FDA: Say Bye Bye to Trans Fats

After many years of expert warnings and massive amounts of evidence proving their dangers, trans fats are finally being banned by the Food and Drug Administration. It's not the first time the FDA has cracked down on these dangerous fats but this action is obviously a lot bigger!

More in the video below:




Learn some mo': F.D.A. Ruling Would All but Eliminate Trans Fats

Candy Corn Oreos: The Next Hot Junkfood

Every year special holiday versions of popular foods are released. But this year a special "Halloween" version of the ultra-popular Oreo cookie has literally exploded onto the social media scene. Not a single official ad has yet been run for the new "Candy Corn Oreos" yet millions of people in North America are already clamoring to buy them!

It seems the photos of the very unique-looking hybrid cookies have made the Candy Corn Oreos a viral sensation on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and the other big social networks.

We say: Like the guy in the video below, we hate candy corn... but we love Oreos. So we might have to take a trip to the grocery store in the near future...



Learn some mo': Candy Corn Oreo a Viral Phenomenon

Eat Junk Food and You Might Become Depressed

Eating lots of fast food or junk food might make you depressed, according to new research from Spain. Researchers followed nearly 9000 people for several years and found that those who regularly consumed fast food and sweets were 51 percent more likely to develop depression than those who ate little or no junk food.

They also found that the more someone ate fast food the more likely he or she would become clinically depressed. Even people who only consumed small amounts of fast food or commercially baked sweets like doughnuts were more likely to suffer from the disease. That's pretty scary stuff in our opinion!

It's not a secret that diet and mental state are connected but this is one of the first studies to show a strong connection between eating junk food and "feeling down." It's possible that feeling depressed could cause someone to eat more high-sugar, high-fat junk foods and low-quality carbs. But it's also very possible that eating lots of processed sugars, artificial flavorings, food chemicals, and "bad" fats (like trans fatty acids) negatively affects mood and mental health in a significant way over time.

Researchers also found that smokers and people who worked more than 45 hours per week were much more likely to eat junk foods and suffer from depression. So the bottom line is, don't eat fast food or sweets, don't smoke, don't work too much, and follow a healthy lifestyle... and you probably won't become depressed! (duh)

Learn some mo': Sweets and Fast Food Linked to Depression

Eat Less Red Meat and Live Longer

Eating less red meat -- including beef, pork, and lamb -- could really lengthen your lifespan, according to new research from Harvard. Scientists found that eating lots of red meat greatly increases your chances of dying at a young age from heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or any one of dozens of other diseases.

Researchers came to the conclusion by analyzing large amounts of data from 2 dietary studies involving over 120,000 people tracked over 28 years. They found that high red meat consumption was by far the biggest "common denominator" in terms of significantly increasing the risk of death. Processed red meat products like hot dogs, bacon, and salami appeared to have the worst effects -- they increased the risk of death by 20% with each additional daily serving!

Red meat is high in saturated fat (the bad kind) and cholesterol, which can damage the heart over time, among other things. Besides that, according to some experts, modern farming techniques involving large amounts of steroids, hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides in cattle feed contribute to the harmful health effects of red meat. (That's why many natural health experts recommend eating only organic grass-fed beef.)

The bottom line: If you want to live the longest, healthiest life possible you should seriously consider eating only small amounts of red meat occasionally. Definitely avoid processed/cured meats and charred/burnt meat as much as possible because they do some pretty bad stuff to your body!

Learn some mo': Too much red meat may shorten lifespan

Another Reason Not to Eat Canned Food: Toxic Chemicals!

Eating a lot of canned food can skyrocket the level of a toxic chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) in your bloodstream, according to a new study from Harvard. That's bad because BPA is pretty nasty stuff that significantly hurts your overall health, especially over time.

Researchers found that people who eat a serving of canned soup every day had much higher BPA levels (about 20 times higher!) in their urine than people who eat fresh non-canned soup. That's because BPA is a by-product of a chemical used to prevent the corrosion of the can's metal, and it leaches into the food.

According to the study's head researcher Karin Michels:

"To see an increase in this magnitude was quite surprising... [the levels of BPA seen in the study participants] are among the most extreme reported in a nonoccupational setting."

We say: Just another reason to not eat canned foods. What sucks is that some of the best tomato products are canned, but these are among the worst because the tomatoes' acid leached out the BPA even faster!

Learn some mo': Soaring BPA Levels Found in People Who Eat Canned Foods

Study: Pesticides Cause Hyperactivity in Children

Ingesting pesticides may lead to your child developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new US study. Research published in the journal Pediatrics showed that common pesticide chemicals found in food and also in the home significantly increases the risk of ADHD in kids.

The researchers concluded that parents should try to buy organic, pesticide-free foods for their children. Also, women who are trying to become pregnant should begin eating a mostly organic diet at least 6 months before conception, then throughout the pregnancy, continuing until the baby has stopped breast feeding.

According to public health expert Phil Landrigan, MD:

"It's mainly exposure through food. Diet is the driver... For most people, diet is the predominant source. It's been shown that people who switch to an organic diet knock down the levels of pesticide by-products in their urine by 85 to 90 percent."

Many experts believe it's also important to reduce or eliminate the amount of toxic pesticides in and around your home. That means using organic gardening and weed-control methods, as well as non-toxic bug/pest control methods.

