Do you Believe Corn Syrup TV Commercials?

Lucky Charms, cereal for kids: whole grain oats, sugar, modified corn starch, corn syrup, dextrose, gelatin, yellow 5&6, blue 1, red 40. Artificial flavor. Sugar. Oat flour. corn syrup. corn starch. salt. trisodium phosphate, color added, artificial flavor. vitamin E added to preserve freshness. + vitamins

Have you seen the latest tv commercials from the Corn Refiners Association in United States?

Here's a brief synopsis of one: A kid is having cereal for breakfast. His brother joins him and calls the kid a doofus because he's eating cereal with corn syrup. The kid with the cereal retorts with So What? and several great reasons for eating corn syrup. His brother steals the cereal bowl from the kid and starts to devour it.

Cute commercial. Alas, I have no money and no access to kid actors to make my own commercial about corn syrup, so instead, I collected some info about why I think consuming corn syrup is NOT a good idea for breakfast or any other meal.

Fact from the commercials: "Corn syrup is made from corn" and "is natural"
High Fructose Corn Syrup is manufactured from corn starch in vats using genetically modified enzymes.

Did you know? Corn syrup is banned in Europe.
On top of that, some corn syrup is manufactured using mercury-grade caustic soda and is routinely contaminated by mercury. Mercury accumulates in the body, and is especially damaging to women and their future children, as it causes brain damage and lowered IQ in the fetus. Granted, the amounts are small, but -- read it again -it accumulates in the body.

And what food was tested to have more mercury levels than any other from the study? Quaker Oatmeal to Go

Source: Not So Sweet: Mercury in HCFS (A Study by Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy, published January 2009)

Fact from the commercial: It's nutritionally the same as sugar
True. Both sugar and high fructose are refined sugar mixtures - primarily glucose and fructose.

But why is fructose so bad? Cells in our body can metabolize glucose, but only the liver can metabolize fructose. Because it is metabolized by the liver, fructose does not cause the pancreas to release insulin the way the body normally does, and fructose converts to fat more than any other sugar.

Unlike fruits, which have fructose packaged with vitamins, minerals and fiber, refined sugars like corn syrup leech the body of nutrients in order to digest it and metabolize it.

Source: Weston A. Price Foundation and The Double Danger of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Nephrologists (kidney specialists) at the University of Florida, found that fructose consumption raised blood levels of uric acid, which can foster “metabolic syndrome,” a condition of insulin resistance and abdominal obesity associated with heart disease and diabetes.

Source: The Endocrine Society

Translation: There is a link between diabetes and fructose consumption.

Fact from the commercial: It's natural
To me, natural means: Present in or produced by nature. Genetically modified foods created in vats by scientists are not natural. You will not find corn syrup oozing out of corn.

Fact from the commercials: It's just fine in moderation
Anything is fine in moderation, even cyanide, but the reality is that corn syrup is in so many foods that it requires constant vigilance to detect it -- it's in ketchup, in "healthy" energy bars, in cereals, in bread crumbs, in "healthy" salad dressings, in cookies, in sausage, and of course, in so many beverages.

Here's another interesting study that demonstrates that corn syrup, when combined with carbonated beverages, is not innocuous at all:
"Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. In a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated beverages, the scientists found that drinks containing the syrup had high levels of reactive compounds that have been shown by others to have the potential to trigger cell and tissue damage that could cause the disease, which is at epidemic levels."
Source: Press release by the American Chemical Society

Want to eat something natural? Try these tasty breakfasts:
Garbanzo Wonder Salad
Bacteria Breakfast! Kefir with Cranberry Walnut Pecan Raisin Trail Mix
Açai Fruit Smoothie
Winter Red Quinoa with Wild Berry Tea

Photo by headexplodie used under the Creative Commons license

Read more...

Help! I Can't Have any Butter or Cheese. What Do I Eat With My Sandwich?

My mother, a woman who glorifies nutrition and gives unwanted health lectures to my cat and random strangers, has yet to let go of her habitual coffee with a cheese sandwich in the morning. I suspect she has paid for her wanton ways with unstable blood pressure, general crankiness, nervousness and insane arthritis.*

While it's hard to change our habits, especially if we have been doing the same thing for decades, it's easier to ease into it slowly, substituting one thing, and slowly training our tongue to new and exciting flavors.

This is the first post of my most loved, tasty and easy "butter"/"cheese" substitutions, with my mother's reactions as she tries all of them.

