OneHealthyGirl.com - Carla Golden's Get Healthier! Blog

e.a.r.t.h.food: Water

[With this blog post I am participating in Blog Action Day 2009 which is an annual event every October 15th that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. More info at BlogActionDay.org]

e.a.r.t.h.food: Water

Starting with the least common denominator, in all lifestyle diets consisting of liquid and solid food is water. In this issue of e.a.r.t.h.food I will attempt to reveal the best water choices based on our human health systems and our collective planetary health. I will not explore showering vs. bathing, cold vs. hot settings on the washer or automatic sprinklers running while it's raining (that's for you, AC). I leave those topics to the experts. I'm simply exploring the liquid food we call water, though there is some cross-over with water as agent vs. food material when "70% of freshwater [is] being consumed by agriculture." (Wikipedia)

H2O.

A human can survive on average 3 to 5 days without water, assuming all other variables are temperate. According to the U.N. children's agency UNICEF, polluted water and lack of basic sanitation claim the lives of over 1.5 million children every year, mostly from water-borne diseases. 

So in order to survive, we need roughly one gallon of adequately cleaned water per day (directly from water itself or the water naturally inherent in fresh fruits and vegetables.)

Easy enough? Not when mega-corporations want to convince you that tap water is unclean and potentially dangerous to your health then package and sell you all your safe, clean drinking water.

All packaged water - bottled large or small in plastic or glass - is politically and environmentally a poor choice. The toxic plastic chemical bisphenol A or BPA (an environmental estrogen linked to reproduction and brain development disruption) may leech into the water during storage and transport. Drinking water from plastic bottles made with the toxic chemical BPA increases urinary levels of the chemical by nearly 70 percent, according to a study conducted by researchers from Harvard University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If not recycled, a plastic bottle can take 400+ years to decompose in a landfill. While glass is a cleaner material than plastic to manufacture and recycle, it can take 500 years for it to decompose in a landfill. Not to mention the transportation of such bottles requires an enormous amount of energy.

But we've been buying the bottles because 1. it's healthier than soda, 2. it's convenient and 3. we've been told tap water is dirty and bottle water is clean. We generally feel like we're doing something good for our health when we buy bottled water.

Relying on private companies to provide adequate drinking water is precarious. Sometimes bottled water is just tap water and oftentimes the bottled water industry is less regulated than municipal water systems. I would like to see more effort made by citizens to encourage municipalities to improve the quality of their local tap water. We've been made scared of tap water, and in some locations rightfully so. In some US towns like this one, it is unsafe to use, let alone drink, publicly provided water.

"The New York Times estimates that the Clean Water Act has been “violated more than 506,000 times since 2004, by more than 23,000 companies and other facilities, according to reports submitted by polluters themselves.” Pollution includes pesticide exposure, high levels of industrial solvents like tetrachloroethylene (which is linked to kidney damage and cancer), and liquefied animal feces from dairy fields (that then seeps into water wells)."

"Corporate Accountability International has started a "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign to promote, protect and ensure public funding for our public water systems. That means challenging corporations who undermine public confidence in tap water. It also means working with public officials, faith groups, restaurants, celebrities, campuses, and individuals to support public systems by opting for tap over bottled water."

Cleaning up our public water systems so that we can safely drink from the tap in reusable containers is the ideal solution for our health and for the health of the planet. Until your public water supply is as clean as you require, consider installing a tap filter, a house-wide filter, use a filtering pitcher or perhaps your fridge has a built in filtered water dispenser to utilize. You may need to employ an alkalizing, ionizing or reverse osmosis device to cleanse the water to your standards if you're aiming to ride treated water of chemicals like chlorine and fluoride. Avoid plastic receptacles whenever possible, especially when hot water (heated electronically or by the sun) is involved.

Only when we support a clean public water system by demanding it and by using it will it become a nationwide asset belonging to its citizens. And when we value clean water for every citizen then can we begin to help resolve disgraceful water situations around the globe. Luckily there are inventors tirelessly at work creating ingenious devices like the LifeStraw and the LifeSaver Bottle. Please consider supporting the foundations that make these devices available to those who live where clean water due to lack of basic sanitation is unavailable. Everybody has the right to access clean drinking water. Everybody.

