11 Best Foods You’re Not Eating
Recently the New York Times republished an article from Men’s Health entitled, “The 11 Best Foods You’re Not Eating.” Because we’re all looking to get healthy in this new decade, here’s the lowdown on what you should be eating more of:
1) Beets
2) Cabbage
3) Swiss Chard
4) Cinnamon
5) Pomegranate Juice
6) Dried Plums
7) Pumpkin Seeds
Sardines
9) Turmeric
10) Frozen Blueberries
11) Canned Pumpkin
Do you have any of these superfoods in your house? To read the article in its entirely, click here.
Food Additives: What You Should Know
Do you know what’s really in the food we eat? One Find Bliss contributor has the low down on food additives and she’s clued us in as to what we should avoid.
by Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN
Imagine you sit happily in a food court, enjoying restaurant meals and your time with family and friends. Often you don’t suspect that just one big problem can provoke an unexpected stomach aches and spoil your feast. This problem is in food we eat and its quality.
Food manufacturers try to bring their costs down by using of cheap chemical additives to make their products more ‘tasteful’ and adaptable to our palate. There are so many chemicals in our foods hidden as ‘Ingredients.’ Some of them can understand only professional chemist. Some ingredients are listed under so-called E numbers.
How many consumers know what it means? Probably only food technology experts and food scientists. If we are not aware of potential harm these chemicals can do to us, how can we continue to stay healthy or prevent ourselves of sudden sicknesses?! It became an enormous task. Many working people just don’t have time for that.
One of the best ways to prevent sicknesses is to know and understand, at first, what E numbers mean. Read the labels of foods you buy in grocery stores. Do you know that E numbers can be good and bad?
Bad are chemical, toxic, manmade additives. You should avoid them. The Natural Alternatives–E numbers are additives coming from natural sources. Some experts consider them safe. Obviously, you heard about some of them, at least the natural alternatives don’t sound terrifying and can be pronounced by humans. Here is the List of Bad Additives and the Natural Alternatives.
BAD ADDITIVES: If you see them listed on the food or cosmetic labels, proceed with caution!
COLORS: E102, E104, E110, E122-131, E132, E133, E142, E150 (a, b, c, d), E151, E153, E154, E155, E150
PRESERVATIVES: E200-E203, E210-E218, E214-E219, E220-E232, E234-E252, E282-E285
ANTIOXIDANTS and ACIDITY REGULATORS: E310-E321, E385
THICKENERS, EMULSIFIERS and STABILIZERS: E400-E405, E407, E415-E445, E461-E485, E1103
SWEETENERS: E950-E966
FLAVOR ENHANCERS: E621, E627, E631
ANTI-CAKING AGENTS: E535-E538, E553b
GLAZING AGENTS: E902, E903, E905c, E914, E915
IMPROVERS and BLEACHING AGENTS: E925-E926
OTHERS: E513, E524-E528
This is really terrifying to see how many chemicals are used by manufacturers to make our food or cosmetic products. Reprint this List. Place it in your wallet and have it handy when you go shopping.
Always look for THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVES:
COLORS:
E100 Curcumin, turmeric
E101 Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
E140 Chlorophyllis ans Chlorophyllins
E160a Beta-carotene
E160d Lycopene
E161b Lutein
E163 Anthocyanins
PRESERVATIVES:
E1105 Lysozyme
ANTIOXIDANTS and ACIDITY REGULATORS:
E300 Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
E301 Sodium ascorbate
E303 Calcium ascorbate
E303 Potassium ascorbate
E322 Lecithin
E332 Potassium citrates (i)
E333 Calcium citrates (i)
E375 Niacin (nicotinic acid), Nicotinamide
THICKENERS, EMULSIFIERS and STABILIZERS:
E406 Agar
SWEETENERS:
E967 Xylitol
ANTI-CAKING AGENTS:
E558 Bentonite
GLAZING AGENTS:
E901 Beeswax, white and yellow
E908 Rice bran wax
E-910 L-cycteine
E913 Lanolin, sheep wool grease
IMPROVERS:
E920 and E921 L-cysteine
OTHERS:
E948 Oxygen
Especially be aware of E239 (hexamethylene tetramine) –preservative–a fungicide that can be found in some cheeses, in herring and mackerel. It may cause cancer and kidney disease. It reduces fertility. Look in my previous post for descriptive information.
E320 (butylated hydroxyanisole, briefly BHA) is another treat to our health. Food manufacturers use this antioxidant as a preservative in margarine, lard, lemon curd, cakes, pastry, gravy powder, mincemeat, horseradish dips, and chewing gum. Bad news: it causes cancer in animals, and raises the levels of harmful fats in our blood.
Source: Clean Up Your Diet: The pure food program to cleanse, energize, and revitalize by Max Tomlinson, N.D., Duncan Baird Publishers, London, 2007
Copyright 2009.
Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN is an award-winning author, publisher, consultant, herbalist, researcher and entrepreneur. Svetlana is perhaps best known for writing her latest book, 2009 Gold Mom’s Award Winner, Mama’s Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Life, which has become a best-selling book worldwide. Visit her blog at http://mamashomeremedies.com/
Organic – Wine Not?
