Today my goal is to make some whole wheat pumpkin muffins!The boys just can not get enough, but the ones we have been making are white flour based. While "googelling" Whole wheat flour I came across this interesting article......Since 1941, laws in the United States have required "enrichment" of processed wheat flour with vitamins B1, B2, B3 and iron in response to the problems created by 60% extraction. Since not nearly as much of these B vitamins and iron are replaced as are removed from 60% extraction flour, "enriched" seems an odd word to describe this process.
The health benefits of wheat depend entirely on the form in which you eat it. These benefits will be few if you select wheat that has been processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction-the standard for most wheat products in the United States, including breads, noodles and pastas, baked goods like rolls or biscuits, and cookies-means that 40% of the original wheat grain was removed, and only 60% is left. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain-its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.
To read more of this lengthy article go to...http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=66
HOT MULLED APPLE CIDER | |
1 qt. apple cider 8 whole cloves 2/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/4 tsp. each nutmeg and ginger 1 stick cinnamon Combine all ingredients in 1 1/2 quart sauce pan. Cook until brown sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes; strain. Serve hot in cups. Garnish with lemon slices and cinnamon sticks for stirring. May keep warm in Crock pot on low. Yields 1 quart. | |
I was out with a friend in downtown Seattle today. While out walking in a wonderful little neighborhood we stumbled across a second hand bookstore. Sure the store its self was a good find, but an even better one was a book I've been wanting to get and for only $10...woo hoo!
Ingredients
(Do you think it scary that I found this listed under many chemistry/science sites rather than food? And yet we eat it!)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and the related compound butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are phenolic compounds that are often added to foods to preserve fats.
What foods contain BHA and BHT? BHA is generally used to keep fats from becoming rancid. It is also used as a yeast de-foaming agent. BHA is found in butter, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and beer. It is also found in animal feed, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products.
BHT also prevents oxidative rancidity of fats. It is used to preserve food odor, color, and flavor. Many packaging materials incorporate BHT. It is also added directly to shortening, cereals, and other foods containing fats and oils.
BHA Characteristics:(the more popular)
BHT Characteristics:
So did you understand that? Sounds....yummy! NOT!
How do they preserve food? BHA and BHT are antioxidants. Oxygen reacts preferentially with BHA or BHT rather than oxidizing fats or oils, thereby protecting them from spoilage. In addition to being oxidizable, BHA and BHT are fat-soluble. Both molecules are incompatible with ferric salts. In addition to preserving foods, BHA and BHT are also used to preserve fats and oils in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Are BHA and BHT safe? Both BHA and BHT have undergone the additive application and review process required by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, the same chemical properties which make BHA and BHT excellent preservatives may also be implicated in health effects. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity; however the same reactions may combat oxidative stress. There is evidence that certain persons may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes. BHA and BHT may have antiviral and antimicrobial activities. Research is underway concerning the use of BHT in the treatment of herpes simplex and AIDS.
Brussel Sprouts| Brussel sprouts, boiled 1.00 cup 156.00 grams 60.84 calories | ||||
| Nutrient | Amount | DV (%) | Nutrient Density | World's Healthiest Foods Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vitamin K | 218.80 mcg | 273.5 | 80.9 | excellent |
| vitamin C | 96.72 mg | 161.2 | 47.7 | excellent |
| folate | 93.60 mcg | 23.4 | 6.9 | very good |
| vitamin A | 1121.64 IU | 22.4 | 6.6 | very good |
| manganese | 0.35 mg | 17.5 | 5.2 | very good |
| dietary fiber | 4.06 g | 16.2 | 4.8 | very good |
| potassium | 494.52 mg | 14.1 | 4.2 | very good |
| vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.28 mg | 14.0 | 4.1 | very good |
| tryptophan | 0.04 g | 12.5 | 3.7 | very good |
| vitamin B1 (thiamin) | 0.17 mg | 11.3 | 3.4 | very good |
| omega 3 fatty acids | 0.26 g | 10.8 | 3.2 | good |
| iron | 1.87 mg | 10.4 | 3.1 | good |
| phosphorus | 87.36 mg | 8.7 | 2.6 | good |
| protein | 3.98 g | 8.0 | 2.4 | good |
| magnesium | 31.20 mg | 7.8 | 2.3 | good |
| vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 0.12 mg | 7.1 | 2.1 | good |
| vitamin E | 1.33 mg | 6.7 | 2.0 | good |
| copper | 0.13 mg | 6.5 | 1.9 | good |
| calcium | 56.16 mg | 5.6 | 1.7 | good |
| World's Healthiest Foods Rating | Rule | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| excellent | DV>=75% | OR | Density>=7.6 | AND | DV>=10% |
| very good | DV>=50% | OR | Density>=3.4 | AND | DV>=5% |
| good | DV>=25% | OR | Density>=1.5 | AND | DV>=2.5% |
For a more indepth study on the above benifits (its pretty amazing) check out
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=10I just came across this book on another blog, it looks good, I think I'm going to purchase it. I'll let you know when I get it and what I think. The cover pics alone are making me hungry. Look at all that yummy goodness!
