Eating For Health

Almost every day we read about chemicals, preservatives, other additives in our foods that are not good for our health.   This week, my husband showed me an article in the Wall Street Journal, Research Delivers A Gut Punch About Emulsifiers Used In Food .    What are “emulsifiers”, why are they in food, what foods have emulsifiers, and what are the health concerns about emulsifiers in the foods we eat? What are emulsifiers? Emulsifiers help mix food components together like oil and water.   Salad dressings often have emulsifiers in them.   Food manufacturers add emulsifiers to foods to improve the texture, appearance, taste and shelf life of the foods we buy.   What emulsifiers are commonly added to foods?   According to WebMD , “there are over 100 different emulsifiers that can be added to foods”.   In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates what emulsifiers can safely be added to foods and list these on the list of G ene...

What are “gut bugs” you might ask?   Last week we talked about E. Coli and how these “bugs” can make you sick.   But you also have good “bugs” or bacteria in your gut.   And guess what?   You need to feed this good bacteria.   They are now finding that having good bacteria in your gut has huge health benefits.   As Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen said in a recent article, the next time “you open the fridge, remember that you’re not eating just for one.   You’re also feeding the 100 trillion bacteria that call your digestive system home.”    (    By feeding these good gut bacteria you can: Help control your weight Promote heart health Stabilize blood sugar levels Improve your immune system Improve your mood So what can you do to feed your gut bugs and reap these health benefits? Probiotics – eating a yogurt a day is a good start.   Yogurt has probiotics which helps put the good bugs in your gut. Fiber rich plant foods ...