Yogurt Named Food of Decade

Good old Harry Balzer. He's certainly consistent. How many people can you say that about in a positive sense in this day and age.

Balzer was the subject of one of the first posts I ever did on this blog, Yogurt Changed the Way We Eat. I wrote:

Harry Balzer knows more about the way you eat than anyone in America. His title is nothing special, vice president at the NPD Group. His job is. He studies Americans and food. Every day. ...

Every day, someone from the NPD Group is calling 3500 Americans, asking them whether they're gone to a restaurant, and if so, what they ate. The number one food ordered by women? French fries. Burgers are number two, pizza, number three. Salad comes in seventh. Men eat burgers, French fries, pizza in that order.

And NPD hands out notebooks to 3000 families at a time so that the can record everything they eat and drink for 14 days.

Then NPD combines the info and sells it for big bucks in their unique study, Eating Patterns in America, now in its 20th year. ...

And yogurt? Well, in Balzer's 28 years in the business, he's only named a "food of the day" that's changed America's eating patterns twice. The first was pizza, and now the second is yogurt.

Almost four years later, Balzer is still on the food patrol. And he's still touting yogurt. In an interview with NPR, Balzer named yogurt the food of the decade.

MICHELLE NORRIS: So was there one specific thing that defined the American diet over the last decade?

Dr. BALZER: Well, if there is one that defines this decade it would have to be yogurt.

NORRIS: Yogurt?

Dr. BALZER: Yogurt would be the category or the food that has increased in our dietary habits more than any other food during the past 10 years.

NORRIS: Color me surprised.

Dr. BALZER: And it probably, if you think about your own behavior, I'll bet you start your day off a lot with yogurt or have it during lunchtime, or maybe have it as a dessert or a side dish or as a snack, more than you did probably 10 years ago.

NORRIS: That's true.

Dr. BALZER: It's one of those things that kind of sneaks up on you, but yet I think defines what Americans are really looking for from its food supply.

NORRIS: Well, now, is it because yogurt is something that's healthy or because it's convenient or because it now comes in all kinds of forms?

Dr. BALZER: Yes.

NORRIS: It's not just in tubs. It's in tubes.

(Soundbite of laughter)

NORRIS: It's frozen. It's...

Dr. BALZER: Say yes to all of those. It's very convenient. It's very individualized. You don't get a bunch of yogurt like you get a pizza pie and celebrate with everybody else. This is just for you. It's your own flavor. It has a health halo certainly surrounding it. It really does define what I think America wants from its food supply.

And if you really want to know what the top food will be in 2020, Balzer can tell you. And you'll be more surprised than by the yogurt.

DR. BALZER: I will tell you the number one food that we will eat in the year 2020 will be a ham sandwich. And I know that because I've been doing this for 30 years and I was hard pressed in 1980 to be asked what we'll be eating in 1990. When I discovered that the ham sandwich was the number one thing we ate in 1980, and I made a prediction that we'd be eating it in 1990. And guess what we ate in 1990 - a ham sandwich. What do you think it was in 2000 - a ham sandwich. 2010? A ham sandwich.

So do I have to go out on a limb to tell you that the number one food we'll be eating in this country in the year 2020 will be a ham sandwich? What I don't know is what will be the bread. There will be something new about the ingredients or the condiments that go on this. But when I ask you, what did you have? You'll say, oh, I had a ham sandwich.

Let's hope it's on dairy-free bread.

The Simple Food Movement

Michael Pollen, the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, has a number of rules, or rules of thumb, that he suggests people who want good, healthy food should follow.

One of them suggests suggests "avoiding products with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce."

Those extra ingredients are the ones normally found in processed food, which is pretty much every food that is found in a can, box, or container. The ones that fill up all the aisles in all the supermarkets of the world. Ingredients you can't pronounce may be emulsifiers, or stabilizers, or preservatives. Although sometimes they are vitamins or probiotics or good old fashioned sodium bicarbonate.

Pollen is not one of the crazies who runs around screaming that "chemicals" are in our foods. As sodium bicarbonate proves, everything, even familiar ingredients found in every kitchen, is a chemical and a chemical name doesn't mean something dangerous or scary. Pollen is an enemy of large agribusiness practices and of the fast food lifestyle Americans practice.

He has followers. As Janet Helm reported in the Chicago Tribune, corporations, ever sensitive to trends and fads, are jumping on the "Simple" bandwagon, featuring foods like:

Five, the new line of Haagen-Dazs ice cream that's made with only five ingredients -- including well-known kitchen staples (milk, cream, sugar and eggs). Then, Pillsbury introduced Simply cookies that are based on a similar premise: "Made just like you would make at home, same ingredients, same process."

Many food companies are scrambling to simplify ingredient lists and find naturally sourced alternatives to create what has been dubbed a "clean label." And when they do, they proudly declare "no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives" on the front of the package. That has become one of the most popular claims made by new foods and beverages, according to the market research firm Mintel.

I'm torn on the issue. I don't care about the trendy foods. They won't last. Literally so. Foods without preservatives spoil faster, have to be made in smaller batches, cost more, and can't sit for months on kitchen shelves. That's why companies started putting preservatives into foods in the first place. I absolutely guarantee that they'll be doing so next year after this trend has passed.

The larger trend that includes the "locavore" movement - eating foods grown locally - as well as fresh foods, more fruits and vegetables, and whole grain foods will likely take hold of a segment of the market. There's not much to complain about here. I've been eating locally raised organic meats, for example, and they are far tastier than the normal supermarket varieties, even though they are available at supermarkets as well from farm markets.

How do local farms, small bakeries, and specialty marketeers manage to feed the 300,000,000 people in this country? They don't. They can't. Programs have been started in Detroit and New York to get fresh produce into inner cities, areas in which supermarkets and groceries have smaller and more expensive selections than anything suburbanites will see at their worst stores. These worthy efforts aren't more than a dent in the larger problem. The people most in need have the least opportunity. The Simple movement will be adopted most enthusiastically by the well-to-do. Just what we need. Another large wedge between classes.

