A Dose of Reality and A Nugget of Nutrition Be Leaner and Greener

Reducing your waist line can help you reduce your carbon foot print and visa versa. Take an average lunch for example. Since most of us have a limited amount of time for lunch, quick and simple is the only way to go. This is why the fast food drive thru is always crowded, but it is not the only way. It is simple and sometimes quick, but those are about the only benefits.

Most fast food lunches contain 700-1200 calories. Even the salads! The calories can be cut in half for the salads if you don’t use any dressing and get rid of the croutons. Lets face it, a salad for lunch leaves you hungry in a couple of hours even with chicken or a hard boiled egg. Now take out the dressing and not only is it not filling, but it isn’t satisfying either.

One nights worth of trash at a fast food restaurant.

 Now let’s take a look at the effects on your carbon footprint from that meal.  Everything you order comes in its own wrapping. The sandwich has a bag or a box, and the drink has a cup and sometimes a straw. You may get bottled water, but you need to make sure the bottle is being recycled. If you get a side, that too comes in its own container. It doesn’t matter if it is paper or plastic because neither one can be recycled. Then everything comes in yet another bag. If you have the time to go inside you will be using a tray that has a paper liner that is not recyclable and trays use up water and electricity when being washed. Additionally, your car uses gas to go waiting in line at the drive thru. If it is a nice day you just may have the car windows open until you the smell of the car exhaust gets to you. So you close the windows and turn on the air conditioner or maybe the heat which uses even more gas.

All of this from only one lunch for one person. This is repeated hundreds of thousands of times a day all across the US. What can you do about it?

If you don’t already know, packing your own lunch can be much healthier for you. Compared to a meal at your favorite fast food restaurant (or even you favorite big chain restaurant) your homemade lunch can contain less calories and a bigger amount of food to eat.  If you pack everything in reusable containers just think of all the trash you save from going into the landfills. You may not live near a landfill, but someone does.  We also encourage the use of reusable water bottles. Find yourself a tin drink container. It can go from freezer to dishwasher. If you frequent popular cafes, take advantage of the reusable coffee mugs they always have for sale or try stores like Target for cheaper prices on bigger travel mugs.

Unfortunately the average American produces between 9-10 pounds of trash in just two days and is 17 pounds over weight. It all adds up when you reduce the amount of trash you create on a weekly basis and the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis by taking your own lunch to work! One person can make a difference!  If you have children you are setting a great example for them to follow. They too can pass this good habit down to their children.

If you have a hard time deciding what to bring for lunch, feel free to contact us. Just let us know what you like for lunch and we can come up with a leaner, greener way for you to enjoy your favorite meals.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited  by Rob Marshall

The Super Powers of the Tomato

If you live in New Jersey you are no stranger to the Jersey tomato. We claim to have the best tasting tomatoes in the world. The mixture of sandy and clay soil make ideal growing conditions. You may know that tomatoes are good for you, but good is truly an understatement. You may also not be aware that tomatoes were once considered poisonous.

Those of us who pride ourselves on how good New Jersey tomatoes are might find it hard to believe that the plant originated in South America. The Spanish conquistadors loved it so much that they took it back to Europe with them. Somewhere along the line it became an ornamental house plant and was not considered edible. In fact, because of its distant relation to nightshade (a plant that produces highly toxic berries) it was thought to be poisonous.

Here’s where New Jersey and the tomato come together. In 1820 Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson of Salem County brought the tomato plant to local farmers. Legend has it that on Sept 26, 1820, he proved tomatoes were not poisonous when he stood on the steps of the Salem County Courthouse and ate a whole basket of the delicious red fruits in front of hundreds of onlookers.  Much to their surprise, the Colonial didn’t die and the local farmers have been growing tomatoes ever since.

Tomatoes are not only great tasting; they are great for your health too! Tomatoes contain lycopene, and lots of it. Lycopene is an antioxidant. This antioxidant flushes out free radicals and protects healthy cells from diseases like cancer. The more lycopene a food contains the more free radicals the body can flush. It is not only the high levels of lycopene that make this fruit down-right awesome for you: it’s the beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, niacin, folate and Vitamin B6. This combination of nutrients makes the tomato a cancer fighter and a big help in preventing heart disease.  Research shows that men who consume 10 servings of tomatoes a week reduce their risk of prostate cancer by a whopping 45%. Similar studies show similar results for rectal colon, lung, breast, and endometrial cancers. There is even research that indicates tomatoes can help people stay active longer. The fruits and vegetables with the highest level of antioxidants and nutrients are, as usual, organic!

