Trans Fats and Food Additives

In recent years, there has been a lot of focus on trans fats and how they affect your body. What exactly are trans fats and where do they come from? “Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. Another name for trans fats is ‘partially hydrogenated oils’.” (americanheart.org) Trans fats are most often associated with the restaurants in the fast food industry like KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s. These fast food chains use trans fats to help contribute to the productivity of their various businesses. By adding these trans fats to regular vegetable oil, they increase the life span of the oil. This means that they can reuse the oils that they use for frying or deep frying their foods.

But what are the negative aspects of these fast food chains using trans fats? The effects of trans fat on the human body are very destructive. Trans fats not only raise the body’s bad LDL cholesterol, but it also lowers the good HDL cholesterol. Because of this, consuming trans fats on a regular basis can lead to Type 2 Diabetes and it has also been linked to heart disease and stroke. From these effects, the American Heart Association recommends that the average human with a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet consume less than 1% of trans fats in their daily food intake. This means less than 20 calories and no more than 2 grams a day of trans fat. The trans fats found in fast food chains are far greater than these small recommended portions. Thus indicating that there is no room for modern day fast food in the American diet.

But this begs the question – “What other negative chemicals are being added to our food without our knowledge?” According to Dr. Janet Star Hull, author of Sweet Poison, there are over 14,000 man-mad chemicals added to our food. Things such as artificial dyes and Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, are slowly killing the American youth. Consuming large amounts of Aspartame can lead to over 92 different health issues such as blindness, severe depression, and even epileptic seizures.

There are also a large number of other chemicals that detrimentally affect the human body that are included in our diets. Melamine is a food additive most commonly found in foods made in China and exported to the United States. Melamine is found in milk and other dairy products and is often used to make infant formula. In a “Dear Colleague” letter to the food industry, Nega Beru, director of the Office of Food Safety in the Center of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, names the casualties of Melamine poisoning among Chinese infants. He states that approximately 53,000 infants have suffered illnesses related to Melamine including over 13,000 hospitalizations and 4 deaths as of October 2008. Of those numbers, 158 of those victims have suffered from acute kidney failure. It is clear that food additives are not something we should be feeding to our children.

So How Do You Remove Food Additives From Your Diet?
1. Go to the FDA website and look up some of the more dangerous food additives.
2. Check the back of the packages of your recent grocery store purchases. If the item includes one of these deadly additives, remove it from your pantry.
3. Speak to your child’s school or day care to find out what exactly your child consumes while they are there. An informed parent is a happy parent.
4. And finally speak to your doctor about how to improve your diet to include more healthy foods that do not contain these deadly additives.

Buying a Spot in the Food Pyramid

As in any other industry, food companies want to experience growth. Company growth attracts investors, boosts profits, and keeps a company from dying out. But the food industry faces an awkward dilemma: people can only eat so much, which means food consumption is tied to population and population just doesn't grow fast enough. In order to grow, food companies must find a way to sell to new markets, or else revert back to the popular strategy of figuring out ways to get us to eat more. We are continuously offered triple-decker burgers, 40 oz. slurpees, and gallon-sized tubs of popcorn so that more of our income is spent on food. With over 7.3 billion dollars spent each year in food advertisements (http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/1/1/3), it’s not surprising that the food industry can also spare a little money to influence the government to stop telling us to eat less.

A great read on this subject is Marion Nestle’s book Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants an in-depth look at the interconnections between the food industry and the government agencies that we trust for dietary guides such as the food pyramid. For now, let’s examine one excerpt that gives a pretty good picture of what the book is about. Marion Nestle is discussing her experiences when she worked for the Public Health Service during the Reagan administration, while managing the editorial production of the Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health in 1986.



“My first day on the job, I was given the rules: No matter what the research indicated, the report could not recommend “eat less meat” as a way to reduce intake of saturated fat, nor could it suggest restrictions on intake of any other category of food. In the industry-friendly climate of the Reagan administration, the producers of foods that might be affected by such advice would complain to their beneficiaries in Congress, and the report would never be published… ‘Eat less sugar’ sent sugar producers right to Congress, but that industry could live with ‘choose a diet moderate in sugar.’” (3)

It’s not surprising then that the public feels caught in a conflict of interests. There is an obvious contradiction between the way the government acts and its stated goals. For example, Nestle says that the two goals of the USDA are “to promote agribusiness and to advise the public about diet and health” (p. 368), two goals that seem to oppose each other. And when it comes down to it, do you think the government will stay on your side, or give in to the pressure of lobbying companies offering campaign money and threatening lawsuits? Historically, let’s just say that the public doesn’t stand a chance.