Of far more importance to our small community is the simple fact that creating dairy-free and other specialty items for people who avoid some of the commonest "simple" ingredients in our cooking lexicon is almost impossible to do with just a few ingredients. Getting similar taste, texture, and "mouthfeel" requires a set of ingredients to imitate the originals. Those ingredients probably include emulsifiers and thickeners. And because they are made in small batches with the full expectation that they won't fly off the shelves like Oreos or Spam, they need the preservatives to keep them from rotting in the package.

The Simple movement doesn't address our special needs. Adding more free fruit and vegetables to our diets may be sound advice but "well-known kitchen staples" like milk, cream, and eggs aren't found in all our kitchens. Unless we plan to cook and bake every item we eat, we will rely on packaged foods and those packaged foods will not be Simple.

Don't eat just Simple. Eat Smart. Smart is what is right and best for you. Smart always wins.

Food Faddist Nonsense Redux

"Dairy products are thought to put extra pressure on the liver."

That bit of total absolute idiocy, the most flagrant food faddist nonsense I've seen in many a moon, comes to you courtesy of FemaleFirst.co.uk. The UK. I should have known. Is there anyone in the country dispensing food advice that isn't a crackpot? Females, please put this site last.

Once they scraped me off the ceiling I put iron bands around my stomach to keep my gorge from rising and set off to investigate how such a loony tunes notion could come into being.

The clue came from the article's title, "Christmas Countdown: Festive Detoxes." I've railed against detox diets before, in Detox Your Brain, Not Your Diet.

Somehow the detox numbskulls and the "milk is poison" dimwits have met head on, presumably crushing the one brain cell left between the groups. Take a look at the nonsense packed into The Problem of Meat and Dairy Products, a page that is the equivalent of an internet black hole because when you get that much fraudulence packed into that small a space, no intelligence can escape.

Meat is harder to digest than plant foods and continues to putrefy in the digestive tract, taking about 4 to 4 1/12 hours to be absorbed in the intestines versus 2 to 2 1/2 for grains and vegetables. Purification produces toxins and amines that accumulate in the ,liver, ...

That's cut and paste from the site, BTW.

Look, meat does not putrefy in your intestines. Colon cleansing is a scam. Milk does not affect the liver. You can't detox the body because there is nothing to detox.

Don't get taken in by these quacks and fraudsters. Don't even listen to them. Don't allow them to poison the inside of your brain. Take a stand now.

Bloggers Drive Me Crazy

Here's a story that is intended to make your eyes pop out of your head.

From Axis of Logic:

Manna Storehouse began 9 years ago as a small ordering group called the Stowers Co-op. At the beginning, it was run by John & Jackie Stowers and their 2 oldest boys, Chris & Chad. Eventually we expanded from 3 families to over 60 regular customers. Within the last 3 years, we have gone through a major transition time. We began ordering on a weekly basis, plus splitting cases for our customers and selling the left over items as retail. Thus, the Stowers Co-op became Manna Storehouse, creating what is now a non-working food co-op. ...

On Monday, December 1, a SWAT team with semi-automatic rifles entered the private home of the Stowers family in LaGrange, Ohio, herded the family onto the couches in the living room, and kept guns trained on parents, children, infants and toddlers, from approximately 11 AM to 8 PM. The team was aggressive and belligerent. The children were quite traumatized. At some point, the “bad cop” SWAT team was relieved by another team, a “good cop” team that tried to befriend the family. The Stowers family has run a very large, well-known food cooperative called Manna Storehouse on the western side of the greater Cleveland area for many years. There were agents from the Department of Agriculture present, one of them identified as Bill Lesho. The search warrant is reportedly supicious-looking [sic].

Agents began rifling through all of the family’s possessions, a task that lasted hours and resulted in a complete upheaval of every private area in the home. Many items were taken that were not listed on the search warrant. The family was not permitted a phone call, and they were not told what crime they were being charged with. They were not read their rights. Over ten thousand dollars worth of food was taken, including the family’s personal stock of food for the coming year. All of their computers, and all of their cell phones were taken, as well as phone and contact records. The food cooperative was virtually shut down. There was no rational explanation, nor justification, for this extreme violation of Constitutional rights.

Doesn't that make your blood boil? It's designed to. It's almost perfect propaganda. The Axis of Logic site is run by people who "identify 'Corporate Global Empire' as our common foe and the enemy of the people. We believe that all current, viable political parties in the U.S. are in service to the empire and do not represent the people." They tackle the stories the mainstream media won't tell you. They are from a number of countries, but this particular article appears to be written from Venezuela, where the Axis is a supporter of Hugo Chavez.

That's not the problem here. After all you can find any number of American blogs that contain or reprint this story in all its gory details: the SWAT team, the children with guns pointed at their head, the recriminations for the crime of not cooperating with the evil government.

There seems to be one slight problem with this scenario. It may not be true. Not even close to the truth.

It took more than a week after the raid for the police side to get out. When the police are at fault in a situation - and they often are - the aftermath is almost consistent: defensive tones, attacks on the victims, implications of huge crimes committed and/or prevented by their actions. These are so futile they work about as well as writing GUILTY on their foreheads.

That's one reason I find the police statement more convincing than the bloggers.

Here's what the Cleveland Plain Dealer, admittedly one of the mainstream newspapers, has to say.

[T]he Lorain County Sheriff's Office, which conducted the "raid" along with the county Health Department and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, is puzzled by the outcry over what it calls the "very uneventful" execution of a simple search warrant. ...

[Sheriff's Capt. Richard] Resendez said four deputies conducted the search over three or four hours - not the nine claimed on some sites. There was no SWAT team and no semiautomatic weapons.

"We don't even have semiautomatic weapons," he said.

One officer carried a shotgun, Resendez said, and the family was kept in one place to control the area, as is standard for any search warrant.

