Where to go to avoid Enriched, Bromated and Bleached items.
Get out of regular supermarkets. You can't find what you are looking for there.
1) For breads go to an organic or natural foods grocer. Some great grains include Spelt, Kamut, Oat, Buckwheat and Bulgar Wheat.
2) For pastas, do the same. Plus, there are non-flour options for pasta like Rice pasta, Spinach pasta, and Quinoa pasta.
Get ready to chow down, y'all
~Turmeric
Friday, July 17, 2009
Sugar Answers!
Where does one turn to get a little sugar...
Sugar!
But you don't want the white stuff; that highly processed and bleached concoction is unfriendly to the human body but there are plenty of other options.
- The closest to white sugar in taste and feel is Cane Sugar or Turbinado. This is solidified liquid cane extract. It is natural and has not been bleached.
- Honey is another fantastic option. Not only is it very sweet, but there are health benefits to consuming honey. Personally, I use a raw honey which is solid in room temperature. Buy pesticide-free when possible.
- For a lighter sweet taste, there is Agave. Agave is a liquid syrup from the Blue Agave plants of Mexico (also known for making tequila!). Agave works just like honey and is fantastic as a 'syrup' for flapjacks.
- Lastly, there is Stevia. Stevia comes from an Andean plant that has been used for centuries by the Natives of that region. It is amazingly potent where a small fraction of what you would use of sugar is needed with Stevia. Stevia has become increasingly popular in the last couple of years.
Those are my recommended options for sweeteners. Below are substitutions to the avoidances I listed in February.
1) Instead of diet cola, DRINK WATER BITCHES! I'll tell you another thing, if you have Type II Diabetes and you get your health act together, you can have your disease under control so that you can drink juices again.
2) Instead of sugar-free snacks...DON'T BUY SNACKS WITH SUGAR.
3) There are aspartame-free chewing gum at natural food grocers
4) There are natural toothpaste and mouthwash at natural food grocers.
Later Sweeties!
~Turmeric
Sugar!
But you don't want the white stuff; that highly processed and bleached concoction is unfriendly to the human body but there are plenty of other options.
- The closest to white sugar in taste and feel is Cane Sugar or Turbinado. This is solidified liquid cane extract. It is natural and has not been bleached.
- Honey is another fantastic option. Not only is it very sweet, but there are health benefits to consuming honey. Personally, I use a raw honey which is solid in room temperature. Buy pesticide-free when possible.
- For a lighter sweet taste, there is Agave. Agave is a liquid syrup from the Blue Agave plants of Mexico (also known for making tequila!). Agave works just like honey and is fantastic as a 'syrup' for flapjacks.
- Lastly, there is Stevia. Stevia comes from an Andean plant that has been used for centuries by the Natives of that region. It is amazingly potent where a small fraction of what you would use of sugar is needed with Stevia. Stevia has become increasingly popular in the last couple of years.
Those are my recommended options for sweeteners. Below are substitutions to the avoidances I listed in February.
1) Instead of diet cola, DRINK WATER BITCHES! I'll tell you another thing, if you have Type II Diabetes and you get your health act together, you can have your disease under control so that you can drink juices again.
2) Instead of sugar-free snacks...DON'T BUY SNACKS WITH SUGAR.
3) There are aspartame-free chewing gum at natural food grocers
4) There are natural toothpaste and mouthwash at natural food grocers.
Later Sweeties!
~Turmeric
Friday, July 3, 2009
ANSWERS!
Now, it would not be becoming of me to bash all this food without delivering to you answers directing us where we can turn to combate the lack of these foods.
This blog will give you answers to the absence of Hydrogenated Oils
I had previously listed some of the following food items that contained Hydrogenated Oils:
1- Margarine
1- Vegetable Oil
2- Breads
3- Peanut Butter
4- Baked goods/frosting
5- Crackers and such
Here are the answers following in numerical order.
