Nutrition Tips Blog

Nitrates/nitrite is of the same family.  They are both used to cure meats but nitrites are easier to work with than nitrates. Nitrates are used mainly to make fertilizer, explosives and glass while nitrites are used mainly as a preservative in foods. Both are naturally occurring in nature in our water, certain vegetables etc. and ingestion from normal nitrite/nitrates in nature are nontoxic, but can be very powerful poisons in larger doses and need to be strictly controlled.

But we still eat them, and why?

Because over the last thousand years, man has been using this as a preservative for meat, but so far, NO ONE has found a better solution!  (Or if someone has, we don’t know about it)!

It does several things for meat;

• It imparts a pink color and makes meat look more appetizing and fresh.
• It gives meats a smoked, cured flavor, that’s why we love the taste of bacon so much. It has been tested in taste kitchens, and bacon not cured with nitrite/nitrates, fared very poorly in taste tests, plus they were somewhat grey in color and most people equate that with bad meat (even though it is not).
• It prevents botulism and controls the possibility of food poisoning.

This all sounds great and in all truth a little bit of nitrates in your diet is not going to have necessarily long term effects on your health, but if you eat luncheon meat, hotdogs, sausages and bacon on a regular basis, that is a whole different story.

-    According to the Environmental Health Investigations Branch, one of the problems with ingesting nitrates/nitrites is that it can cause the hemoglobin in blood to change to Met hemoglobin, and this reduces the bloods ability to carry oxygen.  This can be particularly hazardous to infants and very small children as they are much more sensitive to nitrate/nitrites than adults. Ingestion of nitrates turns into nitrite when it comes into contact with saliva and then down trough the intestinal tract.  Adults can change nitrates to nitrites by about 5% while Infants can change them by 10% or more.  For infants, the inability to carry the oxygen through the blood can cause what is called the “Blue Baby Syndrome” had has been known to cause brain damage and death. Adults can have symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, irritability and blue tones around the eyes, mouth, hands and feet.

-    Meats that are preserved with nitrate/nitrites can cause the body to form nitrosamines which has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic. This occurs when the preserved meat has been heated such as cooking bacon or sausages. Tasty but potentially hazardous to your health. Some of the nitrosamines effect can be counteracted by ensuring that your body gets plenty of vitamin C & E and in fact some manufacturers are now adding these to their meats but alas, most are not.

When you eat certain vegetables like spinach, collard greens, kale, celery, lettuce etc., you will naturally be consuming nitrates, but there is a way to tell if it has been grown organically without fertilizers laced with extra nitrates.  The organic vegetables will have a lot less of the bitter taste that you will find with conventionally grown vegetables. It is a good argument for getting kids to eat organic as you may find it a lot easier for them if they aren’t so bitter tasting!  This would be an interesting experiment with your children or spouse for that matter!

To stay healthy, it is best to limit your exposure to nitrate/nitrites!

Food coloring is in just about every type of processed food and is used to give it the color we think is most pleasing. Processing and cooking can change bright colors to dull and the food industry knows that if their foods have a dull appearance, then most people will not find it appetizing and choose to eat something else!

This is not surprising because in every aspect of our lives, we instinctively choose the healthiest and best for ourselves. We instinctively choose the healthiest mate, the best place we can live in, the cleanest water to drink and the brightest healthiest looking food. It is how we strive for optimum survival. Just watch any small children and see what they instinctively grab for.

The FDA allows two types of food coloring, dyes, which are powders or crystals that are water soluble, and what they call, lakes, food coloring that does not dissolve in oil, but rather disperses well and are suitable for fatty foods.

Current dyes allowed by the FDA:

FD&C Blue #1 (blue color)

FD&C Blue #2 (dark blue color)

FD&C Green #3 (blue green color)

FD&C Red #40 (red)

FD&C Red #3 (pink color)

FD&C Yellow #5 (yellow)

FD&C Yellow #6 (orangey yellow)

There have been several other dyes that have been banned. There are however, some food colorings we still use today that have been demonstrated to have some health hazards. (Not surprising since most dyes are made from coal tar or are petroleum based and have no nutrient value). For example;

- The food additive sodium benzoate and food coloring you find in almost all sodas have been linked with hyperactivity in children.

- Blue #1 has been linked with brain tumors in mice.

- Red #3 has been linked with thyroid difficulties when tested in rats.

- Yellow #6 has been linked with adrenal and kidney problems and has been tested as slightly carcinogenic.

For almost as long as man has been on this earth, he has used natural food dyes like red beets and green chlorophyll. The food industry has however opted for the cheapest ingredients that will give the most profit, and that is good business for them, not so good for the human guinea pigs!