For example, in 2005, the USDA publically stated that it would not enforce its own ruling regarding the sale of junk foods in public schools. The rule had originally stated that schools could not sell “food of minimal nutritional value” during mealtimes in the cafeteria. However, when pressured to enforce it, the USDA backed down, and wouldn’t give a reason for their actions. Interestingly, this happened about one year after Bush had told voters that he wanted to help solve childhood obesity, while accepting campaign money from Coca-Cola, Kraft food, Nestle Co., and Florida Crystals Corp., a top U.S. sugar producer. This doesn’t prove that the USDA has been bought out, but it does raise some unsettling questions such as, “Why won’t the USDA enforce its own rulings?” And, “What effect do campaign donations have on the president’s actions?” Finally, if the USDA won’t enforce their rulings, then what value does it have as a governing body?

It’s time for the public to demand that our government agencies cater to us. Measures need to be put in place to ensure corporate neutrality in federal dietary agencies. Until that happens, the public has to take matters into their own hands and find out for themselves what they should be eating, and what they are being told to eat. Books like Nestle’s Food Politics can be a good place to start for people to learn to read between the lines in government-suggested nutrition.

For more information, check out Marion Nestle's blog at www.foodpolitics.com.

American Health Report

So what's the problem? How is our eating hurting us?

Take a look:

According to CDC researchers, an estimated 300,000 American deaths a year are related to obesity. Being overweight puts a body at a greater risk for conditions like type two diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke, fatty liver disease, and some forms of cancer. However, these findings haven't slowed down Americans. Today:

-67% of non-institutionalized Americans over the age of 20 are overweight. That's two out of every three people! (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov)



-18% of U.S. adolescents are overweight. (www.cdc.gov)



It's true that exercise plays a big part in maintaining healthy body weight, but diet is another major factor. If a person eats more calories than their body uses, they build fat. It's not too hard to to find a connection between the average American diet and the average (and growing) American girth.

-Americans are now spending over $140 billion on fast food each year. Fast food tends to be higher in calories, fat (especially trans fat), and sugar than a home-cooked meal.

-The average serving size for burgers, fries, and sodas has more than tripled since the 1970’s. Here's a comparison of serving sizes from 20 years ago.




-Americans eat 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, according to the American Heart Association. The recommended amount is 6-9 teaspoons (which is less than the 12 teaspoons in just one can of soda pop). More sugar = more calories = more weight!



But our eating doesn't just hurt us through obesity. Many other health concerns come from our diet. For example, preservatives used to keep our food from spoiling can build up in our systems in unhealthy levels. Some common ones are:

-Glutamates, which may cause headaches, palpitations, dizziness, and cancer. Almost all convenience foods contain this harmful preservative.

-Mono- and Di-glycerides, which can cause birth defects and cancer. Found in many foods, such as cookies, cakes, pies, bread, peanut butter, dry roasted nuts, vegetables packaged with sauce, shortening, and margarine.

-Nitrates and Nitrites, which are known carcinogens. These harmful preservatives are used to preserve meat.

-For more, go to http://www.brighthub.com/health/

In addition to preservatives, many foods have added antibiotics and hormones in them. Overuse of antibiotics is contributing to the development of stronger bacterial strains because more bacteria are develope resistance against the common types of antibiotics put in food. Added hormones, especially in meats, can mess with your own endocrine (hormone) system and raise your risk for certain types of cancer, notably breast cancer.

This has been just a quick overview of how we are ruining our health through our diets. It seems that we really are what we eat: fat and full of unhealthy chemicals that shouldn't be there.

The Food Industry on the Environment

The continuous development of the food industry, to meet our demanding society, has dramatically affected the environment and the processes of agriculture around the world. The constant need to deliver quality food to consumers without losing profits is becoming more and more difficult. “Agriculture in the United States ... produces over $200 billion a year in food commodities, with livestock accounting for more than half”(United States Global Change Research Program). With so much capital at stake the food industry struggles to maintain a balance between money spent and money made as well as the profit itself. To make sure that everything is done adequately while still upholding an ethical code the FDA has mandated a strict set of regulations for producers to follow.

However these guidelines are ofter undermined by greedy companies who would rather “make and sell bogus orange juice, apple juice, maple syrup, honey, cream, olive oil, and seafood.” (Fake Food: When Food Companies Mislead Consumers) instead of the real thing just for a little extra profit. However one must ask 'why would these companies be going to such lengths to make make the desired profit?' The answer is simple: with recent recession and the constant difficulties with the ever changing environment they have had to spend more just to keep the company running and their pockets lined.

