Archive for the ‘Foods’ Category

Articles November 15, 2018

Yesterday(11/14/2018) was World Diabetes Day. Help your shoppers keep their blood sugar balanced

Diabetes is caused by an imbalance in blood sugar and impairment of insulin use, often called insulin resistance. Insulin is similar to a key that opens the door to let much needed fuel (glucose) into our cells. When we have too much blood sugar, due to diet and stress, insulin does not respond as well, and can lead to increased blood sugar readings and type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar is very inflammatory, and people with diabetes may develop serious complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and premature death.

Here are eight foods that help balance blood sugar.

Apples. An apple a day may not only keep the doctor away but may also keep insulin balanced. Apples are also loaded with quercetin, known for it’s ability to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Beans. They may just be the ideal plant based food: protein, fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats. In addition, the fiber in beans helps you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fiber diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits.

Berries. One of the most blood sugar friendly fruits, berries are an excellent source of quercetin, a flavonoid, which has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels. Berries are also rich in fiber.

Chocolate. Yes, you read that right! Cacao, raw unsweetened chocolate, improves insulin sensitivity. It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and powerful antioxidants. When shopping, look for raw cacao beans, nibs or powder. You can use it in a smoothie, or instead of coco powder in recipes. Get creative!

Cinnamon. Real cinnamon called Ceylon cinnamon has been clinically proven to stabilize blood sugar and to have a healing effect on the pancreas.  Studies have shown that eating just a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon a day can make cells more sensitive to insulin and convert blood sugar into energy more easily.

Oatmeal. A breakfast favorite, and for good reason. The fiber in oatmeal helps curb appetite, decreases risk for both colon cancer and high cholesterol, can help balance blood sugar.

Sweet potatoes. These spuds are deceivingly sweet, but are a rich source in complex carbs. Complex carbs help to slow the release of glucose in your blood stream to even out the spikes and dips that cause mood and energy imbalances and ultimately more sugar cravings.

Vinegar. This pungent liquid is not just for salad dressing (or cleaning the house), it actually does appear to help with blood sugar control. Arizona State University’s Nutrition Program Director, Carol Johnston PhD has been studying apple cider vinegar for years and believes it can have pronounced affects on blood sugar. Johnston says that the vinegar prevents at least some dietary starches from being digested and thus raising blood sugar.

Keep in mind that having a diet rich in all fruits and vegetables will help contribute to a healthy blood sugar balance!

Author Phil Lempert -Supermarketgurur®

You’re stressed about the work you see piling up around you, so you grab a bag of chips and prepare to pull an all nighter. It has happened to the best of us, but what triggers a late-night junk food eating session, and how can you put a stop to it? 

The first way to cut the junk food habits is to acknowledge when the fall outs occur. If they tend to happen late at night, a study published by Brigham Young University may explain why. 

According to the study, the brain’s response to food is lower the later it is. This means that those chips you decided to have as a late-night snack because you had a stressful week will not seem super satisfying.

Travis Masterson lead author of the study explains what the research concludes, “It may not be as satisfying to eat at night so you eat more to try to get satisfied.”

Recognizing that food will not stimulate your brain in the same way and therefore will seem less satisfying can help you become self aware. You may think you are hungry, but step back, drink some water, or choose a healthier option — believe us your body will thank you. 

If you find yourself slipping at other times of the day, you may be eating less because you are hungry and more because you are stressed. 

Read more: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/the-truth-behind-emotional-eating.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3l3oOAZHy

A recent study from Cornell University shows how people who are in high-stress situations or in a negative mood reach for junk rather than a healthy snack. The reason behind emotional eating comes from your body desiring immediate satisfaction rather than recognizing long-term goals and needs. 

While stress and negativity triggers the immediate concern of turning a frown upside down, happier emotions trigger long-term goals and overall satisfaction. 

How does this translate through food, you ask? Well, junk food is usually richer and results in immediate satisfaction. By creating pleasure through sweets and junk food, you are deciding to eat based on how you feel right then and there.

Reaching for food when you are in a positive mood, triggers the opposite. When you reach for a snack when you are happy, you usually prefer healthy foods because a positive mood puts weight on long term goals and healthiness. 

According to the study, “When making a choice between indulgent or healthy foods, a positive mood will result in healthier food choices due to greater consideration of long term or abstract goals.”