One wine-loving Find Bliss contributor and her husband set out to find a great organic wine. See the results of their taste tests!
by Laura, author of the blog Mindful Merchant
My husband and I love vino…particularly the red stuff. We are by no means wine experts. I tend to buy bottles with pretty labels and my hubby is all about the price point. You get the picture. I decided to delve into the world of organic wine with the help of our friends. Some of our pals are very knowledgeable about wine, and some choose other beverages to quench their thirst. I think our panel of nine testers were a good representation of the different levels of wine drinkers out in the wine universe.
My reasons for trying organic wine are as follows:
· Hmmm…great reason to have a party!
· I am interested in avoiding toxic chemicals. Conventional wine and grape production heavily sprays with pesticides, herbicides, fumigants and chemicals. The fewer chemicals we ingest, the better off we are.
· I would like to support renewable farming practices, conservation of soil, protection of ground water quality, healthy biologically active soil, and producers that emphasis environmental quality for future generations.
· I am concerned about our consumption of sulphites. Organic certification means it must not contain sulphur dioxide. Health Canada lists sulphites as one of the nine most common food products causing severe adverse reactions. Organic wine still contains sulphites (as they are a natural occurrence in the fermentation process) but they contain significantly lower levels.
Here is quick interpretation of terms on organic wine labels:
“100% Organic” means wine production is with 100% organically grown grapes with no sulphur dioxide added.
“Organic” wines contain a minimum of 95% organic grapes and may contain low levels of sulphur dioxide.
“Made with Organic Grapes” must have 70% organic grape content and could have sulphur dioxide added.
“Biodynamic” meets and typically exceeds organic farming standards and practices. Wine producers take planetary constellations and moon phases into account when working on the vines. Homeopathy practices fight pests and disease.
After tallying the results from our research (wink wink) here are my discoveries…
· Boy, we have super fun friends!
· Organic wine is hard to find. There are few bottles, limited selection in the stores and it is even harder to find anything Canadian.
· Organic wine comes in all price points. It can range from $12 a bottle to prices so high I could not pick up the bottles with the pretense to buy. Our nine bottles tested – yes nine! -ranged from $12 -$44.
· Three of the bottles sampled received comments like “disgusting”, “undrinkable” and other negative words I cannot repeat. (hamster pee) We all felt that the majority of wine sampled was disappointing and overpriced.
· On a positive note, we agreed two wines were the overwhelming favorites: Santa Julia Organica Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($12) from Argentina and Navarrsotillo Noemus Joven 2007 from Spain. ($14)
If you are interested in trying organic wine these are our (humble) suggestions for a good, reasonably priced starting place. We did try a Biodynamic wine that received positive reviews; however, after learning the large price tag, my husband fainted and we unanimously eliminated it from recommendation.
This is a growing and promising industry. The health and environmental benefits are inspiring reasons to try new vintages. I am optimistic we will find some wonderful Canadian organic wines. Please let me know if you find a gem.
In the meantime, Cheers! L’Chaim! Kampai! Cin Cin! & Salud!
Laura lives in Ottawa Canada with her husband and two beautiful daughters. She is a self-described eco-advocate, moderate neat freak with a recessive frugal gene. You will often find Laura toting a hot caffeinated beverage or running around with a camera documenting her family’s adventures. Quiet moments are spent scribbling in a recycled paper notebook, walking with friends or updating her blog. Laura provides a lighthearted commentary on every day, practical green living.
How to Retrain your Mind About Food
This innovative book can teach you how to win your battles with food in 7 easy steps!
For some people, the most difficult thing about the holidays isn’t the financial stress. It’s not the pressure of entertaining relatives or flying across the country. It’s the food.
You know how it goes. Suddenly there’s Christmas tree cookies at work, fudge at the neighbor’s house. And the eggnog. Let’s not even get into the eggnog!
In her book, “Why Am I Eating This? 7 Simple Steps to Retrain your Mind About Food,” author Sandy Robertson outlines what causes us to overeat and how to overcome it. By asking her readers to look at what, when and why they’re eating, she helps readers to understand their relationship to food and ultimately eliminate mindless snacking, overindulging and other bad habits.
As an RN who has battled her own weight issues, we know that Robertson has been there and knows what she’s talking about. At just over 50 pages, it’s a quick read, and one that just may make you change the way you deal with food.
Learn more about Sandy Robertson or purchase a copy of “Why Am I Eating This? 7 Simple Steps to Retrain your Mind About Food,”.
Spook-tacular Halloween Drinks
Tis’ the season for ghosts, goblins and Halloween parties! For those of you who don’t know, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. The crisp air, the colors and onset of the holidays season, Halloween is nothing but a big ol’ treat for me!
