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Nutrition

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More on Drinking Water

by jughandle March 19, 2020

written by jughandle

Are you like millions of people and have just realized that you need to drink more water? Are you one of those walking around with a bottle of water to keep hydrated? Sorry to inform you, but you are behind the times, and are now part of the problem and not the solution you may have believed.

Our Body

I posted the first version of this article 7 years ago. It seems that nothing has changed.

Our bodies are 2/3 water. Drinking water is critical to the function of all our organs, yet we don’t seem to care where our water comes from. The Natural Resources Defense Council tested 1000 bottles of water. Surprise, they discovered that 1/5 or around 22% of the brands tested contained contaminates above the legal, state of California, and public health levels. Arsenic was in all of them.

Plastic that most bottled water is stored in can break down under temperatures as low as those found in the storage warehouses. Even your own garage can be too hot to store plastic. When water bottle plastic reaches 158 deg F, it will leach chemicals into your water. You don’t warm your food in the microwave in plastic or plastic wrap any more, right? So why drink from the plastic stuff? It has the same result. Picture chemicals dripping into your food and water.

Both, Dasani, bottled by Coke and Pepsi’s Aquafina are just filtered municipal tap water with added minerals for flavor. Considering that tap water is then subsequently bottled in plastic, you’d be much better off drinking straight tap water, and much, much better off drinking filtered tap water.

Plastic Bottles

The plastic our water bottles are made from is called polyethylene terephthalate or PET for short. First of all, PET is produced from crude oil, and it takes a bunch of oil to make it. Roughly 17 million barrels to produce just water bottles, last year alone. Now you now why water is more expensive than gasoline. Secondly, over 90 percent of those 30 Billion water bottles end up in the land fill. YES, ninety percent!

This next statement isn’t radical, or even liberal, tree hugging maybe a little, but certainly logical.

STOP USING AND BUYING PLASTIC – NOW!!! IF YOU CAN’T FIND AN ALTERNATIVE AT LEAST RECYCLE – PLEASE -jughandle

March 19, 2020 0 comment

American Food Blending Drinks Jerry Wooden Nutrition Smoothies Vegetarian

My Morning Smoothie

by jughandle June 2, 2019

written by jughandle

Jump to Recipe

I do have a health concoction in the morning because My Morning Smoothie recipe has a few key ingredients in it that I don’t seem to get otherwise. -Jughandle

What is My Morning Smoothie and why:

Rolled Oats are:

Nutritious.
A Source Of Antioxidants.
Known To Contain a Powerful Soluble Fiber Called Beta-Glucan.
Believed To Lower Cholesterol Levels and Protect Good Cholesterol From Damage.

Ground Flax Seeds are:

Nutritious
High in Omega-3 Fats
A Source of Lignans, Which May Reduce Cancer Risk
High in Dietary Fiber
Known To Improve Cholesterol
Thought To Lower Blood Pressure
Shown To Contain High-Quality Protein
Believed To Help Control Blood Sugar
Filling And Reduced Feelings of Hunger

Blueberries are known to:

Be Low in Calories But High in Nutrients
have the highest antioxidant capacity of all the popular fruits and vegetables.
Reduce DNA Damage, Which May Help Protect Against Aging and Cancer
Protect Cholesterol in Your Blood From Becoming Damaged
Lower Blood Pressure
Help Prevent Heart Disease
Help Maintain Brain Function and Improve Memory
Contain Anthocyanins Which Have Anti-Diabetes Effects
Help Fight Urinary Tract Infections
Reduce Muscle Damage After Strenuous Exercise

Turmeric :

Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds Such As curcumin. Curcumin Is a Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compound.
Turmeric Increases the Antioxidant Capacity of the Body. It blocks them directly, then stimulates your body’s own antioxidant defenses.
Curcumin in Turmeric Boosts Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Linked to Improved Brain Function and a Lower Risk of Brain Diseases
Curcumin Should Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
Turmeric Can Help Prevent (And maybe Even Treat) Cancer
Curcumin May Be Useful in Preventing and Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
Arthritis Patients Respond Very Well to Curcumin Supplements
Curcumin has shown some promise in treating depression.
Curcumin May Help Delay Aging and Fight Age-Related Chronic Diseases

Black Pepper :

Contains Piperine which increases the absorption of Turmeric’s Curcumin by 2000%.

Ginger :

is high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Can Treat Many Forms of Nausea, Especially Morning Sickness
May Reduce Muscle Pain and Soreness
Has Anti-Inflammatory Effects That Can Help With Osteoarthritis
May Lower Blood Sugars and Improve Heart Disease Risk Factors
Can Help Treat Chronic Indigestion
May Reduce Menstrual Pain a great deal
Might Lower Cholesterol Levels
Contains a Substance That May Help Prevent Cancer
May Improve Brain Function and Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease
Can Help Fight Infections

Coco Powder :

Coco Is One Of The Richest Sources Of Polyphenols Which Help With Reduced Inflammation, Better Blood Flow, Lower Blood Pressure and Improved Cholesterol Numbers and Blood Sugar Levels
Has Antibacterial and Immune-Stimulating Properties That Benefit Your Teeth and Skin
Contains Theobromine and Theophylline Which Help People With Asthma
May Have Cancer-Protective Properties
Intake Helps Control Weight
Contains Flavonoids Which Improve Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Improves Mood and Symptoms Of Depression
Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
Reduce High Blood Pressure by Improving Nitric Oxide Levels

Cinnamon :

IMPORTANT Only buy Ceylon Cinnamon Which Is “Known As True Cinnamon”. Most Grocery Stores Carry The Cassia variety Which Can Be Harmful In Large Quantities Over Time. Get Ceylon Cinnamon At Health Food Stores Or On Amazon.
May Cut the Risk of Heart Disease
Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Is Loaded With Antioxidants
May Help Fight the HIV Virus
Helps Fight Bacterial and Fungal Infections
Protects Against Cancer
Has Beneficial Effects on Neurodegenerative Diseases
Lowers Blood Sugar Levels and Has a Powerful Anti-Diabetic Effect
Can Improve Sensitivity to the Hormone Insulin

Almond milk :

Low in Phosphorus, With a Moderate Amount of Potassium
Dairy-Free And Vegan
Lactose-Free
High In Vitamin E
A Good Source of Calcium
Low In Sugar
Low In Calories

Greek Yogurt :

High In Calcium
One serving of Greek yogurt can have up to 21.3 percent of your daily value of B-12
Contains A Protein That Can Repair Damage Done By Exercise
Has A Much Higher Amount Of Protein Than Milk
Is An Excellent Source Of Iodine Which Are Bodies Do Not Normally Store.
One serving of Greek yogurt can have up to 6.8 percent of your daily potassium intake value. Potassium helps lower blood pressure and balance out the sodium levels in your body.
Contains large quantities of Probiotics.

Morning Smoothie

This smoothie is good as an anti inflammatory drink

Course Drinks, Health Drink, Smoothie

Cuisine Health Food

Keyword Morning Smoothie

Cooking Method Blender

Hot/Cold Dish Cold

Course Drinks, Health Drink, Smoothie

Cuisine Health Food

Keyword Morning Smoothie

Cooking Method Blender

Hot/Cold Dish Cold

Servings 2 Serving

Author jughandle

Ingredients

5 oz Almond Milk or milk of choice
3 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt of choice
1 Cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp Flax seed ground
4 Oz frozen mixed berries blueberries,raspberries, blackberries etc - frozen unsweetened
1 teaspoon Turmeric ground
1/2 tsp black pepper ground
1/2 tsp Ginger ground
1 tsp coco powder
1 tsp Cinnamon ground

Instructions

Place the ingredients in a high-powered blender in the order listed: almond milk, spinach, yogurt, oats, berries, turmeric, ginger, and 2 teaspoons honey.
Blend until smooth between each addition
Taste and adjust sweetness as desired.
Enjoy immediately

Notes

Note: healthy breakfast smoothie to kick start your mornings! This easy smoothie is great for kids because you can't taste or see the green.

Other health benefits include a natural immune booster, cold remedy, and anti-inflammation drink.

Nutrition Facts

Morning Smoothie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 254 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 2mg1%

Sodium 113mg5%

Potassium 303mg9%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 25IU1%

Vitamin C 1.4mg2%

Calcium 179mg18%

Iron 2.6mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Informational Links:

Organic Foods

Super Foods We All Should Have

Facts About Caffeine

June 2, 2019 0 comment

All About Health Care Kid Safe Food Nutrition Sugar

Start a SUGAR Detox Diet

by jughandle May 28, 2019

written by jughandle

I want you to join me in a SUGAR Detox Diet.

This diet will be easy. Let’s start with 3 days with the long term goal of 1 month.

-Jughandle

Why you need a sugar detox diet

There is no reason a person with normal body functions should need to eat anything with added sugar. If you just can’t avoid it, which is a reasonable assumption, the World Health Organization says that you should have no more than 6 teaspoons per day. That is 2 Tablespoons.

