Nestle MILO BAR

You will need a magnifying glass & plenty of time to read the very long list of ingredients in a single Milo Bar.

Here is my summary:  
There are 3 additives which often contain MSG- namely maltodextrin (mentioned twice),
                                                                          malt extract (listed twice) &
                                                                          flavour ( also listed twice).
When large amounts of artificially high doses of MSG are consumed we end up with a large quantity of glutamate's in our system. This is particularly harmful to the brain as they may seep through the blood-brain barrier, and excite the neurons (brain cells) which die.
Not only has MSG been linked to the obesity epidemic but it has also been named as a contributing factor in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hyperactivity & learning disorders.

Both additives 341, 471 & 504 have no known adverse affects but 420 (Sorbitol) is not recommended for young children as it may cause gastrointestinal upsets & liver toxicity.
422 (Glycerin / glycerol) may increase blood sugar levels and headaches.

Far too many artificial ingredients- a dense energy bar with very little real nutrient value

IN A NUTSHELL- AVOID

NEW LIQUID BREAKFAST POPPERS

WARNING!

Kellog's have introduced 2 new liquid breakfast options for the 'early morning rush'. They are NutriGrain Breakfast Cereal and Coco Pops Chocolately Liquid Breakfast.

I am astounded and disgusted at the list of ingredients as there are 2 suspected carcinogen's in products clearly marketed at our unsuspecting Mum's to feed to their much loved children.

Carrageenan (407) is not only a suspected carcinogen but is also linked to ulcerative colitis as well as damage to the immune system. Research states that products containing this ingredient should not be given to chiildren as more work is needed. Yet, here it is and the supermarket shelves are packed full of it!

Sodium carboxymethylcellulose - no wonder they just put 466 on the label! 
466 is also a suspected carcinogen as well as being linked to diarrhoea, flatulence & intestinal discomfort.

And, if this is not enough to convince you to spread the word amongst your friends there is another ingredient INULIN, (listed 3rd as vegetable fibre), on which researchers have much to say:

Inulin has been very thoroughly researched because food manufacturers want to include it in many foods. All of the research to date suggests that at no point does the fructose get liberated by our digestive system. We just don’t possess the required cutting shears. Our gut bacteria do, but they use the fructose to fuel themselves rather than us.
Because we can’t digest inulin (directly at least), food manufacturers have managed to convince food regulators the world over (including Australia and the US) to allow them to describe inulin as fibre on food labels (rather than as a sugar, which is chemically what it is).
Manufacturers want to put inulin in our food for one very good reason. Health? No. Flavour? No. Marketing? Yes.

Inulin tastes slightly sweet (and so reduces the amount of other sugars required) but it counts as fibre rather than sugar on the label. This combined with the fact it can be advertised as a prebiotic makes the food sound healthier.

In summary then, fructans are choc full of fructose but our digestive systems can’t get at it directly. Instead our gut bacteria digest it for us. But the fatty acids created by the bacteria do eventually find their way into our bloodstream. And some of the latest research (see the August 2008 edition of Pancreas Journal )- says that fatty acids released in this way may not trigger an appetite suppressing response -unlike normal dietary fat, which does.

 Whether bacteria fill our arteries with fatty acids (when we digest fructans) or our liver does the job (when we digest fructose) is probably beside the point if neither of them trigger a hormonal response that suppresses our appetite.

I’m not happy that we know enough about fructans (and in particular inulin) to be certain that their effect on our bodies is not just as bad as pure fructose.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

ENJOY! 
So much safer than artificial sweeteners & better for you than normal sugar (or even raw ).

Coconut Palm Sugar:   This sugar is the crystallized nectar of the tropical coconut palm tree blossom. It is evaporated and ground into a unique, slightly caramel-tasting, not too sweet sugar alternative.

TOTALLY DIFFERENT SPECIES THAN THE PALM OIL TREE

Not only is Coconut Palm Sugar unbleached & preservative free but it is has a nutritional content richer than possibly all other commercially available sweeteners- protein (12 amino acids) & comparatively high mineral content - potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc & iron.

This sugar has a naturally low Glycemic Index (GI 35)- this is nearly half that of cane sugar (GI 68) and lower than honey (GI 55) and even Agave (GI 42).

A sustainable Power Super food. Replace 1:1 with cane sugar in your tea, coffee, chai ,cocoa or favourite dessert recipes.
Available from your local health food store.

This morning I dissolved a little in the water before cooking my fresh rhubarb. Tastes delicious!

Wrigley's CIRRUS ....A BURSTING BLUEBERRY

WARNING:

This is a Blueberry flavour sugar free chewing gum and as I read the ingredient list for the first time today I was not only absolutely disgusted, but saddened at the fact that this chewing gum, which is wrapped in somewhat striking colours, would appeal to our young children and teenagers.