Over the last century farmers have increased their use of pesticides to ensure that they increase productivity and keep up with our ever demanding society. However the over use of pesticides causes the “injury of nontarget plants and animals, and environmental damage. Of particular concern today is the movement of pesticides into groundwater” (Pesticides and the Environment). The use of these pesticides leads to unintentional harm of plants, animals and people in the surrounding areas. Yet no one really acknowledges the cause nor bothers to try and stop it. The ones especially guilty for this are the food companies whose focus is simply to make sure their products are “selected for such characteristics as weight of produce, cosmetic appearance, shelf-life, machine pick ability and ability to meet the needs of the food processing industry” (A Global Food and Agriculture Policy for Western Countries: Laying the Foundations). With this trend still on the rise it seems that this is the way things are and will be. So, next time you go to your local grocery store to pick up some fruit and vegetables consider what makes them look as good as they are and try not to pick ones simply because they ‘look’ good. Consider if it was coated with poison, or ever checked for diseases like E Coli. Don't wait until it's on the news to start caring.

http://eap.mcgill.ca/publications/eap12.htm
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/WhatWeDo/History/default.htm
http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts/climate-change-impacts-by-sector/agriculture

http://www.enotalone.com/article/8615.html
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G7520

Misleading Advertising (Sorry Pop Tarts, I'm Picking on You)

Billy sat on the coach like he did every Saturday morning watching cartoons. As Bugs Bunny’s face faded from the screen, it was replaced by a picture of a little boy that reminded Billy of himself.

The little boy had come to the breakfast table and was beaming down at the two delicious looking Pop tarts that his mother had set before him. The little pastries were explored in a close-up shot that artfully showed the sprinkle-coated glaze of sugar spread over a thin pastry surrounding a sweet, fruity filling. Billy’s mouth began to water. “Pop tarts,” said a narrator’s voice, “are part of a complete breakfast.” Before the boy on television had taken a bite, Billy was up from the couch and waddling to the kitchen.

He stood on his tiptoes to reach the Pop tart box on the pantry shelf. His fingers ripped open the flimsy cardboard top and latched onto the plastic wrapper that held two Pop tarts, replicas of the ones he had just seen on T.V. He tore off the plastic and stuffed one into his mouth while he grabbed a plate from the counter to set the other on. Munching happily, he carried his prize back to the couch, where he settled in to enjoy the next show.

Twenty minutes later, as Billy was taking his last bite, his grandfather walked in. With eyes unusually sharp for his age, he scanned the crumbs that stuck to Billy’s shirt.

“What are you eating, son?” Grandpa asked as he sat down next to Billy.

“Pop tarts,” Billy replied without taking his eyes from the television.

“Are those really the healthiest thing to eat for breakfast?”

Billy turned to face his grandfather with puzzled eyes. “What do you mean?”

“It looks to me like those things are just filled with sugar, and they don’t really have much nutrients for a growing body,” Grandpa replied.

Billy’s face relaxed. “Aw, don’t worry grandpa. The commercial said they are part of a complete breakfast, so they can’t be bad for you.”

Grandpa thought for a moment before saying, “You know, you can’t always trust what they say in the ads on TV. When I was young, we used to see commercials for cigarettes. They made them look safe so I started smoking during high school.”

“You used to smoke?” exclaimed Billy. “But everybody knows that’s bad for you!”

“We do now,” replied grandpa, “but at the time, we didn’t really understand just how bad they were. We also saw the people on television smoking so we didn’t think it would really harm us.”

“But Grandpa, Pop tarts aren’t like cigarettes.”

“You’re right, Billy. It would be silly for me to say that Pop tarts could hurt you like cigarettes do, but Pop tarts and other sugary or fatty foods can still do you harm, especially if you eat a lot of them for a long time. Because I smoked for a 20 years, I got lung cancer and had to have surgery to save my life. People with poor diets can also get sick from what they eat, and have to see the doctor about life threatening conditions like heart disease.” Grandpa paused. “Besides, just because Pop tarts are advertised on TV as being a breakfast food, doesn’t mean that they are good things to eat every morning.”

“Then how do I know what’s good or bad for me?” Billy asked.

“That’s when you should look at the food label,” Grandpa said. “Don’t always trust what commercials say. Here, I’ll show you what to look for to tell if something is good for you.”

He took Billy’s hand and the two went into the kitchen to get a better idea of what kinds of food was in their pantry, leaving the TV blinking out commercial after commercial to an audience that wasn’t there.

