Soap Box Wednesday: What's Wrong with What We Eat

Wow, it's been a entire months since I've blogged, and probably a year since I've done a SBW post. But you guys know me by now, so you shouldn't be all that surprised.  I've been super busy, with among other things, preparing for my next pole competition. I've got lots things I want to share (including food posts) but you're going to have to wait a bit longer for that. Until then, I really want to share this amazing video of Mark Bittman's Ted Talk about the dangers of our food culture. I have really been wanting to talk more about food policy on the blog, and I think this is a great place to start.

 

For the record, I agree 100% with what Bittman says, even though his speech caused me to feel a bit uncomfortable about some of my own food habits. But that's the point. I would love to hear what you guys think about it.

The floor is yours...

Soap Box Wednesday: The Meatless Monday Movement



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In general I consider myself a bit of a non-conformist. I don't jump on bandwagons easily, if at all. I still hate maxi dresses. I think labradoodles are ugly (and a waste of money if you're looking for a hypoallergenic dog, get a poodle! [I'm biased, see side bar]). And up until Monday, I refused to get on "the twitter" during almost an entire year of blogging, and yes I do and shall continue to call it "the twitter". It's just in my nature to be skeptical of and hesitant to adopt new trends--usually. But, there's usually an exception to every rule, even when it comes to behaviors, and the Meatless Monday movement is my exception.

Meatless Monday is a nationwide campaign, and globally focused goal, to reduce the population's meat consumption by 15% in order to improve individuals' personal health and the health of the planet. It is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, that provides the information and recipes, savvy readers such as you and me need to start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives.

The health benefits of eating less meat are pretty obvious, but let's review them, shall we? On average, Americans consume 8 oz per day--45% more than what the USDA recommends (5.5oz/day). Reducing your meat intake may reduce your risk for chronic preventable conditions, like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

• There is a plethora of scientific data that demonstrates diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk--both red (beef, lamb, goat, venison, and even duck) and processed meat (anything that looks vastly different from slaughter to packaging--deli meats, anything from taco bell, etc) consumption is associated with colon cancer and type 2 diabetes.

• A recent Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods, like meat and full fat dairy, with vegetable oils, nuts and seeds significantly reduces your risk for heart disease

• Individuals on a low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study also found that reducing overall meat consumptions can prevent long-term weight gain.

There's a reason why this is a Monday Campaign, and it's not just because alliteration sells. For most people, the week starts on Monday, and it signals the shift from the freedom of the weekend to the structure of the work week. Monday may be the least favorite day of the week, but it sets our intentions for the next six days. As human beings, we're creatures of habits, and from an early age we internalize the rhythm of our lives. Which is why Monday is the perfect day to make a change for your health.

But wait, there's more...

Eating less meat, is also green! You might not know this, but I'm a little bit of a tree hugger. I think recycling is awesome, and acknowledge that global warming is very fucking real. The UN's Food & Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to global warming; far more than transportation!And as the world's population continues to grow, so does the demand for meat.

• Reducing meat consumption by a minimum of once a week can reduce your carbon footprint. 

The water needs of livestock are ridiculous, and significantly greater than those of vegetables and grains. Think about it, cow's are big sumbitches. An estimated 1,800 to 2500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef, whereas soy tofu in California requires 220 gallons per pound. You do the math...

• Reducing your meat consumption helps minimize water usage

And..AND, on average about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of grain fed beef in the US, compared to the 2.2 calories per calorie of plant-based protein.

• Reducing meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand, and further delay the inevitable WW3 over oil likely our near future.

Personally, I've taken the MM movement a few steps further, and for the last two and half months have fully adopted a flexatarian diet, and by that I mean, I've cut meat out of my diet at least three days of the week. Yes I'm serious. While I would never, ever, eva eva eva eva go completely vegetarian, and I'm convinced that veganism is a cult, much like Scientology, I certainly value the health benefits of eating significantly less meat, and the green aspect is just a plus. I also kind of got tired of my older sister being able to call me out on my meatatarian ways and dropping a ton of money on meat at the grocery store. So I took the plunge, and I have to say, it's been a lot easier than I thought it would be in terms of sticking to it. It's also a lot cheaper to buy less meat, and even though I get stuck in a food rut, I've found myself buying vegetables that I used to never look at, like Swiss chard, cabbage, beets, and jicama. The way I see it, it's a win-win, and I strongly encourage you to give a try, what have you got to lose?

Merry Wednesday!

Soap Box Wednesdays: Chasing the Dragon

Hi, my name is Nadette.....and I'm addicted to sugar (and expensive boots, but that's off topic).