So slice ‘em, dice ‘em, pile them on your pizza or burger. Chop them up and add some extra to your salsa or just cut them in half and add a small amount of salt or eat them just the way they are. My personal favorite is sliced tomatoes with some mozzarella cheese, olive oil, vinegar, basil, and a sprinkle of sea salt top.

Is there a fruit or vegetable you think needs special attention? Let us know your favorites. We would love to write more about the benefits of nature’s market.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited by Rob Marshall

This is why we read ingredients...

A Dose of Reality Mac and Cheese: The Other White Meat

A long time friend of mine had a Facebook post this week that drew a lot response. Normally this is no big deal. His posts are pretty popular. The first few words “Colin” and “school” caught my eye. I thought it was another charmingly funny post about his son Colin. I, not unlike many others, love to hear about his grade school experiences. My favorite being the picture of his butt he drew in school that the teacher didn't quite appreciate. Anyway, this time it was a note about the upcoming school year. According to Sean it read, “In order to comply with state and district nutrition policies we no longer permit celebratory snacks for birthdays or class parties.” Almost immediately the comments stated pouring in. They all had the same tone. People stated how fed up they were with the state and government stepping in to fix a problem with the wrong solution. I have to admit my views are not much different.

I remember back in the day celebrating birthdays and holidays in school. I would bring less for lunch on those days because I knew I would be eating all the yummy cookies and cakes the moms brought in. I also remember going outside for recess and running till I couldn’t run anymore. Today, recess is much more structured. Some schools feel it is necessary to organize play time in order to get all of the children moving. It is true that kids don’t get out and play enough because television and Xbox keep them occupied most of the time. Let’s face it. It is not just the kids that are occupied by the flat screens. So are the adults. The truth is we all need to move more. We all need to spend more time away from our computers, TVs, and video games, but that is only part of the problem.

We get angered when the state imposes rules on us especially when it regards our children. When it comes to kids’ health, there is no one in the world that has a child’s best interests in mind more than the parent, and we don’t need the government to step in to force rules on us. The politicians need to learn how to do their own jobs before they start telling us how to do ours. So when the school district sent that letter home regarding celebratory snack food, I felt that the government was fringing upon our rights once again.  But before I started to bash this policy, I needed to see just what the states position on nutrition was.

This is protein according to the USDA.

Reading the USDA’s policy on the school lunch and breakfast program is very taxing. It is 78 pages long, and it covers not only the dietary requirements as defined by the USDA but the cost of EVERYTHING, which is understandable. As I read past the first 10 pages, I kept thinking that nutrition doesn’t have to be this hard. Then I realized this is the government and everything really does have to be this hard. Everything needs to be worded so that maybe, just maybe, you will get tired of reading (as I did), and just give in (which I didn’t). I started to sift through the crap looking for what the USDA thought was nutritionally sound food. A few things caught my attention. I was reading the daily recommendations of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meat and meat alternatives, fluid milk, calories, and saturated fat from calories, sodium, and trans fats. It all sounded good. Then I got to the definitions of whole grains and fruits. A whole grain was defined as whole grain rich.  It said nothing about being 100% whole grain or made with 100% whole grain flour. If you have not read our blog on White Bread vs Wheat Bread, you may find it interesting to know that if a product only says whole grain, it may as well be made with white flour.  In turn, whole grains can equal a lot less nutrients and empty calories. The same concept applies when they talk about enriched macaroni as a substitute for protein. Yes, you read that right. Enriched pasta can be used as a source of protein. But its white pasta we are taking about here, and it goes through the same process as white bread because it is made with white flour. Then they put nutrients back in to make up for what they took out. Doesn't make much sense does it? It just equals more empty calories. Then we come to the fruit requirements. Fruit doesn't always have to be fruit.  Fifty percent of the daily requirement can be in juice form. We also did a blog on that. Once you remove the juice from the rest of the fruit, you remove the sugar from the nutrients that help your body digest, utilize, and properly dispose of the sugar. This is why a diabetic can drink orange juice or eat a piece of candy when they are low in sugar. It is absorbed quickly into the blood stream. There was no mention of water intake. We did a blog on that too! Water is one of the basic things the body needs yet not one word about it in any of the 78 pages.