Live Light, xo-C.

Further Resources:

EPA Drinking Water and Health: What You Need to Know

Find Water Polluters Near You

Petition: Help Protect Our Waters from Pollution

Water.org

US Bottled Water Sales Down Slightly. Why Are So Few Willing To Change?

environmental.action.resulting in.total.health.food

 

(This post was originally published, and is under copyright protection by, ThePositiveObserver.com)

Final Food School Post - Yay! You've Graduated!

No where will you find ANY wise lifestyle diet that encourages food with any of the following ingredients:

1. Partially or Fully Hydrogenated Oils
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
4. Sodium Nitrites
5. Refined White Sugar
6. Refined White Salt
7. Artificial Food Coloring
8. Artificial Sweeteners

If you can avoid (and, yes, you can!) these ingredients, you will already be on a good path for a real, whole food diet. The only other things I may add to this list (which I won't do in detail) are refined white flour, white rice and pretty much anything that has become "white" because all its color has been stripped from its natural state during the refining process. 

OK, great. What's next?

This is where it gets really fun and why I have started my e.a.r.t.h.food series. Every day it seems I am asked these and similar questions:

• Should I eat meat?
• How much alcohol is ok?
• What about milk?
• Is soy good for me?
• I drink coffee. Is that bad?

These are not questions with black and white answers. If they were, we'd have it all figured out by now and we'd all be healthier. As I age and as I learn, I discover new shades of gray to life, and food is no exception. e.a.r.t.h.food is my attempt to address these gray food areas.

Stay tuned for my next installment of e.a.r.t.h.food when I dive into the gray area of drinking water. You never knew how simple or complicated choosing life's essential liquid could be. We all need it, we all prefer it to be safe and the earth needs us to drink responsibly.

Until then, live light, xo-C.

environmental.action.resulting in.total.health.food

I'M BACK....WITH e.a.r.t.h.food!

I haven't posted in almost...gulp....three weeks! Miss me? I've been busy handling internet issues, turning over the garden from summer to fall, getting more involved in my local farmer's market and generally spreading myself too thin between all the passions of and in my life. Sound familiar?

I've been so excited to tell you two things:

1. Raw okra is SO good. If you like okra and you've never had it raw, try a tender, baby okra about thumb size. You won't believe how long you've eaten okra without trying some raw. If you don't like okra because of the slime created by cooking (affectionately called okra snot) you may just become an okra convert after trying raw okra - no snot and all the crunchy green taste!

2. I've been working on a concept all summer and it's finally been launched on The Positive Observer, a positive news site based in Colorado. I have cross posted the article here in full with permission by and under copyright protection of The Positive Observer. I hope you enjoy it.

Live Light, xo-C.

e.a.r.t.h.food

environmental action resulting in total health

~eating from the planet, for the planet~

e.a.r.t.h.food is a whole, real food way of eating which embraces the best of vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous approaches

e.a.r.t.h.food is food from nature, not a laboratory or factory

e.a.r.t.h.food comes in no, re-useable or recyclable packaging

e.a.r.t.h.food is seasonal local or garden food when available and preferably organically grown

e.a.r.t.h.food is a marriage between eating what is good for our individual body environment while being respectful to our external shared environment

Food isn't just stuff on a plate. It represents current politics, personal habit, cultural beliefs, modern technology, social traditions and religious teachings. Food is complicated and it's powerful. Our personal food choices are dwarfed by the food choices made for us by industry and government. As citizens have become more aware of the many issues surrounding food, we've begun to realize the power of the fork and how we can vote by choosing certain foods over others as a way to effect social issues and our collective health.

