Color Me Unimpressed, U.S.

If you grew up in the 90s, your childhood was probably characterized by brightly colored candies and ice creams ranging from nerds, basically pure, crunchy sugar with a rainbow coating, to Baskin-Robin’s rainbow, poprocks filled flavors which ultimately turned your mouth a sort of dark purplish, horror movie black. Even at 9 or 10 you might have thought to yourself, “This can’t be good for me.” Your parents almost definitely thought it at some point but probably figured that the harm was minimal or “they wouldn't sell it for kids.” 

You and your parents were right to wonder and it turns out, we’ve known this well before now. Over a decade ago, European food standards moved to phased out artificial colorings, particularly 6 main ones tied to hyperactivity in children. Several studies showed that children with ADHD and without were more susceptible to behavioral issues after consuming these colorings. Eliminating food coloring from the diet led to an improvement in focus and behavior. Europe has since ruled out additional additives and most recently has banned White E171 food coloring as it has been linked to cancer. The same white food coloring is still used in thousands of products here in the US with no ban in sight. We are behind. 

It isn’t as if the US simply doesn't know about the harm of food coloring. The FDA has reviewed the issue several times including in 2007 and 2011 and has decided that they didn’t see the harm in continuing to use the products despite some evidence suggesting harm. Where the European Commision decided the risk of harm was enough to phase these additives out, the FDA decided the same risk wasn’t overwhelming enough to make a change. 

Some corporations have independently evaluated the risks as well and attempted to make a change. General Mills for example decided that it was worth attempting to create their most popular cereals without food coloring in 2016. They even vowed to go completely food coloring free in the following year. Unfortunately, when the change started to affect their bottom line and consumers complained that the cereal, specifically trix, just wasn't the same without blue and green pieces, General Mills relented and PUT THEM BACK. They now have the more healthy version for sale along with the original option but seem unlikely to get rid of the original Trix for the time being. Similarly, most food coloring while tied to allergies and now ADHD and other behavioral issues in children, seem to be here in the US to stay for now. While we’ve banned a few things, cancerous additives like white food coloring, don’t appear to be going anywhere. 

While the US might be a step behind in banning these additives, it’s important to do what’s best for you and your own family. White food coloring in particular has been linked not only to cancer but also neurological damage. It’s just one of the many things banned in other places that we still ingest regularly here in the States. Make sure you know what you are eating regardless of its availability in your local grocery store!

Resources: 

• European White Food Coloring Ban https://wonderfulengineering.com/europe-has-banned-common-white-e171-food-coloring-here-is-why/

• European Food Coloring Ban of 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7725316.stm 

• Neurobehavioral Effect of Synthetic Food Dyes in Children https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/risk-assessment/report/healthefftsassess041621.pdf 

• https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(07)61306-3/fulltext 

• Trix are for kids article: https://www.fooddive.com/news/silly-general-mills-artificial-colors-are-coming-back-to-trix/505619/ 

Cadmium: A Toxic Relationship

Cadmium is one of four major heavy metal contaminants prevalent in our food market today. Mercury, Lead, and Arsenic are much more well known and are frequently discussed. Cadmium, however, we seem to talk and maybe understand less about.

Cadmium can be found in a variety of products but is most commonly used in batteries, electroplating and solder. Soldering, even as a hobby, is actually one of the most common ways someone might be exposed to cadmium in the amounts necessary for poisoning. Other occupational sources of exposure include solar cells, plastic stabilizers,  pigments and nuclear reactors! Workers who manufacture any of these products or collect waste from the manufacture of these products are at the top of the list of those at risk of high levels of cadmium exposure. Even those who just sell or transport these products will most likely have a higher than average amount of exposure. Cigarette smokers also run the risk of cadmium poisoning and the additional lung damage caused by cadmium is permanent and can be deadly. 

