Monday Moaning

Here we go again!

Sugar, the big enemy.

Headlines today:

Cut back amount of sugar children consume, parents told

Health officials believe children are consuming more sugar than they should

Parents are being encouraged to cut back on the amount of sugar they feed children in a new health campaign.

The Public Health England (PHE) Change4Life campaign offers “sugar swap” tips, including swapping ice cream for yogurt and sugary drinks for sugar-free alternatives.

Health guidelines advise that 10% of a person’s energy or calorie intake should be made up of sugar.

But officials fear children between four and 10 are consuming far more.

‘Health impact’

Source: BBCNews Read more

Opinion:

While it may be true, sugar is not the BIG enemy. They’re barking up the wrong tree… again. Because the real tree has gremlins.

The real enemies are twofold, sweeteners and HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup); i.e. sugar-free alternatives.

Sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are far more damaging to the body than sugar.

HFCS, which has replaced natural sugar in nearly all sodas and prepared foods in supermarkets, is a plague.

Natural sugar has 50/50 sucrose/fructose. HFCS has an imbalance, as much as 40/60. The excess fructose cannot be processed by the body and my understanding goes straight to the liver and gets converted to fat.

HFCS is the hidden beast that is responsible for the current explosion of obesity. Check this…

Now look at this…

Check out these figures…

Click the image to enbiggenate if your eyes are like mine

Nearly every drink and preprepared food product in the supermarkets have HFCS…

The governments won’t do anything about HFCS, because they’d be fighting giant corporations who pay millions for the ‘right’ politicians to be elected.

Politicians are basically cowards, they won’t protect your rights over their chances of being reelected.

You and your health simply don’t matter!

Your only guarantee for health is to totally eliminate HFCS from your diet. Forget the sugar problem, compared to HFCS it’s not a problem.

Change the World Wednesday – 10th Dec

Running a bit late today.

Small is still away and will be until mid-January, but I will try to keep the CTWW idea afloat.

But here’s a CTWW for you for Christmas celebrations.

Avoid all softdrinks and soda this Christmas, no Coca Cola, no Pepsi, no processed fruit drinks in a box, no diet, no lo-cal, no zero.

Instead buy fruit and make your own juice, and offer sparkling mineral water.

This challenge doesn’t apply to Christmas cheer for adults. They’re not the issue. The issue that we’re fighting is HFCS and artificial sweetners like sucralose and aspartame.

You can have a Happy Christmas without these beverages.

You do not need these additives in your, or your kids’ diets; they are the principle reason for obesity and other health problems.

See you next week.

Monday Moaning

Two moans this morning…

Tanzania accused of backtracking over sale of Masai’s ancestral land

Masai told to leave historic homeland by end of the year so it can become a hunting reserve for the Dubai royal family

Tanzania has been accused of reneging on its promise to 40,000 Masai pastoralists by going ahead with plans to evict them and turn their ancestral land into a reserve for the royal family of Dubai to hunt big game.

Activists celebrated last year when the government said it had backed down over a proposed 1,500 sq km “wildlife corridor” bordering the Serengeti national park that would serve a commercial hunting and safari company based in the United Arab Emirates.

The Tanzanian government has been accused of going back on a deal not to sell Maasai land bordering the Serengeti national park. Photograph: Alamy

Now the deal appears to be back on and the Masai have been ordered to quit their traditional lands by the end of the year. Masai representatives will meet the prime minister, Mizengo Pinda, in Dodoma on Tuesday to express their anger. They insist the sale of the land would rob them of their heritage and directly or indirectly affect the livelihoods of 80,000 people. The area is crucial for grazing livestock on which the nomadic Masai depend.

Unlike last year, the government is offering compensation of 1 billion shillings (£369,350), not to be paid directly but to be channelled into socio-economic development projects. The Masai have dismissed the offer.

“I feel betrayed,” said Samwel Nangiria, co-ordinator of the local Ngonett civil society group. “One billion is very little and you cannot compare that with land. It’s inherited. Their mothers and grandmothers are buried in that land. There’s nothing you can compare with it.”

Nangiria said he believes the government never truly intended to abandon the scheme in the Loliondo district but was wary of global attention. “They had to pretend they were dropping the agenda to fool the international press.”

Source: TheGuardian Read more

Opinion:

Do I really need to say it? This smacks of pure greed and corruption.

