Buying Organic? New Labeling Standards Should Make It Easier
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

Many people in America have started buying organic foods. Organic food sales have shot up from $180 million in 1980 to over $6.5 billion last year, not only in health food stores but in grocery stores as well. Actually, grocery stores sales made up fifty-six percent of organic food sales in the past year. Although organic food sales only make up two percent of national food sales, the organic market has definitely begun soaring, especially on Wall Street. Experts expect the figure to more than double by the year 2010. The USDA has finally released an official definition of what qualifies as �organic� food in response to the great increase in sales. It is also developing labeling standards which should be in effect by this summer. Up until the past couple of months, a definition of what actually qualifies as organic foods did not even exist. Throughout the past decade farmers and conventional farming organizations have been debating the need for federal organic labeling. Fear that the organic labels would create an unfair bias against conventional products kept conventional farmers from encouraging labeling. In December, the Grocery Manufactures of America actually complained about the new organic standards, claiming that the new labels will mislead consumers into believing that organic products are safer and more nutritious. The agricultural secretary denies the accusation of bias stating that although the organic seal will give more validity to organic products, the seal will not imply that organic foods are safer or more nutritious. Of course, users of organic foods often believe that organic foods are safer, since they contain fewer pesticides, more nutritious because they contain more trace minerals and nutrients, and also better for the environment because organic growing practices are kinder to the soil, sky, and water.

The new USDA standards mean you will get better organic food for your buck due to an official and national standard for what foods can be called organic. You will now know with certainty that the organic foods you purchase contain no synthetic pesticides and no added chemicals. Organic farmers will also use no genetic engineering, no irradiation and no sewage fertilization. Additionally, live-stock raised under these standards will be given 100 percent organic feed and will not be treated with antibiotics. Before the standardization, consumers often had to trust misleading labeling claims on organic products. Even with the new standards, the question is whether it is worth it to purchase organic. Americans who consume organic foods often have substantially higher monthly grocery costs. Actually, in 1998 average costs of organic foods were fifty-seven percent higher than conventional foods. Additionally, a recent report on 20/20 stated that organic foods contain dangerous bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. However, more and more doctors believe that organic foods are safe and are well worth the additional cost. Those doctors who support organic eating often believe that the cumulative effects of toxins in our food, water, and air can be extremely harmful to our health. They also believe that anything we can do to reduce the toxins is well worth it.

If you only have a small budget but would like to go organic, there are still some things you can do. Some foods are more known for pesticide residue than others. Start with buying these if you can only buy limited amounts of organic foods. Citrus foods are usually not a high risk because of their thick skins, as well as asparagus, bananas, broccoli cauliflower, cherries, corn, onions, pineapple, sweet peas, and watermelon. These are considered by the FDA and EPA to be the ten cleanest foods. Additionally, make sure to wash all the produce you buy, whether or not it is organic. You can regularly take an antioxidant supplement which will help the body to remove any toxins that are on the produce. Most importantly, be sure to keep eating fruits and vegetables, as they are essential to good health.

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More information on buying organic foods is available at http://vitanetonline.com/ where a large selection of organic foods is available.
Published in: Diet & Nutrition
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Jul
27
Fat Tax on Junk Food
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

In an effort to discourage the levels of obesity in Britain, recent research is recommending a tax on unhealthy foods, such as those high in sugar, fat and salt. They claim that this ‘fat tax’ could prevent over 3,000 deaths from strokes and heart attacks every year. The research was led by Dr Oliver Mytton at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham.

One suggested approach is to levy a tax against foods measured on what is called the ‘SSCg3d’ score – an ‘unhealthiness score’ to the rest of us. The SSCg3d score takes into account Energy levels, saturated fat, sodium and NME sugar content (the ‘A’ points), then the total Iron, Calcium, n-3, fruit and veg content (the ‘C’ points). An overall rating is than calculated by deducting the ‘C’ points from the ‘A’ points and given a rating between 0 and 10. A rating under 2 is considered ‘healthier’ food, 3 to 8 as intermediate, and 9 or above is considered ‘less healthy’. To give an example, Spinach scores a rating of -12, whereas chocolate digestive biscuits score +29.

