Sodium Nitrate

What is Sodium Nitrate? Also known as Sodium Nitrite, it is a preservative used in meat and is poisonous.

What is it used in? It is used in all types of processed meats: hot dogs, lunch meat, sausage, pepperoni and bacon, for instance. Just for fun, I looked it up on Wikipedia and found some other uses: "Sodium nitrate may be used as a constituent of fertilizers, pyrotechnics and smoke bombs, glass and pottery enamels, as a food preservative and a solid rocket propellant." I guess if you get tired of ham sandwiches, the sodium nitrate laden meat can be used to make explosives? Fabulous.

Why is it not so great for you? Well, if the above section does not convince you that such an all-in-one food product couldn't possibly be good for you, here is what some research has found. The National Institutes of Health published an article last year showing the connection between processed meat (i.e. hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat) and colorectal cancers. There have been numerous studies showing the connection between consumption of red meat and this cancer but this study showed the connection specifically with the processed meats. There are a lot of research studies out there but this article summed of the gist of them well. I recall reading somewhere (can't remember where now!) about how there was an attempt to have Sodium Nitrate removed as a food preservative in 2005, but that a large group of meat lobbyist had it disbanded.

What to do? Thankfully, you don't have to give up bacon or summer hot dog roasts! There are several brands (non organic) that carry sodium nitrate/nitrite free bacon, lunch meat, and hotdogs. Of course, any organic meats will not have the preservative in them. Although we do not eat processed meats very often, the organic options are too expensive for our budget so these are the alternatives I have found for our family:

Hormel lunchmeat - the website & Sunday paper occasionally has coupons and Kroger will put on sale for around  $3/12 oz:

Oscar Mayer  also carries lunch meat, as well as bacon and hotdogs that are nitrate free. They can be expensive when not on sale (bacon & hotdogs run around 5.99/pack) but with sale and coupons, it is reasonable ($3-$4 or less) and I will get several to stock up in the freezer. 

Aidells brand carries sausages that are nitrate free and taste really good.

Companies produce what the consumer buys. Maybe one day people will become more knowledgeable about what is in their foods and stop buying these foods that cause diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc. Or maybe the FDA will ban it completely. Highly unlikely but at least I can read labels and keep the explosive, fertilizing, pottery enamel substance out of my fridge!

A Valentine's Day Treat

Since the Valentine's Day holiday is quickly approaching, I thought I would share my favorite {healthier} cookie recipe with a red & white twist to them.

Valentine Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups quick oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

I didn't want the cranberries and chips to be too chunky (I like food to have even proportions for each bite...I have issues) so I chopped them with my chopper before adding:

~Beat together butter and sugars until fluffy.

~Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.

~Combine next 5 ingredients and add to mixture, beating well.

~Stir in oats, then cranberries and chocolate chips. 

~Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. 

~Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes. Makes 4 to 5 dozen. 

Making cookies is fun for the kiddos too!

Any cookies that will not be eaten in the next 2 or 3 days, be sure to put in a container in the freezer. Whenever you need fresh cookies, fill up your cookie jar with the frozen ones (sometimes this also helps you to avoid eating the entire batch of cookies in one day....sometimes). 

Don't have time to do dozens of individual cookies? Press the dough into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown. Then cut into bars once it has cooled. 

{Happy Valentine's Day!}

 

My juice conundrum

Lately, I have been trying to decide what is the "safest" juice to drink. We don't have much variety in the way of grocery stores here so I am pretty limited to what is available at the local Kroger. I have tried their brand of organic apple juice a few times but it costs almost $4 AND the apples aren't even from the U.S.! I had been getting the 100% juice varieties with no added sugar because we drink very little juice anyway (which I dilute with water as well). Juice really has no nutritional value when compared to actual fruit - it just tastes good :)

I like to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines on juice:
~ Not recommended under 6 months of age
~ 6 months-1 yr can give sparingly but has no nutritional benefits
~ Children ages 1-6 years old should have no more than 4-6oz a day (4oz is half a cup)
~ Children ages 7-18 years should be limited to 8-12oz per day

