Kraft Italian Vinaigrette with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - A step in the right direction

I've been trying out Kraft's new Italian Vinaigrette which, in addition to being made with extra virgin olive oil, is also nice in that a lot of the usual junk (high fructose corn syrup and the varieties of MSG/yeast extract) aren't in this, and yet it remains a very tasty and flavorful (and fairly affordable) dressing.  The ingredient list is a lot better than some of the other shelf dressings - from the site, they are:

Ingredients: WATER, VINEGAR, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SUGAR, CANOLA OIL, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF GARLIC*, RED BELL PEPPERS*, CARROTS*, SPICE, XANTHAN GUM, ONIONS*, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE GREEN ONIONS*, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA PRESERVATIVES. *DRIED.

I could do without the preservatives, but all the same, this is better than some of the other MSG-rich dressings out there.

It does remind me, though, of something I read in a book called Wild Fermentation, in which the author Ellix Katz mentioned that it doesn't make sense to buy salad dressing at the store, but instead that its extremely easy to just make at home (and his book included a couple recipes for dressings, as I recall.)  And yes, homemade is best, but there are times when I do like the convenience of having a pre-mixed dressing, preferably without junk, so this works for me.

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High fructose beverages tied to gout

Per the article, "According to Dr. Hyon Choi and colleagues from Boston University, drinking high fructose beverages increases uric acid levels in the blood, which eventually deposits into the joints where it causes gout."

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High Fructose Corn syrup producers want to use the name "corn sugar"

The makers of high fructose corn syrup want to change their product name to "corn sugar".  But if, as they say, hfcs is harmless, why change the name?  All this means is another ingredient that I need to look out for and avoid, and another new Label to add to this blog.

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Back to Nature baked products

I've been eating a lot of Back to Nature products recently, and I've been impressed with the stuff they offer: tasty cookies and crackers made without hydrogenated garbage. I'm surprised that Walmart carries these, since it seems like most of what you'd find there would just be "Ritz"-style junk. The chocolate chunk cookies by Back to Nature are fantastic. A little costly, but worth it.

I wish more companies would get on the same wagon and produce more stuff like this. I was looking at a Quaker product, and I'm pretty sure that the Quakers never used high fructose corn syrup.

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Nancy's Organic Nonfat Yogurt

Just tried some of the this yogurt the other day (HEB had coupons for it) and I was really impressed.  Nancy's yogurt is basically packaged with the completely-unsweetened yogurt in the bottom, and a fruit container on top, and you mix them together.  Not completely original, I know, but the yogurt part is completely sugarless - it's like eating homemade.  More impressive is the fact that the fruit additives are, basically, just that: fruit puree, and sweetened with honey along (not sugar or hfcs).  Very nice stuff, and worth trying.  Much better than the sugary alternatives out there.

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Williams and Conner Beef Jerky

I just had a chance to try some Williams and Conner Beef Jerky the other day, now that HEB is carrying this, and I was really impressed with the flavor.  I also appreciate that, unlike most junkier brands of beef jerky, this one avoids a full trifecta of junk additives (the big three in most jerky: MSG, sodium nitrate and high fructose corn syrup.)  While it does still have hfcs, this is forgivable since there's not much else junky in it.  Previously, I could only find brands like this at Whole Foods, so it's nice to see this making its way into HEB.

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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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Pepperidge Farm bread - bravo for getting rid of the HFCS!

Bravo to Pepperidge Farm for getting the high fructose corn syrup out of their "100% natural bread" (and the last loaf I bought actually had labeled, on the front, "no high fructose corn syrup".... very cool.) Now if only Pepperidge Farm would start offering sprouted grain breads (at an affordable price) and get rid of the hydrogenated oils in their cookies, they'd be all set.

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High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes: What the Experts Say

Here's a good article on differing opinions over the health dangers of high fructose corn syrup:

High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes: What the Experts Say

I avoid the stuff as much as possible, but it can be difficult since the stuff is everywhere.

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