Re: 's motd Tue March 9, 2010

[Guest guest]

OBSESSED WITH PROCESSEDTuesday, 09 March 2010So many people's food programs today are made up of 70-80% processed foods. If you're one of them, you've really got to change over to a healthier eating program. -----------------------I took on the challenge today. (see how bored I can get on the truck? lol) I looked at everything I normally eat on the truck. Now, I have to say that I have not the luxury of a completely non-processed food source on the truck as I do when on home-time. We have storage issues, a very small fridge and so I do the best I can. I have always been into whole foods/traditional foods and into cooking, keeping processed to a minimum when I can.Here is what I eat nearly everyday on the truck (with a few foods that I alternate with) and the chemicals involved:Non processed foods:yams, eggs, carrots, apples, almonds, pecans, walnuts, tomatoes, cucumber, water, tea leaves (dried) farmers market foods (road side stands) occasionally when we can get them.Minimally processed foods:Craisens: cranberries, sugarbean thread noodles (peas, mung bean and water)basmati rice (bran removed)coffee (roasted)Olive oil (first cold pressed)mozzarella cheese sticks (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)dried onion, dried peppers, dried mushrooms natural peanut butter (salt, peanuts)full fat plain yogurtProcessed foods:dried apricots (sulfur dioxide, potassium soribate)Oyster Sauce (water, sugar, salt, oyster extract, msg, modified corn starch, caramel colourSriracha Sauce (chili, sugar, salt, garlic, vinegar, potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, xanthan gum) Mushroom soy sauce (soy bean, mushroom, salt, water, wheat flour, sugar, preservatives) canned meats and fish canned veggiesmayonaise (don't have any on board this time around)canned beansWorst offenders:Dried bacon (cured with water, salt, sodium erythoribate, sodium nitrite, brown sugar, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride)Diet Pepsi (water, caramel colour, aspartame, phospheric acid, potassium benzoate, citric acid, caffeine)Non Dairy Creamer (corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, mono and diglycerides, sucrose, lactylated monoglycerides, silicon dioxide, sodium stearoyl, lactylate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, artificial flavour and colour.So what are the chemicals? I used a free download to keep on my computer: food additives - www.finitysoft.com

msg - flavour enhancer derived from the fermentation of molasses, salt substitute; adverse effects appear in some asthmatic people, not permitted in foods for infants and young children; typical products are canned vegetables, canned tuna, dressings, many frozen foodssilicon dioxide - anticaking agents/salts - no adverse effects are known in food usepotassium benzoate - preservative - people with a history of allergies may show allergic reactionssodium caseinate - emulsifiers - no known adverse effectssodium erythoribate - mineral saltssodium nitrite - preservative - may provoke hyperactivity and other adverse reactions, potentially carcinogenic, restricted in many countries, can combine with chemicals in stomach to form nitrosamine, the HACSG recommends to avoid itsodium phosphatephospheric acid - mineral salts - food acid, derived from phosphate ore; used in cheese products; no known adverse effectssodium stearoyl - emulsifiers - no known adverse effectscarrageenan - emusifier - a fibre extracted from seaweed, it has recently been linked with cancer because it may become contaminated when ethylene oxide is added to an inferior product, this results in ethylene chlorohydrins forming, a highly carcinogenic compound; linked to toxic hazards, including ulcers and cancer; the most serious concerns relate to degraded carrageen, which is not a permitted additive; however, native carrageen an, which is used, may become degraded in the gutsoy lecithin - emulsifier derived from soy beans, egg yolks, peanuts, corn or animal resources; non toxic but overdose can upset the stomach, kill the appetite and cause profuse sweating; used to allow combination of oils in margarine, chocolate, mayonnaise, milk powder; must be chosen vegetable typelactylated monoglycerides - sodium bisulfite -potassium sorbate - perservative, no known adverse effectsdipotassium phosphatecaramel colour - colours - dark brown color made from sucrose; the HACSG recommends to avoid it. used in oyster, soy, fruit and canned sauces, beer, whiskey, biscuits, pickles