Category Archives: labeling


Taste Versus Flavor

There is nothing better than the taste of biting into a fresh, homegrown tomato, juicy and full of flavor. Or is there?

For decades, commercial food manufacturers have been trying to improve upon nature’s ability to provide us with enticing flavors in our diet. The “natural flavor” additives discussed previously are just one facet of this effort to manipulate flavors.

We don't often think about it, there is a difference between taste and flavor.  Taste is the perception of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (or savory).  Smell, temperature, texture and more all go into creating what we perceive of as flavor.  Here's a video that explains a little about it:

Screenshot 2015-12-21 12.55.23

Flavor Manufacturing Companies

The confusion comes in when our senses are manipulated in order to convince us that something tastes good.  Processed food manufacturers employ separate companies tasked with creating flavor compounds that manipulate and attract consumers.  They spend tens of millions of dollars to find what is just the right balance to make something appealing.  For example, if it's a snack chip how salty and fatty does it need to be, how much crunch, how much texture?  This is something that they look at for each and every product.

It goes beyond simple combinations however.  Wild Flavors, a flavor-development company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has created an additive called “Resolver” that they claim can overcome undesirable taste components by attaching itself to a given receptor on the tongue and preventing that particular taste from being perceived.  Alternatively, companies like Givaudan and Cargill  create tastes rather than prevent them and are responsible for thousands of flavors we experience in everyday products.  They manufacture flavors for a vast number of foods and beverages, as well as pharmaceuticals, oral care products like toothpaste or mouthwash, lip balm, vitamins and even pet food.

Food Addictions

The more sinister result of this Frankenstein approach to flavor manipulation is the creation food addictions.  Global food conglomerates don’t deny that one of their goals is to develop products that consumers will purchase again and again.  It is troublesome that these companies appear to place commercial interests above public safety and health.  These addicting flavor concoctions are often made from an extensive list of chemicals.  In fact, more than 300 individual compounds may be necessary to endow a food with the flavor associated with a ripe strawberry or the fresh, homegrown tomatoes we love.

How can this type of manipulation possibly benefit consumers?

Unfortunately flavor profiles are often secret and hidden on the label under the terms “natural” or artificial flavors.  This is because they are considered valuable intellectual property.  Food manufactures try to conceal the fact that processed foods are flavored with a myriad of chemicals with unknown long-term effects on the human body and brain.

The good news is that as the public becomes more informed, and concerned, about the chemicals and artificial ingredients added to our food there has been significant backlash.  In response, some companies have begun to remove some of these harmful ingredients.  Just this summer, General Mills announced it will strip all artificial flavors and colors from its cereals by the end of 2017.  Other companies are also beginning to remove artificial ingredients from their products.  Not because they want to, but because consumers are demanding it.

This serves as a reminder of the power we have when we take personal responsibility for what we consume and take initiative to educate ourselves about what is in the foods we eat.

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

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

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

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

HIGHLY PROCESSED

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

LESS NUTRITION

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

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

DIGESTIVE UPSET

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

LESS VITAMINS MORE SUGAR

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

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

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

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

Check out this slideshow of popular gluten-free food products

ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS

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

Harmful FDA Approved Food Additives

What is a food additive?

A “food additive” is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as any substance that directly or indirectly becomes a component or otherwise affects the characteristics of any food. This includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation, or storage of food.

Food additives are used to maintain or improve safety, taste, texture, freshness, appearance, and nutritional value. The use of these additives is skyrocketing due to the increased production of prepared, processed, and convenience foods.

How are additives approved for use in foods?

To market a new food or color additive or for an alternative use, a manufacturer or other sponsor must first petition the FDA for its approval. Under the Food Additives Amendment, ingredients that are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) were exempted from the regulation process. GRAS food ingredients are generally recognized by experts as safe based on their history of use in food before 1958 or based on published scientific evidence. Among the several hundred GRAS substances are sugar, spices, vitamins, salt, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). As you'll see in this article, not all of these additives are as safe as GRAS status would lead you to believe.

What is a “direct” food additive?

