Canned soup is a popular meal, convenient and fast with a reputation for being somewhat nutritious, and often served to children. Soup is a comfort food, and the first choice for someone feeling under the weather. A lot of marketing power is devoted to soup. Just look at the supermarket space that the soup aisle covers, and the dizzying selection of brands and varieties that are available. Personally I am a fan of soup because it fills me up with a minimal amount of calories. It can be a great supper strategy to keep your appetite under control. So what could possibly be the problem with eating canned soup? Recent studies have shown that eating canned soup can spike levels of a chemical called bisphenol A.
What is Bisphenol A?
Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. The plastics are used in a variety of food packaging and storage containers, particularly those with a number 7 recycling symbol on the bottom. The resins are used in the food canning process to coat the inside of the can so the metal doesn’t come in contact with the contents. The problem is that heat can cause BPA to leach out of the lining and into the food inside the can. Certain foods are more susceptible to this because they are put in the can at a high temperature, so that the contents will be germ free, and soup falls into this category.
A study published on November 22, 2011 by Harvard School of Public Health found that volunteers who consumed a serving of canned soup each day for five days had a more than 1,000% increase in urinary bisphenol A (BPA) compared with when the same individuals consumed fresh soup daily for five days. This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The brand of soup used for the study was Progresso, but most canned soups contain BPA in the can linings and might have similar results.
If they use it in food it must be safe, right?
Why is BPA so bad? This chemical is an endocrine disruptor that can increase the risk of prostate cancer, according to a 2008 article published in Endocrine Related Cancer Journal. BPA mimics estrogen, and has been shown to cause early puberty in females, genetic abnormalities in eggs, an increased risk of breast cancer in lab animals. Exposure to BPA has been shown to make chemotherapy agents less effective on breast cancer cells. And if that doesn’t scare you enough, BPA is also linked to insulin resistance and obesity. A study published in Environmental Research in August of 2011 showed higher BPA exposure is associated with obesity, especially abdominal obesity, in the United States population. Another study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism on February 1, 2012 concluded that BPA was positively associated with generalized obesity, abdominal obesity, and insulin resistance in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.
How can a chemical make you fat?
Since it doesn’t come packed with calories, how does BPA cause obesity? Its hormone like effects can make the pancreas produce more insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance and obesity. Insulin tells your body to clear sugar out of the blood stream and store it as fat. The estrogen mimicking effects of BPA tell your body to produce extra fat cells, especially in young children who are just developing. BPA can also bind to the thyroid hormone receptor causing hypothyroidism and weight gain.
If just one serving of canned soup can make your BPA levels spike so drastically, imagine the effects of eating canned foods several times a day. And BPA is also found in canned sodas, other canned foods, wine aged in barrels with plastic liners, pizza boxes and on cash register receipts.
How can we avoid eating BPA?
It’s quite possible to can foods without using BPA, in fact some countries like Japan, Denmark, France and Canada have already banned BPA from cans and /or other types of food packaging. Campbells recently announced they will remove BPA from soup cans, but they still haven’t said when this will take place. Last year the Natural Resources Defense Council sued the FDA for failing to respond to a petition about BPA, and as a result of the settlement the FDA must make a decision by the end of March telling whether or not they will ban the use of BPA in food packaging in the United States.
You can easily find lists of BPA-free foods on the internet, and these will hopefully be growing as more and more companies figure out that we don’t want toxic chemicals in our food. In the meantime, it’s best to avoid canned products and stick with fresh whenever possible. It takes a little longer to make a soup from scratch than it does to open a can, but it is worth the trouble.
Here is a recipe for an easy, and very satisfying soup.
Sausage, Kale and Lentil Soup
8 ounce piece kielbasa (more or less according to taste), sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 small onions, sliced thin
1 cup lentils, picked over and stones removed
3 cups water
3 cups broth
1 bunch kale, stems and thick center ribs trimmed away and leaves sliced thin
2 tablespoons red-wine or balsamic vinegar
Brown sausage slices in a heavy saucepan and then transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour excess fat from pan, so you are left with about a tablespoon.
Add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Add lentils, water, broth, sausage slices and kale and simmer, uncovered, until kale is tender
This study charted the weight gain or loss over a two year period for participants from the Boston, Massachusetts and Baton Rouge, Louisiana areas. Participants could be either gender, between the ages of 30 and 70, and were overweight at the start of the trial. There were 1638 participants in this trial, divided equally between the two research sites. Eighty percent of the participants were able to complete the study, by providing a body weight measurement at the end of two years.