Cadmium is extremely poisonous and while these workers are probably experiencing chronic exposure over long periods of time, it really doesn’t take very much to have a significant impact on one’s health. OSHA outlines a number of medically evaluated thresholds for Cadmium exposure and just one indicator out of three being slightly elevated is equated with a significant increase the probability of permanent renal damage. These thresholds are evaluated through a variety of tests including blood work and a urinalysis.

Cadmium damages the lungs, the renal system which includes the kidneys and by extension the bones as the uptake of calcium is greatly reduced with kidney and liver damage. Emphysema, bronchitis, chronic rhinitis and an increased risk of lung cancer are just a few of the ways that damage to the lungs can present. Kidney damage can vary causing an increase in kidney stone development to all out kidney failure. While the extended and regular exposure to cadmium is usually the culprit in cadmium related kidney failure, even an acute exposure can reduce the proper function of the kidneys. In turn, even small changes can decrease the effectiveness of the renal system in the reuptake of necessary nutrients, notably calcium, causing a number of other health complications such as osteoporosis.

While cadmium inhalation is probably the culprit in most acute but very high cadmium exposures, cadmium ingestion is probably the main way that the rest of the population is going to be regularly exposed. While you might not have the symptoms of an acute poisoning like a worker who gets sick after welding without proper ventilation, you are still at risk for developing the issues of chronic, long term exposure. Ingesting cadmium may still result in renal damage and it doesn’t take very much. Small amounts over a number of years will be more than enough to cause renal damage. This is why it is so important that we monitor and test our foods! This is especially important for foods and supplements that we take everyday as cadmium builds up in the body. Learning and knowing where your food is coming from is the first step in preventing cadmium exposure. Testing the foods you can’t personally source is the second. As always, if you have a questions about a particular product or line of food and would like to test that product, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Resources:

Cadmium toxicity and treatment: An update: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596182/

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/cadmium/Chronic-Effects.html# 

OSHA threshold guidelines for industrial workers : https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA_3675.pdf 

Food Fraud Versus Food Safety

Food safety and food fraud might seem similar at first glance but a closer look at these two issues quickly reveals that they are two very distinct issues requiring equally unique solutions. 

Food safety in this country is generally an understood issue that requires knowing where our food is sourced and catching contaminations as quickly as possible. It mostly involves a system of tracking a particular food to the source and then issuing warnings regarding that specific food. The recent salmonella outbreak that we talked about in a previous article is an example of a food safety matter. These outbreaks are usually directly connected to a pretty immediate public harm. Salmonella leads to a pretty serious sickness. E. coli and other dangerous contaminants directly cause sickness and even death to the consumer. This is often a product of neglect or lax methodology versus intent. 

Food fraud on the other hand is usually purposeful and designed by someone attempting to make a greater profit in an underhanded method. An example of this would be adding water to wine or saying that a product came from a location that would justify a higher price point than its actual place of origin. It isn’t usually a mistake but a planned deception. This is part of the reason why a system like block-chain, which might be successful in preventing a widespread food safety violation, might not be very successful in combating food fraud. The human element in food fraud negates a lot of the benefit of a documentation system like blockchain. 

Though different, food fraud can also cause personal harm particularly if someone is procuring a particular food for the purpose of medical supplementation. If you are taking an herb for blood pressure for example, it would be pretty awful if you later found out that the capsules you’d been faithfully taking were filled with cornstarch instead. This maybe isn’t as immediate as getting sick from E coli contaminated spinach but there is still a serious amount of harm. We’ve mentioned before  situations where peanut oil could be subbed into expensive olive oil and besides the financial deception, if someone is allergic to peanuts, this fraud could have serious and even deadly consequences. 

We recently interviewed Mitchell Weinberg who runs a food investigation firm called INSCATECH. You can check out that podcast here. In that interview Mitchell expressed the belief that the best way to combat food fraud is to monitor the production of our food from the source, even if that source is a farm overseas or requires watching to see exactly how a beekeeper is feeding his bees. His firm travels around the world doing exactly that. Short of running this type of organization or partnering with one, what can we as individuals do? 

