Author: mkokopelli

mkokopelli https://mkokopelli.wordpress.com With a BA in Creative Writing, I have always had a passion for telling a story. When I graduated from UNCW, the job market was scarce so I pursued my other love, photography. I managed a photography studio for 3 years before starting my own company, M&M Photography. As luck would have it, one of my clients worked for the Charlotte Observer and asked me to join her team in launching their new mom website, MomsCharlotte.com. During this time, I had a baby and after learning some disturbing things about big name baby shampoo, I started researching children’s products and eventually family products. I began a blog, Mkokopelli, as a side project to document all of the things I was learning and to share my knowledge with other concerned parents. Mkokopelli led me down many exciting roads as I got to work with amazing companies and organizations. I began freelancing for several big named eco-friendly businesses including Inhabitots, Stonyfield, Franklin Goose, Earth Mama Angel Baby, The Baby Grocery Store, Juice Beauty, rocklovepeace, and Sacred Pregnancy. After having my second child, I decided to focus my talents on social media content as well as video editing. My current clients are a multi-billion dollar real estate company based out of Dallas, TX and a NC therapist who specializes in Transformative Insight Imagery. When not writing, I enjoy hiking, traveling, photo journalism, poetry, reading, nature, politics, activism, and painting.

Man Pans GIVEAWAY!!

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This giveaway has ended! Thanks to all that entered! Congrats to windycindy!!

Yes, I’ve been on a food blog kick lately. It’s rather shocking if you know me personally because I’m one of the pickiest eaters around. E and I both have sensory processing disorder, so there is a valid reason. But ever since my first Food article, I’ve been thinking a lot about what goes in our mouths. Not only is it important to eat mindful foods, it’s important to cook with mindful products! There is no reason to spend money on organic foods if you are going to taint them with PFCs or PTFEs!!

Safer Chemicals is targeting PFCs as a chemical of concern. Perfluorinated compounds, PFCs, are used in non-stick cookware and they help stain materials. There are several different types of PFCs but the most common found in cookware is PFOAs, which are used in Teflon products. PFOA is created when a non-stick cookware overheats and the coating starts breaking down. However, PFOA chemicals never break down and are turning up all over our environment. They are a known carcinogen, and have been linked to low sperm counts, thyroid disease, and they altered mammary tissue in lab rats.

Another chemical of concern is PTFE- polytetrafluoroethylene. PTFE is a nonstick coating, mainly used in Duponts Teflon. PTFE starts to deteriorate at higher temperatures and begins to off gas. The degradation of PTFE has caused pet birds that are housed near the kitchen to die. There have also been reports of flu like symptoms in humans that have been exposed to PTFE off gassing.

Your best bet is to avoid Teflon and non-stick coated pans and purchase from a eco-friendly company like Man Pans.
Man Pans, branded by Lloyd Industries, (no relation) is a true eco-friendly cookware company. Not only do they manufacture sustainably in the USA, they create non-toxic top quality cookware. Man Pans got their name from the large handles of their first wok. The owner’s male friends picked up the pan and were excited that it fit, unlike so many other pans. So, the pans became Man Pans– even though women can enjoy too!

Man Pans has raw materials sent to their factory to begin phase 1 of the manufacturing process. This is so everything is made in one place rather than shipping parts from everywhere. This also allows them to reuse and recycle left over materials. They have a in house wastewater treatment line that allows them to reduce anodizing water consumption and wastewater generation by 1,700 gallons a day! 60% of their electricity comes from hydro and wind power.

Here is how the pans are made- taken from their website:

Tough Field-Tested Pans

ManPans are formed using a proprietary process and exceptional grade metals, resistant to warping, denting and scratching even under the toughest conditions. We are confident that our pans are the most durable products available, proven by restaurant kitchens across the US.

Type III Anodizing

This in-house process fuses a ceramic-like hard shell directly into our bake ware, producing a surface that meets NASA specifications for heat shield components on the space shuttle.

Eco-Friendly Release Coating

Years in development, our proprietary water-based, release coating outperforms and outlasts any other cookware finish with little or no special seasoning or handling, at temperatures up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Highly durable and long lasting, the metal utensil safe surface will last for many years even with heavy use.
Our products are 100% PTFE free and free from any fluoropolymer coatings.

