Category Archives: gmo

Hormel’s Vital Cuisine — Ingredient Review

by Miraadditives, gmo, health, labeling, nutrients, reviews, sweeteners

Food niches

Food producers like to target niche markets where they believe they can capitalize on the desire of the consumer in that group to eat according to their needs. Categories may include diet or weight loss products, items aimed at athletes, or those who follow a particular dietary protocol such as Atkins, South Beach, Gluten Free, etc.

The latest target niche is cancer. Hormel Foods, in partnership with the Cancer Nutrition Consortium, has developed a line of Ready To Eat (RTE) foods aimed at those undergoing cancer treatment. Often people in this situation experience a wide range of issues when it comes to their food. These can include lack of appetite or a change in tastes and eating sensations. Coupled with a lack of energy, plus the physiological changes of treatment this often leads many people undergoing cancer treatment to be undernourished. They frequently do better with nutrient dense, higher protein meals.

What's in the box?

Unfortunately the choices developed by Hormel Foods do not represent the best options for nutrition as many of the ingredients are less than desirable. Some are even known to cause cancer. This is a rather upsetting thought when one considers that the item is aimed at those going through treatment for cancer who are presumably have a weaker immune system. Below is a slideshow highlighting examples from the Vital Cuisine line.

I find it astounding and rather appalling that a company would put ingredients known to cause cancer into a food product designed for those going through this very condition.

What to eat?

As mentioned above, the best food choices for those who are undergoing treatment for cancer are real, nourishing, nutrient dense foods. I always encourage people to read the label. When dealing with a health-care crisis this becomes even more important. While it may be overwhelming to learn how to understand the body's nutritional needs when dealing with cancer, there are resources out there. A couple of my favorite books are:

The Cancer Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery by Rebecca Katz

The Whole Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Nutritional Approach for Preventing Recurrance by Edward Bauman and Helayne Waldman

The idea of niche marketing for specific health conditions is quite probably a new category of foods. Who knows, we may find ourselves seeing foods designed to support those with arthritis, gout, or ulcerative colitis on the shelf next. As always it is important to look past the hype and the labeling. Be informed, read the label, and eat well.

Boy Scout Popcorn – What’s In That Bag?

by Miraadditives, gmo, ingredientsingredients, popcorn

It's Girl Scout cookie time. Everywhere you turn, at the grocery store, at the mall, outside shopping centers, are young girls dressed in their uniforms, selling cookies. And if you live in suburbia, they're knocking at the door, earnest little faces selling what is arguably one of America's favorite cookies. However people are more aware of what's really in those cookies and it seems like everywhere you turn people are complaining about the trans-fats, the GMOs, plus all the other negative ingredients. The Food Babe even wrote an article dissecting the cookies and their ingredients. *

I was talking about this with someone recently and she mentioned that she no longer buys Girl Scout Cookies because as much as she loves them she doesn't want to eat all of the negative ingredients. Then she followed up with, "Thank goodness popcorn is safe. Because I love my Boy Scout Scout popcorn, we always buy enough to last the whole year." Ummm, excuse me? Well that's a big whoops. Everyone is so focused on the Girl Scouts and their cookie sales that no one is really paying attention to Boy Scout Popcorn. Unfortunately it's not as great as you might think. Let's take a moment and look at the label of just two of the different flavors.

What's in the Popcorn?

Mira_PopcornInfoGraph1_FIN

Mira_PopcornInfoGraph2_FIN

Important Points

More than just what's in the infographic is the story behind a few of the ingredients:

The dairy products are most likely to be from conventionally raised cows. These animals are given antibiotics, a lot of antibiotics. In fact some estimates are that more than 70% of all antibiotics prescribed in this country are given to animals, not to directly to humans. Studies have shown that overuse of antibiotics does contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria. You can read more about it here, here and here.
Citric Acid sounds safe enough, most of us think of it as being sourced from citrus fruits. Unfortunately in the world of food production that would be too time consuming and too expensive. This citric acid is most likely to be made from fermenting mold with genetically modified corn. Virtually all of the citric acid in the U.S. is manufactured this way.
By now many of you are aware of the fact that trans-fats have been banned. However manufacturers have until 2018 to remove them completely from their products and they can apply to the FDA for a permit allowing them to continue to use it.