1-I don't advocate the use of dairy, but when in need, just use plain old Organic butter. As much as dairy is not good for us, it is far better than margarine. I use a non-dairy canola spread from a great company that does not use GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). It looks like margarine and has the same type of container but is completely "whole". :)
2-Instead of Vegetable Oil, when cooking in high heat, use Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is full of saturated fat; this is a good thing! Because if it wasn't, during the heating process, the chemical bonds would turn toxic. Plus, the saturated fat in Coconut Oil is Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) which act more as a carbohydrate (giving you energy) than a fat. Coconuts are also naturally anti-viral and anti-bacterial. I know a couple of people who could stop taking ulcer medication because they began to consume 1 coconut item a day; that action kills off the bacteria in the stomach lining that creates the ulcer to begin with. Coconut products aid with hair growth, nail growth, hair shine, and creates a glowing complexion. There are 2 types of Coconut Oil; Refined and Unrefined. The Unrefined kind smells like and gives off a flavor of Coconut. The Refined is more-or-less flavorless.
Organic Canola Oil is a runner up to cooking under high heat.
If sauteeing in low level heat it may be alright to use Organic Olive Oil. Personally, I use Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for non-cooking scenarios like to dress salads or keep pasta from sticking.
There are an array of other oils that exist [Grapeseed, Peanut, Avocado, etc.] but none that stands up to high heat like Coconut Oil.
3-If you walk into any Organic or whole foods grocer, you will find PLENTY of breads to choose from. (I have yet to see sliced bread from a conventional grocer without hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient.) My grain of choice is Spelt, but there are a plethora of grains to choose from: Oat, Wheat, Rye, Kamut, Quinoa...
4-I'm sure that at least 99.9% of us do not own a peanut grinder to make our own peanut butter. But dont' fret! There are plenty of options at whole and organic grocers. I don't like to name brands, but there are quite a few. Additionally, at these grocers you can find other nut butters: Hazlenut, cashew, walnut etc. Personally, I go with Almond Butter. It's my fav!
5- Just like the above 2, you can find ready-made cupcakes and cookies and pastries at whole grocers and none of them have hydrogenated oils and taste MUCH BETTER! We can also find cake mixes in these grocers so we can prepare cakes at home with out those devil oils.
6-Crackers too are easy to find at alternative grocers. Addtionally, just like breads, we can find an array of different grain crackers: Rice, Quinoa, Spelt, Rye etc.
Happy Hunting,
~Turmeric
This blog will give you answers to the absence of Hydrogenated Oils
I had previously listed some of the following food items that contained Hydrogenated Oils:
1- Margarine
1- Vegetable Oil
2- Breads
3- Peanut Butter
4- Baked goods/frosting
5- Crackers and such
Here are the answers following in numerical order.
1-I don't advocate the use of dairy, but when in need, just use plain old Organic butter. As much as dairy is not good for us, it is far better than margarine. I use a non-dairy canola spread from a great company that does not use GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). It looks like margarine and has the same type of container but is completely "whole". :)
2-Instead of Vegetable Oil, when cooking in high heat, use Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is full of saturated fat; this is a good thing! Because if it wasn't, during the heating process, the chemical bonds would turn toxic. Plus, the saturated fat in Coconut Oil is Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) which act more as a carbohydrate (giving you energy) than a fat. Coconuts are also naturally anti-viral and anti-bacterial. I know a couple of people who could stop taking ulcer medication because they began to consume 1 coconut item a day; that action kills off the bacteria in the stomach lining that creates the ulcer to begin with. Coconut products aid with hair growth, nail growth, hair shine, and creates a glowing complexion. There are 2 types of Coconut Oil; Refined and Unrefined. The Unrefined kind smells like and gives off a flavor of Coconut. The Refined is more-or-less flavorless.
Organic Canola Oil is a runner up to cooking under high heat.
If sauteeing in low level heat it may be alright to use Organic Olive Oil. Personally, I use Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for non-cooking scenarios like to dress salads or keep pasta from sticking.
There are an array of other oils that exist [Grapeseed, Peanut, Avocado, etc.] but none that stands up to high heat like Coconut Oil.
3-If you walk into any Organic or whole foods grocer, you will find PLENTY of breads to choose from. (I have yet to see sliced bread from a conventional grocer without hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient.) My grain of choice is Spelt, but there are a plethora of grains to choose from: Oat, Wheat, Rye, Kamut, Quinoa...
4-I'm sure that at least 99.9% of us do not own a peanut grinder to make our own peanut butter. But dont' fret! There are plenty of options at whole and organic grocers. I don't like to name brands, but there are quite a few. Additionally, at these grocers you can find other nut butters: Hazlenut, cashew, walnut etc. Personally, I go with Almond Butter. It's my fav!