According to Mitchell and what we already know, the best way to prevent food fraud is to get up close and personal with the sources of your food. Shop local. Meet the farmer, meet the beekeeper, visit the vineyard, support a coop or local butcher shop. We’ve been saying it all along but this is truly the best way to combat food fraud. Build a relationship with those responsible for growing the food you eat. Grow some food yourself! The closer to the source you can get, the fewer opportunities for deceit to enter into the equation. Have you had any good experiences shopping local? Share your hints below!

Fermented & Healthy

We’ve talked in a previous article about the health benefits of probiotics and prebiotics. We know that staying healthy requires maintaining a healthy microbiome. We also know that you can get legitimate supplements to supply both but the best way is really through your balanced diet. One of the best sources of pre- and probiotics is fermented food. Anything like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, or even beverages like kombucha or kefir will provide some level of probiotics! These are things that are regularly consumed around the world and now we are seeing the value beyond their unique flavors and umami filled tastes. In addition, it is also important to consume prebiotic foods! Some of these include garlic, honey, onions, chicory and resistant oligosaccharides. 

The benefits of fermented foods therefore track pretty closely with the benefit of a healthy biome with both probiotic and prebiotic support. There is a boost to cardiovascular health and the mitigation of high blood pressure. Diabetes, obesity and really anything inflammation based chronic illness benefit from the inclusion of fermented foods in one’s diet. Additionally, mental health and bone health also improve as the microbiome is supported. 

Check out this short video going over some easy to incorporate fermented foods!

Once You find a fermented food that you enjoy, getting the necessary pro-and prebiotics in you diet will be easy and natural and will be in a more absorbable form that simply taking a capsule.

RESOURCES:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8620815/

https://europepmc.org/article/MED/33838493 

https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/fermented-foods-the-latest-trend

Wheatgrass 101

Occasionally a food fad will sweep through in a summer and is gone before most of us truly understand what all the hype was about. Sometimes, though, when the “fad” seems to be a little more substantive, it graduates to a higher status in our minds, shared with other accepted parts of alternative or holistic medicine. Frequently, this tends to be the case when the remedy or practice is actually well-known and even commonplace in another part of the world but has only recently made its way into American culture. Such a path seems to be the case with the wheatgrass phenomenon. A few summers ago, wheatgrass seemed to explode into the smoothie and juicing market. Almost overnight, juice bars and health food stores nudged the charcoal over to make room for this bright green contender in the limelight. It’s been a few years and wheatgrass doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. So, what’s all the fuss about? 

Wheatgrass is the young grass of the common wheat plant Triticum aestivum. It is very high in chlorophyll, flavonoids, and an assortment of vitamins and minerals. It’s also known for its iron, calcium and amino acid content. It can be frozen but it’s usually juiced and taken in smoothies or in “shots” of a few ounces at a time. It’s reputation for being anti-cancer and generally healing seems to come from its high chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll is thought to have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Fans suggest uses from drinking it to cleanse the liver to rinsing with it to eliminate a toothache. 

Some of the claims of wheatgrass users may be a bit of a stretch but what we do know is that drinking wheatgrass does seem to induce synergistic benefits to chemotherapy and might assist with the mitigation of chemo side effects. There is also evidence that the anti inflammatory properties may help with arthritis, diabetes, colitis and other inflammatory diseases. Also, while a shot of this might contain a lot of the nutrients you need from a diverse helping of veggies, it will not replace the phytochemicals and complete nutrient profiles you would get by eating a variety of veggies. There are also a few drawbacks. If you have a gluten allergy or are pregnant, it is recommended that you avoid wheatgrass. The first group for obvious reasons and the second group because this supplemental food is unregulated and you could be exposed to contaminants and unexpected toxins. 

At the end of the day, it looks like wheatgrass may be healthy and even helpful though not a replacement for a balanced diet. Some of the claims are not rooted in the facts but other benefits are pretty straightforward. If you decide to try wheatgrass as a way to improve an inflammatory disease,  remember that it is supplemental and not meant to be in place of regular care. As also, we do not intend the information here to be used in diagnosis for prescription purposes but only to inform as you make your own dietary decisions. Buy local (sometimes you can even grow this at home yourself) and if we can help you in your product research, don’t hesitate to reach out!