The last thing the world needs is to pander to the likes of the Dubai royal family. They’re nothing but a bunch of spoiled brats.

.

Mediterranean diet is best way to tackle obesity, say doctors

Mediterranean diets may help reduce the risk of heart attacks, researchers say

A Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting, leading doctors have said.

Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the doctors said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

And they said it may be better than low-fat diets for sustained weight loss.

Source: BBCNews Read more

Opinion:

In my opinion, this is bullshit. Not totally, but once again the ‘experts’ are ignoring the real issue. Ban HFCS from all foods and sodas, and the problem disappears, almost.

Monday Moaning

The world is slowly waking up.

Realising the major causes of obesity; organisations are trying to get the governments to listen.

But the governments don’t want to listen, there’s too much lobbying and money involved.

One article I read:

Shoppers ‘misled’ over level of fat, sugar and salt in food

Call for ban on promoting foods claiming to be healthy but which actually contain high levels of sugar, fat and salt – The Guardian Recommended reading

Is on the right track.

Another:

Health group calls for ‘sugar tax’ to cut child obesity

– BBCNews More recommended reading

Is barking up the wrong tree, close to the right one, but not close enough.

The blame is put on sugar, maybe true, but the real culprit is High Fructose Corn Syrup that is replacing true sugar in the majority of sodas and prepared foods.

Generally, the public, and these do good organisations are unaware of HFCS; and the industries want to keep it that way.

Instead of a sugar tax, although it’s a good idea, they should be calling on a double or triple tax on any product that contains HFCS. Better still they should be calling for a complete ban on the poison.

HFCS is cheaper than true sugar, ergo more profits.

What is the problem?

As I see it, supported by reading many sources, sugar is 50% sucrose & 50% fructose.

HFSC is 55-60% fructose and correspondingly less sucrose.

Doesn’t sound too bad…

But this imbalance, however it appears slight is the problem. Our bodies cannot process the excess fructose, it goes straight to the liver and becomes fat.

Therefore, an increase in obesity.

Everybody is clamouring about the obesity epidemic, but nobody is putting the blame where it belongs.

Which foods contain HFCS?

These…

And these…

And these…

And nearly every other product you buy at the supermarket or fast food outlet.

First introduced into the American food industry in the 1970s, HFCSs were used in sodas from 1984.

Looking at this graph can you see the rise in childhood obesity beginning in 1980s?

And, continuing to rise rapidly since then.

It’s only in recent years with a little awareness that there has been a slight dip.

The rapid rise in obesity in the U.S. correlates to the introduction of HFCS into processed food. – Source

There’s another issue:

As Addictive As Cocaine: HFCS – America’s Most Deadly Addiction?

– From the Trenches well worth reading because it contains info about bees too.

Much has been said on both sides of the Atlantic about declining bee populations.

If you don’t have bees, you don’t have pollination; you don’t have pollination, you don’t have food.

Sugar is a problem, but nowhere near the problem of HFCSs

We have to get the governments to put the blame where it belongs; instead of saying kids need to exercise more, sure they do, BUT THAT’S NOT THE PROBLEM! That’s just passing the buck.

We have to take personal responsibility and shun these products.

We have to send a strong message, because if we don’t, we’ll have more cases

Do you want this…

…as the future for your kids?

 

 

A Shock to the System

I am a beer drinker. No secret.

I have always considered my humble pastime to be relatively free from interference; the same interference that has befallen softdrinks/sodas.

But alas, not. The brewing industry has become tainted with the same bullshit.

8 Beers That You Should Stop Drinking Immediately!!!

Many of us choose what we eat very carefully, or at least dedicate our minimum attention to it. But when it comes to drinks, especially alcoholic beverages, we do little to make the best decisions for our health. Which is a HUGE mistake. All the work for your body can be ruined in a weekend out. While foods and non alcoholic beverages are required to list their ingredients and are monitored by the FDA, beer does not belong in either. Alcohol industry had lobbied for years to avoid labeling its ingredients. Some to protect its recipes, but most – to hide harmful ingredients.

Here’s some harmful ingredients that are commonly found in beer:

• GMO Corn Syrup
• GMO Corn
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Fish Bladder
• Propylene Glycol
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Natural Flavors
• GMO Sugars
• Caramel Coloring
• Insect-Based Dyes
• Carrageenan
• BPA
• & lots more!

