Agricultural and Biofuel News - ENN

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Naming Sugar

Yes we eat too much sugar. But can you identify the sugar in your food?


Sugar is hidden in all types of foods, even ones that don’t seem sweat. Sugar is often added as a preservative, or to improve consistency.

Look at the ingredient listings for hidden sugars in foods. Many of these substances end in the suffix “-ose” or contain sugar alcohols that end in “-ol.”  Here are other names for sugar you might see in foods you eat each day:

  • Barley malt
  • Agave nectar
  • Molasses
  • Brown rice syrup
  • Cane juice
  • Cane sugar
  • Caramel
  • Brown sugar
  • Caramel syrup
  • Coconut sugar
  • Corn sweetener
  • Corn syrup solids
  • Fructose
  • Date sugar
  • Dextrose
  • Florida crystals
  • Fruit juice concentrate
  • Galactose
  • Glucose
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Invert sugar
  • Lactose
  • Malt syrup
  • Maltose
  • Maple syrup
  • Raw sugar
  • Rice syrup
  • Sorghum
  • Sucrose
  • Treacle

The Bottom Line


Approximately 40 to 65 percent of the calories we consume each day should come from carbohydrates. The carbohydrates we eat should come primarily from natural, nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. The amount of carbohydrates coming from sweets, added sugars and refined grains should be limited to achieve optimal health.

All carbohydrates contain four calories per gram, but complex carbohydrates also contain fiber, which takes longer for your body to digest, keeping you feeling fuller longer. Simple carbohydrates, such as all forms of sugar, are quickly digested and provide little nutritional value.



See More Helpful Articles

Carmen Roberts, RD. Health Pro June 26, 2015

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Secrets to a Long Life

To Live Longer, Change Your Eating Habits

What can be learned about longevity from studying the world’s healthiest communities: Loma Linda, California, Okinawa, Japan, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, and the Greek island of Ikaria? 

These areas, know as the Blue zones provide insight into the common characteristics of our planet’s longest living humans. Here’s a summary compiled by Time magazine and condensed by HealthGal:

Eat predominantly plant-based foods
This category includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, seeds and nuts.  People in the Blue Zones eat a daily diet filled with these foods.

Keep meat to twice a week
Try to eat lean meats, lose the skin (as in chicken) and try to include grass-fed options, which are higher in specific omega-3 fatty acids.  Numerous studies suggest that a diet high in meat products is associated with an increased risk of cancer.

Eat a serving of fish daily
Seventh Day Adventists follow this rule, and the Adventist Health Study, which has followed 96,000 subjects since 2002, found that this singular habit appeared to improve longevity.  Choose a variety of oily fishes and seek low-mercury fish.

Limit dairy 
Many people in the Blue Zones get their dose of calcium from cooked kale, but yogurt and certain cheeses do pepper the diet of centenarians from Ikaria and Sardinia. Unsweetened Greek yogurt is another good choice.

Eggs should pepper your diet
In the Blue Zones, eggs are consumed one at a time, and three times a week appeared to be average consumption.  The American Heart Association recommends that one egg daily is fine for most healthy adults, and certainly egg whites offer protein cholesterol with fewer calories per serving.

Eat cooked beans daily
A half cup daily provides most of the vitamins and minerals you need, substitutes for animal protein, and works well in soups, salads, chili, stews and even a stir-fry.  Soybeans are complete proteins, meaning they have all nine essential amino acids.  Combining other beans with whole grains provides complete proteins as well.

Choose grains VERY wisely
Say no to processed grains, and choose sourdough, 100 percent whole wheat and ancient grains as your primary sources.  You’ll get an array of nutrients, a big dose of fiber, and, in the case of sourdough bread, a low glycemic index choice (that means a more modulated blood sugar level as you digest this grain).

Lose the sugar habit
Centenarians from the Blue Zone eat far less sugar than we do and only enjoy occasional treats and sweets.  Apply this rule to your whole family.

Include nuts as a daily snack
Nuts can have a positive impact on cholesterol, with regular consumption helping to lower your LDL.  (A personal note: Eat measured portions since most of us need to lose weight, and nuts are high in calories.  It’s also easy to eat several handfuls of nuts mindlessly).

Recognize the foods you eat
We are eating way too many processed foods because they are cheap and convenient.  People from the Blue Zones eat real whole foods and benefit from the dizzying array of nutrients these foods offer.

Drink more water
Specifically avoid sweetened flavored waters and energy waters, which are not much healthier than sugary sodas and juices.  Plain water is the way to go. 

Grab red instead of white wine
Many from the group drink one to three glasses of red wine daily, and it may be the antioxidants in wine or the calming effect of the wine that provides a health and longevity boost.  If you don't drink wine, it is not necessary to embrace this habit.

Have a cup of tea
Green tea seems to be the most popular choice, and people from the Blue Zone drink it all day long.  Some of them brew it with herbs like rosemary and dandelion, which are considered anti-inflammatory in nature.  They do not sweeten their tea.

Caffeine is a daily habit
Many of these individuals enjoy coffee and it certainly has significant levels of anti-oxidants.  

A personal note: Researchers point to the fact that most of these individuals do not count calories, measure portions or take vitamins. 

Sources:
HealthGal Health Guide June 15, 2015

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Monday, September 7, 2015

7 Easy Steps to a Greener Office Life

1. Use recycled paper
2. Print on both sides of the paper
3. Recycle ink and toner cartridges (a lot of schools have donation stations - so you can support local eCycle group.
education and recycle!) Otherwise look for an
4. Use the power saving mode "Sleep"on your computer. Screen Savers DO NOT save energy! You can save $186/year in electricity costs by switching from a screen saver to sleep mode.
5. Use a laptop. They use about 1/4 of the energy as a desktop
6. Use a smart strip power strip (prevent the draw of idle current - energy used even when your machines are off)
7. Look for eco-friendly office supplies. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council logo or check out thegreenoffice.com

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Clean Your Home Naturally - Glass Spray

Want sparkling clean windows and mirrors without adding harsh chemicals to your home? It's easy as mixing four ingredients.

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 liquid soap (dish or castille)
1 3/4 cups water
8 drops of essential oil (optional)

Combine the above ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe clean with newspaper.

Note: when switching from Ammonia-based products you may see streaks initially from the residue - after 2 or 3 swipes this should resolve.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Clean Your Home Naturally - All Purpose Spray

For an all-natural, all-purpose spray, without the aerosols, follow the recipe below:

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1 T Citra Solv Cleaner and Degreaser concentrate
1/2 tsp liquid dish soap or castille soap
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp total antiseptic essential oils (cinnamon, clove, lavendar, lemon, lime, resmary, tea tree, thyme)

Combine the above ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well. Use this spray to clean bathroom, kitchen and other household surfaces.

This cleaner will keep indefinitely.

Here's another recipe for an all-purpose house spray: