Winners!!!

Everyone loves to be a winner!!

Here's the list of winners for our first product give away & guest blogger opportunities. 

Cascadian Farms® Fruitful O's- Angie

Kashi® Cereal Bar in strawberry- Marquita

Nature's Path® Organic Toaster Pastries in blueberry- Kim

Burts Bees® - Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion- Alex

Burts Bees® - Radiance Body Lotion- Jessica

Thanks to everyone who entered. I can't wait to read your reviews. Our next give away will be the end of November.

Until the next post... 

So Exciting... freebies!!!!

It's our first give aways & guest blogger opportunities. Listed below are the products up for grabs this time around. Look at the list, read the ingredients, consider if this is something you or your family would like to try. Everyone can list up to 2 items that they would like to try. All entries will be listed in a data base & drawn by random.org. If you are picked, I will ship you one product to try. The only thing I ask in return, is that you write a small review on the product so that I can post it on the blog for others to read. Sounds like fun right?  So let's get started....

Food Items

Cascadian Farms® Fruitful O's- (note: this contains wheat & may contain soy & sesame ingredients)



source: www.cascadianfarms.com

 Kashi® Cereal Bar in strawberry- (note: this contains wheat & soy)

source: www.kashi.com

Nature's Path® Organic Toaster Pastries in blueberry- (note: this contains wheat & dairy)

source: www.naturespath.com

Personal Care- For these products, I want someone who can compare them to their regular products you use, so if you use body lotion on a regular basis, please feel free to put your name in for one of these...

Burts Bees® - Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion

source: www.burtsbees.com

Burts Bees® - Radiance Body Lotion


source: www.burtsbees.com

 So how do you enter?  It's easy, join the blog on the right side via e-mail, comment on this post below & list the 2 products you would like to try the most (please make sure to leave your name or the begining of your e-mail address that you used to join so I know who to contact). If you want, you can list in order of which you would like more. If your name is picked, you will get one of the 2 products you listed to try. I'll shoot you an e-mail asking for your address & once you receive it, use it, eat it, try it & then write your review. The drawings will take place on Monday 10/31. Simple & Fun!!



What's hiding in your Hidden Valley®....

Let me start off by saying, that of all the ingredients I've researched so far, this is by far the most widely used & the most hotly debated…. 

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid or EDTA is a synthetic chemical & is not an “organic” naturally made one.  It’s produced as several forms of salt, most commonly listed in products as Disodium EDTA & Calcium Disodium EDTA.  It can also be called Diammonium EDTA, Dipotassium EDTA, EDTA, HEDTA, TEA-EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tripotassium EDTA and Trisodium HEDTA.  Disodium EDTA is widely used in cream based foods, processed foods, cosmetics, personal care items & household cleaning supplies to dissolve limescale & help with hard water spots.  It has a wide use in the industrial world & is released into the environment in large quantities because of this use.  Its environmental impact has been shown as being toxic, carcinogenic & mutagenic, or capable of producing mutations in live offspring.  As for some medical uses, EDTA is used for chelation therapy (removing metals from blood like lead poisoning in children) & anticoagulant in donated & transfused blood.

 

The Dept of Health and Human Services (DHH) advises that it is unsafe to consume more than 3 grams of EDTA per day. The FDA measures it’s use in food as ppm’s (parts per million), so it’s hard to actually measure how much EDTA is in any give product, but over consumption can lead to the depletion of vitamins & minerals in the body as well as cause liver & kidney damage.  Doctors suggest that people with liver or kidney problems avoid eating or using products with EDTA as it can make liver & kidney disease worse. There is also some concern that EDTA might increase the risk of seizures in people with epilepsy, might make heart rhythm problems worse & might interfere with blood sugar control because it can interact with insulin in people with diabetes.

In food & beverages it is commonly used as a preservative & stabilizer & it protects food from discoloration & oxidation.  Salad dressing, mayonnaise, spreadable margarines, cream based products & soups, canned beans & canned tomatoes are all approved to use EDTA, so let’s take a trip to our local grocery store & see what’s buried in the ingredients lists…

Salad dressings… Hidden Valley®, Kraft® & Ken’s® all have various dressings with EDTA. Instead try Bolt House Farms® or Marie’s® in your produce section.  Also, Newman’s Own®, Drew’s® or Brianna’s® located in the salad dressing aisle. Marie's Creamy Chipotle Ranch is a favorite in our house.

soruce: http://www.maries.com/

source: http://www.briannassaladdressing.com/

Spreadable margarines… Margarines alone are not that healthy for you, even some which seem healthier, like Brummel & Brown Yogurt Spread®, have EDTA. Try Land O’ Lakes Spreadable Butter® with Canola or Olive Oil instead.  Both only have 3 ingredients. We use this in our house & I love how easy it spreads & how well it can be used in cooking & baking, plus it tastes good too.



source: http://www.landolakes.com/



Mayonnaise… this was the most difficult to find in the regular grocery aisle. I couldn’t locate a single common mayonnaise that did not have EDTA in it. You will need to visit your local grocery’s “natural food section” if they do not stock these products in the regular shelves.  We’re lucky enough to have a local Trader Joes, so we use their brand, which tastes just like Hellman’s® to me.