In August when the Boy Scouts start knocking on your door you may want to reconsider buying that popcorn. By all means, continue to support your local troop; but consider making a donation directly to them rather than buying the popcorn.

And if you want popcorn? My suggestion is to make it at home. Here's my favorite recipe:

Delicious Noosh Popcorn

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Ingredients

organic popcorn
2-3 tablespoons organic cold pressed coconut oil
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1-2 tablespoons dulse flakes
1 tablespoon Himalayan sea salt

Instructions

Pop popcorn in hot air popper according to directions
While popcorn is popping melt coconut oil
In a separate bowl mix together nutritional yeast, dulse, and salt
When popcorn is done drizzle coconut oil over popcorn
Sprinkle dry mix over popcorn and oil
Mix well to combine
Enjoy!

* Full disclosure: I used to be a Girl Scout, a Girl Scout Leader, and I raised three Girl Scouts. There was a lot of cookie love going on in our house for years. But all of that was before I became more conscious about ingredients. At this point when Girls Scouts I know ask for the sale, my response is to simply make a donation to the troop.

Sour And Tangy Flavor Trend

by Tenaya Craigadditives, gmo, ingredients, labeling

Sour flavors have piqued our collective interest, on par with the spice craze. This consumer trend toward tangy flavors seems to have less to do with competitive one-upsmanship (as with spicy foods) and more to do with a movement toward wellness, artisanal foods, and ethnic cuisines.

More and more people are reaching for greek yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and other fermented foods due to their probiotic content and known health benefits. As of 2013, Greek yogurt had expanded its market share from a mere one percent in 2007, to more than one third of the entire yogurt market. Research has shown that fermented foods provide important nutrients, support beneficial bacteria for your gut flora and can help optimize your immune system.

Others have been introduced to sour tastes through Asian cuisine and ethnic dishes like kimchee. Alongside the wellness fermentation trend, chefs are experimenting with pickling and other techniques to create sour flavors from cultures around the world. In fact, Katherine Alford, a vice president at the Food Network says [quote]Sour flavors are having a national moment.[/quote]

This trend has invaded commercial industries as well. There has been a large buzz surrounding sour beers with large distributers like New Belgium creating a new series of sour beers in light of their growing popularity in the United States. Craft brewers all over are also trying to perfect the style, which involves intentionally spoiling the beer with good bacteria, the same microbes that make yogurt and miso.

Sadly, not all sour foods are healthy choices. Wrigley, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., saw a ten-fold increase in sales for sour gum in 2014 and has thus pronounced 2016 “the year of the sours” with plans to unveil several new sour candies and gums. Pringles currently touts a tube of XTRA Screamin’ Dill Pickle chips with a dare: “Brave one bite and you’ll be hooked on the aggressive taste that won’t quit.”

Citric Acid

Unfortunately, this type of forceful advertising and manipulative use of sour flavoring highlight some concerns. Citric acid – sometimes referred to as sodium citrate – is commonly the additive used to enhance flavor and provide the tangy, pucker-inducing taste that has become so popular. This innocuous sounding additive is not commercially sourced from citrus fruits as you might think. Instead, black mold is used to cheaply convert sugars into citric acid. The sugars used in this process are often derived from cornstarch and the corn is highly likely to be genetically modified.

As a result, mass-produced citric acid is a hidden GMO ingredient that reportedly sets off allergenic responses in some sensitive consumers. It is also known as an accomplice to the creation of benzene – a known human carcinogen. It is often used like MSG, added widely to enhance and intensify flavors, while also functioning as a preservative.

