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More food manufacturers are bowing to consumer pressure to remove high fructose corn syrup from packaged foods. Crackers, ketchup, bread, soda and cookies are now available loudly proclaiming themselves “Corn Syrup Free.” Is this really a good thing, though?

On the one hand, corn syrup has no redeeming nutritional qualities, and the less of it we eat, the better off we are. The best the corn growers’ association can come up with is that corn syrup is (possibly) no worse than sugar, by which they appear to mean refined table sugar. That overlooks that sugar, though a naturally derived sweetener, isn’t that great for people, either. (continue reading…)

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Call me ignorant, but until the other day, I thought that vegetarian and vegan were the same diet. I assumed that vegan was an abbreviation for vegetarian. After some research, I discovered that the two diets have significant differences and that there are a variety of types of vegetarians.

As many people know, vegetarianism is a plant-based diet. Branches of vegetarianism include lacto-ovo vegetarians, lacto-vegetarians, and ovo-vegetarians. The prefix lacto- symbolizes that the diet includes dairy products, while ovo- means that the diet includes eggs. There are also semi-vegetarians and flexitarians. A semi-vegetarian eats a plant-based diet that may include fish and/or poultry. A flexitarian seeks to decrease meat consumption but does not eliminate meat from the diet. The type of meat consumed by the flexitarian depends on the individual. (continue reading…)

Photo Credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service

“I asked my grandfather what date in the past when we could have changed and he said the date was 2010,” the little English girl says as the camera scans a dead coral reef sea bed. It is that scary image shown on a video at the Columbus, Ohio Zoo Aquarium entrance. According to the WWF, “As many as 90% of all the ocean’s large fish have been fished out.” Also if we don’t change the current situation, by 2048 all species currently fished are predicted to collapse.

When fish are irresponsibly taken many other species of fish, mammals and birds are also killed and then thrown back into the ocean. One of the most endangered birds the Albatross are injured or killed by fishing equipment. Greenpeace said with top predators disappearing from the oceans at a quick rate we may see an increase in jelly fish which will replace the fish we eat. By eating too much of one type of fish especially slow growing fish it changes the whole ecosystem of the oceans.

With all of this in mind, you may wander what we can do to make a difference for the future of the oceans and our planet. (continue reading…)

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While chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, can be part of a healthy diet in moderation, the fats and sugars (not to mention caramel and nougat) add unneeded calories to what is otherwise a powerhouse of antioxidants with potential cardiovascular benefits. Cocoa powder and cacao nibs provide chocolate’s health benefits without the drawbacks of the fats and sugars in chocolate candy.

While you can eat unsweetened baking chocolate out of hand like a candy bar, it doesn’t have the flavor or mouthfeel most people have come to expect from bar chocolate, and packs quite a bit of fat, though the types of fats in cocoa butter (the solid fat in pure chocolate) may not be all bad. Half of the fat is a monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil. The remainder is two saturated fats, stearic acid and palmitic acid; stearic acid doesn’t appear to have any effect on cholesterol, though palmitic acid, comprising a third of the fat calories in cocoa butter, does have some negative effects on the “good” LDL cholesterol. These five serving ideas provide an alternative to munching on baking chocolate regularly to get the benefits of chocolate without sugar. (continue reading…)

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Insulin, the body’s defense against excess sugar, normalizes blood sugar levels in the body. Insulin resistance is a condition in which body’s cells build up tolerance to insulin, which makes the body less effective at keeping blood sugar level normal. Feeling tired after eating and being overweight are some common symptoms of insulin resistance. Sometimes called as Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome, insulin resistance can lead to more serious problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

Food and beverages high in refined sugars contribute to insulin resistance by causing a spike in blood sugar levels. Blood sugar can spike even with unrefined sweeteners like honey. Human are not built to handle that much sugar, and we do not show any sign of adapting to our increased sugar intake. Fortunately, this condition can be prevented, greatly improved, or even reversed by avoiding sugar, eating more fiber, being active and stopping smoking. Luckily, there are sweet yet healthy alternatives to both sugars and synthetic artificial sweeteners. Natural calorie-free sweeteners are going mainstream, and you may be able to find some in your local supermarket. (continue reading…)

The USDA’S official food guide pyramid is misleading and incorrect. It gives the impression that only the foods groups in the pyramid are needed to achieve health but that is not true. My friend, Mike Adams from NaturalNews has developed an Honest Food Guide that is safe and accurate. This is the only guide that gives you an unbiased view, with no under the table corruption, of what you should eat and what you should avoid. As parents, we need to know the truth if we want our children to be healthy mentally, physically and emotionally. Click here to read the full interview and download the Honest Food Guide. (continue reading…)

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Chile peppers grow in nearly every climate. Chances are your CSA, co-op grocery, or farmer’s market is over run with peppers of all varieties. Peppers are a delicious and nutritious family of veggies if only you knew what they were! Here is a guide to picking the perfect pepper for your family.

If you are concerned about spice, always remove the pith (the white fleshy part inside) and the seeds. Wear examination gloves when cooking with very hot peppers to protect your hands. Capsaicin is an oil and spreads very easily. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or other mucous membranes while handling peppers. (continue reading…)