I have studied and followed many passionate food experts and wasn't finding much in the way of promoting real, whole vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous diets while taking into deep consideration how each of these approaches effect the health of our environment. I saw many vegans refusing animal products out of concern for the animals, but advocating shipping superfoods from across the country or internationally with little regard to carbon footprints. I saw vegetarians driving across town to get delicious take-out in styrofoam clamshell food boxes with no regard to toxic trash. I saw omnivores eating sub-standard meats wrapped in plastic from grocery stores who buy from processors polluting our public water and air. 

e.a.r.t.h.food is my effort to bring together sensible advice and recipes for anyone looking to eat right by their body and planet. Here is a brief overview:

Basic Commonalities

Any real, whole e.a.r.t.h.food approach will avoid the toxins of processed foods such as high fructose corn syrup, MSG, hydrogenated oil, artificial sweetener, refined sugar and wheat, food coloring, chemical preservative, sodium nitrite, table salt and artificial flavor. These synthetic ingredients have been directly linked to increased human degeneration and disease.

e.a.r.t.h.food is about food, not supplements. It is a goal to get all nutrients for optimal health from real, whole food. Eating well and smartly eliminates any need for supplementation except in situations of crisis or injury. Unfortunately, supplements are generally highly packaged and transported.

e.a.r.t.h.food is ideally food grown organically and compassionately for the improved nourishment and taste of the food as well as in respect for the soil, water, air and people effected by the growing process. e.a.r.t.h.food is also non-GMO food. Foods labeled "organic" or "non-GMO" are the most reliable.

A Vegan Foundation

No matter how you eat, you eat at least in part a vegan diet. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, oils, grains and seeds are often a part of anyone's daily fare. It is important for e.a.r.t.h.food vegans to purchase organic produce and raw nuts and seeds when available for optimal nutrition. Grains should be whole and organically grown. Oils should be organic first cold-pressed. Ideally you will purchase these without packaging or in reusable packaging. Soaking or sprouting nuts, seeds, and grains is a nutritionally beneficial practice.

The greatest challenge when eating a vegan diet is the bombardment of endless soy variations. I do not advocate the regular use of refined, unfermented soy products such as tofu and soy milk because of the potential over-accumulation of plant estrogens. Occasional use of these products can fit nicely into a vegan diet, but soy must always be purchased as organically grown in order to avoid common GMO (genetically modified) soybeans. Purchasing organic soybeans to make homemade tofu or purchasing organic, fermented soy products such as tempeh and miso are healthier alternatives.

A Vegetarian Center

Building upon the vegan fare, many vegetarians include animal milk (and butter, yogurt, cheese) and eggs in their diet. It is imperative that e.a.r.t.h.food vegetarians purchase organic brands and more preferably products from small, local farmers. Milk and milk-products are ideal when raw and eggs are best from chickens who live freely outside. The mega-operations of the egg and dairy factory farms have created the most hellish conditions for animals and are intensely polluting of the environment. 

If you have ever compared the yolk of a small-farm egg with that of any store-bought egg you can see and taste the difference. Raw milk (from cows and goats) is becoming more available as citizens fight the current ban limiting access to this milk with greater nutritional benefit. Cardboard egg cartons are best and can often be returned to your farmer for reuse. Paper or glass milk containers are better than plastic. Paper is better than plastic. Anything is better than plastic!

An Omnivorous Crown

Omnivores eat everything a vegan or vegetarian would plus flesh, organs and fat from animals. Ideally, e.a.r.t.h.food omnivores purchase their meats from small-local farmers in bulk (1/4 cow, whole chickens, etc.). Animals who are raised for industrialized meat in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) are malnourished and sick. Buying clean meat from small farmers will spare ingesting growth hormones, antibiotics and diseased tissue at mealtime while avoiding the carbon emissions of extensive transportation. 

Unless you are able or willing to pay large amounts of money for premium meat, it is best for an e.a.r.t.h.food omnivore to save expenses by eating a wholesome vegetarian or vegan fare many meals of the week and enjoying clean, humane meat less often. Budgets and preferences will vary but it is possible to maintain optimal health by pulling from these three dietary variations. As an omnivore, eating wholesome vegan or vegetarian food is preferable over eating sub-standard meat. Save your dollars for the premium stuff!