Over the past few months, there has been a lot in the news about arsenic in apple juice. Did you see the Dr. Oz show that was all about poison being in children's drinks? I had heard about the episode and what they had found. Then I read the report published by Consumer Reports where they had conducted their own study on several different types and brands of juice. They found some pretty concerning results as far as the levels of arsenic in juice - especially grape juice! As if that was concerning enough, I had started noticing the fine print on the bottles of juice. Some had, "Concentrate from fruit produced in Chile" or, my favorite, "Apples from China, Mexico, and/or USA." China? Isn't that the country that makes plastic kids toys with lead? There was another article on the web recently as well, about orange juice concentrate being stored in huge tanks for months and months and losing all of the flavor which requires the addition of flavor packs and on and on...

Bottom line is, none of it sounds very appealing, healthy, or safe! 

So I have been pondering what our family should do:

1} Only drink water, and milk for the kids - boring

2} Start an orchard and press my own juice - takes too long and I'm pretty sure orange trees don't grow in Virginia

3} Find out if China puts arsenic in their juice - don't care to converse with China and wouldn't really believe them if they said no anyway

In other words, I'm still undecided. But I think I will give this juice a try, even though it is a little expensive:

What is your favorite juice to give your family?

Not so sweet

High Fructose Corn Syrup: I'm not a big fan and I try to avoid all foods that contain it. Back when I started taking a different look at the food we ate, it was one of those ingredients I started noticing in everything. Even though I hadn't done much research yet, it was one of those things that just seemed like it was bad - like feeding your kids spaghetti after they've had a bath or going to Walmart on payday. The commercials trying to promote that its "just like sugar" made HFCS seem even more sketchy to me.

In January of 2009, a research study was published revealing various levels of Mercury in HFCS. Mercury is a neurotoxic heavy metal not good for anyone to be exposed to but is especially dangerous to young children and unborn infants whose nervous system is still developing. Numerous articles have mentioned that traces of Mercury are present in all different forms in our environment. But the concern in it being present in HFCS (it is actually in something called caustic soda used to separate the corn in the process of making the HFCS) is because this sweetener is used in such a vast array of foods, both as a sweetener and for its ability to prolong shelf-life. It is estimated that in the US, the average daily consumption of HFCS is 50 grams (Dufault et al., 2009).  

In 2010, a study conducted by a Princeton University research team looked at the effects of HFCS on obesity. It was a two part study in which the first showed that rats given HFCS gained more weight than rats given equal amounts of table sugar (sucrose). The second part of the study was a more long-term study and it showed that the HFCS rats not only had gained weight, but they also had higher triglycerides, abdominal fat, and other characteristics that in humans,  are known risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and high blood pressure. This study was so interesting to me (probably because I am a nurse and a nerd who loves pathophysiology stuff) because it talked about how even though HFCS and table sugar have similar properties of fructose and glucose, our bodies process it completely different because of how the one fructose is made. I don't know...maybe, perhaps, this might have something to do with the fact that God made regular sugar AND our bodies? Just a thought...

The other big concern I have with HFCS, is the issue of GMO corn. This is a whole different issue in and of itself. Basically, GMO's are genetically modified organisms - their DNA has been changed or altered. The advantage of this for crops is to make produce that is resistant to diseases and such, and to produce/grow faster. Its very sketchy sounding because some things aren't regulated and there is no requirement to label foods as being from GMO sources. Several articles have stated that it is like one big science experience because GMO's are relatively new (introduced in the 90's I believe?) so no one really knows what affects it will have on us. Great! Anyway, because corn is a major GMO product, anything made from non-organic corn or corn by-product could potentially be a GMO. 