Welcome Nadette. *nods of empathy and acceptance all around* Tell us your story:

It all started off when I was a wee lass. I would manipulate my mother into buying super sugary cereals she didn't want me eating, like Fruit Loops and Corn Pops, by seeking out coupons for them in the Sunday paper knowing she couldn't argue with savings.  As I got older, I would occasionally go the corner store before school, and buy myself a "breakfast of champions": a Snickers bar, a bag of chips, and a Pepsi and ride the sugar wave through the school day. [It's amazing what youth will protect you from, this meal would probably kill me now]. College came along and cereal, became a basic food group [Cap'n crunch=grains, Special K red berries=fruit, Honey Bunches of Oats=fiber, etc]. And then I joined the dance group, and was introduced to Blue Cocaine Powerade. Before I knew what was happening, I couldn't get through a day or a dance practice without one. Every attempt I made to get clean, was a bust. I would just replace one sugary vice with another. And then about two weeks ago, I began my descent to rock bottom. On a sad work day, I was hungry and craving the sweet stuff real bad and wasn't thinking straight. Instead of walking straight home after work, I stopped at the Rite Aid, and bought a candy bar... a king size Symphony Bar...and proceeded to eat half of it in on the way home! The shame and guilt of my indulgence followed me for days. I worked my ass of in pole that week just to make myself feel better. But I couldn't get the memory of creamy chocolate, and the sweet and salty crunch of toffee and almonds off my mind. The last straw came last week, I was putting together my grocery list for my long overdue pilgrimage to paradise Wegman's, and cringed at the 3 boxes of Cap'n Crunch that are staples on my grocery lists. The thought of all that sugar saturated, bleached flour and corn based cereal that I've been inhaling by bowlful for the last 20 plus years made me stop in my tracks. I started thinking about that  stubborn layer of fat on my lower abdomen, my dulling complexion, my epic dry skin/hair/scalp battles, my struggles with insane sugar cravings [damn symphony bar!] AND the fact that my metabolism could turn its back on me when I hit 30 [and I've talked sooo much shit on all the chicks who've gained a lot of weight since high school that I know Karma is already checkin' for me] and started to feel sick to my stomach. Rock meet Bottom. I decided then and there, that something had to change*.

My sugar junkie story isn't very different from millions of Americans' across the nation. Sugar is in EVERYTHING we eat, from cereals and juices to ketchup and pasta sauce. Sugar is literally addictive, because once you have sweet, you crave sweet. It's a vicious cycle that's hard to get out of, kinda like heroin, only tastier, and without the track marks. That dragon is a fast sumbitch. My situation is different, however, in that I was hyper aware of this fact, and in general tried to avoid sugar and its evil twin, high fructose corn syrup**, as much as possible. While I avidly read the nutrition facts on most of the foods that I consumed, I turned a blind eye to the ugly truth about my beloved cereal habit. Just like an addict I reasoned that since I didn't keep other sweets in my house, it was ok to keep eating that junk; I was defiant, in fact, and declared to friends, family, and blog readers world wide that "me and the Cap'n make it happen, on a regular basis". And just like every junkie since the dawn of substance abuse, I had to hit rock bottom--mine being in the form of inhaling half a giant candy bar on the four block walk home--to realize I needed to make some serious changes before rock bottom became a muffin top and type 2 diabetes.

So what does this mean for me now, and how does this tragic story relate to you??

Glad you asked...

*crawls on soap box, weakened from Cap'n Crunch withdrawal*

So like any other substance abuse rehabilitation program, breaking a sugar addiction isn't going to be easy. But unlike smack and cocaine, quitting cold turkey isn't the only viable option. And because I'm a realist and typically frown upon extreme methods of change, going "sugar free" isn't even an option.  I have decided to tackle, head on, the biggest source of the my addiction, and share some tips with y'all on how you can steadily free yourself from chemical dependence. 

• 
  
  Breakfast Cereals.  I effin' hate healthy cereals, they gross me out. But the typical breakfast cereal is a sugar bomb, with an average of 12 grams of sugar per serving, and by typical I mean all the yummy cereals. So after some reading, I decided to go for cereals with 6 grams of sugar or less/serving AND at least 4 grams of fiber per serving. This is a tall order as most cereals in this nutrition range taste like cardboard and make me want to throw things.  I was especially pissed that Kashi GoLean Crunch Honey Almond Flax cereal has a whopping 12 g of sugar per serving-- just as much sugar as Cap'n Crunch! EPIC FAIL! I almost gave up, but after some serious label reading and profanity laced muttering to myself in the grocery store I finally found Puffins Cinnamon Cereal, which has 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of sugar per serving. It only faintly tastes of cardboard--the cinnamon masks it well, and it kinda looks like oversized Cap'n Crunch pieces--so it gets the job done and I'll stick with it for now. There are some other low sugar/decent fiber alternatives out there you can try:
• 
  
  Kashi GoLean! [looks like twigs, count me out] 6g sugar, 10g fiber
• 
  
  Newman's Own Sweet Enough Cinnamon Fiber Flakes [sounds highly disgusting] 6g sugar, 8g fiber
• OK, so this list is tragically short, and as you can see, I'm not enthused, but the rest of the cereals with these credentials sound even worse--with words like "bran" and "fiber" in the actual titles. NO BUENO. Farewell Cap'n, 'twas a beautiful affair...sniffle sniffle....

