FOOD FACTS & FANTASY
TIP PRESENTS A MINI-GUIDE ON FOOD CHOICES
TO GO WITH ITS NEW FOOD-CENTERED DISCUSSIONS
IN DEFENSE OF PIZZA!
(From the TIP 2008 Healthy Holidays Handbook)
Pizza is commonly lumped in with various “junk” foods in diet talk - & we think it’s gotten a bad rap. True, it is rare to find it organic & whole grain. But, realistically, one can only REDUCE intake of less healthy stuff, not escape it. And pizza has many pluses.
It has tomato sauce - & remember, Ronald Reagan decreed catsup was a vegetable! Which it actually is - a healthy one at that. It seems the lycopene in tomatoes is more available when heated & accompanied by fat. And some studies indicate this can prevent various cancers. Also, pizza can be topped with green peppers, onions &/or mushrooms instead of meat - better for you than a Big Mac with french fries! So, eat up - in moderation! As for where to buy it - seek out a place with whole wheat crust - they’re out there!
FOR MORE INFO ON FOOD FACTS AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD CONCERNS,
SEE: www.toxicsinfo.org/TIPS_house.htm or contact Liberty Goodwin, TIP Director, with your questions: liberty@toxicsinfo.org or 401-351-9193.
FOOD FACTS & FANTASY
Consumers are bombarded with information about what & how to eat. Much of this advice is conflicting or commercially motivated, some just confusing or difficult to follow. TIP’s Food workshop and this flyer offer simple tips on how to choose the healthiest food options & avoid those that are harmful. Included:
I. Quizzes: Have fun filling out & discussing the TIP Kitchen Quiz and Three-Minute Health Quiz while people gather.
2. The Clutter of Claims: You can’t do it all - but you don’t have to! Avoiding confusion and developing a practical, personalized - and pleasant - plan for healthy eating.
3. “Conventional” vs. Organic: The problems with pesticided food. Which ones are most important to buy organic?
4. What’s the Matter With Meat? (and Dairy) Their hormones & antibiotics are not what your doctor would order. Some veggie alternatives can be tasty, but If you don’t want to abandon hamburgers and milk, healthier versions & strategies exist.
5. Obesity Through Chemistry: Diet products that make you fatter; obesity “helps” that harm. The value of veggies for weight control.
6. Packaging & Pollution: Learn to watch for endocrine disrupting chemicals in common use, leaching into your food. Is frozen better than canned? What are the magic numbers for plastic?
7. Looking at Labels: Keys to quick navigation of ingredients lists. Less is best.
8. Cooking with Care: Pots and pans make a difference. Microwaving safety tips.
9. Travelers Get Tired: Unripe/artificially ripened produce from California doesn’t delight. Local & home-grown availability is expanding. What can you find in your area?
10. Saving Money While Saving Health: The idea that healthy food has to be expensive is a myth - if you are an educated shopper.
The Clutter of Claims: You can’t do it all - but you don’t have to! Avoiding confusion and developing a practical, personalized - and pleasant - plan for healthy eating.
CORPORATE BAKING GIANT SARA LEE HIJACKS ORGANICS
February 22nd, 2010 “EcoGrain” Marketing Blitz — Greenwashing New Bread Produced with Toxic Agrochemicals as Something Better Than Organic www.cornucopia.org/2010/02/corporate-baking-giant-sara-lee-hijacks-organics/#more-2619
OBJECTIVE SCIENCE DOES NOT EXIST HERE
In 2003, Monsanto was accused of fraudulently ignoring & misinterpreting research data on their new genetically mutated soybeans. They failed to mention that their own studies showed that GE soybeans have less nutritional value than conventional & actually inhibited growth in laboratory mice. Also, pesticide residue levels were so dangerously high in Monsanto's GE soybeans, they asked that food safety regulations be weakened, so the beans could legally enter the market. More on Monsanto deceptions at:
www.organicconsumers.org/ge/72803_ge_soybeans.cfm
CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE: “BEYOND THE BEAN: THE HEROES AND CHARLATANS OF THE NATURAL & ORGANIC SOY FOODS INDUSTRY”. 6-18-09 This report & its ratings scorecard of organic brands, separates industry heroes - who go out of their way to connect with domestic farmers - from agribusinesses exploiting the trust of consumers. Contact: Mark Kastel, 608-625-2042.
