...and 9 Tips to Minimize Your Exposure to these Harmful Chemicals
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-selling program - The Truth About 6-Pack Abs
You may have started hearing in the news about some of the hidden chemicals that might be lurking in your canned foods and bottled water and other drinks. Some of them are known as xenoestrogens, which have the potential to cause serious health problems over time, as well as increase abdominal fat from the estrogenic effect.
Today, I want to share with you some important details about one of the MOST problematic chemicals that you're being exposed to specifically from canned foods and bottled drinks, etc...
It's called Bisphenol A (BPA).
BPA can be found as a component of some types of plastic bottles, and also in the lining inside of canned foods.
Since BPA is a known "xenoestrogen", it's been linked in animal studies (at surprisingly small doses) to all sorts of various health issues such as cancer, metabolic disorders, heart disease, diabetes, and fertility problems and birth defects or miscarriages... and of course, any xenoestrogens in large enough amounts can trigger your body to hold onto abdominal fat (aka - stubborn belly fat).
The major offenders to look for are polycarbonate bottles (some plastics with the #7 symbol on the bottom are polycarbonate, but not all) and also canned foods, since the lining of most canned foods contains BPA, which can leach into food. The longer that a can of food sits on a shelf and the higher the temperature, the more BPA can leach into your food. The same can be said for polycarbonate bottles that contain food or drinks.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), BPA was detected in the bodies of 95% of Americans in one CDC study (this is a worldwide issue though, not just limited to the US). This is nothing to shrug off either... look at this scary finding...
The Environmental Working Group reports, "analysis of our tests reveals that for one of every five cans tested, and for one-third of all vegetables and pastas (ravioli and noodles with tomato sauce), a single serving would expose a pregnant woman to BPA at levels that fall within a factor of 5 of doses linked to birth defects — permanent damage of developing male reproductive organs".
If that didn't get your attention, how about this...
The EWG also reports evidence of... "An investigation demonstrating that low doses of BPA spur both the formation and growth of fat cells, the two factors that drive obesity in humans (Masumo et al. 2002)."
This is not surprising, since as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, BPA is a known xenoestrogen, and any xenoestrogens can contribute to what's been referred to as "stubborn abdominal fat" as well as cancer and other health problems.
It's also important to note that any canned tomato products (canned ravioli, pastas, canned tomato pastes, tomato sauces, etc) are some of the biggest offenders with the highest BPA concentrations due to the acidic nature of tomatoes, which leaches more of the BPA.
So what steps can you take to minimize your exposure to BPA and it's negative effects on bodyfat and other health risks?
1. Try to always avoid canned foods as much as possible and choose frozen or fresh foods instead. Buy the ingredients yourself and prepare the meal the old fashioned way instead of resorting to canned foods. Also, a better alternative to canned foods is products in glass containers.
2. If you do resort to using canned foods instead of fresh foods, try to find labels that say that the cans are free of BPA.
3. If you need tomato products, always avoid canned varieties and search for tomato sauces, pastes, etc in glass bottles instead (unless the can specifically states that it is BPA-free). Or just make your own tomato dishes from scratch with fresh tomatoes.
4. If you use plastic wrap, plastic ziplock bags, plastic containers for food storage, etc, try to investigate on the label if the product is BPA-free or not. Some brands packaging will label if their products are BPA-free.
5. If you for some reason choose to use a microwave with your food (which by the way, microwaved food is thought to have negative health effects), then by all means, do not microwave the food in plastic containers as it can increase the leaching of chemicals including BPA.
6. If you drink bottled water, or water from reusable plastic bottles, make sure that it is not a polycarbonate bottle, or make sure that the label says BPA-free. Plastic that shows #7 on the bottom will sometimes contain BPA, but not always. If a bottle shows "PC" on the bottom, it is made from polycarbonate, so it will contain BPA. In addition, sometimes aluminum bottles will contain a lining that has BPA, so avoid these.
7. Avoid soda cans, as the EWG states analysis showed that 42% of soda cans contained BPA. Of course, if you care about your health and your body, I'm sure you never drink soda anyway -- it's pure evil for your body... and yes, that includes unhealthy diet soda too, with it's dangerous artificial sweeteners.