An alternative economic model put forward in the study was to apply VAT to foods with a high level of saturated fat, e.g. butter and cheese, cakes and pastries. This model was found to be the least desirable as it could increase purchases of products high in salt, resulting in an increased number of deaths from strokes and heart disease.

A third suggestion was to introduce a tax across a wider range of food products containing high levels of sugar, fat and salt across the board. Many stores already use the ‘traffic light’ labelling system to indicate levels of sugar, fat, saturates, and salt in their foods. Products containing a red indicator should be avoided or taken in moderation, those labelled as amber are relatively neutral and can be eaten most of the time, while green indicates the healthier choice.

This model could prevent around 3,200 deaths per year and would add 4.6 per cent to the average household food bill, amounting to an extra £2 billion a year. A small cost compared to the dangers of obesity currently experienced in Britain.

Of course this is not an entirely new concept. It was pioneered by Kelly Brownell in the early 80’s. His proposal was to use the revenue gained from the junk food taxes to subsidise the cost of healthier foods. Twenty years on and we still find that healthy foods tend to cost more than unhealthy alternatives.

Tony Blair rejected the idea of tax on fatty foods in 2004, as it would make Britain too much of a ‘nanny state’! Perhaps we should all forget the healthy diet and keep popping diet pills such as Acomplia instead?

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Jeff Talbot writes on several health issues including erectile dysfunction, weight loss and hair loss. Popular topics include research into the treatments of these conditions such as the use of Viagra, Acomplia, and Propecia.
Published in: Diet & Nutrition
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Jul
17
The Best Flavored Tea Pluckings
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

If you’re new to flavored teas, no doubt you’re wondering how to choose flavored teas of the best quality. The variety of the tea, the country in which it’s grown, the way it’s processed, the time it’s harvested and the way it’s flavored all affect the way a flavored tea will taste. In many varieties of tea, the time of harvest is particularly important, and can be difficult to understand and determine.

Following is some information that can help you choose the best flavored teas based on their harvest time. Flavored teas come in white, green, black and oolong varieties, and all varieties have different harvesting requirements for the best flavor.

Green tea –Flavored green teas have a very natural and mild flavor and brew to a pale green or light amber color. They are often somewhat sweet, and are described by many to be grassy in flavor. Many people who don’t particularly like the flavor of plain green teas, love flavored greens, because the flavorings mask the grassy taste while leaving the lightness that makes green tea so tasty.

Green tea harvesters often pluck green tea multiple times during the growing season. However, the first pluckings, or the “first flush” green teas will always be the best. This is because this first flush is picked in the spring, before the weather gets too hot. Tea that is plucked later in the growing season has baked in the heat and sun before harvest, which compromises the tea’s flavor.

White tea- All white tea is first flush tea. White tea is, by definition, picked only in the spring, when the tea plant blooms for the first time of the growing season. The tea is harvested before the buds are fully opened and while they’re still covered with a fine white hair, which is why it’s called white tea. One of the reasons that white tea is the rarest of all teas is because it can be harvested just once during the growing season. Flavored white teas are not yet common, but they are gaining availability. White teas are the mildest and sweetest of all teas, and absorb the fragrances and flavorings very well.

Black Tea – Most flavored teas are made from black tea, though other varieties are growing in availability. The best flavored black teas are also made from the first flush, for the same reason that was mentioned about green tea. Later flushes of black tea have been exposed to more heat and sun, and their flavor may have been compromised. The exception to this rule is Assam black teas, grown in the Assam region of India. The second flush of Assam black teas are said to be the best of the season. So, if you find an Assam flavred tea, look for second flush of the season.