According to the FDA, “direct food additives are those that are added to a food for a specific purpose in that food.” For example, using trisodium phosphate (TSP) in meat and poultry products to retain moisture and protect the flavor, using monosodium glutamate (MSG) to enhance the flavor or using carrageenan as a thickening agent.

The FDA maintains a database called “Everything Added to Food in the United States” (EAFUS) that contains over 3,000 ingredients approved to be added directly to food but does not require all of these ingredients to be listed on the label.

Several of these food additives are harmful and cause serious health issues!

Let’s take a closer look at a few dangerous, yet so-called safe, direct food additives, one of which can even be hidden on the label. Click on the name of each to be taken to a separate article where you can find out more about that additive's health risks and how to avoid it.

  • Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – The FDA does not require manufacturers to label foods with MSG unless the “added ingredient” is 99% pure MSG. The FDA does not require MSG to appear on the label if MSG is produced as a result of protein hydrolysis or a byproduct of protein processing. Furthermore, a product labeled “No added MSG” may still have MSG or free glutamic acid as a result of protein processing, as long as pure MSG was not added.
  • Carrageenan – Must be called out on the label. Long term use can cause chronic inflammation, which is the root cause of all chronic diseases. It's prevalent in ice cream, packaged meats, alternative dairy, and non-dairy products.
  • Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) – Prevalent in breakfast cereals: must be called out on the label. Long term use can lead to kidney damage, among other health concerns.

What is an “indirect” food additive?

“Indirect food additives are those that become part of the food in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or other handling but are not intended to be directly added to, become a component of or have a technical effect in or on the food,” according to the FDA. As an example, minute amounts of packaging substances may find their way into foods during storage, such as the well known example of plastic particles that seep into the water you drink from plastic water bottles.

Another lesser known example is “modified atmosphere packing” where oxygen is replaced with carbon monoxide so meat forms an attractive, bright red color and doesn’t oxidize as quickly. The carbon monoxide by itself isn’t harmful but this reaction prevents the meat from browning naturally with age, so it’s difficult to tell how fresh it really is. The meat could possibly already be spoiled when you purchase it because it still “looks good.” For this reason, the use of carbon monoxide in modified atmosphere packing is banned in the European Union (EU), but the FDA still permits this practice in the United States.

What to do to avoid these harmful food additives and packaging practices?

The long term damaging effects of these so-called generally recognized as safe food additives and food packaging practices the FDA is allowing the food industry to use should open your eyes to the fact the FDA does not have your best interest in mind. This means you have to take it upon yourself to “know what’s really in your food”… as Mira would say.

Start by avoiding all processed and packaged foods and instead eat whole (unrefined and unprocessed), organic (chemical-free and non-GMO) and nutrient-rich food that comes from as close to home as you can find.

Buy your meat, poultry, eggs and dairy from your local farmer whenever possible. This way you can make sure the cows are grass-fed/grass-finished and organic (not shot up with any hormones or antibiotics), the chickens are pasture-raised throughout their entire lives and neither animals are fed any grains.

  • Eatwild.com is a good site to find local farmers who sell grass-fed meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.
  • Realmilk.com is a good site to find local farmers who sell raw milk, meaning it’s not pasteurized (another harmful manufacturing process).
  • Findrealfood app is an app for your phone that finds “real” food (raw dairy, grass-fed meat, etc.) based on your specific location.
  • Check out Mira's Resources Page for a wealth of valuable information on where to find high quality products that Mira recommends.

Stay abreast of food recalls using the Foodsafety.gov site. There is an option on the left of this website called Get Automatic Alerts that will send you an email every time a new recall is announced.

Why Is Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) Added To Our Food?

Trisodium phosphate (TSP) is an industrial cleaning product used as a degreasing agent, mildew remover and lead abating agent and to clean interior and exterior walls before painting. Because of its alkalinizing cleaning properties, TSP was used in dishwashing soap and laundry detergent until it was phased out in 2011 after the EPA found it was harmful to the environment. The Clean Water Act, published by the EPA, lists TSP as a “Hazardous Substance” while the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends to “Avoid All Contact." The CDC lists these TSP ingestion symptoms: abdominal pain, burning sensation, shock, or collapse.