• 
  
  Juice and Soda. NIX 'EM ALL TOGETHER. Seriously. And I don't mean swap them for "diet" varieties either, that's no bueno. Water is your best friend. Don't like the taste of water? Throw a fruit flavored tea bag in a glass of water, to jazz it up. Soda and juice should be for special occasions only. That rule applies to crumb snatchers children too!

  
  
• Yogurt in flavored and plain varieties are still loaded with sugar. Greek yogurt, however, is naturally lower in sugar, but it's considerably thicker and has a distinct tangy flavor, so it's an acquired taste. I hate cottage cheese, but if you like it, it's a great source of protein and calcium w/o the sugar of yogurt.

• Craving's management. Fruit, fruit, and more fruit. One thing that I have noticed is that when I keep fruit in my fridge and eat it daily, my sugar cravings are less frequent, less intense, and therefore manageable. I can literally walk away from the cupcakes in Whole Foods and not want to kill people.

• Hidden sugars. Like I said, sugar is in everything, so read your labels! Pasta sauce, kethcup, salad dressing, and peanut butter are often full of hidden sugar. Trader Joe's has natural peanut butter and ketchup made w/o sugar. Pasta sauce is a bitch, the sugar is part of the recipe to cut the acid of the tomatoes, but the amount of sugar in your typical jar of prego is outlandish, so as you can imagine I haven't had spaghetti in ages. I just read that my Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette has sugar in it. Damn damn damn! 

• Last but not least, keep the obvious sugars out of your house. It's much easier to not eat cookies and donuts and cake if they're not in the house. Those sort of eatings are treats, and should be treated as such. Dessert is not an everyday food--that includes ice cream. The darker the alcohol, the more sugar it has, and beer is not your belly's friend. Etc, etc.

I'm sure there's much more I could address, but I'll leave it at that for now. And as for my progress, I also bought a fall back sugary cereal, and already I find it too sweet. I haven't made any candy runs in over a week, but I did indulge in Bavarian pecans at the book fair this weekend. It's a process, but for the most part, I think I'm doing well. Hope I've been helpful. 

Merry Soapbox Wednesday.

*the sentiments of this story have been exaggerated for dramatic and comedic effect. The memory of creamy chocolate and the sweet and salty crunch of toffee and almonds did not haunt my Psyche for days. I swear! 

**please, please, PLEASE don't fall for those stupid ass commercials sponsored by the Corn Syrup Lobby implying that HFCS is exactly the same as sugar. The linked article suggests otherwise, and that's literally only scratching the surface of the debate on this super cheap sugar product. Oh, and heads up b/c HFCS is getting a name change to Corn Sugar. While the scientific jury is still out on HFCS, I would avoid this mess as much as possible y'all. Do it for yourself, the youngins' and the puppies!

Soap Box Wednesdays: Are they TRYING to make us sick?

It's baaaaack! After a unnecessarily long (read: I was being too lazy to do my research) hiatus, Soap Box Wednesdays has returned. Sorta.  I'll level with you, I'm pulling this SBW post out of my ass at the eleventyith [yeah, I'm making up numbers now] because I promised in my last post that I would deliver this week. And I hate breaking promises, so here goes.

Way back when, sometime last year, I cam across this article on yahoo titled, "7 Foods Experts Won't Eat". Of course I had to read it, because you know me, I'm convinced that a lot our modern "conveniences" in terms of our food culture is much to our detriment. Because this is a half-assed SBW post, but I think this is pretty crucial information that everyone should have, I'm going to share this informative article. Word for word. In school, they call it plagiarism. In blog world, they call it copy right infringement. In my world, I call it "I spent my researching time twirling around a pole, watching TV and sleeping, so I don't give a flying fuggity about copyrights, as long as I get something posted, and it's not like I said I wrote it sooo shazam!"

How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—“What foods do you avoid?”—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don’t necessarily make up a "banned” list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought:

1. Canned Tomatoes
The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A.

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

2. Corn-Fed Beef
The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming.

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

3. Microwave Popcorn
The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes
The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