Example: Chili - Three Ways

The following is a chili recipe from my favorite recipe site: 101CookBooks.com. It is a vegan recipe, but you will see how to make it vegetarian or omnivorous depending on your preference and availability of ingredients. The recipe is merely a jumping off point for a custom-made pot of delicious chili!

VN=vegan, VT=vegetarian, OM=omnivorous

Pierce Street Chili Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil [VT=butter, OM=lard]

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

8 small/med garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 chipotle pepper (from can or rehydrate), minced

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

10 cups vegetable broth [OM=beef or chicken broth]

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned is fine, but dried and soaked is preferable)

2 1/4 cups black, brown, or green lentils (or combo), rinsed and picked over

[OM=substitute all or part lentils and peas with cut or crumbled meat of choice]

2/3 cup pearled barley or pearled farro

2/3 cup bulgur wheat

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (or to taste)

Toppings (optional): a bit of chopped serranos, a bit of feta or dollop of thinned out salted yogurt [VT], a drizzle of equal parts chopped fresh oregano and olive oil, chopped onion

In a large stockpot pot over medium heat add the olive oil, onion, and shallots. When the onions soften up and get a bit translucent, add the garlic, ginger, chili powder and cumin. Stir well and cook for a minute of so, until everything gets quite fragrant. Stir in the serrano pepper and chipotle pepper, tomatoes, and 8 cups of the broth. 

Now add the chickpeas, lentils, barley/farro, and bulgur - stirring between each addition. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Take a taste of the broth a few minutes into the simmer - you can make adjustments for salt here - if you're using water in place of broth, you can add a teaspoon of salt for starters and add more later if needed.

Simmer away for about 35- 45 minutes or until the lentils and grains are cooked through. You will likely need to add the rest of the water, a cup at a time, if the chili thickens up too much. Before serving do your final adjustments - add more chipotle, salt, or whatever you think it needs and enjoy! I love this chili with a bit of feta or goat cheese [VT] on top and a big drizzle of olive oil, but I listed off a few other topping ideas up above.

A huge pot of chili - serves 12 or more.

Background on e.a.r.t.h.food:

In a nutshell, after reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan I became a vegetarian and after reading Dr. Will Tuttle's World Peace Diet I became a vegan. As I began to talk and write about my new-found knowledge and changes, it became apparent to me that food is a VERY sensitive subject and one that many people do not like to discuss. 

e.a.r.t.h.food came about because I wanted to offer a set of guidelines for any eater looking to make better choices for personal and planetary health. What benefit is it to be optimally healthy when Earth crumbles around us or what good is it to protect the planet while we're too sick to enjoy its beauty and magnificence? Both concerns go into each e.a.r.t.h.food choice. I've taken the best of my Economic Crisis Diet, married it to my Food School and reassembled them with fresh ingredients onto one luscious e.a.r.t.h.food platter ready to devour by any tree loving real foodist.

This post has been shared in Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday September 18th Blog Carnival!

GROCERY + MARKET = DINNER!!

  

Goods from the Bluffton Farmers Market: $7 for all those peaches! A $2 mega tomato. Local farm egg for my husband and daughter ($4.50 with .25 refund when returning the carton next week - LOVE that!). In the bag is $5 handmade black linguine (covered  in flour). Can't wait to pair the black noodles with those orange cherry tomatoes. I'm sure it'll taste just as amazing as the colors will look. I don't recall the other prices...no receipts, no tax.

Diced carrots, red pepper, yellow pepper, green onions, garlic and almonds sautéing in olive oil, sea salt, pepper and oregano.

Quinoa (from my trip to the grocery store) cooking.

Voilà! Quinoa pilaf with sweet potato slices baked with light olive oil and sea salt. Ohhhhhh....it was so good! My husband even went back for seconds. You know I did! Bella had Annie's Mac and Cheese, carrot sticks and a raspberry lemonade popsicle.

Can't wait for the pilaf leftovers! But first, breakfast of oat groats and peaches after matcha tea.