  • Coating will not scratch, flake or come off in your food
  • Preserves delicate flavors and improves taste
  • Minimal oiling or seasoning
  • Release coating keeps integrity and is safe up to 700° Fahrenheit
  • Pans clean easily and thoroughly with hand washing
  • No PTFE, PFOA or other petrochemicals in our process, in fact the Washington Dept. of Ecology remarks about how we are an example of clean technology

Man Pans sells stir fry woks, sauce pans, saute pans, fry pans, and a steamer accessory.

I was sent the 10″ Wok/Steamer set and I am in love! My first thought was I couldn’t believe how light it was!!
The Wok/Steamer set comes with the wok, the steamer insert, and a lid.
  • The wok has a volume of 3 quarts
  • Features Gem-X2 coating that lets you cook vegetables and meats at high temperatures with minimal oil and our cool grip handle that keeps the heat in the pan
  • Deep curved sides promote excellent food stirring
  • Flat bottom sits level on cooking surface
  • Patent Pending Cool Grip Handle
  • Hard Anodized .080 Aluminum
  • Exceptional Durability
  • PTFE Free, Water-Based Release Coating: Gem-X2
  • Fast Cooking, Easy Clean Up
  • Heat Safe to 700 Degrees Fahrenheit

I have honestly never cooked with a steamer before. I make fajitas every week, so I was excited to try out a eco-friendly wok! With the sugar challenge, I’ve been using egg roll wraps (no sugar) instead of tortilla shells which have low amounts of sugar, but every bit counts! So, in the wok I used soy sauce and chicken and cooked on medium heat. In the steamer I added sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, and spinach. I cooked for 15 minutes and everything turned out perfect.

I am truly surprised at how much I love the steamer. The only issue I had with it was not knowing where to put it when I wanted to check on my meat. So I used tongs and set it down on the cool part of the stovetop.

Steaming the artichokes and spinach just gave the egg roll so much more flavor! And the sun dried tomatoes… oh my goodness. They were perfect! I then added the mix together with rice and put it in the egg roll. I then added some cheese, rolled, and baked 5 min each side.
It was a 2 gram sugar meal that was super yummy!!

Last night I used the wok to cook grass fed pork- which didn’t stick to the bottom of the wok and cooked really well. I then added tomato sauce and garlic and let simmer on low heat for 2 hours. I also steamed the sun dried tomatoes and artichokes again because they were so yummy the night before. I recooked the sauce tonight and it was perfection.

The Man Pans wok cleans so easily. I was shocked at how well the tomato sauce and soy sauce came off without a lot of scrubbing. And no staining! I used a natural brush with Seventh Generation dish soap. I was really happy with the clean up!

Another cool thing about Man Pans is that they have a life time warranty! “My family’s good name stands behind the quality of every one of our products and I want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. I will repair or replace any piece of ManPans cookware that is found to be defective in materials or workmanship for as long as you own it.”*

It truly doesn’t get any better than that! Sooooo, how would one of you like to try a 10″ Man Pans Wok/Steamer???

The Giveaway: One LUCKY reader will win a 10″ Man Pans Wok/Steamer valued at $136.97!!!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST June 29, 2011 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

How to Enter: Go to Man Pans and tell me something about your favorite product. Click on “Comments” to leave your post. Make sure to leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

EXTRA entries: You must complete the “How To Enter” before making any extra entries. Make sure you leave a comment for each extra entry and tell me which one.


2. Follow me on Networked Blogs (it erased all my fans!!) (3 entries!)
3. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Follow Mkokopelli on Twitter, Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry for each one)
4. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified
5. Blog, Tweet, or send a message on FB and leave a link here (1 entry per day)
“@mkokopelli #win @manpans eco-friendly 10″wok/steamer set valued at $137! Ends 6/29 http://t.co/rtXxykm”
6. Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post or enter another giveaway and let me know which (1 entry for each 1)
7. “Like” Man Pans on Facebook and leave a comment (2 entries)
8. Follow Man Pans on Twitter
9. Sign up for the Man Pans Newsletter (2 entries)
10. Make a Man Pans purchase and leave your name (10 entries)
11. Tell me something you learned from the Food Science Geek

disclaimer- I was sent Man Pans products for free for review. This is no way changed my opinion on their products. These are only my results, opinions and thoughts.

