10 Things Food Companies Dont Want You to know
Current mood: pure
Category: outraged Life

Hubert Cumberdale



The giant food corporations have one mission: selling more food and beverage products to consumers. Succeeding with that mission depends on keeping consumers in the dark on certain issues such as the presence cancer-causing chemicals found in popular food products.







Here are ten things the food corporations, whose products dominate grocery store shelves across the United States and other countries, absolutely do not want you to know.








1. The ingredients listed on the label aren't the only things in the food. Cancer-causing chemicals such as acrylamides may be formed in the food during high-heat processing, yet there's no requirement to list them on the label. Residues of solvents, pesticides and other chemicals may also be present, but also do not have to be listed. The National Uniformity for Food Act, currently being debated in the U.S. Congress, would make it illegal (yes, illegal) for states to require cancer warnings on foods that contain cancer-causing chemicals (such as California's Proposition 65.) See articles on the Food Uniformity Act.







2. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is added to thousands of food and grocery products through a dozen different innocent-sounding ingredients, imbalances endocrine system function, disabling normal appetite regulation and causing consumers to keep eating more food. This chemical not only contributes to nationwide obesity, it also helps food companies boost repeat business. See articles on MSG.







3. MSG is routinely hidden in foods in these ingredients: yeast extract, torula yeast, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and autolyzed yeast. Thousands of common grocery products contain one or more of these chemical taste enhancers, including nearly all "vegetarian" foods such as veggie burgers (read labels to check). See Food manufacturers hide dangerous ingredients in everyday foods by using confusing terms on the label.







4. ADHD in children is caused almost entirely by the consumption of processed food ingredients such as artificial colors and refined carbohydrates. Eighty percent of so-called ADHD children who are taken off processed foods are cured of ADHD in two weeks. See articles on ADHD.







5. The chemical sweetener aspartame, when exposed to warm temperatures for only a few hours, begins to break down into chemicals like formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde is a potent nerve toxin and causes damage to the eyes, brain and entire nervous system. Aspartame has been strongly linked to migraines, seizures, blurred vision and many other nervous system problems. See articles on aspartame.







6. Most food dips (like guacamole dip) are made with hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and monosodium glutamate. Many guacamole dips don't even contain avocados.







7. Plastic food packaging is a potent health hazard. Scientists now know that plastics routinely seep the chemical bisphenol A into the food, where it is eaten by consumers. Cooking in plastic containers multiplies the level of exposure. Bisphenol is a hormone disruptor and can cause breast formation in men and severe hormonal imbalances in women. It may also encourage hormone-related cancers such as prostate cancer and breast cancer. See Plastics chemical bisphenol A found to promote prostate cancer in animal studies.







8. Milk produced in the United States comes from cows injected with synthetic hormones that have been banned in every other advanced nation in the world. These hormones help explain why unusually young teenage girls develop breasts at such a young age, or why hormone-related cancers like prostate cancer are being discovered in unprecedented numbers. In order to protect Monsanto, the manufacturer of hormones used in the industry, the USDA currently bans organic milk producers from claiming their milk comes from cows that were not treated with synthetic hormones. Even organic milk is now under fire as the Organic Consumers Association says Horizon milk products are falsely labeled as organic. See Horizon milk, Wild Oats named in consumer boycott of "false" organic products. (The solution to all this? Drink raw almond milk instead. Make it yourself with a Vitamix, water and a nut milk bag.





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9. Most grocery products that make loud health claims on their packaging are, in reality, nutritionally worthless (like meal replacement shakes, instant chocolate milk, etc.). The most nutritious foods are actually those the FDA does not allow to make any health claims whatsoever: fresh produce. See articles on food labeling.







10. Food manufacturers actually "buy" shelf space and position at grocery stores. That's why the most profitable foods (and hence, the ones with the lowest quality ingredients) are the most visible on aisle end caps, checkout lanes and eye-level shelves throughout the store. The effect of all this is to provide in-store marketing and visibility to the very foods and beverages that promote obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other degenerative conditions now ravaging consumers around the world. See articles on food marketing.

Currently watching : Day of Discovery (RBC Ministries)

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Homemade Pizza and dough recipe~
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Food and Restaurants

I would love to share with you a great homemade pizza  recipe. Now keep in mind you can add whatever you'd like on top your pizza~ But heres the basics for the crust itself~

Enjoy~

PIZZA CRUST~

Ingredients

1 and 1/4 warm water

1 envelope of active dry yeast

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 tablespoon Olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3 and 1/2 cups os unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of cornmeal

Makes 2- 12 inch pizzas or 1 LARGE pizza

~Baking Perfect Pizza~

1) Place 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl, Sprinkle yeast over water: stir in sugar.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

Add remaining water, oil, and salt. Stir in flour (with fork or hands)(I find a fork works better)until dough pulls away from side of bowl.

2) Turn dough onto alightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, 8-10 minutes. Coat large bowl with oil: place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover loosely with with plastic wrap or a damp cloth . Let rise in warm place until almost double in size. About 45 minutes.

3) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. punch down dough while still inside hte bowl.

(you may make this dough for 2 small pizzas or 1 large pizza, depending on size of pizza pan)

Cover pan with oil and sprinkle cornmeal.

Roll dough to fit prepared pan(s). Press dough againist edge to form a rim.

Then bake pizza crust for 10 minutes.

4) Remove crust from oven and top with whatever you want to make your pizza, ie: sauce, and cheese and veggies or spinache and cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted. 15-20 minutes longer.

