More Fake Food and The New Pyramid

Do we really need another new Food Pyramid that does little but boost sales of Big SG companies like Archer Daniels Midland or ConAgra, whose minions digg deep into the bowels of USDA?

An organic coalition draws a line in the soil against GMO alfalfa and genetically engineered crops.

And do we need bad food advice from lawyerly Michelle Obama and HHS's Sibelius who want you to have no health promoting fat in your diet, but at the same time want you to eat heavy on grains that are GMO and linked to obesity and health problems?

Many blueberry-promoting products are made without genuine blueberries: A recent iInvestigation looked at the actual blueberry content of several widely available packaged foods. This expose shows how Kellogg, General Mills, Betty Crocker, and other brands advertise plump, whole blueberries in their cereals and mixes, but deliver dextrose, corn flour, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, sugar, citric acid, artificial flavor, and food colorings Blue #1 and Red #40.

All LAKE food colorings such as Red 40 are aluminum based and generally believed to be toxic.

Nutritional Counseling and Coaching

And as we are told to avoid healthy butter from NON-GMO cows, drink no fat milk, and eat more fruit, how do the Beltway Pundits think you are going to avoid obesity or keep bones strong or even avoid lung problems from rising pollution (like DC rates).

If anyone in DC writing policy, along with corporate attorney types, knew anything about nutrition this would come to a screeching halt.

And then there is that sodium thing, carried over from the 1950s when salt became very cooked and very commercialized.  Consider too that probably the most read and most controversial post on Natural Health News is the discussion of pink salt, its amazing to me that people do not stop to think that this fad salt in 94% - 97% sodium.

Our Choice, farmed Celtic salt, is just healthier because it contains 17% less sodium, and clearly less toxic heavy metals that are not necessary for health. Why not try celery or other savory herbs as a salt option too.

Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services recommendations drastically cut salt, but miss the mark in other areas

You can be a lemming and be glued to TV blogs that claim to be from a 'health expert' only to be back by unidentified Taiwanese sources, or stay tuned to a real expert at the first, original Natural Health News, to get the facts.


Have you thought about eating LOCAL and eating  REAL FOOD today?

Read what the Weston A Price Foundation has to say.

and from the Natural Products organizations -

The USDA and HHS released the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, continuing to emphasize the importance of physical activity and reduced calorie consumption, with dietary supplements only rating a minor mention

WASHINGTON—The obesity epidemic weighed heavily on the development of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released today by USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The new guidelines emphasize the importance of increased physical activity and watching calorie intake, with an emphasis on choosing healthy foods including more produce, whole grains, lean protein sources and low-fat dairy items.
“The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children is overweight or obese and this is a crisis that we can no longer ignore," said Tom Vilsack, U.S. secretary of agriculture. “These new and improved dietary recommendations give individuals the information to make thoughtful choices of healthier foods in the right portions and to complement those choices with physical activity. The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country."
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines include 23 key recommendations for the general population, and six additional recommendations for specific population groups. Interestingly, dietary supplements are mentioned most prominently for those specific populations:

• Women who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 400 mcg/d of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods and/or supplements, in addition to dietary folate.
• Women who are pregnant should take an iron supplement, as recommended by an obstetrician or health care provider.
• Adults over age 50 should consume foods fortified with vitamin B12 or take dietary supplements.

The Guidelines form the basis of nutrition education programs, federal nutrition assistance programs such as school meals programs and Meals on Wheels programs for seniors, and dietary advice provided by health professionals. USDA and HHS will release consumer-friendly advice and tools, including a “next generation" Food Pyramid, in the coming months. Information on the Dietary Guidelines is available online.

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/news/2011/01/usda-hhs-release-dietary-guidelines.aspx
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DietaryGuidelines.htm

Selections from Natural Health News -

You Do Get What You Pay For, Maybe?

Aug 21, 2006

C'mon kiddies... finish up your "Snackie Cakes" or "Cheezy Poofs" so you can have your "Flintstones Vitamin"...and Kids, don't worry about that Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake & Blue 2 Lake -- All banned in Norway. ...

