YOUR FOOD…
News to Dye For
By Linda Mason Hunter
December, 2024
I’ve long been fascinated by the array of artificial dyes food manufacturers put into their products to enhance their sales. In fact, it was the infamous Red Dye #2 that got me started down my long environmental road back in the late 1960s while, as a college student, I just beginning to become environmentally aware.
That was more than 50 years ago. You’d think we’d be smarter now but, in fact, food dyes are more prevalent than ever in the marketplace, from popsicles to pistachios and from meat to mac and cheese. Their vibrant colors make food appealing and increase our appetites. Many of the artificial dyes found in US supermarkets are banned in Canada and several European countries.
The most intriguing revelation I came across in my research comes from Stanford University where scientists discovered a surprisingly simple way to potentially peer inside the body using a common yellow food dye found in Doritos and Cheetos. Five minutes after scientists massaged a solution of tartrazine (the chemical found in yellow dye #5), onto the bellies of live mice, their skin appeared to vanish, revealing the inner organs and pulsing muscles in the gut. After soaking the mice’s heads in the solution, they saw small holes made by blood vessels in the brain.
Let that be a lesson for you.
Sources: (1) “Cheetos food coloring turns mice transparent,” by Nidhi Subbaraman. Wall Street Journal, October 3,, 2024. https://www.wsj.com/science/biology/cheetos-food-coloring-turns-mice-transparent-ba3e9315.
(2) “The Doritos dye that makes mice tissue transparent,” by Flora Graham, Nature, Sept. 6, 2024.
Pay attention to how many grams of sugar you eat in a day.
November, 2024
I admit it. I have a sweet tooth. Though I’m partial to savory foods, it’s difficult for me to resist a cookie or two or three, or a piece of homemade pie. I’ve never paid much attention to how much sugar I eat in a day, but since the holidays are upon us, it’s time to resist temptation. I’ll feel so much better if I do.
The American Heart Association recommends men take in no more than 36 grams of added sugar per day, and women no more than 25 grams per day. For comparison, let’s look at flavored coffee creamers. Most popular ones contain around 5 grams of added sugar per tablespoon. That may not sound like a lot. But if you used two tablespoons in one cup of coffee and drink two cups, that adds up to 20 grams of sugar, or 80% of the recommended amount of sugar a day. Chances are you have added sugars elsewhere in your diet.
The bottom line: Your morning routine is personal, and enjoying coffee creamer in moderation is nothing to worry about. But it’s always a good idea to read the nutrition label and be aware of what you’re stirring into your coffee. Best option is to use regular milk or half-and-half. If you want added flavor, add a few drops of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon.
Source: American Heart Association: “Added Sugars, and Why Should I Pay Attention”: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars
Stay away from black-colored plastic
November, 2024
This is new, something I hadn’t heard about before, although I did wonder about the makeup of the black absorbent material at the bottom of the takeout container of sushi I purchased a week or so ago. I’d never seen anything like it before, so I was naturally suspicious and set out on a mission of discovery.
This time the harmful ingredients don’t come from toxic synthetic preservatives or pesticides. They make their way into consumer products due to mistakes in the recycling of electronic waste. My research turned up a recent study, reported by CNN, that black-colored plastic used in toys, takeout containers, kitchen utensils, and grocery meat and produce trays may contain alarming levels of brominated flame retardants leaching from electronic products—like televisions--during recycling. Brominated flame retardants are particularly concerning due to their toxicity and tendency to bioaccumulate and stay in the body for years. So far, scientists have not found safe level of brominated flame retardants.
What to do? If you have black plastic utensils in your kitchen, replace them with stainless steel ones. Avoid black-plastic in toys, takeout containers, and grocery produce trays. Report your displeasure to the store’s manager.
Source: Sanjay Gupta, CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/01/health/flame-retardant-black-plastic-wellness/index.html
How chemicals enter your body from food packaging
October, 2024
The safety of food packaging is something most of us take for granted—one lemon wrapped in plastic, shrink-wrap sealed around a piece of raw meat, takeout containers filled with restaurant leftovers, plastic bottles filled with soft drinks. These are just a few types of food packaging that surround us every day. A new study published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology shows that harmful chemicals leaching out of food wrappings and containers are an important source of exposure and cause harm to the human body.
Researchers discovered that of the roughly 14,000 known chemicals in food packaging, about 25 percent of them have been found in the human body, whether in samples of blood, hair or breast milk. These chemicals include metals, volatile organic compounds, PFAs, phthalates and many others known to disrupt the endocrine system and cause cancer or other diseases. To make matters worse, these chemicals are largely unregulated.
Scientists have known for many years that chemicals can spill out of food packaging into the food itself. How many chemicals — and in what quantities — depends on the type of packaging and the type of food.
High temperatures can cause chemicals to leach more quickly into food, which is why scientists recommend avoiding microwaving food in takeout containers. Foods that are high in fat or high in acidity also tend to absorb more chemicals from their packaging, as do foods that are tucked into smaller containers — the more cramped the container, the more contact it has with the food inside.
Most of the chemicals leaching from food packaging come from plastics, but not all of them. Probably the worst one is recycled paper and cardboard. Recycling paper, cardboard or plastic for food packaging leads to nonfood grade inks mixed in next to food, adding to the chemical risks.
Scientists say that there is a need for better testing of food packaging and further regulations on what is considered safe to put food in. “What worries me a lot is that’s not happening,” says Jane Muncke, chief scientific officer of the Food Packaging Forum and one of the paper’s authors.
Source: “Scientists just figured out how many chemicals enter our bodies from food packaging,” by Shannon Osaka, Washington Post, Sept. 16, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/09/16/more-than-3000-chemicals-food-packaging-have-infiltrated-our-bodies/?