8. Never use plastic cups for hot liquids such as hot tea or coffee, as this can accelerate leaching of BPA and other chemicals, depending on the type of plastic.
9. As much as you can try to avoid BPA and other xenoestrogens, you will most likely still be exposed to some levels of xenoestrogens from various chemicals in your foods (from pesticide/herbicide residues, packaging chemicals, etc), chemicals in your water supply, chemicals from cosmetics, lotions, etc.
However, you can help to protect yourself and counteract these harmful xenoestrogen chemicals in your body with certain powerful phytonutrients in foods like onions, garlic, chamomile and green teas, and cruciferious vegetables. In fact, read this article to see how 3 specific veggies can help you to fight abdominal fat by counteracting xenoestrogens.
If you stick to most of these guidelines, you can help to protect yourself and your family from the health dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA). And you can also help protect yourself against the issue of "stubborn abdominal fat" that can be caused by the xenoestrogen effect of BPA exposure too... which I'm sure you'd rather avoid!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Diet Foods That Will Make You Fat Part 2
Fat-free cookies: Fat-free doesn’t mean calorie-free. It doesn’t even mean reduced-calorie, and fat-free products contain other ingredients, usually sugar, to make up for the texture and flavor lost when the fat is removed. Most fat-free cookies contain as many calories as the original cookie, which doesn’t make them a diet food.
Read the label. If you want a cookie, have one. That’s ONE cookie occasionally. Otherwise, a great “diet” treat is sugar-free, fat-free chocolate or vanilla pudding, which you can count as a serving of dairy.
Diet Bread: Diet breads, diet crackers or other bread products may be the same product, only portioned differently. Bread labeled “25-percent fewer calories” than the regular version may merely be sliced 25-percent thinner. Read the label and compare the weight of the serving. “Lite” bread usually refers to the color and does not indicate its fiber content. Sometimes breads are colored with caramel, molasses or brown sugar. Choose bread made from 100-percent whole-wheat flour with a minimum of 4 grams of fiber per serving.
Olive oil: Olive oil has a better nutritional profile than butter and especially margarine because of the low ratio of saturated fat and because it contains no trans fats. However, olive oil, although a healthy fat, is fat. All fat contains approximately 9 calories per gram, or about 45 calories in one teaspoon. Include olive oil as a part of a healthy diet, but don’t eat more than you need.
Protein Bars: Protein bars, breakfast bars and cereal bars are all convenient, but if you’re trying to lose weight, choose carefully. Most contain too much sugar and hydrogenated fat to be called healthy and more resemble candy bars than breakfast. I prefer quick and portable breakfasts and snacks of real food, such as stirring a cup of unsweetened cereal into a cup of yogurt, a half-sandwich on whole-grain bread with turkey breast, or a portioned serving of nuts and raisins.
If you’re pressed for time or need something that won’t spoil, read the label and make an educated choice. The first ingredient should either be a whole grain or a protein source (whey or soy protein). Ignore bars with refined sugar as one of the top listed ingredients (sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or any other syrup).
If you see hydrogenated fat in the ingredients and more than 1 gram of saturated fat in the nutrition facts panel, forget it. A good meal replacement bar contains about 300 calories, with approximately 25 percent from protein (approximately 19 grams of protein), nearly 0 grams of saturated fat and less than 10 grams of total fat. The higher the fiber, the better; that means it contains whole grain. Aim for a minimum of 4 grams per serving.
Low-Carb Beer: If you think that low-carb beer is a diet food, think again. Neither low-carb nor “lite” beers are low in calories. The USDA defines low calorie as a food that has no more than 40 calories per serving. Low-carb and “lite” beers have about 90 to 100 calories per serving. A low-carb beer is relatively low in carbohydrates, but calories count. Drink one beer with two water chasers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows the following definitions on food labels:
FAT-FREE: The product has less than .5 grams of fat per serving.
LOW-FAT: The product has 3 grams or less of fat per serving.
REDUCED or LESS FAT: The product has at least 25% less fat per serving than the full-fat version.