THE 7 FOODS EXPERTS WON'T EAT By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, PREVENTION , 11-24-09 Don’t be fooled by these 11 health food imposters. How healthy (or not) certain foods areis a hotly debated topic with no easy answers. But when Prevention asked people at the forefront of food safety,“What foods do you avoid?”, they got some interesting answers. Canned Tomatoes, Corn-Fed Beef, Microwave Popcorn, Non-organic Potatoes, Farmed Salmon, Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones, Conventional Apples.
TIPS FOR KEEPING IT SIMPLE: Check these resources. Figure out the best versions of your favorite foods & develop a plan for what you buy, & where. Don’t worry. Reducing exposure to some toxic or questionable foods, especially those you eat most, will help your health & let your immune system handle the rest.
“Conventional” vs. Organic: The problems with pesticided food. Which ones are most important to buy organic?
PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD: USDA PESTICIDE DATA PROGRAM ANNUAL SUMMARY 2005 [174 pages] Healthier Homes and Gardens May 2007: Eating and Drinking Pesticides USDA's Annual Summary of Pesticides in Food and Water. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Marketing Service. 2006.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/science/pdp/Summary2005.pdf
PESTICIDE RESIDUE AVOIDANCE: TIP’S LIST
TAKEN FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
VILLAINS : Strawberries, Apples, Mexican Cantaloupe, Green Beans, Cherries, Cucumbers, Imported Grapes, Mexican Pineapples, Peppers, Peaches, Peanuts, Pears, Potatoes, Raisins, Spinach, Squash. HEROES : Asparagus, Avocados, Sprouts, Lentils, Onions, Pineapple Juice, Hawaiian Pineapples, Sunflower Seeds, Watermelon. MIXED REVIEWS ; Bananas, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Rice, Grapes, Corn, Sweet Potatoes
NEWS YOU CAN USE: A FEW FOODS THAT DON’T BITE BACK
From: NON-TOXIC TIMES , The Seventh Generation Newsletter
Vol. 1, No. 9, June 19, 2000 www.seventhgen.com According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the 12 cleanest kinds of conventionally-grown produce are: JAvocados, Corn, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Grapes (domestic only), Bananas, Plums, Green Onions, Watermelon, Broccoli
EWG REPORTS MORE THAN HALF OUR TOTAL DIETARY RISK FROM PESTICIDES COMES FROM JUST 12 FOODS : L Strawberries, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Cherries, Peaches, Mexican Cantaloupe, Celery, Apples, Apricots, Green Beans, Imported Grapes, Cucumbers. Avoiding these foods, substituting from the clean list above, eating organic and/or homegrown produce when possible can substantially cut down on exposure to pesticides. However, corn and sweet potatoes are among foods most likely to be genetically modified. Consumers concerned about GM should choose organics. For full report, see:
www.ewg.org/pub/home/reports/Shoppers/Shoppers.html
Packaging & Pollution: Watch out for endocrine disrupting chemicals in common use, leaching into your food. Is frozen better than canned? What are magic numbers for plastic?
10/28/2007 DEAR EARTHTALK : ARE THE RUMORS TRUE THAT REFILLING AND REUSING SOME TYPES OF PLASTIC BOTTLES CAN CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS?
www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php?current
Revelations about chemicals in Lexan (plastic #7) bottles are enough to scare even committed environmentalists from reusing them (or buying them at all). Studies indicate that food & drinks stored in such containers, including those clear Nalgene water bottles, can contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system.
Repeated re-use of such bottles increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time. The Environment California Research & Policy Center, which reviewed 130 studies on the topic, says BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, & decreased testosterone levels. BPA can also wreak havoc on children’s developing systems. (Parents beware: Most baby bottles & sippy cups are made with plastics containing BPA.) There are concerns about the cumulative effect of small doses.
NOTE: BPA IS ALSO FOUND
IN FOOD CAN LINERS!
Bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate, (PET or PETE), including most disposable water, soda & juice bottles. may leach DEHP—another probable human carcinogen—when they are in less than perfect condition. Another bad choice for water bottles is plastic #3 (polyvinyl chloride/PVC), which can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into the liquids they store & will release synthetic carcinogens into the environment when incinerated. Plastic #6 (polystyrene/PS), has been shown to leach styrene, a probable human carcinogen, into food & drinks as well.
