Most of us would be surprised to learn that the majority of sweeteners used in processed food comes from corn, not sugar cane or beets. Developed in the 1970s, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has the same sweetness and taste as an equal amount of sucrose from cane or beet sugar but it’s considerably cheaper …
The endocrine system regulates every function of the body. It consists of the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands, the pancreas, the ovaries and the testes, all linked to the hypothalamus in the brain. The hypothalamus is like the mainframe computer of the body sending signals to glands that provide instructions for creating hormones, which are …
The scientific evidence piling up against Roundup, the best-selling weed killer for home and farm use, is starting to sound a bit sci-fi. The latest damaging evidence against this potent herbicide, once widely believed to be safe, comes from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which is now detecting glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, …
There are many factors to consider when purchasing that seemingly innocuous water packaged in plastic – not the least of which is how we, as consumers, are being manipulated by big business – yet again. As consumers increasingly swear off the calories in sugary drinks, the bottled water industry, dominated by four large multinational corporations: …
Plastic is big business. According to the Canadian government, the Canadian plastics industry accounts for an estimated $46.9 billion in shipments of plastic products. Worldwide, in 2002 factories churned out a whopping 5 trillion plastic bags ranging from large trash bags to the light give-away model we all use. Plastic associations globally are scrambling, trying …
In North America, we spend almost 90 percent of our food budget on processed food which contains a staggering number of artificial food additives, preservatives, colours and flavour enhancers. The Centre for Science in the Public Interest compiled a list of common food additives. There is a short description for each additive and a safety …
The term “genetically modified organism” (GMO) occurs when genetic material has been changed in a way that does not occur naturally. It can also can be referred to as genetically engineered (GE) or transgenic. The genetically engineered seeds that are destined to be in our food, have their DNA artifically altered in the laboratory using …
In polls taken in the U.S. and Canada, over 80% of participants want food containing GMO ingredients labeled. Consumers have a right to know what they are eating, but it’s increasingly evident that we’re not getting any help in that regard from our regulators. So it’s up to us to know what to look for …
It was a sad day when I told my young granddaughter that she couldn’t have the ice cream she wanted because the ingredients were ‘not good’. We were on a lovely summer-day stroll and we both were craving ice cream. I asked the vendor what type of sugar they used. They couldn’t answer the question. …
‘We now eat food grown by unnatural processes which make use of a host of chemical substances: hormones, antibiotics, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides – of which residues are to be found in nearly all the food commercially available today.’ Edward Goldsmith, The Ecologist, Vol 30 No 7, October 2000 Although toxicologists are able to investigate single …