If the EPA says TSP is hazardous to the environment and the CDC tells us to avoid all contact, why does the FDA allow it in our food and personal care products?

Why is TSP used in our food?

TSP is most commonly used to reduce the acidic nature of foods, especially breakfast cereals, as it modifies cereal color and aids in the cereal’s flow through the extruder. Other uses are:

  • Added to meat to retain moisture during storage and cooking.
  • Acts as a leavening agent to “fluff up” foods like cakes, breads and baked goods.
  • Added to cheese to help keep its shape and melting properties.

TSP is also used as an antimicrobial cleaner for washing produce. Poultry is dipped in a TSP solution to potentially kill off bacteria.

Why should you avoid food with TSP?

Studies have shown that ingesting high levels of phosphate (the major mineral in TSP) can cause kidney damage, soft tissue calcification and removal of calcium from bones. Chronic high levels of phosphate intake can result in osteopenia and ultimately osteoporosis. TSP also irritates the stomach and intestinal lining as well as reduces lactic acid in muscles.

What foods commonly contain TSP?

Breakfast cereals seem to be the products that most commonly contain TSP. Note that you may also see Sodium Phosphate, Disodium Phosphate or Tripotassium Phosphate on the label instead of Trisodium Phosphate. These also cause the same health problems as TSP.

Products Commonly Containing TSP
Breakfast Cereals
Other Foods
Personal Care Products
  • Cheerios* - all types
  • Cinnamon Toast Crunch
  • Cocoa Puffs
  • Cookie Crisp
  • Dora the Explorer Cereal
  • Golden Grahams
  • Kix - all types
  • Lucky Charms
  • Raisin Nut Bran
  • Reese's Puffs
  • Heart Healthy Cereal
  • Trader Joe's O's - all types*
  • Mom's Best Cereals
  • Honeycomb
  • Trix
  • Spongebob Squarepants
  • Wheaties
  • Total Raisin Bran
  • Lunchmeat
  • Ham
  • Other processed meats
  • Processed cheese
  • Cheese sauces
  • Rice syrup
  • Canned soups
  • Cake mixes
  • Bread
  • Pizza dough
  • Other baked goods
  • Toothpastes for adults, kids and babies
  • Mouthwash
  • Hair coloring and bleaching products

* These cereals have either trisodium or tripotassium phosphate (TPP). TPP is just as harmful as TSP.

Check out this slideshow of popular breakfast cereals that contain TSP.

The FDA has approved 70 mg/kg of body weight as the maximum tolerable limit of TSP that a person should ingest per day. (For a 150 lb person, this translates to 4,772 mg/day).

With TSP in all of these foods, we have no idea if we’re ingesting more than the maximum tolerable limit. So just to be safe, stay away from all foods containing TSP.

Avoiding Chinese Food But Still Consuming MSG?

If you think MSG is only in Chinese food, think again. This toxic flavor enhancer is allowed by the FDA to be hidden under dozens of ingredient names and is in all sorts of processed foods, especially canned goods, soups and low-fat foods as well as restaurant foods, beverages, chewing gums, supplements and even in packaged meats!

The side effects of MSG can be widely varied, making it difficult to connect ingestion with side effects.

People who ingest even small amounts of MSG are experiencing these side effects:

  • Stomach cramps
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Migraine headaches
  • Heart palpitations
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Blurred vision
  • Joint pain
  • Sharp rise in blood pressure
  • Rapid drop in blood pressure
  • Stiffness in joints
  • Achiness all over body
  • Dizziness and loss of balance
  • Light headed
  • Depression
  • Frequent need to urinate
  • Swelling of the face
  • Pain or tightness in the chest
  • Shortness of breath
  • Numbing or burning sensation in mouth

What is MSG?

The amino acid called glutamic acid (aka glutamate) exists naturally in very small amounts in certain foods such as cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms and broccoli. In its natural and whole-food form, glutamate is important to the health of our brains, gut, immune system, kidneys and pancreas. The food industry chemically concentrates glutamate, freeing it from its whole food form, turning it into monosodium glutamate (MSG) and adding it to food to enhance the flavor. This allows us to consume glutamate at much higher levels than our bodies are designed to handle, resulting in serious brain issues that can even lead to death, particularly in athletes who typically have low levels of magnesium.