"Nobody was held at gunpoint," Resendez said. "That's definitely something that didn't happen."

Why did the "raid" take place?

Assistant County Prosecutor Scott Serazin said any business that sells perishable foods must be licensed and follow regulations covering those who store and supply food. There is no exception in the law for a co-op, Serazin said, and Manna cannot ask customers to waive safety regulations.

So what we have is the same public who are currently screaming at the banks and financial institutions for running their companies into the ground and at the government for not regulating the industry or providing proper oversight or protection of consumers now screaming at the government for trying to regulate an industry and trying to provide oversight and protect consumers. Only this time it's consumers who want the government to keep out of their affairs and allow them to buy unregulated foods.

Right. These are people who want the government to protect us fro tainted milk coming from China, but not to even investigate any foods grown here locally. The government can't be trusted for them, so it can' be trusted for us, although it should do their jobs properly for them. Or as a Rush Limbaugh tribute site says:

The freedom to purchase food directly form [sic] the source is increasingly under attack. For those who have food allergies and chemical intolerances, or who are on special medical diets, this is becoming a serious health issue. Will Americans retain the right to purchase food that is uncontaminated by pesticides, herbicides, allergens, additives, dyes, preservatives, MSG, GMOs, radiation, etc.?

The irony is killing me. It may eventually kill all of us if we don't get our heads clear and realize that we can't be against regulation and for it at the same time, and that the interests of companies are all alike, whether they are tiny co-ops or multinational corporations.

If there was ever a time in the history of the U.S. where government regulation has been shown to be badly needed, but butchered and diminished by anti-government zealots working within government to benefit corporations, this is the moment. I want more food regulation, and not less. I want the government to check foods coming into the country from abroad and I want the government to check the foods coming from local growers who want the power to do whatever the hell they feel like doing with our food, according to whatever idiot notions of food and nutrition may have leaked into their minds. I want it both ways.

I want to know what's in food and have it labeled properly so I can make my own decisions. Are you a raw milk freak who think you can magically keep your cows healthy when no one in history has managed to do so? I want to know that. Does this mean you may need to get a license? Pass an exam? Allow inspectors on your property? Fine with me. You should do all that and much more.

Before you run off and read more blogs ranting on this subject, remember this: as of today we still don't have full statements from the Stowers family and we don't have full statements from all the police who took part. We don't have full information on the supposed violations or the laws that were allegedly broken. We don't have any evidence of police vandalism and we don't know what was or wasn't taken.

Personally, I'd like to have that information before I make up my mind. But I'm not your typical blogger, apparently.

Good thing for you.

Entrepreneur of the Year

From an article by Heidi Lees-Bell on the UK's Institute of Commercial Management website.

A Dorset businesswoman and founder of Nutrichef, Barbara Cox has been voted the winner of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Entrepreneur of the Year Award. ...


Each of the winners received a certificate at the gala dinner, and GD Environmental Services, the winner of the Award for Outstanding Business Achievement also took home the top cash prize of £50,000 courtesy of RBS Group.

Barbara Cox, founder of Nutrichef Ltd., is a member of the Dorset Chamber of Commerce, and won the Staples-sponsored award because of her innovative, healthy meal-delivery service business.

Her niche business provides freshly-prepared, wheat-free, dairy-free meals direct to customers’ homes – including people fighting serious illnesses such as cancer, individuals trying to lose weight and sportsmen and women.

Congratulations, Barbara. Sounds like an excellent business and an excellent service.

Healthiest Airport Food

I'm not a big fan of the The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). They're a fanatical anti-milk and anti-animal-as-food organization.

Because they're militantly vegan, though, they can occasionally be of help to those who are looking for healthy dairy-free food, as long as you remember to read their findings through the lens of their bias.

They just published their eighth annual PCRM Airport Food Review, perfect timing for those about to embark on airline travel this holiday season. You can find the full report on this page. It's not very long.

During this season of increased air travel, where can a hungry traveler find a healthful meal? Nutritionists with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) surveyed meals in 15 of the nation’s busiest airports and found that 80 percent of airport restaurants now offer at least one low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free vegetarian option. ...

A restaurant was rated as healthful if it served at least one low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free breakfast, lunch, or dinner option. Healthful options at airports covered in this report include the Mediterranean platter at La Tapenade Mediterranean Café at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the vegan stromboli at French Meadow Bakery & Café at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, and the roasted veggie ciabatta at Brioche Dorée at Los Angeles International Airport.

(Note: Where menu items include cheese or other dairy products, to ensure a healthful meal, travelers should request that these meals be prepared dairy free.)

Here's the summary report on the top two airports, a tie, to show you what you might find if you check the rest.

1. (tie) Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (95 percent): DFW increased its score by one point and remains in first place this year. Health-conscious travelers will find nearly 40 restaurants that offer at least one low-fat, zero-cholesterol meal. Healthful offerings include the vegan smoked tofu, broccoli, and mushroom burrito at 360 Gourmet Burrito, the portable portobello wrap (hold the feta) at UFood Grill, the Sonoma veggie wrap (minus the cheese) at Camille’s Sidewalk Café, and the guiltless black bean burger at Chili’s Too.

1. (tie) Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (95 percent): After two years in second place, Detroit increased its score by two points and tied with Dallas for first place. The addition of new low-fat menu items—like the vegetarian pita at National Coney Island Express—drives the Motor City into the number one spot. Zero-cholesterol items with an international flair include the tabouleh, hummus, and veggie burger at Online Café Bar and Grill, veggie and tofu rolls at Sora Japanese Cuisine and Sushi, and the fattoush (a salad made from vegetables and pita bread) or the veggie wrap at Waterworks Bar and Grill.

Anyone who flies and has tried to find reasonably healthy food at an airport knows that the choices are often limited, although far better today than in the past. The report gives scores for the previous years of the survey. As recently as 2001, four of the ten airports surveyed had scores of 50% or below.

This report seems like reasonable advice, which is why I'm passing it on despite the source.