So much attention has been placed lately on the planet going GREEN! How about doing that with food as well!

Sodium benzoate is a form of salt that occur naturally in foods such as, apples, cranberries, plums, most berries, dairy products, potatoes, beans, soy and nuts. It is also found in spices like nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Eating it in its natural form in foods would be almost impossible to overdose on it. But in this article, we are addressing sodium benzoate, the chemical (a crystalline substance) that is used as a preservative in processed foods.

This food preservative is found in many processed foods because of its ability to kill yeast, bacteria and fungi and this prolongs the shelf life of many food products.

Sodium benzoate is found in acidic products such as vinegar, vinegar type salad dressings, fruit juices, wine and sodas to name a few.

According to the US FDA, 0.1% sodium benzoate in foods on its own is not necessarily harmful but scientists in the UK have discovered that when sodium benzoate is paired up with vitamin C, (ascorbic acid) that it produces a known carcinogen called benzene! They also discovered that it also can damage the structure of DNA. Almost all sodas contain these two ingredients. It was also discovered that when soda reaches room temperature, benzene becomes present. If you chill your soda and feel you are safe, consider this, all these sodas have been transported and you have no way of knowing if your soda bottle ever reached room temperature or warmer.

If you want to avoid the duo of sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid, you must read labels because ultimately, even though it is on the shelf in our stores, we are responsible for our own health!

There are hundreds of different enzymes but to simplify things we are going to talk about three of them.

Amylase;

This enzyme breaks down carbohydrates (sugars and starch in fruits, vegetables, wheat, dairy etc.) and converts them to sugars or glucose.

Digestion with amylase begins in the mouth with saliva when you chew food. This is why you can hear the echo of mother in the back of your mind telling you to chew your food 27 times before swallowing. But she was right. The more you chew, the more amylase you have breaking down carbs for better absorption.

Protease;

Protease is the enzyme that breaks down protein. This is an important enzyme and works with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach to convert protein into amino acids that can then be absorbed through the intestines.

It can also breakdown certain viruses and bacteria and this is an important function because a lack of protease can reduce the ability of the immune system.

Lipase;

Lipase is the enzyme that along with bile, breaks down fat into fatty acids and glycerol. This is a very important function because when fat cannot be broken down properly you can end up with elevated cholesterol and triglycerides and have difficulty losing weight. Although it is easy to consume too much fat, the other side of the coin is that the body needs a certain amount of fats to stay healthy.

These three enzymes breakdown the majority of the foods you eat and are necessary for proper digestion. A lack of any of them can cause problems with your body.

Sometimes symptoms of associated with lack of these enzymes can be confused with something else and you end up not getting the results you wanted.

Something as simple as taking enzyme supplements can resolve issues you may have with your body. Of course you want to check with your health care provider about any enzymes supplementation.

I have always loved the taste of cinnamon, especially around the holidays! So I was pleasantly surprised to come across some research on this delicious spice from the USDA Research Center in Maryland.

When they researched how some foods affected glucose levels in the body, they quite by accident discovered that cinnamon stabilized and even lowered the glucose levels in the body. They were conducting this study with apple pie. They had expected it to spike glucose levels but were baffled when that was not the case. Turns out it was the cinnamon!

The studies they did with rats were very telling. One group were given a low sugar diet and the other a diet high in high fructose corn syrup but with cinnamon. Both groups fared the same even though the high fructose corn syrup should have spiked glucose levels up.

A study done on diabetics also turned up some interesting statistics. The group given up to 6 grams of cinnamon had a reduction in glucose levels by almost 30%! There were no significant changes in the placebo group!

Another study I found on cinnamon was that it is a great anti-microbial! In a 2003 issue of International Journal of Food Microbiology, they did an experiment with carrot broth and a few drops of cinnamon oil. After 60 days, the cinnamon showed itself to be a fantastic preservative. The regular carrot broth was breeding food borne pathogens very quickly despite refrigeration.

So eat up! Cinnamon is good for you!

I found this great blog post on Nutrition Tips for Strength Training It outlines very well how to figure out the amount of carbs, protein, fat and water you as an individual need per your body weight.  There is lots of information on the net but this specific information is worth reading.  As always, one needs to check with their health care practitioner before any new exercise program, but this article is worth asking them about!

A good working digestive system is crucial for nutrient absorption, health and wellbeing. With the obesity epidemic, higher instances of diabetes, and heart disease, indications are that we are doing something wrong, and the need to address it is absolutely necessary now!

The entire digestive process begins when we think of food or see food especially when we are a bit hungry. Without realizing it we start the salivation process to prepare for the food that is to come.

The first stage of digestion, the mouth;

The first job of the mouth is to break down the food via the teeth. The second job is to use the saliva to begin the process of a further breakdown of food. This is accomplished by an enzyme called amylase. The longer you chew the food, the longer it allows the amylase to do its job.

Digestion via the stomach;

Acid is produced in the stomach. Between the acid and enzymes food is further broken down and made ready for the small intestines. The acid in the stomach also has the job of killing off bacteria and some viruses as further protection for the body.

The small intestine;

The small intestine is where most of the nutrient absorption takes place. The pancreas helps by releasing enzymes and the gallbladder helps by releasing bile salts.

The large intestine;

The large intestine takes the remaining mass and extracts the leftover nutrients, the remaining water, and electrolytes for the body to use. Whatever is left is for elimination.

Several things can go wrong;

If you don’t have sufficient enzymes for digestion then you can have a mass of food sitting in the stomach much longer than it should. This causes bloating and an uncomfortable feeling. It can then sit and ferment in the small and large intestine. Bacteria love this situation and feeds off of it. As a by product, the bacteria give off gas and this is also very uncomfortable. Unless addressed, the colon can get layers built up of muck and lays the person open to various diseases.

At this point a person really needs to look at detoxing the colon, liver, kidneys and gallbladder. Taking medication may help somewhat but does not necessarily relieve the underlying problem.

There are several different types of detox such as Hulda Clark method to detox all of these areas.

Once detoxing has been done on these areas, prevention is a necessity, and possibly further body detoxing of various organs.

- One way you can nip it in the bud is at the beginning of digestion, (the mouth) try taking a good digestive enzyme with your meals.

- Also consider taking pro-biotics as this replaces good bacteria that may otherwise be lost from detoxing.

- Electrolytes are also a good idea to keep hydrated.

- A great way to start the day is to drink room temperature water with fresh squeezed lemon. This gives your liver a boost.

- Fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries etc., are great for detoxing and cleansing the body. Not only do they taste great, but they have a lot more fiber in them than eating bran muffins.

- Cranberries have lots of anti-oxidants, plus, bacteria doesn’t like it and will not survive well in it.

- Broccoli and spinach and kale are some of the super foods with their superior vitamin and mineral content. Eat these several times a week and not only will it help flush the colon, it will also supply many nutrients the body needs.

We live in a toxic environment and probably just about everyone may need a good cleansing inside to maintain good health. (Good health on the inside will show on the outside).

In the last decade, study in earnest has been done on a compound in red wine called resveratrol. This is due in large part because North America is dealing with higher numbers of heart disease, diabetes and obesity while our eastern counter parts, particularly France and Italy, have enjoyed the benefits of high fat, high calorie diets without for the most part, the consequences that Americans face when we eat this way. Although there are many factors involved such as MSG and GMO foods, there is one other common thread between the French and Italians that most Americans do not follow. They drink wine with their meals! Even children are allowed small amounts particularly on holidays or special occasions.

Wine has been the beverage of choice for thousands of years. Even today wine is served at the communion rail!

Red wine in particular has been not only a beverage of choice but has been used for medicinal purposes dating back thousands of years. But only in the last decade have scientist pinpointed why red wine is so good for you. It is the resveratrol in the skins of the wine grape, mostly the red because it is fermented longer then white!

Of the many studies done on resveratrol, here are some of the findings:

1. Resveratrol stimulates the longevity gene. In mans early days, they went through feast and famine depending on how the hunt went. It has been demonstrated that lean people can live longer lives. Reseveratrol mimics calorie restriction so even though you may feel satisfied from eating well, your body may be fooled into thinking it has not had much in the way of food. An example of this is the French consuming high calorie, high fat foods with much less damaging effects due to their red wine consumption.

1. Resveratrol in high doses (supplements) have demonstrated that not only can it inhibit cancer cells but that it can reverse the damage of cancer cells, particularly in studies done on breast and prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer, especially with resveratrol supplements taken before, during and after radiation treatments.

1. Reseveratrol has anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. In studies done it was noted that when used topically on skin tumors, they were reduced by a whopping 98%. Although this may be new and exciting in the scientific community, Italy’s grandmas and grandpas will tell you that this is an age old remedy. For whooping cough or trench mouth, a gargle of red wine was used, and for skin infections red wine was successfully used topically to address inflammation.

1. Resveratrol also has something in common with the drug, Viagra! They both relax muscles and allow blood flow. Viagra is a drug that has successfully treated restricted blood flow but it has been designed to work only on the smaller blood vessels in the male sex organ. Resveratrol however, has the ability to open blood flow to major arteries as well as smaller blood vessels.

The scientific findings of resveratrol are extremely promising and I am sure we will be hearing more about this in the future.

MSG, otherwise known as monosodium glutamate came to us compliments of a Japanese chemist named Ikeda Kibunae in 1890. At that time, a kelp like plant was used to flavor Japanese cuisine. He was able to isolate and patent the method used to produce what we know today as MSG. Since then, literally hundreds of controlled studies have been done that show the health effects of consuming MSG.

When I discovered how pervasive MSG is in today’s supermarkets, it really explained a lot of things for me.

If you were asked, “do you eat foods that have MSG in it?” your answer, I think, would most likely be NO. But if you are eating processed foods then there is the highest probability that you are in fact consuming it. Even organic foods are not necessarily exempt.

The food industry knows full well that MSG is a flavor enhancer but it is also said to be somewhat addictive. They also know that if the letters MSG appears on a label, then there is a good chance that people won’t buy it. But unfortunately for us, they have a loophole in labeling.

You see, MSG can have as many as 45 different names. Here is a list of ingredients you will see on labels that are always MSG:

Anything that says hydrolyzed, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein

Anything that says autolyzed such as autolyzed yeast

Glutamate

Monopotassium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate

Glutamic acid

Sodium caseinate

Calcium caseinate

Textured protein

Anything yeast

Gelatin

Here are some ingredients that often have MSG due to processing:

Bouillon, beef, chicken or pork

Carrageenan

Barley Malt

Malto Dextrin

Malt extract

Malt flavoring

Pectin

Enzymes

Natural flavorings/flavor

Seasonings

Anything soy

Vegetable gum

Whey protein/isolate/concentrate

Barley malt

Anything fermented

Ultra pasteurized

This list compliments of truthinlabeling.org.

The reason the food industry can get away without saying their product has MSG is because the FDA states that an ingredient MUST BE LISTED BY THEIR COMMON NAME! So the above list must be labeled that way! Such trickery is great business for the food industry but not necessarily good for our health. If you do not have this information then how can you as a consumer make educated decisions on how to feed your family?

Even organic foods can have MSG. You must look at labels to determine if this is a product that you want to purchase. Probably the most common one you will see is “natural flavors”, but they don’t specify what those natural flavors are.

Some people are already familiar with sensitivity to MSG but there may be others that do not recognize some of the symptoms. It can be anything from headaches, weakness, difficulty breathing, fatigue, drowsiness, nausea or intense cravings not long after eating. If you get a headache 10 to 15 minutes after eating that fast food burger, it could very well be you are reacting to MSG.

The point we are trying to make is that you should know what you are eating and the food industry has failed to fully disclose that information. They may argue that all ingredients are listed and that it is up to the consumer to know what they are. Unfortunately, that is the truth. It is up to us to decode the labeling loopholes because they are not going to tell you. Their job is to sell as much food as possible.

If you know what these ingredients are, then you can at least make an educated decision about buying any product!

Chlorinated chickens you say? Your first reaction may be of disbelief or disgust, and it should be! Once again the food industry has hidden this from the public for more than a decade. Here is the low down.

As demand for food increases due to the vast population on this continent, the food industry looks for inexpensive ways around disinfecting food sources. In the case of chickens, its chlorine! Case in point, the large automated plant in California that treats thousands of chickens at one time in their enormous vats. There is approximately one gallon of chlorine per chicken being used to disinfect for salmonella, e-coli and other harmful bacteria.

Had I known all along that this was the case, I wouldn’t have eaten any chickens. The food industry knows that most people would react this way so it was not made public. Instead, they leave it to the FDA to let the public know if the food is in fact safe.

Excuse me, but there is an echo in here! Did you here anything about this? Not me, nor my family and friends. I only heard about it because of Obama’s visit to Berlin, where apparently the US is putting pressure on Europe to lift a long time ban on the US importing its chlorinated chickens.

So far, Europe has not buckle under the pressure and exposed their citizens to this bizarre practice as they have much stricter laws when it comes to all types of food sources.

There are other methods for disinfecting poultry such as using electrolyzed water or ozone therapy to name a few, which do an excellent job of disinfection.

One of my concerns besides consuming the harmful chemical chlorine, is that there is the potential for chickens of ill health possibly making it through the chlorine process and being sold to the public. I have in fact not purchased chickens recently from my super market because of a chemical and foul smell. I’m sure I’m not alone in this!

So where do you get un-chlorinated chickens? This is not necessarily an easy answer. You will need to do your homework and check with your local butcher or health food store, and if they don’t know then you need to insist they find out. It’s you and your family’s health that you need to look out for.

Now that you know, would you eat chlorinated chickens?