The last 2 ingredients are 129, Allura Red; & 133 Brilliant Blue. These are artificial colours that are banned in Norway, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden & Austria. This is because they are suspected carcinogen's, are linked to hyperactivity and should be avoided by asthmatics.

In addition to this, there are 4 forms of artificial sweeteners- namely, Sorbitol (420)- linked to liver toxicity & gastrointestinal upsets;
Xylitol (967)- a possible carcinogen plus linked to stomach upsets & diarrhoea;
Mannitol (421)- linked to hyperactivity & kidney damage; and
Aspartame (951)- possible carcinogen, linked to depression, nausea, asthma, hyperactivity & seizures.

SPREAD THE WORD- DO NOT CONSUME.

ROCKET SALAD WITH THREE CITRUS DRESSING

WAIT TO YOU TASTE THIS CITRUS DRESSING!

I recently enjoyed this Rocket Salad with 3 citrus dressing at a local Gold Coast restaurant. Within less than a week I had sourced some recipes for the citrus dressing & was eating it again!

SO FRESH, SO TASTY & SO QUICK TO PREPARE!

INGREDIENTS

Rocket, shaved Parmesan
1/3 C fresh orange juice, 1 Tb fresh lemon juice
2Tb extra virgin olive oil, 1 tspn Dijon Mustard

(optional- thinly sliced fresh pear; small cubes roasted pumpkin; orange segments)

METHOD
1. Place orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil and Dijon mustard together in a clean jar; shake until well mixed.

2. Spread rocket over a long shallow serving dish. ( Optional- add thin slices of fresh pear, or roasted pumpkin or orange segments).

3. Toss citrus dressing through rocket just before serving. Top with thin slivers of Parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!
P.S. It's hard to stop eating this!

FOODS THAT HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

MINDFUL FOOD TIPS (cont):

High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is considered a high risk factor for heart attacks and strokes as well as kidney failure.

Here are a few tips to help reduce high blood pressure:

1. Reduce caffeine intake.

2. Reduce or preferably, eliminate alcohol. Alcohol decreases the body's ability to burn fat by almost 35%.

3. Snacking on raisins three times daily may also help reduce BP. 

4. No margarine or hydrogenated oils. Read product labels carefully as hydrogenated oils are hidden in many everyday foods- e.g. muesli bars, dips, biscuits, cakes, salad dressings etc.

5. Eating 3 kiwi fruit per day may help lower BP.

6. A Florida State University study found that watermelon lowers BP. In addition to watermelon's potassium contribution, they found a specific amino acid that contributes to lowering BP.

7. Don't forget chocolate!  It should be organic and dark or bittersweet without milk and with very little sugar. Yes, it has been researched- there are compounds in cacao that dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure!

The perfect After School snack?

WARNING!

The perfect After School snack!  Maggi Noodles Pk.5 ????

A few weeks ago in one of our major supermarket's weekly specials brochure I noticed an advertisement for Maggi 2 Minute Noodles.
 I couldn't help becoming upset- How many consumers are going to be mislead by this statement and buy this 'industrial novelty' for their children not knowing the effects of the additives in the flavour sachet?

 Not only are the noodles devoid of any nutrient value but the flavour sachet contains 4 forms of MSG (maltodextrin, yeast extract, flavours & onion powder) and 2 flavour enhancers (621, & 635).

These flavour enhancers are particularly nasty- they are toxic to the nervous system and have been linked as a contributing factor in brain tumours, hyperactivity, mood changes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Asthmatics are not the only people who should avoid them - we all should!

MSG & flavour enhancers are called 'excitotoxins'- when they reach the neurons they cause them to become overstimulated. If overstimulated too much, the neurons die. In other words, they kill our brain cells.

Is this the 'Perfect After School Snack' or indeed, is it even suitable for human consumption?

ARTIFICIAL COLOURS REMOVED-SPOT THE DIFFERENCE!

ARTIFICIAL COLOURS REMOVED-  PROOF IT CAN BE DONE!

FOR THE U.K. MARKET!

Today I would like to share with you a remarkable lady whose journey into food advocacy was inspired by the love of her children.
Robyn O'Brien was one of the speakers I recently listened to via the 'Food Revolution Summit' - I posted up the link a couple of weeks ago.

The sudden onset of a food allergy in one of her own children led Robyn to investigate the food her family was eating and where it came from.

Robyn reveals the startling fact that American companies had removed harmful artificial dyes from some of the products they market overseas, but not in their own country!