Flame Retardant Rant

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I’ve had several requests to post the flame retardant rant, so here it is. After my meltdown, I decided to make my rant more journalistic than personal. I would love to hear your thoughts on what else we can do to get FRs out of our children’s products!

You might want to rethink buying certain second-hand baby items, or so this new peer reviewed research study suggests. Heather Stapleton, a new mom and environmental chemist at Duke University along with 7 other team members, analyzed 101 polyurethane foam inserts in infant products testing for flame retardants. 80% came back positive for flame retardants.

 

Foam samples were donated from various individuals. They were asked to cut a 2X2 cm polyurethane foam sample from their car seats, high chairs, strollers, changing table pads, nursing pillows, rocking chairs, toilet seats, portable crib mattresses, and infant sleep positioners. The sample owner wrapped the foam in aluminum foil, enclosed in a resealable plastic bag, and cataloged the details of the foam like: date of purchase, type of product, manufacturer, and if it had a label stating it was TB117 compliant, then mailed them in. The foam analysis was conducted blind.


The samples ranged from items purchased from the year 2000-present and most were from products currently in use. 14 items were purchased new in 2010 specifically for this study.

 

The results were quite frightening. Out of the 80% of foams that were positive for flame retardants, only 1 product wasn’t halogenated. Which means it didn’t have brominated or chlorinated flame retardants in it.

The most common chlorinated flame retardant was TDCPP (Tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) and the average concentration level was 39.2 mg. TDCPP was banned from children’s clothing in the 70‘s since it was found as a human carcinogen. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that it was also easily absorbed into the skin. TDCPP exposure has caused lab rats to develop tumors. But, it is still LEGAL to use in other children’s or consumer products.

 

The brominated flame retardant, PentaBDE (Penta brominated diphenyl ethers) that was banned in 2004 was found in 5 products. 4 of those products were made before the ban and 1 product was made in 2007. So this means either the foam manufacturer is breaking the law by using it, the foam was made prior to 2007 and the company was not accurate on dates made, or the Deca mixture PBDE flame retardant (which is legal) broke down and became Penta. PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) now use the mixture Deca instead of the mixtures Penta or Octa. But, Deca has been shown to break down into Penta and Octa.

 

Halogenated flame retardants are being found in our blood, in umbilical cords, placentas, in our food, infant formula, animals, air, homes, dust, pretty much everywhere. What makes this so scary is that scientists are claiming that halogenated flame retardants can cause tumors, reductions in fertility, low sperm counts, interferes with brain signaling, causes hyperactivity, damage DNA, can cause cancers, neurological disorders, developmental toxicity, immune system damage, and some studies in the UK and New Zealand have linked exposure to SIDS.

 

The TB117 flamibility law in California is basically the reason why so many flame retardants are in polyurethane foam products. The law states that “a open flame must be applied vertically at the middle of the lower edge of the specimen for 12 seconds.” The cheapest way to pass this test is to add chemical fire retardants.

The need for fire retardants has drastically gone down with the advancement in technology; we have advanced in electric wiring, created smoke detectors, made self extinguishing cigarettes.

 

Until the Safe Chemical Act of 2011 is passed, (I’m trying to be over confident that it will pass!) you can do the following things now to avoid flame retardants:
  • Buy only organic, tight fitting pajamas
  • Opt for natural fibers like wool, jute, alpaca, and cotton
  • Avoid anything that says meets the TB117 standards
  • Vacuum frequently with a HEPA filter.. FRs are found in dust
  • Before buying electronics, be sure to check with the manufacturer to see what they use
  • Replace ripped or torn furniture that exposes the foam
  • Cut down on eating fatty meats
  • Avoid using foams and opt for natural fillings
  • Buy a rubber cover for your mattress, bassinet. FRs cannot break through natural rubber
  • Wash your hands frequently, esp. after sitting on furniture, playing on the floor
  • Lay thick organic fabrics (quilts are great) on the floor where your baby is playing
  • Write to congress telling them how they should ban FRs

Fascinating Finds

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My weeks are filled with tons of research. Whether I’m reading articles, research papers, test results, or just browsing organizations & news websites, I’m constantly learning something new. My week was jammed pack with webinars, Twitter parties, and reading lots of new info. I found out some interesting information that was worthy of sharing. (I also try to post news stories on my Facebook page)