We say: It's a damn shame that kids in in the United States -- and much of the world for that matter -- have to endure constant exposure to dangerous pesticides and other environmental chemicals. If we know that certain pesticides cause harm in kids -- especially those designed to alter the neurological systems of pests -- why are they still legal to be used in our food production systems??

Learn some mo': Pesticides in food linked to ADHD in kids

Corn Subsidies = More Obese Americans

According to a new USDA report, the United States government is spending billions of dollars subsidizing things that increase obesity and health problems while spending only a fraction on healthy food subsidies. Corn subsidies especially have led to lots of cheap, low-quality foods -- everything from high-fructose corn syrup, to chips, to the high-sugar sodas Americans (kids especially) consume in huge volume.

Subsidies for corn, wheat, rice, soybeans, and cotton totaled over $15 billion in 2009. Subsidies for fresh fruits an vegetables were only $825 million in the same year. So in effect, Americans are paying double -- through federal taxes and then again at the grocery store -- to get fat and unhealthy. Some experts believe that corn and grain subsidies are a major reason for the obesity epidemic in the US.

On the other end of the spectrum, a new USDA report (created for Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity) showed that when prices of healthy foods -- like green veggies and lowfat milk -- fall kids lose weight. When the price of candy, soda, and sweets fall kids gain weight (as measured using BMI or body mass index).

We think: The US is the only major country where poorer people tend to be fatter. That's because we subsidize cheap junk foods filled with empty calories but little-to-no real nutrition. Until healthy foods is just as affordable as unhealthy packaged junk food the obesity problem is only going to increase!

Learn some mo': Surprise! Subsidizing Healthy Food Helps Kids Lose Weight

New "Super Toxic" E. Coli Bacteria Found in Europe

Here's more good news on the world health front: a new "super toxic" strain of E. coli bacteria is causing a major outbreak of food poisoning in parts of Europe. Scientists believe it's coming from contaminated raw lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, but are not 100% sure of the source yet.

So far, the new super bacteria has sickened about 2000 people in 10 different European nations. The scary part is that at least 500 people have developed serious kidney complications and at least 18 people have died after eating the contaminated produce.

German and Chinese researchers say that this E. coli is "an entirely new, super-toxic" variation that has not been seen before. It contains several different genes that cause antibiotic-resistance and may have been created by the combination of 2 different types of E. coli bacteria. Experts say it has characteristics that make it significantly more toxin-producing and dangerous that most E. coli.

We say: It's only a matter of time before antibiotic-resistant strains of many different types of deadly bacteria are all over the place. It's time to start putting SERIOUS effort and money behind investigating new bacteria-fighting technologies like sodium chlorite/chlorine dioxide, colloidal silver, copper, and others!

Learn some mo': WHO: E. coli outbreak may be from super-toxic new strain

US Meat Contains LOTS of Bad Bacteria

A study has shown that meat found in grocery stores all over the United States is contaminated with high levels of bacteria, including several types of dangerous antibiotic-resistant strains. The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) found high levels of Staph bacteria in meat samples from California to Washington D.C.

Since staph infections have become a major health concern in recent years, that's not good news.

The US Food and Drug Administration says that they are aware of the bacteria problem and are working with the US Agriculture Department and the CDC on solutions. They also say that it's not clear yet what, exactly, the results of the TGen study mean in terms of public health.

Experts say that the most important thing the study shows is that MANY types of bacteria are becoming very resistant to the antibiotics used on farms to keep animals healthy. They say that meat will always contain some bacteria but the increasing levels of highly resistant bacteria is a major public health threat. 52% of the samples they tested were resistant to 3 or more types of antibiotics!

According to the researchers, the type of meat with the most resistant bacteria is turkey, followed by pork, beef, and lastly chicken. They say that most meat found in supermarkets is still safe to eat, but you must take precautions when handling and cooking all types of meat.

We say: Think about buying meat from antibiotic-free farms. Also, this could be an interesting application for MMS/sodium chlorite, in terms of disinfecting meats and your kitchen!


Learn some mo': High bacteria levels in meat at U.S. stores

513 Pound Tuna = $177,000

Need to make a lot of money fast? Then go out and catch yourself a giant tuna! A humongous bluefin tuna caught of the coast of Japan was sold at auction today for 16.2 million yen, or $177,000 dollars. It's the most paid for a single tuna since 2001. Apparently the big tuna was immediately chopped up and made into sushi at restaurants Japan and Hong Kong.

Yummy!

Learn some mo': Giant tuna fetches £111,000 at Tokyo auction

Foods With the Most Pesticides

Unfortunately many of the foods we eat contain large amounts of pesticide chemicals which can be extremely dangerous to our health. It's usually best to avoid certain foods that can contain large amounts of synthetic chemicals. Below is a quick list of the foods with the most pesticides. You should choose organic versions of these usually-healthy foods to protect your health...

• Apples
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Celery
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Nectarines
• Kale
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Grapes (especially the imported kinds!)
• Pears
• Bell Peppers
  

It's important to note that things like meat and milk/dairy products can also contain high levels of pesticide residue because farm animals often feed on vegetables and grains grown with pesticides!

Learn some mo':

Top 12 Foods With the Most Pesticides
Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

Tags: pesticides