Food life is gooooooooood! I am blessed.

Live Light, xo-C.

GROCERY REPORT FOR 27 AUGUST 2009

The last post regarding my grocery purchases seemed to be a big hit and reportedly helpful. I've edited the post to reflect where I shopped so that my local readers can follow to those stores to find the goodies. Grocery shopping has become a bit of a treasure hunt hobby for me and I love going to different stores to find what different items are waiting to be discovered! Boy, a Whole Foods would ruin all this fun! ;o)

Today I shopped at Food Lion southend and found these items:

Ezekiel Bread: Original
Ezekiel Bread: Sesame
Ezekiel Bread: 7 Grain
Putney Pasta Three Cheese Tortellini (frozen)
Bella Terra 8 Whole Grain Capellini with Flax Seed
Annie's Mac & Cheese (2 boxes)
Coconut Milk Yogurt - plain
Ancient Harvest organic quinoa - recipes
Bob's Red Mill Vegi Soup Mix
Knudsen Morning Blend juice

     

   

Soon I will be off to the Bluffton Farmers Market to volunteer a couple of hours and to pick up some fresh, local produce to prepare with the soup mix, pasta and quinoa over the next several days.

Today's quick lunch: left over whole wheat penne pasta with diced tomatoes and cucumbers mixed with Veganaise, sea salt, pepper and dried oregano.

If you've not yet read this fantastic Time magazine article - Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food - I recommend that you do. It well sums up the current food issues and brings to attention the importance of investing up front in your health. Either you pay the farmer, or you pay the doctor.

I like to think that organic, wholesome, local, honest food is sold at the standard price. The other less expensive food is discounted because it's damaged, substandard, dishonest, hollow food. Change your mindset and raise the bar of expectation. Cut corners elsewhere in your budget but do not skimp on good food. Doctors bills later are MUCH more expensive.

"Let they food be thy medicine." Socrates

Live Light, xo-C.

 

 

REST ASSURED. CARLA IS NOT STARVING!

A Facebook reader and longtime friend asked of me "seems you avoid a lot of foods! what DO you eat??" So I thought I'd take a break from Food School to answer this excellent question.

First of all, I must confess. I eat a lot. I love good food and I enjoy an ample meal. This morning I've already had my matcha tea and two (not one, but, yes, two) Sunshine burger sandwiches on toasted Ezekiel bread with Veganaise. YUM!

  +   +   +  

I wish I had had some lettuce or tomatoes to add, but I used up my produce last night at dinner and today is Produce Tuesday, so I'm out until this afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon, after school, we went to the grocery stores. Yes, these days I can't just go to one. All my neighborhood standard grocery stores carry different organic goodies in their "special sections," so I can't get all I want from just one store. 

I still have the receipts, so I can tell you what we bought at Harris Teeter Southend (omitting non-food items):

Organic applesauce
Kashi cereal (I've weaned Bella off Newman-O's and now cereal is her "dessert.")
Rice noodles
Raisins
Penne whole wheat pasta
Naked Food Green Machine
grapefruit
lemons
orange bell pepper
romaine lettuce
yellow onion
red bell pepper
cremini mushrooms

At Publix Southend, we bought:

Coconut milk yogurt - finally found it! It's delicious!!!
organic raisins (yes, we have a raisin demand in our house and we're nailing down favorite brands)
raspberry lemonade (for popsicles)
star fruit
organic mac and cheese
Cascadian Farms cinnamon cereal
Cascadian Farms honey o's (on special 2 for $5)

Last night I made a sautéed garlic, onion, orange and red bell pepper, mushroom rice noodle soup with a romaine, orange and red bell pepper, garlic, Bragg's ginger & sesame dressing salad which my husband and I shared. I added some diced carrots and cucumbers to my salad serving. Bella had organic cheese tortellini and carrot sticks.

That's an example of what I/we eat. I do avoid a lot, but I also eat abundantly of real, whole food. If it's not organic, local, artisan or homemade, I rarely eat it.

