Semi-Sweet » Articles Of Note

Take Action on BPA

Sarah — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:09:06 +0000

In yesterday’s post, I told you about the SSI/BCF study re BPA in food, and about the 60% decrease in the body burden the families realized when they stopped using canned goods. It caught your attention, right? You’re concerned, no?

Think about that - sixty percent! Over a lifetime, that could amount to lot less disease. It’s a no-brainer: get BPA out of canned food, get BPA out of people.

So what are America’s top canned food manufacturers doing to get rid of BPA in their products?

The Breast Cancer Fund wants to find out and push these companies to protect our health. Would you be willing to take a minute to ask Campbell Soup Co., Del Monte Foods and General Mills (maker of Progresso, Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen) what they’re doing to get BPA out of their food packaging and out of our bodies? It’s a fill-in form, so easy and can be very effective.

Let’s band together to reduce all Americans’ BPA levels by going straight to the makers of canned foods and asking them to stop using BPA.

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Have You Seen The News?

Sarah — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:02:04 +0000

Most of you know I’m all about eating fresh foods, limiting your chemical exposures, yada yada yada. You know I don’t use canned goods anymore at home. Well, listen to this one. The good people at the Silent Spring Institute, along with the Breast Cancer Fund, last week released a small study that showed that food packaging is the major source of exposure to BPA and DEHP in children and adults, and that a fresh food diet reduces levels of these chemicals by half, after just three days. Yowza.

To reduce your exposure to BPA and DEHP, try cooking at home with fresh foods and making some very basic changes in the kitchen, such as avoiding canned foods, choosing glass and stainless steel food and beverage containers, and not microwaving in plastic. You might also want to consider eating fewer meals out, and dining at places that use more fresh ingredients. I know it might be hard . . . trust me, years ago I had to break my daughter of a vicious Campbell’s Chicken Noodle soup habit . . . . it takes time, and it takes imagination, but it can. be. done. And should.

Visit those sites for more information on the study, along with more practical tips on how to reduce your exposure, including this handy wallet card you can take to the market with you. And tell your friends. And if you’re inclined, call your legislators. These results aren’t just dramatic, they should serve as a call to action. Many lawmakers agree that BPA doesn’t belong in canned food or baby bottles, and the companies that make these products should be prepared to come up with safe alternatives – quickly. The study findings suggest that if manufacturers voluntarily reformulated their packaging to remove BPA and phthalates, or better yet, if these chemicals were banned from food packaging altogether, a large portion of the population would experience an immediate reduction in the levels of these chemicals in their bodies. And that’s never a bad thing.

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Guesting!

Sarah — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:25:15 +0000

Hi friends,

Check out the wonderful Macheesmo blog today for my guest post on cultured and fermented foods and why YOU should eat some.

While you’re there, click around and check out Nick’s awesome recipes and lovely photos. Don’t forget to fan him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter!

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If You Read Only One Nutrition Publication

Sarah — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:00:26 +0000

I urge you to make it this one.

I know you’re not all as obsessed with nutrition as I am. But do you have an appetite for a little more information? Something practical and easy to read? Something that empowers you by providing information on current hot topics and foods that “real” people eat like products from conventional supermarkets and items available at chain restaurants? I have a recommendation for you . . . the Nutrition Action Healthletter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). If you’re going to read one health/nutrition periodical, this should be the one.

First, a little background. CSPI was founded in 1971 as an independent non-profit consumer health group. You may never have heard of CSPI, but you’ve felt their impact. From their website:

CSPI’saccomplishments include leading the efforts to win passage of laws that require Nutrition Facts on packaged foods (and, later, to include trans fat on those labels), define the term “organic” for foods, and put warning notices on alcoholic beverages. CSPI also conducted eye-popping studies on the nutritional quality of restaurant meals and movie theater popcorn, helped to increase funding for the government’s food safety inspections and nutrition and physical activity programs, and spurred new policies in some cities and states to remove soda and junk foods from schools. CSPI also helped New York City adopt the nation’s first ordinances to ban trans fat from restaurants and list calorie information on menus and menu boards, and is working with other cities and states on similar measures.

CSPI doesn’t accept government or industry funding, and the Nutrition Action Healthletter accepts no advertising, so what you’re getting in this pint-sized publication (issues top out at around 15-20 pp. maximum) is unvarnished and unbiased. Period.

Why should you spend $24 for 10 issues? Because it’s readable and relevant. Take, for example, the April, 2010 issue. The cover story is about why Americans need to cut down on salt, along with practical advice on how to do it. You’ll see ways to “defuse a salt mine” – namely, how to add ingredients to a typical Chinese take-out dish or the boxed prepared food you get at the supermarket to bring down the sodium content per serving. You’ll see a side-bar with popular menu items from large chain restaurants (think Panera, Olive Garden, Chipotle) along with their sodium content. You will be astounded.

