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Top 10 foods you should be eating but probably aren't


You know eating whole grains, grass-fed beef and organic peppers is good for you; no need to reiterate that. But how about beets, kale, kiwifruit and quinoa? These superfoods, among others, are very trendy and popular in the foodie world. But they aren't making the Average Joe's grocery cart. Learn what important vitamins and minerals you're missing from the healthy foods you should be eating but probably aren't!
Some of these foods we know you've heard of, like kiwi and beets, but probably avoid because they aren't common ingredients in recipes, cost a little more than other fruits, vegetables, grains or spices and may just be plain weird, whether that's texturally or taste-wise. However, you're really missing out on some seriously healthy foods chock full of hard-to-find vitamins and minerals. Trust us (and the experts who have studied this) when we say this: These are foods you should be eating, so start munching!







Quinoa

quinoaThis grain is super trendy in the food world and is popping up all over the place, from restaurants to bakeries to food blogs. However, for average people, just the sound of this superfood can be a little scary. I mean, it's hard enough to pronounce! Don't let this scare you away, though, quinoa is worth the hype. Each serving is loaded with fiber and protein, which work to keep you fuller longer and can help with weight loss and weight maintenance. In addition, it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare.
Try this delicious quinoa salad with radishes and feta for a perfectly healthy side dish!

 
 
 

Curcumin

If you've never heard of curcumin, don't worry, you aren't alone. It is the active ingredient in turmeric and is full of cancer- fighting and anti-inflammatory antioxidants. This compound is typically found in South Asian and Middle Eastern fare. Plus, studies have found that curcumin can decrease joint pain and even reduce tumor growth. If you have turmeric or curry powder on hand, you have curcumin. Add it to stir fry, sauces or eggs.
Try this turmeric rice recipe to get all the benefits of this super food.

Kiwifruit

kaleKiwifruit is sadly one of the most ignored fruits. Think of it as one of those toys on misfit island. Many people shy away from kiwi because of its tart flavor and furry exterior. Don't let the furry peel drive you away, though, because this fruit is full of antioxidants! One kiwi has 100 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C, which is more than an orange. And that's not all — it can also promote eye health. Take that, carrot!
For a unique and delicious recipe utilizing this fruit, try this kiwi shortcake!

 
 
 
 

Kale

Kale is one of my favorite ingredients to use because it's so healthy and has almost no flavor, so you can pretty much add it to anything for a health boost without any weird flavors. In addition, kale is chock-full of vitamin A, which can help promote eye growth and strengthen the immune system. And that's not all, folks! One serving of kale also has a ton of fiber and almost as much vitamin C as an orange.
Give kale a try with this hearty sausage and potato soup!

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkins aren't just for autumn decor or jack-o'- lantern carving anymore. Show this giant fruit some love the rest of the year, too. Trust me, it's worth it. Although the pumpkin is great for you, it's what's inside that can be a major health benefit! Pumpkin seeds are loaded with magnesium, which has been found to reduce early death. Plus, pumpkin seeds have other antioxidants that help with skin and eye care.
Give this gourmet pumpkin seed recipe a try; it blows regular ol' roasting out of the water!

Swiss chard

If you've never heard of Swiss chard, I don't blame you, since it's not highly recognized. This leafy vegetable is often hidden behind lettuce and cabbage and is a little harder to track down. Swiss chard is worth the struggle though. It's packed with carotenoids that can help with aging eyes! In addition, it's also full of vitamins C, D, E and K, plus it has tons of fiber and protein.
If you've never used it, try this gluten-free mushroom and swiss chard popover. It's easy to make and delicious too!

Beets

beetsBeets are one of those weird ingredients many people don't try because of the look and texture, especially if purchased in canned form. Although canned beets are great, give the raw version a try. Roast them, slice and serve in salads or pickle yourself. Beets are a very rich source of folate and are great cancer fighters, too.
Try this fresh summer salad with beets and chickpeas to ease yourself into them!