A recent scientific study done on rats has shown a direct link between MSG and female infertility. The study (from the International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences) found that not only did those rats given MSG have a significant body weight increase, the MSG induced considerable structural changes in their ovaries such as degenerated follicles and congested blood vessels of the ovaries. These abnormalities usually lead to anovulatory infertility.

How is MSG hidden on the label?

MSG occurs naturally during the chemical processing of ingredients such as hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast and soy extracts. While the FDA requires that these products be listed on the ingredient label, they DO NOT require the label to specify that they naturally contain MSG. Foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” on their packaging, but they can say “No added MSG”, even if the MSG is naturally occurring. These are marketing tricks that you need to watch out for.

What can you do to avoid buying products with MSG?

Buy only whole, unrefined, unprocessed, organic food and stay away from food with the following ingredients on their label:

Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG
Additives that OFTEN contain MSG
Additives that MAY contain MSG
  • Monosodium glutamate
  • “Hydrolyzed” anything
  • “Hydrolyzed” any “protein”
  • Plant protein extract
  • Sodium caseinate
  • Calcium caseinate
  • Yeast extract
  • Autolyzed yeast
  • Yeast extract
  • Gelatin
  • Anything “protein”
  • Soy protein
  • Whey protein**
  • Soy sauce
  • Anything "enzymes”
  • Carrageenan
  • Bouillon and broth
  • Stock
  • Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
  • Natural flavor
  • “Malt” or “malted” anything
  • Maltodextrin
  • Seasoning and spices
  • Citric acid, citrate
  • Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
  • Brewer’s yeast
  • Pectin
  • Corn starch
  • Corn syrup
  • Modified food starch
  • Lipolyzed butter fat
  • Dextrose
  • Rice syrup
  • Brown rice syrup
  • Milk powder
  • Reduced fat milk
  • “Low fat” or “no fat”
  • Anything “enriched”
  • Anything “pasteurized”
  • Vinegar

** Non-hydrolyzed whey from organic grass-fed cows processed by low-temperature filtration or ion exchange is acceptable.

Hydrolyzed proteins can be found in bouillon products, dressings and dressing mix products, flavoring base and seasoning products, frozen food products, gravy mix products, prepared salad products, ready-to-eat meal products, sauce and marinade mix products, snack and snack mix products, soup/soup mix and dip/dip products, spread products and stuffing products.

Check out this slideshow of popular processed foods that contain MSG.

Reading the label to avoid MSG is also important for personal care products, such as shampoo, cosmetics, etc. as they may contain hydrolyzed proteins which we have learned is a code name for MSG.

For those who are significantly sensitive to MSG, check with your pharmacist as some medications use MSG as a binder or filler. If your medication does have MSG, the only way to avoid it is to consider using a compounding pharmacy.

What can you do to avoid MSG at restaurants?

MSG use in restaurants is widespread. To be proactive, ask your server which menu items are MSG-free, and when ordering, request that no MSG be added to your meal. Assume that any soup made at a restaurant has MSG or at least high amounts of table salt (which contains aluminum and should be avoided at all costs).

The only place where you "know what’s really in your food", as Mira would say, is in your own kitchen.

What’s In A Biscuit

Screenshot 2014-09-27 10.24.44

For some reason I've been seeing a number of recipes lately that seem to include the use of a can of biscuits.  Maybe it's because Fall is here and so there are more stews and “comfort” foods being made to accompany the change in seasons.

Truthfully I used to use these a lot myself. Especially when my children were younger. It was an easy to way to get a quick batch of biscuits into the oven to have with dinner. They also made great donuts when coated with cinnamon sugar and fried. Or rolled out they made a quick and seemingly tasty crust or wrap for something.  They even made great snacks when cut into bite size pieces, rolled in melted butter, and sprinkled with parmesan.

Now I shudder to think about eating that and I'm horrified at the thought of all of those chemicals that I fed my children.  For those who can and do eat gluten, if you're still eating this type of whack-and-bake product it's truly not a good choice.