SAO – Sugar Addicts Anonymous Obvious

You may or may not be addicted to sugar. Only about 10% of the population is. Even if you aren’t addicted you have a sugar problem. Most of us could lose a few pounds, or get that rosy glow back in our cheeks. Do you get a craving? You need a sugar detox diet.

Here are just a few things you will gain on this Diet:

Weight loss: Sugar has calories about 50 per Tbsp. But the worst part is that sugar makes you hungry for more sugar. The more you eat, the more you will want to eat.
More and Better Sleep: Sugar make you anxious and nervous which makes for fitful sleep and less of it. You will notice a difference.
Reduced bloat: Our diet includes Artificial sweeteners which are notorious for causing bloating. You retain water. Artificial sweeteners cause a host of other problems. You should always avoid them.
Mindful eating: Because you are going to need to be aware of what you are eating you will need to read the labels of any packaged food you eat. Not a bad thing anyhow.
Better dental health: Sodas, sugar and other acidic foods cause a bunch of dental problems.
Sustained energy:Do you “crash” around 11 am from a sugary breakfast treat? This diet will help eliminate that crash.
Better Liver Function:The only organ in your body that can break down fructose is the liver.
- It turns fructose into triglycerides (which can damage liver function), free radicals (which can damage cells), and uric acid (which may cause damage to your arteries).
- Sucrose is table sugar, the kind that is added to baked goods, candy, and most foods. Sucrose is composed of a mixture of glucose and fructose. The part that is glucose gets sent to your bloodstream, causing a spike in blood sugar. The part that is fructose gets sent to your liver to be metabolized.

Food labels:

Food labels will change to give us more information and of course information is power. Until they do change you won’t know how much natural sugar and how much added sugar is in a packaged food.

4 Grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. Remember you should have no more than 6 teaspoons or 24 grams of added sugar per day.

The Diet

Easy peasy. Read food labels and avoid anything that has added sugar in it.

Ok, you may have to eat more fresh foods and meats. Just try it for 3 days and let me know how you feel. -Jughandle

May 28, 2019 0 comment

Food Safety Informational Blog News & Opinion

Antibiotic Resistant Staph Infection Found in Grocery Stores

by jughandle May 2, 2019

written by jughandle

This is not another push for you to buy meats organically grown, or is it? You be the judge.

Ranchers inject chickens, pigs, cows, turkeys and other food source animals on a regular basis. The injections of antibiotics and other drugs to make them healthy should make you join the parade.

BECAUSE:

Those are the same antibiotics our doctors give us to fight infections. When we eat them in our food, we introduce unprescribed antibiotics to our system. We develop a tolerance to them and the antibiotics become useless to us over time. Read on – jughandle

Bacteria-Infused Meat Found in Grocery Stores

I’m sorry for this image, but I need to get your attention

antibiotic resistant staph infection

BY LEAH ZERBE

Antibiotic Resistant Staph Infection Found in Grocery Stores

Handle with care: A study found that supermarket meat can house bacteria that could infect your skin.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Previous studies detected nasty, food-poisoning bacteria in supermarket meat. A study published Friday in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases sends the queasiness factor to a whole new level: Half of the U.S. supermarket meat sampled contained staph infection bacteria, including the hard-to-kill and potentially lethal MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection.

The researchers ID the overuse of antibiotics in industrial agriculture as a factor in the rise of superbugs in our grocery store food.

THE DETAILS:

Researchers tested 136 total samples. 80 different brands. Included in the tests was ground beef, also, Chicken breasts and thighs, as well as, ground Pork and chops, along with ground turkey and turkey cutlets.

These test samples were purchased from 26 retail grocery stores in five U.S. cities: Chicago; Washington, DC; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Los Angeles; and Flagstaff, Arizona.

Previous studies have found a strong link between antibiotic-resistant germs and factory farms. This study traces the dangerous bacteria into the food chain.

Results

Close to 80 percent of the turkey products sampled contained staph bacteria. 42 percent of the pork harbored staph bacteria. 41 percent of the chicken and 37 percent of the beef also contained staph contamination.

Nearly all of the contaminated meat harbored staph bacteria RESISTANT to at least one human antibiotic.

WHAT IT MEANS:

At the end of 2010, the Food and Drug Administration released a first-of-its-kind agency report, finding that factory farms use an unbelievable 30 million pounds of antibiotics each year.

Even before the release of that report, scientists and doctors had been waving red flags.

The overuse of antibiotics in farming is threatening human health.