Take care when ordering food containing lavender
September, 2024
Lavender is having a moment. It seems as if every coffee place is touting its wisteria-colored lattes, with Starbucks alone rolling out three lavender drinks this year. Yum, right? Not so fast. Turns out that foods promoting lavender may contain little or none of the plant that grows in nature, but instead a concoction of chemicals mixed in a beaker. It’s not just coffee drinks being spruced up with lavender. The herb has become more common in other foods and mixed drinks. So you need to be vigilant when shopping for products flavored or scented with lavender and be sure they actually contain the herb, and not a toxic imitation of it.
If a product's ingredient label names the plant (with or without the Latin name, lavandula) then legally it must contain real lavender. But even if the ingredient list includes the plant name, if natural or artificial flavors are also mentioned, it’s impossible to know how much of the scent or flavor comes directly from real lavender. Best to avoid artificial and natural flavors, both of which may contain harmful preservatives and solvents. Also look out for food dyes. Red and blue dyes can be combined to create a purple color, so they can be found on the label of lavender products.
Plenty of food and beverages contain real lavender and skip the artificial flavor, such as dairy-free lavender coconut yogurt, lavender syrup and lavender-infused olive oil. Don’t forget about lavender honey, which is 100 percent honey, with a flavor that comes from bees eating mostly lavender blossoms.
And what about those trendy Starbucks drinks? According to their website, Starbucks’ lavender powder contains natural flavor and food dyes, not the real deal.
Source: Environmental Working Group, https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/06/lavender-major-food-trend-it-safe-depends.
Decrease the amount of chemical plasticizers that get into your food
April, 2024
This month The Green Zone did a deep dive into a world where food and plastic intersect. As the latest issue of Consumer Reports magazine tells us, eating microplastics in our food is not healthy for humans or for the environment.
Growing concerns about the health risks posed by synthetic plasticizers have led U.S. regulators to meaningfully curtail the use of these chemicals in a number of products—but not yet in food. For example, the federal government has banned eight phthalates in children’s toys. But—with the exception of a 2012 ban on BPA in baby bottles (extended in 2013 to infant formula cans)—there are no substantive limits on plastic-related chemicals in food packaging or production.
That doesn’t mean you are powerless. There are ways you can decrease your exposure to plastics in the food you eat. Consumer Reports lists six steps you can take in the kitchen or in the grocery store. They are:
Step #1: Avoid plastic food containers.
Step #2: Steer clear of fast foods.
Step #3: Limit high-fat foods.
Step #4: Eat fresh, minimally processed food.
Step #5: Choose wood, stainless steel, and silicone kitchen tools.
Step #6: Use bottles made of glass or steel.
For more in-depth reporting on this issue, go to the source: “How to Eat Less Plastic,” by Lauren F. Friedman. CR Consumer Reports, February 2024, page 24. https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/how-to-reduce-exposure-to-plastic-in-food-everywhere-else-a9640874767/
High amounts of pesticides found on pears, blueberries, and spinach
April, 2024
This year’s Shoppers’ Guide to Pesticides in Produce, put out by the Environmental Working Group, exposes the alarming rise in pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables, particularly pears, blueberries, and spinach.
According to studies, 95% of pears have pesticide residues that come with health harms including hormone disruption and harm to the male reproductive system. Sixty-four different pesticides were found on recent pear samples.
Pears aren’t the only produce item with a pesticide problem. Ninety percent of blueberry samples were contaminated with pesticide residues, including pesticides linked to cancer and nervous system harm. Up to 17 different pesticides were detected on a single blueberry sample. And that’s not all. Bee-killing pesticides were found on 36% of blueberries tested.
Spinach came in second on this year’s Dirty Dozen list put out by the Environmental Working Group. Seventy-six percent of spinach samples tested positive for permethrin, a neurotoxic pesticide banned in Europe. Up to 19 different pesticides were found on a single spinach sample. DDT, a toxic pesticide banned in the U.S., was found on 40% of spinach samples.
What to do? When purchasing pears, blueberries, and spinach, be safe. Buy organic.
Buyer beware in the supermarket
December, 2023
When it comes to toxic chemicals found in everyday products, I look to the state of California for advice. California bans synthetic chemicals years before the federal government does, so the state is a bellweather for me, as well as for the federal government.
Recently the Food and Drug Administration moved to ban brominated vegetable oil (or BVO) from use in food. While this is great progress, the FDA has known for years about the health dangers of BVO. Due to lack of national action, major beverage companies and the state of California have already stepped up to remove BVO from food and beverage products.
Other food additives California recently banned but are still present in packaged foods are:
Red Dye No. 3, found in snack cakes, candy, and bacon bits. Red No. 3 has been linked to cancer and harm to children’s brains.
Potassium bromate, found in breads and store-bought cookies, linked to cancer.
Propyl paraben, found in 52 products, including tortillas and dessert frosting, linked to endocrine disruption and reproductive harm.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Europe has also banned these chemicals and more from nearly all processed foods, but the FDA hasn’t even reviewed some of them since the 1970s.
It’s buyer beware in the supermarket these days.
From the Environmental Working Group, ewg.org.
Protein & granola bars aren’t as healthy as they seem
April, 2024
Protein and granola bars might not immediately come to mind when you think of unhealthy foods, but some are just sticky sweet junk food in disguise. Many bars sold today contain large amounts of ultra-processed ingredients, artificial sweeteners and added sugars. For example, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Harvest granola bars can contain up to 15 grams of sugar per serving — mostly from added sugar. So don’t be fooled by the flashy packaging.
Although people often eat protein bars after a workout or as a meal replacement, those that are heavily processed or contain artificial sweetener do not supply the nutrients your body needs to get from a meal or to recover from exercising.