Oolong Tea –Oolong teas are semi-fermented, meaning that they go through a fermentation process like black teas, but for a much shorter period of time. Most oolong teas are fermented to about 30%, unless they are pouchong oolong teas from Taiwan, which are only about 15% fermented. The longer an oolong tea is fermented, the more it tastes like a black tea. Therefore, pouchongs are much closer in flavor to a green tea. As with green and black teas, oolong teas are best from the first flush, when the weather is milder and the tea has had more rain.

Oolong teas have a fruity flavor and a very smooth finish that pairs beautifully with many fruit flavors. When choosing a flavored oolong tea, be certain to check as to whether it is a true oolong or pouchong, if you have a preference for a tea that is closer to green or closer to black.

Some of the best tea gardens only sell first flush black, green and oolong tea. Tea gardens that do harvest their tea all throughout the growing season should label their tea according to the harvest from which it was plucked, so there is no confusion about which teas are the best of the year. First flush teas are typically priced higher than teas harvested later in the season.

To choose the best quality flavored teas, you need to consider all of the following elements:

• The grade of the tea – this indicates the quality of the leaf itself.

• The tea plucking – this is a good measure of the tea’s flavor, as earlier pluckings are more flavorful.

• The quality of the flavorings – You should always choose teas flavored with all natural ingredients over those that use artificial flavorings.

By considering all of these elements, you’ll be able to choose a delicious, high quality tea, whether it’s green, black or oolong. Shop with tea merchants that specialize in only the very best quality of flavored loose teas, regardless of the variety.

Flavored teas are a wonderful treat. The combination of your favorite flavors with your favorite tea varieties makes for a great beverage, whether hot or cold, morning or evening. And, if you’ve never compared the taste of really high quality teas with that of inferior teas, you’ll be very surprised at the difference. High quality flavored teas are well worth the trouble and expense you’ll go to finding them!

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Jon Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, black tea and wholesale tea go to www.goldenmoontea.com
Published in: Diet & Nutrition, Herbal Medicine
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Jul
5
How Food Labels Can Help You Lose Weight
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

Obesity is increasing worldwide and is becoming the world’s biggest health problem. Obesity is no longer limited to adults only – the percentage of obesity amongst children is growing at alarming rates. The skinny on obesity or being overweight is that it is no longer just a cosmetic issue. Obesity or being overweight increases the risk of serious health problems such as diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, back and joint problems and discomfort, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, infertility, breathlessness, sleeping disorders, sweating among others.

AND … being overweight stops us from getting the very best out of life and shortens our life by years. A report by the National Audit Office in the UK, suggested that being overweight can take off up to 9years of our lives. There are many reasons for this, but in developed countries, the easier access to over-processed diets and a less-active lifestyle play a major role.

In this article I focus on a fun, interesting and self-educating way you can cut down the amount of fatty and sugary foods (2 of the main contributing factors to obesity) in your diet. Believe it or not – it is quite easy to do. Follow my quick and easy steps and you will have a head start on your weight, health and other shoppers.

Without going into the science of the labels, if you want to lose weight and live a healthy life this is what you need to be looking at each time you buy foods that are packaged in a box, packet or can. To do a quick lesson at home on how to read labels, take out any one product from your grocery closet right now. Look for the NUTRTION FACTS food label on the box or can. You will be able to tell if your product is healthy if:
It contains less than 4g of sugar per serving.
The ingredients do not include corn sugar or high fructose.
The ingredients do not include any enriched – flour products. All flours need to be wholegrain ones.
The ingredients do not include hydrogenated, saturated fat oils or the term “transfats”. If there are saturated oils, it should contain less than 4g of saturated fats per serving.

Test this on a couple more items in your pantry and determine how healthy your household is. If you are serious about losing weight and being healthy, throw away all those products that are causing harm every time you cook and eat them. Replace them with healthier options. Of course the healthiest option is to cook fresh produce only. But, if you do use processed foods, have fun with the simple food label test and read your way to weight loss. Over time it will show. It does make a difference to both your waistline and your health.