There were four different types of macronutrient profiles in the random diets that were assigned to participants. Two were high fat diets, one with a high carb-low protein ratio and one with low carb-high protein. The other two were low fat diet, each with the same high carb-low protein ratio and low carb-high protein ratios. Specifically, here are the percentages of macronutrients for each group:
20% fat, 15% protein, and 65% carbohydrates (low fat, average protein)
20% fat, 25% protein, and 55% carbohydrates (low fat, high protein)
40% fat, 15% protein, and 45% carbohydrates (high fat, average protein)
40% fat, 25% protein, and 35% carbohydrates (high fat, high protein)
At the end of the study the amount of weight loss and the change in waist measurement was the same between participants on a high and low protein diet, and participants on a high and low fat diet. So those dietary changes did not have a significant impact on the amount of weight that was lost. Here are a few of the interesting findings of this study:
Most of the weight loss occurred in the first six months, after which some participants began to slowly regain weight while some continued to lose. There was no significant difference among the diet groups for who gained or lost weight.
Over 50% of the participants ended up with a lower body weight at the end of the two year study.
All of the diets resulted in reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, although some showed a stronger protection in certain areas. You can read the details at the NEJM link above.
Craving, fullness, and hunger and diet-satisfaction scores were similar at 6 months and at 2 years regardless of which diet a participant was following.
Attendance at the group sessions was a strong predictor of weight loss at the end of the two year period. (Other studies have also showed that continued contact with the dieter results in a greater weight loss, suggesting that weight loss is influenced by behavioural factors.
At the end of the study participants across all four diets were reporting similar energy intakes and similar levels of physical activity.
Participants tended to adjust their levels of fat, protein and carbohydrate during the course of two years so that by the end their diets were much more similar than at the beginning. Weight loss results were similar across all four diets, showing that the percentage of macronutrients that you eat is not as important as adhering to a certain level of calories each day.
What Does This Mean for You?
The key here is that in order to lose weight you have to stick to your diet, regardless of whether that diet is low fat, low protein or low carb. There is no magical percentage of macronutrients that will help you to melt off the pounds. How can you stick to your diet for the long term? This study showed that social support and instruction in the group setting had a positive effect on weight loss. Those people who were successful in losing weight also tended to self tailor the diet to one that they could eat long term, even though this meant that they changed the amount of fat, protein and carbohydrate they were eating. So if you can’t live without carbohydrates, there is no need to put yourself on a low carb diet. You probably won’t keep it up long term anyway. Instead enjoy your carbs but limit them to stay under a calorie level where you can lose weight or maintain your weight.
Photo of maqui berries is by Morrana and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.
In the past few decades one of the best kept secrets of the South American continent has burst out into the Western world. In 1999 a couple of surfers traveling in Brazil came across acai, recognized its potential, and founded the company Sambazon, which for a few years was the sole source of exported acai products. Acai, pronounced ah-sigh-EE, are a dark blue-purple berry about the size of a large blueberry, which grow in clusters on the acai palm in Brazil. Under the thin skin is a layer of fruit which covers the large, inedible seed in the center of the berry. Acai berries are said to taste like chocolate covered cherries, and also like a mixture of chocolate and red wine. In fact, they contain many of the same antioxidants that you would get from eating chocolate or drinking wine. A study done in November of 2006 found a long list of phytonutrients in acai berries, as well as amino acids, minerals and beneficial fatty acids. Acai berries are packed with flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and anythocyanins, all of which have strong antioxidant properties. They have other phytonutrients such as resveratrol, commonly found in red wine, and phytosterols.
Acai berries are highly perishable, and in their native habitat they are usually eaten soon after they are picked, since they start to degrade within a couple days. Perhaps this is why it took so long for news of this fruit to spread to other countries. They are not a great candidate for shipping, and need to be processed first into a pulp or juice in order to preserve their nutritional properties.
If you spend much time at all online you are probably very familiar with acai products, as they have been hyped up and marketed as a miracle food that can make you lose weight, cure what ever ails you and give you unlimited energy. Chances are good that you are looking at an ad for acai products on this page right now. It doesn't take long for a lot of companies to jump on the bandwagon when a really nutritious new food comes along, but what do we really know for sure about acai?
