Most of us have heard about UPFs (Ultra-Processed Foods) hey? Some of these Items are INGREDIENTS we would maybe be using to Make Our Own Foods. It really "gets a bit much!" doesn't it? Makes us feel like telling those Manufacturers "Would you Stop Messing with Our Foods!?" OR Boycotting Them like our Grandparents and Greats did. Hey, that's a Good Idea. Think I may encourage More of That!
Orange Juice
What could be complicated about orange juice? It is made from oranges, juiced — except when it’s not. That some juice makers feel compelled to regularly pump up their product with non-orange ingredients seems far-fetched, but they do it. And in fact, orange juice is one of the most popular items to have suspect ingredients sneaked into the mix. The FFD is chock full of faux orange juices, one of the most shocking reveals a mixture of beet sugar, corn sugar, monosodium glutamate, ascorbic acid, potassium sulfate, orange pulp wash, grapefruit solids, and a byproduct from a water distillation system.
But Nutritionists are railing against OJ for another reason. Packed with sugar, calories and carbs, orange juice isn't much better for you nutritionally than soda or any other sweetened beverage, reports Business Insider. Maybe that's why sales of orange juice are down, at a time when Americans are actually eating more breakfast than ever.
Honey (Aim for Raw Honey!)
Honey laundering has been making headlines lately due to a large-scale case in China where stocks are commonly tainted with a potentially dangerous antibiotic – launderers mask the honey's origin and the defiled product is whisked through the system to unwitting consumers.
Also at play, cheaper honeys are increasingly passed off as more expensive varieties. Honey is one of the most commonly mislabelled foods, representing 7 percent of food fraud cases. Last year, Food Safety News tested honey and found that 75 percent of store-bought honey didn’t contain pollen. People are still buying a product made from bees, but with no pollen food regulators are unable to identify the honey’s source. Consequent testing found that a third of all phony honey was imported from Asia and was contaminated with lead and antibiotics.
The National Honey Board says regulations do allow for pollen to be filtered out as part of the removal of “bee parts” and other organic matter, but there is still cause for dismay. The FFD lists a bevy of non-honey ingredients, such as sucrose syrup, sugar syrup, partial invert cane syrup, corn syrup, glucose syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, beet sugar, and a whole host of non-authentic sweeteners. The good news is that the tests from Food Safety News found all of their samples from farmers markets, co-ops and whole food stores like Trader Joes were authentic.
Blueberries
In 7 nutrition bars that are worse than candy, we discovered that the Berry Blast Power Bar (you know, the one with pictures of berries blasted across the wrapper) contained, ta-da, no berries whatsoever. Berries, and blueberries in particular, have become a superfood darling and consequently, commonly faked – there’s a pretty lengthy list of retail food items that contain words or photos suggesting that real blueberries were used in the products, when in fact, they weren’t.
The non-profit Consumer Wellness Center reported that many "blueberries" in popular products they found were nothing more than glops of sugar, corn syrup, starch, hydrogenated oil, artificial flavors and artificial food dye blue No. 2 and red No. 40. And these are from popular manufacturers such as Kellogg's, Betty Crocker and General Mills. If you see bagels, cereals, breads, muffins, cereal and other items that promise blueberries, closely check the ingredient list for, you got it, actual blueberries. Also to note, artificial food dye blue No. 2 and red No. 40 likely indicate “fake blueberries at work here.”
Milk (Mostly Oversees)
Fake milk being sold as the real McCoy? It seems unfeasible, but it’s not. Milk is one of the most commonly adulterated food items out there. A look at the FFD turns up pages of search results for milk, with a nightmarish list of adulterants. For starters: Melamine, non-authentic animal sources, formaldehyde, urea, hydrogen peroxide, machine oil, detergent, caustic soda, starch, non-potable water.
Olive Oil (Light OR Secretly Mixed - Adulterated)
Researchers have found that olive oil is the food most vulnerable to food fraud. In most cases consumers are getting a lesser quality than what is labelled – regular olive oil instead of extra virgin, or a cheaper, non-Italian variety being sold as Italian. But olive oil is also frequently diluted with imposter oils (adulterated) such as corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, palm oil. One sample even contained lard.
Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice is another food category undone by its own popularity. Ever since pomegranate juice hit the market, it has been lauded for its high antioxidant content, for which consumers are willing to pay a premium. So it’s with no little amount of frustration to find that “pomegranate” juice is often diluted with grape or pear juice, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. There have also been reports of completely "synthetic pomegranate juice" that didn't contain any traces of the real juice at all.
Coffee - Beans are Better!
If you buy whole beans and grind them at home, there’s less of a chance that your morning joe has been "enhanced" with the confounding oddities that find their way into ground and instant coffee courtesy of sketchy coffee producers. The following have been found in these forms of coffee: twigs, coffee husks, roasted corn, roasted barley, roasted soybeans, chicory powder, rye flour, potato flour, burned sugar, caramel, figs, roasted date seeds, glucose, maltodextrins, starch and roasted ground parchment.
The moral of the story? Don't be scared by all of this, but be aware. Buy whole foods when you can. Shop at trusted co-ops and farmers markets when possible. Know that well-known names and bigger brands should be somewhat reliable, since they have a lot to lose if they're busted for mislabelling. And look out for deals that seem to good to be true; that super cheap saffron could well be nothing more than died daisy petals.
Article Source HERE
Maple Syrup - Real Verses Imitation!
Maple syrup is the ultimate for Natural Sweetness. Yes, it's All-Natural, Unrefined, has Beneficial Properties, and because of its rich flavor, a little bit goes a long way. And it's a good alternative to honey for vegans. However, AVOID the Imitation One in the Plastic Bottle. Make sure you choose the Genuine one in the Glass Bottle often referred to as Canadian. You will find the Best Price for this at ALDIs. Their price is much better.
Some of you may like to know that People with Diabetics Type 2 can have a Small Amount of Maple Syrup, providing it is the Pure Maple Syrup and be Careful not to have too much. You can also have this on a Low Histamine Diet. And it is allowed in AIP Diet (Auto-Immune Protocol)
"Pure" is Important: Ensure the syrup is 100% pure, as added ingredients or fillers in other products could potentially trigger a Histamine response.
Polyphenols: Maple syrup contains polyphenols, which are beneficial compounds that can support a healthy immune system. It contains beneficial Trace Minerals like zinc, manganese, calcium, and potassium, which support immune function and metabolic health.
Speaking about Orange Juice
Do you remember some years back when Manufacturers were caught adding Sawdust to their Orange Juice to make it look Good for Us? (we thought it was pulp from the Oranges)
It's a fact that they often wait for Months to Juice Oranges and that's why the Orange Juice tastes Awful.
Eating a FRESH ORANGE is a GOOD OPTION
because it isn't full of concentrated Fruit Sugar to Spike Insulin Levels and put on the Weight.
There's an Advantage to Opting for a Fresh Orange because the Natural Fibre in the Orange "Slows that down" somewhat.
Make sure to buy Oranges in their Season OR Oranges the have a Rich Healthy Colour, have a Good Weight and are Nice and Firm when selecting them!
Avocado Oil - Some are Secretly Mixed - Adulterated
Avocado is also frequently diluted with imposter oils (adulterated) such as corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, palm oil.
Prawns and Shrimp - Not a Good Idea
These Shellfish come from the bottom of the Ocean where they collect a Lot of Toxic Matter.
They are considered to be two of the Unhealthiest Foods you can ingest by far. Many Nutritionists strongly advise Not to have Any of them in your diet.
Garlic OR Garlic Paste - Australian Verses Chinese
Do make sure Not to buy the Garic that is sold in Net Bags that looks Very White and flat on the base of the Garlic. Sorry to tell you that Human Feces is used as Manure to Fertilize them. Then they are Bleached to disguise the Color and odor. Very bad for your Health as you can imagine.
I also will cover Fake Cherries and Vanilla and a few Extra
PS Most the Fake Olive Oils and Avocado Oils are sold in USA and a few other Countries.
If you buy the ones from Australia and New Zealand, you will be OK.
And if you choose New Zealand, make sure the Avocados are Grown in New Zealand.