Some people believe the hype about granola bars, that they are a healthy alternative to protein bars because they’re often touted for their whole grain goodness. Don't let a few oats fool you, especially when you also see marshmallows and chocolate chips on the ingredient list. If granola bars are a must-have, choose one with 6 grams of sugar or less per bar, and hopefully some fiber.
Beware of harmful chemicals in ice cream and popsicles
May 14, 2023
Summer is here and this time of year there’s no more dynamic duo than hot, sunny weather and ice cream or popsicles. But a sugar rush or brain freeze isn’t the only thing to watch for with these cold treats—they might also contain titanium dioxide and Red Dye No.3, two chemicals associated with serious health harms.
Red Dye No. 3 and titanium dioxide are both banned from nearly all uses in food in the European Union but remain legal in the U.S. Recently introduced bills in California and New York would ban both chemicals from foods sold in those states.
A 2021 assessment by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the very tiny size of titanium dioxide molecules in the form of nanoparticles can build up in the body and cause chromosomal damage.
Red Dye No. 3 has been shown to make children vulnerable to behavioral difficulties, including decreased attention. In 1990 the Food and Drug Administration found Red Dye No. 3 can cause cancer and banned its use in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. But it’s still allowed in food, even though it’s found to cause cancer in animals.
What to do? Look at the label. Beware if it includes the words “artificial color” or “Color added.” Avoid these chemicals by choosing organic.
Source: “Something to Scream About,” by Iris Myers; https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/05/something-scream-about-harmful-chemicals-ice-cream-and-popsicles
Dangerous agricultural chemicals found in oatmeal, granola, other cereals
By Linda Mason Hunter
February 1, 2023
The Environmental Working Group is my go-to for up-to-date information on toxins in our environment. EWG scientists test products and report on the kind and quantity of toxins found. Recently they found alarming levels of a chemical called chlormequat in 13 oat-based products, including Quaker Oats, granola, and Cheerios. Chlormequat has been linked to serious health harms in mammals, including disrupting fetal growth, changing sperm motility, and harm to the nervous system.
That’s just one of the 85,000 industrial chemicals found in common products we bring into our homes. Only 25% of these 85,000 chemicals have been tested for health concerns by our government.
Concerned? You should be. I am. You can protect yourself from hazardous pesticides by getting your free copy of EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen Lists from their website https://www.ewg.org. To keep informed, regularly check out the website. It’s a great resource.
Ultra-processed foods implicated in cognitive decline
December 11, 2022
According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, if more than 20% of your daily calorie intake is ultra-processed foods (such hot dogs, sausages, bacon, deli meat, ice cream, fast food burgers and fries) you may be raising your risk for dementia. That amount would equal about 400 calories a day in a 2000-calorie-a-day diet. For comparison, a small order of fries and regular cheeseburger from McDonald’s contains a total of 530 calories.
The part of the brain involved in executive functioning--the ability to process information and make decisions—is especially hard hit. Men and woman in the study who ate the most ultra-processed foods had a 25% faster rate of executive function decline and a 28% faster rate of overall cognitive impairment compared with those who ate the least amount of overly processed food.
There was an interesting twist, however. If the person also ate a lot of unprocessed, whole fruits and veggies, whole grains and healthy sources of protein, the association between ultra-processed foods and cognitive decline disappeared.
Ultra-processed foods are defined as “industrial formulations of food substances (oils, fats, sugars, starch, and protein isolates) that contain little or no whole foods and typically include flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives,” according to the study.
And it’s not just the impact on cognition. Ultra-processed foods are already known to raise the risk of obesity, heart and circulation problems, diabetes, cancer, and a shorter life span.
Ultra-processed foods are usually high in sugar, salt and fat, all of which promote inflammation throughout the body, which is perhaps the dmajor threat to healthy aging in the body and brain.
How can you keep this from happening to you? If you include ultra-processed foods in your diet, try to counter these by also eating high-quality, whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. One easy way to ensure diet quality is to cook and prepare your food from scratch. The take-home message? Stop buying things that are super-processed.
Source: “Dementia risk may increase if you’re eating these foods, study says,” by Sandee LaMotte, CNN, December 5, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/health/dementia-ultraprocessed-food-wellness/index.html.
Be careful buying bread
June 23, 2022
Many packaged baked goods may contain potassium bromate, a food additive linked to cancer. The chemical is added to flour to strengthen dough and allow it to rise higher, benefits that have led many U.S. companies to embrace it.
Multiple studies suggest this chemical increases the incidence of cancer in the kidneys, thyroid and other organs. Because of these health concerns, potassium bromate is banned in several countries, including Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S., potassium bromate is still completely legal. The FDA hasn’t even reviewed the chemical since 1973. The Environmental Working Group has identified over 130 different products that contain potassium bromate, including several brands of bread and tortillas,cakes and cookies.
In California, products containing potassium bromate have had to carry a warning label since 1990. But no other state or agency has acted to regulate this chemical in the absence of federal action. The use of this additive in the U.S. is widespread and legal, even though it’s been banned in other countries.
It’s buyer beware in the grocery store these days. Please read the ingredient list of food you buy and don’t buy baked goods containing potassium bromate.
Source: The Environmental Working Group
Eliminate food waste
January, 2022
Food waste is a huge problem in the United States. The good news: Each of us can help solve it.
Consider this: A typical household of four tosses out about $1,600 worth of food annually. Up to 40% of the food that's produced never makes it to our mouths, and all this waste is enough to fill the highest skyscraper in Chicago 44 times a year, according to an estimate by the Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, 1 in 8 Americans struggles with food scarcity.
