It’s still Aspartame. Reminiscent of the recent High Fructose Corn Syrup name change, possibly in an effort to change our opinions, Aspartame will now be referred to as AminoSweet. Don’t fall for a more “natural” name – this stuff is still bad news. Hopes are that by using a more natural sounding name, consumers will feel more at ease with its pervasive use in more than 6,000 products.

Originally introduced more than 25 years ago, this “accidental discovery” has quickly taken over the food industry.  Two naturally-occurring amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine) were first combined in an effort to produce an anti-ulcer drug. Pharmacist James Schlatter discovered that the new compound had a very sweet taste. The company was granted a change on its FDA approval application from drug to food additive. Thus, aspartame was born.

Read Full Post >

The prayers of many who have high cholesterol have been answered: Lipitor has finally gone generic. Atorvastatin may be here but Lipitor’s maker Pfizer is not going quietly into the night- they would like to keep their 100 million dollar weekly sales in tact. So here’s what you should know if you want to jump on the number one’s statin band wagon.

Lipitor is a cholesterol lowering drug called a statin that mainly works on the LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol. As far as potency, Lipitor is more potent than simvastatin (Zocor) but not as potent as Crestor for reducing LDL after the first dose is taken. Here’s some downsides to statin, including an increase in liver enzymes. Elevated liver enzymes could affect liver function and cause myopathy or muscle pain. If this occurs stop taking the statin and call your doctor. The most dangerous and rare side effect is called rhabodomyolysis. This causes the breakdown of muscle and can eventually lead to kidney failure, but overall, statins are a great drug to lower LDL and help prevent heart disease and heart attacks.

Read Full Post >

The National Organic Standards Board will be holding their biannual meeting at the Hilton Savannah DeSoto in Savannah, Georgia, November 29 – December 2, 2011. “We think this meeting may well decide the fate of organic food and agriculture in this country,” said Mark A. Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute. The mission of the Cornucopia Institute states that they are “dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Through research, advocacy and economic development [their] goal is to empower farmers both politically and through marketplace initiatives.”

During this NOSB meeting, the Cornucopia Institute will be presenting formal testimony on several subjects including genetically modified and synthetic additives that have been petitioned for use in organic foods and drinks, including baby foods and formula. Part of their testimony will include findings from a consumer survey done by PCC Natural Markets, the largest member-owned food cooperative in the United States, that shows more than three fourths of consumers are opposed to such synthetic additives in their food.

The Cornucopia Institute is also concerned about a petition to the NOSB to allow the use of the synthetic preservative sulfur dioxide (sulfites) in wine. “Approving sulfites, not only a synthetic preservative but a common allergen, would represent another blow to consumer confidence in the organic label, which has always signified the absence of artificial preservatives,” Kastel noted.

Read Full Post >

As social networking continues to grow in popularity, food blogs, websites, Facebook groups and other online forums have become important destinations for people dealing with chronic health conditions.

Foodily, the social recipe network that lets you find and share recipes from all corners of the web, is the latest to join the trend. The company recently launched a new site function that allows people to search for and filter recipes that correlate with a specific medical condition, such as diabetes, gout and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, also known as GERD.

“It’s tough enough dealing with a health issue as complicated as diabetes or GERD on a daily basis, but why should that mean that you can’t have a range of healthy recipe options at your fingertips?” said Andrea Cutright, CEO of Foodily. “All of us at Foodily are dedicated to encouraging people to be both healthy and happy with the food on their table.”

Read Full Post >

After 14 years in the lab, scientists have revealed a new breed of broccoli, and if the studies continue to back the claims, this broccoli may really be super for the body.

Super broccoli was created at the Institute for Food Research in Norwich, England. It’s a cross breed of traditional British broccoli and a wild, bitter Sicilian variety that has no flowery head yet a big dose of the nutrient glucoraphanin. The potency of glucoraphanin in this new breed is what is making it so super.

Broccoli naturally contains glucoraphanin, however super broccoli contains two to three times the normal amount. Glucoraphanin works by breaking down fat and preventing it from clogging arteries. There have also been many studies that are pointing to glucoarphanin being a preventative agent for heart attacks and certain cancers. The nutrient is used naturally by plants to combat insects, and in humans it may stimulate the body’s natural chemical defenses, possibly making the body more efficient at removing dangerous compounds.

Read Full Post >