It seems like a good portion of the requirements are based on calories. Americans have been counting calories for at least 50 years and we have gotten fatter every since. If you go by this standard some of the healthiest breakfasts would not stand up to these requirements, but some of the crappiest breakfasts would pass. Example: the following breakfast would not be enough caloric intake even for a kindergartener

1extra large egg 2 pieces of whole wheat toast	8 oz glass of milk 15 grapes
Total 340 calories

If you take this same meal and substitute the nutrient rich whole wheat bread for the empty calories in white bread and add 1 slice of bacon (assume this could count as protein even though it is the fat of a pig) then maybe it would an acceptable breakfast for K-5. My kids would never have eaten this much for breakfast at that age. Then, we would have to add another 100 calories for the grades 6-8 and another 200 for the high school kids.

Then of course we come to the center of all the FB comments: the state’s policy on foods with minimal nutritional value. It is called Title 7. You can read the whole thing on our FB page. From what I can figure out chocolate is still ok if it doesn’t contain corn syrup. I find that strange because a lot of enriched foods like bread have corn syrup in them.  Soda is a no go but not because it contains loads of sugar but because of the carbon dioxide. Water ice is not expectable unless it contains fruit juice (I believe we covered the whole fruit juice thing) or real fruit. So I don’t know how Rita’s was allowed into the school lunch room last year.

I could sift through this policy for hours and find more problems with it, but the bottom line is that the state doesn’t need to tell us how to feed our kids. The government loves to put band-aids over bleeding wounds. The reason the government changed the policy on the school lunch programs is because they wanted to make fruits and vegetables more available in school meals and to help fight the obesity problem that plagues America. So they make it appear like they care by imposing regulations on schools (who are already stretched by budget cutbacks) about what they can or cannot serve and what parents can or cannot bring in to the classroom. Meanwhile big business gets to brainwash our kids by constantly bombarding them with ads and images everywhere you look.  It’s not just enough to limit the TV and computer time. You would have to keep them isolated from them completely. How about a drive down the road just passing a fast food joint? You can’t escape the oversized advertisements. And forget about taking them to the super market. The focus on kids is ridiculous with movie characters on the box, toys inside, chances to win computers or an Xbox, etc. Then they hit you with the 1/3 less sugar or no sugar added so you feel good about buying it. But what you may not know is that a favorite trick of the trade is to make the portion size smaller so the 1/3 less sugar refers to sugar per serving size and the no added sugar means they added a new kind of chemical sugar to keep the taste sweet. The snack food today is nothing like it was 20-30 years ago. The food today is grown from seeds that are genetically engineered with things that don’t have to be proven safe for human consumption. The meat that is served in fast food restaurant and big restaurant chains, even the meat we buy in the super markets, is loaded with hormones. It won’t say so on any food label or warning because the corporations responsible for this food don’t have to tell you if they inject their meat with hormones. The government agencies that are supposed to regulate what goes into our food are run by the same big business that make and grow the food. The same people who run corporations that grow genetically modified foods in this country are the same people who run government agencies like the FDA and the USDA. Each year they change jobs and bounce back and forth from the corporations to the government positions. It is like a game of musical chairs only no one is left standing. They all have a seat at a new job: different position; same crap.

So you are right, all you angry posts on Sean’s FB comment, the state should not be poking their nose in what we feed our kids.  We need to protect our children from the government. I urge everyone to become an avid label reader and find out what is really in that food you are feeding your family. It may take time, but it is time well spent. Nothing is more important than the health of your family. When things break, like your car or something in your house, they can be replaced or fixed. It may cost money, but it can be replaced. It is not so easy to replace good health. Once it is gone it can be very hard to retrieve. You may need the help of a professional. With all the pitfalls and food traps on the market today, it is understandable that the average person would need help with such an important issue. Let us know if you have any question. We are more than happy to offer our assistance!

