The Culprits- BHA and BHT.
The problems - BHA ( butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT ( butylated hydroxytoluene) are used in the food industry as antioxidants. Primarily used to preserve food color and flavor they are also used in cosmetics, jet fuels and embalming fluid. They prevent the oxidation of fats and oils in food, preventing it from going rancid. These are the chemicals which allow pastries, breads and crackers to sit on supermarket shelves for weeks and months without spoiling. “BHT added to maintain freshness” is a typical label.
Once again the health effects of using these products is hotly debated. It is proven to cause cancer in rats and is strongly linked with liver problems and hyperactivity in children. However some scientists contend that it is safe to use and may actually prevent cancer. Nevertheless it has been banned by Japan (1958), Australia, Romania and Sweden and McDonalds stopped using it in their products in 1986. Although many thought it was banned in the UK it was not due to food industry pressure. This industry may be the source of much of the contradictory scientific evidence as the banning of these chemicals would have a massive effect on the ability to extend shelf life of many types of food and be very costly.
The solutions - once again we are studying labels. If it contains either BHA or BHT put it back on the shelf. Donuts are not meant to last 6 months! Go to the donut shop if you simply can’t live without them. In addition BHA and BHT are used as the primary preservatives in dog and cat food so it may be beneficial to switch to a preservative free brand
Watching the T.V every night it appears like we are under siege from the fast food companies. I cannot remember so many dollar menus and value menus being promoted. Loss leaders are being used as ‘carrots’ to entice people into the stores, ( how can it be possible to sell 2 Big Macs for $3.50 and make money? the PZone from Pizza Hut 1lb of food for $1… cmon!!). The ferocity of this marketing seems to tie in nicely with our current economic downturn. As more people lose their jobs/homes/retirement the Big 4 of fast food are acting like the answer to our prayers. Bring me your hungry…. we will feed you and your family for next to nothing. Despite this McDonalds still made $4.3 B net profit in 2008 and have plans for 1000 more restaurants this year. Why is it that the tobacco and alcohol companies pay massive taxes for their right to kill the population yet the junk food business gets a free pass? Think of the educational programs you could fund by taking a percentage of that profit. Across the industry that would be a staggering amount. Remember home economics where kids got a chance to learn how to cook the basics?? New York seems to be taking this idea seriously having already banned trans-fat in food sold in the city and is proposing the institution of an obesity tax. How about it San Diego????
Captain Cooks Culinary Academy for Kids has been selected to partner with GOT MILK? in their picky eaters campaign beginning next month. The focus of the campaign is to highlight the fact that the majority of children are not getting the calcium they need to stay healthy with over 75% of all 9 to 13 year olds not getting enough calcium in their diet. Captain Cooks has created several recipes which incorporate both milk and vegetables in savory dishes that will tantalize the taste buds and provide nutritious alternatives to some simple dishes.
The campaign will be promoted through newspaper and magazine articles as well as TV spots the first of which will be aired on the Spanish speaking Univision channel ( KBNT 17) on Feb 9th at 5.30am and NBC ( KNSD 7) on Feb 11th at 6.45am.
The culprit -Sulphites
The problems - Sulphites have been used as preservatives and flavor enhancers in food and wine since Roman times. They are also found naturally in wine and many foods and have very little effect on a majority of the population. Only about 2% of the population has a sulphite sensitivity which may result in skin rashes, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome and other reactions. It is a much bigger problem with asthma sufferers, a large percentage of who have a sensitivity to sulphites. The FDA banned sulphites on fresh fruit and vegetables in 1986 due to over a dozen deaths of asthmatics who suffered severe allergic reactions to the sulphites sprayed on produce in supermarkets and restaurant salad bars. The sulphites were used to prevent discoloration and wilting however the FDA were unable to prevent their use on potato products which continues today. Read More…
The Culprit- Sodium Benzoate
The problems - Also known as E211, sodium benzoate is a preservative which kills bacteria, fungus and mold specifically in acidic environments such as soda, vinegar and fruit juice. Derived from benzoic acid it is used extensively and thought by many in the food industry to be relatively harmless when used on its own. However, recent scientific studies have shown that it can damage vital DNA structures which can in turn lead to degenerative diseases such as Parkinsons disease. Additionally it has been suspected of causing increased hyperactivity in children.