If you haven't completely zoned out or fallen asleep by all of this, here is just a quick list of a few, somewhat unexpected, foods with HFCS:
~Soft drinks, juice, chocolate/flavored milk, Poweraide
~Crackers, cereals, fruit and granola bars
~Yogurt, ice cream, Popsicles
~Applesauce, some fruit cups and "fruit" products
~Ketchup, salad dressing, barbecue sauce
~Canned beans and soups

You get the gist: it can be in everything! Don't get me wrong, plain sugar sure isn't a wonder food or considered healthy by any means. This is of course an example of how important it is to keep things in moderation. I don't think people realize how much HFCS is present in our foods (I couldn't believe it was in the "healthy" applesauce! Seriously people?!). I have to mention that the dear folks at Sweet Surprise refuted the Mercury study and have supplied a thorough fact sheet on the harmlessness of HFCS. They are the Corn Refiner's Association so I find it a bit biased but that might just be me. Since 2009, they very well could have changed the manufacturing of HFCS to a method that does not use the mercury method which hopefully is the case.

So whether you eliminate all HFCS from your diet or keep it in moderation, I hope this was a little bit informative or even just adds to your food awareness!

References and other information:
Dufault, R., LeBlanc, B., Schnoll, R., Cornett, C., Scweitzer, L., Wallinga, D., Hightower, J., Patrick, L., & Lukiw, W.J. (2009). Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: Measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environmental Health. (8)2. Retrieved from  http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/2


Parker, H. (2010). A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high fructose corn syrup prompts considerable weight gain. Princeton University. Retrieved from http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

 http://www.iatp.org/documents/much-high-fructose-corn-syrup-contaminated-with-mercury-new-study-finds

A Food Favorite

I hate it when I buy a healthy product and then it ends up tasting funny or we just don't like it. So I thought every once in a while I would share a favorite product or food. These cold winter days we are having makes me think often of soup, which is the first food fav I thought I would share with you:

Who didn't grow up eating the classic tomato soup out of a can? I was so disappointed to read the ingredient listings on several varieties of soup brands and find that HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is a main ingredient! What is so bad about HFCS? Stay tuned next week for a post just on this subject! Also, there have been several articles out recently about BPA lining in cans and how acidic foods like tomatoes tend to leach out higher amounts of BPA. This is something I have been wanting to read and learn more about so there will probably be a post on this issue too at some point! 



I love this soup for several reasons:
~ It tastes delicious and even my anti-vegetable child slurps it up
~ Organic ingredients and contains no HFCS
~ Kroger often has it on sale (2/$6 this week) AND you can frequently find coupons for it
~ It is quick and easy because you just pour it from the carton to heat and eat
~ Because it is in a carton, you don't have to worry about BPA as in canned soups

This made for a great quick and light meal last Sunday evening before church. Paired with a whole wheat grilled cheese sandwich, this is the perfect winter meal. 

Clearly, one of my skills is not photographing food. It tasted better than it looks in this picture. Anyway, you get the idea :-)

If you go to Imagine's website there is a $1 off coupon you can print off.

Enjoy!

Organic vs. All-natural

Organic foods are certified by the USDA and are clearly labeled:

Organic farms have to use practices that are ecologically based (cultural and biological pest management) and they can't use synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones. Multiple ingredient foods labeled organic have to contain at least 95% organic ingredients. There is much more information on organic foods and labeling at the USDA organic certification website. The consumer link is especially helpful in explaining a lot about what organic means as well as what terms like "free range" and "cage free".

The labels "Natural" or "All-Natural", on the other hand, are not regulated. So basically, any company can put that on their food packaging if they so desire. Walking through the grocery store, it seems like many companies are trying to appeal to the natural/organic food push because there sure are a lot of foods that are suddenly "all natural". Interestingly, many of these foods I have found to contain food dye, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and even monosodium glutamate (MSG). Then again, some are true to their packaging.

Moral of the story is, if there is something you don't want to feed to your family, you have to read the ingredients. That's the only true way to avoid preservatives, dyes, HFCS, or whatever you deem unhealthy. Just because something labeled organic doesn't mean it is 100% healthy for you either, like the organic banana chips I could eat the entire bag of (yeah...only 10g of saturated fat per miniscule serving. That darn organic coconut oil).