Written by Joan Agoglia

Edited by Robert Marshall

A Nugget of Nutrition MSG

MSG

MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is basically a salt-amino acid used as a flavor enhancer. The main compound of MSG was isolated by Kikunae Ikeda in 1907 in Japan and was then manufactured by the Ajinomoto company (translates in to “essence of taste”). It was introduced to America in 1947. It is popularly known to exist in Chinese food (in fact, bags of MSG can be bought in China Town in Philadelphia). MSG is also used in many fast food products, as well as beef jerky, soups, seasonings, sauces, bouillon cubes, candy, and more. After all, how else can a company make cheap food taste good?

Glutamic acid is a naturally occurring, non-essential amino acid. Non-essential means that the body actually produces it. It creates a “reward” effect in the nervous system (not just on the tongue). It is found in other food sources like protein products (meat), protein shakes, and even seaweed. To make MSG the Glutamic acid is put through an enzymatic process. This process separates free glutamate which is later added to food in concentrated form. MSG contains 99.6% L-Glutamate, or free glutamate. The concentrated glutamate, a food processor’s “taste enhancer,” is what causes complications in the nervous system. Free glutamates also affect the food craving response. Have you ever felt hungry again after eating Chinese food? It is probably the MSG.

MSG, specifically the large amounts of free glutamate, has been linked to migraine headaches, food allergies in children, obesity, and hyperactivity. MSG’s link to neuron activity suggests that it can aggravate or encourage neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and even Autism. There is also information that suggests that MSG may cause brain and nerve damage and reproductive disorders. Similarities can be seen when a person uses cocaine or heroine. The drug increases hormone levels in the body which creates a reward response, but the huge influx depresses the nervous system and stresses the body.

Since the rise of health concerns, food processors have found ways to hide their free glutamates. This means that MSG has not disappeared completely just because you don’t see it in the ingredients! It still hides under many other names (like that tricky sugar). Let’s cover some new names for free glutamates.

Glutamic acid Glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) Monopotassium glutamate Calcium glutamate Monoammonium glutamate Magnesium glutamate

Natrium glutamate Anything that is “hydrolyzed” Any “hydrolyzed protein” Calcium caseinate Sodium caseinate Autolyzed yeast Gelatin

 So how do we avoid consuming processed glutamates? It comes back down to reading food labels! It is not enough for a product to say “No MSG” because companies have labeled like that before yet still included ingredients that contain free glutamates. Also, remember that glutamates have their place. It is the overconsumption of glutamates that has negative effects on the human body. And, as always, it is easiest to avoid additives and chemicals by buying locally grown produce!

If you have any questions or comments, please let us know!

Written by Robert Marshall

Edited by Joann Agoglia

Resources:

The Truth about MSG Monosodium Glutamate Clinical Nutrition by Dr. Vincent Bellonzi

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Effects on health by Mary Moss

Wikipedia.com - Monosodium Glutamate

A Nugget of Nutrition Do you have a toxic relationship?

Have you or anyone you know gone hungry or skipped a meal with the hope that you will lose weight?  Or maybe you have heard about substituting a shake for a meal.  It seems ok since the shake advertizes that it has all the vitamins you need, but usually that just leaves you hungry and obsessing about your next meal. When most people hear the word “diet” they usually groan and think of hunger and being deprived.  They think, “Well, I guess I won’t be enjoying my favorite foods for a long while. Nothing but salads for me.” All of a sudden you find yourself watching what everyone else is eating. If you have kids, especially a teenage boy, they seem like a bottomless pit; consuming anything and everything in their sights without gaining an ounce. You may even find yourself talking to food that you crave. “Goodbye chewy, chunky, delicious chocolate chip cookies. Farewell big, giant coffee frappaccino thing with the smooth whipped cream and the sweet chocolate drizzle. So long my comforting bowl of ice cream at night. No more late night movies for us.” It is like a love affair.

For many of us this is food we have given years of devotion to.  I gave mine a name. I call it my BFF: my best favorite food. Unfortunately, this love affair is toxic. Sure your BFF may call to you in a soft voice and whisper sweet nothings to you from the kitchen. And it tells you exactly what you want to hear. So you give in to your BFF. It makes you feel happy and warm inside and everything seems wonderful for a while. Then your BFF goes behind your back (or in this case in your stomach) and doesn’t exactly return your devotion. The love you have given it doesn’t seem to be enough so it seeks other places to get attention. It starts a very public love affair with your hips, thighs, tummy area or even your butt. Sometimes it is sneaky. It hides in your arteries and gives you high blood pressure. Either way, it puts a real strain on your heart. You know you have to put an end to this relationship no matter how good it may seem at times, but how?