Soups… A lot of cream based canned soups contain EDTA. Progresso® & Campbell’s® both offer varieties that don’t, just make sure you read the label before you buy.

I could list hundred’s of food products that have EDTA, but I will leave it to the few listed above & hope that you will look at labels on everything you purchase, before you buy.  Since this is widely used in health care products, I wanted to divulge a little information about that…

In cosmetics, personal care & skin care products, disodium EDTA is used as a preservative, stabilizer & purifying agent to keep the products free of contamination from metals & to help it retain a longer shelf life.  It also helps the topical penetration of active ingredients in skin care products. The DHH approves its use in baby care lotions & soaps, moisturizers, facial cleansers, body washes/cleansers, shampoos & conditioners, sunscreens/tanning oils, around-eye cream, styling gel/lotions, anti-aging creams, exfoliant/scrub, acne treatment, skin fading/lightener, hair color & bleaching, bubble bath, foot treatment, foundation, sunless tanning, mascara, after shave, perfume, anti-itch/rash cream, eye liner, makeup remover, lip liner, blush, lip balm/treatment, liquid hand soap, eye shadow, antiperspirant/deodorant & a host of other personal care products.  Clinical tests performed by the FDA show that disodium EDTA is non-toxic in the quantities approved for over-the-counter use. They stress that EDTA itself does not penetrate the skin; however, its ability to facilitate penetration means you should be aware of the other ingredients your beauty products contain.

Well, that a lot of information to digest, so I will leave it at that…

Until the next post….

A great way to start your day… A heaping bowl of BHT…

Butylated hydroxytolyene (BHT) or it’s less studied sister butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are “organic” lipophhilc’s or in layman’s terms, they protect food from lipid oxidation, which causes fats & oils to turn rancid. It’s most commonly used as a preservative in cereal, potato chips & chewing gum but is also added to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, jet fuels, rubber, petroleum products & embalming fluid.

In the 1970’s, Dr. Benjamin Feingold studied BHT & established a link between this preservative & increased risk of stomach & liver tumors. After his study, some food industries voluntarily removed it from their products & replaced with the less studied BHA. Both BHT & BHA are considered carcinogens by the U.S Dept. of Health & Human Services. There are also concerns that BHT plays a role in damaging genetic material & red blood cells; impairs kidney, liver & brain functions & induces symptoms of chemical sensitivity.

Let’s back up a minute… BHT is commonly used as a preservative in cereal, but it’s also used in embalming fluid… WHAT????

Okay, now that I’ve gotten over my initial shock & have picked my bottom jaw up off the floor, let’s look at some products to avoid…

You could spend hours on the cereal aisle reading box labels & you’d start to go cross-eyed with all the BHT on the boxes.  Because there are so many, I suggest you read your families favorite cereal box labels & look for BHT or BHA. It’s usually the last ingredient listed.

General Mill®, Kellogg’s® & Post® all use BHT/BHA in almost all their cereals, but there are some they don’t. Here are some to avoid & some to try instead.

Instead of Chex® try Crispix®

Instead of Fruity Cheerios® try Cascadian Farms® “Fruitful O’s” or Very Berry Kix®

source: http://www.cascadianfarms.com/

Instead of Cinnamon Toast Crunch® try Mom’s Best Natural’s® “Toasted Cinnamon Squares” which our local Target carries.

source: http://www.momsbestnaturals.com/

Instead of Honey Smacks® try Malt-O-Meal® “Golden Puffs” in the bag.

Instead of Wheaties® try Newman’s Own® “Honey Flax”.

Instead of Quaker® Life try Barbara’s ® “Shredded Spoonfuls” (this is a favorite in our house).

source: http://www.barbarasbakery.com/

Instead of Cocoa Peebles® try Target’s Market Pantry® Cocoa Rageous.

source: http://www.target.com/

I could go on & on, but hopefully this little list has given you a good starting point in your hunt for cereal without BHT/BHA. Look for these good brands, Arrow Head Mills, Cascadian Farm's, Newman's Own, Mom's Best Naturals or Mother's Best, Enviro Kids by Nature's Path & even a few Post, Kellogg's & General Mills that don't have BHT/BHA.

Remember also to read the ingredients on the backs of cereal bars & granola bars. Both Special K® & Quaker® use BHT. And lastly, when you’re at the checkout & you reach for a pack of gum to help with that dragon breath, read the ingredients, more than likely BHT is added.  Try Lifesavers® instead.