In 2009, Prevention magazine published a special report, “The Superbug in Your Supermarket,” which found similar problems with your standard supermarket-bought meat.

While MRSA was previously linked to hospital-acquired infections, a new source emerged in 2008, linking back to huge hog farms.

The good news is that cooking meat kills MRSA,(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.)

The bad news is just handling the raw meat can give you a serious skin infection, particularly if you have a cut on your hand. And nose pickers, take heed. Wash your hands well after handling meat because MRSA loves to hang in your nasal passages.

What Can I Do Jug?

Find out more about how to protect yourself from superbugs in food.

• Steer clear of CAFO meats. CAFO stands for concentrated animal-feeding operation, a nicer word for factory farm.

These industrial facilities often use antibiotics to speed growth and prevent disease in their crammed conditions. Scientists say overcrowding accelerates the rise of superbugs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that industrial farms account for 70 percent of the antibiotics used in this country. That heavy use is making vitally important antibiotics work less well on humans.

To find safer forms of meat, check out:

Organic meat is more expensive, but it is also more nutritious. If you are strapped for cash, pastured eggs from hens that ate organic feed is a great option to get started

Practice nontoxic, commonsense food safety

No matter where your food comes from, it’s always in your family’s best interest to practice good food-safety advice.

However, do not turn to toxic antibacterial soaps and sprays to disinfect.

They are also linked to the rise in superbugs.

These stories contain safer alternatives:

via staph in meat | Bacteria-Infused Meat Found in Grocery Stores | Rodale News.

May 2, 2019 0 comment

All About Blog Topics Informational Blog meal plans Nutrition Organic

Meals To Your Door

by jughandle April 17, 2019

written by jughandle

How Do Meal Plans Work?

Get meals direct to your door. Everyone loves delicious, healthy home-cooked meals. Usually, most of us don’t enjoy the hassle of grocery shopping, planning unique meals then following complicated recipes. If you have other important things to deal with in you life, you may yearn for an easier way. Time, or lack thereof, can leave you no other choice than to head for your local drive-thru for another fast food dinner. Lately there is another choice.

Meal Plans

One choice is to sign up with a meal sit. Find one that has an app that will save you the hassle and time of planning the meals and creating a shopping list.

For a fee, they will provide you with an app that lets you input a few of the parameters that you need in your meal(s). A team of dietitians will then devise a meal plan for a week, complete with a shopping list. You can use the list to shop yourself or you can skip the grocery store. Send your shopping list directly to Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, Instacart, Shipt and others to have your items collected for you.

Once you get the ingredients you follow a simple recipe to complete your meal.

Pickup And Delivery

Pickup orders for Kroger® Pickup or Walmart Grocery. You order through the app or online and pick up at the store.

Alternatively you can have your food delivered to your door with Kroger’s Instacart, Amazon Prime Now or Aldi’s Instacart. These pickup and delivery services are in selected areas. Click on their links, input your zip code or address, to see if it’s available to you.

There are many other ways to get your groceries if you don’t want to shop yourself.

Meal Kits

Meal kit delivery services send pre-packaged meals that include all of the major individual ingredients and come with easy to follow recipes.

Do hate to cook? Are you a complete novice? You can cook great meals that will have you forgetting about the stack of take-out menus in your junk drawer.

What Types of Meal Plan Services Are There To Get Meals Direct To Your Door?

It’s hard to imagine that you have needs that can’t be met by one of these services.

Vegetarian?-

Sure, not a problem. Meal kits combine fresh, organic, and even locally-sourced produce sent directly to your door. Saving you the trouble of trying to find a store with the premium produce you need.

Most meal kit delivery companies offer extensive vegetarian meal options. The cost is usually the same or less than the meat meal plans. The added advantage is you will be provided with new and interesting ways to make good, health vegetarian meals.

Some companies have more extensive options than others, for example, HelloFresh has a veggie plan as one of their 3 meal plans offered.

Vegan?-

When ordering from a meal kit company, check if it specifically has vegan meal plans. If not, read the fine print and see if you can get what you need from the vegetarian options.

Vegans can have an exceptionally hard time finding new recipes to stretch their animal-free diet. The right meal kits can help.

Gluten-free?-

Gluten-free menu options are very important to many people today and these companies know it. Most meal kit companies know there are many customers that have special needs, including those with celiac disease or sensitivity to gluten. A number of companies also specially-wrap their products in order to prevent gluten cross-contamination.

Again, kit companies are a great way to find new recipe ideas that can keep meals interesting.