Citric Acid is Commonly Added To	Symptoms of Citric Acid Sensitivity
Ice cream and sorbets Caramel and other processed sweets Sodas, cider, beer and wine Many canned and jarred foods (preserves, canned fruits/vegetables, sauces, and even baby food) Baked goods and cake mixes	Mouth ulcers or rashes Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, or diarrhea Swelling of the mouth or throat Headaches Acid reflux in infants Other symptoms of food allergy

How to Avoid Citric Acid

The FDA and international food regulating agencies consider citric acid to be a harmless additive despite public concern regarding these apparent sensitivities. As always, read labels to avoid citric acid and other harmful additives. Enjoy sour flavors healthfully and naturally with homemade kombucha, fermented foods and organic yogurt.

Coconut Milk — Not As Healthy As You’d Think

by Miradairy, drinks, gmo, ingredientscoconut milk, ingredients

Big news! Yesterday, Wednesday, February 4 2015, Starbucks announced that they would start offering coconut milk as a non-dairy option. It's scheduled to appear at a Starbucks near you beginning on February 17, 2105. Normally that would be a great option, especially for someone like me who is currently dealing with food sensitivities and needs to avoid dairy. It's also potentially better than their current non-dairy option, soymilk, which is quite possibly genetically modified.

While I don't drink coffee I do like an occasional green tea latte. However, on closer inspection it turns out this isn't going to be an option for me either. The ingredients panel shows several items that I can't consume and a couple more that I choose not to.

Carrageenan

Let's start with carrageenan. It's a red seaweed which has been shown to be problematic for those with digestive issues. Not just those who have serious bowel health issues such as crohn's or ulcerative colitis, carrageenan can also affect those who struggle with bloating or gas issue. Many of them find that they do much better when they avoid carrageenan. For more information check out this report by the Cornucopia Institute. In fact many people who struggle with carrageenan also have issues with excessive amounts of gums in food products. This coconut milk also contains gellan gum, xanthan gum, and guar gum.

"Natural" Flavors

For ingredients I choose not to consume, and which I advocate others avoid as well, we see "natural" flavors [quotes are mine] which could mean anything and sometimes is a code for monosodium glutamate. There's also corn dextrin which, because it doesn't specifically say organic, could be genetically modified. While coconut milk itself isn't genetically modified, corn is one of the most highly GMO crops we have and conventional corn products should be avoided as much as possible. The vitamin A palmitate is most likely a synthetic form of palmitic acid; it's used to fortify dairy products.

Guar Gum

There are coconut milks that do not contain these products however some of them contain a gum, usually guar gum, to help with thickening the coconut milk. Be sure to read the label to avoid ingredients you don't want to eat.

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Update: A reader wrote in and told me that Starbucks was aligned with Monsanto and supported opposition to GMO labeling. Research shows that Starbucks is not directly affiliated with Monsanto other than that they both belong to the Grocery Manufacturers Association which is vigorously opposed to GMO labeling. Starbucks claims to be an "affiliate" member and in a direct quote from Starbuck's website:

Starbucks is not a part of any lawsuit pertaining to GMO labeling nor have we provided funding for any campaign. And Starbucks is not aligned with Monsanto to stop food labeling or block Vermont State law.
The petition claiming that Starbucks is part of this litigation is completely false and we have asked the petitioners to correct their description of our position.
Starbucks has not taken a position on the issue of GMO labeling. As a company with stores and a product presence in every state, we prefer a national solution.

Glucerna – Is It A Healthy Choice?

by Miraadditives, artificial colors, gmo, ingredients, questions, sweeteners

Meal supplement beverages, such as glucerna, are frequently promoted by doctors for a variety of reasons. In some cases it may be due to concerns about the amount of protein a patient needs, or if they are a “picky eater” and not getting enough nutrients. An increasing number of these products are aimed at diabetics, purporting to help them control blood sugar levels. Sadly these products come with a massive ingredient list and are not as healthy as the manufacturer would have you believe.

What's in the can?