Other features this month include one on probiotics. The article cuts through the advertising hype and gives you the skinny on how to spend your money on probiotic foods and supplements. Another article reveals the sugar and calorie-content of coffee drinks and popular menu items at major chains like Starbuck’s, McD’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. Included here are helpful charts with the calorie, sat. fat, added sugar and caffeine content of popular menu items, along with suggestions for which are considered by CSPI to be a “Best Bites.” You could literally cut these pieces out and tuck ‘em in your wallet for reference if you’re a frequent flyer at any of these chains.

Interspersed with the big articles are news-bites on various hot-button nutrition issues, along with the monthly “Healthy Cook” feature which serves up inspiration for quick ‘n’ easy whole-foods cooking.

I’ve been a subscriber for something like 15 years, and I’m paid up through 2012. I pay for my subscription, and I haven’t been approached by anyone to endorse this publication. I’m inspired to recommend it to you only by my respect for the CSPI and my adoration of the Healthletter’s content. If you’re looking for some nutrition information to chew on, but not too much, this is the pub. for you. Find out more here.

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Sweet Holiday Hotlinks

Sarah — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:48 +0000

Happy Wednesday, friends! Been a long time since I put up some hotlinks . . . . Here’s a nice collection of holiday links for you – focused on sweets. I haven’t tried them, yet, but if you do, will you post in the comments and let us know what you think?

Here’s a great-looking recipe for peppermint cookie bark. (Macheesmo)

This cookie made with pistachios, dried cranberries and candied ginger shouts “Christmas!” (Luna Cafe)

Perhaps you’ll want to loosen your belt and serve The Kitchen Witch’s rendition of Ina Garten’s luscious croissant bread pudding. (The Kitchen Witch)

Go free-form with this fabulous looking cherry almond galette- no hardcore baking skills needed. (The (Wicked) Awesome Whisk)

Here’s a collection of delicious-looking cookie recipes adapted from local bakeries. (Globe Magazine)

And last, but not least, a yummy sweet kugel recipe . . . if you’ve never had sweet noodle pudding, you need to try this one out . . . and you know? It’d be great (yet decidedly not traditional!) with your Christmas ham. (Bitten)

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Hotlinks

Sarah — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:15 +0000

Eeek! A shortage of canned pumpkin! (NYT)

On the road? Here’s a clever and funny fast-food flowchart to help you decide where to stop to eat. (Eating The Road)

Not one, but 2 Brigham’s locations have closed in the last few weeks – High St. in Boston (oh, the memories!) and last week, Mill St. in Arlington. (Wicked Local)

Good suggestions for how to clean your home effectively, without the use of commercial antibacterials and disinfectants. (Healthy Child Healthy World Blog)

Some helpful ideas for feeding your toddler. (Real Food For Real Life)

Mark Bittman’s great list of Thanksgiving make-ahead dishes. The Thai squash soup idea would be a great way to use some of your CSA butternuts, folks! (The Minimalist)

Just another reason to avoid (or at least view with skepticism) foods that have health claims plastered across the front – usually they’re just not true. Here’s a chronicle of Cheerios vs. the FDA. (Fooducate)

And even more on bogus food claims – the Epicurious Blog debunks common claims. (Epiblog)

See how Sigg bottles (boooo! hissss!) are made – including the spraying of that evil lining. Your kids might enjoy this. (Enviroblog)

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Hotlinks

Sarah — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:04:32 +0000

This first link is not, of course, directly related to food and/or toxins, but instead it focuses on another part of healthy living: living out your dreams. This post on achieving your dreams is from the Crazy Sexy Life site, created by Kris Carr, who as some of your know, was the subject of the powerful and inspiring documentary called Crazy Sexy Cancer. But this post isn’t just for people living with cancer, it’s for anyone who might need a little push to remember what s/he would love to do, and who needs a little nudge to start doing it.

Here’s a good little primer on Omega 3′s from Dani Spies – you hear a lot about them, but do you get enough of them? I have taken Omega 3 supplements for years, but also try to work in food sources as often as possible. One other thing you should look for in a supplement is one that has been “molecularly distilled” – meaning that it’s been purified so that it contains no heavy metals . . . . would be kinda a bummer to be taking those with breakfast, no?

NYC has banned bake sales in the city’s schools – making their food policies some of the strictest in the country. One “expert” supporting the decision says that kids don’t need “an extra source of pointless calories.” Now folks, you know I’m all about healthful eating, but what about the pleasure of eating? OK with me to take Doritos and soda out of the schools (Ring Dings too) but what the heck is wrong with a little real butter, sugar and/or chocolate once in a while? This is an awfully utilitarian approach to eating.

Dannon lost a lawsuit filed against it for its claims that Activia yogurt boosts immunity (here’s Tara Parker-Pope’s ditty on probiotics from the Times) . . . what about other health claims? Marion Nestle says NO food should carry a health claim, that foods are not drugs. The European Food Safety Authority recently reviewed a ton of food health claims and found many of them unsubstantiated.

Six reasons why we’re not eating enough fruits and veggies, and some quick tips for how to get more on to your daily plate.