Spreading on a sandwich:

1) Avocado
It is smooth and creamy and fatty, just the right consistency as butter. And yes, avocado does pack about 300 calories per fruit, most of which is fat. We do need healthy fats, though, so slather on.

Mom loved it. In fact, she said it was better than cheese. Creamier and had more flavor.

2) Roasted garlic.
Cut the top of the garlic bulb and roast for 15 minutes on 365 deg F. Spread the roasted garlic on bread and add arugula. Enjoy.

"Very tasty but a bit too dry. The consensus was to combine the avocado with roasted garlic, making a sandwich spread."

3) Pesto or Pistou. Pesto is very easy to make. Combine 1 cup of parsley, basil or any other dark green herb with olive oil, garlic and a little bit of pine nuts in the food processor until it is of spreadable consistency. Spread on whole grain bread. Enjoy. Mom did. Not as much as avocado though.

4) Hummus. Look on any shelf in the supermarket. So many varieties! There's no sense in me writing a recipe, when so many good ones exist elsewhere:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Appetizers-and-Snacks/Dips-and-Spreads/Hummus/ViewAll.aspx

5) Crushed beets with garlic
Fiery and almost purple, it's a very bright, healthy spread.

... more to come. I got sick today, so going to go rest now and dream of some more substitutes...

*Read more about how dairy foods affect arthritis here: USA Weekend.com

Read more...

Asparagus with Burdock Root

Burdock root is known as a blood purifier and garlic, Nama Shoyu and asparagus support the immune system. Asparagus also has a diuretic effect, which is good for treating water retention. But more importantly -- it tastes absolutely amazing!

Recipe
1 cup Asparagus Stalks 40 cal more nutrition data
1/2 cup of Burdock Root 55 cal more nutrition data
2 tsp of Nama Shoyu
1 clove of garlic

Scrub burdock to get the skin off. Cut it into matchsticks. Throw burdock, asparagus (with spices or finely chopped garlic, if you wish) in a pan to lightly sautée or pan-boil in minimum amount of water on high heat. When the asparagus turn bright green, turn off heat. Eat, enjoy and laugh at how easy this was.

Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 4-5 minutes

You might want to eat this in combination with brown rice or some other whole grain, since it is very low in calories.

Read more...

Açai Fruit Smoothie

I do love a frozen treat for breakfast. And when that frozen treat tastes like chocolate and berries, packs a "superfood" punch and wakes you up, all the better.

Deep in the Amazon rain forest grows a berry that is assumed to be one of the most nutrient rich foods in the entire world - the Açaí (ah-sigh-ee). It is crammed with more anti-oxidants than blueberries or pomegranates, and has healthy omega-3 oils, protein and dietary fiber. Good for your skin, heart, body and brain. And now, through the wonder of modern food distribution, I found it in the freezer section of the NYC Union Square Whole Foods.

I would love to find an original recipe that Amazon tribes have eaten for centuries, but for now, I will have to console myself with a simple frozen slushy experiment:

Ingredients
frozen açai
organic peach
pineapple

Blend together in a blender or food processor. Salivate, serve, eat and enjoy. :)

My Other Frozen Concoctions
Watermelon Slushy
Mystère de Chocolat

Read more...

Days# 7-11 Earth Laughs in Flowers

These are days 7 through 11 of my Eating Green Experiment. You can read about why I began it here.

So there we were - my boyfriend and I, looking out onto the Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge. We were 66 miles from home and his car just made a funny noise and died in the toll lane. The E-Z pass green light was demanding GO and the car was disobeying like a pigheaded metal gas-guzzling toddler.

We waited for the rescue tow truck, as the slight whiff of panic in the air (from me,) was slowly mixing with the music, the scenery, and the scent of gasoline. Adventure, adventure, adventure!

So what has this story to do with breakfast, anyway? Well, I was sort of hungry. And there we were, on the side of the road by the flower bed, battling customer service, insurance companies and parents via phone. Very exhausting. A thought appeared. Grew. Budded, if you will... What about eating... a flower breakfast?

Edible Flower Experiment

Thankfully, my revolt for car exhaust and general caution prevented me from trying the poisonous daffodils, but I present to you my new harmless breakfast:

Broccoli or Cauliflower Floret-Bouquet
Hey, it deliciously rhymes. Boil or steam for 5 minutes, dip in a healthy sauce and put on a stick. Many sticks in a glass - and you have a breakfast bouquet.

And then you can go crazy and add other edible flowers

As soon as I get my hands on some of these, there will be some flowery concoctions presented on this blog.