I've chosen Glucerna because it's one of the more popular products aimed at people with diabetes. It claims to “Help Minimize Blood Sugar Spikes”, has 190 calories, and provides 10 grams of protein. Just because something has a lot of protein does not mean that it's helpful for managing blood sugar. You need to read the label to see what's really in that can.

INGREDIENTS: Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, Fructose, Glycerol, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Soy Protein Isolate, High Oleic Safflower Oil. Less than 2% of the Following: Canola Oil, Soy Oil, Cellulose Gel, Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Phosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Liquid Sucralose, Potassium Hydroxide, Magnesium Chloride, Carrageenan, Turmeric Concentrate, Acesulfame Potassium, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, FD&C Red #3, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Chromium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Sodium Molybdate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Phylloquinone, Cyanocobalamin, and Vitamin D3.

That's quite a mouthful. Literally. So now let's break down that long list so you can really understand what you're getting.

Glucerna ingredients

Sugars

This product delivers 6 grams of sugar per serving. That's a lot of sugar in my book, especially for a beverage that's supposed to balance blood sugar. The very first thing that stands out for me on the ingredient list is that the first ingredient is water, meaning that most of this product is water.

When we go through the list of ingredients we see that it has several different sources of sugar and sweeteners. To have all of this in a product clearly aimed at people trying to better manage their blood sugar levels does not make sense.

Corn Maltodextrin: The corn is most likely genetically modified meaning that this has GMOs in it. I do not advocate consuming GMOs and recommend avoiding them as much as possible.
Fructose: This is probably from either sugar cane, sugar beets or corn. While I don't know which one it is I will point out that the sugar beets and corn are most likely to be from GMO sources. Excess consumption of fructose has also been shown to have a negative impact on the liver.
Glycerol: This is a sugar alcohol which can be synthesized or made from either plant (soy, i.e., GMO soy) or animal (tallow) sources
Sucralose: An artificial sweetener which can cause a host of negative health issues including migraines, dizziness, digestive disturbances, and allergic type reactions.
Acesulfame Potassium: Another form of artificial sweetener. Unfortunately studies appear to show that consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners may be linked to weight gain.

Other negative ingredients

Artificial flavor: Made from “proprietary chemical formulations” the actual ingredients are not required to be listed on the label as long as they are considered GRAS. However, many artificial flavor formulations have been shown to cause nausea, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, chest pain and more.
FD&C Red #3: Made from petrochemicals, this artificial dye can have a very negative impact on brain chemistry. Studies have positively linked inattentive type behaviors, anxiety, and aggression with consumption of artificial food colors.
GMO ingredients: In addition to the probable GMOs found in the sugars listed above, this product also has Soy Protein Isolate, Canola Oil, Soy Oil, and Soy Lecithin. Soy and canola are two of the most highly genetically modified crops currently out there and should be avoided.
Milk Protein Concentrate: Sometimes listed as MPC, this highly processed ultra-filtered product is highly likely to come from cows that have been treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics. These artificial hormones have been linked to overall immune system issues, metabolic syndrome, and even diabetes. Overconsumption of antibiotics through animal products have been linked with antibiotic resistant diseases.
Carrageenan: is made from red seaweed and is often highly problematic for those who have digestive issues.

Many of the other additives are most probably synthesized versions of the vitamins that they represent, not the forms found in nature which are more readily absorbed by the system.

Overall this is not a product that I would suggest for anyone. There are too many negative ingredients and I do not believe it's a product that delivers any sort of health benefit.

Update

When I posted this on my Facebook page it generated a number of comments asking what would be a good alternative. If you're looking for a protein drink there are powders that have a reasonable protein content, far less sugar, and few to no dubious ingredients. I encourage you to read the label and understand what's in the can before you make a choice. The object is to choose one that has no negative ingredients.

An even better choice than a beverage would be the addition of real foods that are nutritionally dense and provide balanced protein without junky ingredients. One of my favorites is soaked raw nuts or grass fed bison jerky. My friend and colleague Trudy Scott is a huge fan of tinned sardines. There are plenty of other options out there if you read the label.