  • Gum is made out of plastic! This was a complete shocker to me but after thinking about it, it makes since. Not only is it plastic, but all sugar free (and some with sugar) contain aspartame which all children (and adults) should avoid.
  • Cell phones emit enough radiation that is possibly carcinogenic to humans.
  • Coal-fired plants are the primary source of toxic mercury air emissions in the United States.
  • Obama and the USDA have chosen to override and ignore decisions and injunctions made by the U.S. Supreme Court that banned planting of genetically engineered alfalfa and sugar beets without consideration of the Environmental Impact Assessments, which showed high risks to organic and conventional (chemical) farmers.
  • Sugar beets make up 50% of the sugar Americans consume. GM alfalfa (what animals eat) will totally wipe out organic dairy and meat.
  • Triclosan and other antibacterials can be found in plastic!
  • A Canadian University may have found a cure for cancer in 2007, but since it can’t be patented, no drug company has funded further research.
  • The FDA finally concludes BPA does line most aluminum cans and it leaches into food. So now what?
  • New Zealand and the UK have done studies about Flame Retardants causing SIDS in the early 2000’s, but there hasn’t been much follow up. After reading all of the infant products that contain flame retardants, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they were related.
  • Out of 101 tested infant products made with polyurethane foam, 80% came back positive for halogenated flame retardants. Even 1 product tested positive for a flame retardant that has been banned for the past 7 years. Products tested were high chairs, nursing pillows, mattresses, car seats, rocking chairs, sleep postioners, changing pads, baby carriers, and more.
  • Companies do not have to tell you what their products are made out of. I’ve been told numerous times this week (by big named, claiming to be eco-friendly companies) that they can’t tell me because it’s proprietary. I also found out that a lot of companies don’t know the ingredients in their own products and had to ask the original manufacturer!! That is so scary… not to mention shady…
  • The EWG’s new sunscreen best sheet is kind of flawed. There are numerous sun screens with toxic ingredients that made their list. They rated them by UVA protection, not chemical safety protection. Use SafeMama’s list instead. 🙂
  • American coal plants produce 386,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants every year. Among other toxins: arsenic, chromium and nickel cause cancer; lead damages the nervous system; acid gases irritate the nose and throat; dioxins affect the reproductive endocrine and immune systems; volatile organic compounds weaken lungs and eyes.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics said children should not drink energy drinks and only a select few should drink sports drinks.
  • American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more that 100 calories of added sugar per day–about 6 teaspoons–and men consume no more than 150 calories of added sugar per day–about 9 teaspoons.
  • Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice and Apple and Eve Clear Apple Juice contain 22 grams of sugar per 8 ounce glass.

  • Amount of sugar in grams:

    # of grams

    In teaspoons of sugar

    1 gram

    ¼ teaspoon

    4 grams

    1 teaspoon, 1 sugar cube, 1 sugar packet

    8 grams

    2 teaspoons

    16 grams

    4 teaspoons

    32 grams

    8 teaspoons

    52 grams

    13 teaspoons

    88 grams

    22 teaspoons

    120 grams

    30 teaspoons

    200 grams

    50 teaspoons of sugar (1 cup granulated)

    220 grams

    54 teaspoons of sugar (1 cup packed brown)

No Sugar Challenge Day 31

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Whew, it’s been a LONG 31 days!! 69 more days to go! Though, when my challenge is all over, I doubt I will ever go back to being a sugarholic, but man I can’t wait to have a cupcake. 😀

During my first month of only 15 grams of fructose a day, the biggest thing I’ve learned is that sugar is truly in EVERYTHING. And in obscene amounts of it. It doesn’t matter if you are buying conventional or organic, there is tons of sugar everywhere. Just one peanut butter and jelly sandwich can have 24 grams of sugar, and that’s IF you are only using a tablespoon of jelly and peanut butter. Limiting myself to only 15 grams of fructose, I’ve had to really pay attention to portion sizes. And I learned that my portion sizes have been too big.

I’ve also learned it’s really hard to limit kids sugar. Now Ella only gets organic foods and it’s not like I’m giving her soda or candy bars. But on average, she gets about 40-50 grams of sugar a day. And that’s over the recommended 32 grams. I can’t imagine what kids are getting that get lots of juice, sodas, candy, and other snacks. I have to say the mini box of raisins blew my mind- 29 grams of sugar!