5. Farmed Salmon
The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

7. Conventional Apples
The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

Here's what I think. *jumps on soap box*

Really, really, REALLY?! Way to fucking go US Department of Agriculture on looking out to protect the health and well being of the general public! Way to drop the ball food scientists!! Once again, did no one really think that dousing food, FOOD that people eat, feed their children, and nourish their unborn offspring with in synthetic chemicals was a BAD FUCKING IDEA?! OK, so maybe you can get a pass on the canned tomatoes thing. That doesn't necessarily set off those alarms in the minds of most. But as for the rest of this mess, SIDE EYE, SON! I'm cringing at the realization that I have probably consumed several thousand gallons of rBST laden milk in my lifetime, as I was and still am a cereal monster. Now you've got me worried that if I ever decide to host a parasite for 10 months get pregnant and bring a crumb snatcher or two into this world, I might not be able to do so without reproductive drama. And what about cancer? You know women of African descent have a higher death rate from breast cancer than their Caucasian counterparts, even though we have a lower incidence rate? And my grandmother has Alzheimer's, how are these chemicals contributing to my risks factors? SHIT! HELL! DAMN! I realize it does me no good to fret over what cannot be undone. So since reading this article, I've taken action, and I am 6 for 7 on avoiding these foods:

• I don't really eat canned anything, and from now on, will be paying a premium for jarred tomato paste for whenever I get around to making Nigerian food or pasta sauce.
• Corn fed beef is hard to avoid. I don't buy that much beef, but I like to eat at restaurants.The grass fed alternative is soo outrageously expensive that I've never bought it. So as of last month, I've decided to nix beef from my grocery lists, indefinitely. I don't eat it that much, so it's an easy sacrifice. It's not like it's bacon...
• I don't eat popcorn. Period
• Organic potatoes are hard to find. Contrary to popular belief, not all of the produce in Whole Check Foods is organic, which elicits yet another side eye from me. For the prices they charge, that's some bull shiggity! Same deal on Trader Joe's. Whose leg do I have to hump for some organic freaking potatoes?!
• I don't buy much seafood b/c you have to cook it like IMMEDIATELY, which if you remember from this fiasco, is not something I do, like, ever.
• Organic milk is expensive as shit, $3.49 for half a gallon! BUT I get the ultra pasteurized variety that lasts like a month, that way it's never wasted in the event of a temporary cereal drought.
• Organic apples are available from time to time, and since I only buy 3 or 4 at a time, the cost isn't prohibitive.

So there you have it señoras y señores*. Avoid these 7 foods like your life depends on it. Because, it kinda does...

*prepare yourself for frequent bouts of Spanglish on this blog, as I am learning Español via Rosetta Stone so I'm not the idiot Americano when I move to Barcelona in 16-24 months.

Soap Box Wednesdays: Artificial Sugars--No Bueno!

*Disclaimer*
If you are a consumer of sugar substitutes, you may find the following post slightly offensive. After thoughtful consideration, I decided to share the full spectrum of my feelings on this matter, which are quite negative. If you are consumer of these products, please don't take my ranting personally, I still have much love for you. However, as your friend (blog world or otherwise) I implore you to at the very least consider reducing or better yet eliminating these products from your diet. The world won't come to an end  and you probably won't gain 5 pounds if you consume real sugar every now and then. Just don't go the full Monty with the sugar, that's just not a good look.

"Artificial sweeteners are chemicals or natural compounds that offer the sweetness of sugar without as many calories. Because the substitutes are much sweeter than sugar, it takes a much smaller quantity to create the same sweetness. Products made with artificial sweeteners have a much lower calorie count than do those made with sugar. Artificial sweeteners are often used as part of a weight-loss plan or as a means to control weight gain." -Mayo Clinic

As long as I can remember, I've always hated artificial sugars. Back in my single digit age days, I learned early on the difference in taste and texture between the real lollipops and the "sugar free" lollipops at the bank [I loved going to the bank with my mom just for the lollipops]. I didn't understand the concept of an oxymoron at that age, but I knew that sugar free candy just wasn't right, and was personally offended by the very concept of if. Fast forwarded to my older and wiser self now, and that feeling has evolved into a philosophy of "There is no such thing as a chemically altered zero calorie sweetener that's good for you". Diet soda, diet cookies, sugar free ice cream...WRONG, WRONG, and WRONG! These man made concoctions are an offense to God and nature [and my discriminating pallet] and I'm not the only one who feels this way. There is a growing body of research that indicates that these products may actually make you gain weight and growing speculation that they can make you sick.