Photo by Gaetan Lee used under the Creative Commons License

PS. I stole the title of this post from Ralph Waldo Emerson

Read more...

Day#6 Collard Green Wrap

This is Day 6 of my Eating Green Experiment. You can read about why I began it here.

The Wrap. The epitome of portability. The melding of flavors, one rolling upon the other. Just the right size to grab with your hand and go. It's becoming my favorite food in the world, but the whole wheat wraps that I've seen in the supermarket have ingredients that I can't pronounce, and they make me extremely sleepy, so I've found a substitute! Big leaves!

Collard Green Wrap
1/2 avocado
red cabbage
baby leaf greens
1 cucumber
1 radish

Cut away the tough stem of the Collard green so that it can bend. Stuff with with your favorite veggies and it's good to go.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

And collard greens are a nutritional cancer bomb:
"A study of Chinese women in Singapore, a city in which air pollution levels are often high putting stress on the detoxification capacity of residents' lungs, found that in non-smokers, eating cruciferous vegetables lowered risk of lung cancer by 30%. In smokers, regular cruciferous vegetable consumption reduced lung cancer risk an amazing 69%!"

Read more...

Green Day # 1 - Saladicious

This is Day 1 of my Eating Green Experiment. You can read about why I began it here.

Late Saturday morning - the fridge looks like a bunch of hungry gnomes have been sleeping there overnight. All that is left from the week are some carrots, a tiny limp bok choy, a nearly empty jar of miso and the whistling wind, (or is it the hum of the refrigerator?) Definitely need to go shopping.

I grab a lonely carrot, some leftover romaine and dill, and start creating magic.

Recipe
carrot
romaine
dill
scallions
bok choy

Dressing
1 tsp of white miso
1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp of omega 3 oil
1/4 of tsp raw honey

It's a salad - so obviously you chop it up or tear it up and it's ready to eat.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients until it tastes amazing. Munch gratefully and loudly.

Read more...

Yammy Breakfast

This winter breakfast is delectably sweet and rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, that help my eyes see my enemies in the morning darkness and protect me from flu and colds.

1 acorn squash
1 butternut squash
2 yams
cinnamon and pumpkin seeds to taste
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

Bake squash and yams in 350-375 F until it's soft and smells like heaven. Mush it all together, muttering and salivating. Then sprinkle some cinnamon and pumpkin seeds in.

I served it with some blue corn tortillas I found in Whole Foods.

Read more...

Chayote salad for Breakfast

The sweetness of carrots and chayote mixed together, provides steady energy and a host of nutrients to a start of a great day.

1 Chayote
2 carrots
1/2 avocado

Shred, mix and enjoy!

Read more...

Berry Jellio

Delicate smooth deliciousness made out of fresh pear and berry juice. Berries are nutritional gold-mines that boost the immune system in this cooler weather, protect against cancer, as well as impart other, amazing benefits. Makes 4 servings.

1-2 cups mixture of berries: cranberries, blueberries and other berries, fresh or frozen
3 pears
2-3 tablespoons agar-agar
water

1) Put a quart or so of water to boil (with 1/2 cup of berries for extra flavor) and dissolve agar-agar in it.

2) Run the pears and the rest of the berries in a juicer.

3) Let hot mixture cool a bit and then add the fresh juice, and pour into molds or serving dishes. Let it cool in the refrigerator until solid.

Read more...

A Fig of an Experiment

5 fresh or frozen green figs
1 banana
2 plums
blueberries to taste
coconut
sesame seeds
1 tablespoon lemon flavored fish oil (for that doze of omega 3) or
oil and a spray of lemon juice.

Combine. Eat. Enjoy.

A colorful and tasty breakfast to refresh the body, especially if it's sluggish from sleep. Fig is alkalizing, and has been used to moisten dry throats, treat coughs, sore throats and to clean out the intestines. In case you need help with that sort of thing. :)

I've been experimenting with lots of figs lately. This is just a very not boring fruit salad and more inventive stuff is in the works...

Read more...

Have your Cake And Eat it Too

Ohhhh this was a good breakfast. The tiny chocolatey tryptophan bliss chemicals are pouring through my body right now, so forgive me if I sound all... happy and everything.

1 cup Hazelnuts
1-2 tbsp Almond butter
1-2 tbsp raw goji and cacao mix
2-3 Carrots
1 tbsp Agave Nectar
1 pear or Apricots
2-3 tbsp Shredded Coconut

Soak hazelnuts overnight. When they are full of water, shred them in the food processor with almond butter, agave nectar, cacao mix and coconut until the consistency is like dough.