I know more about food that I do about cooking, so this is most certainly a journey for me. I'm learning to like cooking more, but it does take some extra planning on my part to find foods and recipes that my family will enjoy. It's worth it though because our robust health is obvious and I wouldn't sacrifice that for the world.

Hope that answers the question and gives you a peek into a typical food day in my life. 

Live Light, xo-C.

Be sure to read what Bella and I have been up to at OneHealthyKid.com!

What do you eat? If you have a recent grocery store receipt, will you share what's on it? Click here to leave a comment at this post on my blog.

FOOD SCHOOL: AVOID ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS!

Thus far The Golden Spectrum Food School has covered reasons to: 

1. avoid Partially & Fully Hydrogenated Oils
2. avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
3. avoid Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
4. avoid Sodium Nitrites
5. avoid Refined White Sugar
6. avoid Artificial Food Coloring

This post will cover the reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners. If you are what you eat, why would you want to be artificial? ;o)

When dodging the harms inherent in consuming high fructose corn syrup and refined white sugar, opting for artificial sweetener is not a safe nor wise choice. The most commonly known and used artificial sweeteners in the US are:

1. aspartame - Equal and NutraSweet
2. saccharine - Sweet'N Low
3. sucralose - Splenda (not to be confused with "sucrose" which is common sugar)
4. acesulfame potassium - Sweet One

A brief tour around Google or Wikipedia will alert you to the many dangers of ingesting artificial sugar substitutes, like the ones above, linking them to the formation of cancer.

Not only are these chemicals toxic to the body, they also confuse the body and end up causing weight gain in the long term. Generally "foods" that contain artificial sweetener should be avoided for other ingredients also. Fake sugar rarely travels solo in a toxic vehicle. It is criminal to find artificial sweeteners in food meant for children as it can interfere with their developing brains.

While it is important to curb all sugar intake in order to reduce inflammation, diabetes and obesity, there are natural sugars which are relatively safe and smart choices when you must use sugar. 

Stevia has been in the news recently because Truvia and PureVia (Coca Cola and Pepsi promoted sweeteners) have hit the shelves. They claim to be derived from all natural stevia and, therefore, are a more natural choice. Yes this is true in the sense that Splenda is derived from sugar. One element is isolated, adulterated and replicated, but no longer resembles the original substance. It doesn't make it safe. I've written more about this topic here.

While shopping for Food School, I discovered these sugar substitutes on my grocery shelves:

PureVia:

   

Ingredients: Erythritol, Isomaltulose, Reb A (stevia extract), Contains 1% or less of Cellulose Powder and each Natural Flavor.

(Reb A is the isolated, adulterated component of stevia that no longer resembles stevia. And what's the other gunk?)

Ingredients: Xylitol, Dextrose with Maltodextrin and Sucralose for added sweetness.

(You get unbranded Splenda with your Xylitol. How sweet! NOT.)

 

Ingredients: Citric Acid, Evaporated Cane Juice, Lemon Oil, Lemon Juice, Rebiana (Truvia brand sweetener from stevia), Guar Gum, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural Color.

(Rebiana is the isolated, adulterated component of stevia that no longer resembles stevia. 100% All Natural - excuse me??)

 

Ingredients: Dextrose, Maltodextrin, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sucralose

(You'd hope to see coffee or chocolate on the list. Nope, just fake chemical junk.)

Ingredients: Dextrose, Stevia Extract (Rebiana)

(Rebiana is the isolated, adulterated component of stevia that no longer resembles stevia. This is mostly dextrose with some Rebiana on the side but is marketed as Stevia....huh?)

 

Ingredients: Inulin soluble fiber, Stevia leaf extract

Ah ha! Zero Calories. Zero Carbs. Zero Glycemic Index. Finally, real stevia. You can try some for free by sending in two packets of your current sugar substitute to SweetLeaf. Instructions here. Better yet, try growing a stevia plant and pinching off a leaf to sweeten your tea.

Or try raw, organic agave syrup.

To receive the benefits of agave, you must use the darker, raw, unrefined version. The lighter, more refined version is too much like corn syrup and will behave like it in the body.