Just a quick dig I can't resist slipping in. When you have two items tied for number one, what comes next? That's right, number three. Except for the geniuses at the PCRM. Chicago O'Hare ranked just below Dallas and Detroit. It's ranked number two.

Where's the slap your head smiley?

Ecological Ain't the Same As Good for You

I found this bizarre press release today.

When leaders of the 21 economies that comprise the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum formally launch their annual meeting Saturday, their greatest temptation might well be "Divine Sin." The "Divine Sin" in question is actually a cocktail that Peruvian expert Eladio Espinoza has created from two products that Peru is most proud of: Pisco, a liquor and chirimoya, a type of custard apple.

APEC leaders were to be offered the treat at lunch and dinner.

"All its ingredients are ecological, with a low content of alcohol, sugars and lactose, so that they can be taken by people who suffer from intolerance to lactose or diabetes," Espinoza said.

Peru, whose prestige in gastronomy is on a remarkable rise, sees the APEC summit as a chance to further enhance its reputation.

First, notice the claim that it's low in lactose. It's nice that people are thinking of us. That's a huge change from earlier years. But for Pete's sake. This is a cocktail. It contains liquor and fruit. Of course it doesn't have lactose. Neither does a martini or a daiquiri or a margarita. Or a hurricane or a screwdriver or a Long Island Iced Tea.

It's true that some liqueurs - not liquors - contain real cream. Irish Cream in all its variations is the prime example. And some cocktails are made with liqueurs added. A screaming orgasm is made with kahlua, amaretto, vodka, and Irish Cream. You can even find mixed drinks - I hope that not even the most rabid Sex and the City fan would dare call them cocktails - that have ice cream at their base.

Creme, it needs to be said, is not real cream. Creme de cassis, Creme de Noyaux, Crème de cacao, Creme de violette, and Creme de Menthe all do not contain any real cream. I can't guarantee whether all concoctions named creme are truly cream free, though. The drinksmixer.com site lists abominations like Creme De Cachaca, made with Irish Cream; Creme de Cafe, made with light cream; and Ponche De Creme, made with condensed milk.


Even so, liquor is milk-free and fruit is milk-free. I'm not sure who you think you're enticing.

My other peeve is calling a Divine Sin ecological. Perhaps the word is the victim of a bad translation from the Spanish. But remember folks, we're talking about a cocktail here. Liquor and fruit. I'd drink it. I'm not condemning the concept of a cocktail, though I don't drink many. Ecological may be many things to many people, but you're simply perverting the notion when you apply the term to a cocktail. With fruit or pure Pesco.

And where did this bizarre perversion of the Earth movement appear?

On The Earth Times Online Newspaper. The Earth Times, a environmental legend that has for years preached about ecology, sustainability, the green movement, organic products, and all the things that might cause some to label them as archetypal treehuggers. Pushing ecological Peruvian cocktails doesn't seem to fit in their mission statement.

We all make compromises for our causes. Some are subtle; others are all too obvious. I don't raise my drink in salute.

UPDATE: I thought the original article was bizarre. The follow-up is ten times so.

As I was writing this posting, President George W. Bush was in Peru for the 2008 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Here's an official picture of him from the festivities sounding the event.

That's pisco that he's drinking.

An amusing coicindence except for the fact that pisco is an alcoholic beverage. This has caused a huge flurry by the punditry and in the blogosphere.

With the cares of office soon to be behind him, has George Bush started drinking again? The US President, who gave up alcohol 22 years ago, has been dogged by a recent spate of rumours that he has gone back on the sauce, and while attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Peruvian capital Lima at the weekend he was photographed downing a glass of Pisco Sour (pictured), a brandy-like alcoholic drink.

It could be that Bush was unaware that Pisco Sour was alcoholic, or that he merely took a sip so as not offend his hosts – the beverage is the country's national drink – but drink it he did.

Anyone who has sampled a Pisco Sour will know it needs to be approached with extreme caution. It was invented in the 1920s as a variation of the whiskey sour by an American expatriate called Victor V. ‘Gringo’ Morris at the Morris Bar in Lima, and packs quite a punch.

It can't be satire. Satire is obsolete before it gets written these days.

No Tainted Chinese Milk Products On U.S. Store Shelves - So Far

The latest crisis of tainted food products from China is perhaps the most serious. Some 13,000 children hospitalized, 4 known dead, all in China. The number of countries in Asia and Africa which has banned the import of Chinese milk products grows by the hour.

Chinese baby formula is already illegal in the U.S. That doesn't prevent people from trying to order it over the Internet. And milk derivatives of all kinds are found in thousands of products.

A Reuters article noted that:

The FDA says it has contacted the companies that make infant formula for distribution in the United States and been assured that none import formula or source materials from China. Inspectors have also visited Chinese markets and stores to look for imported Chinese infant formula.

"Additionally, the FDA is sampling and testing milk and milk-derived ingredients and finished food products that could contain these ingredients from Chinese sources. Milk-derived ingredients include whole milk powder, nonfat milk powder, whey powder, lactose powder and casein," the agency said in a statement last week.

The agency as well as local and state officials are also conducting sweeps of stores that import Chinese products. The CBS5 website in San Francisco reported that after a popular Chinese milk candy called "White Rabbit" was found to have the tainted milk in Asia, inspectors found boxes of it in a Bay area store, but that the store had already heeded the recall warning and removed them from shelves.

The chances of any of the melamine-laced milk or milk derivatives being sold in the U.S. at the current point seem small, possibly infinitesimal.

While that's a relief, many commentators are pointing out that the safety of any particular product is a shadow of the much larger issue. China is simply incapable of properly regulating, policing, or managing the unimaginably huge number of companies that are part of China's worldwide export boom. The world has turned to China to provide it with inexpensive goods. The opportunities are gigantic and that means the temptations are equally huge. Only a tiny percentage of the manufacturers have to fall to temptation for the impact to reverberate globally. That's what we're seeing now, and what we will continue to see for years to come.