I've been meaning to talk about this topic for a while but never got around to it. So why blog about it now?  Well, yesterday I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Fired N' Fabulous, and she had a guest post called the Skinny Bitch Food Diary. So as I read this skinny bitch's food diary, I noticed a recurring theme that was PISSING ME OFF, sugar free EVERYTHING which completely conflicts with her philosophy of eating things that are "alive and come from the earth." Sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K, and saccharin came out of some food mega business's chemistry lab, NOT THE DAMN EARTH. ::side bar:: This skinny bitch runs a minimum of 20 miles per week and and is a fitness instructor, yet her food diary seemed curiously low on the calories. When I was running 3-4 miles a week, I couldn't eat enough to keep my weight up. But then again, I have a very sensitive metabolism, so I can't really judge her on her obsession with salads and apparent disregard for meat. But again, that is fodder for another blog post. But I can judge the numerous offenses against food like sugar free syrup on her egg white oatmeal pancakes [no comment on those pancakes] fucking gross! I understand that syrup is essentially liquid sugar, but really, sugar free syrup?! Fuck outta here! OR better yet, just eat your pancakes with fresh fruit, and skip the syrup all together. If I can do it, and I'm a self admitted sugar monster, she can do it too! Then there was the sugar free coffeemate for her coffee. I'm a purist, So I prefer milk or cream to artificial coffeemate crap any day, so once again, no bueno. Two teaspoons of sugar should be more than adequate, but sugar substitutes are like 100 times sweeter than cane sugar, and your body gets used to that sort of sweetness. And finally she said to satisfy her occasional chocolate cravings, she'll mix a packet of sugar free hot cocoa mix with almond milk and banana. I'm admittedly biased against this one, b/c I hate banana, I hate almond milk, and I hate powdered hot chocolate mix. But again with the sugar free shit...side eye to this chick. SIDE EYE! But enough of my commentary, here's what the science says about artificial sugars.

Weight Gain 
Researchers have laboratory evidence that the widespread use of no-calorie sweeteners may actually make it harder for people to control their intake and body weight. Researchers at Purdue University found that rats on diets containing the artificial sweetener saccharin gained more weight than rats given sugary food. The rats whose diets contained artificial sweeteners appeared to experience a physiological connection between sweet tastes and calories, which drove them to overeat. According to ABC News' medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard,

"There's something about diet foods that changes your metabolic limit, your brain chemistry."

Though Savard said more research needs to be done to uncover more information, the study does hit at the idea that sweeteners alter a persons' metabolism. Dr. Savard goes on to say that another recent study, which included more than 18,000 people, found healthy adults who consumed at least one diet drink a day could increase their chance for weight gain.

"The taste buds taste sweet, but there's no calorie load that comes with it. There's a mismatch here. It seems it changes your brain chemistry in some way," Savard said. "Anything you put in your mouth, your body has a strong reaction to it. It's much more than counting calories. It seems normally with sweet foods that we rev up our metabolism"

A separate study came to similar conclusions. The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego.

 "What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells Web MD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."
"In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas."

"There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says.

Please note, however, that due to the nature of scientific research, it has NOT been determined nor has the research claimed that there is a direct causal relationship between the use of artificial sugars and weight gain or obesity. But the research does indicate that there may be correlation between the two, and at the very least, the consumption of such products may alter your body's reactions to the sensation of sweet. As far as I'm concerned, that in itself in addition the fact that fake sugar tastes like ass, is reason enough for me to stay far FAR away from it.

Safety Concerns
The scientific community has not yet conceded that these products may be causing other harm to humans like cancer and M.S., but there's a plethora of that the wackadoodles and conspiracy theorists across the world wide web that think otherwise. Basically the science has said that in lab rats fed a ridiculous amount of various artificial sugars, cancers have been observed. But to extrapolate that data within the human population is unrealistic--according to the scientific community. However, I'll cite Dr. Savard once again,

"We have to rethink what this artificial stuff does to us. If we put this in water it might not be so good." 

For me, better safe than sorry. I was also going go off on a tangent about how very arrogant it is of our society to think they can one up nature give people an excuse to not moderate their intake of junk or scare the weight conscious into consuming altered "foods" in the name of health. But I think my comment about this being an offense against God and nature says it all.
I'll leave you with this last statement from the Mayo Clinic.

Just removing sugar from cookies and chocolates doesn't make them low-calorie, low-fat foods. If you eat too many, you'll still get more calories than you may need, and you may not get enough nutritious foods. Unlike fruits, vegetables and whole grains, sugar-free soft drinks, candy and desserts often provide few — if any — beneficial nutrients.

Soap Box Wednesdays: Sunscreen, Protection or Poison?

I bet you thought I forgot about SBW?? Well, I did but I didn't. Either way, better late than never, right?

But to back to matter at hand. I spent close an hour in Wal-Mart yesterday while shopping for vacation necessities, one of the most important being sunscreen. I don't know about you, but I have gotten into a very serious habit of reading the list of ingredients on anything I put on my body. I'm on the look out for known carcinogens and parabens. When it comes to sunscreen, there's been some debate about the benefits versus the risks of use. So I did some reading [as this blog indicates that I am prone to do] and this is what I found:

Most sunscreens, especially the major brands are chock full 'o poison. Allow me to cite this article from greenlivingtips.com

"The regular use of sunscreen lotion might provide some protection from sunburn, but it may also have quite serious health risks - for ourselves and the wider environment.

An investigation by the Environmental Working Group of over 1,500 sunscreens and other sun-blocking products currently on the market found that 3 of 5 sunscreens either don't protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals - or both. Leading brands were the worst offenders. Of all the preparations tested, only  92 were recommended, 1,203 scored the "caution" flag and the EWG recommended avoiding 319 products altogether."

It gets worse when they start listing the ingredients in sunscreens.