In 2006 a University of Florida study demonstrated that acai berries can kill cancer cells in a laboratory setting. In the study, which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, acai extracts triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested. However results done in a test tube don't always mean the substance will act the same way when it is ingested, and a lot of factors like absorbtion and metabolism come into play.
In 2008 a team of Texas AgriLife Research Scientists published a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry which showed that humans can absorb the large quantities of antioxidants that are present in acai, when it is consumed as a juice and as a pulp. This is an important step to demonstrate since the phytonutrients first have to make it into our systems before we can start to see any benefits from them.
There were several more studies in 2011 demonstrating beneficial effects of acai. A study on mice in June 2011 at the University of Arkansas showed that acai has a protective effect against atherosclerosis. Another recent study at TexasA&MUniversity showed that polyphenols from acai acted as an anti-inflammatory for human umbilical cells.
One way that antioxidant levels in foods are measured is by the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC scale. While there are some issues with this system of measurement, for example you will find wildly different values for foods depending on where you look, it does give a good comparison of the levels of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. Blueberries are high on the ORAC scale with a total value of anywhere from 2500 to 6552 units per 100 mg. Acai berries measure way above that level with 18,500 units. But before you rush out to buy acai, let me tell you about the newest super berry to come on the scene, which measures in at 27,600 ORAC units. This is another South American berry called the maqui.
Maqui from Patagonia (Aristotelia chilensis)
The maqui berry, pronounced mockee, is also known as the Chilean wine berry. The Mapute Indians of Chile have used maqui for centuries as part of their diet and for medicinal purposes, and they attribute their great energy and the fact that they were able to fight off the Spaniards – they are the only South American tribe that was never conquered – to maqui.
Maqui berries grow on trees that grow 4-5 meters tall, with smooth bark and broad green leaves. The photo at the top of this post shows maqui berries on the tree. These berries are smaller than the acai, about the size of a small pea, and have several small seeds in the center. Like acai, the maqui berry is low in sugar, and while it doesn't seem to have the same chocolaty taste, it is said to be very refreshing and delicious.
A Chilean scientist named Juan Hancke has done quite a bit of research on maqui through the University of Chile, and it is through his work that the western world came to know about this berry. Hancke obtained a $5 million grant from the World Health Organization to conduct research on the maqui berry. Hancke discovered that maqui contains anthocyanins, delphinidin, malvidin, petunidin, cumarins, triterpenes, flavanoids, and cyanidin. Anti-inflammatory properties mean that maqui may be able to help prevent or cure cardiovascular disease, cancer, and many other chronic illness caused by inflammation. Maqui also greatly increases insulin levels in the body, which is important for diabetics, and has anti-bacterial properties.
Should Super Berries be a part of your diet?
There is no doubt that the acai, and now even more so the maqui, are truly amazing berries that are nutritionally superior to the lowly blueberries and raspberries we are used to eating. If you live in South America you can probably find a supply of fresh berries, but those of us in other countries have to make do with frozen pulp, juice or dried supplements. Should you rush out and start buying a supply of these supplements? First of all, you should realize that many companies see this news as a way to make quick money, and the FDA is already cracking down on businesses that have been scamming people with acai sales. Claims for these products are being made fast and loose with no studies to back them up. Before you believe what someone writes about acai or maqui, first look to see if they are trying to sell you something. Also, how much acai or maqui is actually in the product you are buying? Many supplements are a blend and you may be paying a high price for ingredients that are not what you think. Let the buyer beware.
On the other hand the science shows that these super berries really do contain substances that can give you great health benefits. If you have the money available, and can find a trusted source of the product, this can be a highly nutritious food to add to your diet. I recommend using the pulp or juice rather than taking capsules or powder, as they are less processed and can be eaten as part of an actual meal. You could use them to make a smoothie, a fruit parfait, mix in yogurt, etc. It is always better to eat real food rather than take pills. People under treatment for a medical condition such as cancer, or prone to food allergies, should consult a doctor. You should still follow a balanced meal plan and get the exercise and rest that you need, even if you add super berries to your regimen.
Are you looking for a crisp, delicious new vegetable to lighten up your meals? Chayote, also called christophene, vegetable pear, alligator pear or mirliton, chuchu or choko, is a variety of squash that is native to Mexico. It dates back to Mayan and Aztec culture, and was introduced to other countries by Spanish explorers.