Nobody reasonably expects trade with China to cease. And China has every incentive to try to improve its safety and regulatory functions. It can never completely succeed. We just need to look at U.S. history and the thousands of cases of tainted food products from greedy manufacturers in our own past, especially before a series of federal laws and crackdowns made inspections more frequent and penalties harsher.

China has not reached that point. What's worse is that we - the United States - appears to be complicit.

The Washington Post columnist John Pomfret reported this piece of bad news in his blog:

The Bush administration made the obligatory noise about cracking down on Chinese goods. But the reality was that, according to a series of agreements signed between the Bush administration and the Chinese government in Beijing in December of last year, no significant new American resources are going to be devoted to dealing with the problem. The onus is on the Chinese to clean up their act.

Today, I heard Nicholas Lardy, one of the premier economists on China, say his big takeaway from the milk scandal was simple. It was "ludicrous," he said, to expect that a country such as China (still quite poor) could police itself when it comes to product safety. The Bush administration, Lardy said, was naive to sign agreements with China that didn't commit the United States to bolstering its own systems to protect Americans from tainted products.

With only four months to go, the next Administration will be the recipients of this problem. Yet another crisis that will be dumped on its shoulders. And yet another crisis made worse by greed, shortsightedness, and incompetence at the highest levels.

Worst Case Result if You're Lactose Intolerant...

... you might have to go on reality television.

The horror! The horror!

Before you avert your eyes in sheer mortification, here's some helpful reassurance. It wasn't the lactose intolerance that was the problem. That was a mere trigger for the nutty food intolerances-are-everywhere idiocy that is consuming the U.K.

I take this from the most reliable possible source, Kim Gregory's article on ShowBizSpy.com.



Yasmin Smith was legitimately diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Unfortunately, she assumed that if she felt better by removing one food from her diet, she would feel multiply so by wiping out all dairy. And wheat. And fish. And fast foods. And foods with preservatives and additives.

Her underlying problem was an eating disorder rather than any organic allergies.

Her cure was suitably drastic. She went on the reality show Supersize vs Superskinny and was forced to swap diets with a man who weighed 462 pounds (33 stone).

I have my doubts whether stuffing herself with cockle pizza and blood pudding managed to cure her of anything but a liking for cockle pizza and blood pudding. However, she also spent a week in a clinic and was sent home with a 12-week healthy eating program.

Yasmin gained back seven pounds and four inches around her stomach and hips. She said:

"I’ve learned not to fear food anymore. I feared food because I put all my worries of my intolerances from lactose all in one and combined them unnecessarily.

"It’s brilliant and means I can lead a normal life again."

Please don't fear food. Food intolerances and allergies can be challenging but should never be limiting, not with so many alternatives and substitutes on the market today. Yasmin's diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meat is the basis for a healthy diet but shouldn't be the whole of it as she had it. Moderation in all things except moderation. And reality television. Strict avoidance is the only hope.

Food Pyramid Modernized for Older Adults

We're all getting older, some of us precipitously. Our bodies don't function as well as they did when we were younger and we process and digest food differently as well. That's means that the recommendations for a so-called healthy diet also have to change.

The researchers over at Tufts University who take care of such things have issued a report in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults by Alice H. Lichtenstein, Helen Rasmussen, Winifred W. Yu, Susanna R. Epstein and Robert M. Russell. J. Nutr. 138:5-11, January 2008.

Abstract

In 1999 we proposed a Modified Food Guide Pyramid for adults aged 70+ y. It has been extensively used in a variety of settings and formats to highlight the unique dietary challenges of older adults. We now propose a Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults in a format consistent with the MyPyramid graphic. It is not intended to substitute for MyPyramid, which is a multifunctional Internet-based program allowing for the calculation of individualized food-based dietary guidance and providing supplemental information on food choices and preparation. Pedagogic issues related to computer availability, Web access, and Internet literacy of older adults suggests a graphic version of MyPyramid is needed. Emphasized are whole grains and variety within the grains group; variety and nutrient density, with specific emphasis on different forms particularly suited to older adults' needs (e.g. frozen) in the vegetables and fruits groups; low-fat and non-fat forms of dairy products including reduced lactose alternatives in the milk group; low saturated fat and trans fat choices in the oils group; and low saturated fat and vegetable choices in the meat and beans group. Underlying themes stress nutrient- and fiber-rich foods within each group and food sources of nutrients rather than supplements. Fluid and physical activity icons serve as the foundation of MyPyramid for Older Adults. A flag to maintain an awareness of the potential need to consider supplemental forms of calcium, and vitamins D and B-12 is placed at the top of the pyramid. Discussed are newer concerns about potential overnutrition in the current food landscape available to older adults.

Laurie Barkley at MedScape gives the play by play:

The Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults specifically emphasizes whole grains; variety within the grains group; variety and nutrient density; vegetables and fruits particularly suited to older adults' needs, such as frozen foods; low-fat and nonfat dairy products including reduced lactose alternatives in the milk group; low saturated fat and trans fat choices in the oils group; and low saturated fat and vegetable options in the meat and beans group.

The underlying principles of the Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults include focus on nutrient- and fiber-rich foods within each group, recommending food sources of nutrients rather than supplements, and use of fluid and physical activity icons. The base of the pyramid has a row of glasses to remind older adults that it is crucial to remain well hydrated. In the second row, pictures of various physical activities emphasize the need for regular physical activity, which is of vital importance given the high prevalence of physical inactivity in older adults.

And, quoting one of the study's authors:

"The advantages of MyPyramid compared with the original Food Guide Pyramid are that the guidance is delivered in terms of household measures, is accompanied by tips on how to achieve the recommended goal, presents food group serving suggestions in terms of total intake per day, and provides tips on altering standard recipes to limit added sugars, utilizing the information available on food labels and adhering to food safety standards," write Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, from the Jean Mayer United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. "Despite these benefits, the updated system presents unique challenges for older adults. This group of individuals has less access and familiarity with computers than their younger counterparts and a lower comfort level for deriving computer-based information."

