Morning Quick Start

This is my quick breakfast for those crazy mornings! It takes 5 minutes from start to finish (quick clean-up, dry-up and put-up).

• 1 Banana
• 1 1/2c. Almond Milk
• 1 scoop Unicity Complete (the BEST, I'm picky)
• Blend all the ingredients together in a small mixer, BAM done.

total calories 315

Food Label "Overhaul" Proposed to Public

It is no secret (or it shouldn't be) that the current food label is confusing and many people have a hard time making sense of it. There have been no changes made to the format of the food labels appearance or content in about 20 years. Just a week ago the FDA, along with Michelle Obama, announced the proposal of new revisions and proposed two possible options. 

image source:wallstreetjournal.com via google search

My thoughts

I like the changes! I really like that "Added Sugars" is being taken into consideration! I wonder how this will affect all the great fruit juices that are on the market that provide such wonderful amounts of sugar antioxidents (*sacrasim). Now, consumers will be able to see what has actually been added to their food versus what is naturally occuring. 

At first I was leaning toward option one because it was bolder, easily caught my attention, was condensed in appearance and the CALORIES really pop out. But, the more I looked at the differences between the two, I think I like option 2 better. 

Proposal 2 adds a little bit of quick education that I think might really be helathpul for the average consumer. I like the addition of Quick Facts, Avoid to Much and Get Enough sections. It breaks it down into three simple facts: 

1. This is what this food has to offer
2. You don't want to eat to much of this (saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium & added sugars)
3. You need to get more of this (fiber, vitamin D, calcium, potassium & iron)

Regardless of which proposal is chosen, I am happy that the label is being changed. I applaud the effort and know that for me personally, it will make teaching How to Read a Food Label a whole lot easier. More importantly, I think that this change will help to alleviate some of the initial shock or stress that occurs when we are attempting to make better lifestyle & diet choices. Will these changes fix our food woes, NO WAY. We still have many of issues with food production & ingredients, advertisement, individual product labeling, portion size and so on but this is a start.

Which option do you like best? Proposal 1 or Proposal 2

Do you like the changes? 

Is it easier to understand?

Do you think this will have any impact on the family diet?

Try This, NOT That: Fage Greek Yogurt vs. Sour Cream

Fage (pronounced Fa-yeh) is a greek yogurt and the BEST on the market nutritionally speaking. There is no other yogurt that I have found that can compare. It is high in protein & low in: sugar, sodium & fat and the ingredients are simple & clean. Fage can be used in desserts for an extra creaminess and as a replacement for sour cream in savory dishes. I also like Fage added to smoothes to add a punch of natural protein and creaminess. 

With that said, in my opinion, it is not the best tasting greek yogurt. Let me explain, Fage is thick, creamy and has to be stirred up when opened. It is more of a texture issue for me when eaten as a plain yogurt.  I don't like my yogurt thick, if you do then you will like it. 

I witnessed a little taste-test on a couple of unsuspecting teenagers. They were preparing their taco's and were asked if they liked yogurt. All said no and replied "it's nasty". Then they proceeded to make their taco's and add sour cream. When the meal was almost over it was revealed that the sour cream was in fact yogurt. They were shocked and oddly excited that they had eaten it instead of sour cream. Like them, I really can't tell the difference between sour cream and Fage! So why not make a health conscious decision and switch. 

Nutrition Facts

1 container, 7 oz

150 calories, 20 g protein, 8 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 4 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 65 mg sodium, 8 g sugar

Ingredients: Grade A Pasteurized Skimmed Milk and Cream, Live Active Yogurt Cultures (L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei)

To learn more about Fage visit them here.

*product pictures were found on google.com and nutrition facts provided by Fage.

Aspartame: Friend or Foe?

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is used as a sweetening agent in over 6,000 food and beverage products. It is calorie-free and commercialized widely in the "dieting" industry ("sugar-free" "calorie-free" & "diet" claims). It was approved by the FDA in 1981 and has had to reaffirm its safety 26 times since then. It is the most scrutinized artificial sweetener and the most widely consumed worldwide. Aspartame is also known as: Nutrasweet, Equal, SweetOne & Spoonful.