Let's start with the Nutrition Facts:

This label demonstrates one of my biggest issues with how the label works.Screenshot 2014-09-27 10.31.23It doesn't tell the truth.  Right there on the label we see “Trans Fat 0g.”  That leads us to believe that there are no trans fats.  And since we've all pretty much learned that trans fats are bad for you we think we're doing a good thing by avoiding them.  But are we really?

Not here.

Because when we skip down to the Ingredients List we find the following:

Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Water, Soybean and Palm Oil, Baking Powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda), Dextrose. Contains 2% or less of: Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sugar, Salt, Vital Wheat Gluten, Mono and Diglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Yellow 5, TBHQ and Citric Acid (preservatives), Butter, Red 40, Color Added, Natural and Artificial Flavor.

Near the bottom we see Hydrogenated Palm Oil and Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil.  ANYTHING that is hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated IS a trans fat.  So how do manufacturers get away with this?  Isn't that lying?  Not according to the standards used for nutrition fact reporting which allow them to say there are no trans fats if there is less than 0.5g per serving.

What is a serving?  It's what the label says it is.  A portion is what you serve yourself.  Regardless of how many biscuits you eat, even if you just eat one you are still getting trans fats.  Guaranteed.  Because it's in the ingredients.

And that doesn't even begin to address all of the other nutritionally damaging ingredients found in this product.

Enriched flour is nutritionally deficient.  Notice all of the ingredients after “wheat flour” in the parenthesis?  Those are mostly B vitamins with some iron that are put back into the flour by Federal mandate.  But the flour is still missing all of the other ingredients which are stripped out in processing.  And then it's bleached.  Enriched anything is not a healthy choice.

The dextrose is probably from corn and mostly likely genetically modified corn at that.  The soybeans are probably also genetically modified.  GMO foods are simply not a good choice for health.  The citric acid is possibly also sourced from corn and therefore likely to be GMO as well.

Artificial colors, yellow 5 and red 40.  While it may not look like a colored item this canned biscuit product does have artificial colors.  TBHQ, Propylene gycol alginate, artificial flavor, there's a huge array of chemicals in this product and it's not something that anyone should be consuming.

Sadly we often think that convenience foods are, well, convenient.  We don't realize that in order for them to be shelf-stable and ready to go it means lots of chemicals and not a lot of nutrition.

For those who can eat gluten and who want biscuits to go with their meal it's still possible to have them.  And although it takes a little more work, it's truly not that much effort and the results are far better (and much better for you) than a chemical concoction from a can.

Soaked Flour Biscuits

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
1 cup organic whole milk
1 tablespoon raw unfiltered vinegar

Mix vinegar and milk together and let sit 5 minutes until milk curdles slightly
Add to wheat and oat mixture, combining thoroughly
Let sit 8 hours to soak

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup organic, unsalted butter, cut into slices

Preheat oven to 450 F
Sprinkle baking powder, salt, and baking soda over the flour mixture
Add butter and gently work butter into mixture to fully incorporate
Don't over-mix the dough or your biscuits will be tough

Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to about 1″ thickness
Cut biscuits out with a glass that has been dipped in flour (so it doesn't stick)
Place on baking tray
Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown

 

 

Your Food – Fortified With Fish

IMG_3950

As the Food Ingredient Guru I advocate reading the food label.  It's your best line of defense against all of the chemical cr@p that manufacturers insist in stuffing into your food.  If you or someone in your family has a food allergy it becomes imperative that you read the label because you need to pay attention to those ingredients that may cause a serious or life threatening reaction.

In my case it's fish and seafood.  For me it's not just a food intolerance (sometimes called a food sensitivity).  It's an actual full-blown food allergy.  I have an epi-pen.  And as much as I advocate and believe in the power of fish oil for health, I can't take it myself.

While fish itself is generally easy to avoid sometimes it gets added to food under the guise of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.  Now we've all heard that omega-3s are good for us (they are) and that we don't get enough of them (most of us don't).  Manufacturers want to capitalize on this and they add omega-3s to the food, fortifying it*, and displaying this information in big bold letters on the front of the package.  But that's not the whole story.

There are three different kinds of omega-3 fatty acids.  ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).  ALA comes from plant sources, such as flax, olive oil, walnuts, and soy.  EPA and DHA come from fish, with the best sources being cold water fatty fish like sardines and salmon.

