Chocolate Cheerios, Corporate Growth, and Obesity

Posted: 09 Jun 2010 04:45 AM PDT Once upon a time there was "Cheerios". For almost 40 years, up until the late 1970's, consumers had only one Cheerios flavor to choose from. And then General Mills, corporate owner of the Cheerios brand, introduced Honey Nut Cheerios. It was an instant success. Sweeter (mostly due to sugar, not honey) than it's elder sibling, it quickly conquered the hearts and taste buds of children across America. In the next decade, the two Cheerios brands were served in hundreds of millions of breakfasts across the nation. But as competition grew, and the need to grow profit too, GM had to continuously innovate to stay ahead. And thus, in the past 15 years, we have seen no less than 15 variations on the "O" theme including Multigrain, Berry Burst, Yogurt Burst, and now Chocolate Cheerios. Unfortunately, none of the innovations over the years produced a healthier or more nutritious product. Usually a new product meant more sugar added, less fiber, and in some cases additives such as artificial food colorings. But the health claims kept getting better, usually in inverse proportion to the true nutritional value of the product. So as General Mills has grown, so have our waistlines. We're not picking specifically on this manufacturer. The phenomena is not limited to GM or just the cereal category. It is the story of the food industry as a whole. Cut throat competition and quarterly earning reports mandate "growth! growth! growth!" in sales. But on the demand side, there's only so many calories people can consume in a day. Or maybe this is the reason we're packing on the pounds? Anyway, we got a bit carried away. Let's get back to CC (Chocolate Cheerios) and see how this new product stacks up nutritionally. What you need to know: The nutrition facts panel tells an interesting story. At 100 calories per serving (before adding milk), CC is on the lower end of the breakfast cereal calorie count. Nice. But as with most cereals, the 3/4 of a cup serving size does not represent what most people truly consume. Despite the prominent "whole grain guarantee" by manufacturer General Mills, there is only 1 gram of fiber per serving in here. What a let down. Honey Nut Cheerios has 2 grams of fiber. Not to mention regular Cheerios with 3 grams. Sugarwise, we're talking about 9 grams or just over 2 teaspoons per serving. That's not as high as Cocoa Puffs, but it's nine times more sugar than in regular Cheerios. Here is the ingredient list: Whole Grain Corn, Sugar, Corn Meal, Corn Syrup, Whole Grain Oats, Canola and/or Rice Bran Oil, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Color Added, Salt, Dried Corn Syrup, Corn Bran, Barley Malt Extract, Trisodium Phosphate, Vanillin, Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols) and BHT Added to Preserve Freshness. Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), Zinc and Iron (Mineral Nutrients), a B Vitamin (Niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin A (Palmitate), a B Vitamin (Folic Acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3. Yes it's made with whole grain corn, but also with corn meal. Notice that sugar is the number 2 ingredient. There are four appearances of sugar synonyms in the product.  The Cocoa Processed with Alkali – Also known as Dutch Processed Cocoa – helps to remove the natural acidity of the cocoa bean. Unfortunately, it also removes the beneficial flavanoids found in the cocoa beans. BHT (E321) is a controversial additive that keeps a product fresh for longer, but at the potential price of hyperactive kids or cancer. The most maddening aspect of Chocolate Cheerios though is not what we have discussed so far, but rather the bold health claim that appears inside the red heart: May Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease You can't miss it on the box. This claim is qualified in tiny print at the bottom of the box: Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Chocolate Cheerios is low in fat, saturated fat free, and naturally cholesterol free. This is such BULL. Of course this product is cholesterol free, it's not made from any animal products. And obviously a breakfast cereal is not going to be high in fats – it's a C E R E A L for heaven's sake. How will all the added sugars help the heart? As for the logic FAIL. It's the same as saying diets low in salt are heart healthy; candy is low in salt; pig out!!! Bottom line: Chocolate Cheerios may be a tasty treat, but not a mainstay nutritious breakfast cereal. What to do at the supermarket: If you're going to buy a Cheerios product, your top choice should be the original. Number 2 should be the multigrain followed by Honey Nut. Leave Chocolate Cheerios product be.