Click here for a larger, more readable version of the pyramid.

An Apple a Day

So why do Canadians get to have all the fun these days?

Their dollar is beating our like a rented mule and they get to have interesting looking books on food that aren't available in the U.S.

Marilyn Linton, in the Toronto Sun, wrote an article on An Apple a Day, a new book by chemistry professor Joe Schwarcz.



Schwarcz does exactly what I want a scientist to do. He looks at the claims behind food and examines them for their validity. Hooray, may I say.

From apples to fish to olive oil and milk, Schwarcz examines the results of studies that claim benefit or harm. He investigates artificial sweeteners, food fortification, trans-fats and hormones in meat and weighs the results of small and large, famous and infamous studies -- all the while asking, "where is the evidence?" that backs up something's claim of providing benefit or doing harm.

Here's what's killing me. The book is only available from the Canadian version of Amazon (linked to above).

Dr. Joe apparently has written a whole bunch of other fascinating-looking books on the chemistry behind everyday life, including food-centric titles like That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles: 62 All New Commentaries on the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life and Let Them Eat Flax!: 62 All-New Commentaries on the Science of Everyday Food & Life, neither of which are in my local library system.

Boo and hiss.

C'mon, Canada. I know we're a backward second-rate country now, but let us have some crumbs from the cookie for old times' sake.

Food Advice During Pregnancy

A pair of articles appeared today with pertinent advice for those who are currently pregnant. I'll just excerpt the parts that are most relevant.

What Does Your First Trimester Diet Contain? by Apurva Shree in The American Chronicle.

Lots of carbohydrates, protein, iron, calcium, and fibers are what you need at this time. This is the time to substitute refined fats and sugars with diary products brimming with protein and calcium. If you are lactose-intolerant, go for beans, tofu, corn tortillas, fresh fruits, and dark green leafy vegetables. In addition to this, you need to drink about 6-8 glasses of water everyday, to fulfill your requirement of fluid during pregnancy. However, this doesn’t mean that you gulp down cups of tea, coffee, and soda. It’s plain water that’s healthy.

Experts bust the nine biggest myths about what to expect. by Alonna Friedman in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

MYTH 4: Cut out the cheese

True! Well, you don't have to ban all cheeses. Some kinds, such as Cheddar and Swiss, are innocuous because they have been pasteurized. It's the soft, unpasteurized products such as brie, feta and goat cheese that might carry food-borne illnesses. If you're lucky, the market you frequent will carry pasteurized versions -- just start looking at labels more often. And then you can still enjoy your crackers with cheese.

Top Allergy-Friendly Food Finds

Allison Van Dusen wrote a very useful article, Top Allergy-Friendly Food Finds on Forbes.com.

Anne Munoz-Furlong, CEO and founder of The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, says there's been a steady increase in the number of available foods in this market over the last 10 years. She expects the trend to continue as the health issue grows.

"It used to be you could only get these specialty foods online, but now we're seeing it in mainstream grocery stores," she says. "You can get a box mix or a ready-made product. It's getting easier to feed [people] with food allergies."

...

Jay Berger, owner of AllergyGrocer.com, says food-allergic customers have been so desperate in the past for foods they can eat that they've been willing to settle for products that don't taste good, even though they typically cost three times more than similar non-allergy friendly versions.

"They'd go into the store and pick up two items that, thank God, meet their needs and they're so grateful," says Berger, who manufacturers the popular Miss Roben's baking mixes, which are free of wheat, gluten, dairy, nuts and eggs, and whose site sells many other companies' allergen-free foods. "It's important for people to know there are good things out there."

You can also click on a link there to take you to a slideshow of 10 Allergy-Friendly Foods.

Whole Foods Market Dairy-Free Lists

Finding a list of all dairy-free foods in the country is impossible. Too many local, regional, and specialized products.

Fortunately, many retailers are realizing that they have large audiences who need to avoid certain ingredients and the computer capabilities to start inventorying all the products that they carry.

The Whole Foods Market chain, for example, has a Special Diets page.

Our Special Diets pages provide store-specific shopping lists and overview information for those on special diets. We believe that food should bring pleasure along with good health, and these guides are intended as a resource to help everyone experience as many healthy, natural food choices as possible.

If you select a store and a type of special diet, a pdf file pops up that lists all the products in that store that is suitable for that diet. Diets include dairy-free, gluten-free, low fat, soy, low sodium, macrobiotics, sugar-conscious, vegetarian, and wheat-free.

As an example, I selected the New York City - Chelsea store and the dairy-free diet. I saw Dairy Free: Chelsea Store, Northeast Region with 20 pages of listings and the following sensible warning:

Whole Foods Market is excited to bring you "Celebrating Your Choices," a series of shopping lists and information for those on special diets. We believe that food should bring pleasure along with good health, and these guides are intended as a resource to help everyone experience as many healthy, natural food choices as possible. Check out our website for more information about dairy-free foods:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/specialdiets

We have made every effort to be as accurate as possible, however, we cannot be held responsible for individual reactions to any products nor can we guarantee the absence of cross-contamination. Always read the label and/or check with the manufacturer. INGREDIENTS CHANGE. This list is only a guide to assist you in your shopping for products available for your dietary needs. The information provided here is for educational purposes only. In no way should it be considered as medical advice. Please keep in mind that there are products available in this category that may not be shown on our list.

Right. Ingredients change without notice. You need to check for yourself. However, these lists are a great place to start.

"Enjoy Life" Enjoys Life

Enjoy Life Foods was named to the 2007 Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the U.S. How fast do you have to be growing to make this list? The press release they sent out said "Enjoy Life Foods is ranked No. 361, with three-year revenue growth of 783%." Enjoy, indeed!

I've written about them before, in Enjoy Life Snacks, but the press release has more info about the company.