Our discarded food often ends up in landfills, where it rots and then starts to emit methane — a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. A recent report from the United Nations panel on climate change estimates food waste accounts for as much as 10% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
While many environmentally friendly practices — say, buying an electric car or installing solar panels — require an upfront investment, you can start saving immediately once you put in place these tips to reduce food waste.
Here are five simple ways to start reducing your food waste at home today.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2019/12/10/786867315/how-to-reduce-food-waste
Glyphosate found in cereals, snacks
The most popular weed killer in the U.S.
August, 2018
What’s for breakfast? Weed killer, that’s what. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup (manufactured by Monsanto), was found in 43 of 45 conventional oat products tested by the Environmental Working Group. Researchers discovered the herbicide in a number of popular oat cereals, oatmeal, granola, and snack bars. More than two thirds of the products tested had glyphosate levels higher than those considered acceptable by scientists. Children are especially at risk because they are developing rapidly.
Glyphosate, the most heavily used herbicide in the U.S., is a systemic, broad-spectrum herbicide that kills things not genetically modified to resist it. The World Health Organization says that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans. California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has added it to its list of chemicals known to cause cancer.
In August, 2018, a San Francisco jury awarded a California school groundskeeper $289 million in damages after ruling that Monsanto intentionally concealed the health risks of its Roundup products. The groundskeeper, who is dying of lymphoma caused by repeated exposure to large quantities of Roundup, is only one of thousands of victims who have filed lawsuits against the agricultural giant for similar allegations.
Popular oat products found to contain unacceptable levels of glyphosate include Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal, Lucky Charms, Back to Nature Classic Granola, Quaker Steel Cut Oats, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, and Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats. You can find a partial list on the Environmental Working Group’s website here: https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/glyphosateincereal/#.W5bfui2ZNAY
Sources: “Roundup Found in Popular Oatmeal, Granola & Kids' Cereals,” by Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, August 15, 2018.
https://www.treehugger.com/green-food/roundup-found-kids-cereals-oatmeal.html
“Breakfast with a Dose of Roundup,” by Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., Toxicologist; The Environmental Working Group, August 15, 2018.
https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/glyphosateincereal/#.W5bfui2ZNAY
Simple precautions to avoid e coli
May, 2018
Twice a year or so a massive e coli outbreak affecting many states serves as a reminder we must divest ourselves as much as possible from industrialized food. It's a broken system that comes with a lot of convenience ... and a lot of problems.
E coli results when food comes into contact with fecal bacteria. E coli can make you very very sick. You know the symptoms: stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, sometimes life threatening complications.
Greens are a big offender—lettuce, spinach, romaine go through many touch points in their circuitous journey from farm to table. Boxing, shipping, storing, washing, chopping, packaging, often in bags that include other salad mixes from other farms. Any of these touch points could be the culprit of the contamination.
So how do you avoid it?
* Whenever possible get food from as close to the source as you can. Better yet, grow it yourself.
* Wash your hands, thoroughly and often, especially after using the bathroom, and contact with animals and babies.
* Cook meats thoroughly.
* Avoid raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices.
* Avoid ingesting water from lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools, and backyard “kiddie” pools.
* Be careful in the kitchen. Thoroughly wash food preparation areas, counters, cutting boards, utensils after they touch raw meat.
* Wash greens well under running water, even if the package says the produce was prewashed.
* Avoid packaged greens.
* Pay attention to recalls.
For more on food safety, check in with foodsafety.gov, which combines information from the CDC, FDA and USDA.
Source: “How to avoid getting sick from E. coli,” by Melissa Breyer, May 1, 2018. https://www.treehugger.com/health/how-avoid-e-coli.html
Tea is Magical Juice
March, 2018
More than just a comfortable habit, science has shown that sipping tea throughout the day improves and prolongs creative performance.
A group of researchers from Peking University recently published a study called "Drinking tea improves the performance of divergent creativity" in the journal Food Quality and Preference.
The team arranged two experiments, each with a group of university students who were asked to drink either tea or water upon entering the facility, but did not know that drinking had anything to do with the experiments. In both experiments, the tea drinkers performed better than the water drinkers. To sum up the study, the researchers wrote: "It seems that drinking tea has a solid and consistent positive effect on all kinds of creativity. More importantly, the effect of tea on creativity appears to last for a long period of time."
This prolongation of creativity could be due to the presence of theanine, an ingredient in tea that "facilitates long-term sustained attentional processing rather than short-term moment-to-moment attentional processing."
Tea, said to be the most popular drink in the world, is known to be beneficial for many reasons, from enhancing calm to inducing a positive mood to improving digestion. So the idea of boosting creativity is not a huge stretch. It's just nice to know it's now official.
Source: https://www.treehugger.com/health/tea-actually-magical-creativity-juice.html
Nix Tea Bags
March, 2018
I was surprised to learn that tea bags contain up to 25% plastic, raising concerns about personal health as well as environmental consequences. Adding plastic to your body burden is something entirely within your control, and can have dire consequences as the synthetic chemicals build up in your body.
Tea bags are a relatively new phenomenon. They were invented during WW2 as a way to use up tea dust that developed when the weight of bags of tea sitting on loading docks waiting to be shipped crushed tea in the lower bags. What to do with the tea dust? Mix it with better grade tea and put it in a tea bag, then sell it as a cheaper grade tea.
Today, manufacturers add plastic polymers to seal and help bags keep their shape while steeping. Although the individual quantities are relatively small, the amount of plastic adds up to an enormous amount that is either contaminating food, compost, or simply going to the landfill.
Best advice is to rip open the used tea bags before composting the tea, and discard the bag. But this hardly addresses the problem. Personally, I don't like the idea of pouring boiling water over polyethylene and sipping the resulting beverage.