9 Tips For Choosing a Better Salad Dressing

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Posted: 07 Jun 2010 04:45 AM PDT Spring will shortly turn to summer and salad season is shifting into full gear. With plenty of fresh greens at reasonable prices, there is really no excuse not to get your daily (or twice daily) fix. Build a meal around a good mix of leafy vegetables with the usual assortment of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and whatnot. And what's a salad without a dressing? It's like Bert without Ernie, sesame without the chicken, a bun without the burger. You get it, a salad is not a salad without the good stuff drizzled on top. Food manufacturers have realized this long ago, and today, entire supermarket aisles are dedicated to salad dressings and toppings. Here's a short list of suggestions to help you make the best of your lettuce: 1. Make your own dressing. Really. In most parts of the world, it's unthinkable to buy a dressing. It's as easy as mixing 3 parts oil, 1 part lemon/vinegar, and adding salt and pepper to taste. From there, you can build up your dressing with additional herbs and spices. There's no shortage of recipes. The following tips are for prepared dressings: 2. Serving size and calories: the standard is 2 tablespoons, with a caloric range of 50-200+ calories per serving. An easy way to cut the calories is to use less dressing. Mix the dressing and salad a bit more, until you can't see any blobs of sauce, just a shiny coating all over the salad greens. 3. Don't water down you salad. Many of the low-fat, or non-fat dressings are composed mostly of water. You're paying over $4.00 for a bottle of dressing, the least they could do is fill it up with a more expensive ingredient like fine olive oil. Also – why drown your greens after you've dried them up so nicely before serving? 4. A little bit of fat ain't bad. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble meaning your body will be more likely to absorb them when they're mixed with some oil. 5. Skip the toppings. While they may add extra crunch and flavor, the caloric and sodium contribution of bacon bits and croutons almost negate the purpose of the salad – a filling, healthy meal. 6. Watch out for the added sugars. Some dressings can get really tangy, so a bit of sugar rounds out the flavor remarkably. The problem is that in many cases, manufacturers add too much: Wishbone's Red Wine Vinaigrette Salad Dressing has an ingredient list that starts with High Fructose Corn Syrup. It contains 2 teaspoons of added sugar per serving! 7. Salty? One of the big challenges in salad dressing is the sodium content which can be as higher than 500mg per serving. That's close to 20% of the daily maximum. Look for 300mg per serving or less. 8. Look out for  Calcium Disodium EDTA. It's a preservative with a mildly salty taste.  May cause kidney damage, and blood in urine. It's on the FDA priority list of food additives to be studied for mutagenic, teratogenic, subsacute, and reproductive effects. 9. Many dressings use phosphoric acid (E338), an artificial additive that provides a tangy taste for a much cheaper price than lemons. It is also used in soft drinks. Some studies have linked it to lowering bone density. ---

Also, watch out for chemicals that you can't ponounce.  There's propylene glycol: ANTIFREEZE.

would you want to eat that?

Kellogg’s Slapped by FTC, Twice, for Misleading Ads

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 04:50 AM PDT The Federal Trade Commission normally doesn't get involved in misleading health claims for foods, it's the FDA's jurisdiction. But something in Kellogg's behavior over the past 2 years must have really annoyed somebody at the FTC. At first it was a health claim for Frosted Mini-Wheats, with benefits to"cognitive health". The unsubstantiated claim was shot down by the FTC, but within a few months, Kellogg's came out with its immunity cereal. So now the company is again in trouble: Leading cereal maker Kellogg Company has agreed to new advertising restrictions to resolve a Federal Trade Commission investigation into questionable immunity-related claims for Rice Krispies cereal. This is the second time in the last year that the FTC has taken action against the company. "We expect more from a great American company than making dubious claims – not once, but twice – that its cereals improve children's health," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. "Next time, Kellogg needs to stop and think twice about the claims it's making before rolling out a new ad campaign, so parents can make the best choices for their children." read more… What you need to know: Health claims are an unfortunate extension of product marketing efforts that overlap scientific information provided to consumers on the nutrition facts panel and ingredient list of packaged foods. Fuzzy at best, they create a false sense of hope and add value to products that in some cases may merit it, but in many cases don't. Cocoa Rice Krispies are over 40% sugar by weight and contain trans-fat. How does that contribute to immunity? What to do at the supermarket: May we suggest ignoring the large font writing on food products, and sticking to the facts in the nutrition label itself.