To summarize, when reading the food label on the can or box, check for the amount of sugar, fat and fiber per serving. Pay special attention to the amount of “transfats” in the product. Avoid foods that have higher than 4g or sugars or fats per serving, foods that contain corn syrup and foods that include enriched flours.

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Kim Knight, The Success Weight Loss Coach, has helped a number of clients target and reach their goals. The Weight Loss Coach is not only a sought-after trusted and inspirational coach. She has also written EBooks for all those who want to help themselves or support others. There are many successful clients whose friends and family are amazed at finding out that someone else coached them on their overall transformation. For more information, visit Kim’s site at www.kimknightcoaching.com and sign up for up for her FREE Weight Loss Tips at http://www.thesuccessweightlosscoach.com
Published in: Diet & Nutrition
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Jun
23
Bottled Water and the EPA
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

Many Municipalities condemn bottled water and bottled water suppliers for not undergoing the same scrutiny as tap water but this is hardly the case.

Municipal tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency while bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and while some bottled water may contain contaminants and harmful chemicals, purified bottled is 99.9% free of all contaminants. This is especially true for water purified through a distillation/oxygenation process.

But one may ask whether EPA regulation actually protects the consumer? True, the EPA provides oversight and reporting requirements but is so doing, the EPA merely requires municipal water sources to comply with minimum harmful levels of contaminants, chemicals and other poisons (including MTBE and lead) that can prove harmful to the human body. In addition to the actual water supply, water infrastructure, including water pipes found in homes and industrial uses can add to the level of contamination.

One thing that the EPA does effectively is publish reports from the tests of the nation’s municipal water systems. Often, these reports are characterized by glowing ad copy about the purity of the municipal water but a closer inspection yields more accurate information. Although many municipalities comply with EPA standards note the actual amount of contaminants and harmful minerals that exist in municipal water. Visit the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html

As an example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released data from its Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), providing information on toxic chemicals used and released in 2005 by utilities, refineries, chemical manufacturers, and other facilities across the nation.

In EPA’s mid-Atlantic region, the 2005 TRI data indicates an increase of 1.5 million pounds of on and off site chemical releases compared with 2004 data. A total of 383.3 million pounds of chemicals were released during 2005 to the air, water or landfills by facilities in the mid-Atlantic region, which comprises Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Releases in this same geographic area totaled 381.8 million pounds in 2004. Most of these chemicals eventually end up affecting the municipal water supply.

So the question remains, what is the EPA regulating? Tap water contains contaminants that are harmful and the use of chlorine to kill bacteria, results in foul smelling and tasting water. In addition tap water comes from ground water and springs that are repositories of chemical releases.

Some bottled water (as high as 40%) is merely tap water in plastic bottles and bottled spring water is often subject to the same contaminant pressure as tap water.

If you want a healthy lifestyle for you and your family, try purified water using a distillation/oxygenation process. By drinking purified water you are guaranteed freshness and purity and the first steps toward a healthy lifestyle.

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Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water and bottled water delivery go to www.elementh2o.com
Published in: Diet & Nutrition
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May
21
Can Memory Loss Be Linked to Aspartame
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

New research presented at the November meeting of Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans suggests NutraSweet (or aspartame) could be linked to aspartame consumption. Researchers at a University in Fort Worth, Texas believe aspartame consumed in excess could cause certain kinds of memory loss.

Ninety students were studied and interviewed in one study. In this study their use of aspartame and memory problems were documented. The results, those that consumed aspartame regularly complained of forgetfulness related to various tasks they perform on a regular basis. They would forget to perform tasks at the time the tasks were scheduled to be performed. The students’ perceptions of their memory problems have yet to be backed up with concrete test results. Researchers tested students on short term memory with quizzes which tested the student’s ability to remember lists, phone numbers, and faces. Some of the researchers argued that this was not a real life test because all the students had similar results.