Spread out in a mold. Shred carrots in a food processor. Add as much shredded carrots on top of the dough as you can. Top with sliced apricot or a pear. Cut off a piece, and share with others!

Nuts are full of nutrients, such as magnesium, iron and potassium, which play an important role in the body. If you ever have spasms and tension in muscles, you need more magnesium! If you tire easily and feel weak, you might need some iron. And potassium helps your nerves and muscles function properly. Good to start your day off right, isn't it?

Read more...

Pinapple-y Goodness

Pinapple contains enzyme bromelain that is known to ease inflammation and swelling after strains and sprains, although, as always - don't eat if you're allergic, etc, etc.

Ingredients
1/2 fresh pinapple
1 scoop of Green Vibrance optional
1-2 teaspoons of fish oil, lemon flavor

Crush the pinapple flesh in the food processor until smooth. Add the Green Vibrance and fish oil. Enjoy.

Read more...

Red Currant Oatmeal Wonder

Red currants
Chopped Almonds
Rolled Oats
Water

Directions: Add hot water to oats. Stir and let sit until desired consistency. Add almonds and red currants. Eat. Enjoy.

Red currants are full of anti-inflammatory nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Selenium and Beta Carotene, which, together with nutritious oats and almonds, make a tasty and wholesome start to the day.

Read more...

Aprikose Fruchtsalat

Apricot Fruit Salad

Apricots
Sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
a little sesame toasted oil
lemon or lime

Cut apricots up, add a bit of oil, and sprinkle seeds to your liking. Splash with lemon or lime. Devour.

From Healing with Whole Foods:
Apricots "used for dry throat, thirst, asthma, and other lung conditions when there is fluid deficiency. Because of its high copper and cobalt content, it is commonly used to treat anemia. They must be used cautiously during pregnancy and avoided in cases of diarrhea." yeah, they can totally clean you out... but these won't:

Almond Butter Plum Sandwiches

Almond butter
Plums
Whole Grain Bread

Spread some almond butter on the bread. Cover with plums. Enjoy.

Read more...

Céréale Aromatisée par Nectarine

Quite easy and cheap

Buckwheat
Soy milk
nectarine

Cook buckwheat. Add chilled soy milk. Mix in fresh nectarine pieces.

Buckwheat is incredibly tricky to make right, but here's an easy way: Wash buckwheat, pour boiling water on top. Cover and let the pot sit wrapped in a towel overnight or until fluffy and soft.

or the way my mom makes it (which is, in my view, tastier) - toast buckwheat in a dry pan, add water and let sit on very very low heat on stove until soft but not mushy.

Soooo tasty. So filling. Soo good for you.

Read more...

Watermelon Slushy

Another glorious breakfast for those days when you wake up feeling "beh". My body smells like vanilla now. I'm not kidding.


Freeze chunks of watermelon overnight (I had a yellow fleshed watermelon)

In the morning:
Combine in the food processor with

vanilla
cinnamon
and fresh squeezed lemon juice of 1 or 2 lemons.

Sooo light. Sooo refreshing. Needed some mint, though.
And perfect to rehydrate after a night of sleep. Plus, watermelon is full
of vitamin C and beta-carotine, which "...have been shown in a number
of scientific studies to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the
airway spasm that occurs in asthma, reduce the risk of colon cancer,
and alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis."

Read more...

Baby Bok Choy Omelet

So I was fortunate enough to get my hands on some organic baby bok choy. Oh the wonders of working in Queens!

Broccoli
Bok choy
2 eggs
Turmeric
Water
sea salt or seaweed flakes for saltiness

1. Heat skillet/pan on high heat
2. Add water, broccoli
3. Add bok choy
4. Add eggs
5. Sprinkle some turmeric
6. Cover and switch to a low heat setting
7. Let it sit there, steaming and puffing for 5 minutes until broccoli and bok choy look bright green and eggs solidify
8. Enjoy

Broccoli and Bok Choy are both rich in Vitamin C and fiber, which are both linked to cancer prevention. But my quick internet search proves that broccoli is a wonder-vegetable. From help for sun-damaged skin to better bone health, plus this: "Scientists have found that sulforaphane [substance found in broccoli] boosts the body's detoxification enzymes, potentially by altering gene expression, thus helping to clear potentially carcinogenic substances more quickly."

Read more...