Those Poison McDonalds Shrek Glasses are the LEAST of Parents’ Worries

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Those Poison McDonalds Shrek Glasses are the LEAST of Parents' Worries Posted: 05 Jun 2010 05:32 AM PDT Yesterday it was announced that McDonald's is recalling about 12 million souvenir glasses adorned with Shrek images. The $2.00 glasses were painted using cadmium, a known carcinogen. The fear is that cadmium present in the paint on the glass will poison kids. This would require a child to hold the glass whereby the cadmium would contact her hands. Then she would need to put her hand in her mouth. This would have to happen repeatedly. OK, not to knock the risk, but folks, there is a much larger risk to kids who frequent fast food establishments such as McDonalds. It's called obesity. And as long as fast food and junk food companies lure kids with Hollywood brands, parents will continue to struggle to say NO to little Johnny. So let's put things in the right perspective. We await the day when McDonald's recalls its entire "marketing to kids" strategy.

General Halstead on Chiropractic

	F4CP - Memorial Day Media Tour June 4, 2010
	Gen. Halstead's Memorial Day Media Tour a Success Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (www.f4cp.com) spokesperson, Ret. Brig. Gen. Becky Halstead, completed a successful Memorial Day Media Tour -- a day of interviews calling attention to the mental and physical strain experienced by members of the U.S. Armed Forces.  The media tour, which kicked off in New York City with an appearance on Fox & Friends (FOX News Channel), America's most watched cable news morning show, concluded in Washington, D.C., with a live hour-long interview on the The Jim Bohannon Show, which broadcasts on more than 350 radio stations across the country.  During her interview with Fox & Friends (View Video Here) Gen. Halstead commented on the value of chiropractic care for all members of the military, in addition to discussing the importance of recognizing and honoring our nation's veterans and active-duty military.    "Chiropractic helps our soldiers maintain and sustain their whole physical stature as they wear very heavy gear," stated Gen. Halstead.   The hour-long interview (Listen to Interview Here) with Jim Bohannon in Washington, D.C., allowed Gen. Halstead to discuss several hot topics in today's military more in-depth, including women's roles in the military and soldier "readiness."  Gen. Halstead was also able to share her personal experience dealing with fibromyalgia and how chiropractic care helped her return to a pain-free life.   "Part of getting well was a strong introduction to the chiropractic community, which I think would have really helped me if I could have received the treatment while I was on active duty," Gen. Halstead noted.  During the radio interview, Gen. Halstead also detailed her visit to the Connecticut Veteran Affairs (VA) Hospital where she had a chance meeting with a young soldier who was suffering with a herniated disc.  After two years of physical therapy, the solider was referred to chiropractic care and much like Gen. Halstead, was on the road to recovery.  The soldier, who was receiving a chiropractic adjustment, spoke with Gen. Halstead about the benefits chiropractic care would have on active duty military.  "Just think if we came in off our patrols each night and we could get adjusted the way I just got adjusted, what a sense of relief and healing," Gen. Halstead recalled the soldier saying.  Gen. Halstead was thrilled to participate in both interviews, taking the opportunity to not only remember and recognize the fallen soldiers and families for their service, but to educate everyday citizens on the importance of keeping our military ready for battle.   "I hope my message instilled a sense of responsibility in everyone to properly resource and support our military men and women," concluded Gen. Halstead.  About F4CP A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) embraces a singular mission to promote positive press for the profession in national, regional and local media.  Through effective and ongoing initiatives, the Foundation's goal is to raise awareness to the many benefits provided by doctors of chiropractic.   The F4CP relies upon strategic marketing campaigns that span prominent spokespersons, monthly press releases, public service announcements, and advertisements in high-profile media outlets.  To learn more about the Foundation, please visit us on the web at www.foundation4cp.comor call 866-901-F4CP (3427).
Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. www.f4cp.com (866) - 901-3427

The Beverage Industry Against Soda Taxes – Mom n’ Pop Shops, “Bribes”-Fooducate

The Beverage Industry Against Soda Taxes – Mom n’ Pop Shops, “Bribes”

Posted: 23 May 2010 08:49 AM PDT

It seems like soda tax propositions are popping up like mushrooms after spring showers across the country. And everywhere they do, the beverage industry is there, like a wild boar, ready to stomp them down.