Real or Frankenfoods and supplements? Your health, Your choice

Aug 06, 2008

... supplements or those that are made of sugar, artificial flavor, synthetic preservatives (tochopherol acetate or synthetic vitamin E), toxic thickeners like carrageenan, guar or xanthan gums, or Red 40 food coloring. ...

Childhood Obesity Campaign: Issues in Health

Mar 06, 2009

My hope is that Michelle addresses the role of vaccines, fluoride, environment, lack of physical education in schools, the USDA food pyramid that promotes obesity, unhealthy school lunches, artificial sweeteners proven to cause obesity, ...

Obesity: Concerns and Considerations

Sep 07, 2010

Then consider lack of absorption of nutrients, if any nutrients are actually in the food you consume. The start here with the real food pyramid, skip the shots, skip water fluoridation, and start exercising. ...

Didn't Luise Light's Pyramid Come First?

Jun 01, 2008

ScienceDaily (2005-03-21) -- The University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Clinical Services (UMIMCS) has unveiled its Healing Foods Pyramid, which emphasizes foods known to have healing benefits, plant-based choices, ...

Best Life? Whoa Oprah, didn't Bob tell you ?

UPDATE: 8 January - Make your own healthy salad dressing:
Oil and Vinegar HERB dressing
4 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 oz. Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. white or shiro miso (optional)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vegetable broth powder (Gayelord Hauser's)
2 TBSP. finely chopped fresh dill herb
2 TBSP. finely chopped fresh basil herb
2 TBSP. finely chopped fresh chives
You can use Dijon mustard and omit the herbs. You can use red wine vinegar in place of balsamic vinegar. There are manu options, create your own distinctive blend. Salt and Pepper to taste with freshly ground salt and pepper.
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UPDATE: 6 January - No high fructose corn syrup warns Dr. OZ on Oprah today.
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It is a New Year and of course now it the time you are bombarded with fitness, diet and lifestyle advertising and programming.

I always think this is a little too much and a little too soon to be deluged with all this information. Maybe it is trying to put you on a guilt trip because you over indulged too much during the holiday season. I hope you don't fall prey to it.

About one year ago I posted an article here at Natural Health News about fake foods. I did so because Oprah and her trainer Bob Greene get a lot of free press and backing from major corporate advertising for the products signed up in their plan.

This year there is a new plan and a new push to get you to join in, but little telling you just how some of this year's fake foods might not be so healthy for you.

Today on Oprah we heard a lot about this and about how Oprah has her thyroid under control. I surely hope she isn't on Synthroid and I wonder how it is that who ever is her doctor overlooked her adrenal stress.

One thing she has "right" is that it isn't so much the food, it is really the emotions behind what is going on in your life and what that does to your physiology. She is also correct about the fact that you really do need to exercise, and weight training is more important as you age. Your fitness program has to be adjusted as you grow and so does the way you eat and what you eat.

Now it brings me back to where I was last year - Oprah, Bob and Fake Foods.

And here goes my run down -

These foods are selected from the list because they are highly processed foods or contain ingredients that have negative impact on health

The ad includes this data - "Foods carrying the seal fit right into the Best Life way of eating. They contain one or more of the following nutritious ingredients: whole grains, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other essential nutrients."

Bob Greene may approve the foods in this plan, and the money he gets from endorsements but I don't and I'll tell you why -

Whole grains are good but not if they are genetically engineered, over processed or not organic.

Healthy fats do not include Smart Balance margarine and as you will note in other articles on Natural Health News, plant sterols are generally soy and canola oil, genetically modified and have a negative impact on vitamins such as diminishing beat carotene.

Fiber is good but not Benefiber. Benefiber is owned by Novartis, an international pharmaceutical company. Benefiber is Guar Gum, which has not been FDA approved for this use but then Novartis is Novartis. Now a new active ingredient is wheat dextrin, yet the claim is gluten free. Novartis is also that company that brought you the demeaning to women ad for their IBS drug - Zelnorm - that was taken off the market.

Cereals - just refer to my article on Cereal in the Box

Nestle's Pure Life Fruit Water with Splenda
Nestle is promoting this water to schools and has a label campaign. Be wary of Splenda, and read more about the dangers of this insecticide promoted as a sweetener that is known to have serious health effects, seizure being just one.