This scenario addresses one of the issues that are found in food advertisement. Like Billy, we are bombarded daily by media that encourages us to eat their food, often under the assumption that it’s good for you. “McDonald’s snack wraps are made with lean meat!” a billboard urges; “Try our new lowfat yogurt” a commercial implies. It is up to us to figure out just how good the advertised food actually is. Does “part of a complete breakfast” really mean something is nutritious? It’s time to take a look at the labels and see, just as Billy did, that part of the reason for our unhealthy eating comes from misleading advertisement.

So what did Billy discover when he looked at the Pop tart label? See for yourself:

Info from www.quitehealthy.com

It turns out that those two Pop tarts left him with 420 calories (a little less than 1/3 of what he should be getting daily) and over 40 grams of sugar! That's about three and a half tablespoons, and eight grams more than the daily sugar allowance for adults. And for all of that sugar, he gets a little vitamin A and iron. Not bad, but those same vitamins could be obtained from a glass of orange juice and a bowl of oatmeal.

But wait, didn't the commercial said that Pop tarts are part of a complete breakfast? Doesn't that mean they aren't just sugary junk? Not really. Almost anything can be part of a complete breakfast depending on what the other parts are. If Pop tarts are shown alongside an orange (providing fiber, vitamins and natural sugar), a glass of low fat milk (providing lean protein), and a bowl of oatmeal (providing long term energy from complex carbs), then it is technically "part of a complete breakfast". By this same reasoning, sawdust could be part of a complete breakfast so long as you eat other healthy foods with it. People need to realize that phrasing in commercials might not always mean what it implies.

So being "part of a good breakfast" doesn't really mean much in terms of nutrition. I'm sure that Pop tarts are part of a good tasting breakfast for many children, but they don't contribute much to a child's health. Especially when it comes to sugary breakfast foods, parents should always look at the label before buying breakfast foods with loads of empty calories that mostly come from sugar. A good site to start at is http://www.acaloriecounter.com/breakfast-cereal.php, which compares the nutritional value of breakfast foods.

On a larger level, this story shows that people need to take responsibility for what they put in their stomachs, and read the nutritional information instead of trusting trickily-worded commercials. It's sad that even when we try to be healthy, we can be mislead into making unhealthy choices. But in the end, you decide what you eat, not a commercial.

Eating Habits Die Hard

With today's media pouring fast food and diet advertisements down our throat, people don't realize that there is much more to a meal then the actual food. "You are what you eat" but you are also where, when and how. Not only does the actual food affect one's body but the time at which one eats and how one eats. Though not nearly as detrimental, the way in which one ingests food also has an affect on one's health. Though people in America don't realize it, how much, how, and when one eats all have affects on one's health and should be considered just as much as what one eats.

When one thinks of a proper diet they think about what to eat, not when. Bear Grills, from Discovery Channels Man vs. Wild suggests, "It is important to eat little and often". Though he is in a extreme survival situation the advice given can be applied to everyday life and still have positive results. Instead of eating two or three large meals a day one should spread it out and eat in regular intervals to keep their metabolism running at a good pace. "You can eat as many times a day as you want, as long as you stay within your calorie range," says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. It is recommended to eat close to 6 meals a day most of them being snacks as long as one doesn't exceed their calorie limit. For a good meal schedule click here.

There are many benefits to regularly eating small meals throughout the day. Eating small meals every two hours keeps sugar levels high and the metabolism running at a high rate. Since the brain needs glucose to function this keeps one sharp and alert. Along with the added brain power one has more stamina. With a faster metabolism one can start the day with more ease, keep themselves going throughout the day, and even lose weight faster. So, in stead of eating just breakfast, lunch and dinner one should eat small snacks throughout the day with larger meals in between to keep themselves smart, fit, productive and healthy.

Small snacks are good but its the larger meals that make the difference between a healthy weight and obesity. With the increase in competition and workloads in our demanding society one rarely takes the time to schedule their meals, let alone take the time to sit down and savor them. While eating one large meal, quickly, and right before bed may seem like the most efficient way, it will cause the body to hold on to everything it has and gain weight. Our bodies are not meant to process large amounts of food at one time. Digestion consumes a lot of energy and a large meal will leave one feeling groggy and tired and ultimatly slow down the metabolism. Not only does the slower metabolism make it harder for one's body to rid it's self of excess, it also makes it hard to keep active leading to further weight gain. According to Joseph Scherger, M.D "It takes 20 minutes for your brain to process the feeling of fullness". With such a long response time one is likely to overeat and further put themselves at a disadvantage before they even realize it. If people were to take the time and eat at a steady, slow pace and enjoy their food they would live a happier, healthier lifestyle.