So, in month 1 I have learned sugar is in everything, that I need to better control my portions, curb cravings with substitutes, too much xylitol causes tummy issues, and I have lost 10 pounds. I am still 165.

I did some other research on sugar and read that exercise is a way to curb cravings. So I’m going to add a yoga routine to my no sugar. I haven’t planned it out fully, but will be back with more details. The first month of my challenge I did no other workout/exercise program that could alter the results.

Puddlegear Extended!!

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I want others to know about Puddlegear, since they make AMAZING eco rain gear, so I want to extend the giveaway another week! That means more Tweets and Shares for entries!! The giveaway will now end June 8, 2011 at 11:59 p.m EST.

Twitter Party With Healthy Child!!

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Can You Live With Less Plastic? Let’s Tweet About It!
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm PST (9 pm EST)

In a typical day – what plastic products do you use? Are there any you could probably live without? Any you could not live without? There are pros and cons to plastics, but with increasing studies finding that chemicals used in many are impacting our health, it’s time to understand them better and figure out how to live a life with less.

Join Healthy Child, Healthy World on Thursday June 2 at 6pmPST/9pmEST to tweet about it!

The special panelists will be:
Susan Freinkel, @SusanFreinkel, author of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story
Susan Hunt Stevens, @PracticallyGrn, founder and CEO of Practically Green
Rachel White, PhD, @GreenerEveryday, green home and lifestyle consultant and founder of Greener Everyday
Beth Terry, @PlasticFreeBeth, who has been attempting to live plastic-free and blogging the heck out of it since 2007
Michelle Lloyd, @MKokopelli, mom, journalist, blogger, retailer, consumer, and activist who is dedicated to living and teaching about being eco-friendly

Here’s how to participate:
Follow @healthy_child and the panelists above.
Tag your tweets using #healthychild so everyone can see them.
Use this unique Tweet Grid to make following the conversation easier. http://bit.ly/lmNRhE
To be eligible for a prize, you must live in the US and actively participate in the party (yes, it’s that easy!)

Want to get more involved? Check out the Healthy Child page and say you are attending with your Twitter handle. Also, go on Facebook and say you are attending! Hope to see you all there!

Xylitol Brownies

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I finally went and bought more xylitol to make brownies. I also decided to make some xylitol sweet tea while I was at it because I was having a major craving for my organic black tea (that’s not so good without sweetness.)

First let me say that the brownies were unbelievably good! I’d even put them in the top 10 best brownies. They were so good, I ate 2 giant brownies with a huge glass of milk. Followed by a cup of my xylitol black tea. Which was so so.

So, do you remember my first xylitol post? The part where I said, “Xylitol can cause gas, bloating, and upset stomach.” Yeah, well I didn’t think that 2 brownies and a cup of tea would cause those effects. But boy was I wrong! If you are wondering, each of my brownies were cut into 3X3 pieces.

Last night, I ate half of a brownie and was fine. Tonight I will try 1 full brownie to see what happens. But I had no clue it was that sensitive. Now, if you tasted these brownies, you’d understand why I have to keep testing. They are totally getting rid of my chocolate craving and are 100% sugar free. And are DELICIOUS!

Here is the recipe in case you’d like to try at home. Just remember to stop yourself before getting seconds!

Organic spray oil or butter for coating
10 tablespoons organic salted butter- cut into 10 tablespoons
1 1/3 cup xylitol (this is 1:1 to sugar)
3/4 cup fair trade unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon organic vanilla
2 large organic cage free eggs, chilled
1/3 plus 1 tablespoon organic wholewheat flour
1 cup walnuts

Place your rack on the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat oven 325. Get a 9″ pan and cover with foil and let it drape over so you can lift. Then spray organic oil or butter on the foil. Put butter pieces on stove and melt over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes.
When butter stops foaming and you see lots of brown bits, take off heat.
Immediately add xylitol, cocoa, vanilla, and water and blend.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Then add eggs and beat into mixture. Once shiny, add the flour and stir about 60 strokes. Add nuts. Then pour into greased foil/pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

This is my recipe that I’d use with sugar. With the sugar, there is a nice crisp crust on top. The xylitol doesn’t crust, but it’s still moist and yummy.

Has anyone else used xylitol and mastered the “safe” amount?