There is a convenient alternative: use loose leaf tea in a metal strainer. Not only is it greener, but it tastes far better.
Source:“Will you take plastic with your tea?” by Katherine Martinko. February 23, 2018. https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/do-you-take-plastic-your-tea.html
Drink quality coffee
March, 2018
Instant coffee can contain acrylamide, a chemical compound linked to cancer in animal studies. The chemical has also been found to cause nerve damage, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Research on the effects of acrylamide is still preliminary, but it has been confirmed that ground, filtered coffee contains smaller amounts of the chemical than instant coffee does. Besides, ground filtered coffee—especially when it comes from a quality source and is freshly roasted—just tastes better.
So, for your health, don’t drink instant coffee.
Source: http://www.healthcentral.com/slideshow/10-surprising-ways-reduce-cancer-risk
Avoid Washed, Precut Produce
January, 2018
We’ve gotten used to the convenience of mass-produced food – bagged salad and boxed salads, precut fruits and bullet-shaped carrots—but is it worth the risk? Precut produce has a larger carbon footprint, isn't necessarily cleaner, and is more expensive. More importantly from a personal point of view, it's not healthy, either.
"The problem arises from both handling and surface area; the more a food item is handled and processed, the more likely it is that the item will come into contact with germs," reported MORE magazine. "The more food is cut or sliced, the more surface area it has, meaning germs can cling to more places. Although the risk of contracting any foodborne illness is relatively small, pre-grated cheese, precut salad, and pre-chopped onions are all riskier than the whole, unadulterated versions of the same foods. The FDA recommends washing all precut and pre-bagged produce just as you would wash whole foods, so buying them preprepared doesn’t really save as much time as you’d think."
Best to buy unwashed, uncut produce in small amounts and eat it within three to four days to reduce the risk for listeria, a deadly bug that grows at refrigerator temps.
Source: https://www.treehugger.com/green-food/7-reasons-ditch-packaged-salads.html
The term “Natural Flavors” on an ingredient list may include “mystery” ingredients concocted in a laboratory, not found in nature.
November, 2024
I know. It surprised me, too. I knew the word “natural” did not have a legal definition, but I did fall for the con that the phrase “natural flavors” would be derived from actual plants grown in the earth, not manufactured by chemists in a laboratory. I was wrong. Here’s the skinny:
The term “Natural flavors” on a label sounds reassuring, but the term is only loosely regulated. So, these “flavors” can derive from harmful synthetic chemicals flavor manufacturers aren't required to disclose.
Pumpkin spice is a good example. As soon as temperatures fall, we see everything from pumpkin spice lattes to muffins, cheeses, and ice cream. But, the flavor itself is usually just a blend of spices that reminds us of pumpkin pie--cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Some pumpkin spice products, especially lattes, may also contain carrageenan, a stabilizer made from seaweed extract that has been linked gastrointestinal inflammation. They may also contain propylene glycol, a preservative that in high doses causes low blood pressure.
Drinking a pumpkin spice latte every now and then probably won’t hurt you, but it’s best to limit the amount of synthetic chemicals you take into your body as much as you can. In the name of good health, it’s buyer beware in the marketplace today.
What’is in your coffee creamer? Is it healthy?
November, 2024
For many people, coffee is part of a healthy diet, but what you add to it can change that, especially when it comes to coffee creamers. Whether they are dairy, non-dairy, or even plant-based, most coffee creamers are heavily processed, made with additives, preservatives, and added sugars that do not provide any nutritional benefit.
Creamers can contain emulsifiers and thickening agents added to ensure the mixture does not separate. One thickening agent is carrageenan, derived from red seaweed known to harm gastrointestional health. Carrageenan is also found in some types of ice cream, chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and plant-based milk.
Creamers can also contain titanium dioxide, a food additive banned in the EU and linked to immunotoxicity, inflammation, and neurotoxicity.
A single serving of creamer probably won’t hurt you, but if you drink multiple cups several days a week the amount of problematic ingredients can quickly add up.
Source: For more information, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Food additives at ewg.org.
Removing Pesticides from Produce
September, 2024
Lately, Consumer Reports magazine has been publishing interesting, in-depth articles on sustainable living. The May/June 2024 issue has several thorough articles on how to deal with pesticides on produce, including how to remove pesticide residue, are canned or frozen produce better when it comes to pesticide residue, and how to save on organic produce. Check it out at https://www.consumerreports.org/magazine/2024/05/
EWG’s 2024 Dirty Dozen & Clean 15 list of fruits and vegetables
April, 2024
Approximately 95% of nonorganic strawberries, leafy greens, grapes, peaches and pears tested by the United States government contained detectable levels of pesticides, according to the 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
Nectarines, apples, bell and hot peppers, cherries, blueberries, and green beans rounded out the list of the 12 most contaminated samples of produce. It’s dubbed the “Dirty Dozen” by the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, an environmental and health advocacy organization that has produced the annual report since 2024.
Pesticides have been linked to preterm births, congenital malformations, spontaneous abortions, and an increase in genetic damage in humans. Exposure to pesticides has also been associated with lower sperm counts, heart disease, cancer, and other disorders. Farm workers who use or are exposed to pesticides are at highest risk, according to studies. Workers exposed to pesticides were nearly five times as likely to have DNA damage, while children exposed at an early age showed poorer neurodevelopment from infancy to adolescence.
It’s not all bad news. Avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, onions, and papayas lead the “Clean Fifteen” list of conventionally grown produce with the least amount of trace pesticides—nearly 65% of the fruits and vegetables in that group had no detectable pesticide residues.
Rounding our the “Clean Fifteen” were frozen sweet peas, asparagus, honeydew melons, kiwis, cabbage, watermelons, mushrooms, mangoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots.