Safer choices include bottles crafted from safer HDPE (plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, AKA plastic #4) or polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5). Aluminum bottles, such as those made by SIGG & stainless steel water bottles are also safer choices CONTACTS: The Green Guide; Environment California; SIGG
LINKS BETWEEN DIET SODA & WEIGHT GAIN - AND WORSE!
Drink More Diet Soda, Gain more Weight? Overweight Risk Soars 41% With Each Daily Can of Diet Soft Drink. www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight
Can Diet Soda Make You Fat? Fake Sweeteners, Lack of Calories May Trick Brain. Good Morning America, Feb. 11, 2008
.http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=4271246&page=1
"Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight? .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_soda
Diet Sodas Can Cause Weight Gain! by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D,
http://preventdisease.com/news/articles/diet_soda_can_cause_weight_gain.shtml
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**RISKY SWEETENER ON TAP? MUTAGENIC SWEETENER COULD BE IN SODA SOON www.cspinet.org/integrity/ Integrity in Science Watch 12-22-08 . In a gift to the soda pop industry, the FDA has granted rebaudioside A, a sweetener extracted from the herb Stevia, "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS status. The ruling ignored testimony by Center for Science in the Public Interest & two UCLA toxicologists that rebaudioside A is inadequately tested in terms of cancer & caused mutations in some laboratory tests. CSPI is calling for strengthening the law on GRAS designation
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WHAT ABOUT VEGGIES?
(THE GOOD GUYS NOBODY SEEMS TO LOVE)
The short answer - Yes, they are winners, in several ways. They are loaded with nutrition, healthy fiber, enzymes…Any vegetable or fruit has less pesticide residue than meat or dairy. (Lower on the food chain). They don’t have hormones or antibiotics. If organic, they’re not genetically modified. They’re stunningly low in calories.
QUICK TIPS TO MAKE THEM SEXY & SIMPLE. Liberty’s secret weapon - Imagine & Pacific brands of soup products. Sold in packages, not BPA-lined cans, they can be used as sauces, or you can dump healthy veggies into the soup, enhancing their appeal.
OR YOU CAN DRINK YOUR VEGGIES, HOT OR COLD ! Ginger Carrot, Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash are especially Vitamin A rich!
NOT JUST PESTICIDES - ANOTHER REASON TO GO ORGANIC : Most U.S. grain is genetically modified & not labeled as such - only Organic has to be non-GM. Below, some other GM concerns.
RISKS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING : . Scientists have identified a number of ways in which genetically engineered organisms could potentially adversely impact both human health and the environment. Potential Harms to Health: New Allergens in the Food Supply, Antibiotic Resistance. Production of New Toxins. Concentration of Toxic Metals. Enhancement of the Environment for Toxic Fungi. From: Union of Concerned Scientists & Citizens & Scientists for Environmental Solutions
www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/genetic_engineering/risks-of-genetic-engineering.html
What’s the Matter With Meat? (and Dairy) Their hormones & antibiotics are not what your doctor would order. Some veggie alternatives are tasty, but If you don’t want to abandon hamburgers & milk, healthier versions & strategies exist.
SMART GUIDE: HORMONES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM
by Diaa Osman, N.D. and David Wallinga, M.D.
www.hefn.org/resources/files/IATPSmartGuideHormonesInFoodSystem.pdf/view
The Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy presents a Smart Guide examining the prevalence of synthetic hormones in the food system — & the risks such hormones may pose to human health. Exogenous hormones (those originating outside the body) can disrupt our own hormone function, potentially contributing to a number of chronic diseases. Many hormone-related chronic diseases are common and/or on the rise. Some hormones or hormone-like chemicals are intentionally added to the food system. Others accumulate in food as unintentional contaminants.