Kraft, Coca Cola and Wal-Mart reformulated their product lines in other countries and no longer include the artificial food dyes, and they did it in response to consumer demand and an extraordinary study called the Southampton Study.
As Robyn states ' we aren’t asking our corporations to reinvent the wheel, we are simply asking for them to place the same products on our grocery store shelves that they are selling overseas'.

If they can do it for the U.K. market then why not in Australia too?


  SPOT THE DIFFERENCE!

 

Robyn is the author of 'The Unhealthy Truth' and her TED talk may be viewed on You Tube.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all my 'safeeating' Mum's and Grandmother's!

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS-Today I would just like to share a few more of Michael Pollan's eating rules to be 'mindful' of:


1. AVOID food products with the wordoid “lite” or the terms “low-fat” or “nonfat” in their names. Many low and non-fat foods boost the sugars to make up for the loss of flavour. ‘You’re better off eating the real thing in moderation than bingeing on “lite” food products packed with sugars and salt.

2.Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.

3. AVOID foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top 3 ingredients. (barley malt, beet sugar, fruit juice concentrate etc)

4. It’s not food if it arrived through the window of your car!

ENJOY YOUR SPECIAL DAY!

LCMs Golden Joys Corn Flakes Bar

BE AWARE!

There is not alot to be 'joyous' about when it comes to the ingredients in LCMs latest addition to their range- Golden Joys Corn Flakes Bar.
The front of the box states 'No Artificial Colours or Flavours. Is this an accurate description?

In my opinion this is far from accurate & in fact, very misleading.
The average consumer might not bother to read any further than the front of the box; and most would not know that 'malt extract' (mentioned twice), 'flavour' (mentioned twice) and 'maltodextrin' are all sources of processed free Glutamic acid which have the same adverse health effects as MSG.

To make this 'industrial novelty' even less joyous, sugar (or other types of sugar), including fructose, are listed 6 times. 

 SORBITOL (420), which may cause liver toxicity and gastrointestinal upsets is also listed.
Sorbitol is a) not suitable for diabetics, infants and young children &
                b) is supposed to be prohibited in foods for infants & young children when I last checked!

Three types of hydrogenated oils are listed. One particular nasty one is 320 (BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE). Not only is it a known animal carcinogen and a suspected human carcinogen but because of it's ability to disrupt the body's hormone balance it should especially be AVOIDED BY CHILDREN.
Indeed, it's prohibited in foods intended for infants & children.
( Isn't this the job of our Food Authority (FSANZ)?

LCMs are specifically marketed at busy Mum's to be packed in their children's lunchbox.

Hopefully, this knowledge will empower you to make the wise decision & not purchase LCMs for your child's lunchbox.

SPREAD THE WORD!

GENETIC ROULETTE- MOVIE TRAILER

During the past week I haven't been able to do as many posts as usual due to the time it took to listen to 3 radio broadcasts per day from 'The Food Revolution Summit'. I am planning to share with you some of the key information concerning health & well being commencing tonight.

The spread & inclusion of GMO soy & corn throughout our foods is nothing short of alarming. We must demand the clear labelling of such products on our shelves.

Here is a movie trailer of 1 of the movies mentioned during the first day of the summit: Genetic Roulette.
SPREAD THE WORD!

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YELLOW RICE AND RAISINS

ENJOY!

 This dish is a great accompaniment on your dinner plate at night and also serves as a tasty lunch dish the next day (either alone or as part of a salad).

YELLOW RICE AND RAISINS

1Cup organic brown rice                        2 teaspoons organic raw sugar (or organic coconut palm sugar)
1 1/2 Cups water (filtered)                      1-2 Tb organic raisins
1 teaspoon butter                                   1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt

METHOD:
1. Rinse rice and place in a microwave rice cooker ( or, if preferred- add more water & cook by the absorption method in a saucepan).
2. Add all other ingredients and stir well.
3. Cook for approx.8- 10 mins.

May be served warm or as part of a salad the next day for lunch.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

TURMERIC- the 'King' of spices.

Numerous civilizations have been consuming large amounts of Turmeric for centuries as part of their normal diets. In India it has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years.

Curcumin, the principle curcuminoid found in turmeric is considered its most active constituent.
Curry powder contains turmeric along with other spices, but the amount of curcumin in curry powders is variable and often very low.

Human clinical trials are currently being conducted. There is evidence that curcumin may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects and this has renewed scientific interest in its potential to prevent and treat some diseases.

Currently there is data showing that Turmeric can help boost energy levels, cleanse the blood, heal digestive disorders, dissolve gallstones, treat infections and prevent some cancers.

Tomorrow I will post up one of my favourite rice dishes which utilizes Turmeric - a colourful & healthy side dish. (Great for lunch the next day too!)