5- Just like the above 2, you can find ready-made cupcakes and cookies and pastries at whole grocers and none of them have hydrogenated oils and taste MUCH BETTER! We can also find cake mixes in these grocers so we can prepare cakes at home with out those devil oils.
6-Crackers too are easy to find at alternative grocers. Addtionally, just like breads, we can find an array of different grain crackers: Rice, Quinoa, Spelt, Rye etc.
Happy Hunting,
~Turmeric
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Drink Milk, Get Osteoporosis
Pardon the absence. This subject was the scheduled next subject and it was so important to me, that I became overwhelmed and my reaction was inaction. Well, the buck stops here.
DAIRY OFFERS ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFIT FOR THE HUMAN BODY!
Yes, its is true. Contrary to popular belief.
I'll walk you through this. Answer these questions for yourself:
1- What are the benefits to drinking milk?
2- What species consume milk until adulthood?
3- What species consume the milk of another species?
NUMBER 1: What did you come up with? Did you come up with Calcium? Anything else?
Well guess what? Calicium in conjuction with Animal Protein actually leeches calcium from the bone. In other words, when you consume Animal meat or dairy, it takes calcium away from your bones.
This is precisely the reason why the worlds biggest consumers of dairy: United States, Sweden, Finland, also have the highest percentage for osteoporosis in their population. CONVERSELY, it has been found that small tribes in some African nations that consume NO DAIRY, osteoporosis is almost NON-EXISTENT. CHEW ON THAT!
(In a later post I will tell you where to turn for Calcium)
NUMBER 2: Were you stumped? Did you come up with just humans? Well my friend, you are right. Human Beings are the only mammals that consume milk past childhood.
NUMBER 3: Do you get where I'm going with this? HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE ONLY SPECIES IN THIS WORLD TO CONSUME THE DAIRY OF ANOTHER SPECIES!!!! THIS SHOULD ALARM YOU!!!!
Additionally, Dairy contains 3 things that are harmful to us: Lactose, Casein, and Whey.
When we are born, most of us have a good amount of Lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the sugar Lactose. It is said that by age 5, most of us lose around 95% of this enzyme...makes sense because Nature wasn't planning on having us be breastfed past age 5!
So then what happens, well, you have a world population where 50% of humans are lactose intolerant. Your body is telling you that the dairy is poisonous, it is rejecting it. Listen to your body! It knows better than you!
So instead of suggesting an absence of milk in your diet, they create pills so that you can more easily ingest this poison AND add a pill with chemicals to your system. How Perfect!
The Dairy Industry wouldn't want to have it any other way.
p.s. This concludes the series that started in February on food avoidances. Look out in July for the healthful substitions of these avoidances.
DAIRY OFFERS ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFIT FOR THE HUMAN BODY!
Yes, its is true. Contrary to popular belief.
I'll walk you through this. Answer these questions for yourself:
1- What are the benefits to drinking milk?
2- What species consume milk until adulthood?
3- What species consume the milk of another species?
NUMBER 1: What did you come up with? Did you come up with Calcium? Anything else?
Well guess what? Calicium in conjuction with Animal Protein actually leeches calcium from the bone. In other words, when you consume Animal meat or dairy, it takes calcium away from your bones.
This is precisely the reason why the worlds biggest consumers of dairy: United States, Sweden, Finland, also have the highest percentage for osteoporosis in their population. CONVERSELY, it has been found that small tribes in some African nations that consume NO DAIRY, osteoporosis is almost NON-EXISTENT. CHEW ON THAT!
(In a later post I will tell you where to turn for Calcium)
NUMBER 2: Were you stumped? Did you come up with just humans? Well my friend, you are right. Human Beings are the only mammals that consume milk past childhood.
NUMBER 3: Do you get where I'm going with this? HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE ONLY SPECIES IN THIS WORLD TO CONSUME THE DAIRY OF ANOTHER SPECIES!!!! THIS SHOULD ALARM YOU!!!!
Additionally, Dairy contains 3 things that are harmful to us: Lactose, Casein, and Whey.