Aminobenzoic acid - possible carcinogen may be implicated in cardiovascular disease.

Avobenzone - possible carcinogen

Cinoxate - some evidence of skin toxicity

Dioxybenzone - strong evidence of skin toxicity and possible carcinogen; hormone disruptor and has been found in waterways, soil and air. Has been shown to have a "gender bender" effect in animals

Diazolidinyl urea - possible carcinogen, endocrine, central nervous system and brain effects, skin toxicity an compromises the immune system

Ecamsule - may be carcinogenic

Homosalate - endocrine disruption

Methylparaben - interferes with genes

Octocrylene - found to be persistent and bioaccumulative in wildlife, liver issues and possible carcinogen

Octyl methoxycinnamate - accumulates in the body, may disrupt liver and is a possible carcinogen

Octyl salicylate - broad systemic effects in animals at moderate doses

Oxybenzone - possible carcinogen and contributor to vascular disease, may affect the brain and nervous system in animals

Padimate O - suspected carcinogen

Phenylbenzimidazole - possible carcinogen

Phenoxyethanol - irritant, possible carcinogen, endocrine disruption

Sulisobenzone - strong evidence of skin toxicity, affects sense organs in animals

Titanium dioxide - suspected carcinogen when in nanomaterial form

Zinc Oxide - bioaccumulative in wildlife, evidence of reproductive toxicity

So then what the hell are we supposed to do? Here's where I start to get annoyed with this article. Basically they go on to say, sunscreens are all poison for our bodies and the environment, blah blah blah, avoid the sun at all costs, especially between 10 and 3, wear a hat and UV sunglasses, blah blah blah.


Umm excuse me green living tips, what fukin' world do you think I live in? Avoiding the sun like some sort of vampire is neither realistic nor desirable. If I weren't a Christian, I would worship the sun, ya dig? Besides, I'm black so I disregard about 90% of skin cancer concerns [gotta love that melanin!] BUT I am not completely reckless, I fully plan on traipsing under the Spanish and Moroccan sun for two weeks, with minimal clothing, so I definitely plan to protect my skin.

After all that ingredient reading and rationalizing that any variation of "benzone" and other chemicals that are hard to pronounce weren't something I should be putting on my skin, I thought I was doing myself a favor by purchasing Burt's Bees sunscreen (spf 30). That was until I read that it's active ingredient, Titanium Dioxide" is a possible carcinogen. fuck. me. sideways! The realization that I may have made the wrong choice just got real-er [is that a word?]:

Comment #6 (Posted by Dr. Tony Kovacs)

I agree with your concerns about sunscreen and most of them are quite valid. The standard ingredients in chemical sunscreens are nothing short of toxic for both people and the environment. However, not all sunscreens are tarred with the same brush. There is a new wave in sunscreens - chemical free (zinc only) that people should be aware of. Certainly zinc does have a bioaccumulation issue in the environment but when you look at how much zinc truly needs to be exposed to the environment for this to happen and considering that your skin absorbs the majority of sunscreen you place on it - how is the environment going to be exposed to the zinc issues from sunscreen? Bioaccumulation in humans is equally hard to create with sunscreen. Considering the majority of people are zinc deficient and the zinc in the sunscreen does not absorb into the blood (unless you are using nano zinc which is a "no no") then you are not going to elevate serum zinc levels at all. 

Look at the ingredients, avoid the chemical UV Absorbers (this includes titanium), stick with zinc and READ your labels. There a re a handful of high quality sunscreens on the market and they are listed on the EWG sunscreen guide list. Do your homework and choose wisely. The sun is not evil and does not need to be avoided but some people, especially those with really fair skin, need to be conscious about safely increasing their SPF levels. I support people getting as much "safe" sun as they can, going brown is a natural body reaction to protecting from UV but not everyone's skin goes brown easily. Burning is not the alternative you want and it can happen so easily for a fair skinned person. Staying out of the sun during the peak times is not always possible. Do you stop your kids from playing in sports teams if the game is scheduled between 10-4? 

There are safe alternatives for sunscreen available, and now you can add that to

your conscious decisions if you know you are going to be exposed for longer than

your skin is comfortable with. 

Read your labels!

Thanks for clearning that up Doc. But then again, maybe this guy isn't really a doctor, the internet is full of crazies, right?


Then I remembered this email I got from my local organic esthetician about sunscreens:

"The only safe ingredient to protect against both UVA and UV is zinc oxide.  According the Environmental Working Group many sunscreen products contain oxybenzone which is a hormone disrupter."

Damnit! I tried, and failed. Sad. Face! That's $15 I just wasted on "natural" sunscreen that didn't make the Environmental Work Group's list. But the money is spent, its only 2 weeks, I think I'll risk it. But just so you won't have to, see the list of recommended sunscreens here. I hope this was helpful.