Omega-3 fortified products can include milk, yogurt, eggs, juices, bread products, baby food, peanut butter, protein bars, protein shakes, and more.  While ALA, or vegetable-sourced omega 3s, are cheaper, that doesn't always mean that that's what the manufacturers are using in their food.

Recently I was doing in a client's pantry and came across this jar of peanut butter.  Looking at the label we can see that the omega-3 was is from fish (because is says DHA and EPA on the front).  In the ingredient panel (sorry for the fuzzy photo) it lists anchovy and sardine oils as well as tilapia gelatin.  I'm not sure why the tilapia gelatin is there except for some sort of binder, but as a source of omega-3 it's not a great one.  For someone with a food allergy the difference between vegetarian and animal sources of omega-3 could potentially be huge.

It is also important to note that farm raised fish, such as tilapia, have been shown to be higher in omega-6 fatty acids.  We already get too many of these in our modern diet and they're known to be more detrimental to cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels.  This is because farm raised fish are eating corn and soy (both probably genetically modified by the way) instead of beneficial algae.  When fish eat algae they can convert it into the omega-3 fatty acids we need.  When they eat corn and soy they can't and so wind up with the higher omega-6 levels.

IMG_3949

Another issue to be aware of is that when we add omega-3s to our food by fortifying it, studies appear to show that the fortified versions don't have the same beneficial effect as the original, whole food source.  Additionally, the amount of omega-3s in fortified foods may not reach the levels needed to truly have a beneficial effect on your health.  Once again, manufacturers are capitalizing on buzz words and media focus to add something to their food products in an attempt to convince you to buy.  Unfortunately it may not provide the health benefits that you think it will.

The solution?  Stay informed, read the label, and eat real food.

*Quick reminder:  Fortified foods are those that have an added substance that was never in there to begin with (like omega 3s in peanut butter).  Enriched foods are those that have ingredients removed during processing added back (usually chemically synthesized versions).

New Food Label

The FDA has recently proposed a new food label.  Our current food label has it's origins back in the late 1960's when the FDA passed the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act which required “all consumer products in interstate commerce to be honestly and informatively labeled, with FDA enforcing provisions on foods, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices.”

This was followed in 1990 by the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act which standardized terminology, mandated federal food standards, and set standards for foods, labeling, and health claims.  The label was further modified for nutrition facts in 1992, the addition of trans-fats in 2003, and the food allergy labeling requirement in 2004.

This new change however is the most significant overhaul of the label.  Some of the changes include larger, bold type for things such as calories and adjusted serving sizes.  Current serving sizes are based on habits from the 1970's (before the era of super sizing).  Calorie measures are a bit of a challenge as they are approximate and can vary quite a bit.  There is also a change in nutrients with the removal of vitamins A and C and the addition of vitamin D and potassium.

There are still a few challenges that I see with this label however since it isn't due to be fully implemented for as much as two years there may be more changes before it happens.  Some of the things that come to my attention when I look at the new label are:

  • Calories are still based on 2,000 per day with no explanation of how/why consumers should recalculate
  • I do like the added sugars section and wonder if this will be further modified to include types of sugar
  • Calories from fat is no longer on the label — most people seem confused by this anyway so removing it shouldn't be a problem
  • Trans-fats are still on the label in spite of the fact that they have been declared no longer GRAS
  • There is no information for fiber that is meaningful in terms of gut health
  • I'm not clear on whether the new %DV will be adjusted to more functional levels

Overall I think it's a positive shift since there is room for comment and change.  And presumably the introduction of a new label may trigger more interest in reading the label.

Currently the FDA is seeking public comment on two issues related to the label.

1.  Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Label, and

2. Serving Sizes  of Foods that can Reasonably be Consumed at One-Eating Occasion; Dual-Column Labeling; Updating, Modifying, and Establishing Certain Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed; Serving Size for Breath Mints; and Technical Amendments  

Consider taking a moment to give input and help shape the new future of nutrition labeling.

“natural” Food Label Under Attack

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peaches – What’s In That Can

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

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

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

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

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

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