We know everyone needs to indulge in a guilty pleasure once in a while, but being aware of not only when you are eating, but also why you are eating, could prove to make a huge difference in your habits. 

Overall, both studies show that taking a step back from the kitchen, having a glass of water, and really contemplating why you are eating and what you are eating can make a huge difference in your overall diet and strategy. Self awareness is at the root of both studies and shows that sometimes eating healthy comes down to mind over matter.
Read more: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/the-truth-behind-emotional-eating.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3l3qUkht8

This color should raise a red flag, or at least an orange one.

I remember the first time I heard about artificial food coloring. I was about 8 years old, and my friends and I had been told that Bubble Yum bubble gum (only THE best bubble gum on the planet) was going to be pulled from the shelves because it contained Red Dye No. 2, a suspected carcinogen. It was a chance we were willing to take, especially since we really didn’t understand the chance we were taking. We just wanted to blow bubbles the size of our heads. The FDA banned Red Dye No 2. in 1976 but, thankfully, Bubble Yum lived on.

So what is artificial color? According to the FDA, artificial colors, or color additives, are synthetically produced (or human made) and used widely because they impart an intense, uniform color, are less expensive, and blend more easily to create a variety of hues. Well, if you put it that way, I’m just fine with food manufacturers using artificial, petroleum-based (yum) colors instead of natural colors like paprika, beets, carmel or blueberries <insert sarcasm here>.

There are currently 9 synthetic dyes that the FDA has approved for use in food. The list includes: Blue 1, Blue 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. There have been several other dyes that were once on the approved list, but with additional testing, they were delisted as they were found to be hazardous in some way. For example, at one time specific red and orange dyes were used to make oranges more orange. But these specific artificial colors were taken off the market.

So why would someone want to color and orange more orange? Well, to sell more oranges, of course. Would you rather buy a perfectly orange orange, or one that was slightly yellow? The more appealing and attention getting, the more likely you are to purchase. This is often why you see so many brightly colored candies and drinks in products targeted at children. But ask yourself, when is the last time blue raspberry was a color found in nature? And if you’ve ever made macaroni and cheese from scratch and compared it to the bright orange powder that comes out of the box, I think you get my point.

It’s important to remember that just because a label says “natural” doesn’t mean ALL natural. There may be only one natural ingredient in the product. Several of the ingredient flavors and colors may, in fact, be artificial. Artificial colors are prevalent in so many foods, even foods you might associate with being healthy. I was shocked to find artificial colors used in my super model-endorsed yogurt. I’ve decided to look for another brand. All you have to do to check for artificial food colors is read the label.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the possible ties between ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children and artificial colors. There have been two large scale studies conducted in Britain to study the effects of artificial colors on children. While there is not conclusive evidence to prove a connection, there was enough concern that a European Union regulation was passed requiring a warning statement (“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children“) on foods that contain at least one of six dyes. According to John E. Huxsahl, M.D. with the Mayo Clinic, “There’s no evidence that food additives cause attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but an increasing number of studies show that certain food colorings and preservatives may cause or worsen hyperactive behavior in some children.”

With regard to the current 9 artificial colors that are allowed by the FDA, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) believes there could be serious flaws with some of the testing. While all food colors (natural and artificial) must be approved by the FDA, artificial colors must pass tests to show that they are safe and don’t contain cancer-causing substances. But the FDA tests don’t always work as intended. According to CSPI, “Fifteen years ago, FDA and Canadian government scientists discovered that most of the carcinogen benzidine that can contaminate Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 is bound to molecules in the dyes. So routine FDA tests, which look only for “free” benzidine, fail to detect it. And the dyes are sometimes contaminated with 100 to 1,000 times more bound than free benzidine.” Yikes!

Fortunately, the world of natural colors is starting to grow. As more consumers raise their voices and demand healthier products, manufacturers are starting to utilize new, natural flavor sources like purple sweet potatoes, cochineal insects (yep, ground up bugs), and blue gardenias (which are not yet approved for use in foods in the U.S.).

Like you’ve read so many times before on this blog – it is VERY important to read labels. While you’re reading the label for nutritional information, be sure to read the list of ingredients and look for artificial flavors and colors. If you can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t want to eat it. Remember, the natural color of mint ice cream is not kermit-the-frog green and there is nothing natural about neon orange cheese puffs.