A crucial part to this happier, healthier lifestyle is to start the day off right and the best way to do so is by having a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for good reasons. After a long nights sleep the body is deprived of water, sugar and nutrients. Not only does a good breakfast help replenish the body, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. If one is to eat healthy early, they are more likely to follow that trend and make healthier choices later in the day. It also prevents them from over eating later due to the lack of hunger. Breakfast sets the metabolism for the day and can help one stay awake and alert. Although there may not seem so due to time contraints during the morning rush, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day and should not be taken lightly.

Since breakfast is the most important meal, it is important to keep it healthy. Although sugary cereals and pastries like Fruit loops and Toaster Strudel seem easy because of the media push and sheer abundance, one should stay away from them. The sugar and empty calories in them in them will leave one hungry, dazed and tired just a few hours later. These sugary breakfasts provide the body with a quick spike in energy followed by a drop. This leaves the consumer hungry, tired and worse off then before. Contrary to popular belief essential nutrients are just as easy to acquire as A Box of Fruit Loops. A healthier choice would be cheerios, or whole grain bread, just something containing whole grains which are high in fiber. Fiber, along with protein will keep one satiated until lunchtime. Protein can be found in any many comon breakfast foods, such as eggs, bacon, or even milk. Fiber is even easier to find, the most common source thought of is whole grains, but it can also be found in fruits, such as apples and pears. The optimum breakfast is the European one consisting of fruit, yogurt, and cold cuts. As long as one has fiber and protein in their breakfast, he will stay satiated and make better food choices throughout the day.

The benefits of a good breakfast are almost miraculous. Although one may skip breakfast in an attempt to lose weight, it may just lead to more gain. Studies show that those who eat breakfast regularly often weigh less then those who don't. in other studies it is shown that children who eat breakfast have an easier time concentrating in school. If breakfast can help a child in school, not only would it help one feel better and more energetic but increase one's productivity at work. With more energy one is more active, and with more activity one is more physically fit. With more brain power, a better chance at slimming down, and a more active life style there is no reason to skip breakfast.

Along with structuring of meals throughout the day one should structure each individual meal. In American culture one does not eat multiple courses like the rest of the world. This makes it harder to control portions and leads to overeating more frequently. Where as eating in multiple courses helps lengthen the meal, keep it diverse covering more food groups, and make it harder to overeat on any one thing being there less of it and more diversity. As for salad, in America it is common to eat it before a meal, where as the rest of the world eats a salad last to aid in the digestion process and cleanse the pallet right before a healthy coarse of fruit. The way one structures their meal is important for their health since it helps one to pace himself and ensures that he will get all the nutrients needed.

When one thinks of what lead Americans to this point they may blame the media or even our demanding lifestyle. Capitalism and media have become the American culture. It is common to see a 1950's family on T.V. sit down for dinner together after dad gets home from work, and eat their T.V. dinners. Today, its not only on T.V., it has become quite common for mom to come home too tired to cook, pop a couple frozen meals in the oven, hand them out to her family for them to run to their separate asylums eat, watch T.V., play video games and face-book. This makes them eat quickly to get back to their tasks and not enjoy their food, although there might not be much to enjoy. It may be Lean Cuisine they are eating but they are still more likely to be unhealthy then people who live the European lifestyle. If one were to walk down the streets of Rome, Paris, or Prague, they would have a hard time spotting an overweight local but no problem finding bakeries, Ice cream parlors, bars and restaurants all packed with costumers. Europeans just eat better altogether, even though their foods are richer, and fattier then our Lean Cuisines and Hot Pockets. So, whats the difference between us and them? The difference is that they go shopping everyday, not for frozen meals because those are hard to find, but for fresher wilder ingredients. Also, since they are only shopping for the day and the store is probably around the corner, a European is likely to walk and get some exercise, verses the American who takes one monthly trip to Costco and fills their Minivan with frozen foods that will last until the next trip. With better ingredients and a less demanding work life, a European has something to enjoy along with the time and energy to do so. In the end it is simply a difference in culture and America is either to far ahead or to far behind, either way one looks at it, how things are going, it's only downhill from here.

You are what, how and when you eat. So in order to be a proper member of society one needs to eat in a proper way. This means one should eat small meals regularly, structure their larger meals to incorporate more diverse foods and last but certainly not least, eat a healthy breakfast. With these guidelines set Americans can evolve into something better, say...Europeans.