Click the book cover to see price at Barnes & Noble
This is what they say about the book....
Are you too busy to feed your family home-cooked food? Confused by the latest nutritional news? Struggling to help your kids stay healthy, active and balanced? Whole Life Nutrition is a much-needed antidote to the S.A.D. - our Standard American Diet and lifestyle of fast food and faster entertainment. Designed for parents of school-aged children, this book clearly and simply lays out how to nourish your family and create balance in your home life while keeping up with your full and busy days.
You'll learn how to reverse common cravings, imbalances and ailments and experience a comprehensive new approach to modern family cooking - one so simple and intuitive that even readers who are afraid to boil water will be dishing out quick, delicious, nourishing meals in no time. With clear, practical lifestyle guidelines, the inside scoop on many nutrition issues, and endless simple meal options, this book is one-stop-shopping for getting your family's health on track.
You may have heard about the health issues caused by a food ingredient called partially hydrogenated oil (PHO). It is found in many, many foods in your supermarket and in restaurants. Although I knew it was unhealthy, I never really knew why until I did some research for this post.
In a nutshell, PHO’s are created when hydrogen bubbles (yes, hydrogen) are passed through oil that has been heated. This removes the essential fatty acids that do a lot of good for your body, and chemically alters the oil so it becomes a trans fat, also called a saturated fat (bad, bad stuff). McDonalds is one of the better-known trans fat cases because of all the media attention.
So why are PHO’s so bad? They cause cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and allergies that can cause arthritis. It also disables your body from properly absorbing good essential fatty acids (necessary to sustain healthy life) found largely in polyunsaturated oils. Instead of being absorbed and providing your body with what it needs to function properly, the essential fatty acids are eventually stored as fat cells, causing you to gain weight.
I’m not a scientist, so I won’t pretend to be. The purpose of this post is to inform you of the ill effects of this ingredient (as well as some others). I’ve included some informative links below for those of you who are interested in a more detailed explanation of PHO’s.
But I will tell you this. Companies use this stuff because it’s a really cheap way to give things like cake, cookies, pancakes, cereal and bread a rich buttery taste WITHOUT adding butter (which is more costly). It also extends the shelf life of the product so it can sit there for months (or years) instead of a few weeks. I guess the almighty dollar is more important than the health of our children.
Now that there’s more awareness, some corporations have changed the name of these trans fatty oils to mono-diglycerides. Don’t be fooled, it’s the same thing. Shame on every company that is trying to trick us. I wonder if the owners and employees feed this crap to their families. Or do they take their profits and shop at Whole Foods?
Hey Kellogg’s, charge me an extra dollar and take that crap out of your Pop Tarts and your cereals. It’s in Froot Loops, Corn Pops and lots of other cereals I can’t think of right now (check the labels).
My question is this: who is going to step up, take responsibility and get rid of this stuff in our food? Will it be a major corporation that will set the precedent, the government, or nobody?