Organic?-

The meal kit delivery industry was established in part to provide quality, question-free ingredients especially when it comes to organic food. Most companies highlight their investment in time and money, finding sustainable, organic food. This has become a major selling point for these companies.

Sun Basket, is a USDA-certified organic handler with over 99% organic produce. They deliver meal kits to you ready to cook and assemble in under 30 minutes.

Blue Apron- “Following our step-by-step instructions you’ll experience the magic of cooking recipes that our chefs create with your family’s tastes in mind.” Just one of a number of companies that have partnered with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch to make sure their seafood offerings are sustainable.

Reheat And Eat?-

You can also find companies that cook your meal for you. All you do is heat it and eat it. Freshly is one of those.

Freshly – Chef-Cooked, “Healthy Meals Delivered To You“, has a list of 85 banned ingredients (like corn syrup and preservatives).

Weight loss?-

To lose weight you need healthy high quality food that gives you the nutrition you need without the calories.

Meal kits help you plan out meals ahead of time with interesting, healthy ingredients.

One of the great benefits of using a pre-designed meal plan is that you will learn new recipes and cooking techniques that you can then integrate into your daily life.

This can help you eat healthy at home more often, which can be a great way to lose weight, even without a rigid diet.

Stricker?-

If you’re looking for a strict diet meal plan, companies like NutriSystem or BistroMD can provide you with dietitian planned meals sent to your door which are designed specifically to help you eat healthier and lose weight.

Paleo?-

Generally, the paleo diet focuses on meat, fruits and vegetables, cutting out breads, dairy and sugars.

A number of meal delivery companies offer menu items which are suited to the paleo diet.

SunBasket takes it further, offering more than 120 Paleo meals that feature high-quality lean meats.

Even if a recipe doesn’t specifically say it’s paleo, all you have to do is look at the ingredients. Judge for yourself, to see how it matches up to your requirements.

Youngsters In The Family?

With Martha & Marley Spoon,(yes, that is Martha Stewart) you can order 2-person or 4-person “family boxes.” Just filter the menu options specifically for ones that are “kid-friendly.”

SunBasket says “Our Family Menu makes things simple. Choose from 6 delicious kid-friendly recipes each week with Chef’s Choice and Vegetarian Meal Plan options. All recipes are portioned for 4 adults with leftovers for families with younger children.”

April 17, 2019 0 comment

Additives All About Blog Topics Food Safety Nutrition Organic

Organic Shopping is catching on!

by jughandle April 15, 2019

written by jughandle

It’s working, organic shopping is catching on. You and yours are spending over $30 billion per year to avoid toxins in your food and over half of that spending is for organic food.

Other things to look for

In addition to the organic vegetable isle, you should be also looking for organic food in places you wouldn’t necessarily think of.

Hormone-Free Desserts

Normal ice-cream is produced from cows that are fed antibiotics, hormones, genetically engineered corn and soy.

Look for ice-cream labeled organic. The cows will have to been fed a natural diet of grass and hay. Their fat will contain heart-protecting and cancer preventing fat called CLA or conjugated linoleic acid.

Cage free chicken eggs

Most eggs found in your store are from chickens that are crammed into a small cage and fed hormones and antibiotics to make them grow quickly. To prevent disease they are sprayed with insect spray to keep bugs off of them.

The sales of organic eggs have doubled in the last few years. Cage free and organically fed chickens are happier and produce healthier more nutritious eggs.

Not Just Food

Shampoo and skin care

It seems like just yesterday, the local news was informing us that women apply over 80 different chemicals to their bodies daily. Men only 30.

I won’t list them all here but the most shocking to me was that lipstick contains lead.

Yes, lead!

You are putting lead in your mouth, or at least on your mouth.

Shampoo is just as bad. Look for organic products with skin care too.

NATURAL or ALL NATURAL means absolutely NOTHING!

Toxic Ingredients In Our Skin And Hair Care Products

Here is just a taste of what you are getting:

Isopropyl Alcohol– inhalation or ingestion of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis and coma.

Mineral oil-

Baby oil is 100% mineral oil. This commonly used petroleum ingredient coats the skin just like plastic wrap.

The skin’s natural immune barrier is disrupted as this plastic coating inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb the natural Moisture Factor (moisture and nutrition). The skin’s ability to release toxins is impeded by this “plastic wrap”, which can promote acne and other disorders.

Skin function is slowed down and normal cell development hampered, causing the skin to prematurely age.

This is an abbreviation for poly-ethylene glycol that is used in making cleansers to dissolve oil and grease as well as thicken products.

PEG –

Because of their effectiveness, PEG’s are often used in caustic spray-on oven cleaners and yet are found in many personal care products.