This Smart Guide documents where hormones enter the food system, through: growth promoters given to food animals; pesticides in food production; food packaging; & in industrial contaminants that accumulate throughout the food chain. The guide includes tips for consumers on how to reduce their exposure to hormones in food. Contact Name: Kate Hoff, 612-870-3404, khoff@iatp.org
POULTRY’'S PERSISTENCE PROBLEM
Drug-Resistant Campylobacter in Chicken
www.ehponline.org/docs/2005/113-5/ss.html#poul
Mounting evidence suggests that the poultry industry's use of antibiotics promotes antibiotic resistance among the food-borne bacteria that infect humans. One such bacterium is Campylobacter, a pathogen common to chicken products. Every year more than one million Americans develop Campylobacter-induced food poisoning from eating undercooked contaminated chicken. Resistant strains of Campylobacter are a growing public health threat, particularly among elderly and immunocompromised patients. In 2005, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health provided evidence suggesting that chickens raised without antibiotics are less likely to carry antibiotic-resistant strains of Campylobacter [EHP 113:557-560].
OUR DECREPIT FOOD FACTORIES
www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/magazine/16wwlnledet.html?_r=1&sq=On%20Decrepit%20Food%20Factories&st=nyt&oref=slogin&scp=1&pagewanted=print By Michael Pollan. The methicillin-resistant staph that first emerged in hospitals as early as the 1960s posed a threat mostly to elderly patients. But a new & even more virulent strain, called “community-acquired MRSA”, is now killing young & otherwise healthy people who have not set foot in a hospital.
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Studies in Europe & Canada found that confinement pig operations have become reservoirs of MRSA. A European study found that 60 percent of pig farms that routinely used antibiotics had MRSA-positive pigs (compared with 5 percent of farms that did not feed pigs antibiotics). In 2007, Centers for Disease Control published a study showing that a strain of “MRSA from an animal reservoir has recently entered the human population and is now responsible for [more than] 20 percent of all MRSA in the Netherlands.”
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TIP ON MEAT AND DAIRY: Whole Foods Market & Trader Joe’s have policies about keeping their fresh meat and dairy free of hormones and antibiotics. If in doubt, ask.
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Obesity Through Chemistry: Diet products that make you fatter - obesity “helps” that harm. The value of veggies for weight control.
CHEMICALS MAY PLAY ROLE IN RISE IN OBESITY
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/11/AR2007031100918_2.html
By Elizabeth Grossman, Special to The Washington Post, Monday, March 12, 2007; A06 A number of researchers are pursuing indications that certain chemicals, which have been shown to cause abnormal changes in animals' sexual development, can also trigger fat-cell activity -- a process scientists call adipogenesis. The chemicals under scrutiny are used in products from marine paints and pesticides to food and beverage containers. A study by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention found one chemical, bisphenol A, in 95 percent of the people tested, at levels at or above those that affected development in animals.
IS PLASTIC MAKING US FAT?
Obesity Epidemic -- Boston Globe - Monday January 14, 2008
www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2008/01/14/is_plastic_making_us_fat/ By Beth Daley , bdaley@globe.com Animal studies in recent years raise the possibility that prenatal exposure to minuscule amounts of common chemicals - found in everything from baby bottles to toys - could predispose a body to a life of weight gain. The chemicals, known as endocrine disrupters, mimic natural hormones that help regulate, for example, how many fat cells a body makes & how much fat to store in them.
BABY-BOTTLE CHEMICALS 'COULD MAKE CHILDREN
OBESE FOR LIFE', SAY SCIENTISTS
By Fiona Macrae, 5-14-08 Daily Mail, UK.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=566349&in_page_id=1770
. Hidden risk: Exposure to 'gender-bending' chemicals in baby bottles may condemn children to obesity as adults, say researchers. Chemicals found in baby bottles and other everyday products could be condemning children to a lifetime of obesity, experts have warned.
Cooking with Care: Pots and pans make a difference. Microwaving safety tips.
SKIP THE NON-STICK TO AVOID THE DANGERS OF TEFLON
www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/dangersofteflon
Non-stick cookware has been popular because, well, it's non-stick -- convenient to use and clean. But it also emits toxic fumes when overheated. Environmental Working Group recommends that you choose safer cookware to reduce the risk of inhaling toxic particles when you let that non-stick pan get a little too hot. And who doesn't do that occasionally? See the site above re: **Why you should skip the non-stick ** What safer cookware to choose.