What is certainly known is that when it reacts with ascorbic acid ( citric acid, vitamin C ) it forms Benzene which is highly carcinogenic. All of the major soda manufacturers are currently or have been in class action lawsuits regarding the levels of Benzene in their products.
The solution - buy products which have a ‘ preservative free’ label such as Hansens soda or any of the USDA organic lines of products sold at your local supermarkets.
Karen Whitehead the Culinary Director for Captain Cooks will be appearing on San Diego Living, Channel 6 XETV between 9 and 10am on Thursday January 22nd. Tune in to watch Karen prepare the Baked Eggrolls we will be making at this Fridays Chinese New Year workshop.
The culprit – High Fructose Corn Syrup (HCFS)
The problems – Prior to the 1970’s all sugar was extracted from either sugar cane or sugar beet .Then in the mid 70s a combination of high sugar prices , a glut of corn on the market due to farm subsidies and a recent development by the Japanese for industrial production saw the beginning of the meteoric rise in HCFS. It is produced from corn through a series of complex chemical conversions and we now consume more of it than natural sugar. The debate around this product is fierce. Many scientists believe that its introduction correlates to the rapid increase in obesity rates which began in the 70s. Read More…
The culprit – Nitrites and Nitrates
The problems – Nitrites and Nitrates are added to meat along with salt during the curing process. They have two roles. First they prevent the development of harmful bacterial spores that cause botulism and secondly they provide flavoring and the pink/ red color found in cured meat products. These products are salamis, hot dogs, bologna, bacon, sausages in fact almost anything that has been cured. The problem is that they produce nitrosamines which are carcinogenic. Many countries have banned their use including Germany- (sausage capital of the world!! ). There are many studies linking hot dogs and other foods to childhood cancer and other problems. See link for more info. http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/food/hotdogs.htm
The solution – buy products which are Nitrite and Nitrate free which are different from ‘ No Nitrates or Nitrites added’ products as these may still have these products present as a component of the curing ingredients they are using. Whole Foods, Frazier Farms and Jimbo’s carry Nitrite free products.
Think twice next time you order shakes from a fast food restaurant. What may appear to be a semi healthy choice due to the presence of milk conceals the fact that these are the worst health offenders on the menu. The shake below contains 64g of saturated fat ( the heart stopping kind) which is over 3 times the daily recommended allowance and equivalent to…wait for it….60, yes 60 slices of bacon. My kids love shakes but now I know this stuff I guess I’m going to have to be the bad guy from now on.
1. The Worst Drink in America
Baskin-Robbins Large Heath Bar Shake
2,310 calories
108 g fat (64 g saturated)
266 gLet’s look at America’s Worst Drink in numbers:73: The number of ingredients that go into this milkshake.
66: The number of teaspoons of sugar this drink contains.
11: The number of Heath Bars you would have to eat to equal the number of calories found in one Baskin Robbins Large Heath Bar Shake.
12: The average number of minutes it takes to consume this drink.
240: The number of minutes you’d need to spend on a treadmill, running at a moderate pace, to burn it off.
A new term just came across my radar screen. Food deserts. Described as “districts with little or no access to the types of foods needed to maintain a healthy diet but often served by plenty of fast food restaurants”.This problem has reached such proportions in inner cities that in Los Angeles lawmakers recently passed a law preventing the construction of any new fast food restaurants in South L.A which has a 30% higher obesity rate than the rest of L.A county.
These deserts can be created by
- Physical barriers such as geographical location, high crime areas, lack of public transport which prevent people from easy access
- Financial barriers- healthy food is generally more expensive than the 99c menu
- Mental barriers such as the lack of cooking knowledge or not realizing the importance of a healthy diet. Read More…