Nordic Diet

by Miradairy, fats and oil, fruit, gluten free, gmo, grains, health, meat, probioticsdiet, meditteranean, nordic

There's a new diet trend that appears set to take the world by storm, the Nordic Diet. It appears to be a Scandinavian take on the concepts of the Mediterranean Diet.

According to a study published in The Journal of Internal Medicine, it lowered cholesterol and inflammation among study participants who followed the plan for 18 weeks. Without a doubt, there will shortly be a book, a cookbook, several websites with recipes, and a new crowd of enthusiasts. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it may not be the right thing for everyone.

The diet does allow for whole grains, primarily rye, barley, and oats, as well as low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, game meats (like moose), fruits, berries, vegetables, and canola oil. While new diet plans always garner a lot of excitement it's important to remember that there is no one size fits all diet. We are bio-individual creatures and what works for one person doesn't always work for another. If someone is gluten intolerant they need to avoid the rye and barley (and source gluten free oats) allowed in this nutritional plan. Just because it's part of the diet doesn't mean it's the right choice if your body can't handle it.

I do have a couple of thoughts about this diet and about food trends in general:

The Nordic Diet calls for canola oil.

In the United States this is not a good choice as the vast majority of it is contaminated by GMO. Some estimates of contamination and cross-contamination are so high that there are those who believe there is no unmodified canola to be found in the U.S.

The diet calls for low-fat dairy.

This is not a healthy option. Starting with the fact that dairy is one of our few food sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin (meaning it needs to be consumed with fat in order for the body to properly utilize it). Vitamin D is also important to help the body properly make use of calcium. When it comes to the old notion that high fat diets cause obesity, recent studies have shown that the opposite is true. In measured studies, those who consumed whole-milk dairy products had reduced risk for obesity.

The diet does not, as far as I've been able to find, specifically talk about sourcing of food.

While game meat is unlikely to be adulterated with added hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, poultry and fish need to be sustainably sourced. It's interesting to note that game meat in general may be gaining some prominence as people seek to avoid meat from animals raised in confined operations.

Vegetables and fruits still need to be sourced without pesticide residue and GMO contamination.

I imagine that there will be more of a call for root vegetables. This is a good thing as root vegetables are high vitamins, beta-carotene, and fiber. [side thought: I'm always surprised when I buy parsnips at the grocery store and the checkout clerk wants to know what the "white carrots" are.]

Expectations

With food trends in general, I expect we'll face a year ahead with more, New, BETTER (read tongue in cheek) superfoods that convey all sorts of health benefits. I'm not a huge fan of seeking those out and quite frankly we have superfoods that are local and easily accessible, there's no need to keep chasing the latest super ones.

I imagine there will still be some sort of push to get bugs onto the menu and into the grocery stores. They're cheap and easy to raise, a quick, convenient source of protein. I'm not a fan but that's a personal preference. I also don't eat things like squid or eels that doesn't mean I think they're dangerous or bad for you. With anything that we eat we have to look at how it's raised. Remember, you are what you eat includes whatever the animal you're eating ate.

I still believe there's not enough focus on fermented foods. These are in a category referred to as functional foods, they have a specific health benefit. In the case of fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha, and lacto-fermented vegetables they add beneficial probiotics to our intestinal tract, helping us to break down our food, boost our immune system and stay healthy. While I see more and more evidence of some fermented foods I believe we would all benefit from eating more of them. Ideally we'd learn how to make them at home.

I'd like to believe we'll continue to see a growing influence of tip-to-tail consumption that will encourage us to eat more fully from the whole animal. Learning to eat organ meats again, consuming more bone broths, getting away from the white-meat-only-chicken-breast diet that so many of us have become accustomed to.

Whatever nutrition plan lies ahead, let's remember that we need to eat according to the needs of our bio-individual bodies. Our dietary needs change over time. We don't eat the same in our 40's as we did when we were a toddler or an adolescent. But however we choose to eat, whatever we're eating, let's focus on clean, healthy, sustainably sourced foods rather than jumping from one popular diet plan to another.