This vegetable is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes gourds, squash, cucumbers and melons. It is a beautiful light green, pear-shaped vegetable that looks like someone just took the ends and tucked them inside the squash. Some varieties also have a prickly skin. You shouldn't buy a chayote with wrinkly skin as this is an indication that it is old, and it will be tough.
Chayote served raw is really more like a fruit than a vegetable, perhaps a crispy apple or a cucumber. The thin skin is edible, but if you like you can peel it with a regular vegetable peeler. Cut it in half and cut out the core with a small paring knife. Then just slice the squash into thin strips which can be eaten raw or with peanut butter or a slice of cheese, or add extra crunch to a salad.
You can also add chayote to soups and stews as you would potatoes or turnips. You can serve it simply sauteed in butter with garlic, parsley and lemon juice. It's mild taste makes it easy to pair up with stronger flavors such as seafood, chiles, spices or salsa. This versatile vegetable can even be mashed or grilled.
Chayote is a low calorie food that is packed with many different vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of folic acid and potassium, and also contains vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, most of the B vitamins, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Chayote is a good source of dietary fiber. In a home remedy for stomach ache, chayote is soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and then served as a tea. This is believed to aid digestion and help prevent stomach ulcers. Infusions of chayote leaves have diuretic properties and have been used to dissolve kidney stones and treat high blood pressure.
Have you tried chayote squash? How do you like to prepare it?
Know’st thou not at the fall of the leaf
How the heart feels a languid grief
Laid on it for a covering,
And how sleep seems a goodly thing
In Autumn at the fall of the leaf?
~ from Autumn Song by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1883)
Autumn crept up on me again this year, and we are suddenly in a world of flaming, falling leaves, cold, misty mornings, socks, slippers and a sweater always within reach. We are on the threshold of winter. In a bleak mood, when I came upon these black radishes in the grocery store I couldn't pass them up. I pictured their pure blackness as the centerpiece of a Halloween party or a Haunted Supper.
This is not a vegetable to be trifled with, or sliced and thrown lightly into a green salad. The taste is as heavy and pungent as you might imagine would come from such a dark and brooding shape.
Black radishes are a cruciferous vegetable, in the same family as kale, cabbage and cauliflower. These super-vegetables have phytonutrients which may help protect against cancer, including antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Some of these compounds are sulforaphane, indole 3-carbinol and crambene. Sulforaphane is a member of a large group of compounds called isothiocyanates, which are found in many foods with a strong sulphur taste. Studies have shown that these compounds work better together, as they are found in natural foods, than they do taken by themselves. Black radish is also a good source of vitamin C, fiber and potassium.
Black radishes should be nice and firm when you purchase them. Peel off the thin skin with a potato peeler, to reveal the creamy white inside. I hear of people eating slices of black radish on sandwiches, and I can only imagine they are people of hardy northern European stock. Black radishes can be woody and bitter when they are eaten raw. One remedy is to cook them, as you would a turnip, which softens the flavour. You can add them to a soup or stew, and I have even seen a recipe for black radish chips. If you like that bright, biting flavour, which is similar to a red radish only magnified greatly, the best thing to do is shred the radish to get rid of the woody texture. I made a black radish and apple salad which is surprisingly good. The sweetness of the apples tempers the radish flavour so that it tastes refreshing and crispy with a tonicky bite. I used a mandoline to shred the radishes into fine pieces. You could also use the large holes of a cheese grater.
A word of caution: if you are one of those people who loves to eat black radish sandwiches every day for lunch, this food (and other cruciferous vegetables) contains compounds that can be harmful if you get too much. These are called goitrogens, and they inhibit the formation of thyroid hormones, which causes the thyroid to enlarge in an attempt to produce more, creating a goiter.
Black Radish and Apple Salad
1-2 black radishes (1/2 pound total)
1 shallot, peeled and sliced very thin
1 sweet, crispy apple, cored and cut up into small 1/4 inch cubes
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Peel radishes and grate them finely into shreds. Add sliced shallot and cubed apple pieces to shredded radish and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix lemon juice, mustard and salt. Add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly, until combined well.
Pour dressing over the radish mixture and toss well.
First of all, this is probably not the mango that you think it is.