My family can't afford for everything we eat to be organic and honestly, that seems a bit excessive, even for me. Somewhere my husband is smirking and saying "Yeah right!" but seriously, what is more important to me is feeding my family REAL food - food whose ingredients are basic and from natural sources. So sometimes its something certified organic and sometimes its non-organic foods with basic ingredients.
Here are a few non-organic foods that I like to get because of their simple ingredients:

Ok, side note on the salad dressings ~ I know there are countless recipes to make all types of dressings from scratch. However, we end up not liking them, not eating salads, and wasting the dressing. So when I found the Marzetti brand dressings (contain no MSG or HFCS), I decided this was one prepared food item we would use.

I also choose what to get organic vs all natural based on what our budget allows and what is more important to me. For example, it is more important to me to have organic milk and meats than organic cheeses and butter. Both are expensive so I compromise by getting blocks of Kraft cheese and regular unsalted butter - the block cheese I can slice and shred on my own (thereby avoiding the additives in pre-shredded cheese) and the butter contains only cream (and is something we have in very small quantities in our diet). 


If I read the ingredients in a particular food and I can't pronounce the ingredients or have no idea what it is, I don't buy it. It was an adjustment at first to not have Dorritos and packaged cookies in the house but eventually, we got used to being hungry at night. Just kidding - we DO eat junk food every once in a while but most of the time we have found healthier or home-baked alternatives. And that makes me feel better.

Crusty Wheat Bread - just the recipe

Here is the recipe and directions all together from yesterday's tutorial. This way you can print it and use it easier. For pictures and tutorial of how to make the bread, click here.

Crusty Wheat Bread

2 packages or 2 Tbsp active dry yeast

1 ¾ cups warm water (105° – 115°)

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
1/2 cup oatmeal

2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (optional)

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 – 3 cups bread flour

Olive oil

Step 1: Pour the warm water into mixing bowl and add the yeast and sugar. Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes to proof.

Step 2: Add the salt, lemon juice, and oatmeal to the yeast mixture, stir. Add the wheat flour and vital wheat gluten (if using). Stir just until slightly combined.

Step 3: Add 2 cups of bread of flour and allow mixer to knead until dough comes together in a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If still very sticky once the 2 cups of flour have been kneaded in, add ½ cup of bread flour at a time until dough comes together, allowing each addition of flour to be kneaded in before adding more.

Step 4: Using a rubber spatula, scrape dough in the bowl into a ball. Drizzle olive oil (about a Tbsp) around the edges of the dough and use the spatula to turn the dough ball in the oil so that the entire ball is lightly covered in the oil. Put a clean towel over the bowl and set aside to rise for about an hour. 

Quick rise method: Let dough rest in bowl for 5-10 minutes, then skip to step 5 to shape loaves and place in sprayed or oiled pans. Instead of rising on the counter, place in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. Then continue to normal baking at 450 degrees for 16-18 minutes. 

Step 5: Once dough has risen to about double, turn out dough on to a clean and lightly floured surface. Cut pile of dough in half, then lightly knead and shape each ½ into desired loaf shape. Make sure to get air bubbles out. Once loaf is shaped, cut a few slits across the top with a knife and place in greased or oiled loaf pans.

Step 6: Unless using the quick rise method, cover with clean towel again and let rise for about another hour.

Step 7: Once loaves have risen, place in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Bread is done when top is crusty brown and loaf makes a “thump” sound when tapped with a finger. Immediately turn out loaves onto a wire rack to cool (leaving in hot pans causes the bread to “sweat” and get soggy). 

Storing bread: Don’t store bread in the fridge because this causes it to dry out. Once completely cooled, it is best to keep one loaf out to eat (stored in a sealed container or bag) and put the other in a Ziploc freezer bag in the freezer. Whenever you are ready to eat the other loaf, remove from freezer and place on a plate or rack to thaw. It will taste just as fresh as when it was first made!