RESOURCES:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26156538/

https://thechalkboardmag.com/50-benefits-of-wheatgrass

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-wheatgrass#2 

https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14224 

https://www.organicauthority.com/energetic-health/benefits-of-wheatgrass

Biosolids: What You Need To Know

You may be familiar with the idea of wastewater, or water run off from the sewers and other human activities being treated for continued use. This includes storm runoff, industrial sewage, and water containing human waste. Urban areas are huge producers of this dirty water and contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and more thrive in it. Thus, treatment plants like the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant, treat wastewater everyday, removing the water and straining it of solid matter (about 80% of it anyway) before distributing it back into the ocean. The solid particulate matter is then pressed into a concentrated mass that is distributed and used in a variety of ways. This concentrated mass is called biosolid.

The approximately 7 million metric tons of biosolids are treated depending on what class they are categorized into. Class A biosolids are treated to reduce the number of pathogens but are used in parks, home lawns, golf courses, etc. Class B undergo a more stringent pathogen reduction process and are thought to have a lower level of pathogens than animal manure. Class B is used for fertilizers in agriculture and forestry.

Currently, there is a question about the chemicals that remain in biosolids, either before treatment or because of treatment. Things like PFAS which were not previously regulated may pose a significant issue as the currently processes used to make biosolids are not always tailored to reduce or remove PFAS.

Check out this video explanation or the filtration process:

Britannica Video

One thing to consider is the impact PFAS will have on this process. We’ve already seen some issues as we learn more about the issue of PFAS in our water supply. Since PFAS do not breakdown, we may need to approach the release of processed waste water back into our natural sources of water. Even the use of biosolids in general may have an unknown impact on our supplies of pure groundwater and thus eventual drinking water. It’s more important than ever that we stay well informed of what is being done to protect our ground water and pure water sources as well as what we are moving towards in the regulation of PFAS.

Resources:

PFAS and Waste: What to do with it?

Cut Carbs Some Slack!

You’re staring down at the leftover sweet potato casserole from Turkeyday and thinking about how many carbs that basically-a-pie entree probably carries. It’s so good but it’s so heavy! In fact, looking at the bread, stuffing and mac-and-cheese, you begin to wonder if you shouldn’t just skip carbs entirely for a while. Low carb diets are better anyway, right? Let’s take a look.  

Carbs are one of the most readily available forms of energy the body has access to. When you go to exert yourself in any way, carbs supply the fuel that lets you push. This is especially true in regards to physical workouts and exertion. Carbs are a big part of what are bodies’ run on. So then, are carbs good? Hmmmm, it’s a little more complex than that, though in this case complexity is a good thing 

Carbs can be classified in a couple different ways. The most common is probably by type. There are sugars, starches and fiber. Sugars include those naturally occurring in fruits and veggies or dairy products, as well as processed sugars like what you use to bake or what’s found in almost anything sweetened. Even things like high-fructose corn syrup and agave nectar fall into this category. Sucrose, fructose and even lactose are all, technically, carbs. 

Starches include grains like rice, beans, potatoes and even corn. Starch is a densely packed pod of energy that a plant forms to store what it collects from the sun. It is usually wrapped in an outer shell of some kind which in the case of grain consists of a bran and germ. This fibrous outer layer is filled with vitamins and minerals and is the reason whole grain foods are generally considered to be more balanced and nutritious than refined ones. 

Fiber, as we’ve discussed in a previous blog, is the indigestible part of foods like beans and legumes, fruit and veggies, whole grain foods and more, that mostly passes right through the body but has a big impact on digestion and gastrointestinal regulation. It allows you to absorb more nutrients from your food and to regularly pass what the body doesn’t need. Fiber is hugely important and also falls under carbohydrates. 

