Label Reading Just Got More Interesting

The Watchdogs Have Our Back.

The Environmental Working Group reminds us that if you can’t purchase a particular “ingredient” from your grocery store in order to prepare a food at home, you probably shouldn’t be eating it!

VOCs, Parabens and Glitter?!

Buying organic can help you avoid parabens, benzene, artificial flavors, and surfactants, but EWG also questions whether you should be able to “eat glitter in your cereal”! Interestingly, approximately 1/3 of ingredients and chemicals added to conventional foods aren’t approved by the FDA and yet food & chemical companies say they’re perfectly safe to eat.

A Food Additives Database.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest ranks the safety of food additives in their Chemical Cuisine database. Take carrageenan, for instance. It is a potent inflammatory agent and possible carcinogen. And yet it is still legal for organic food companies to use it as a processing aid – even if it isn’t listed on the label.

More on Carrageenan.

The Cornucopia Institute has created a buying guide to help you avoid buying organic foods that contain carrageenan in order to help protect you and your family. As an added bonus with this guide, we can continue to support organic and conventional food companies who do not use carrageenan!

The Difference Between “Natural” and “Organic”.

Do you know the difference between foods labeled “Natural” and “Organic”? Although titled “Cereal Crimes”, this 3½-minute video from Cornucopia Institute explains what sets the two apart.

Volatile Gases in Our Snack Bars.

Hexane is one of the chemicals covered in my book. Are you aware of how you may be ingesting hexane? This chemical is often found in meat alternatives and nutrition bars containing soy. Thankfully, Cornucopia has prepared a guide to 45 of the most popular snack bars that will help you avoid this chemical.