If that’s not enough to keep you up at night, here are a few more bad food ingredients:
Sodium Nitrite: found in bacon, hot dogs and other processed meats kids and parents like to eat. Why is it bad? It causes colon cancer and pancreatic cancer. It has been proven to cause leukemia and brain tumors in children! We eat bacon at least once a week!! At least we used to. I’ll have to check Whole Foods for organic bacon.
Naturalnews.com also lists: MSG, refined white flower, refined white sugar, aspartame, saccharin, artificial colors, chemical preservatives, color fixer chemicals and homogenized dairy fats. Visit their link, or use Google to find out more.
Special thanks to the following links which provided me with this useful information. Pleases visit them for more details:
- Ban Trans Fats
- What’s Wrong with Partially Hydrogenated Oils?
- The latest U.S. health safety distraction ploy: Blame China!
- Recovery Medicine
Related posts:
Healthy Food Tip #1: Decoding PLU Codes For Better Health
And remember, you are not alone…
Thanks DADDY BRAIN BLOG for this amazing article! http://www.daddybrain.wordpress.com
We have become increasingly reliant on ready-prepared meals and snacks to feed our kids, many low in essential nutrients and high in saturated fats, sugar, salt and additives. Such a diet, linked to soaring rates of childhood obesity and other diseases, is not a healthy one for a growing child. In this invaluable book, nutrition expert Rachael Anne Hill explains why the food our children eat is damaging their health, and shows how you can reverse this trend by cooking simple good food at home without spending hours in the kitchen. Her recipes are quick and simple to prepare, made from everyday ingredients and are packed with the nutrients your family needs. From Breakfasts to Lunch Boxes, Snacks & Drinks, Lunches & Suppers, Puddings and Party Food, there are recipes for every occasion that kids will love. Rachael also advises on what foods to buy and what to avoid, understanding food labels and cutting through marketing hype.
The Feingold Diet derives from the program suggested in the book “Why Your Child is Hyperactive“, first published in the 1970s by Dr. Benjamin Feingold, a pediatrician and allergist. He went on to develop and promote his dietary approach to helping children with learning and behavior problems, since categorized as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The Feingold Diet is based on the premise that allergic reactions or sensitivities to certain types of foods cause or contribute to ADD/ADHD symptoms, such as problems with:
The Feingold Program is more comprehensive than a simple diet, and operates in two stages. Stage 1 eliminates chemical compounds in particular food additives, and salicylate compounds in certain foods (and non-food items such as fragrances – hence the name Program rather than Diet). See below for a list of items for elimination. Stage 2 involves identifying which salicylates (if any) can be tolerated.
Many ADD/ADHD sufferers who follow the Feingold Program have experienced great improvements in focus and behavior. There is a considerable (recent) research to back this up (see more).
Studies in the early nineties show that around 75% of children improve on a diet that restricts additives.
The Feingold Program eliminates these additives and chemicals:
Almonds, Apples, Apricots, Aspirin, Berries, Cherries, Cloves, Coffee, Cucumbers, Currants, Grapes, Nectarines, Oil of wintergreen, Oranges, Peaches, Peppers (bell & chilli), Pickles, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Rose hips, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tea, Tomatoes
A less rigorous approach than the Feingold Program, given that many studies have shown the sensitivity of some children to dyes, is to start by eliminating only those foods (and vitamins, drugs, and toothpastes) that contain artificial colorings.
If initial dietary changes have little benefit (i.e. excluding only dyes), try the complete Feingold diet. It is important to use a diet diary or journal.
If that doesn’t help, the Feingold Association recommends eliminating:
After several weeks, if the child’s behavior has improved, every few days restore one eliminated food or ingredient at a time. Repeat that two or three times if a problem occurs, to confirm that the food is really a culprit.
If the child’s behavior did not improve on the Feingold diet, try a “few-foods” diet, which involves more extensive restrictions (see Elimination diets). Studies show that some children are sensitive not just to food additives but also to such foods as:
Eliminate as many of those foods as possible, plus artificial colorings and other additives. Children can eat fresh meat and poultry, any vegetable (except corn and soybeans), fruits and fruit juices (but not citrus fruit/juice and not beverages normally consumed daily), rice, and oats.