Last week, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter wanted to raise $77 million annually from a tax on sugary soft drinks. A local bottler and multimillionaire offered a bribe donation of $10M to help promote health and recreation programs in the next 2 years. City council shot down the tax regardless.

And now the Washington DC city council is proposing a 1 cent tax per fluid ounce. CalorieLab tells of the novel approach by the American Beverage Association:

the “grassroots” tactic adopted by the beverage industry: Recruiting local businesses to be the public face of their campaign. Expect to see this become a standard play by Big Soda wherever the soda tax rears its head. Ed & Betty’s Corner Grocery gets a lot more sympathy in the average household … [rather] than Pepsico, Inc.

In all likelihood, this proposed tax will not make it. Consumer sentiment is already against paying more for anything.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that sugary drinks are a top contributor to our nation’s obesity epidemic. The beverage industry has externalized all the health related costs in order to bring consumers a “cheap” drink.

(Cheap is relative though. Tap water is much cheaper than soda. And healthier too despite the impure toxins there.)

So how to get the beverage industry to shoulder the responsibility? It’s a major challenge. We have suggested in the past the implementation of a calorie offset solution, but there could be other ways to reduce the financial incentive of manufacturing sugary drinks, and shifting efforts by industry towards other areas.

What to do at the supermarket:

Skip the beverage aisles. A family of 4 can save $500 a year by switching from soft drinks to tap water. And several pounds per person. Not to mention the number of plastic bottles not contaminating landfills.

BPA in canned food! -Fooducate

Fooducate

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BPA (Toxin) Found in 92% of Canned Food Posted: 20 May 2010 04:23 AM PDT BPA (Bisphenol-A) is dangerous, especially to pregnant women, and intake of canned food during gestation should be limited. This is the main conclusion of a recent study on the chemical compound that is used to line the inside of cans and bottles. From USA Today: Researchers found that BPA levels vary dramatically even between cans of the same product, according to the study, released Tuesday by the National Workgroup for Safe Markets, a coalition of 19 environmental groups. For example, one can of Del Monte French Style Green Beans had 36 micrograms of BPA per serving, while another can of the same product had 138 micrograms per serving — a level that has been linked to changes in prostate cells and increased aggression in animals. The National Toxicology Program has said it has "some concern" that BPA alters development of the brain, behavior and the prostate gland in children, before and after birth. Read more… BPA is a chemical compound used as a building block of  polymers and polycarbonates that are found in plastic bottles and cans. 7 billion pounds of BPA are produced annually, for use in food packaging, PVC water pipes, electronics, and more. It behaves like the hormone estrogen once it enters the body and disturbs the normal working of certain genes. Estrogen mimicking chemicals like BPA are potentially harmful even at very low doses, such as those found in plastic bottles and cans. Congress has been asked to ban BPA, but industry lobbying efforts from the Grocery Manufacturer's Association and other groups is staving off any federal plan. Meanwhile several states and municipalities have put into law limitations on use of BPA for certain children's products. What to do at the supermarket: BPA does not appear as an ingredient on a food label. But at 92%, you can assume any canned food product you are holding contains it. Some canned food manufacturers, such as Eden and Muir Glen, have decided to get rid of BPA, but the majority still use it. Thankfully, there are alternatives to canned food. If fresh fruit and veggies are in season, you can get them cheap. If not, check the freezers for bags of frozen vegetables. And some canned products, like soups, are so easy to make from scratch that you should not bother to buy out of a can. Not to mention the high sodium levels, or the industrial flavor. Get Fooducated: RSS Subscription or Email Subscription Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/fooducate