opportunity to appreciate the good things about both places, and realize that both have their deficiencies too (yes, I've found there ARE negatives to the European way of living as well -- in MY opinion!).

Elin about to enjoy a scrumptious cake and 'coffee'.

  Living in Europe promotes moving and a healthier way to live. That's just the lifestyle, and that's what people are used to. While we as Americans can't do much to change the lay-out of our cities, we CAN make the effort to walk to the store (or wherever!!) when we can, and DEMAND that our food be free of harmful chemicals.

~ Sabrina