PEG’s contribute to stripping the natural moisture factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially carcinogenic.

Propylene Glycol –

Basically antifreeze. There is no difference between the PG used in industry and the PG used in personal care products.

Used in industry to break down protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of) yet it is found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after shave- deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpaste.

also used in our food

It is also used in food processing. Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this toxic substance.

The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, as PG has systemic consequences such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities. Consumers are not protected. There a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than that in most industrial applications.

safer?

Even though PG is a safer replacement for Ethylene Glycol, which causes kidney and liver damage if consumed by humans or animals. It is far from safe.

in our pets food

Propylene glycol is a controversial additive now used to help preserve the moisture content in some commercial dog foods.

You may already recognize this chemical for its more everyday use — as the key component in newer automotive antifreeze

dangerous for cats yet still in dog food?

Because it has been proven to cause,
Heinz body anemia, a serious type of blood disease in some animals propylene glycol has been banned by the FDA for use in cat food.

But unfortunately, it can still be used to make dog food.

It is probably safe — in small, infrequent doses.

Yet unlike most humans who are inclined to vary their diets with each meal, dogs are typically fed the same food on a perpetual basis — meal-after-meal, every day for a lifetime.

And it’s that continuous exposure to a synthetic substance like propylene glycol that tends to cause problems.

Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) –

Used as detergents and surfactants, these closely related compounds are found in car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers.

Yet both sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) are used more widely as one of the major ingredients in cosmetics, toothpaste, hair conditioner and about 90% of all shampoos and products that foam.

According to the American College of Toxicology both SLS and SLES can cause malformation in children’s eyes.

Other research has indicated SLS may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.

It is possibly the most dangerous of all ingredients in personal care products.

Research has shown that SLS when combined with other chemicals can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens, which causes the body to absorb nitrates at higher levels that eating nitrate-contaminated food.

” According to the American College of Toxicity report, “SLS stays in the body for up to five days…” Other studies have indicated that SLS easily penetrates through the skin and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain.

Chlorine –

Doris J. Rapp, M.D., author of Is This Your Child’s World?, says that exposure to chlorine in tap water, showers, pool, laundry products, cleaning agents, food processing, sewage systems and many others, can affect our health.

Chlorine contributes to the development of asthma, hay fever, anemia, bronchitis, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium, diabetes, dizziness, irritation of the eye, mouth, nose, throat, lung, skin and stomach, heart disease, high blood pressure and nausea.

It is also a possible cause of cancer. Even though you will not see Chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair.

and it goes on and on – jughandle

April 15, 2019 0 comment

Additives All About Blog Topics Food Safety Informational Blog Kid Safe Food Nutrition Sugar

More about SUGAR

by jughandle March 31, 2019

written by jughandle

Previously discussed, sugar is the bane of our existence. “Can’t live with it, can’t live with out it”. Since almost everything either has sugar in it or breaks down in our body (carbohydrates) to form sugar, we should avoid excess sugar intake when ever we can. I provide the following information about sugar as a FYI blog. This information comes from Prevention.com and a recent article written by Mandy Oaklander called, “10 Sneaky Names for Sugar“. All of the following images are from the same article. If you only read one, become enlightened, read the first one. . – jughandle

1. Sucrose

What’s the anatomy of a sugar? Let’s start with table sugar, one of the most common. The scientific name is sucrose: That’s half glucose (starch) and half fructose (sweetness). You might also know it by “cane sugar,” which is 100% sucrose.

All of your organs are capable of metabolizing glucose, unfortunately, fructose is metabolized by your liver alone. Robert Lustig, MD, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, in his forthcoming book Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease.

In other words, fructose taxes your liver. And it’s in every caloric sweetener, from white sugar, to cane sugar, to beet sugar, to agave nectar. It also pops up on food labels by itself.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

2. Evaporated Cane Juice

Sounds healthier, right? Don’t believe the babble. Evaporated cane juice is little more than a dressed-up name for straight-up sugar.

In October 2009, the FDA issued a guidance statement about the term, evaporated cane juice.

The FDA’s current policy is that the term‘evaporated cane juice’ should not be associated with sweeteners derived from sugar cane syrup.

They believe that the term ‘evaporated cane juice’, suggests that the sweeteners are juice,” the guidance says. But in reality, evaporated cane juice isn’t even a liquid.