If you grew up anywhere around the tropics the mango you are probably familiar with is mangifera indica.These are the large fleshy mangoes that are eaten ripe off the tree (if you are lucky) or can be found in the produce section of your grocery store. They have a large, fibrous, oval-shaped seed in the center.
The fruit I am writing about is a completely different type known asAfrican mango, wild mango, bush mango or dika fruit.This fruit is from the family irvingia gabonensis.The fruits are edible and mango-like, but they are especially prized for their nuts, which are smaller and flatter than the nuts of the traditional mango. Bush mango nuts are dried in the sun and sold either whole or ground.They are known as ogbono, (also ugiri or apon) and are added to soups as a thickener since they have mucilaginous properties.In other words they give a sauce that deliciously slimy texture you get from okra or baobab.
Besides being used to thicken stews, these seeds are made into dense cakes called dika bread or odika bread which can be kept for a long period of time.The nuts contain 50% oil content, which is solid at room temperature and is pressed and used in place of cocoa butter or for soap making.The fruit of the bush mango is good for jellies, juices and wine.
The bark of this tree has traditionally been used as an analgesic, rubbing it on the body to relieve pain or as a toothache remedy.Preparations from the bark and leaves have been used to reduce fever, treat diarrhea, and as an antidote to poison.
Bush mango grows in the rain forests across western and central Africa.I've seen web sites claiming they can only be found in Cameroon, but this is misinformation, as they grow across Nigeria, and all the way down to Angola and the Congo.I've also seen web sites that claim this plant is found in the deserts of Africa, which is completely opposite of the truth.Take what you read online with a grain of salt, especially when the site in question is selling the product!
In the past few years this plant called "african mango" has been discovered by the rest of the world in a whole new role – that of weight loss supplement.I would say it has exploded onto the scene, helped in part by a show in 2010 where Dr. Oz recommended it as a weight loss aid. Google irvingia gabonensis or African Mango and you will be inundated with web sites quoting research and selling supplements containing this product.
The specific compound that is used in these supplements is a seed extract called IGOB131. It is sometimes referred to as IG. The main benefit seems to come from huge fiber content, which is a whopping 14%.High fiber foods are able to remove cholesterol from your body, slow down the emptying of stomach contents after a meal, regulate blood sugar and promote a feeling of fullness, helping you to eat less.
What does the research show?
Most of the research has been done by a group associated with the University of Yaounde in Cameroon.While they show promising results, these are small samples taken from a very localized population, and there is no doubt that more and larger studies are needed to back up claims for this product.
A study on the effect of Irvingia gabonensis seeds on body weight and blood lipids of obese subjects in Cameroon showed that those who were given the IG supplements had decreased body weight, decreased waist and hip measurements and improved cholesterol levels.This study appeared in the publication Lipids in Health and Disease in May of 2005.
Another study was conducted to see if the lab results from this last study could be supported with human volunteers.This study was published in March of 2009.It was conducted using otherwise healthy but overweight or obese individuals, and the results again showed an overall weight loss as well as an improvement in parameters associated with insulin resistance.
There hasn't been a lot of testing done on side effects, but the studies that have been done report flatulence, headaches and sleep disturbances.There is no research yet on how safe these supplements are for pregnant women, or their interactions with other drugs.
What does this mean for you?
Unless you are pregnant or have other health problems which require medication, it probably won't hurt you to take a supplement of IG, or to add some ogbono nuts to your diet.Will it make you lose weight and suppress your appetite?Possibly.Studies have hinted that it might, and there are plenty of stories from people, including Dr. Oz, who claim that it works.Goodness knows that many of us could use a little help when it comes to controlling our appetites.
I would caution you not to spend a fortune on supplements, and to remember that many of the people who sell them do not have your interests at heart, and there are a LOT of things written about IG that stretch the truth or are simply not true.
The dosage used in studies as cited by WebMD on their website are as follows: For obesity and lowering cholesterol levels, a dose of 1.05 grams of crude seed extract three times daily has been used. A dose of 150 mg of a standardized seed extract (IGOB131) twice daily has also been used.
If you live in Europe, Japan or Australia, you have some protection from genetically modified foods, since these countries either don't produce GM foods and / or have mandatory labeling policies. However what about people in the United States, Canada, Argentina, and other countries that either have no mandatory labeling laws or poor enforcement of their laws?