The reason why conventional diets don’t work is because they don’t address the real problem: the toxic relationship you have with food. Most diet plans expect you to wake up one morning and completely change what you eat. They may ask you to count points or calories, but these plans ask you to become even more obsessed with your food intake. A habit that you have had for years will not change over night. You may be able to stick with a conventional diet for a while. You may even lose weight, but sooner or later you go back to your old habits. It is like quitting cold turkey. For some people it works but not many. Studies show that fewer than 5% of people who quit smoking have done it cold turkey.  Studies also show that that number is pretty consistent with the percentage of people who lose weight and keep if off with any of those conventional diet plans. Changing a habit is easier when you replace it with another habit. But unless you fully understand why you should break a life long habit, chances are the new habit won’t stick.  In other words, if you don’t understand why you need to find a new BFF then you will always go back to your old more comfortable BFF. Why? Because it’s easier and familiar, and when things get tough people, tend to go back to what’s more comfortable.

So how do you let go? Your whole thought process about food has to change. The first thing you should do is not think diet. Since diet has become a bad word and is usually something people don’t expect to do forever, you need to think healthier eating. You may even have to change the way you think about healthy eating. A friend of mine once described the healthy food my partner and I eat as grey. I believe he may have been referring to the way it tasted to him. His taste buds were too clouded by the sweet and over-processed foods he was eating.  Then his thoughts changed about the food he was consuming.  It was about the ethical treatment of animals that helped him end his fast food addiction. After that he started to question all of his food. “Where does it come from? How is it made and grown?” He took a very green approach to healthy eating and bought better food. Now he eats much healthier and really enjoys eating and preparing his meals. This is a big change. He never liked or even wanted to cook before. I don’t think he would describe his food as grey, anymore. As a matter of fact, I heard him refer to a cucumber basket that he recently won as “a good time”. He lost 25lbs this summer and gained a new perspective on food. Way to go Mike!

Everyone is different so everyone will have their own reason for changing their eating habits. You have to be just as connected to those reasons as you are with your BFF.  It doesn’t happen over night. It’s a gradual thing.  Your healthy eating habits shouldn’t leave you hungry or feeling deprived. You should never watch others eat and feel like you are missing out. Your new way of eating should be all about adding healthier things to your life. You new BFF should love you as much as you love it. It should be delicious. It should whisper sweet nothings to you and leave you satisfied. It should be something your mind and body love equally. It should be something that is nutritious; something that is willing to give its all to you without looking elsewhere for attention. After all, isn’t that what a healthy, long lasting relationship is all about?

As always, if you have a question or comment about this topic, please let us know.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited by Robert Marshall

A Nugget of Nutrition Water vs Your Sugar Daddy

Water is vital for human function, even more so than food. As a general rule of thumb, a human can survive 30 days without food before succumbing to starvation, but the same human will only survive for 3 days without water. Why is it so important? Water makes up 70% of our blood. It uses water to carry oxygen throughout the body. Cells die without it, and when cells die, organs stop working. Water is a big part of the immune and digestive systems, too. Without water, digestion and waste removal would stop. Along with that, you can say good-bye to the nervous system. Well, let's just say that all hell breaks loose in your body.

In this Summer heat wave, it is more important than ever to stay hydrated. CNN stated that there are more heat related deaths each year than any single natural disaster on average in the U.S. In past years, numbers have hit 150. This year alone has already reached 33 according to the NY Times. Experts say this will be the hottest Summer on record.  When was the second hottest? Last year.

Each restaurant chain and coffee house seems to have their own way of cooling you off. Smoothies, shakes, and iced coffees are everywhere! While these drinks may feel like a great way to cool down, the truth isn't always as sweet. You have undoubtedly seen the commercials: people having fun, enjoying the beach, bright colors and music, refreshing fruit. This is a parlor trick. These companies learned a thing or two from Houdini, and now they distract customers from what they are really consuming. When all your body wants and needs is water, McDonald's and friends are giving you this:

(All drinks are medium sized.)