When we are born, most of us have a good amount of Lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the sugar Lactose. It is said that by age 5, most of us lose around 95% of this enzyme...makes sense because Nature wasn't planning on having us be breastfed past age 5!
So then what happens, well, you have a world population where 50% of humans are lactose intolerant. Your body is telling you that the dairy is poisonous, it is rejecting it. Listen to your body! It knows better than you!
So instead of suggesting an absence of milk in your diet, they create pills so that you can more easily ingest this poison AND add a pill with chemicals to your system. How Perfect!
The Dairy Industry wouldn't want to have it any other way.
p.s. This concludes the series that started in February on food avoidances. Look out in July for the healthful substitions of these avoidances.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Yellow No. 6
Artificial food colorings...are...in...EVERYTHING! But is there a problem?
What is the pretty cost to give your food a pretty hue???
Here is information on some dyes from a source book on food additives:
Yellow No. 6 [Sunset Yellow] - This has been shown to cause allergic reactions like hives, rhinitis (runny nose), and nasal congestion. It appeared to cause tumors of the kidney and adrenal glands in rats, and it may be carcinogenic. FDA reviewed studies on rats and believes that this color is safe to use. This color is banned in Norway and Sweden. It has been found used in saugages, candy, gelatin, and baked goods.
Blue No. 1 [Brilliant Blue] - It is found in desserts, confectioneries, candies, and beverages. It has not been properly tested and is suspected to contain a small cancer risk. It is banned in Finland and France.
Blue No. 2 [Indigotine/Indigo-carmine] - Not much is known of this additive, although it was suspected to cause brain tumors in animals. It can cause allergic reactions. Aside from soft drinks, candy, and baked products, it is also found in pet foods. This is banned in Norway.
Need I even add a comment?
But WHILE we are on the subject of artificials, let's talk about how TASTY Mcfries are! Mmmm, right?!? So mouth watering! But might I add that these flash-freezed, zapped potatoes that not even MOLD will grow on because that is how far from FOOD it really is, in actuality tastes like nothing.
BUT HOW? do you say...HOW is that possible...BECAUSE OF ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS! TA-DA!
Well, actually, artificial scents that highten our own sense of taste. This is a very complex science that banks a lot of profit. These scientists are lovingly called flavorists. The world's largest and 2nd largest flavor labs/Germany's largest/Japan's largest and dozens others are ALL located in the great state of Jersey. All these Jersey companies produces 2/3rd's of America's flavor additives. They also create cosmetic scents.
Here's an interesting anecdote from "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All American Meal" by Eric Schlosser:
"Legend has it that a German scientist discovered methyl anthranilate, one of the first artificial flavors, by accident while mixing chemicals in his laboratory. Suddenly the lab was filled with the sweet smell of grapes. Methyl anthranilate later became the chief flavoring compound of grape Kool-Aid."
And from the same book:
"A typical artificial strawberry flavor, like found in a Burger King strawberry milk shake, contains the following ingredients: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amylketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, theyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone ...." and about 22 others. My fingers are tired.
Jenny McCarthy has recently proclaimed that she cured her son's autism. One of the many food eliminations she made was eliminating artificial colors and flavors.
Get ready for this list of where you find artficials, because its a long one.
Biggest Culprits:
1) Snacks: chips/cheesy things
2) Breakfast bars/granola bars/ protein bars
3) Fast food anything
4) Sodas/Fruit juices/energy drinks/powdered drinks
5) Ice cream/sorbets/sherberts
6) Candy/cookies/ready-made baked goods
7) Toothpaste/mouthwash/antacids
8) EVERY GOD DAMN THING
But there is a silver lining. Catch the 4th posting in March for the easy way to find these same items sans the artificials.
Love You All,
~ Turmeric
What is the pretty cost to give your food a pretty hue???
Here is information on some dyes from a source book on food additives:
Yellow No. 6 [Sunset Yellow] - This has been shown to cause allergic reactions like hives, rhinitis (runny nose), and nasal congestion. It appeared to cause tumors of the kidney and adrenal glands in rats, and it may be carcinogenic. FDA reviewed studies on rats and believes that this color is safe to use. This color is banned in Norway and Sweden. It has been found used in saugages, candy, gelatin, and baked goods.