 
 
 
 
 

Sardines

I don't blame you for steering clear of sardines; they are definitely not very appealing, both visually and texturally. But with food, I've learned you can't judge a book by its cover, even when the cover is slimy and fishy. Sardines are one of the best sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fats and contain almost no mercury. Plus, these little fishies are loaded with vitamin D, so you don't have to spend as much time roasting in the sun.
To ease yourself into using them, try this sardine pizza recipe from Food 52! The pizza flavor and toppings hide the weird texture of the sardines.

Kimchee

rosemaryI know what you're thinking: What the heck is kimchee? Simply put, it's a popular part of Korean cuisine that's made up of fermented cabbage and vegetables. It may not sound appetizing, but don't let that deter you. Kimchee, and other fermented foods, are great for your gastrointestinal tract because they offer their own healthy probiotics, or healthy bacterias. These have been shown to fight inflammation, reduce gas and diminish the risk of a yeast infection.
It's not hard to make kimchee. In fact, try out our very own recipe for kimchee made with napa cabbage.

 
 
 
 

Rosemary

It's ashame this herb isn't given the attention or accolades it deserves, since it's FULL of disease-fighting antioxidants! Plus, rosemary is known to reduce sodium consumption, which leads to less bloating and water weight gain! And, a study done by the Journal of Food Science, as reported in the Huffington Post, found that when rosemary was rubbed on raw meat prior to grilling, it dramatically decreased the levels of Heterocyclic amines, which have been linked to severe forms of cancer.


Source : http://www.sheknows.com

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Top 10 reasons not to eat fast food



Americans flock to fast food like bees to honey, due to our fast-paced world and 20-hour workdays. However, as the obesity epidemic climbs to an overwhelming number, it might be time for us to back off the Mickey D's. If you need convincing, check out these 10 reasons you shouldn't be eating it.

Fast food hamburger and drink

Health problems, obesity, food safety hazards and pink slime are just a few of the resasons you should skip that drive-thru and, you know, eat a carrot instead. Check out our list, rent Super Size Me and head to your nearest farmers market, we BEG you.

 

Disgusting animal conditions

You've seen those horrible movies about how poorly animals are kept when they're being led to slaughter, and they aren't just showing you those heart-wrenching photos for the ratings. Many of these factory-farmed animals are kept in such a small space they are forced to stand in their own feces, have osteoporosis and joint pain because of their confinement and some chickens get their beaks cut off so they don't go nuts and attack each other because of the small corridors. To keep the animals from getting sick in these conditions,which often end up in our food. That's not only making us want to stop eating fast food, it's making us want to be vegan.

Weird ingredients

beaker
I'm sorry, what is in my food? some fast food's chicken nuggets contain a chemical preservative called tertiary butylhydroquinone, which is derived from a petroleum. Yep, the stuff you put into your car. That's not all, either. Some chicken products are mechanically separated, which means those scraps that would normally go to waste are ending up in your nuggets.  you'd be shocked to see how many of them are chemical preservatives, artificial coloring, monosodium glutamate and more.

 

Low food quality

hamburger
It doesn't take an expert to see that most fast food chains don't use the highest quality of ingredients. You can tell by the rubbery patty, the wilted lettuce leaves and the extra-chewy chicken. They use the cheapest parts to make the products so when you're eating your hamburger you have no darn clue what part of the cow it came from, and, heck, if it's even cow you're eating! Here's an idea, spend the extra few bucks and make your own burger from meat you bought yourself.

Food safety

Sad to say, many of the employees hired on to do the cooking, food handling and prep don't have the necessary training or food safety education they need to do it right. Not their fault, the companies often don't offer training because these restaurants have such a high turnover rate. On any given day, you could have someone preparing your hambuger who didn't wash their hands or was playing with frozen raw meat right before they manhandled your bun. Save yourself the food poisioning.

Food preparation

[or lack of]

It's called fast food for a reason, friends. Most of the meals you get aren't cooked with thought or love; they actually aren't even cooked on a stove. Many are unwrapped from their frozen containers and thrown into a dirty microwave. This saves the managers the time and money it would take to teach the cooks how to prepare the food properly and not worry about cross contamination. It saves their butts but doesn't make yours look any prettier.