Live Light, xo-C.

If you are reading this by email or social media and would like to comment and/or share one of your sweetener adventures, please click here to go to this post on my blog. Thanks! I'd love to hear from you.

FOOD SCHOOL: AVOID ARTIFICIAL FOOD COLORING!

Thus far The Golden Spectrum Food School has covered reasons to: 

1. avoid Partially & Fully Hydrogenated Oils
2. avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
3. avoid Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
4. avoid Sodium Nitrites
5. avoid Refined White Sugar

This post will cover the reasons to avoid artificial food coloring. What is food coloring and why is it in our food?

Setting aside first the health implications of ingesting artificial food coloring, it's important to question the use of these colorings to trick the eye and stimulate the palette. If the food in question were fresh, real, and nutritious, chances are it would not need any help in the color department. Usually the foods which have been colorized are processed foodstuffs (think colored cereal loops, gelatin desserts, iced cookies and electric orange cheese pasta) and the artificial coloring isn't the only item in the list of ingredients that ought to be avoided. 

So what are the health implications of ingesting artificial food coloring?

From the Pediatrics channel on About.com:

"Food coloring is used to make certain foods have a more uniform color, to simulate the color of fruits and vegetables that aren't actually in the food, and in many foods that are targeted at kids to make them more fun looking. 

Commonly used artificial food coloring agents include: 

Blue 1, a bright blue food dye that is commonly used in beverages, dairy products powders, jellies, confections, condiments, icings, syrups, and extracts 

Blue 2, royal blue food dye that is commonly used in baked goods, cereals, snack foods, ice cream, confections, and cherries 

Green 3, a sea green food dye that is commonly used in beverages, puddings, ice cream, sherbet, cherries, confections, baked goods, and dairy products 

Red 40, an orange-red food dye that is commonly used in gelatins, puddings, dairy products, confections, beverages, and condiments 

Red 3, a cherry-red food dye that is commonly used in cherries in fruit cocktail and in canned fruits for salads, confections, baked goods, dairy products, and snack foods - made from coal tar and could be carcinogenic

Yellow 5, a lemon-yellow food dye that is commonly used in custards, beverages, ice cream, confections, preserves, and cereals - made from coal tar, people with aspirin sensitivity made not tolerate it and is a bad choice for people with frequent asthma

Yellow 6, an orange food dye that is commonly used in cereals, baked goods, snack foods, ice cream, beverages, dessert powders, and confections"

Above are the artificial colorings which are permitted in food by the FDA as of 2007. They are often also used in cosmetics which are absorbed by the skin. Artificial food colorings are made from petroleum chemicals or coal tar and are not designed to be ingested by humans.

The Feingold Association has collected extensive research on the effects of artificial food coloring and believes that avoiding artificial additives, such as coloring, can reduce the incidence of behavioral and/or learning disabilities such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Rather than medicating a child for hyperactivity and lack of focus, removing known irritants from the diet is a natural and safer solution.

In the store, look for more natural versions of the processed products you wish to eat which may use natural colorings instead of artificial ones. It's best if the ingredient label lists the actual natural colorings (such as caramel coloring, annatto, chlorella algae, cochineal(insect), betanin (beets), turmeric, saffron, paprika, or elderberry juice) rather than the ubiquitous "natural coloring" non-specific catch-all phrase. 

If you enjoy cooking with coloring, there are many sources for natural dyes such as NaturesFlavors.com. 

When you choose a real, whole food diet, most of these additives are naturally avoided. It can be particularly challenging with children in the house, but it is worth your extra effort to avoid letting these chemicals into their precious bodies and brains. The food industry has perfected the art of marketing to children and an inordinate number of children's food/foodstuff (think "fruit" chewies, superman ice cream, birthday cakes) contains bright colors which are particularly dangerous to their small, developing bodies.

I have witnessed (with horror!) my angelic daughter turn into a monster with the help of one red lollipop in about three minutes. It's all the evidence I needed to know that food coloring (especially combined with refined sugar or HFCS) is best avoided. 