For more information about EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 groups, check out https://www.ewg.org.
How to identify ultra-processed food
March, 2024
To improve your eating habits, you don’t need to count calories or carbs. Instead, focus on how much your food has been processed before it appears on your plate. By reading labels on the food you buy you can discern for yourself if a product is ultra-processed, minimally processed, or simply processed. Here are nine ways to identify ultra-processed food from The Washington Post. For more clarification, click on the link.
(1) More than three ingredients
(2) Thickeners, stabilizers or emulsifiers
(3) Added sugars and sweeteners
(4) Ingredients that end in “-ose”
(5) Artificial or “fake” sugars
(6) Health claims
(7) Low-sugar promises
(8) Instant and flavored varieties
(9) Did you make it in your kitchen?
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/01/02/ultra-processed-foods-identification/
Ditch commercial salad dressings. Make your own.
December, 2023
Whether you’re eating your leafy greens as an entrée or on the side, make sure you’re getting what you bargained for health-wise. Aside from the greens, the dressing is arguably the most important ingredient in a salad. It enhances flavor and adds moisture.
BUT, store-bought salad dressings can contain unwanted and potentially harmful chemicals. Many use color additives linked to health harms, like titanium dioxide which can damage DNA and which the European Food Safety Authority has said is no longer safe for human consumption.
Other food additives frequently found in salad dressings are synthetic dyes Red 40 and Yellow 5, both of which have been shown to make children vulnerable to hyperactivity and other behavioral problems.
Packaged dressings are also often full of preservatives, sodium, and high fructose corn syrup and other hidden sugars.
What can you do? Buy organic choices. They have fewer highly processed ingredients and less saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium. Or make your own dressing at home. It’s simple and inexpensive. Most start with two ingredients: oil (like olive or vegetable oil) and an acid, like vinegar or lemon juice.
Source: Iris Myers, “Turn over a new leaf,” Environmental Working Group, ewg.org.
Consumption of ultra-processed foods may cause food addiction
December, 2023
If you have trouble stopping with just one potato chip or one slice of frozen pizza, you’re not alone. Fourteen percent of adults and 12 percent of kids show characteristics of food addiction. Some foods, most notably those that are “ultra-processed,” resemble the way other addictive substances, like nicotine and alcohol, interact with the body.
A new study links overconsumption of food chemicals to a range of health problems, including depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. According to a new study from the University of Michigan, the way we consume ultra-processed foods may meet the criteria for diagnosis of substance abuse disorder in some people. And consume them we do—in large quantities. Ultra-processed foods are “highly rewarding, appealing, consumed compulsively and may be addictive,” the study says.
Ultra-processed foods are defined as foods that are high in unhealthy types of fat, refined starches, free sugars and salt, and poor sources of protein. New research points a finger at additives—the chemicals commonly found in packaged foods, such as artificial colorants and sweeteners, flavor enhancers, preservatives and stabilizers—as the source of ultra-processed foods’ flavor, texture and palatability.
Stay away from them if you can. Less processed foods are the most healthful, especially if they’re plant-based and organic. You’ll feel better, and probably live longer, too.
Source: “Study: Consumption of ultra-processed foods may cause harmful ‘food addiction’,” by Ketura Persellin, Environmental Working Group, ewg.org.
Know what food labels really mean
May 17, 2023
In the United States, most dates consumers see on food items are for freshness, not safety. A product past its “best if used by” date may not taste as good as something fresh off the shelf. But it is often perfectly healthy to eat.
You can’t trust dates printed on packaging, but you can trust your nose. Thousands of years of evolution have given us the ability to sniff out spoiled milk or spot green, moldy bread.
There are exceptions, however. People can’t taste or smell a type of foodborne bacteria called listeria, which is particularly dangerous during pregnancy and for the elderly. The microbes can survive refrigeration and even freezing. So, think twice before eating food that can harbor the pathogen, such as deli meats and ready-to-eat sandwiches past their date.
Remember, heat and cold are your friends. Go ahead and sauté that slightly wilting spinach. Your stove should cook away most pathogens. If it looks fine, smells fine, but it’s past the date, you’re a little bit nervous — just cook it.
Food that’s about it to hit its expiration date can be thrown in the freezer to last longer. Your freezer is like a magic pause button allowing food to retain its flavor and last much longer than normal. So, take a second look at that wilted lettuce, stale cereal, and watery yogurt. Use it up, don’t throw it out.
Source: “Why it’s okay to ignore food expiration dates,” by Dino Grandoni, The Washington Post, May 17, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/05/17/food-expiration-dates-best-by/
USDA is getting tough on the definition of organic
February 1, 2023
From: CNN
For the first time in more than 30 years, the US Department of Agriculture is increasing the regulation of organic products, including production, handling, and sales, thereby putting “layers of protection” around the agency’s organic seal. This is the biggest update to the organic regulations since the original Act in 1990, providing a significant increase in oversight and enforcement authority to reinforce the trust of consumers, farmers, and those transitioning to organic production.
The rule standardizes training and operations requirements for organic businesses and personnel and will mean more on-site inspections. The rule also requires certification for organic imports, and businesses will need to provide certification showing that key parts of their supply chain are organic.
The rule goes into effect March 20, 2023. Those affected will have a year to comply.
This is good news, and a long time coming. It’s a crucial step to protect organic producers and consumers who pay a premium for organic products.
Buy only organic leafy greens
December 15, 2022
Imagine you were cooking a meal and you learned a key ingredient was linked to cancer and other significant health concerns. You wouldn’t include it in your meal, right?
Right. It’s common sense.