Trans fats

French fries
You haven't heard that word in a while, probably because it was banned from a few restaurants. Why? It can raise your LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, leading to a heart attack or cardiac arrest. However, not all fast food restaurants are required to list trans fat content on menus, so it's possible the food you're eating may still have it, and lots of it. Fast food items particularly high in trans fats include French fries, fried fish filet sandwiches and fried chicken, for example.
7


Slime

Soft drink



Now, you've heard all about the pink slime, and, thankfully, it's not something many of the restaurants use anymore to preserve their meats. But, that's not the only slime you may find at these fast food joints. In fact, a few fast food restaurants in Wrigley Field were shut down because they had black slime on their ice machines! Before you take a slurp of that diet Coke, make sure you aren't drinking bacteria-infested slime instead.



Environmental hazards

Fast food isn't just hurting your ability to fit into skinny jeans, it's actually killing the environment. According to the Matador Network, there have been so many pollutants added to the Mississippi River from factory farms that there is a "dead" zone the size of New Jersey, meaning no fish or creature can live there. Oh, but that's not all. Methane, a gas produced by factory-herded cows, is 23 times better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, which is a large factor of global warming. Each time you buy a Big Mac, you're not only killing yourself, you're killing the polar bears too. Hard to take that first bite knowing that, right?

High fat, low nutritional value

This one's a no-brainer, clearly. The food is loaded with preservatives, the preferred cooking method is deep fried and even the "healthy" options aren't all that good for you. In fact, the McDonald's crispy chicken salad has more than 18 grams of fat. Add the dressing and you're at 36 grams. Many of the desserts contain fake sweeteners, which have been linked to obesity. Plus, the chicken, which is one of the leanest cuts of protein you can have, is breaded and deep fried, which takes away almost all of the redeeming qualities it had going for it, not to mention gets rid of its health benefits.

Obesity

scale
Fast food isn't the cause of obesity, certainly not, but it's not helping our nation fight it either. In fact, a study published by CBS News found that children who regularly eat fast food gain up to 6 pounds more a year than those who don't. With the obestiy rate so high and only growing (more than 15 percent of American children are obese), those 6 pounds are quickly adding up. Luckily, due to many lawsuits, many fast food restaurants are required to offer apple slices and milk with their kids meals.

Source : http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/961233/top-10-reasons-not-to-eat-fast-food

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Drink More Soda, Get More Strokes?

Cutting back on soda, diet or otherwise, could very well save your brain.

 

 

Cola could be killing your brain. At least, that's the suggestion of a new Swedish study linking soda to an increased risk of strokes.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found that people who drank more than two sodas per day had a 22 percent higher risk of having a stroke than people who consumed somewhere around two sodas per week. That was even after accounting for the fact that people who drank sweetened beverages also tended to have worse diets overall.
More From Rodale News: 9 Disturbing Side Effects of Soda
Of course, this was an association study, and the information was gleaned from comparing food questionnaires with medical records. And comparisons like that make it difficult to say that sodas cause strokes. The authors note that sodas are known to increase metabolic disorders that are known risk factors for strokes, such as obesity, high blood sugar, and high triglyceride levels. So it could be that the fact that sodas lead to weight gain, which causes strokes, and that's what's at work here.
At the same time, diet sodas have been linked themselves to increased stroke risk. Studies in Japan and the U.S. have found that stroke risk in women and men who drank either regular or diet sodas more than once a day was about 16 percent higher than people with less-frequent consumption.
So ditch the liquid sugar! If you need a healthy drink and water just won't cut it, try one of these healthy recipes:
• why water is good for you!



 

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9 Disturbing Side Effects of Soda

Need a reason to break your soda addiction? We've got 9, and they're not pretty.


Soda's Bittersweet Side Effects

If you've been reading health magazines and websites for any length of time, you've read a litany of reasons why soda is bad for you. It's nothing but sugar water. It's devoid of any nutritional value. It leads to obesity and diabetes. But we've dug up nine other disturbing facts about what soda does to your body, whether it's the side effects of sucralose and other artificial sweeteners or ingredients that can lead to memory loss. Keep reading to find out all nine reasons you should kick soda to the curb.