Want to know more about food and what's in what you eat? Join The Ingredient Guru Community!

What’s In A Biscuit

by Miragmo, ingredients, labeling, Uncategorized

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.It 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

You Can’t Sue Me Now

by Mirafood fraud, gmo, grocery

General Mills wants to turn Facebook likes into a legal agreement. The company has created a new privacy policy which basically states that anyone who has received “any” benefit from General Mills gives up their right to sue the company. Even if the product in some way harms them or makes them ill. General Mills has gone so far as to include giving them a “like” on their Facebook page as a benefit to the consumer. The concept of benefits also extends to downloading coupons, signing up for contests, or any other form of interaction. A consumers only recourse if they have an issue with the company will be either a negotiation process with the company or a binding arbitration, with the arbitration team no doubt chosen by General Mills.

Why was this policy enacted? It appears to stem from an incident where two moms sued the company for deceptive marketing over their use of the term “natural” on a product which contained high fructose corn syrup and genetically modified ingredients. Last month it came before a judge who refused to dismiss the case so it will be moving forward.

This is not the first time General Mills has been sued for deceptive practices. In 2012 it was sued for using the word “strawberry” on a fruit roll-up product that contained no strawberries. The case was settled and General Mills agreed to stop using that word on the package.

So why is there a picture of a Larabar at the top of this post? Because guess who owns that brand? In the “Who Owns Your Food” section of The Pantry Principle I share a graphic which highlights just how confusing and overwhelming the web of food has become in this country. While I'm not sure (because I'm not a lawyer) if this position is defensible, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's stupid. If you don't want people to get upset about what you do to your food, don't do that. If you claim ingredients which aren't in there, people have a right to be upset. If you use deceptive marketing you should not be allowed to get away with it simply to make a buck. Why defend your position to do the wrong thing? That makes no sense to me.

And a startling thought that occurs to me, I wonder if they will extend this legal stance to other brands where the consumer may not be aware of ownership. So I'm highlighting the brands that I'm aware of which are owned by General Mills below. Many of them may surprise you.

Cascadian Farms Organic
Food Should Taste Good (chips/snack product)
Larabar
Muir Glen tomato products
Liberte yogurt
Häagen-Dazs
Nature Valley

And if you're interested…the list of mainstream Big G products is HUGE. If you want to see all of them (and there are hundreds) you can look on their website http://www.generalmills.com/Brands

Want to let General Mills know how you feel about this issue? Sign this petition

And then buy a copy of The Pantry Principle: how to read the label and understand what's really in your food.

Update: After a furious backlash from consumers and an overwhelmingly negative media focus General Mills has reversed itself on this decision. Their blog post (entitled “We've listened – and we're changing our legal terms back”) claims that “Those terms – and our intentions – were widely misread.” They also offered an apology.

Whether their lawyers had a specific purpose in mind or if indeed the intent was misunderstood, it is a given that companies are going to spin things their way every change they get. The most important thing to remember, as far as I'm concerned, is that this once again shows the effect a highly motivated and vocal public can have on corporate policy. They won't change and do better unless they believe they have to.

Let's not forget one of my favorite quotes by Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

photo: Bradley Stemke

What Are Safe Seeds?

by Miragarden, gmoseeds, small garden, vegetable garden

Seeds vs. Plants

Spring is just around the corner. Many people start thinking about planting a garden. Dreaming about fragrant, flavorful tomatoes, mouthwateringly delicious sweet corn, an abundance of greens and herbs, and more, all from their garden. For some, this thought process is accompanied by doodlings of garden plans, frantic searchings for last year's crop rotation chart, or just dog-earing a few pages in the latest garden supply catalog.

Some folks will buy seeds. Some will buy plants. But are they, and you, thinking about the environmental and biological impact of the plants? Are you considering non-genetically modified (GMO-free) plants and seeds? If not, it's time to consider making the switch. Yes, GMO-free can be more expensive. However, it comes with some important benefits.