Until the next post…

Don't stand too close to an open flame while eating your cheese & crackers....

Try saying this 5 times fast…..Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ, which is what it’s most commonly referred to, is an organic chemical preservative which is a form of butane (hence buty….) that can be found in pet food, perfumes, varnishes and resins. It is used in food items to slow down rancidness & to extend the storage/shelf life of foods. Most specifically, companies (& most fast food restaurants) add it to the oils used in cooking or making the products. TBHQ is also used in some lipsticks, colognes, moisturizers & other makeup products.

The FDA limits the use to 0.02% of the oil or fat in any single food item. This may not seem like a lot, but it does make you wonder why the FDA has to set limits on an apparently “harmless organic preservative”. Studies on its long-term effects have been contradictory, but it has been linked to potential cancer & DNA damage in laboratory animals. In high doses (between 1 to 4 grams) it’s a carcinogenic that can cause nausea, delirium, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) & vomiting. There’s also speculation that it may lead to hyperactivity in children & may also further aggravate ADHD symptoms & cause restlessness. It’s suggested that it may be responsible for affecting estrogen levels in women.

So after digesting that little bit of scientific information, let’s stop & ask ourselves this question: “Is this something I want to be feeding my family?” I’m sure the resounding answer is NO.  Since this preservative is found in many grocery products to help sustain a longer shelf life let’s look at a few items found in your local grocery store with TBHQ & see what alternate products you could consider.

First, let me get on my soap box for a moment; I think that all companies should be required to put certain ingredients on the front of packages. I know, I know, if they did this, then people wouldn’t buy it, but if people stopped buying it, then maybe they would change the ingredients. I would never buy Jennie-O® turkey sausage because it contains TBHQ, but I applaud them for listing this on the front of the package (listed under Turkey Sausage in gold print it says "BHT, TBHQ and Citric Acid added to preserve flavor"). I wish all companies would do this.

source: http://www.jennieo.com/

So, let’s start with turkey sausage. Instead of Jennie-O®, try Jones All Natural®. My family eats Jones® & it’s mighty tasty. Another alternative, but not as healthy as the Jones® is Banquet Brown-n-Serve® turkey sausage.

source: http://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/

Another thing in your grocer’s freezer with TBHQ is Toaster Strudel®. To me this product is just all around unhealthy. 

Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain® & Special K® bars seem healthy with all the fruit & whole grain, but listed in the ingredients is TBHQ. Try the Kashi® TLC Snack bars. At my local Target, Kashi® bars are only $0.20 more per box. Another alternative is Nature Valley®.

Almost every Keebler® product has TBHQ since they add it to their soybean oil. Try the Pepperidge Farm® Baked Naturals. At Target, the Archer Farms Simply Balanced® crackers are cost friendly & fairly tasty too. Kashi® also makes a line of crackers, but you may need to shop around. The price on Kashi products here in New York varies drastically from one store to another.



And lastly, Kellogg’s Pop Tarts®, I know kids love them, they’re an easy snack, etc, etc, but again TBHQ.  Nature's Path® makes a line of organic, all natural toaster pastries. In our house we use them as a treat & not an everyday snack or breakfast item.

source: http://www.naturespath.com/

My lists could go on & on, but I'll stop here. I hope that this little nugget of information on TBHQ has been educational & informative. Ultimately you will make the final decision as to what your family will eat, but remember as with all dubious additives, it’s best to limit your exposure whenever possible.

Until the next post………..

Hello & thanks for stopping by.....

Welcome to my new blog. Thanks for stopping by!!  I hope that I can help everyone navigate the grocery store isles & explain all the ingredients that are shortened to acronyms & have names that you need a chemistry degree to pronounce.  I will be offering you alternatives to some favorite grocery store items that are healthier, but still will let you stay within your family’s grocery budget.

I know how hard it can be to take your time to read the ingredients on boxes while you have a child in the cart screaming & a child pulling on your pants asking for everything they see. I suggest that you first look in your cabinets at home. Read the ingredients on the boxes or on the items in your fridge or freezer.  Write down the ones that you would like to find a better alternative for your family. If you need help, feel free to ask me & I can hopefully give you some ideas on what to look for in your local grocery store.  I know that not everyone has access to a Whole Foods, Trader Joes or local natural food market, but you’d be surprised at the items stocked at your local grocery store, made by regular companies that are just as good as organic or items sold in the “natural foods” sections.

As you start to make the transition to feeding your family food with better ingredients, don’t fret if little Johnny is having a meltdown at the local Piggly Wiggly over that box of “sugar coated massive preservative loaded goodness” & you breakdown & buy it to give yourself a little sanity. He won’t grow a third arm or suddenly forget how to recite his ABC’s if he eats it.


In the end, I hope that what you gain from this blog will make you feel like the Super Mom that you really are. 

Until the next post.....