Weird Fat in Weird Places

In the latest bad news for the soda industry, Danish researchers discovered that drinking non-diet soda leads to dramatic increases in fat buildup around your liver and your skeletal muscles, both of which can contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes. The study revealed that people who drank a regular soda every day for six months saw a 132 to 142 percent increase in liver fat, a 117 to 221 percent jump in skeletal fat, and about a 30 percent increase in both triglyceride blood fats and other organ fat. Their consumption also led to an 11 percent increase in cholesterol, compared with the people who drank other beverages such as water or milk.


Diet-Soda Belly

It's not surprising that drinking all the sugar in sodas would cause weight gain, but what is surprising is that even diet soda will pack on the pounds: Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center monitored 475 adults for 10 years, and found that those who drank diet soda had a 70 percent increase in waist circumference over the 10-year study, compared with those who didn't drink any soda. Those who drank more than two diet sodas per day saw a 500 percent waist expansion! A separate study the same researchers conducted on mice suggested that it was the aspartame, which raised blood glucose levels, that caused the weight gain; when your liver encounters too much glucose, the excess is converted to body fat.


Caramel Cancer-Causers

In 2011, the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban the artificial caramel coloring used to make Coke, Pepsi, and other colas brown. The reason: Two contaminants in the coloring, 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, have been found to cause cancer in animals, a threat the group says is unnecessary, considering that the coloring is purely cosmetic. According to California's strict Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, just 16 micrograms per person per day of 4-methylimidazole is enough to pose a cancer threat, and most popular brown colas, both diet and regular, contain 200 micrograms per 20-ounce bottle.


 

Accelerated Aging

Diet or regular, all colas contain phosphates, or phosphoric acid, a weak acid that gives colas their tangy flavor and improves their shelf life. Although it exists in many whole foods, such as meat, dairy, and nuts, too much phosphoric acid can lead to heart and kidney problems, muscle loss, and osteoporosis, and one study suggests it could trigger accelerated aging. The study, published in a 2010 issue of the FASEB Journal, found that the excessive phosphate levels found in sodas caused lab rats to die a full five weeks earlier than the rats whose diets had more normal phosphate levels—a disturbing trend considering that soda manufacturers have been increasing the levels of phosphoric acid in their products over the past few decades.



Water Pollution

The artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas don't break down in our bodies, nor do wastewater-treatment plants catch them before they enter waterways, researchers have found. In 2009, Swiss scientists tested water samples from wastewater-treatment plants, rivers and lakes in Switzerland and detected levels of acesulfame K, sucralose, and saccharin, all of which are, or have been, used in diet sodas. A recent test of 19 municipal water supplies in the U.S. revealed the presence of sucralose in every one. It's not clear yet what these low levels are doing to people, but past research has found that sucralose in rivers and lakes interferes with some organisms' feeding habits.




Mountain Dew Mind

Dentists have a name for the condition they see in kids who drink too much Mountain Dew. They wind up with a "Mountain Dew Mouth," full of cavities caused by the drink's excessive sugar levels. "Mountain Dew Mind" may be the next medical condition that gets named after the stuff. An ingredient called brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, added to prevent the flavoring from separating from the drink, is an industrial chemical used as a flame retardant in plastics. Also found in other citrus-based soft drinks and sports drinks, the chemical has been known to cause memory loss and nerve disorders when consumed in large quantities. Researchers also suspect that, like brominated flame retardants used in furniture foam, the chemical builds up in body fat, possibly causing behavioral problems, infertility, and lesions on heart muscles over time.



Whacked-Out Hormones

It's not just the soda that's causing all the problems. Nearly all aluminum soda cans are lined with an epoxy resin called bisphenol A (BPA), used to keep the acids in soda from reacting with the metal. BPA is known to interfere with hormones, and has been linked to everything from infertility to obesity and diabetes and some forms of reproductive cancers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have pegged soda cans, along with restaurant, school, and fast-food meals, as a major source of exposure to the chemical. And while Pepsi and Coke are currently locked in a battle to see which company can be the first to develop a 100  percent plant-based-plastic bottle—which they're touting as "BPA free"—neither company is willing to switch to BPA-free aluminum cans.