Happy Soap Box Wednesday! [OK, its really Thursday morning, my bad]

Soap Box Wednesdays: Organic Foods- Health or Hype?

So this past weekend I was in D.C. and had Sunday brunch at one of my new favorite eateries, Le Pain Quotidien, which is an all organic French inspired cafe. You may remember me raving about my first experience here with Alihah in this post.  This time around it was Hillary's first time there, and I'm sure her expectations were high because Alihah and I hyped it up so much.  Unfortunately, it was kind of a bust. Their world class coffee was burned [and they refused to admit it was burned--eye roll] and Hill didn't seem to really enjoy her meal, which really sucks, cuz this place ain't cheap! Having tried her yogurt parfait, I have to admit, for the price it could've tasted better, more sweetness, less ginormous chunks granola that seemed more...er...fiber-ey (read sticks and twigs) than traditional granola.  Anyway, Hill's not so great meal led to a discussion about organic foods, healthy eating and how much of it is just overpriced hype, etc. 

Parfait? Everybody loves parfait!
cue Donkey from Shrek

Here's what I think: *steps on soap box*

In general I think that organic foods are worth the cost--and there is a reason why they cost more.  For me, organic foods aren't about what's in them, because some organic enthusiast will SWEAR that organic foods have more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc, and that they taste better. I'm more concerned with what's NOT in organic foods, and that is that they are NOT grown using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics--which CURRENT research has linked to increased food allergies, reproductive problems, and cancers. I'm not in it for better taste--cuz American produce is as bland as it gets [am I right anyone whose been abroad and had the fruit?] and I'm not in it for increased amounts of vitamins and minerals because a well balanced diet [currently a work in progress for me] will take care of that. What I KNOW is that I have lots of produce allergies that I didn't have as a child and that those allergies magically disappear when I eat produce abroad.  What I KNOW is that as far as the modern American food industry is concerned, we have strewn TOO FAR from what God intended, interfered with nature, and we're the one's suffering for it--as the trend of 7 year old girls getting their periods indicates. 

It also seems like common sense to me, I mean why would you saturate the food we eat and the ground we grow it in chemicals.  How exactly is that NOT supposed to be harmful? As it turns out, I'm a bit of tree hugger, and modern/conventional farming techniques are not Eco-friendly. Back in the day long before modern food science started changing the way food was grown, farmers rotated their crops to preserve the nutrients in the soil and understood and more importantly respected that role of nature--i.e. bugs, birds, etc's role in growing crops.  Don't get me wrong, modern food science has done a multitude of good for our society--mass production of crops, food safety, etc, I'm just saying the pendulum has been too far to the "let's alter it to make it easier" side, and its becoming evident that its not to our benefit. Anyone female who has every been on a round of antibiotics should KNOW what kind of unpleasant side-effects they can cause, so why the hell should our beef and chicken be pumped full of that stuff, not to mention the fact that over use of antibiotics leads to drug-resistant bacteria--or did NO ONE really see that shit coming?? Cows are herbivores with four stomachs designed especially for digesting grass [I would know, I was an animal science major my freshman year] so why the hell are they being fed corn and soybeans? You have start asking yourself, what's been done to this food on my plate, and what is that doing to my body, my cells, my metabolic processes??  We are the experimental generation.  When modern farming started making these changes, there was no body of research that extended 30 and 40 years back--we're the lab rats. 

Its' More Expensive for a Reason

• Organic food supply is limited as compared to demand
• Production costs for organic foods are typically higher because of greater labour inputs per unit of output and because greater diversity of enterprises means economies of scale cannot be achieved
• Post-harvest handling of relatively small quantities of organic foods results in higher costs because of the mandatory segregation of organic and conventional produce, especially for processing and transportation;
• Marketing and the distribution chain for organic products is relatively inefficient and costs are higher because of relatively small volumes.

This is a hot topic, and there's a lot of stuff online, here are a few articles you can browse through to make up your mind

Forbes Magazine--Organic Food: Behind the Hype

Mind Mart--Going Organic

FAO-United Nations--Organic Agriculture

Conclusions

I'll admit some of organic trend is pure hype, like organic cookies...while on one hand they're made with organic butter and organic chocolate [which are also probably fair trade, apparently most commerical chocolate is picked my African and Brazilian children for slave labor--damn you snickers!] but at the end of the day its a cookie, full of butter is love and sugar.  I'm just sayin' cookies are one of those items you should limit your intake of, and if you're going to take the calorie plunge, you might as well get it at a better price right? I would apply this as a rule of thumb for any processed foods or fatty/sugary treats.  I would never advocate doing all of your grocery shopping at Whole Foods aka Whole Check. But there are some non organic items I won't go near, mostly milk, apples, and potatoes, see more in this article. I really want to switch to organic berries because If you hadn't noticed, I like to garnish my booze (and water!) with fresh berries, but they cost twice as much as regular berries and they don't exactly have the shelf life of a bag of potatoes. I have to pick and choose my organic foods--but as my earning power grows, so will my organic food selections.