Blue No. 1 [Brilliant Blue] - It is found in desserts, confectioneries, candies, and beverages. It has not been properly tested and is suspected to contain a small cancer risk. It is banned in Finland and France.
Blue No. 2 [Indigotine/Indigo-carmine] - Not much is known of this additive, although it was suspected to cause brain tumors in animals. It can cause allergic reactions. Aside from soft drinks, candy, and baked products, it is also found in pet foods. This is banned in Norway.
Need I even add a comment?
But WHILE we are on the subject of artificials, let's talk about how TASTY Mcfries are! Mmmm, right?!? So mouth watering! But might I add that these flash-freezed, zapped potatoes that not even MOLD will grow on because that is how far from FOOD it really is, in actuality tastes like nothing.
BUT HOW? do you say...HOW is that possible...BECAUSE OF ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS! TA-DA!
Well, actually, artificial scents that highten our own sense of taste. This is a very complex science that banks a lot of profit. These scientists are lovingly called flavorists. The world's largest and 2nd largest flavor labs/Germany's largest/Japan's largest and dozens others are ALL located in the great state of Jersey. All these Jersey companies produces 2/3rd's of America's flavor additives. They also create cosmetic scents.
Here's an interesting anecdote from "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All American Meal" by Eric Schlosser:
"Legend has it that a German scientist discovered methyl anthranilate, one of the first artificial flavors, by accident while mixing chemicals in his laboratory. Suddenly the lab was filled with the sweet smell of grapes. Methyl anthranilate later became the chief flavoring compound of grape Kool-Aid."
And from the same book:
"A typical artificial strawberry flavor, like found in a Burger King strawberry milk shake, contains the following ingredients: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amylketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, theyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone ...." and about 22 others. My fingers are tired.
Jenny McCarthy has recently proclaimed that she cured her son's autism. One of the many food eliminations she made was eliminating artificial colors and flavors.
Get ready for this list of where you find artficials, because its a long one.
Biggest Culprits:
1) Snacks: chips/cheesy things
2) Breakfast bars/granola bars/ protein bars
3) Fast food anything
4) Sodas/Fruit juices/energy drinks/powdered drinks
5) Ice cream/sorbets/sherberts
6) Candy/cookies/ready-made baked goods
7) Toothpaste/mouthwash/antacids
8) EVERY GOD DAMN THING
But there is a silver lining. Catch the 4th posting in March for the easy way to find these same items sans the artificials.
Love You All,
~ Turmeric
Monday, February 23, 2009
Enriched! Fortified with everything we took out!
Turn over the package of your loaf of bread. Go on...do it. I bet the 1st ingredient says "Enriched Flour". So...does it?
Do you know what that means?
When I was younger, I assumed that it meant something healthy. ENRICHED! It has that sorta ring to it. Well, FDA legal terminology is a bitch!
Here's an anecdote.
Earlier in the 20th century, when bread was normal, the bread companies searched to extend the shelf life of their products, thus garnering increased profits. It is, of course, the nutrients that speed up the rate in which mold has a field day with produce. A method was used to successfully sap bread of its nutrients, but the loss prevented bread from yielding a loaf-like shape.
Some genius figured out that if they use a similar compound to Plaster-of-Paris (remember, the white substance used in elementary art class to create Paper Mache sculptures!) then one could sap out the nutrients and keep the mold of a loaf! Oh Joy.
Here is where "enriched" comes in. They infuse the new loaf with synthetic nutrients just so they have something to put on the Nutrition Label.
Tidbit: You ever notice how white bread gets hard when its old. Whole bread doesn't. It stays soft but gets moldy. White bread gets hard because of the pseudo-Plaster of Paris.
Along with enriched are its cronies bromated, and bleached.
The bromation process is used in order to make the dough more elastic, therefore decreasing the need to be handled as delicately. It also promotes the development of Gluten. The bleaching process includes extremely harmful chemicals to make the product all white and pretty.
Biggest Culprits:
1) Bread
2) Pasta
Do you know what that means?
When I was younger, I assumed that it meant something healthy. ENRICHED! It has that sorta ring to it. Well, FDA legal terminology is a bitch!
Here's an anecdote.