Enjoy Life Foods offers 21 delicious products under its Enjoy Life brand including soft-baked cookies, snack bars, granola, bagels, semi-sweet chocolate chips and trail mix that are specially made to be gluten-free and free of the eight most common allergens.(b) They are also all natural, trans fat free and made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery. The company also offers 5 gluten- and nut-free cereals under the Perky’s 100% Natural brand.

...

Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC (d/b/a Enjoy Life Foods, LLC (ELF)) was founded in early 2001 with the mission of making great-tasting allergy-friendly foods that most everyone can eat freely. The company launched the Enjoy Life brand in late 2002 with a broad product line that is gluten-free and free of the eight most common allergens. To meet the needs of a rapidly growing consumer base, in late 2004 the company acquired Perky’s™ 100% Natural, a line of gluten- and nut-free cereals. Today, ELF offers 26 different Enjoy Life and Perky’s products that are sold in natural food and select grocery stores throughout the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.enjoylifenb.com.

You can also try www.enjoylifefoods.com/ to get the website for just the Enjoy Life Foods section of the company.

Kosher and Parve Food Online

With Rosh Hashanah coming up next week, it's time to take a look at kosher foods available over the Internet.

Remember, it's not "kosher" that you want to look for necessarily, it's "pareve" or "parve." People who keep kosher must strictly separate meat from dairy. Dairy products can be kosher, of course, so that's why looking for kosher isn't enough. However, many foods are neither meat nor milk. They are neutral, and that's what parve means, however people might want to spell it. (Parve gives more hits than pareve in Google.)

There is no symbol that indicates that a food is parve. The word is always spelled out in full. (A "P" indicates that the food is kosher for Passover, notthat it is parve.)

Although there has been some controversy about the fine details of just how strict the enforcement of the prohibition of dairy products or dairy derivatives might be in theory, in practice I've never come across a parve product that contained any dairy. And Robyn Kozierok's Parve FAQ at nomilk.com makes this even more explicit:

Parve food may contain no detectable amounts of either meat or milk. This means zero. There are other cases in kosher law where an impurity of one part in sixty is permitted. This one-part-in-sixty rule does NOT apply to the classification "Parve". I mention this because once in a while one might hear from somebody who erroneously claims that parve food is allowed to contain very small amounts of milk.

Parve food may not contain any food derived from milk or meat ither. Thus casein, whey, lactose, and any other milk derivative renders a food dairy.

There do exist the occasional recalls of products that weren't supposed to contain dairy and do, but that can happen to any product at any time and nothing on the label can prevent that.

Some of the major kosher food shopping sites include:

● Kosher.com.

● Avi Glatt Kosher.

● Kosher Gourmet Mart.

● Shop Online at Manischewitz.

In Canada,
● Kosher Food Online.

As always, I am not recommending or endorsing these sites, just providing information about their existence.

Consumers Are Getting Smarter

Who says? James King, for one.

James King, customer development controller for Danone, says: “While historically 'healthy eating' has meant eating products with reduced levels of fat or sugar, we are seeing a slow shift away from this rather simplistic approach.

“Consumers are becoming more discerning around 'good' fats and 'bad' fats, and even 'good' and 'bad' sugars.

“They are also looking more to wholesome and natural foods, hence the continued growth of bottled water in contrast to carbonates, continued growth in organic foods, and the recent resurgence in fruit, spurred on by the 5-a-day campaign.” King continues: “Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly open to products that offer functional benefits such as digestive support or cholesterol reduction.

“The rise of 'superfoods' and 'superfruits', natural foods that purport to above-average health benefits, could be seen as a combination of these trends.”

The quote comes from a length article by Sheetal Mehta at TalkingRetail.com. The article talks about the many ways that foods targeted at specific audiences have appeal beyond those core audiences because they may be, or may be perceived as, healthier than regular foods.

Soy, soya in the UK, is an example:

Alpro, for example, recently launched the first ever chilled organic soya milk with Soil Association approval, and this followed the launch in 2006 of dairy-free probiotic soya yogurt.

John Allaway, Alpro commercial director, says: “In terms of soya, over recent years, the consumer profile has changed considerably, as well-being and healthy eating become increasingly significant to consumers, and substantial positive research about the benefits of including soya in our diet continues to be published.

“As a result, soya products are no longer just used as a dairy replacement by vegans, vegetarians and lactose intolerant consumers – they are now consumed alongside dairy products because of their health benefits.”

Yogurt has historically carried this distinction as a healthy food with value for all.

At Müller, new product development manager, Chris McDonough, says: “Our npd programme is much more about getting back to basics and focusing on the wholesome nutritional values intrinsic in yogurt itself rather than pursuing an overtly scientific route. In fact, our research shows that there is increasing scepticism and confusion surrounding food science claims, which is leading to a lack of credibility amongst consumers.

“We're moving in a 'more is less' direction, with the emphasis being placed on natural ingredients with added value functionality derived from the dairy product itself. This is embodied in our recent new product developments such as Müller One A Day yogurt and yogurt drinks, on which the packaging clearly states that each serving contains one fruit portion.”

Similarly, David Rapkins, sales director at Fage UK, the company behind the Total Greek yogurt brand, says: “Products that are pure and natural have seen an increase in popularity as health-conscious consumers switch to brands which contain no artificial ingredients or added sugars. There is a growing band of shoppers who are trying to avoid such additives which are often perceived to be potentially detrimental to health.”

And new styles of healthy eating are gaining popularity from the knowledge that diets don't work because people don't like to deprive themselves. Instead they should learn to alter their entire food preferences toward healthier eating, even if that means rewarding themselves once in a while. Bernard Matthews' marketing director, Matt Pullen argues that:

'Doing the right thing' is perceived as 'healthier', even if only indirectly, than just buying whatever is cheapest or most convenient. The widely reported debit/credit lifestyle which seeks to balance 'health' and 'indulgence' squares with this need for well-being rather than purely health: to be healthy we need to be happy, and the occasional indulgence has a role to play.

Fascinating article about a change in attitudes that is healthy in every sense.

It's No Secret. You're A Moron.