Here are the 8 beers that are commonly found in bars in United States that you should stop drinking immediately.

1. Newcastle Brown Ale

The Newcastle beer has been found to contain caramel coloring. Class 3 and 4 caramel coloring is made from ammonia, which is classified as a carcinogen. “The one and only” beer with cancer causing qualities.

2. Budweiser

One of the most popular beers, or most advertised is Budweiser. Budweiser contains genetically modified (GMO) corn. In 2007, Greenpeace discovered experimental GMO rice in Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) beer.

3. Corona Extra

I used to love Corona’s commercials. They were so peaceful and relaxing. That is until I found out that the beer contains GMO Corn Syrup and Propylene Glycol. Propylene Glycol is controversial, and is said to may be potentially harmful to your health.

4. Miller Lite…

Source: Be like Water read about the other tainted beers, see what beers are GMO free and which are organic.

Opinion:

Now that they have stuffed up beer, it is proof that NOTHING is sacred anymore.

I always considered that beer was sacrosanct, sadly it appears not.

Rather ironic, just Tuesday, a service rep from the largest brewing corporation in South America was decrying that certain beers now contain corn; none of his companies beers was among them. This company produces/distributes Budweiser…

The ad for Budweiser – “Good times are coming!” Oh, yes, they certainly are, if you are a zombie; and if you’re not, then you soon will be.

Make you Fink on Friday

Gout surge blamed on sweet drinks

Gout was once a common complaint in men as this 1799 cartoon shows. Copyright Wellcome Trust Medical Photographic Library

Sugary drinks have been blamed for a surge in cases of the painful joint disease gout.

Men who consume two or more sugary soft drinks a day have an 85% higher risk of gout compared with those who drink less than one a month, a study suggests.

Cases in the US have doubled in recent decades and it seems fructose, a type of sugar, may be to blame, the British Medical Journal study reports.

UK experts said those with gout would be advised to cut out sugary drinks.

About 1.5% of the UK population currently suffers from gout and there has been an increase in numbers over the last 30 years – although the condition is more associated with Victorian times.

The symptoms of painful, swollen joints, mainly in the lower limbs, are caused when uric acid crystallises out of the blood into the joints.

US and Canadian researchers said the increase in cases had coincided with a substantial rise in the consumption of soft drinks.

Previous research had also shown that fructose increases levels of uric acid in the bloodstream.

Diet

To look in more detail, the team carried out a 12-year study of 46,000 men aged 40 years and over with no history of gout, asking them regular questionnaires about their diet.

Over the period, 755 newly diagnosed cases of gout were reported.

The risk of developing the condition was significantly increased with an intake level of five to six servings of sugary soft drink per week.

This link was independent of other risk factors for gout such as body mass index, age, high blood pressure and alcohol intake.

Diet soft drinks did not increase the risk of gout but fruit juice and fructose rich (my emphasis, think HFCS) fruits (apples and oranges) were associated with a higher risk, the researchers said.

But this finding needs to be balanced against the benefit of fruit and vegetables in preventing other chronic disorders like heart disease and stroke.

Dr Hyon Choi, from the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver said dietary advice for gout had focused on restricting purine-rich foods, such as red meat and beer.

He said practitioners should advise patients with gout to reduce their fructose intake.

“I can think of some situations, for example in severe treatment failure gout, where reducing sweet fruits, such as oranges and apples could help,” he added.

Dr Andrew Bamji, president of the British Society for Rheumatology, said anecdotally cases of gout appeared to be rising.

“When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense in that fructose inhibits the excretion of uric acid.

“I will certainly change my advice to patients and I suspect the number drinking fructose is quite large.”

Make you Fink on Friday

I read an interesting article on The Guardian the other day. Besides being propaganda for Michelle Obama, it told of an experiment with pandas.

Pandas, apparently, like sweet stuff, although sweet is not in their diet; they prefer the more mundane bamboo.

They tested Pepsi against Pepsi Max.

Guess what?

The Pandas didn’t like the Pepsi Max.

Pandas don’t like aspartame, the sweetener in Pepsi Max.

Doesn’t that tell you something?

It sure rings alarm bells for me.

If pandas don’t like the taste of aspartame, incidentally neither do I, then there must be something in it that tells them it’s not good for them.

From a personal level, ALL artificial sweeteners set my teeth on edge so I stay away from them.

Similarly, now that most soft drinks (sodas) contain HFCS instead of sugar, I stay away from them all.