Check out the drink recipes below. They are always a favorite at my Halloween parties:
Spooky Juice Read more
Healthy Halloween Recipes for Every Ghoul and Goblin
If you’re throwing a Halloween party this year, the food you serve is a good way to show off your (wicked) spirit for the season. While Halloween conjures images of chocolate bars and candy corn, you can create healthy and delicious food that everyone will love.
Also, don’t forget the drinks!
Check out these fun recipes for your (or someone else’s) Halloween gala.
Cranial Cream Cheese Dip
What You’ll Need:
Plastic wrap
1 small party favor plastic skull candy container
1 package vegan cream cheese
1 jar chunky salsa (or fresh homemade salsa)
Crackers or chips for spreading/dipping
Set the cream cheese out to warm to room temperature. Line the inside of the plastic skull dish with plastic wrap leaving enough edges to wrap around later. Spoon the softened cream cheese into the plastic-lined skull dish, mashing in as much cream cheese as possible to pick up the most detail in the mold. Scrape any extra cream cheese off the top so it is flat. Close the plastic wrap over the flat cream cheese top and place in the freezer to set. Once set, remove the plastic wrap from the skull dish, and serve. Place the skull in a shallow dish, garnish with the bloody salsa, including inside the eye sockets, and stab with your favorite spreader. You can extend the time before needing to refill by placing the skull on half a block of cream cheese, but cover the plain cream cheese with enough sauce so you can only see the skull above the “blood.”
What You’ll Need:
2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup vegan whipping cream
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cut a butternut squash into quarters and scoop out the seeds. Boil or bake the squash until soft. Let the squash cool a bit before scooping its flesh into a medium-size bowl. Add pure maple syrup, vegan cream, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl. Use a potato masher
to mush the squash and blend all of the ingredients. Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds, add sticks, and freeze for at least 6 hours before serving.
Healthy & Haunted Graveyard
What You’ll Need:
1/2 cup fresh spinach
10 ounces garlic hummus
Broccoli and Celery (for trees)
Pretzels (shirt, thin sticks & mini twisties for the fence)
Tofu (marinated in clear or white marinade like Italian dressingcut into ghost shapes)
Crackers (square for tombstones)
Black olives
Paint brush and black food coloring
In a food processor, puree the spinach and hummus.
To make the tofu ghosts, cut slits and insert black-olive facial features. Use the small paint brush and food coloring to turn crackers into tombstones.
Mound the dip on a tray and top it with veggie trees, a pretzel fence, tofu ghosts, and cracker tombstones to create your graveyard!
Dead Gingerbread Men
What You’ll Need:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegan shortening
1 egg replacer
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
1/4 cup raisins for decorating
In large bowl, cream vegan shortening, sugar, egg replacer and warm molasses. Dissolve baking soda in warm water and add to egg replacer mixture. Beat until smooth. Slowly add flour, spices and salt. Mix until well blended. Cover and chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a floured surface. Cut out gingerbread men using cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
Use black icing to make an “X” where the eyes should be, you can also make a frown for a mouth using the icing. Break off some of the heads and use red icing for blood around the neck on the heads and bodies.
By Carolyn “The Healthy Voyager” Scott
For more information, visit Healthy Voyager
Cooking Fresh
The saying goes that in spring, a young man’s fancy turns to love. For me, being a woman, spring takes my thoughts somewhere slightly less romantic–to bathing suit season! Yes, as the air warms and flowers bud, women everywhere panic as we realize that there are less than three months until we hit the pools and beaches. This means that it’s time for us to think a bit more about healthy eating and perhaps to distance ourselves from the overindulgences of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Read more
The Starchetarian
written by stephen hornyak
Cousin Marty is pursuing his undergrad degree at Cal Arts. Like most of my family, he’s come from back east. My wife and I have invited him over for dinner a few times. Rumor has it that he’s a vegetarian so he’d fit right in with a certain leg of our California clan. However he rarely returns phone calls, forgets he’s made dates, and leaves cryptic messages. We have not seen his face after nearly a whole semester. We were beginning to wonder if Marty held an inherited grudge from the meat eating side of the family, when my sister-in-law Cheryl a whole foods chef posited that, “Marty must be a Starchatarian.” Curious but cautious, I probe Cheryl to explain what sounds like a theory. “He’s an uneducated vegetarian, Cheryl continues, who probably eats way too much pasta and sugar, which makes him spacey.” I’m aghast at the diagnosis, it seems prejudice to peg poor Marty so early and without seeing him, but I’m interested in the premise, so let’s explore it. Read more
Live the Slow Life
Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Living the slow life can also be done with others, because part of the pleasure of slow food and the Slow Food movement is in sharing, which is why the convivia are so compelling. What could be more fun than sharing a passion for good food and wine with other people who feel the same way? Some convivia have only a dozen or so members, while others may have 60 or more, yet each convivium has its individual character and interests. Read more
Edible Communities Publications
If you love great food, eat locally grown, organic produce and enjoy cooking or just reading about fantastic food you should connect with your local edition of Edible Publications. Most of the 40+ individually owned companies put out beautiful quarterly magazine that connect family farmers, consumers, growers, chefs and foodies from all walks of life. Read more
