By now we have all heard about all of theses uglies but it occurs to me that a bit of clarification might be needed as all this information is coming at us so fast!
BPA
BPA is an estrogen-like compound in plastic which could be posing some risk to the brain development of babies and children. It may cause things like early puberty in girls and breast development in boys. It is the main chemical used to make things like baby bottles hard and clear.
Bisphenol A, or BPA, is found in low levels in virtually every human body. A component of polycarbonate plastic, it can leach from baby bottles and other hard plastic beverage containers, food can linings and other consumer products.
When hard plastics are exposed to extreme temperatures – think microwave or freezer the BPA is released into the food or liquid inside the container. So what does this mean? Don’t freeze your water bottles, in fact get a refillable plastic free container and fill with water yourself, better for the planet and better for you! If you use the microwave, put your food into ceramic or glass no BPA will be released into your food. Also, don’t cover food with plastic wrap before microwaving.
Parabens
You may have heard about how you should avoid parabens in the products you buy, but you might be wondering why you should do so. First, let’s look at where you might find parabens and what products they are normally in.
Parabens can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, personal lubricants, topical pharmaceuticals and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives in some products. Basically, a huge percentage of the products you buy for everyday use contain some form of paraben, so it can be difficult to find products that do not use them. Look for methylparaben, ethylparaben anything with the word paraben in the name.
Now, before anyone says anything, I know that there have been studies on both sides of the argument…parabens are bad and parabens are ok. But since there have been studies that say that it is not healthy, we have chosen to take the precautionary route and not use products containing them. Whether or not they are as bad as some say they are, I would rather err on the side of safety. Now, on to what parabens could be doing to your body.
For starters, Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers. Do you really want to take the chance that they might do so? In the July 2002 issue of the Archives of Toxicology , Dr. S. Oishi of the Department of Toxicology, Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health reported that exposure of newborn male mammals to butylparaben “adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system.” If that is not enough to avoid a product that can easily be avoided, I don’t know what is! There are a lot of other reports available all over the internet, but most of them are all related to reproductive health in some way or another.
The jury is still out on how and why parabens might affect development and growth of both babies and adults. There is no harm being careful with this kind of stuff…remember, things that were deemed safe in the past then came back to bite us all when we were told that they actually caused all sorts of diseases. And when they are safe alternatives available, I would rather not take the chance that my children develop strange reproductive problems.
High Fructose
Today, the use of high fructose corn syrup in the United States is prevalent. It has replaced pure sugar as the main sweetener in most carbonated beverages, including Coca Cola and Pepsi products. High fructose corn syrup can also be found in cake mixes, cookies, sauces, breakfast cereals and commercial baked goods. Some companies still use pure cane sugar when feasible, but the US government subsidizes much of the corn industry responsible for manufacturing high fructose corn syrup. Processing of high fructose corn syrup in the United States is performed in specialized factories.
Production of high fructose corn syrup is a bit complex. Cornstarch originally contains very long chemical chains of pure glucose, which must first be broken down into shorter chains called polysaccharides. This is accomplished by adding an enzyme called alpha-amylase, which is derived from a bacteria.
Once the cornstarch has been broken down, a second enzyme called glucoamylase is added to the vat. Glucoamylase is derived from a fungus called Aspergillus. The continued fermentation converts the slurry into almost pure glucose.
The third step in the processing of high fructose corn syrup is the most expensive. An enzyme called glucose-isomerase is stored in tall columns and the glucose slurry is poured across the top of those columns. The enzyme converts the pure glucose into a combination of fructose and glucose, but not at the final percentages desired. A process called liquid chromatography essentially distills the syrup into 90% fructose. This concentrated fructose product is then blended back into the original mix to create the final 55% fructose, 45% glucose product called high fructose corn syrup.
