Would you like some caseinate, phosphate, and diglycerides with that coco?

Ok, its not even February yet, but since this clean(er) eating think clicked in my brain i've become super aware of what is in my food. I made a simple cup of hot coco (well, i mix coco with my coffee to make a "mocha cafe" if i'm feeling so inclined the morning. 

Today while the coffee was brewing I grabbed the packet of X brand hot chocolate and glanced at the back of the box. I thought I was drinking coco, sugar, powdered milk, maybe one or two preservatives……  

WRONG! Check out the list below.  

INGREDIENTS: SUGAR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, VEGETABLE OIL (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT OR PALM KERNEL AND HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN), DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, AND LESS THAN 2% OF CELLULOSE GUM, NONFAT MILK, SALT, SODIUM CASEINATE, SODIUM CITRATE, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, GUAR GUM, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.

I did some research (90 minutes) to track down and figure out what these things are….. 

SUGAR ~ I expected this one. I'm ok with it. Its a pretty natural ingredient.

CORN SYRUP SOLIDS ~ Really? Do Americans need anymore processed corn syrup in their diets?

VEGETABLE OIL (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT OR PALM KERNEL AND HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN) ~ I couldn't find an easily accessible explanation for what oil would be for in a dry mix.  

DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS ~ Assuming this is dry milk, wish it was labeled as that. Dairy product solids makes it sound so….. icky.

COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, ~Cocoa has been treated with alkali going back over 150 years. There are several reasons, the three most common being: It darkens the cocoa, reduces the bitter taste of cocoa, and makes the cocoa powder disperse better in beverages.” (Link to Source)  Honestly, i'm willing to stir my coco a little extra if it means I don't need to ingest this each time I drink hot coco. 

CELLULOSE GUM ~ A polymer with the alternate names of cellulose sodium glycolate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. Totally unnatural. A man made item. Cellulose gum is extracted from wood pulp and cotton cellulose. The powder can absorb up to 20 times its starting weight. Only the purest cellulose gum is fit for human consumption; the rest is used in non edible items. In the food world it is typically used to thicken or bind ingredients and also is used to make things sweeter. Cellulose cannot be properly digested by humans. It has neither health benefits or harmful effects  Luckily it is similar to eating paper, it just passes through your system.   (Link to source)  Eating paper, yuck, but at least it isn't toxic!

NONFAT MILK ~ Wondering how this is different that the "dairy product solids" listed above?

SALT~ This is in every recipe and its a small amount. Ok with me. 

SODIUM CASEINATE, A food additive and for industrial purposes. Some people are allergic to sodium caseinate, and it has been linked to some human diseases, mainly autism and gastrointestinal problems. Consult with an allergy specialist if you suspect an allergy or intolerance to any casein-based product. such, caseins are now used primarily in food production, where they add nutrition, flavor and specific consistencies. (Link to source)  Gastrointestinal problems….. possible links to autism…. EEEEK! I'm fine with natural chocolate flavor why do we need to add all this other stuff to "create" the flavor?

SODIUM CITRATE, Also know as Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate is a tart flavoring used in candy, soft drinks, ice cream and sherbet and is often added for its antioxidant properties. Sodium citrate buffers acidity in jams, ice creams and candy. (Link to source)  This is actually an ok ingredient. Not that we all need to ingest tons of it, but it is one of the few additives that isn't on the "bad" list.

DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE,Used as a food additive to lower acid levels in processed foods and act as a stabilizer. Dipotassium Phosphate can act as a skin and eye irritant along with causing vomiting and diarrhea if consumed directly in quantities. Inhaling Dipotassium Phosphate can irritate the lungs and can cause distressed breathing. (Link to source)  How much acid is in basic hot coco? Do we really need this to reduce acid? Also, not feeling great about the fact that is can cause vomiting and diarrhea. 

SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, Sodium aluminosilicate is the predominant silicate added to foods in the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. As an anticaking agent, it prevents clumping in dairy-based drinks, milk powders, sauce and gravy mixes, soup mixes, salt and seasonings. You may also find this silicate in household products, such as latex paint and laundry detergent. (Link to source)  I can appreciate the idea of non clumped hot chocolate but it wouldn't take much to give it a little stir to break it up or a smash of the packet to unclump it. Is america this lazy?

MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, Monoglycerides and diglycerides are food additives commonly used to combine ingredients containing fats with those containing water, two types of ingredients that don't ordinarily combine well. Food manufacturers typically use them to extend a product's shelf life. Made in part of fatty acids, they are similar to triglycerides, the predominant fat in food according to the Harvard School of Public Health, except they are classified as emulsifiers rather than lipids. (Link to source)

I really don't want any extra fat in my diet. Thank you very much. 

GUAR GUM  ~Made from the guar bean and is used as a thickener. I can appreciate that it is at least a natural source and is used o make my coco creamy.   But just another unnecessary step. 

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS. ~When you see this you need to run and hide. This could be anything. Anything artificial. They don't even have to tell you what it is. You want to risk ingesting something that has ingredients you aren't privy to? NOT ME!

So what has this taught me!?!

I am throwing away all the hot chocolate mix in the house and making my own natural hot coco mix. 

Best yet, the recipes are all over the web and I already have all the natural ingredients in my pantry!

Product Recommendation: Scrub Daddy

I haven't done a product recommendation for a long time, but this little gizmo reminded me about why I should be doing it more often.

I got the Scrub Daddy in my stocking for Christmas from mom. (Yes mom still gives all the kids stockings and we love it). 

I started using this cute little guy few days later and I LOVE it! 

You can use it to clean almost anything. It doesn't scratch so it's a great for pots and pans. The nifty thing is when it's dry or used in cold water it's kind of hard so it's almost like an abrasive sponge (but non-scratch). When you wet it with warm water it becomes soft and spongy like.

You can pick them up at bed bath and beyond for $3.99 and I'm sure you can find them on Amazon or at your local store or retailer. 

They are supposed to last 2+ months. I've been using mine for a couple weeks now and there's no sign of wearing down. 

This product gets two thumbs up! Give it a try.

👍👍

Clean Eating Promise To Your Body

https://dareesinsights.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/fasting-for-change/

February Challenge: Love Your Body by Eating Clean(er)

A year ago,  February 2014, I challenged myself and all of you to find something you loved every day. I managed to get 25 out of the 28 days with the chalkboard art graphic of something I loved.

This February I am going to kick off another challenge!

February is a shortest month of the year so why not use it as a trial for healthy living!?!

Last year I did a lot of exercise and I'm feeling great. This year I think it's time to challenge myself to make even more changes, specifically in the everyday foods I eat.

Despite all the exercise I've done and my overall daily healthy eating, haven't lost that last 10 pounds of baby weight that I want to get off of me. (Although I know some of that is gaining muscle and losing fat from running and all that kind of thing…)

But after lots of reading and investigation I've come to a realization that I've crossed that threshold into the mid 30 range and it's not just about exercise our calorie consumption (a.k.a. quantity). I really think it has to do a lot with quality. 

I'm really thinking at this point I need to seriously think about metabolism and hormones and overall healthy body balance. 

I've talked before about feeding our kids good food and organic versus healthy versus junk food I think it's time for me to really step up the game and see how much of a difference clean eating makes.

So here's what I'm going to do. I am going to take the month of February and challenge myself to gradually switch my family over to eating high(er)-quality food thought the entire month of February.

Over the next three weeks I'm going to do a series of posts about healthy eating geared towards moms who cook for kids and families. I will also setup a basic framework for the February healthy eating challenge.

I would love to challenge you to join me. No need to jump on the organic or vegan bandwagon, just make some small steps to making your families eating a little more healthy. 

Let's get together, share some tips, recipes, resources, and most importantly encouragement to love your body by eating cleaner and healthy.