In 1995, the EPA classified Dacthal, a pesticide found in leafy greens, as a carcinogen. That was 27 years ago. Studies also linked its use to other health harms and environmental issues. But the EPA still has not outright banned the use of Dacthal.
Conventional farming of kale relies heavily on the use of Dacthal, which is unfortunate since kale and other leafy greens are naturally rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Non-organic kale farming not only stunts the amazing benefits of the vegetable and harms the people who consume and grow it—it’s also a serious threat to the atmosphere and our water sources.
Studies show that Dacthal’s breakdown products can travel quickly through the atmosphere, remain in the environment for long periods of time, and contaminate our water sources.
What’s the solution? Buy only certified organic greens and avoid pesticides like Dacthal altogether.
Source: The Environmental Working Group, https://ewg.org.
All ALDI packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025
By Melissa Breyer
April 4, 2019
How to tell when food’s gone bad
November, 2018
’Tis the season for overbuying food—which is why it’s also a good time to contemplate that the average American throws out almost a pound of food every day, according to the Department of Agriculture. Why? It’s often hard to know how long packaged foods are still safe to eat because there are no federal regulations on date labeling, except for infant formula.
In many cases the date you see is conservative, so if you eat the food after the date, you may not even notice a quality difference.
As a general rule, most low-acid canned foods (canned tuna, soups) can be stored (unopened) for two to five years. High-acid foods (like canned juices, tomatoes, pickles) can be stored for a year up to 18 months. Deep dents or bulges in closed cans might signal it’s time to toss them.
Meat, dairy, and eggs have shorter shelf lives than nonperishable items. The best way to know if a perishable food has spoiled? Trust your senses—your taste buds and your nose.
If a product has been opened, it may be harder to know whether it’s worth saving. Canned cranberry sauce, for example, can last one to two weeks in the fridge after opening. An open jar of gravy? Just a day or two. There’s a free App to help you maximize the freshness and quality of items. It’s called Foodkeeper, from the USDA; https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/foodkeeperapp/index.html.
the Meaning of Expiration Dates
Expiration dates on food are woefully inadequate. It’s the Wild West out there, with no federal regulations on date-labeling, leaving the consumer perplexed and uninformed. Do you know the difference between “Sell-By,” “Use-By,” and “Best Before” expiration dates? Well, here’s the skinny:
Use-By dates are the last date that the manufacturer recommends for use of the product while at peak quality. It’s about safety only on infant formula.
Sell-By dates are set by the manufacturer to tell retailers when to take a product off their shelves—but it may still be fine for you. For example, experts advise that properly refrigerated milk shouldn’t sour until five to seven days past it’s sell-by date.
Best Before labels indicate when a product is at its peak of quality or flavor. For instance, crackers may be soft instead of crisp after this date. It’s not about safety.
Source: Consumer Reports, November 2018, page 14.
How to read egg labels
July, 2018
Egg labels are extremely confusing because there is little regulation or enforcement behind them. This allows producers to greenwash their products, portraying them as greener and more humane than they really are.
The most confusing label, one that doesn’t mean much at all, is “cage-free.” Cage-free doesn’t mean hens get to roam open-air pastures; in fact, their lives are still quite miserable. Cage-free simply means that the hens are not kept in battery cages, which allot a pitiful 67 square inches of space, little more than a sheet of paper, per bird. Cage-free birds are allowed to practice natural behaviors, such as spreading their wings, walking, and laying their eggs in a nest, but they are still confined to over-crowded industrial barns and do not have access to the outdoors.
Better terms to look for are “certified organic,” “free range” or “free roaming,” and “pasture raised.” All of these terms mean the chickens are uncaged, allowed to walk free and engage in natural behaviors, and have access to the outdoors.
Designations with no relevance to animal welfare include “vegetarian fed,” “natural,” “farm fresh,” “fertile,” “omega 3 enriched,” and “pasturized.” If possible, it’s best to source eggs from someone you know—a local farmer or farmers’ market. But be prepared to pay more—between 4 and 6 dollars per dozen.
Source: “Trader Joe’s is Sued for Deceptive Advertising on Egg Cartons.” Katherine Martinko, Treehugger, April 4, 2018.
https://www.treehugger.com/green-food/trader-joes-sued-deceptive-advertising-egg-cartons.html
Ultra-processed foods linked to cancer
March, 2018
New research by a group of scientists at the Sorbonne in Paris reveals what many of us have likely assumed: Ultra-processed foods increase the risk of cancer. Researchers also looked to see whether there were increases in specific types of cancer and found a rise of 11% in breast cancer, although no significant upturn in colorectal or prostate cancer.
Researchers defined “ultra-processed” as those foods with five or more ingredients. Typical ultra-processed products include: carbonated drinks; packaged snacks; ice-cream, candies; mass-produced breads and buns; margarines and spreads; cookies, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes; breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars; energy drinks; milk drinks, sweetened yogurts and fruit drinks; cocoa drinks; meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces; infant formulas; "health" and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes; and many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes; poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, and powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
“We have to be cautious," the lead researcher stresses. "It is the first study. We should not be alarmist. These results need to be confirmed in other prospective studies.”
The most prudent thing to do is to opt for water, milk, and fruits instead of soft drinks, dairy drinks, and biscuits. Do not replace freshly prepared dishes with packaged snacks and soups, instant noodles, pre-prepared frozen dishes, sandwiches, cold cuts and sausages, industrialised sauces, and cake mixes.
Remember the golden rule: Always prefer natural or minimally processed foods and freshly made dishes and meals to ultra-processed products.