CALORIE-FREE: The product has less than 5 calories per serving.
LOW-CALORIE: The product has 40 calories or less per serving.
REDUCED or FEWER CALORIES: The product has at least 25 percent fewer calories per serving than the non-reduced version.
LITE or LIGHT:
* The product has fewer calories or half the fat of the non-light version.
* The sodium content of a low-calorie, low-fat food is 50 percent less than the non-light version.
* A food is clearer in color (like light instead of dark corn syrup).
Read the label. If you want a cookie, have one. That’s ONE cookie occasionally. Otherwise, a great “diet” treat is sugar-free, fat-free chocolate or vanilla pudding, which you can count as a serving of dairy.
Diet Bread: Diet breads, diet crackers or other bread products may be the same product, only portioned differently. Bread labeled “25-percent fewer calories” than the regular version may merely be sliced 25-percent thinner. Read the label and compare the weight of the serving. “Lite” bread usually refers to the color and does not indicate its fiber content. Sometimes breads are colored with caramel, molasses or brown sugar. Choose bread made from 100-percent whole-wheat flour with a minimum of 4 grams of fiber per serving.
Olive oil: Olive oil has a better nutritional profile than butter and especially margarine because of the low ratio of saturated fat and because it contains no trans fats. However, olive oil, although a healthy fat, is fat. All fat contains approximately 9 calories per gram, or about 45 calories in one teaspoon. Include olive oil as a part of a healthy diet, but don’t eat more than you need.
Protein Bars: Protein bars, breakfast bars and cereal bars are all convenient, but if you’re trying to lose weight, choose carefully. Most contain too much sugar and hydrogenated fat to be called healthy and more resemble candy bars than breakfast. I prefer quick and portable breakfasts and snacks of real food, such as stirring a cup of unsweetened cereal into a cup of yogurt, a half-sandwich on whole-grain bread with turkey breast, or a portioned serving of nuts and raisins.
If you’re pressed for time or need something that won’t spoil, read the label and make an educated choice. The first ingredient should either be a whole grain or a protein source (whey or soy protein). Ignore bars with refined sugar as one of the top listed ingredients (sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or any other syrup).
If you see hydrogenated fat in the ingredients and more than 1 gram of saturated fat in the nutrition facts panel, forget it. A good meal replacement bar contains about 300 calories, with approximately 25 percent from protein (approximately 19 grams of protein), nearly 0 grams of saturated fat and less than 10 grams of total fat. The higher the fiber, the better; that means it contains whole grain. Aim for a minimum of 4 grams per serving.
Low-Carb Beer: If you think that low-carb beer is a diet food, think again. Neither low-carb nor “lite” beers are low in calories. The USDA defines low calorie as a food that has no more than 40 calories per serving. Low-carb and “lite” beers have about 90 to 100 calories per serving. A low-carb beer is relatively low in carbohydrates, but calories count. Drink one beer with two water chasers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows the following definitions on food labels:
FAT-FREE: The product has less than .5 grams of fat per serving.
LOW-FAT: The product has 3 grams or less of fat per serving.
REDUCED or LESS FAT: The product has at least 25% less fat per serving than the full-fat version.
CALORIE-FREE: The product has less than 5 calories per serving.
LOW-CALORIE: The product has 40 calories or less per serving.
REDUCED or FEWER CALORIES: The product has at least 25 percent fewer calories per serving than the non-reduced version.
LITE or LIGHT:
* The product has fewer calories or half the fat of the non-light version.
* The sodium content of a low-calorie, low-fat food is 50 percent less than the non-light version.
* A food is clearer in color (like light instead of dark corn syrup).
Diet Foods That Will Make You Fat Part 1
By Susan Burke March MS, RD, LD/N, CDE eDiets Contributor (from ediets.com)
Can diet foods make you fat? I realize that this sounds like a contradiction, but the diet industry is like that. You need to come armed with some savvy to weed through the hype. Just look at what happened in the 1980s, when “fat-free” was a fad.
“Fat-free” appeared on all types of foods, and consumers (not surprisingly) assumed that fat-free meant calorie-free. Au contraire! For example, fat-free cookies have just as many calories as the original, maybe even more.