Let's make February the eat healthy and love your body month! ❤️

Your Candles Can Kill You!

Ok, maybe not "kill" you but they may be doing you harm.

I was recently in search of my favorite candle scent (cinnamon and clove) offer at Bath and Body works during the holiday season. They are of course sold out. I bought the last 6 at the after Christmas sale. However, I burn candles obsessively during the winter months, I have already burnt 2 of them and will go through the rest in a matter of weeks.

So as I said, on the search for more candles with that scent. I happened upon some beeswax candles with the same scent and the site talked about the benefits of beeswax. I was intrigued. I did more investigation….

http://www.thesleuthjournal.com/scented-candles-dangers-health-safe-solutions/

Here are some of the dangers of burning paraffin wax candles: 

According to the American Lung Association, "paraffin candles contain 11 documented toxins, two of which are known carcinogens. Protect the environment and your body at the same time by only using organic beeswax, soy or hemp candles.

Also, if you are doing your best to be eco-friendly/green did you know, 

According to green promise.com,  "Spending a little more money or time locating organic non-toxic candles appears to be worth it in regards to your indoor air environment and your health.

 Most conventional candles are made from paraffin wax, which is a by-product of petroleum, a non-renewable resource, which has been linked to poor indoor air quality. 

Paraffin candles release a petro-carbon soot that stains your walls, furniture and is circulated through your air ducts. 

Some paraffin candle makers are still using lead core wicks which when heated emit lead particulates into the air, which can then be inhaled. 100% of lead that is inhaled is absorbed into the bloodstream."

I read all that and I said, "EEEEKKKKKK! Why am I buying paraffin wax candles? But what are my options?"

Well, soy and beeswax candles are surprisingly easy to find! I also will add they are the same cost you would pay for a regular good quality candle. Maybe not as cheap as Walmart or a discount store, but very reasonable!

To read more about soy candles click on the link below this picture. There is some great info about soy vs beeswax candles.

http://empoweredsustenance.com/soy-vs-beeswax-candles/

I also learned that beeswax candles have lots of positive benefits including:

·   Improved sleep                     

·   Enhanced immune system

·   Relief from hay fever & allergies

·   Less severe asthma attacks

·   Improved concentration        

·   Balancing of hormones

·   Natural detoxification

·   Sense of wellbeing

Santafecandle.com says: Beeswax is good value.  It achieves a very efficient and complete burn (mostly to carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor) and thus burns brighter, hotter, cleaner, and longer than any other wax.  When properly made and burned, beeswax candles are smokeless and dripless.  Measured by burn time, beeswax candles are usually a better value than boutique paraffin – even when they appear to cost more.

But make sure you look carefully when you buy: a candle may be labeled "beeswax" if it contains as little as 10% beeswax, who knows what the rest is...  Also a label saying "natural" is not good enough. If the label doesn’t say "100% beeswax" or "pure beeswax", it is probably not. 

Also, if you are being eco-friendly/green here is some great news!

Beeswax is all natural, non-toxic, non-polluting, non-allergenic, and has a great scent!  A perfect, renewable resource, beeswax is made by the female worker bee for honeycomb. To produce one pound of beeswax, the worker bees eat about ten pounds of honey (yum), fly 150,000 miles, and visit 33 million flower blossoms!  The process to make beeswax is amazing!

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/beeswax-uses.html

The most fascinating part of beeswax to me is that it is actually making your home more healthy!  Beeswax produces negative ions that can clean your air of odors, pollens, smoke, dust, dust mites, viruses and other allergens and hazards.  Increasing negative ions in the air and on the body, such as when one bathes in water, improves mood and sense of wellbeing.Beeswax candles actually act like a air purifier.  They also a great candle for anyone with chemical sensitivities or allergies. 

If you are really motivated, beeswax candles are fairly simple to make. However, if you don't want to take the time, hop on Etsy.com. You will find some great sellers. I just placed an order for 4 different beeswax candles from various Etsy shops. I will give all the candles a try and report to you with the results!