You can probably tell right away that the idea of totally cutting out carbs might not make as much sense as you may have been told. A lot of the healthiest and important foods we need are technically carbs. Fiber, for example, is crucial to digestion and adults in the US get only a small portion of what is recommended (which according to the American Diabetes Association is about 25 to 30 grams a day). Carbs aren’t always bread and potatoes. Sometimes they are split peas and corn or bananas and almonds. 

The amount of carbohydrates that each person needs is much more dependent on the individual than any blanket statement could cover. The pile of gooey marshmallows topping that sweet potato casserole might be something to consider when cleaning up Thanksgiving leftovers but keep in mind that not all carbs are created equally!

Resources: 

American Diabetes Association

Role of polysaccharides in food, digestion, 

https://exceednutrition.com/all-about-carbohydrates/and health

Stay Well While You Stay Full!

This holiday season it is more important than even that we take care of our physical health. We are all excited to experience a more traditional holiday season but we should still approach this second Covid season’s greetings with caution! If you are traveling home to see your parents or away from home to see the kids, make sure you are still practicing excellent hygiene and getting enough sleep and exercise to support a solid, natural defense system against viral intruders. As this holiday often centers around shared meals, you might want to keep these nutrients in mind as they too will help your immune system stay battle ready!

First, as we’ve mentioned before, a big part of our immune system relies on the microbiome, a collection of trillions of microorganisms that live inside our gastrointestinal track and help with bodily functions from breaking down food to destroying harmful bacteria. Fermented foods like kefir or sauerkraut support this system with their probiotic content. Just as important are foods containing prebiotic material such as garlic, bananas and beans! Stock up on these microbiome happy nutrients to give your system that extra push.

It’s a given that vitamins and minerals support our immune system and the lack of certain vitamins and minerals can stunt our bodies ability to fight off infection. Sometimes, it is difficult to get enough of certain minerals and vitamins from one’s diet consistently but a well rounded and balanced diet increases that chance. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables can also help and there are some vitamins and minerals that you can focus on specifically to make sure your body has the ammo it needs to be ready for that one particularly snotty-nosed nephew you just “have to hold.” According to an article from Harvard’s School of Public Health those nutrients are zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, D, and E. 

Vitamins and minerals are everything though so do your best to limit your overall stress as much as is possible and as much as these two hints might seem counter intuitive, limit your alcohol consumption. Time with your family is amazing but make sure you prioritize time to reset and recharge so everything stays happy, healthy and whole! Happy holidays!!

(Chandra RK. Nutrition and the immune system: an introduction. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 1997 Aug 1;66(2):460S-3S.)

Shomali N, Mahmoudi J, Mahmoodpoor A, Zamiri RE, Akbari M, Xu H, Shotorbani SS. Harmful effects of high amounts of glucose on the immune system: An updated review. Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2021 Apr;68(2):404-410. doi: 10.1002/bab.1938. Epub 2020 Jun 8. PMID: 32395846.

The Death of Coffee: A Global Warming Caution Sign

“Coffee is popular,” might just take the grand prize for the most understated truth of the era. Coffee isn’t just popular, it’s a global industry worth over 100 billion dollars and spanning every single continent. So popular that the myth of it being the second most traded commodity after oil was believable if not quite accurate. Coffee is definitely in the top 100 globally though and many countries owe more than 5 or even 10 percent of their economic foundation to the coffee trade. 

Roughly 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed around the world each day and in many ways, we’ve created a coffee dependent work cycle worldwide. Can you imagine the impact that a shortage of coffee might cause? From the agricultural pipeline to the consumer pool made up of about 15% of the world’s population, we’d be in for a miserable awakening.  It’s virtually unthinkable. Even so, a shortage might be exactly what we are heading straight for.