*Helpful hints*

The secret to rolling pizza dough is to let rest for 10 minutes after it is about half the size needed. then it will stretch the rest of the way

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Global Warming Facts~
Current mood: discontent
Category: Life

Anyone watching world news today will be only too aware of the calamitous events happening worldwide with ever greater frequency. Hurricanes tornadoes monsoons tidal waves tsunamis earthquakes etc are all more violent. 98% of glaciers are in rapid retreat, permafrost is melting for the first time in milleniums, and desserts are expanding Weather pattern are in turmoil throughout the world.

Many species are in decline. Alarmingly this includes the honey bee. Einstein once said "if honey bees die out, mankind has just four years"

What was the catalyst for this phenomenal change in weather patterns and temperature rise?

Back in the 1740s the industrial revolution began in Britain. As a result the U.K. became one of the first major polluters of the planet if not the very first.

Co2 was now being pumped into the atmosphere by chimneys, ships, trains and cars. Now 70 million tons of Co2 are emitted every day throughout the world, increasing each year as population and economies grow.

Scientists say that even a rise in temperatures of just 2 degrees could be catastrophic.

The following statistics may therefore worry you.

Here in Britain, the mean central England temperatures for the past seven months have risen on average over the previous year by 0.57 degrees Celsius. And in spite of the fact that last year (2006) was the hottest ever recorded in Britain.

I urge you to read the most definitive report on global warming and to discover THE ONLY SOLUTION.

Log onto www.myspace.com/globalwarmingonlysolution

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Ways To Fight GLobal Warming
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Top Ways to Fight Global Warming

Some not-so-inconvenient steps you can take to combat climate change.


By Bret Schulte
Posted 7/17/07 on the U.S. News & world report

You don't have to stage benefit concerts on seven continents to do your part in the fight against global warming. You don't need Madonna. You don't even need Al Gore. In fact, less is often more when it comes to protecting Mother Earth. Less consumption. Less energy. Less waste. Global warming is an enormously complicated challenge, and to defeat it will require unprecedented cooperation among oft-feuding nations and a forbiddingly complex overhaul of the world's energy production and delivery systems. But that doesn't mean that doing your part has to be difficult. Or even terribly inconvenient. Let the policymakers argue over cap-and-trade bills, carbon taxes, and the fact that wind power currently generates just .7 percent of the country's electricity. The inconvenient truth is there are plenty of ways for individuals to make a difference. Let us count the ways.

10. Don't use hot water when cold water will do. No one is telling you to take a cold bath, but would it be so bad if that's what your clothes received? Save the energy required to heat up water for laundry by giving a cold wash a spin. You may not notice a difference. You can also try detergents specially formulated for cold water. Tide ColdWater is a leading brand.

9. Buy "recycled." Capitalists hate this idea, but Mother Earth is a fan. Buying something used—whether it's a sauce pan or a Bentley—doesn't carry the same cachet that comes with righteous recycling, but it's the same thing and spares the energy that goes into manufacturing new goods. So enjoy your friends' newfound respect as they lounge on your recycled couch. A corollary to this: Sell or donate rather than throw away.

8. Turn on the ceiling fan. Circulated air does wonders for cooling a room without having to crank down that thermostat even further. And the whirring sound helps you sleep, right?

7. Buy in bulk. Not only will you expend less energy worrying over toilet paper, but you'll also expend less energy getting to the store. Energy savings also come from reduced packaging. Another bonus: presenting feedbag-size packages of Doritos at any gathering relaxes guests who a) want a lot of Doritos or b) privately question if anyone else is coming.

6. Strategic landscaping. Trees are great fuel, but get this: You can cool your home by planting a tree where the sun hits most directly. In addition to simple tasks like drawing the blinds, the shade can dramatically cut air conditioning use. A deciduous tree also loses its leaves in the winter, allowing sunlight to warm your house when you need it most. The tree will do this year after year at no extra cost.

5. Discover what "power strip" means to you. Cellphone and iPod chargers suck down electricity just by being plugged into the wall. Rather than dealing with the hassle of inserting and removing your chargers when they're in use, plug them into power strips with an on/off switch. A power strip in the off mode uses zero juice. For fun, free-associate with friends while saying the words power strip.

4. A better bulb. Screw in compact fluorescent bulbs. They lose less energy as heat than traditional bulbs do and can last up to 10 times as long, which means you can pass them on to your kids when you're gone. Recycling meets responsible parenting! To reward yourself, spend the money you save on bulk items rather than leaving it in your will.

3. The Energy Star. If you're not into acquiring a "recycled" appliance, buy one with the Energy Star label. These products are government-certified juice sippers that can slash your electricity bill by as much as 30 percent, depending on just how inefficient your old appliances are.

2. Get with the program. Have trouble remembering to ease up on the AC when you leave the house? Get a thermostat to remember for you. A programmable thermostat costs about $100 but will pay for itself in less than a year.

1. Get active. Getting active has never required less effort. The best way to fight global warming is to let your representatives in Congress know you support federal action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the old days, such ambition would have required organizing your thoughts into a letter or making a phone call. Not any more. Websites by green lobbying groups like Natural Resources Defense Council and Environmental Defense carry prewritten petitions on their website. When you plug in your name and address, they even find your representative for you! You can make demands of your elected leaders without even knowing who they are! Then there's the matter of casting a vote for the candidate whose solutions you like most. There. That wasn't so inconvenient, was it?

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