The FDA recommendations aren’t binding. Still, the yogurt company Chobani is under legal fire for its simultaneous use of “evaporated cane juice” and its claim of “no sugar added” products, reports Food Navigator. The lawsuit, brought by a California woman, accuses the company of violating federal law.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

3. Agave Nectar

Another “health” food favorite, agave nectar, touted as a natural sugar and used in natural baked goods, around the globe.

Agave nectar is higher in fructose than cane sugar.

In fact, says Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona,

agave is 85% fructose. Agave’s probably one of the worst, Dr. Weil says. Not only is it not healthier for you, but it also doesn’t even contain more antioxidants or minerals than other types.

However, it does have a lower glycemic load than other sweeteners, so it causes a less drastic spike in blood sugar. It is so sweet that you may use less of it.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

4. Fruit Juice Concentrate

No matter how healthy your juice looks, chances are good that added fruit juice concentrate is in there.

Check labels of juice, flavored yogurt and any other processed food for grape, apple or any other kind of fruit juice concentrate: It’s all too often there. Also look for it in snack bars, applesauce, and other fruity edibles.

Concentrate is formed when the water is removed from fruit juice. What’s left? We’ll give you one guess. Yup, sugar.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

5. 100% Fruit Juice

But what about an organic, natural, no-sugar-added, 100% fruit juice? No concentrate, no problems, right? Sorry to ruin your breakfast, but you might as well go ahead and skip this OJ and have a Snickers.

Whole fruit is good for you, says Dr. Lustig, because it contains lots of fiber. In juice form, which is devoid of fiber, sugar’s sugar—even if you juice it yourself, straight from fresh fruit. “It’s all the same,” Lustig writes of sugar’s many names and forms in his forthcoming book, Fat Chance. “The vehicle is irrelevant; it’s the payload that matters.” By this definition, your 100% orange juice is worse for you than soda: The former contains 5.8 teaspoons of sugar per cup, while soda contains 5.4.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

6. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

Study after study has shown that high fructose corn syrup, made from processed (and usually genetically modified) cornstarch, is technically no different from sucrose. But some research shows that HFCS generates a higher blood fructose level, which could have negative metabolic consequences. High fructose corn syrup has been linked to obesity and diabetes.

In 2010, corn refiners petitioned the FDA for permission to start calling HFCS “corn sugar.” They were turned down.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

7. The -Oses

Watch out for anything –ose, lest you sugar overdose. You’ve met sucrose, glucose, and fructose, but did you know galactose, maltose, dextrose, and lactose? They’re all sugars—some of which occur naturally but can be processed in a lab, too—that can be added to processed foods. Eater beware.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

8. Blackstrap Molasses

If you were alive in the 1880s, then congratulations! Not only are you at least 132 years old, but you remember when blackstrap molasses was the No. 1 sweetener in the United States. This natural sweetener is sugar too, but, like most things in the olden days, it was better for you. This viscous syrup contains vitamin B6, manganese, calcium, copper, and selenium. And just one tablespoon of molasses has about 4 times the iron as a 3-ounce white chicken breast, according to the American Diatetic Association’s Complete Food & Nutrition Guide.

Check out the other antioxidant-rich sugars, including maple syrup, here.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

9. Organic Brown Rice Syrup

With a name like that, you’ve got to deserve your health halo, right? Not according to a recent Dartmouth College study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. Brown rice sugar is shilled to the natural food market as a “healthier” alternative to high fructose corn syrup.

Not only is it still sugar, but it may also be contaminated with arsenic.

The study found high levels of arsenic, which is linked to cancer and chronic diseases in processed foods sweetened with organic brown rice syrup.

We’re talking energy bars, cereal bars, and even baby formula. (To protect yourself, you’ll want to take a look at our list of 10 Ways to Avoid Arsenic In Your Food.)

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated October 2012

10. …and so many more

Barley malt, golden syrup, diastatic malt, diastase, treacle, panocha, sorghum syrup—we couldn’t get to all of you, but that doesn’t mean you’re not lurking in our processed foods, too.

Besides scouring ingredients lists, the key to monitoring your sugar is determining just how much each serving contains. How? Check the nutrition label for total grams of sugar, and divide that by four (each teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 grams.) That’s how many teaspoons of sugar are really in your cookie, your ketchup, and your no-sugar-added fruit juice.

Published October 2012, Prevention

Updated January 10, 2018

March 31, 2019 0 comment

Diets Health Care How To Informational Blog Nutrition

Let’s get started Living better

by jughandle March 12, 2019

written by jughandle

Alright Fat Farmers, let’s get started living better by getting all the hoopla out of the way and start becoming more healthy today.