Day 18: No Sugar Challenge (also a look at Chick Fil A ingredients)

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Yes, the challenge is still on and I’m on day 18. Only 82 more days to go… maybe by then I’ll stop craving chocolate cake. 🙂 I’m going to get more xylitol on Friday, so I can try another recipe. Hopefully the next won’t be a disaster!

My weigh in today was 166! That is 9 pounds in 18 days. I am beyond amazed. I know a lot of it is water weight and not fat melting off. 🙂 But I can see a difference in my face. Before the challenge, we would eat out maybe once a week. I would also sneak a low fat berry coffee cake from Star Bucks on occasion. But I have since learned that has over 30 grams of sugar. 😦 Boo!

We did go to Chick Fil A last week for dinner. I grabbed their nutritional brochure and am really blown away with their ingredients. Only 6 grams of sugar in a chicken sandwich, but I’m really sad by what else I found. Actually, I’m quite pissed off about it…

This is what’s in the original Chicken Sandwich:

Chicken (100% natural whole breast filet, seasoning [salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika], seasoned coater [enriched bleached flour {bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid}, sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening {baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate}, spice, soybean oil, color {paprika}], milk wash [water, whole powdered egg and nonfat milk solids], peanut oil [fully refined peanut oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness and dimethylpolysiloxane an anti-foaming agent added]), bun (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, folic acid], water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, contains 2% or less of each of the following: liquid yeast, soybean oil, nonfat milk, salt, wheat gluten, soy flour, dough conditioners [may contain one or more of the following: mono- and diglycerides, calcium and sodium stearoyl lactylates, calcium peroxide], soy flour, amylase, yeast nutrients [monocalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate], calcium propionate added to retard spoilage, soy lecithin, cornstarch, butter oil [soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavor, TBHQ and citric acid added as preservatives, and artificial color]), pickle (cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, lactic acid, calcium chloride, alum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate [preservatives], natural flavors, polysorbate 80, yellow 5, blue 1).

If you aren’t sure what these mean, here is a cheat sheet:
Monosodium glutamate: MSG: Is known to interfere with brain chemistry and have been implicated in many neurological diseases, such as brain cancers, MS, fibromyalgia, depression and hyperactivity (ADHD), and is linked to obesity. Other side effects are increased appetite, headaches, nausea, chest pain, flushing, sweating, weakness, and rapid heart beat. I’m really shocked by this!!

TBHQ: tert-Butylhydroquinon: Petroleum based preservative for animal fat and is considered a synthetic anti-oxidant. In studies, rats who were fed high doses of TBHQ long term developed stomach tumors. But really, who wants petroleum in their food? There has been some anecdotal evidence that TBHQ can cause anxiety, restlessness, and aggravation of ADHD symptoms.

Dimethylpolysiloxane: Is related to silicone. It is used to keep the oil from foaming in fried foods… and this chemical also is the main ingredient in silly putty. It is also used in cosmetics, head lice treatment, lubricants, herbicides, Rain X, and caulk. Yumm… (McD’s and Wendys also use it in their fryers)

Calcium propionate: This is used as a pesticide and is considered slightly toxic. But in food, it prevents spoilage. It causeds “oxidative stress and produced reversible behavior (e.g. hyperactivity, dystonia, social impairment, perseveration) and brain (e.g. innate neuroinflammation, glutathione depletion) changes reminiscent of autism in rats. Also, in a small study in children (n=27) found statistically significant “[i]rritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance in some children” on challenge with calcium propionate preserved food.”

I really didn’t think Chick Fil A of all fast foods would have such bad ingredients. I thought they were the exception. But, guess not. 😦 If you have the time, please send them a email or write on their Facebook wall. Maybe they will listen if more than 1 person is vocal. I do know that the McDonalds in Europe doesn’t use the toxic ingredients that they use in the US. So, fast food can be made without the junk.

Why is our health put at risk so people can save a buck? I truly don’t understand…

Please stay tuned… I have 2 AWESOME giveaways coming up- not food related 🙂

 

Day 10 Sugar Challenge

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I attempted Xylitol chocolate (unsweetened) cookies today… epic failure! They were rubbery, dry, and crumbly. BUT they satisfied my craving, so I guess not a total failure. I also had unsweet tea for the first time willingly. And I’m from the south… we like our tea extra sweet. It wasn’t that bad… but I do miss my sweet tea.

No change on the weight today.