Amazingly enough, all of this processing does not significantly add to the cost of producing high fructose corn syrup. Partially because of high tariffs placed on imported cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup is still cheaper than sugar and can be inexpensively shipped in tanker trucks. From an economic standpoint, everyone from the corn farmer to the food processor to the consumer wins with the use of high fructosecorn syrup.
However, not everyone is sold on the benefits of high fructose corn syrup. Some health experts express concern over the level of genetic modification and processing used to create the finished product. Even though consumers associate fructose with natural fruit sugars, the concentration of fructose found in high fructose corn syrup is not necessarily natural. Diabetics and others who must monitor their blood sugarlevels may not get accurate glycemic readings after ingesting fructose. Others point out the association between processed foods containing high fructose corn syrup and obesity.
There are those who say that products made exclusively with high fructose corn syrup do not taste as good as those made with pure cane sugar or other sweeteners. Chemically, high fructose corn syrup is exactly as sweet as cane sugar or honey, but a number of consumers seem to prefer the use of more natural sweeteners. If avoiding high fructose corn syrup is an issue, one might want to consider shopping in ethnic grocery stores which import their products. Many Mexican food and beverage producers, for example, still use pure cane sugar in their products. It pays to read the label if you’re interested in reducing your consumption of high fructose corn syrup.
Trans Fatty Acids
There are four kinds of fats: monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the “good” fats. It is generally accepted that consumption of saturated fat should be kept low, especially for adults. Trans fat (which means trans fatty acids) is the worst kind of fat, far worse than saturated fat.
Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good oil, such as soybean oil, into a perfectly bad oil. The process is used to make an oil more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or “mouthfeel.” The big problem is that partially hydrogenated oil is laden with lethal trans fat.
If the label says zero trans fats, don’t believe it. If the words “partially hydrogenated” or “shortening” are in the ingredients list, it DOES contain trans fat.
Ok, so are you overwhelmed yet? Read labels, don’t freak out, but do be aware that you want to be able to recognize all the ingredients in your food. If you shop at a natural foods store like Whole Foods they should ensure that no high fructose or trans fatty acids are contained in their food. I try to use an all natural brand of shampoo and soaps for my family and I can also recognize all the ingredients on the label. As always, just do the best you can with the information you have.
We are so honored to be a part of Dr. Greene’s latest publication Feeding Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Program. It will be available on October 5, 2009 through 
If you have been watching the news you know that the drought is officially over here in southland. It is flooding everywhere and schools are closed so in honor of all the parents who are housebound with bored children, here are some great ideas about how to keep them entertained and keep your sanity!
Its dinnertime and your children push away the spinach and refuse to eat the broccoli. For snacks and dessert, they shun the fresh fruit you offer them. Does this sound familiar? If you want to inspire your kids to eat healthier, it helps to make the foods you offer them more appealing.
Hey all my Atlanta friends, we are going to be handing out samples of Jack’s Harvest (you know you want some) at the 
I assume that all business owners have their days where it just seems overwhelming and not worth it and those are the days that invariably we get a call or email or post from one of you telling us that what we do matters and that gives us the impetus to continue and peel one more apple! So, we want to share a few of the comments that have meant so much to us. We read all our emails, we check our Facebook (a little more than is strictly necessary) and we take as many calls as we can and listen to all the voicemails personally. So keep ‘em coming, you never know when we might be on the verge of running away and joining the circus and your comment could save us from the carnie lifestyle!
OK, Jack’s Harvest fans I just want to make sure that you are aware that we are having an amazing sale on Amazon again. Take advantage of it while it lasts and stock up – Jack’s Harvest is good in the freezer for six months so don’t be afraid to order a couple of packs! As always with Amazon – shipping is FREE!
As a mother who has endured two colicky babyhoods I know that when you are in the throes of sleepless nights holding a screaming, inconsolable baby there is just NOTHING worse. I remember everyone telling me, it only last three months which seemed like an eternity. I do have a few tips and tricks we picked up along the way which I hope will help. If you have the colic – please know I feel your pain, I really do and it will pass!