You may have not heard the news yet – after almost 70 years, Gourmet Magazine is folding. Shocking. Peter Davis (Henrietta’s Table) & Ana Sortun (Oleana & Sofra) remember Gourmet. Will all cooking pubs go the way of the Internet and t.v.? I will miss waiting for those glossies to show up every month – sometimes that’s all the “reading” I’m up for in a given week, and I can’t bear to add to my “must-see t.v.” list – the DVR is already packed.

Oooh oooh! Anna Romagnoli (daughter of the couple that did the Romagnoli’s Table t.v. show and were also restaurateurs) is opening an Italian specialties place on Mt. Auburn St. in Coolidge Square in Watertown – practically around the corner from me. I’ll report here once I’ve checked it out.

A nice post on how to eat well when you’re on the go, from the Healthy Child, Healthy World blog. My favorite tip is at the end – preparation is key. Sometimes, yes, you get caught up short and you have to hit a drive-through, but if you can, plan. Nuts, cereal, cheese sticks, even sandwiches wrapped in re-sealable foil (or better yet, a re-usable container) can get you through a hypoglycemic meltdown . . . just ask L., queen of the backseat PB&J.

And last, but not least, Tara Parker-Pope again on the top 10 food poisoning risks. . . lots of my favs in there!

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Hotlinks

Mobile Mania

Sarah — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:08:52 +0000

Cell phone safety is all over the news in the last few weeks. It began after a group called the International EMF Collaborative issued a report warning that cell phones may be more dangerous than users have been led to believe by health authorities. Last week, the Environmental Working Group released their online guide to cellphone radiation. And yesterday, Pennsylvania senator and brain cancer survivor Arlen Specter held a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing to focus on whether cellular phone use causes health problems. At the same time and also in the nation’s capital, attendees at an international conference examined the potential cancer risks of radiation generated by cell phones.

What is going on? The EMF Collaborative report, titled “Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern,” says the latest research indicates that regular use of cell phones can result in a “significant” risk of brain tumors. It also says kids are at greater risk than adults because their still-developing brain cells are more vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation. This study adds to the mounting evidence which indicates we should reduce our exposures while research continues on this question. Consider this: Americans’ use of cell phones increased 50% last year – fueled in large part by the “smartphone” craze. If cell phone radiation is indeed a problem, it’s going to be a really huge problem in the coming years.

Last week the Environmental Working Group received a lot of attention when it released its comprehensive online consumer guide to cell phone radiation, which rates more than 1,000 cell phones marketed in the U.S. The guide is the culmination of a 10-month research review to understand the risks of cell phone usage. The EWG also found that cell phones emit radiation – enough so that scientists are concerned about potential cancer risks. Using their guide, you can:

What else can you do now to limit your exposure? If you need a new mobile phone, it’s smart to buy phones with lower radiation emissions – use the EWG guide to figure out which is best for you. Whichever phone you have, it’s a good idea to keep it as far away from your body as possible. Researchers say using the speaker, sending text messages or talking on a headset all cut down on radiation exposure. Opinions differ on whether a wireless Bluetooth headset poses a risk – some scientists at Monday’s hearing said it could be a problem, while others did not. But they all agreed a wired headset is best. And using any headset means less radiation than if you’re holding the phone directly to your ear. Also try making calls when the signal is high so that the phone doesn’t have to work as hard.

What about your kids? Talk to them about these findings, and help them to limit their exposure: kids actually can absorb twice as much radiation as an adult from the same cell phone. If your kids give you flak, let them know that advisories to limit cell phone use have already been issued by numerous countries and advisory boards including: the UK; Germany; France; Russia; India; Israel; Belgium; Japan; the Toronto Board of Health; and the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Dr. Devra Davis, Director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh has said “Children under the age of 12 should not use cell phones unless in an emergency situation. If they must use cell phones, make sure they connect using a headset.”

Read more in the L.A. Times, Wired, Green Living Online, and at CNET.com.

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Hotlinks

Sarah — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:32:59 +0000

Michael Pollan on Big Food vs. Big Insurance
Training apps for your smartphone
Mark Bittman’s twist on chicken w/40 cloves of garlic
Are you a “foodie,” “cook,” or “home-cook?”
Learn to make a Asian fusion dish with Gwyneth (video!)
What Marion Nestle has to say about BPA

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Menu Idea: Steamed Cod With Ginger & Scallions, Asian Slaw & Simple Chinese Noodles

What Is “Green”? “Natural”? “Organic”?

Sarah — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:20 +0000

If you’re at a loss sometimes, you’re not alone. A recent survey by the Shelton Group showed that nearly 2/3 of the 1,006 U.S. consumers polled try to purchase foods produced in an environmentally friendly way. But the consumers rated “100% natural” as the most reliable label claim, far ahead of “100% organic.” It seems that consumers think that the word ‘organic’ is more of an unregulated marketing term, when really, the opposite is true. ‘Natural’ is an unregulated word – organic foods must meet government standards to be certified as such.

Want to know more? Here is a guide to what the organic certification really means. And here is a good article from the Chicago Tribune that talks about the Shelton Group study and goes further into the confusion regarding food labeling. The Tribune also has a handy-dandy guide to the difference between “organic” and “natural” labeling on a variety of products that you can find here.

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