Splurge on the organic carrots or tomatoes?


Splurge on the organic carrots. Don’t worry so much about the tomatoes… more

Ode to Earth Day: Say NO to Roundup


I planned to name and detail only ingredients on this site. But, it’s Earth Day and I’m throwing that plan down the garbage disposal today, alongside my green onion roots from last night’s wontons.

EVERY parent should know the facts about a product you may have stored in your garage or backyard. Roundup, a popular weed killer, is available everywhere in the spring. It’s widely advertised on television, in magazines, on the internet, and in stores. As I sit here and type, a “Roundup Extended Control” commerical is airing on television. The marketing for this product is strong. Pick up a bottle, pull the trigger on an attached sprayer, and worry about that annoying weed in your yard no more. If only it was that simple and carefree… more

Aluminum under your arms?


How safe is the aluminum in antiperspirant?

A few years back, I read that aluminum was a dangerous element to absorb. I read that it was linked to loss of memory and possibly some diseases affecting the brain. While in my local Whole Foods Market shortly after, I purchased my first ever aluminum-free deodorant. I can’t remember the brand, but I hadn’t heard of it before, and the scent was lemon based. When I got home, I tucked my “clinical strength” clicky deodorant/antiperspirant away in the linen closet. I tried out my new deodorant for a little over a week, and was confident that, had I been in a library in San Luis Obispo County, California, that I’d be kicked out. Afterall, it’s prohibited in the code of conduct to infringe on others’ rights to use the libray with offensive B.O. (body odor). more

Artificial colors


I’m a mom and a teacher. I grocery shop and notice the colorful products in the aisles. Occasionally, I buy them. My weakness is a certain color-coated bite-sized chocolate candy, which happened to be an ultra bargain price with my Costco coupon last week. I observe the packet of neon “fruit snacks” poured into kids’ hands during snack time in school. I want to get to the bottom of the time old question: Will food dye make my child hyperactive? If I told you that artificial food dyes were suspected to cause irritability, restlessness, and even cancer, would your concern shift? more

High fructose corn syrup

What would a cream cheese wonton be without its sweet ‘n sour counterpart? We’ve made a special grocery run just to have sweet ‘n sour sauce to dip our wontons in. We assemble our wontons with tasty ingredients (for us: cream cheese, green onions, garlic, paprika sealed inside of wonton wrappers), deep fry them in olive oil, and then dunk them in sweet and sour sauce, which may not always be from a natural foods store. Maybe it’s like balancing the equilibrium. Then there’s my love for fries with my ketchup. more

Genetically Engineered Ingredients (GEI’s)

coming soon.

Sodium Nitrite

Sodium Nitrite is a chemical preservative that is added to meat (and fish). It prevents the growth of botulism causing bacteria and makes meats’ color more pink, aka appealing . It has been linked to migraines, and repeated consumption of cured meats has been linked to the COPD form of lung disease… more

BHA and BHT

BHA and BHT are preservative compounds added to foods to preserve fats and oils from going rancid. This U.S. National Library of Medicine study identifies BHA and BHT as carcinogens… more

Aspartame


Growing up, the two soda options in my refrigerator were my mom’s diet cola or my dad’s clear lemon-lime soda. I’ve always associated my dad’s lemon-lime soda with being sick, and drinking it when it seemed my stomach couldn’t handle even water. So that option was not an option. We weren’t supposed to eat or drink much sugar, so mom’s diet cola was the way to go; a solid solution, right? Drink the cola but don’t deal with the consequences of sugar. Well, the diet cola didn’t contain sugar, but it did contain aspartame. Now, a parent myself, there is more to know about aspartame. It’s not an innocent substitute for sugar, nor will it be stocking the shelves of our refrigerator. more

Trans Fat, aka Partially Hydrogenated Oil


Butter contains fat. It’s true. Shortening contains trans fat. So which makes a better pie crust?

Trans-fats: This term is everywhere nowadays. Simply put, trans fats are a convenient nightmare. If you think they’ve been banned, read on.

What they are and what they do
Trans-fats are the products of hydrogenation. When oils and fats are hydrogenated, they’re synthetically modified, producing artificial solid matter. Many food manufacturers love this artificial solid matter so much that they add it to every product they sell, naming it (partially) hydrogenated oil. Why? Artificial matter won’t expire any time soon. The shelf life of that product is now significantly increased. Is this good for your body? Not so much.

Consuming trans-fats increases your risk of… more