Some health experts link the “fat-free” craze to the explosion of obesity in the U.S., and certainly consumers are confused about what’s best, fat-free, carb-free, high protein, etc. Bottom line: You need to read the top line on the nutrition facts panel. Calories do count. Read the number of servings in the package or container, and then read calories per serving. When you know what you’re eating, it all adds up.
The Skinny on “Diet Foods”
All foods can fit into a healthy diet in the correct portion size. Even healthy foods can be “fattening” if you eat too much of them. Here’s the skinny on some “diet” foods you’d think would help you with your diet:
Juice: You’ve seen the ads: “100% pure juice with live enzymes and packed with vitamins and minerals.” It is often labeled with claims for weight loss, increased energy and better immunity. Let the buyer beware! To balance the scale in your favor, consider this: People suffering a low blood glucose reaction are given juice because the fruit sugar (fructose) is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Juice is not a diet food unless you’re on a weight gain diet. It’s one of the quickest ways of getting extra calories I know. Juice is extracted from the whole fruit; the beneficial fiber is left behind. Regardless of how pure the juice, it contains no inherent properties that will make you healthier or make you lose weight. Peel and eat an orange instead. See below for a tip about juice.
Enhanced Waters: Diet myths abound, displayed on labels of enhanced waters and sports drinks. Drink this for “energy, balance, performance.” I want to paste ‘Buyer Beware!” signs on the labels. These waters and flavored teas are certainly fortified… with caffeine and sugar, plus high-fructose corn syrup.
Before reading the front label and advertising hype, read the ingredient list. If you're working out strenuously for more than an hour at a time, then a sports drink is OK, but choose one with less than 8 grams of sugar per serving. If you prefer, buy an artificially sweetened beverage.
Otherwise, drink water before, during and after exercising. Adding just a quarter-cup of 100-percent orange or grapefruit juice and a dash of salt to a quart of water makes the perfect sports drink.
Turkey Burgers: When dining out, have you ordered a turkey burger while your friends are all having steak? You may think you’re eating diet food, but you may be better off with that sirloin. Turkey breast is an ultra-lean protein, but most restaurants don’t serve ground turkey breast; rather, they serve ground turkey in their burgers, which likely contains the more fatty dark meat and even skin. Restaurant turkey burgers are also enhanced with mayonnaise and even cheese.
If you can’t be certain the turkey burger is made from skinless turkey breast, order a grilled chicken breast sandwich or grilled fish sandwich sans mayo and cheese.
Breakfast cereals: Eating breakfast is one of the lifestyle habits that predict weight loss and maintaining that desired weight. I love my cereal in the morning, but exploring the cereal aisle can be a confusing experience, especially for dieters. Don’t read the front of the package to get the scoop on cereals. Read the back first, namely the ingredient list and the nutrition facts panel.
Cereals labeled “smart” or “whole grain” or “fruit” are not necessarily smart for your waistline or your health. Often they contain a bit of whole grain, but there is no limit on the other ingredients, including sugar. Here’s a tip: The first ingredient should be whole grain: whole wheat, whole oats, rye or other. Read the nutrition facts panel and note the serving size. The standard serving size is 3/4 to 1 cup, and you make your decision from there.
If one serving contains more than 4 to 8 grams of sugar (1 to 2 teaspoons), then move on. Kashi GoLean, Shredded wheat, All Bran cereals, Fiber One, unsweetened muesli and granola (fat-free) are good choices. Watch out for “code words” that mean sugar and fat have been added. Cereals that are labeled “Crunchy,” “Frosted,” “Honey” or “Honey Nut” may have more sugar added.
Add your own sugar; don’t let the manufacturer add it for you. For example, a 1-cup serving of Cheerios with a half-cup of nonfat milk has 150 calories. A 3/4-cup serving of Cinnamon Toast Crunch has 170 calories; a smaller serving for more calories. Not a bargain.
Can diet foods make you fat? I realize that this sounds like a contradiction, but the diet industry is like that. You need to come armed with some savvy to weed through the hype. Just look at what happened in the 1980s, when “fat-free” was a fad.
