Category: Commentary

 “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”

Ann Wigmore

 The world is a dangerous place.  What you don’t see can kill you.  We think we are safe, living in the comfort and convenience of the 21st century.  We are not.  Gone may be the days of fighting man and beast for survival on the frontier, but today some of our greatest dangers are lurking for us on quiet grocery store shelves.  Poison in our food is a real thing.  To stay alive in this modern world, it pays to think -   and read.  For your consideration, I submit the following.
 Among all humans on planet Earth, Americans have the highest ultra-processed food consumption rate.  Among all developed countries, we also have the shortest lifespan.  Perhaps there is a connection.  50-70 percent of our diet in the States is made up of ultra-processed foods.  This is the highest consumption rate in the developed world.  Many of the ingredients and additives used in the U.S. are restricted or banned in Europe and Canada.  Here are a few examples (note - I have written about some of these additives before in a previous column – Danger Food- Poison in the Kitchen).
 First on the list is the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), the most commonly used sweetener in American processed foods.  It is used in almost everything we eat.   
 HFCS is approved for use in Europe, but they use a modified form called isoglucose.  This contains up to 30 percent fructose, compared to the American version of HFCS which contains 42-55 percent fructose.  HFCS 55, the 55 percent option, is most commonly used in the U.S.  It is more concentrated and therefore sweeter.  
 Food companies adopted HFCS in the late 20th century, and its use in food products increased 1000 percent during this time.  This signaled the greatest change in the American diet in our history.  The rise in obesity in the last 40 years seems to coincide with this change.
 HFCS is cheaper than sugar, hence it’s increased use.  HFCS 55 has a higher fructose content than sugar, which when consumed in excess can strain the liver and contribute to fatty liver disease.  Fructose also doesn’t prompt the body to release insulin or the hormones that signal your brain to stop eating.  This, of course, can lead to excessive eating and weight gain.  
 The most common ingredient in American processed foods are SEED OILS – soybean, corn, canola, and sunflower oils.  These oils are often extracted using toxic compounds like hexane.  They are degummed with acids and water, neutralized to prevent them from turning rancid, deodorized and bleached to remove smell and color, and often hydrogenated to maintain a stable shelf life.  Most processed vegetable oils are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, making them prone to oxidation when heated.  When eaten, these oxidized fats can damage cells and genes in our bodies.  Seed oil consumption has been linked to a number of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.   
 Synthetic FOOD DYES are also common in our processed foods.  These include red 40, red 2, green 3, blue 1 and 2, yellow 6, and yellow 5 (tartrazine).  These dyes are often made from petroleum, making them more durable and cheaper.  These food dyes have been linked to cancer and behavioral problems.
 BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene) are used in chips, cereals, granola bars, crackers and more.  Both are considered likely carcinogenic. 
 BVO (Bromated Vegetable Oil), linked to neurological disease is used as an emulsifier in soda and sports drinks.
 Potassium Bromate and Azodiacarbonamide (ADA) can be found in flour, bread, and other baked goods.  They are considered cellular toxins and linked to cancer and behavioral problems.
 Titanium Dioxide, shown to cause fibrosis, pulmonary damage and lung tumors in rodents, is found in salad dressing, canned soup, candy, and boxed macaroni and cheese.
 These are only some of the potentially dangerous substances lurking in our food supply.
 So, is it possible to eat and remain healthy in our modern pre-packaged ultra-processed world?  Yes, I think it is.  Read labels.  Then read them again.  Minimize or avoid consumption of processed foods.  Stop eating the poison.  And eat fresh food when you can.  Plant a garden.  Visit a farmer’s market. Seek out healthy food.  Take care of your body and eat to live.

© 2024 Jody Dyer
typewriterweekly.com

 “Bacon is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Benjamin Franklin

 Bacon is the candy bar of meat.  Who doesn’t like bacon?  It is a delicious and vital part of our American diet and culture.  We eat it for breakfast.  We use it to make sandwiches.  We add bacon to soups and salads.  Bacon is the only food that is so good we use it to wrap other foods.  You can make anything taste better with bacon.  But how did we get to this point?  How did we fall in love with bacon?  It’s an interesting story…
 What is bacon exactly?  Bacon is a cured and smoked side of pork.  This usually comes from the underside, or pork belly, of a hog.  The word “bacoun” was first used about the 12th century as a term for all types of pork.  Later, the term was used to describe only the salty strips of cured meat we know today.  
 It is believed that the Chinese were the first to salt and cure pork around 1500 B.C.  This practice, in time, spread around the world to other cultures.  The Greeks and the Romans enjoyed bacon.  During the Middle Ages, bacon became especially loved in Europe.  It was a popular source of protein for peasants at the time because it was less expensive than other cuts of meat and it traveled well.  The salt curing process preserved the meat, with no refrigeration required.  Bacon was enjoyed throughout Europe, especially in England, France, and Germany.  It would soon become a favorite in the United States.
 Until the 19th century, the dry-cure salting method was primarily used for making bacon, with production concentrated in rural communities and then sold in towns and cities.  But in the 1770s that changed.  An Englishman named John Harris developed a method for producing low-salt bacon using a special brine.  This created a delicious, sweet bacon that we still enjoy today.  Harris opened his processing plant in the English town of Calne in Wiltshire.  This new method of producing bacon became known as the “Wiltshire Cure.”  Today, Wiltshire is considered by many to be the Bacon Capital of the World.  The English were so big on bacon that they even developed breeds of swine specifically bred to produce bacon.  The Yorkshire and Tamworth swine breeds are two examples.
 Here’s an interesting side note regarding bacon.  We’ve all heard the phrase “bring home the bacon.”  We assume it refers to bringing home money, but it originally had to do with bacon.  In 12th century England, in the town of Dunmow, the church there promised a side of bacon to any married man who could swear before the congregation and God that he had not quarreled with his wife for a year and a day.  In the spirit of marital harmony, a husband who could bring home the bacon was held in high esteem by the church and community for his apparent patience, self-control, and long-suffering.
 Bacon eaters may notice that there are different types of bacon.  American-style bacon, what we typically consume in mass quantities here in the U.S., is distinguished by the fat that runs down long strips (streaky bacon).  It comes from the underside of the pig and is essentially sliced pork bellies.  English bacon (rashers) is cut from the loin, or back of the hog, with the fat cap attached.  This gives a good fat to meat ratio.  Canadian (and Irish) bacon is typically round and resembles ham.  It has less fat, and is also cut from the loin, but without the fat cap.  Canadian bacon is a favorite topping for pizza.  Pancetta (pronounced pan-chet-ta), or Italian bacon, also comes from the back of the pig, and is often seasoned with garlic and other herbs.  It can be added to pasta and other dishes for a savory and rich bacon flavor.  The bacon we love comes from pork, but there are other options available these days, like turkey bacon.  
 One legitimate concern that many folks have is that sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are added to most bacon that you buy.  Meat processors use these to stabilize the red color in meat, making it more attractive (gray meat looks less appetizing).  Sodium nitrate is a naturally occurring chemical and sodium nitrite is its synthetically made brother.  Both can contribute to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines.  But today, we do have the option of buying bacon without these extra additives.  This healthier version of our beloved bacon is often labeled as “uncured” with “no nitrates or nitrites added.”  In an attempt to stay healthy and alive, this is the bacon that I usually buy.     
 It’s almost time for breakfast now - think I’ll fry some bacon!   

© 2024 Jody Dyer
typewriterweekly.com