BetternEggs Egg whites at 98%, water, plus the following chemicals -natural flavors, sodium hexametaphosphate, guar gum, xanthan gum

Flat out - hard to find information on the ingredients but one site states that they contain sugar and soy flour. This brand is also endorsing Lance Armstrong's venture, but recall that soy is an endocrine disruptor and may influence cancer.

Hellman's Best Foods Mayonnaise - now made with soy oil

Wishbone - base is usually canola oil (GMO and toxic to the liver) although some now state olive oil.

Edys Fruit bars - I picked Orange and Cream for an example - INGREDIENTS: skim milk, water, sugar, orange juice concentrate, cream, corn syrup, maltodextrin, whey, stabilizer (microcrystalline cellulose, mono and diglycerides, guar gum, cellulose gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, polysorbate 80, dextrose), natural flavors, citric acid, orange pulp, ascorbic acid, annatto color, turmeric color

Lean Cuisine - microwaved food causes nutritional depletion and elevated cholesterol, read more here -

Soy milk - Silk is the most advertised brand you can find. Silk is associated with the factory farm brand of "organic" milk from Horizon (Dean Foods). Silk is loaded with thickeners including carrageenan that is toxic and sugar. Soy milk suppresses your thyroid gland and is estrogenic so not good if you have a concern for hormone related breast cancer.

Skinny Cow - cones are made from skim milk, cone [wheat flour, sugar, palm oil, soy lecithin, salt], sugar, corn syrup, cone coating [sugar, coconut oil, salatrim, cocoa, soy lecithin, vanillin-artificial flavor], fudge topping [high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, cocoa processed with alkali, sugar, modified corn starch, salt, mono and diglycerides, vanilla, natural flavor, vanillin-artificial flavor], water, cocoa processed with alkali, whey protein, polydextrose, fructan (dietary fiber), stabilizer [microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose gum, mono and diglycerides, locust bean gum, calcium sulfate, polysorbate 80, carrageenan], vitamin A palmitate

Slim Fast - Optima as an example - Fat free milk, water, sugar, cocoa, canola oil, fructose, calcium caseinate, gum arabic, cellulose gel, hydrogenated soy oil, mono and diglycerides, potassium phosphate, soya lecithin, cellulose gum, carrageenan, artificial flavor, isolated soy protein, maltodextrin, Contains Sucralose and Acesulfame K, dextrose, potassium carrageenan, citric acid, sodium citrate. (I'll put low glycemic, chocolate, high fiber, protein based, blood sugar balancing shake mix I use up against Slim Fast's pap any day.)

Most of the products contain synthetic vitamins which are inexpensive and not well absorbed.

Splenda (sucralose) and Aspartame make you gain weight just like high fructose corn syrup. Somehow all of these fake foods being promoted as the "Best Life" partners leave a lot to be desired. But of course this is my opinion, and I really wish people get it.

My point is that getting in shape and maintaining a healthy weight (for you) is very important for your health. One way to undermine all this hard work is to ingest foods full of artificial sweeteners and other ingredients that - over time - undermine your efforts and your health.

I've been a student of nutrition since the 1960s. I was fortunate enough to have in depth nutrition education as part of my college experience. I haven't stopped reading about and researching this subject. My best advice is to use organic, whole foods, and real foods that are not full of additives and preservatives.

And here are some of my comments on the new Oprah and Bob Fake Food Folly.

First let me start by saying that dark chocolate is a very good supplement for health. I am not sure I would promote candy bars to achieve this but that is based on my concern over the sugar and fat in the candy. A better suggestion would be to have a quality brand (NOT YOPLAIT)of plain or vanilla yoghurt with a tablespoon of organic cocoa powder or cacao nibs stirred in. You will be amazed at just how good this is, even without sweeteners.(Contact us if you'd like to order our healthy chocolate options.)

A few years ago Hershey's pushed its shareholders to approve the use of genetically modified ingredients such as cocoa and beet sugar. In some countries the GMO ingredients are not used but they are in the US. Genetically modified foods like beet sugar grown with Monsanto's Round-Up. Read more...