Source: “Ultra-processed food linked to cancer,” by Melissa Breyer, treehugger.com. https://www.treehugger.com/health/ultra-processed-foods-linked-cancer.html
Five ways to save on organic
February, 2018
Organic food is generally more expensive than conventional, because of differences in production and handling, according to the Department of Agriculture. Still, it is possible to buy organic more cheaply. Here’s how:
(1) Buy organic when it matters. Opt for organic for fruits and veggies that have the highest pesticide residues. This includes green beans, hot peppers, nectarines, peaches, tangerines, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, and sweet potatoes. Buy organic meat and poultry that is grass-fed and raised without hormones and antibiotics.
(2) Compare prices. It’s possible to find organic products for the same prices as conventional ones, and occasionally for less. You just need to do your homework and compare prices.
(3) Seek out store brands. According to the market research firm Nielsen, a market basket of selected organic store-label products costs 10% less than the comparable brand-name versions.
(4) Look in the freezer case. Frozen organic vegetables may actually be cheaper than fresh, and the nutritional quality is similar.
(5) Check the weight. When organic produce is sold pre-packaged at a set price rather than by the pound, it’s worth taking the time to weigh a few packages. The amount in the package may exceed the weight listed.
So, make your food dollars go farther. Be smart when shopping for organic.
Source: Consumer Reports, February, 2018, page 27.
What’s the best way to
wash apples?
November, 2017
Now that we're well into apple season, you should know how to get rid of pesticide residues.
How do you wash your apples? Everyone has a favorite technique, from rinsing under a tap to rubbing vigorously with a cloth to soaking in a special cleaning solution. But which one of these is actually most effective at getting rid of pesticide residues? Scientists from the University of Massachusetts answered this question once and for all.
Researchers sprayed organic Gala apples with two pesticides commonly used in the apple industry, then let the apples sit for 24 hours before washing them in one of three different solutions -- a plain water solution, a bleach solution, and another water solution containing 1% soda. They found that baking soda was the best way to get rid of pesticides. Their recommended recipe is mixing 1 teaspoon baking soda in 2 cups of water, leaving the apples to soak for 15 minutes.
Worth noting is that this study only used two pesticides, whereas the apple industry has many more on its list of acceptable chemicals. Some of these penetrate deeply into the fruit, in which case you will not be able to remove them no matter how well you wash them. Peeling is another effective way to reduce pesticide exposure, but then you lose out on the fiber and vitamins in the skin. Buying organic is your best bet for reducing exposure to chemicals, although even organic apples can be sprayed with certain pesticides, usually natural ones, according to the National Pesticide Information Center.
Source: Excerpted from https://www.treehugger.com/green-food/whats-best-way-wash-apples.html
Choose the right grain
October, 2017
No doubt about it, for energy as well as for healthy digestion, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What makes one breakfast healthier than another? Is oatmeal better for you than Cheerios? What about fiber, sugar, minerals? This article from The New York Times answers these questions. Read on.
Is your drinking water is safe?
March, 2018
In an analysis of tests conducted from 2010 to 2015, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found drinking water for more than 170 million Americans contains radioactive elements at levels that may increase the risk of cancer.
Radiation in tap water is a serious health threat, especially during pregnancy. But the Environmental Protection Agency’s legal limits for several types of radioactive elements in tap water are badly outdated.
Radiation in tap water isn't the only concern when it comes to drinking water. When I checked EWG's water database, I discovered that for the latest quarter assessed by the EPA, tap water provided by the water utility in my hometown of Des Moines was in violation of several federal health-based drinking water standards. Ten contaminants were detected above health guidelines, and 11 other contaminants were detected that are not required by law to be tested.
The good news is that a carbon filter can improve water quality of all of these contaminants. Carbon filters (either pitcher or tap-mounted) are affordable and reduce many common water contaminants. If your budget allows, install a reverse osmosis system to remove contaminants that carbon filters can't eliminate. Just remember to change the filters on time. Old filters can harbor bacteria and let contaminants through.
I have two whole house water filters on my house--one is carbon and one is reverse osmosis. I have the carbon filters changed annually and the reverse osmosis filter changed every five years. Iowa Soft Water installed the filters and maintains them for me.
Read EWG’s latest report and use their interactive map to see if your water system is affected. Go to ewg.org. While you’re at it, download EWG’s Guide to Safe Drinking Water.
Don’t waste food.
Know how to cook.
October, 2017
Food waste expert Jonathan Bloom argues that Americans need to stop relying on expiration dates and start using their senses. Expiration dates ore in part responsible for America’s huge food waste problem. We throw out nearly half of our food. It’s shameful waste.
Journalist Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half Its Food, argues that until people start using their senses to detect whether or not food is still safe to eat, labels won’t make much difference. We should not rely on companies to tell us when to eat our food. We should determine that by how it looks, smells, or tastes.
The problem, Bloom says, is that we as a culture lack kitchen knowledge and confidence, therefore we don’t respect our food. Until we learn about foods’ natural life spans, how to store them, and how to detect wonkiness, we’ll continue to waste food.
My grandmother always ignored expiration dates. She taught me to cut blue mold off a block of cheese, to scoop out mold from a jar of jam or container of yogurt, to pick through a bunch of lettuce, taking out the mushy black leaves and using the rest. She used milk that had gone sour for baking, tossed limp spinach into soups, reconstituted soft celery in ice water, and cut the rotten spots out of peppers, cucumbers, apples, and oranges. Even meat that was starting to smell a bit, she’d slice up and fry in a hot pan. Maybe that was risky, but we never got sick.
It all comes down to learning how to cook. Cooking from scratch on a regular basis solves so many of today’s personal dietary, financial, environmental, and ethical dilemmas. Learn how to cook and you’ll never need to look at an expiration date again. You'll use your god-given senses, instead.
Source: Permission pending to excerpt from http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/expiry-dates-are-pointless-when-you-know-how-cook.html