We’re going to start slowly by making only two changes;

Promise to eliminate all processed food.
Eliminate any food that has more than 3 ingredients

Nutrition Label Breakdown

The ingredients list shows these things:

Serving: Tells you the number of ounces, grams, or milliliters in each serving, and the number of servings per container
Calories: Shows the number of calories in one serving and how many of those calories come from fat.
Highlighted Nutrients: Provides the amount of the nutrient in each serving, which includes fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar,and protein. Existing Percent DV’s can be found to the right of the nutrients in this section.
Vitamins & Minerals: Shows what percentage of the recommended daily value of vitamins and minerals are in each serving.
Daily Values: Explains the percentage of Recommended Daily Values each nutrient provides.
Ingredient List: Appears below the Nutrition Facts Panel and lists all ingredients in the product in order by weight, with the heaviest ingredients coming first. Ingredients are what supply the nutrients and provide other product attributes such as texture, etc.

It Really shouldn’t be that hard. How important is your health anyway?

Now, if you are really serious you aren’t going to look back. Go to the pantry and either finish off (“waist” not, want not) or throw it all away. Yes ALL of the snack food you have lingering there (potato chips, crackers, chocolate bars, candy etc, etc).

Do It !

We are going to have 3 or even 4 meals per day and at least 2 snacks in between.

You won’t starve, trust me.

Breakfast:
Start the day by having eggs and bacon or sausage. Protein will fill you up and stick with you. No toast today. Orange or tomato juice or water and or coffee or tea.

Lunch:
Eat at Subway if you have one near by. Have one of their salads or even a sandwich on wholewheat. Get one of the ones rated around 500 calories.

Drink water, not soda, especially not diet anything.

If you are hungry in between meals have an apple, tomato, celery, or even a pickle.

No carbs for snacks!

What we are shooting for is protein in the morning that will stick to your ribs and not turn to sugar quickly. This should easily hold you until lunch if you don’t put sugar in your coffee.

A nice hardy lunch will maintain your energy until dinner. If you are tired and hungry eat some fruit in between.

Can you see, this really isn’t that hard, you just have to want to. We will get more adventurous in the near future. Start simple, don’t cheat, please.

If you find yourself cheating a lot, you really need more help than I can give you.

Either give up and stay fat, cheating your family out of having you around in the future, or get professional consulting.

Let me also explain that our goal is NOT to lose weight, but to be HEALTHY. The weight loss will follow.

SUN DRIED TOMATO CHICKEN BAKE by Sarah Fargoso

Dinner:

Try this recipe and let me know what you think. You can have it with a simple salad and home made dressing or oil and vinegar (better yet, lemon and a little olive oil). Drink water or the wine you cook with. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.

Baked Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This will be an easy dinner for the whole family to participate in making.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Sun Dried Tomatoes, Tomato Chicken Bake

Protein Chicken

Cooking Method Baking, Stove Top

Hot/Cold Dish Hot

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Sun Dried Tomatoes, Tomato Chicken Bake

Protein Chicken

Cooking Method Baking, Stove Top

Hot/Cold Dish Hot

Servings 4 people

Author jughandle

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

1 lb (453.59 g) chicken breasts boneless, cut into 4 oz portions
1 oz (28.35 g) olive oil
1 whole (1 whole) onion A medium yellow or white sliced thin
1/2 c (55 g) sun dried tomatoes chopped, (not packed in oil)
1/4 cup (60 g) white wine
3/4 cup (180 g) chicken stock home made if you've got it, low sodium if you don't
1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Dry the chicken.
Place an ovenproof skillet over moderate heat.
Add the oil to the skillet when it gets warm.
When the oil is hot, add half the onions to the pan and place the chicken in the pan with the onions.
Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes or until it will release itself easily from the pan, then flip to cook the other side.
Continue to cook for 4 minutes.
Stir the onions to keep from burning.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Place remaining onions and tomatoes over the caramelized onions in pan.
Allow the onions and tomatoes to sweat in the pan for 3-4 minutes.
Reduce heat and add wine to deglaze the pan.
With a spoon stir the pan to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
This deglazing technique will remove the flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan and release it to the vegetables.
Put the chicken back into the skillet.
Add stock just until the liquid level reaches halfway up the sides of the chicken.
Season with oregano and pepper to taste.
Cover with tight fitting lid and place in oven.
Bake 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 258 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 74mg25%

Sodium 231mg10%

Potassium 949mg27%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 155IU3%

Vitamin C 6.8mg8%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Enjoy.

No ice cream tonight. Promise! – jughandle

March 12, 2019 2 comments

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