Dead Birds

Before you switch from cans to bottles, though, take a look at the photographs of Chris Jordan, an environmentalist and photographer who visited the Midway Atoll area in 2009. It's close to the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch," a mass of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean where things like soda caps (which often aren't recycled) and plastic fish netting float just beneath the surface of the water. Birds, sea turtles, and other wildlife mistake the debris for food and eat large quantities of the plastic, which they are unable to digest. Ultimately, the plastic causes them to starve to death. It's estimated that thousands of animals die this way every year



Unknown Side Effects of GMOs

Take a look at the ingredients list for any soda and chances are most of those ingredients are derived from corn. As much as 88 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified to resist toxic pesticides or engineered to create pesticides within the plant itself. Thanks to lax government safety regulations, and tight corporate control over who gets to test these proprietary seeds, there are no human studies that can prove or disprove whether these crops are safe. Independent scientists have found that, in animals, genetically modified crops, or GMOs, are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility. Most recently, scientists in France found that rats fed GMO corn for their entire two-year lifespan developed mammary tumors and died earlier than rats that ate non-GMO corn their entire lives.



Source Article : http://www.rodalenews.com/facts-about-soda

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7 Foods You Should Never Eat

Is your food loaded with toxic chemicals? These simple swaps can protect you from the worst of the worst.



Which Foods Should You Avoid?

Clean eating means choosing fruits, vegetables, and meats that are raised, grown, and sold with minimal processing.
 Often they're organic, and rarely (if ever) should they contain additives.
 But in some cases, the methods of today's food producers are neither clean nor sustainable.
 The result is damage to our health, the environment, or both.
 So we decided to take a fresh look at food through the eyes of the people who spend their lives uncovering what's safe—or not—to eat. 
We asked them a simple question: 
 "What foods do you avoid?" Their answers don't necessarily make up a "banned foods" list.
 But reaching for the suggested alternatives might bring you better health—and peace of mind.

Canned Tomatoes

Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A, gives us the scoop: 

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food.
Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."
The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.
Budget tip: If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. 
Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.

Corn-Fed Beef


Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming, gives us the scoop: 
The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains.
 But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter.
 But more money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. 
 A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; 
 lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease.
 "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin. 
The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods.
It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher. 
Budget tip: Cuts on the bone are cheaper because processors charge extra for deboning. 
You can also buy direct from a local farmer, which can be as cheap as $5 per pound.
To find a farmer near you, search eatwild.com. 

Microwave Popcorn




Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. 
 In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer, and human studies suggest they could even lead to high cholesterol. 
 Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. 
 "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko,  which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals.
 DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then. 
The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. Or, make your own microwave popcorn in a paper bag.
 For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix. 
Budget tip: Popping your own popcorn is dirt cheap. 

Nonorganic Potatoes


Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. 
In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up,
the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting.
 " Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention).
 "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell.
 They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals." 
The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh. 
Budget tip: Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds.

Farmed Salmon

David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish, gives us the scoop: The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad."  Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish.  When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals. The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon. Budget tip: Canned salmon, almost exclusively from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.

Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones


Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society, gives us the scoop: The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk.  In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract, " says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries." The solution: Opt for organic milk, which is produced without the use of growth hormones.Budget tip: Look for generic or store-brand organic milks if the national brands are too pricey, or find a local producer who can guarantee the milk comes from hormone-free cows.  Even milk labeled "rBGH-free" can come from cows doused with high levels of antibiotics, which are also used to boost milk production.

 Conventional Apples



Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods, gives us the scoop: The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest,"apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such,apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently.  The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful.  But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce,  like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says.
 And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.
The solution: Buy organic apples.
Budget tip: If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise.
"I would rather see the trade-off being that I don't buy that expensive electronic gadget," he says.
 "Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet for a family."