“Fat-free” appeared on all types of foods, and consumers (not surprisingly) assumed that fat-free meant calorie-free. Au contraire! For example, fat-free cookies have just as many calories as the original, maybe even more.
Some health experts link the “fat-free” craze to the explosion of obesity in the U.S., and certainly consumers are confused about what’s best, fat-free, carb-free, high protein, etc. Bottom line: You need to read the top line on the nutrition facts panel. Calories do count. Read the number of servings in the package or container, and then read calories per serving. When you know what you’re eating, it all adds up.
The Skinny on “Diet Foods”
All foods can fit into a healthy diet in the correct portion size. Even healthy foods can be “fattening” if you eat too much of them. Here’s the skinny on some “diet” foods you’d think would help you with your diet:
Juice: You’ve seen the ads: “100% pure juice with live enzymes and packed with vitamins and minerals.” It is often labeled with claims for weight loss, increased energy and better immunity. Let the buyer beware! To balance the scale in your favor, consider this: People suffering a low blood glucose reaction are given juice because the fruit sugar (fructose) is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Juice is not a diet food unless you’re on a weight gain diet. It’s one of the quickest ways of getting extra calories I know. Juice is extracted from the whole fruit; the beneficial fiber is left behind. Regardless of how pure the juice, it contains no inherent properties that will make you healthier or make you lose weight. Peel and eat an orange instead. See below for a tip about juice.
Enhanced Waters: Diet myths abound, displayed on labels of enhanced waters and sports drinks. Drink this for “energy, balance, performance.” I want to paste ‘Buyer Beware!” signs on the labels. These waters and flavored teas are certainly fortified… with caffeine and sugar, plus high-fructose corn syrup.
Before reading the front label and advertising hype, read the ingredient list. If you're working out strenuously for more than an hour at a time, then a sports drink is OK, but choose one with less than 8 grams of sugar per serving. If you prefer, buy an artificially sweetened beverage.
Otherwise, drink water before, during and after exercising. Adding just a quarter-cup of 100-percent orange or grapefruit juice and a dash of salt to a quart of water makes the perfect sports drink.
Turkey Burgers: When dining out, have you ordered a turkey burger while your friends are all having steak? You may think you’re eating diet food, but you may be better off with that sirloin. Turkey breast is an ultra-lean protein, but most restaurants don’t serve ground turkey breast; rather, they serve ground turkey in their burgers, which likely contains the more fatty dark meat and even skin. Restaurant turkey burgers are also enhanced with mayonnaise and even cheese.
If you can’t be certain the turkey burger is made from skinless turkey breast, order a grilled chicken breast sandwich or grilled fish sandwich sans mayo and cheese.
Breakfast cereals: Eating breakfast is one of the lifestyle habits that predict weight loss and maintaining that desired weight. I love my cereal in the morning, but exploring the cereal aisle can be a confusing experience, especially for dieters. Don’t read the front of the package to get the scoop on cereals. Read the back first, namely the ingredient list and the nutrition facts panel.
Cereals labeled “smart” or “whole grain” or “fruit” are not necessarily smart for your waistline or your health. Often they contain a bit of whole grain, but there is no limit on the other ingredients, including sugar. Here’s a tip: The first ingredient should be whole grain: whole wheat, whole oats, rye or other. Read the nutrition facts panel and note the serving size. The standard serving size is 3/4 to 1 cup, and you make your decision from there.
If one serving contains more than 4 to 8 grams of sugar (1 to 2 teaspoons), then move on. Kashi GoLean, Shredded wheat, All Bran cereals, Fiber One, unsweetened muesli and granola (fat-free) are good choices. Watch out for “code words” that mean sugar and fat have been added. Cereals that are labeled “Crunchy,” “Frosted,” “Honey” or “Honey Nut” may have more sugar added.
Add your own sugar; don’t let the manufacturer add it for you. For example, a 1-cup serving of Cheerios with a half-cup of nonfat milk has 150 calories. A 3/4-cup serving of Cinnamon Toast Crunch has 170 calories; a smaller serving for more calories. Not a bargain.
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