Upwards of 85% of all corn and soybeans grown in the United States are genetically modified, and canola and cottonseed are also major GM crops. If you read the food labels in your cupboard you will see some type of corn or soybean product widely represented in some surprising foods. Do you have corn, soybean or canola oil in your pantry? Zucchini and yellow squash are also on the market in the US in a modified state, and in Hawaii they grow GM papaya to protect it from a certain virus. Genetically modified beet sugar is the most recent addition to our food supply. A genetically engineered salmon has been trying to gain FDA approval for several years. As if smoking isn't bad enough, tobacco in the United States is genetically modified.
Besides these crops, you can buy dairy products and meat that have been fed genetically modified feed, and there are genetically modified bacteria and fungus that are used as enzymes and additives in the food supply. It turns out trying to avoid genetically modified foods might be even more complicated than following a gluten free diet. This may seem like one of those overwhelming problems that make us throw up our hands and say "It's out of my control!" Don't give up. It is still possible to select foods that have not been genetically modified.
Eat Organic Foods
In the United States, foods labeled organic cannot contain any genetically modified ingredients. This is just one more on the list of many good reasons to choose organic foods.
Be Picky about Meats
Many animals are fed grains that have been genetically modified. You can become a vegetarian and avoid this problem altogether, or stick with meats from only grass-fed animals.
Read the Labels on Dairy Products
Many farms inject cows with a genetically modified hormone in order to increase milk production. You can avoid this by buying dairy products that are rBGH or rBST free.
Avoid Certain Oils
Unless the label says otherwise, you can assume that corn, soybean, canola and cottonseed oil sold in the US is made from genetically modified ingredients. Alternative oils are olive, coconut, sesame, sunflower, safflower and oils from nuts such as almond.
Learn to Spot the Ubiquitous Corn
It seems like corn is in just about everything nowadays, in the form of corn oil, corn syrup, modified food starch, corn starch, corn meal or corn flour. Even ingredients such as glucose, fructose, baking powder, powdered sugar and caramel coloring are made with corn. There are many web sites offering lists of food additives that contain corn. If you can't quite give up corn tortillas, polenta, or other delicious corn-based dishes, at least try to buy organic products or those labeled non-GMO. As for all the hidden corn ingredients, they can be greatly reduced if you cut down on the amount of processed and packaged foods that you eat.
Same as for the Corn, Only with Soy
Soy products seem to be almost as pervasive in the food supply. There are the obvious tofu, tempeh, miso, soy sauce and a host of meat substitutes containing soy. Then there are many dairy products that have adopted soy as a main ingredient, such as soy yogurt, soy milk and soy cheese. Textured Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, lecithin and some baby formulas are soy based products. The US Soyfoods Directory has an extensive list. If you are a vegetarian or just trying to cut down on meat or dairy, chances are you have a lot of soy foods in your diet. Your best bet in this case is to stick with brands that are organic or that are labeled as non-GMO. The Center for Food Safety shopping guide has a very handy list of some non-GMO brands.
Choose Sweeteners with Care
Beet sugar is now on the GM list, so try to buy products sweetened with honey (organic or non-GMO), cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, organic sugar, agave or stevia. Aspartame, also called Equal and Nutrasweet, is made from genetically modified microorganisms.
Avoid Processed Foods
Learn to cook from scratch. Buy from the perimeter of the grocery store where they stock produce, meats and refrigerated products. Stay away from the packaged items in the middle of the store, which have all sorts of preservatives added so that they will have a long shelf life. Get in the habit of reading labels, and be properly horrified by what you see. Don't buy foods with ingredients that you wouldn't stock in your pantry.
Some Good News!
There is no GM popcorn on the market, so you can safely indulge in this snack. Also white and blue corn are not genetically modified at this time.
As the Center for Food Safety reminds us, there are no guarantees even when a product is labeled non-GMO. Food can still be contaminated by crops from nearby fields, and an offending strain of DNA might slip through. But life is too short to worry about things that are completely beyond our control.
Have you made, or do you plan to make any changes to your diet to eliminate genetically modified foods?
For thousands of years farmers have used selective breeding to produce strong and healthy livestock and crops, without even understanding the science behind what they were doing. It wasn't until the late 1800s that Gregor Mendel demonstrated, through his experiments with peas, that physical traits are passed down from parents to children in packets of information that would eventually be named genes. The precise makeup of genes was revealed in the 1950s when the scientists Watson and Crick discovered the three-dimensional double helix structure of DNA. It was only a matter of time before scientists began splicing DNA from one organism to another. In 1980 the US Supreme Court ruled that genetically altered life forms can be patented, which opened the door for private companies to get in on the game. Some of the first forays into this field were an oil-eating microorganism patented by Exxon, and Genentech's Humulin, a form of insulin produced by bacteria.
The first genetically engineered food was developed during the 1980s by researchers at Calgene, a California company. The FLAVR SAVR tomato was engineered to stay firm for a longer period of time, which meant it could be ripened on the vine and then transported while still firm. The FDA approved the sale of this tomato in 1993. Although this tomato was not a commercial success because of safety concerns and issues with production and marketing, it did set the stage for the introduction of GM foods into the marketplace. When it approved this tomato the FDA ruled that genetically modified foods are "not inherently dangerous" and do not require special regulation. Calgene was eventually bought out by Monsanto, a huge producer today of many kinds of genetically modified foods.
Health and Environmental Concerns of GM Foods
According to the World Health Organization web site, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”. It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between non-related species.
Genetically modified foods pose some possible risks to human health. Allergenic properties might be transferred into a food that is not normally an allergen. Specific genes might be transferred from the food into the body or the GI bacteria of the person eating a GM food. An example of this is antibiotic resistant genes. Genes from GM foods have been known to spread from field to field or in the wild, creating a food security risk where genes approved for use as an animal feed turn up in crops meant for human food. This process is known as outcrossing.
Here are a few of the enviromental risks to growing GM foods. Engineered genes may be introduced into wild populations, changing the ecosystem. Organisms which haven't been targeted, such as beneficial insects, may be harmed by the genes. Plants that do not have the advantage of the modified genes might be reduced in the environment, which also changes the ecosystem and makes less biodiversity. The herbicide resistant gene may move to other plants, creating the need to use more or different herbicides.
Government Regulation of GM Foods
According to the WHO, GM foods that have been approved for use on the international market are likely to be safe for human consumption, and no harmful effects have been shown from these foods so far, but they still need monitoring. It is impossible to make a blanket statement about the safety of GM foods, since there are many different genes and different processes involved. Each food has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. However the FDA makes just such a statement in their refusal to enact mandatory labeling of GM foods. In a testimony before the House Committee on Science in 1999, the FDA stated that they use the term genetic modification to include both foods that have had their DNA modified through biotechnology, and foods that have been selectively bred through natural methods, such as the tangelo. Not only does the FDA not evaluate GM foods on a case by case basis, they don't even treat them any differently than naturally grown foods.
The fact that the FDA does not require special labeling of GM foods is extremely controversial, since it takes much of the control away from consumers over whether or not they buy these products. Companies are only required to label foods under special conditions, such as if a new food contains an allergen that the consumer would not expect to be present, or if the engineering changed the food so much that it could no longer be identified as that particular food. Significant nutritional changes also have to be noted on the label, however none of these would specifically have to mention that the food is genetically modified. You can read about these rules in a Guidance Document issued by the FDA in 2001.
According to the Wall Street Journal, 85% of the corn and 91% of the soybeans grown the US are genetically modified. Considering the corn and soybean content of other foods, its a pretty good bet that most Americans are eating large quantities of GM foods.
The European Union has a near zero tolerance policy on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This has been tested recently by the discovery that a batch of Bavarian honey was contaminated by trace amounts of pollen from a nearby GM corn crop. The honey must now be labeled as a GM food and receive safety authorization before it can be sold. The offending corn crop belongs to Monsanto, and is one of only two food crops that are approved in Europe for genetic modification, the other being potatoes. You can read more about the Bavarian honey fiasco on The Cornucopia Institute web site.
What is Your Opinion?
There is no doubt they have their pros and cons, but what is your feeling overall about genetically modified foods? And more importantly, if you feel they are a health hazard how can you avoid eating them, especially if you live in a country like the United States where a large percentage of foods on the market are modified and there are no labeling requirements?
Are your baked goods turning out a little lifeless and blah? It may be because of old baking powder or baking soda. How many of us can manage to use up that whole jar of baking powder before it gets old? If your baking powder or soda is long past the expiration date, it will be worth throwing it out and buying a new jar. Also once you have opened the jar it may lost its effectiveness a lot faster than the expiration date suggests. This is because these leavening agents are activated by heat and moisture. Exposure to either of these things can make them lose their capacity to produce carbon dioxide bubbles, and this means your bread or scones don't rise like they should. Once baking powder or soda are opened, they should be replaced every 3-6 months.
Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable in recipes, even though they are very easy to mix up. I will write more about that in a future post. For now, the test below only applies to baking powder.
You can easily check whether your baking powder is still good. Just take a small bowl and add about 1/2 cup of hot water. It does not need to be boiling, just very warm. Add a tablespoon full of baking powder. It should immediately erupt with bubbling and sizzling. Even old baking powder will bubble and foam on a smaller scale, but the difference between old and fresh baking powder is striking. Watch the video to see the reaction you should get from fresh baking powder.
You can do a similar test to check the freshness of baking soda. Since baking soda is activated by acids, just substitute vinegar for the water in your test.
If you don't like the idea of throwing out a half finished jar of baking powder, find a friend who likes to bake and split a jar with him or her. You might be amazed at your new baking skills!
I found a couple news brands of gluten-free goodies in my grocery store. Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is 89% organic. Most, but not all, of the ingredients listed on the box are organic. The main ingredients for this mix are tapioca starch, whole grain brown rice flour, whole grain sorghum flour and rice starch, along with the chocolate chips, sweeteners and various other ingredients. So along with being gluten free and mostly organic, these cookies are also a good source of whole grains. The instructions were easy to follow, requiring only an egg, some melted butter and warm water to complete the recipe.
This cookie dough was easy to work with, and the finished cookies held their shape well coming out of the oven and were even easier to handle than regular chocolate chip cookies, which tend to be soft and fall apart. The only downside to these cookies was that their taste was different from a traditional chocolate chip cookie. They tasted a little bit grainy. However compared to other cookies made primarily with whole grains, I think these measure up very well.
The brownie mix was from Pamela's Products, and the package boasted "rich dark chocolate chunks included!" These were indeed very decadent fudgey brownies with chunks of chocolate melted through them. The package gives recipes for several ways that you can use this mix; the Original Oil recipe, a butter recipe, cake-like brownies, oil-free brownies and egg-free cake-like brownies. There are even more variations of these brownies listed on the side panel of the package including German Chocolate brownies, a cake and a cookie recipe.
I have always been partial to butter and brownie baking is no time to be worrying about fat, so I went with the butter recipe. This called for added egg, butter, oil and water. A downside to this packaging is the very small print of the recipes, which forces me to pull out my reading glasses before I can proceed. The instructions warned that some recipes may need a longer baking time, and sure enough the butter recipe needed an extra 10 minutes to bake through. I recommend cooling them completely in the pan before cutting since they were still very moist. These brownies were fudgy, chocolaty and everything that a chocolate brownie should be. Pamela's also uses some organic ingredients in this mix.
Do you have a favorite gluten free goody that you like to bake?
Canned soup is a popular meal, convenient and fast with a reputation for being somewhat nutritious, and often served to children. Soup is a comfort food, and the first choice for someone feeling under the weather. A lot of marketing power is devoted to soup. Just look at the supermarket space that the soup aisle covers, and the dizzying selection of brands and varieties that are available. Personally I am a fan of soup because it fills me up with a minimal amount of calories. It can be a great supper strategy to keep your appetite under control. So what could possibly be the problem with eating canned soup? Recent studies have shown that eating canned soup can spike levels of a chemical called bisphenol A.
Acai Berries from Brazil (Euterpe oleraceae)
Are you looking for a crisp, delicious new vegetable to lighten up your meals? Chayote, also called christophene, vegetable pear, alligator pear or mirliton, chuchu or choko, is a variety of squash that is native to Mexico. It dates back to Mayan and Aztec culture, and was introduced to other countries by Spanish explorers.
Black Radish and Apple Salad
First of all, this is probably not the mango that you think it is.
I found a couple news brands of gluten-free goodies in my grocery store. Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is 89% organic. Most, but not all, of the ingredients listed on the box are organic. The main ingredients for this mix are tapioca starch, whole grain brown rice flour, whole grain sorghum flour and rice starch, along with the chocolate chips, sweeteners and various other ingredients. So along with being gluten free and mostly organic, these cookies are also a good source of whole grains. The instructions were easy to follow, requiring only an egg, some melted butter and warm water to complete the recipe. 