*One more thing of note* if it doesn't have the USDA organic seal on it (pictured above), IT AIN'T ORGANIC. "All Natural" and similar terms are not regulated by the USDA and therefore mean absolutely nothing. So just in case you do choose to get down with the organic get down, don't get taken for a ride...

As far healthy eating is concerned, there's a lot of confusion about what constitutes "a healthy diet". My best advice is eat your damn vegetables (spring mix and potatoes don't count), drink lots of water, limit things that you KNOW are unhealthy (fried foods, processed foods, high sugar foods) and everything else in moderation. Granted I know its not necessarily that simple, but you don't have to eat like a rabbit to be healthy, and those "fat free" cookies aren't health food either, ya dig? But that's not with this SBW post is about--maybe next time around.

So have I convinced you to go organic, or at least swayed you towards appreciating organic foods? Any Topic Suggestions?

Soapbox Wednesdays: Caffeinated Calorie Bombs

It's that time of year again--hold that thought, it's the middle of May and its grey and 66 effin degrees outside! It's supposed to that time of the year where 70+ temps, sunshine, and iced coffee drinks are the now part of your daily routine, wtf man?!  Inevitably, the sunshine will show its face and when it does, I imagine there will be dancing in the streets, inappropriate sunbathing, and the guzzling of ice cold drinks by the gallon. If I were a betting woman, [which I'm not because I don't believe in the concept of me surrendering cash without a guarantee of receiving shoes, food, or booze in return] I would put my money on 99% of those beverages NOT being water. And if you know me well, you know how I feel about that. And if you don't know me well, I'll say it for you now, that I LOVE water, and you should drink more water, because it nourishes your insides! But I'm also no fool, summer is just 'round the bend, and everyone deserves to enjoy a cold non-water beverage every now and then. Just be wary of potential calorie bombs when you do indulge in those ice cold drinks, your waistline may spite you if you don't.

*on my soapbox now*

We've all done it. We've strolled into Starbucks on Dunkin' Donuts on a hot day, and ordered a grande Iced Caramel Machiatto with EXTRA Caramel. OK, maybe you didn't get extra caramel [don't judge me!] I don't count my daily calorie intake, but that doesn't mean I'm OK with drinking 230 calories, 6g fat, and 30g sugar in just 16 oz of "coffee". I need to save my liquid calories for beer and martinis! [I'm being very serious]. That medium Iced Mocha Spice Latte from DD is no better. First off, a medium is 24 oz, and it packs in 330 calories, 9g fat, and 48g sugar....um really, DD?! What really sucks is that I'm pretty sure the calorie count for my favorite pastime only includes 1/100 of the amount of caramel they really give you, not including my inner fat girl asking for extra caramel.

Don't get me started on those blended coffee drinks! Whipped cream is damn near irresistible, add it to the top of  blended milk, ice, and espresso and drizzle it with caramel (or chocolate) sauce, and what you have is a recipe for disaster [or diabetes]. I just love the Caramel Frappachino [yes, caramel again, don't judge me!], but apparently it doesn't love me! A 16oz grande nets 390 calories, 15g fat, and 59g sugar. [saying that out loud just broke my caramel loving heart!] But the reality for you DD fans makes me feel a little bit better. A 24oz "medium" Vanilla Bean Coolata packs a heart stopping 650 calories, 9g fat, and 129g sugar! Can you say it with me now, "GOTDAMN!"

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. There are a lot of liquid calorie bombs out there, and I prefer to eat my calories rather than drink them.

So what's a caffeine junkie to do on a hot day? First and foremost, if it looks like dessert, its topped like dessert, or can its so thick you can eat it with a spoon, just avoid it (or prepare to avoid dessert for the rest of the summer).
Stick with a plain ol' iced coffee or espresso with milk.  Jazz it up with 1-2 pumps (no more than 2 pumps!) of your favorite flavored syrup [like caramel] in place of sugar.  Tell the barista to go easy on the sugar/syrup and milk. For all you DD lovers, its in your best interest to just add sugar and milk yourself--Lawd knows they are heavy handed as a mug in DD.

My personal favorite and go-to iced drink is a grande Starbucks Double Shot on Ice, with 2 pumps of syrup, easy on the milk!  Its an espresso based drink, so I can get my caffeine fix, and I keep it light on the milk because milk doesn't like my stomach! And its a guilt free indulgence. Its not officially on the menu anymore, [they still make it if you ask for it] so I don't have an exact calorie count on it, but it less than 130 calories, less than 4g fat, and less than 10g sugar. You just can't beat that!

For you DD folks [I'll still be your friend in spite of you having bad taste in coffee, lol] a 16oz "small" iced coffee with cream and sugar has 90 calories, 1g fat, and 19g sugar.  Not too shabby.

Merry Soapbox Wednesday!