9 Ingredients to avoid in processed foods

An excellent, and surprisingly thorough, article on Shine listing out food additives to avoid in foods, including potential health side effects. Of course the list could have gone further: I would have included homogenized dairy products and any wheat products with processed, bleached flour, but all things considered, this was a good, comprehensive list.

Bravo to the author for including all of the variations of artificial sweetners as well. I would have liked to see all of the derrivatives of MSG listed, though, such as autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, etc.

I thought it ironic that the advertisement on the page featured an image of a cupcake that likely contained ingredients violating most of the ingredients listed in the article...

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Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) and What is this stuff?

Another good article on NaturalNews about hydrolized protein in food. I've long puzzled over the similarity between MSG, autolyzed & hydrolized protein and yeast extract, and this article helps offer a little more insight into this.

I can usually tell if a food has MSG or similar family of strange chemical, as there's a distinct unnatural aftertaste in the mouth that follows eating the food. Aspartame and artificial sweetners have a similar effect as well. I would never experience this sort of mysterious after-effect flavor after eating something like an organic apple.

The article goes on to point out how the FDA has no problems with approving these food additives, and only really had issues when there was the possibility of a salmonella outbreak. Otherwise, it's perfectly "safe"?

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The Campbell's soup challenge

I used to eat tons of Campbells soup growing up, and now I don't touch the stuff. Why? Because, I've learned, I can't pick up a can of Campbell's soup without finding some sort of junk in it. Every single one of their soups has AT LEAST one of the following elements that I routinely AVOID when buying food:

• Hydrogenated oil
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Monosodium Glutamate

Even with some of their "natural" brand, they are still sneaky enough to add MSG in the form of either autolyzed protein or yeast extract, both being things I avoid.

So my challenge is, does there exist ANY Campbells soup product that doesn't contain one of those three things? Honestly, I don't think so. I've read through all of the labels and each soup has at least one of those.

Even the HEB brand of cream of mushroom soup, that I used to buy, now has an MSG-derrivative in it (for a brief window of time, the soup didn't have it.) which is really too bad.

So, much like my burrito wrap dilemma of a previous post, I'm actually resorting to making my own soup/soup stock for recipes. For dishes that call for cream of mushroom/cream of celery, I use the following:

• 1/2 cup or so of whipping cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• quarter stick of butter
• Some diced onion/garlic (whatever your own preference is)
  
• Some salt/pepper/assundry spices

It's strange, but using that as a base, then combining with chicken/veggies/whatever, I can actually make a half-decent soup component to a meal/casserole.

Anyhow, Campbells people: I'll keep reading the labels, and maybe someday you'll surprise me with a REAL natural soup, and not just a pretend natural soup like you carry now.

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Chik Fil A: Great place, but could still use a few more changes...

A site called OrganizedWisdom had an article on healthy eating, and Chik Fil A made the list. I've enjoyed Chik Fil A a lot: the food is tasty, the customer service is exceptional (every time I've been there, the people are always extremely friendly) and the attention to extra details (like little containers of cheerios for toddlers, tons of condiments, etc.) make it a fast food place I've enjoyed visiting. In fact, the kids meals, unlike places like McDonalds, actually feature educational material like kid's books or computer software. You go to McD's, you'll get a toy that ties into a movie promotion (generally a PG-13 rated film, too...) I also really respect that Chik Fil A closes shop every Sunday. That's admirable.

The only thing about Chik Fil A, however, that could use changing, is the presence of MSG in some of the foods. I've noticed this on the menu for a few of the chicken sandwiches, and I'd really like to see this food additive taken out. Last I checked, the chicken sandwiches were without hydrogenated oil, which is great, and the lemonade was not made with high fructose corn syrup (another plus.) But I avoid MSG, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, etc, and it would be a good move for Chik Fil A to drop this from their food items.

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Whole Foods: fantastic selection of foods yet just a little pricey

I visited one of the Houston 'Whole Foods' stores recently, and this place is just remarkable. Almost every thing that I wish I could find at my local grocers (HEB, Walmart, Kroger, etc) I can find at Whole Food. Their selection of meats, including grass fed beef, is amazing. I sampled a chicken noodle soup and was just blown away, not only by how good it was, but that I could find a tasty chicken noodle soup without hydrogenated oils, msg, hydrolized additives, preservatives or nitrates (take note, Campbells... and even your supposedly "natural" soups still have "yeast extract".... the same thing as MSG. Take out ALL the MSG and I'll start buying your soups again.)

Anyhow, the bakery, the fruits, the dairy, etc... it's all just fantastic at Whole Foods, but the prices.... ay-yi-yi! I've heard the store referred to as "whole paycheck", and there's something to that. The lunch and groceries that we purchased brought us a hefty bill, but oh, was it worth it. Even their bakery has good, non-garbagy, non-hydrogenated baked goods, and that's so refreshing to find. I wish more stores would take note of this place, and start carrying a similar lineup of foods (Market Street HEB in the Woodlands is sortof close, but it's got a long way to go.) This place was a nice grocery refuge, and the selection was fantastic nutritionally, but the prices make it a place I can really only visit on occasion (and besides, there isn't a location close to the Woodlands/Spring/Conroe area anyhow...)

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