Head of the study Timothy Barth, PH.D., stated that measuring everyday memory is difficult to perform and recommended further research be done to test memory and behavior in subjects ingesting varying amounts of aspartame. As a result, researchers believe the occasional ingestion of aspartame will not cause memory problems that are noticeable. The students who reported problems were consuming at least four diet drinks per day.

The brain has an amazing ability to protect its self from small amounts of aspartame, but large amounts along with stress can have adverse affects on the brain. Children, the elderly, and those with brain injuries are most at risk. The researchers in these studies did comment that occasional consumption of aspartame is ok, but all the researchers performing the tests do not consume diet sodas at all.

If you are worried about the affects of aspartame on your body and are not sure you currently consume too much, cut aspartame out completely for a week or two and see if your memory improves. Other factors like diet can affect your memory; researchers at General Mills showed that eating breakfast can boost memory in studies on elderly and children. Researchers are unsure why breakfast boosts memory, possibly because we do not eat for 7 – 8 hours through the night. Further research needs to be preformed on how protein, fat, and carbohydrates affect memory.

One more factor that might preserve memory is an antioxidant rich diet. Several studies have shown positive results when one consume foods rich in antioxidants. It’s important to take vitamin A, C, and E in supplement form; these vitamins are great antioxidants which may help preserve memory. Also, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Great supplements like vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E can be found at your local or internet health food store.

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Visit VitaNet Health Foods, VitaNet sells high quality supplements like Solaray Buffered Vitamin C. Please link to this site when using this article.
Published in: Diet & Nutrition
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Feb
14
Anti-Aging Foods
Posted by: TheHealthyVillage

Have you heard that the key to staying young is eating right? Perhaps you’ve also heard that there are certain foods that have special properties, unique components that make them literally antiaging food. There is a lot of misinformation out there about aging and how to prevent it, but the advice we are receiving about eating well is something we would all do well to pay attention to.
Antiaging food seems too good to be true, As scientific research reveals more and more about how the human body works, what foods promote a healthy body, and what foods cause physical stress, it is becoming evident that many of the life threatening diseases experienced by aging people are the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and a poor diet. Viewed from this perspective, any foods that form part of a healthy diet might be considered anti aging foods, but it’s also true that some foods in particular seem to have unusual properties.
The largest groups of these antiaging foods are the ones that contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that clear away free radicals, damaging particles that damage body cells and accelerate aging. Free radicals are always being produced in our bodies, so antioxidants are constantly needed to remove the free radicals before they have a change to do damage. Many foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain antioxidants, while a few are astonishingly high in these beneficial antiaging food molecules. Three of the best are blueberries, red kidney beans, and cranberries.
All of this current information on anti aging foods can be used together to design a diet that is both healthy for the body in general and helpful for avoiding the typical signs of aging. Such a diet would avoid consuming pesticides and other toxins as much as possible, as well as foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugar. Grains should be whole grains because the body converts the sugar in these carbohydrate sources at a slow and steady pace. Antiaging foods are the whole vegetables and fruits. Proteins should come primarily from beans, nuts, and seafood, with a minimum of dairy, poultry and red meat products. Healthy fats include olive oil and, to a lesser extent, other vegetable oils - avoid trans fats and saturated fats as much as possible.
Though, for many people, adopting a diet of anti aging foods may seem like a drastic and difficult task, most people quickly discover a feeling of increased well-being, and gradually come to enjoy eating these wholesome healthful foods. And they are able to enjoy good health longer into their senior years. Antiaging foods are definitely worth a try. Supplementation can also ensure that you get the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients you need, as sometimes even the most well-balanced diet is lacking in some essentials.
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Roderick Corkern is a health and wellness professional with 16 years experience helping people make the right decisions for everything from Exercise Equipment to Antiaging Cream .