Earlier in the 20th century, when bread was normal, the bread companies searched to extend the shelf life of their products, thus garnering increased profits. It is, of course, the nutrients that speed up the rate in which mold has a field day with produce. A method was used to successfully sap bread of its nutrients, but the loss prevented bread from yielding a loaf-like shape.
Some genius figured out that if they use a similar compound to Plaster-of-Paris (remember, the white substance used in elementary art class to create Paper Mache sculptures!) then one could sap out the nutrients and keep the mold of a loaf! Oh Joy.
Here is where "enriched" comes in. They infuse the new loaf with synthetic nutrients just so they have something to put on the Nutrition Label.
Tidbit: You ever notice how white bread gets hard when its old. Whole bread doesn't. It stays soft but gets moldy. White bread gets hard because of the pseudo-Plaster of Paris.
Along with enriched are its cronies bromated, and bleached.
The bromation process is used in order to make the dough more elastic, therefore decreasing the need to be handled as delicately. It also promotes the development of Gluten. The bleaching process includes extremely harmful chemicals to make the product all white and pretty.
Biggest Culprits:
1) Bread
2) Pasta
Monday, February 9, 2009
Aspartame? I'd rather go sweet-free, please!
Aspartame: Culprit #2
What is aspartame. Aspartame was the food industries response to saccharin (the calorie-free sweetener of the moment that was found to cause tumors in mice). Artificial sweeteners were created for diabetics above anyone else, but as our overweight nation began searching to cut calories everywhere, the everyday person began its addition in their daily diet. Problem #1. Then Saccharin was found to be a lot less good for your health than everyone assumed. In comes Aspartame; the calorie-free substitute...for the, umm, calorie-free...substitute.
Get it together people, anything that gives a sweet taste, yet has no calories PROBABLY WILL KILL YOU. I'll calm down with the theatrics, but seriously.
Taken from 8 Weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil:
"Saccharin, cyclamates, and aspartame all taste funny and disturb physiology in some people (causing headaches and menstrual dysfunction). Some experts suspect them of promoting cancer and having toxic effects on the nervous system. You are much better off eating moderate amounts of sugar than any of these unnatural compounds"
Eating Well for Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil:
" You should also note that the epidemic of obesity here also correlates with widespread use of noncaloric artificial sweeteners...artificial sweeteners may be useful for diabetics, but there is no evidence that they help anyone lose weight."
Mmmm, I love him.
Biggest Culprits:
1. Diet ANYTHING: Soda, gingerale, 0 calorie flavored drinks
2. Sugar-free ANYTHING: cookies, breakfast bars etc.
3. Gum
4. Toothpastes and mouthwashes
Get all that stuff out of your kitchen and away from children.
Check in next week for our 3rd food of avoidance
Eat well and be merry,
~Turmeric
What is aspartame. Aspartame was the food industries response to saccharin (the calorie-free sweetener of the moment that was found to cause tumors in mice). Artificial sweeteners were created for diabetics above anyone else, but as our overweight nation began searching to cut calories everywhere, the everyday person began its addition in their daily diet. Problem #1. Then Saccharin was found to be a lot less good for your health than everyone assumed. In comes Aspartame; the calorie-free substitute...for the, umm, calorie-free...substitute.
Get it together people, anything that gives a sweet taste, yet has no calories PROBABLY WILL KILL YOU. I'll calm down with the theatrics, but seriously.
Taken from 8 Weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil:
"Saccharin, cyclamates, and aspartame all taste funny and disturb physiology in some people (causing headaches and menstrual dysfunction). Some experts suspect them of promoting cancer and having toxic effects on the nervous system. You are much better off eating moderate amounts of sugar than any of these unnatural compounds"
Eating Well for Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil:
" You should also note that the epidemic of obesity here also correlates with widespread use of noncaloric artificial sweeteners...artificial sweeteners may be useful for diabetics, but there is no evidence that they help anyone lose weight."
Mmmm, I love him.
Biggest Culprits:
1. Diet ANYTHING: Soda, gingerale, 0 calorie flavored drinks
2. Sugar-free ANYTHING: cookies, breakfast bars etc.
3. Gum
4. Toothpastes and mouthwashes
Get all that stuff out of your kitchen and away from children.
Check in next week for our 3rd food of avoidance
Eat well and be merry,
~Turmeric
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