Coffee comes in a number of varieties and is grown all over the world with the bulk of it coming from places like Brazil and Ethiopia. These places have the combination of climate, soil type and precipitation needed to support thriving coffee variations like the very popular Arabica plant. However, in recent years, the necessary balance has been interrupted as global warning tips the scales resulting in lasting problems like coffee rust. Coffee rust is a fungus that shows up as yellow-red spots on the plant that eventually turn black and kill off the leaves and eventually the whole plant. It is horribly efficient and can wipe out entire farms of coffee plants within a few years. 

Arabica is particularly vulnerable to the fungus but plants moved to higher elevations or that are using agroforestry practices to increase the shade used to grow the plants, have seen some resistance. It is thought that global warming will continue to increase the risk to these areas of higher elevation as time goes on but these are a few ways that farmers are pushing back against the global warming threat. 

Another approach is the development of new or wild variations of coffee that are more resistant to the fungus. Right now several have been developed but are still considered lesser in quality to the more popular Arabica. They are also still susceptible to another big global warming issue: the threat of pests. The coffee berry borer is just one of the many pests that target coffee plants and though the plants can be treated, as we’ve seen in previous articles, pesticides have their own set of risks and challenges. The borer in particular seems to thrive in the rising temperatures around the world and is one more unforeseen consequence of the earth rising temperatures.

No matter what you personally believe about global warming, the challenges coffee growers are facing due to the increasing temperature averages in their regions aren’t going away. If you love your morning cup of liquid energy, perhaps it’s time to take a few personal steps to preserve it before it’s too late. 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner?

You may be aware of the Salmonella Epidemic here in the U.S. that started in 2018. What you may not realize is that it is ongoing and the most recent chapter in the development of this widespread, food industry disaster was documented just last month. 

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that includes over 2,600 serotypes and normally causes severe food poisoning that typically lasts about a week. The symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps though some strains can also cause infection in the bladder and urinary tract, the blood stream, joints and the nervous system(spinal fluid and brain). Severe disease can develop causing up to and including death. Each year, about 1.35 million people get sick from salmonella and roughly 26,500 people are hospitalized. While the number of deaths are relatively low, around 400 per year, the number of people left with debilitating conditions like severe arthritis and IBS is much higher.

The current outbreak is tied to chicken and the CDC have claimed that this particular outbreak is over. The facts unfortunately seem to show that cases of infection are still ongoing and may even be growing. This strain of salmonella has also been very resistant to the usual types of antibiotics salmonella is normally treated with and is known as Infantis Pattern 1080. A detailed report of the development of this outbreak was documented by ProPublica and will be linked to this article below. 

In this country, our main regulatory body for Food Safety, the USDA, has the ability to monitor and check for salmonella in a population of chickens and to even note if the level of the bacteria is above their health regulation but, they don’t have the power to do much more beyond engaging with shareholders and encouraging a reduction of violations for the public good. Beyond that they can take legal action against a company and perhaps fine the company but their enforcement power is pretty limited when it comes to outbreaks like this one. The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that it will be “mobilizing a stronger, and more comprehensive effort to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products.” Their current goal is to “support future action” and move closer to the national target of a 25% reduction in salmonella illnesses. They’ve admitted in a press release this past month that their current policies are not working and it may be time to rethink their approach. 

The inability to control this growing problem in the poultry industry is startling and disappointing but there are things we can do as a consumer to safeguard ourselves and our families. Some guidelines you can follow at home include isolating your raw meat during food preparations and washing your hands often when you prepare any raw meat. Also, cook your meat until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F throughout but especially in the largest, thickest parts of the meat. Also, check the Salmonella rates of the plants that source your chicken. We are including a resource for that last step below. While you never know the state of the kitchen when you eat out, it’s also a good idea to check the inspection ratings of your favorite dinner spots. Lastly, as always, if you know or find a local chicken farmer or responsibly sourced butcher shop, support them with your business! Chances are you will have a much easier time talking to them about their health practices than gaining traction with a commercial plant.

Resources:

https://www.propublica.org/article/salmonella-chicken-usda-food-safety#

https://projects.propublica.org/chicken/

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/10/19/usda-launches-new-effort-reduce-salmonella-illnesses-linked-poultry 

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