Caramel and Mocha Frappe

Sugar 71g Calories 550

Mango Pineapple Smoothie

Sugar 60g Calories 270

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Sugars 54g Calories 260

Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino with no whip cream

Sugar 57g, Calories 406

Caramel Macchiato w/nonfat milk

Sugar 35g  Calories 224

We would like to hear what your favorite cold drinks are! Please leave a comment especially if you have any questions about what you've been drinking.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited by Robert Marshall

A Nugget of Nutrition The meal that you should never miss

Picture this: It's the beginning of spring. A man walks out to his garage and wheels out the lawn mower that hasn't moved since the last warm fall day.  After he brushes off a few remaining leaves and cobwebs, he begins. It takes a few tugs, but it starts. The next thing he does, to ensure it keeps running, is check the fluids.  In a sense, he needs to feed his lawn mower to make sure it keeps running.

When you wake up in the morning, your body is similar to the lawn mower that hasn't been used all winter. You may not be asleep for months, but your body needs to be properly nourished so you can keep running throughout the day. Breakfast is the perfect name for the first meal of the day. You are breaking the fast (not eating) when you sleep.

I'm sure you have heard the old saying, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."  Nothing can be more true. Those first couple of hours after you wake up often set the tone for the rest of the day.  Of all the hours of the day, those first few are the ones you have the most control over.  You can choose to sleep in till the last minute, rush out in a hurry, and maybe grab something along the way; or you can wake up with enough time to eat a healthy breakfast, and give your body the energy it needs to start the day off on a positive note. Breakfast doesn't have to take much of your time.  A good quality cereal and some fruit is a great place to start. Refueling your system with a good breakfast will kick start your metabolism.

If you are trying to lose weight and you think skipping a meal is a way of achieving your goal, you are wrong. A healthy breakfast gets your metabolism running so you can start burning those calories. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who don't. Skipping any meal won't help you lose weight. Neither will eating a breakfast on the go like donuts or egg sandwiches from the local mini mart or fast food joint.  Would you put fluids in your lawn mower or car that would get them started but would eventually clog the system and limit the life of the engine? Or would you buy the better fluids that won't clog the system and will keep the engine running strong for a longer life? And on top of that, healthy food can be inexpensive, too. The choice seems obvious.

We know how confusing it can be to pick a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast.  There are a lot of foods out there that claim to be healthy but simply are not.  If you need any help or have any questions please feel free to ask.  We will be more than happy to help you start your day right!

Written by Joann Agoglia
Edited by Robert Marshall

A Nugget of Nutrition Irresponsible "Health Food"

Nothing bugs me more than when a "health food" company purposefully takes advantage of misinformed people. One of the first times I noticed this gross abuse was when I researched Blue Agave. The first time I saw blue agave was at Whole Foods, which is renowned for its health-conscious products and information. Automatically, I was impressed that there was an alternative sweetener that would not spike blood-glucose levels and still tasted so sweet. That was until I saw one small post on the internet ridiculing agave syrup for pretending to be a health food. So I investigated, and what I found was upsetting. Agave syrup has a higher percentage of fructose than many HFCS products; sometimes reaching 70/30.

Now, there are other companies pulling the same trick. Due to the huge uproar against HFCS, some smaller companies have started producing HFCS free sodas. Instead of HFCS, they use cane syrup and, get this, agave syrup. If you have not read it yet, read this article, and find out how sugar and agave can damage your liver just like HFCS.

Unfortunately, the media has already jumped on the band wagon. KitchenDaily.com has posted an article that promotes these so-called healthy sodas as alternatives to the mainstream soda companies (please take in to account that many companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have already removed HFCS from some of their products and are now selling them under the "all-natural" context). KitchenDaily.com would have you believe that a soda is all-natural if it does not contain HFCS, but when sugar is removed from its original source it can hardly be considered natural, anymore. It's natural form is not syrup. I will revoke this statement when soda companies start putting sugar cane in their drinks.

This kind of misinformation is all over the health industry. How do you avoid being taken advantage of? Look it up! Create a knowledge base that will help you choose healthy foods without getting suckered. Never take a product at face value. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. What is popular is not always the best choice. And last, but certainly not least, don't let the media take you for a spin! A product isn't always right just because it is in the news, on a billboard, on TV, or the internet.


Written by Robert Marshall

Edited by Joann Agoglia