So should you!

Satireday on Eco-Crap

Monday Moaning

I must admit that I was stuck for something to moan about this morning, so I had a nap.

I often do this in the vain hope that inspiration will up and slap me silly.

It doesn’t always work, and it didn’t this morning. So I got up and made bacon and eggs for a late breakfast.

It was when I switched on the TV to watch as I ate, I heard a doctor talking

absolute unadulterated bullshit!

That was the inspiration I needed.

The programme was a popular live talk show shown throughout Brazil daily and the subject today was fat overweight  women and their self-esteem.

The doctor stated that “over weight was caused by people’s addiction to carbohydrates.”

Man has been using high carbohydrate food since he stopped being a hunter-gatherer and discovered agriculture; corn being the principle crop.

But prehistoric man never had a weight problem!

The weight problem didn’t start until man became addicted to junk food. Not only junk/fast/processed food, but still more recently than that.

All these and more have HFCS

The real overweight problem began when we began to meddle with GMOs, and further with the replacement of sugar in soft drinks (sodas) and other sweetened foods with HFCS.

These are the real culprits, particularly the latter.

To make it worse companies have produced diet and Zero soft drinks using artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, 200x sweeter than sugar. These sweeteners affect every organ in your body from the brain down. They disrupt thinking and learning, they play havoc with hormones and much more.

You have to look at why HFCS is a danger. Sugar (cane and beet) is almost pure sucrose, whereas HFCS is, roughly, 45% glucose and 55% fructose. YOUR BODY CANNOT PROCESS THE FRUCTOSE!

Therein lies the problem.

Once again we have the manufactures claiming HFCS is similar to table sugar, but independents say otherwise.

To hear a doctor spouting that carbohydrates are the problem, and ignoring the glaring fact that HFCS is by far the greater threat, makes me wonder where the medical profession has its head today; I believe well lodged in its nether regions.

There is another culprit, and that is we spend too much time on our fat acres and not enough time walking, working and exercising. Cars are the biggest problem there, but that’s another moan for another day.

 

Change the World Wednesday – 20th Feb

Passionfruit juice, although I usually skip the decanter and serve straight from the blender, the advantage of living alone – image: Green Kitchen Stories

The year is marching on. It does so relentlessly.

The house has returned to normal, the dishes done after three attempts to clear the bench. BBQs do seem to make more than their share of dishes.

My passionfruit vines have produced more fruit. Tons of flowers, but so many failed to be pollinated. But there will be enough for a couple of big juices (2x ingredients- juice & sugar; does ice count as an ingredient?).

So, I had a good fridge clean out.

I must thank Small Footprints for the Monday Moaning post that got selected for mention-in-despatches last week, very much appreciated.

Click for the full post

On with this week’s challenge.

This week, buy only foods with 6 or fewer ingredients. Here’s a tip … shop the perimeter of the store rather than the center isles … you’ll find more options. Want to kick this challenge up even further? Be sure that high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils aren’t in the food you choose … they are really “bad for you” substances. And if you have access to the information, choose non-GMO foods.

I rarely buy prepared foods, sometimes a bottle of ketchup or my beloved Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce, which certainly have more than six ingredients. I have been known to slip the odd frozen lasagne in for the freezer. I like to have one on hand to heat in the oven if I arrive home late from work; who wants to begin cooking at 9pm?

I mainly buy meat, fish, etc and veges and cook them at home in preference to ready made stuff.

I don’t use cooking oil, rather I use banha (lard) and I prefer butter to margarine, although I have both in the house; the latter for convenience is used rarely.

HFCS and GMOs are on mylist of pet hates. It goes without saying that I have no ‘diet’, ‘light’, or ‘low cholesterol’ things in my house, therefore there is no aspartame either. I have in the past bought syrups to make cordial, but I have stopped that, because they have HFCS. The only drink that I buy now is agua com gas (sparkling mineral water). I refuse to buy water without gas, because that is ‘free’ from the tap in the kitchen via the freezer. So drinks like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, etc are also a no-no for me.

I am sure beer has more than six ingredients, but asking to give that up for an entire week would be like purgatory, and I’ve been a good boy, mostly.

Besides the weather here has been so hot and we’ve had no rain for more than a month.

So this challenge is not so much a challenge to me, more like my regular shopping.

Blogging right along, I’ll see you next week.