Read your labels!! Live Light, xo-C.

If you are reading this post by email or social media, please click here to access this post on my blog if you wish to make a comment. I'd love it if you would! Do you have any stories about how you or a loved one has been effected by artificial food coloring or how that person's life is now different since avoiding the toxic additive?

FOOD SCHOOL: AVOID REFINED WHITE SALT!

Thus far Food School has covered reasons to avoid: 

1. Partially & Fully Hydrogenated Oils
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
4. Sodium Nitrites
5. Refined White Sugar

The next item on the list of additives to avoid is common, refined, white table salt which is made up of 60-90% sodium chloride that may or may not be iodized. Salt is another one of those old world substances that has been processed beyond all nutritional recognition. 

Where refined salt tends to be most destructive to health is in the overuse as a preservative in processed foods like canned soups and other prepared (frozen, fresh, packaged) foods. Common salt in a shaker at home or in a restaurant also tends to get overused. 

The problem with common salt is that desirable minerals are stripped in the refining process leading to imbalance in the body. Whole sea salts have those important minerals such as potassium and magnesium still intact. The synergistic effect of over 80 minerals in whole, unrefined salt helps the body to stay in balance.

It is best to use one of many natural sea salts (gray, pink, course, fine, etc.) in moderation for all your salt needs. Always taste your food first before adding any salt. It may not need it! Additional herbs and spices can help you steer away from overusing salt. 

Remember, taste buds can be retrained in about three weeks time. What may taste bland now with less or no salt may taste deliciously adequate in just a few weeks. One's acquired salt tolerance can be coaxed back down the stairs just like it climbed up...one step at a time.

Live Light, xo-C.

Further Reading:

Salt-Foundational Elixir

Salt Your Way to Health

FOOD SCHOOL: AVOID REFINED WHITE SUGAR!

Thus far Food School has covered reasons to avoid: 

1. Partially & Fully Hydrogenated Oils
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
4. Sodium Nitrites

Recently white refined sugar (processed from sugar cane or sugar beets) has made a come-back as the "healthy" sugar in comparison to high fructose corn syrup. While white granulated sugar may not be quite as toxic as HFCS, it is by no means a safe, more healthful nor a wise choice. All processed sugar is junk.

Sugar is granulated stress. If you could crystallize what being "stuck in traffic, late for work with a gas tank on empty" stress does to your body, it would look like refined white sugar. It is dietary stress and it wears down your system the same as situational stress. It feeds off your energy, ultimately depleting your reserves. It weakens your immune system, making you more vulnerable to disease. Sugar feeds cancer, decay, auto-immunity, obesity and inflammation. 

There is nothing good to say about sugar other than it tastes sweet. And that's where the problem starts. Sugar is addictive. Sweet is yummy. Our early survival depended on our pre-programmed preference for sweet breast milk. Whole foods which are naturally sweet (apples, grapes, carrots, etc.) are our friends, but refined white sugar is definitely an enemy and no diet needs it. Less refined forms of sugar are acceptable in moderation when needed for recipes (consult this diagram).

This highly refined substance we call sugar is devoid of any of the essential elements necessary for its efficient metabolism by the organism. To compensate for this, the body borrows B vitamins from the reserves in the tissues. This weakens the nervous system causing hyperactivity in children and more involved disease problems for adults. (Blueprint for Health by Annabelle Lee)

Get sugar out of your diet. Period. Do not substitue artificial sweeteners. Beware of deceptive "no sugar added" foods.There are books, websites and blogs to help you break a physical or emotional sugar addiction. Sugar is a drug, not a food, and needs to be viewed and handled accordingly.

Without sugar coating my words, there is nothing sweeter than a life without sugar! 

Live Light, xo-C.

PS - On a personal note, I would like to pay tribute to the mother of PriorFatGirl.com who was tragically and accidentally killed while strolling her grandchild. My heart expands and embraces you, Jen, and your family during this fragile time. On the two year anniversary of Jen's amazing journey to lose 100 pounds, she lost so much more.