Understanding the Safe Seed Pledge

But first I'd like to clarify. While organic seeds are great, in some cases, depending on the crop, not all crops require them. What is of vital importance is the use of non-genetically modified seeds. In order to support a move away from GMOs, more companies are signing the Safe Seed Pledge. Created in 1999 it was started as a way for companies to share their position when it comes to genetically modified seeds. Companies who have signed the pledge, and there are over 70 at this point, pledge that their seeds are free of genetic modification. Here are just a few companies you can buy from who have all signed the pledge:

Why Choose Safe Seeds

At a minimum, safe seeds from companies who have signed the pledge should be what you're looking for when choosing seeds. Here's why:

Seeds from genetically modified crops are often heavily sprayed with pesticides to keep down the weed population. This pesticide residue has a very sharp impact on the environment. Increased pesticide use appears to be reducing butterfly populations. It can also pollute the water and causes birth defects in water animals such as frogs and fish.
The most common pesticide ingredient, glyphosate, is a chelating agent and binds with nutrients from the soil, effectively blocking them from the plants. With no nutrient uptake, that means less nutrition in your diet.
New studies are showing a significant impact on human health and changes to DNA from exposure to pesticides.
Seed crops spend more time in the ground than food crops, this increases the amount of pesticide potentially taken up into the seed and then passed on to you through the food grown from those seeds.
Non-GMO crops and especially organic crops are often grown in healthier soil, creating a healthier end product.
According to information found from the Institute for Responsible Technology, there are studies that show that animals ingesting GMO diets have organ damage and gastrointestinal issues as well as accelerated aging and infertility.

Starting Your Garden

Starting vegetables from seed doesn't require a lot of room. Essentially you need a container of some kind, good quality dirt, safe seeds, water, and sunlight. The truth, however, is that many of us feel nervous about how to start a vegetable or herb garden from seed. We've gotten so far away from that habit that it seems foreign and perhaps a bit overwhelming. The following are good resources to get you started:

Starting Seeds: How to Grow Healthy, Productive Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers from Seed (Storey Basics)
The New Seed Starters Handbook (Rodale Organic Gardening)
Square Foot Gardening: A New Way To Garden In Less Space With Less Work
Seed Starting Kit – Basic kit includes a beautiful giftable box, drip tray, 12 cell seed tray, humidity dome, seed label sticks, 12 compressed soil pucks (just add water), easy to follow instructions, and an assortment of 6 medicinal and tea herb seeds, such as basil, dill, oregano, parsley, chives, and mustard
4-Tier Growing Rack - With Greenhouse cover. Measures 63" tall, 27" wide, and 19" deep
LED Grow Light - This 36 Watt srew-in bulb provides sufficient light for small vegetables, peppers, and herbs also. Perfect for indoor and urban gardens, microgreen and wheatgrass flats.

While it's certainly easier to plant vegetables that are ready to go in the ground, you need to know what you're getting. If you're planning to start your garden from plants that someone else has sown from seed it would be a great idea to find out where the seeds originated and if they are part of the safe seed pledge program.

Sources

Koller, VJ, et al. Cytotoxic and DNA-damaging properties of glyphosate and Roundup in human-derived buccal epithelial cells. Arch Toxicol. 2012 May;86(5):805-13

Mertens, M, et al. Glyphosate, a chelating agent—relevant for ecological risk assessment?. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018; 25(6): 5298–5317

"The ‘Doomsday’ Vault Where The World’S Seeds Are Kept Safe". TIME.Com, 2022, https://time.com/doomsday-vault/

"Glyphosate Binds Vital Nutrients | The Detox Project". The Detox Project, 2022, https://detoxproject.org/glyphosate/glyphosate-chelating-agent/.

"Home - Institute For Responsible Technology". Institute For Responsible Technology, 2022, https://www.responsibletechnology.org/.

“natural” Food Label Under Attack

by MiraFDA, gmo, labeling, Uncategorized

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.