Aspartame is made of two amino acids, phenylalanine & aspartic acid. Once ingested, these amino acids breakdown into methanol (aka wood alcohol) before becoming formic acid & formaldehyde.
There are NUMEROUS research articles that focus on the health effects of aspartame. Some claim that it is safe while others claim it is the most poisonous food additive out there. If you are really interested in the nitty gritty then you need to search out these articles and then make your own personal, health decision.

The FDA has set the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for aspartame at 50 mg/kg of body weight/day. The ADI for aspartame is the equivalent of a 70 kg (154 lb.) person consuming about 20 cans of aspartame-sweetened beverage or about 100 sachets of tabletop sweetener with aspartame per day... www.aspartame.org

WAIT! You are thinking that there is no way one person could possibly consume that much aspartame in a day... look at this short list of foods containing Aspartame:

Food/Beverage products that contain Aspartame: 

Breath Mints, Carbonated Soft Drinks, Cereals, Chewing Gum, Flavored Syrups for Coffee, Flavored Water Products, Frozen Ice, Frozen Ice Cream Novelties, Fruit Spreads, Gelatin, Sugar Free, Hard Candies, Ice cream Toppings, Ice Creams, No Sugar or Sugar Free, Iced Tea, Powder, Iced Tea, Ready to Drink, Instant Cocoa Mix, Jams & Jellies, Juice Blends, Juice Drinks, Maple Syrups, Meal Replacements, Mousse, No Sugar Added Pies, Non-Carbonated Diet Soft drinks, Nutritional Bars, Powdered Soft Drinks, Protein Nutritional Drinks, Pudding, Soft Candy Chews, Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup, Sugar Free Cookies, Sugar Free Ketchup, Table Top Sweeteners, Vegetable Drinks, Yogurt, Drinkable, Yogurt, Fat Free, Yogurt, Sugar Free, MULTIVITAMINS  

Now, ponder on that for a minute and then ask yourself "How much aspartame am I eating daily?" Even your multivitamins are not safe! There are over 6000+ possible ways aspartame could be sneaking its way into your diet without you knowing.

So, is Aspartame a good choice? Absolutely not. Who wants a neurotoxin to quench their thirst?! ...Apparently A LOT OF PEOPLE. 

A Little More Chemistry

Are you having trouble loosing weight? Do you buy "sugar-free" & "Carb-free" snacks? Those extra pounds that keep hanging around just might be your fault after all...

Artificial sweeteners (aspartame) are known to increase our craving for sugar and inhibit our ability to regulate hunger. So, we are trying to avoid extra calories and excess sugar by consuming an artificial sugar that in-turn makes use crave sugar and lose the ability to feel full! Great, now we are worse off than just eating the sugar. 
    

Artificial sweeteners are known to rapidly stimulate the release of insulin and leptin; two hormones that are intricately involved with satiety and fat storage. Insulin and leptin are also the primary hormones that regulate your metabolism. Mercola.com

Possible Adverse Reactions & Side Effects of Aspartame

• abdominal pain
• anxiety or panic attacks
• bloating
• edema
• chronic cough
• chronic fatigue
• depression
• diarrhea
• excessive thirst
• increased hunger
• hair loss or thinning of hair
• insomnia
• irritability
• dizziness or vertigo
  

May Worsen the Following Diseases

• Lupus
• Parkinson's Disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Epilepsy
• Arthritis
• Alzheimer's Disease 

*There are numerous claims as to what ailments aspartame causes, 100+ symptoms/side effects. The symptoms & diseases listed are those that are more commonly reported.

How Do I Eliminate Aspartame From My Diet 

1. Get informed. Start reading food labels and making changes in your food & drink choices  THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TO DRINK BESIDES DIET COKE!!
2. Remove all sugar-free products from your diet  
3. Detox (you are going to have a headache and major cravings... fight through it!)
4. Start eating fresher foods


Sources: aspartame.org; mercola.com
Image Source: google.com

Did You Know...

One of my food weaknesses... these bags never stand a chance...

The English chocolate company Cadbury made the first chocolate bar in the world in 1842. Since this time, they have grown into a global candy market and produce over 100+ products ranging from confectionery to beverages & biscuits.

 

2,000 Calories

Just watched this video thanks to Holly Larson and had to re-post!