** How to cook with non-stick if you’re ‘stuck’ with it.
** Other ways people are exposed to PFCs & how to avoid them.
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FRYING PAN FUMES KILL CANARIES
Friday 30 January 2004 , www.wwf-uk.org/News/n_0000001-103.asp
A suite of toxic chemicals produced from non-stick frying pans heated at high temperatures are killing pet birds. Both people and wildlife are being contaminated, reveals a WWF report. “ Causes For Concern: Chemicals And Wildlife” draws attention to chemicals like perfluorinated compounds, used in the production of non-stick coatings, as one of the most prominent new toxic hazards. Hundreds of pet birds are thought to be killed by the fumes and particles emitted from non-stick coated products each year.
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MICROWAVING
Some mainstream sources say there is little risk to microwaving in plastic. A scam on the Internet confused the issue a while back. Yet, there seems little contradiction of the concern about BP-A
(a plasticizer & synthetic estrogen) leaching into baby bottles.
OUR TIP TAKE : Why take the chance? It is actually easier to just microwave on the plate or in the cup or bowl which you are already using - and nothing extra to wash! Glass and ceramic don’t have controversies about their safety.
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Looking at Labels: Keys to quick navigation of ingredients lists. Less is best.
3/17/2008 FOOD LABELS THAT DESERVE YOUR DOLLAR
http://pressroom.consumerreports.org/pressroom/2008/03/food-labels-that-deserve-your-dollars.html "Cage-Free" Eggs? "Dolphin Safe" Tuna? ShopSmart's April/May 2008 Exclusive Guide to Deciphering Food Labeling & Avoiding Rip-Offs. from the Consumer Reports publisher, says foods certified “organic” may be worth extra money, but watch out for other labels. Many appear without government regulation or verification from independent agencies. “Labels can make a product sound healthful or planet-friendly, even when it’s not, tricking you into wasting money,” the report warns. “Before you splurge.., check our guide on which labels to trust & which don’t deserve your dollars.”
DON'T BE MISLED BY THESE FOOD LABEL TRICKS
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/280/nine-food-label-lies.html By Dan Shapley , Posted Wed Feb 3, 2010 More from The Daily Green News blog It's a fact of the grocery store that the most healthy food often has the least marketing muscle behind it. The best sources of fiber and vitamins are fresh vegetables and fruit, yet it's the processed, packaged junk food fortified with vitamin & fiber powder that screams for attention. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a comprehensive report a persuasive indictment delicately called "Food Labeling Chaos." They look at nine things the CSPI identified as the most common ways food labels mislead: Made With Whole Grains, Ingredients Lists, Serving Size, Omega 3, Made With Real Fruit, Zero Trans Fat, Free Range Eggs , Fiber, Tastes Like Medicine!
TELL FDA & USDA SUGAR CEREALS ARE NOT SMART CHOICES
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/cms/sign/Smart_Choices/?akid=23.80499.7rMyBL&=&=&rd=1&t=1 Recently, an alliance of giant food conglomerates and some industry “experts” unveiled the Smart Choices® Program, which puts a shiny green "smart choice" check mark on foods like Froot Loops® & Lucky Charms®. Join Food Democracy Now in telling FDA and USDA to investigate the Smart Choices® Program, and put an end to deceptive labeling.
A TIP FROM TIP: The shortest list of ingredients frequently indicates the most natural, least adulterated food.
Travelers Get Tired : Unripe/artificially ripened produce from California doesn’t delight. Local & home-grown availability is expanding. What can you find in your area? Tips on where and when to look.
FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND : www.farmfreshri.org/
The best one-stop source for info on local and healthy foods, including: RI Farms & Foods; CSAs in RI; Events & Workshops; RI Harvest Calendar; E-Newsletter & Local Food Discussion Lists; Farmers’ Markets; Buy Local RI; Urban Agriculture.
Saving Money While Saving Health: The idea that healthy food has to be expensive is a myth - if you are an educated shopper.
RETHINK AFFORDABLE: Even products that may cost more, such as organic produce, may be very affordable – can you really not pay 99 cents for a pound of carrots or bananas? Compare the cost of one banana with the price of a Twinkie! How many lunches can you get from a jar of nut butter & package of organic soup?
SHOPPING AROUND can make a big difference, as well, and may surprise you. Many healthy items, for example, are cheaper at natural foods stores than the local supermarket. And, surprise - even discount outlets such as Ocean State Job Lot sometimes carry organic cereal and cookies, and cheap extra virgin olive oil
BUY STORE BRAND FOODS. They’re cheaper and taste just as good if not better than those products that have been marketed and packaged up the wazoo.
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