Now that The Secret has been Oprahcized, millions of people around the world are using the power of nonsense to cure them of their ills until the next quack bestseller comes along.

Nonsense? Quack? How dare he?

Heck, I don't have to say anything. I can let the believers damn themselves with their own words.

Case in point, Mike Adams, who has a line of books of his own that he's trying to push. (Most of them have the word "natural" in the title, always a red warning flag to those who believe in, you know, science and medicine.)

You can find the line of hooey he spouts on NewsTarget.com, a site in which Adams spouts so much quackery that feathers come out of the screen. This one is particularly despicable:

The bottom line is that conventional cancer treatments are a sham and they do nothing to help the patient overcome the causes of cancer.

He suggests cleansing your liver with Amazon Herbs, which he also recommends that you become a pusher of yourself, in what he admits is a "network marketing model" or in more common terms, the dread multi-level marketing (MLM) scam.

So what does Mike Adams have to say about the secret behind The Secret? Let's select his comment on dairy, since that's our subject.

Vegetarian foods: Avoiding the consumption of meat and dairy products is also an important way to keep your system clear and lend power to your intention. Meat and dairy products stagnate the flow of energy throughout your mind and body, blocking the intention. To get the best results, go completely dairy free (except for raw, unprocessed milk, which qualifies as a raw food) and meat free.

Standard-class hooey, nothing new or different, except for the now faddish insistence that raw milk somehow behaves differently in the body than does pasteurized milk. (Well, yes, it does: it doesn't give you essential vitamin D, which is added to all processed milks. But I don't think that's what Adams means.)

My intention is pretty obvious. I intend to stand up for science and medicine whenever possible (and chastise them for any lapses of integrity or clarity) while simultaneously blasting those whose notions of "natural" include magic and nonsense.

I do that pretty well for someone who eats cooked meat. And has the occasional dairy product. And never, ever, ever buys any of the products recommended by the like of the Mike Adamses of the world. I intend to keep doing so for a long, long time.

And that's no secret.

Intolerance Foods Market No Longer Niche

There's a huge potential market of foods for people with food intolerances and allergies that is being met, according to the global market research firm, Euromonitor International.

An article by Melissa Suggitt, Food intolerance products have massive growth potential in the UK, said:

Food allergies or “sensitivities” are on the rise in the UK, but the food industry is struggling to meet consumer demand for ever more specialised food intolerance products. As a result, many sufferers remain uncatered for or have to hunt around for highly priced items in specialist outlets. According to market analyst, Euromonitor International, now is the time for food manufacturers and retailers to realise that food intolerance products are no longer niche and hold massive growth potential in the UK.

...

The UK is the third-biggest market for gluten-free foods (after the US and Italy), amounting to GBP47 million in 2006. Value sales of lactose-free products (dairy products, ice cream, baby foods) have increased by 29% since 2002, reaching GBP23 million in 2006.

...

However, there is still much room for improvement. In an interview with Euromonitor International, a Food and Drinks Advisor at Coeliac UK confirmed that, although it was now much easier to get hold of specialist products, people resented having to pay such high premiums, and that most sufferers would like to see more “normal” products, such as gluten-free jaffa cakes, pitta breads, pizzas, sausage rolls or maybe even a pork pie. Such products do exist, but availability is limited to large stores.

...

Euromonitor International suggests that food manufacturers would do well to further their investment in products that can be confidently labelled as free from wheat, gluten, cows milk, lactose, egg, soya, nuts and ominous additives, such as sulphites. Now would be a good time for larger players to acquire small specialist companies, who can provide uncontaminated products from their custom-built production facilities. Such companies can blossom once provided with adequate resources, as demonstrated by organic companies such as Rachel's Dairy (acquired by Dean Foods) and Green & Blacks (acquired by Cadbury Schweppes).

Euromonitor International wants to sell its pricey marketing reports and databases, of course, but the above is accurate. The UK has always lagged behind the North American market in the easy availability of specialty foods. And the US and Canadian markets could do with more and more affordable foods as well.

I hope some manufacturers are listening.

Getting Into Supermarkets the Tough Part for Allergen-Free Foods

A perhaps not-so-surprising number of small firms making products that are free of allergens started when a family member needed the food for a loved one. Martin Hopkins was one, who started making peanut-free foods for his long-term girlfriend.

He had a vision, though, of marketing foods that were free of all 12 major allergens identified by the European Union.

His story is told in an article by Andrew Cave on the Telegraph.co.uk.

He decided to make soups and cook-in sauces that were not only free of all nuts but also wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy products, sesame seeds, milk and fish, as well as free of more minor allergens such as celery and mustard seeds.

The first problem he encountered was finding a manufacturer with the dedicated facilities to be able to guarantee no contamination from any of these allergens.

After no luck with 13 different contracting companies, he set up his own factory near Buxton in the Peak District.

An even bigger challenge, however, was securing national distribution through one of Britain's big supermarkets.

"We were selling through wholefoods shops and delicatessens," says Hopkins, "but 70% of all Britain's food retailing goes through the major supermarkets.

To do that Hopkins had to study how supermarkets find new products.

"They buy new products only at certain times, when they have product reviews. We found out they were having one in our sector last summer so we approached them but we spent a lot of time trying to find out who was the buyer for our products, because they have hundreds.

"We eventually found the right person and undertook a trade show just so we could show our products to him. It was a big risk and it cost us a couple of thousand pounds but big chains are used to dealing with large companies.

"We had a very small budget but we had to try to make ourselves look as big as we could. The buyer came to the show and we showed him our products' benefits.

"From their point of view, we could offer efficiencies because they had a range of products that were free of particular allergens. We were able to offer something suitable for people with all the major food allergies.

"We were lucky in that the buyer turned out to have a minor nut allergy himself. He loves the product."

Luck like that is almost always preceded by hard work and research, though.

Britain's "free-from" market is predicted to double in the three years. Now is the time for you other potential entrepreneurs to get cracking.