What you may not know is that processed foods containing inorganic phosphates could be making you sick. This study also suggests that dietary changes to avoid these chemical additives may play an important role in cancer treatment. Women seem prone to developing lung cancer, and of course we all know of the massive campaign-in-pink that hasn't found the 'cure'.

In research reported in the January issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society, scientists from Seoul National University conclude that a diet high in inorganic phosphates, found in a host of processed foods including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products, might spur the growth of lung cancer. Further the researchers suggest the food additive may contribute to the development of malignancies in people predisposed to, or already diagnosed with cancer.

Soy and Canola oils, passed off as "plant sterols" now seem to deplete other necessary nutrients. Soy is a negative food, it is often genetically modified. Canola is a trans fat because of the processing and it is toxic to your liver.

And, while this is no means complete, I thought I'd let you know that Polysorbte 80 has been connected with infertility.

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/dangers-of-hfcs.html

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2007/11/congress-undermines-health-with-support.html

Fake Foods: Oprah, Bob and General Mills

Maybe you remember when the Texas cattle ranchers sued Oprah after she discussed beef raising and cattle processing on her show some years back.

simply4health supplements - our complete line of vitamins, minerals, herbs, supplements...

Maybe you don't remember, but in either case now it looks like Oprah better round up Dr. Phil and her attorneys and go at it again.

First I guess she should go after the 'Dr. Phil' food bar. You know, the one loaded with not only high fructose corn syrup, but neurotoxic artificial sweeteners.

Then with both pistols loaded and a quick draw motion Oprah can blast the General Mills approach to health.

Sorry Bob Greene, you fail the test too.

Now before you all run out and get the ingredients for Oprah's smoothie and Bob Greene's diet, maybe you'd want to read what is in just two of the products being hawked by General Mills for this promotion.

8th Continent Soy Milk contains: Soymilk (Water, Soy Protein, Soybean Oil, Calcium

Phosphate), Sugar, Fructose, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Polyphosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Sucralose, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A (Palmitate), Vitamin D2, Vitamin B12.

Yoplait contains: nonfat milk, high fructose corn syrup, (blackberries in this, the blackberry version), modified corn starch, whey protein concentrate, kosher gelatin, citric acid, tricalcium phosphate, natural flavor, aspartame, potassium sorbate, RED # 40, vitamin A acetate, Blue #1, Vitamin D3.

Cheerios always have been a bit too high in sodium for my taste, but choosing the cold cereal routine can always help you keep up your quick-sugar fix.

And then there is the salad spray that has Oprah 'ready to die for'. It's that one in the cute little plastic spritzer bottle. Read the label and there it is - that liver-toxic canola oil. It's the one that in processing is exposed to cancer-causing benzene to keep the machines running and becomes a trans-fat at the end of the process.

Canola and soy are two of the most genetically modified and allergenic foods we have thanks to ADM.

Soy is known to suppress thyroid function, just another one of those scientific facts that promote hormone imbalance. However, I suppose you think you need it to overcome the bone health risks from phosphates.

But then you have to bet that General Mills is operating from the perspective that shopper's won't ever read the labels and look up what all the chemicals are and the health risks involved through ingesting them.

Read about Carrageenan here, that natural seaweed made toxic by processing to use in food as a thickener.

Get a book about vitamins and learn that D2 is the kind that doesn't absorb well and can be toxic. D3 is the one that works.

Get a nutrition book not written by a dietitian of funded by USDA and learn that you need fat to absorb calcium, so you need 2% milk at the very minimum.

High fructose corn syrup you say? Yup! the one that passes directly into your blood stream and is connected with developing diabetes. And corn again, one of those high pesticide and allergy causing foods. You've got added sugar from fructose too; Oh, my...

And I suppose Oprah and Bob don't have an expert neurosurgeon on their team either to tell you that mixing sucralose (the DDT-like substance marketed as Splenda) and aspartame (or acesulfameK) is highly risky. Try this for more on this combo.

I do hope this will make you think, and if you can't find out more about food, skip the Red #40 and shoot us an email with your question. Or get great nutrition with a Vita-Mix

See also -

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