Source Article : http://www.rodalenews.com/7-foods-you-should-never-eat

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The 10 foods you should never eat




As a human being, when we are told not to do something, our instinct can be to do exactly that. Indeed, this can be the case with food restriction but when you are a trained nutritionist there are some foods that you know offer so little nutritionally that you would rather not eat at all than get your energy from these particular options. Some of these may seem obvious while some may surprise you as they commonly masquerade as "healthy" options


WHITE BREAD

 

 

While it may claim to be as good as wholemeal or wholegrain breads with extra fibre and nutrients added, it is still not as good nutritionally as wholegrain bread. In fact, in the eyes of a nutritionist, pure white bread sends blood glucose levels skyrocketing in a similar way to confectionery or soft drinks. Yes, it is true that sourdough is a better option but it does not change the fact that for those who can tolerate it, grain bread is best.


SOFT DRINK


 


This one needs no explanation, perhaps ranking the worst of all when it comes to nutrition cost benefit analysis. With nine teaspoons of sugar per can, and as liquid sugars are among the worst we can consume, you do not need a nutrition degree to know that soft drink is bad news.


 BANANA BREAD  



 




If you consider that the average muffin or slice of banana bread contains more than 60 grams of total carbohydrate (the equivalent of four slices of bread), 20-30 grams of fat and at least four teaspoons of sugar, it is safe to say that there is nothing healthy about banana bread except the bananas, and it should really just be called banana cake.
LOLLIES 


 


It does not matter if they are "natural" or "fruit" flavoured, lollies are basically pure sugar. Five to six individual lollies contain as much as three to six teaspoons of sugar. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet treat occasionally but who can stop at just five or six. If you are looking for a sweet hit, a few squares of dark chocolate is a much better option nutritionally.



CHOCOLATE NUT SPREAD

  


 Popular in Europe, chocolate nut spreads are frequently present on Italian dessert menus but here we are encouraged to spread them on toast instead of jam or peanut butter. With the first few ingredients listed as sugar and vegetable oil, chocolate spread contains a lot more bad fat than it does good fat from nuts.



 FRUIT BARS
 
There is a massive difference between a piece of fresh fruit, with all the nutrients and fibre it contains, and the compressed mix of fruit, sugar, gums and flavours that make up a fruit stick or strap. Not only are processed fruit snacks a nightmare for the teeth, they are also far more concentrated in energy than fruit itself. Eat your fruit the way nature intended it, not from a packet.




DOUGHNUTS





One of the relatively few foods that still contains a significant dose of trans fats, the type of fat that has been directly linked to heart disease, doughnuts are one of the worst baked goods nutritionally. Topped with high sugar icing and loads of fat, the average doughnut will set you back at least 400 calories and 20 grams of total fat, 10 of which are saturated.

RICE SNACKS




It doesn't matter if rice has been made into a snack bar, cake, puff or crisp, rice is a dense source of high glycaemic index carbohydrate, which means that blood glucose levels rapidly increase after it is consumed, along with the hormone insulin, which promotes fat storage in the body. Rice snacks are also low in protein and other key nutrients. They simply offer "empty calories" along with a rapid rise in blood glucose levels rather than long lasting energy. Better snack options when it comes to blood glucose control include corn- or rye-based cakes and crackers.


CHEESE-FLAVOURED SNACKS
    
While you can find plain potato chips cooked in sunflower oil, cheese-flavoured snacks can be pretty nasty - packed with fat, flavours, colours and even MSG, the ingredient list itself explains why it is difficult to stop eating once you start but also why a plain potato chip cooked in sunflower oil is many times better than any extruded cheese snack.

MARGARINE  



 Spreads are a controversial food topic among nutrition professionals as the recommended switch from butter to margarine originally came from evidence that plant-based oils were better for the heart than animal-based fat. While this is true, nutritionists will generally recommend foods that are as natural as possible and when it comes to margarine it is an added fat that we do not "need" in our diet. In general, we get plenty of good fat from avocados, nuts, good quality oils, seeds and fish already. If you do choose to use a spread, at least look for a reduced fat variety.
Susie Burrell is a nutritionist and author.
Is there a food that you studiously avoid? Jump on the comments and tell us which one and why you don't eat it.

 

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