Sugar-Free Kisses

Best for Your Baby?

2005-11-09T07:34:00.000-05:00

A recent analysis showed that in the last year organic food sales have increased dramatically. Specifically, parents with newborn babies or pregnant mothers have been purchasing organic baby food. Baby food sales have increased 18 percent in the last year, and the sale of organic food products has reached a national distribution deal with Toys R Us and Babies R Us.

The recent increase in organic baby food sales is probably due to increased awareness of pesticide levels in food. A pediatrician in northern California, Alan Greene, stated that "The concern about children is that they are more vulnerable to toxins in their diets. As children grow rapidly, their brains and organs are forming and they eat more for their size than grown-ups." Parents should be more aware of what their children are eating because children injest higher concentrations than adults.

A recent government-funded study in children showed alarming results. The study showed that children whose diets were changed from regular to organic had an enormous drop in pesticide levels almost immediately. The drop was so enormous that the levels were unknown until they began to eat conventional foods again. The Environmental Working Group released a guide showing that the lowest pesticide levels in conventional foods are found in: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangos, onions, papya, pineapples, and sweet peas. The highest levels are found in: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries.

Although the effects of pesticides are unknown, parents are being safe rather than sorry with their children and their diets.

Chocolate Fights Tooth Decay?

2005-11-08T19:58:00.000-05:00

Researches at the Osaka University in Japan showed that chocolate could help fight tooth decay. In fact, many scientists suggested that due to its successful effects, the components of chocolate may be added to toothpaste and mouthwash in the future. The studies proved that the cocoa bean, the major ingredient of chocolate, primarily thwarts mouth bacteria and tooth decay. Cavities and tooth decay are caused by bacteria in the mouth which turn sugars into acids. These acids eat away at the tooth's surface (enamel) and causes cavities.

"They discovered that the cocoa bean husk - the outer part of the bean which usually goes to waste in chocolate production - has an anti-bacterial effect on the mouth and can fight effectively against plaque and other damaging agents."

In addition, the researchers concluded that because its antibacterial agents in cocoa beans offsets its high sugar levels, chocolate is less harmful than any other sweet food.

"They tested their theory on rats by adding an extract of cocoa bean husk (CBH) to their drinking water. Another group was infected with streptococcus mutans bacteria, which contributes to plaque and tooth decay. They were also fed a high-sugar diet.
After three months, the study found that the rates with the high sugar diet had 14 cavities on average compared to just six cavities for those who received cocoa bean husk in their diet."

Despite these prepositions made about the effects of chocolate, consumers must not overdo and drastically increase the amount of their chocolate intake.

~Stella

MIT's Findings About Aspartame

2005-11-08T19:13:00.000-05:00

source: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/1998/aspartame-0916.html

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) conducted a study in 1998 to determine whether or not the rumours about the harmful effects of aspartame was true. The study concluded that even excessively high doses of aspartame (also known as NutraSweet) had no adverse effects on the study subject's health or their well-being. Paul A. Spiers, a visiting scientist, said, "We conclude that aspartame is safe for the general population."

The possible side effects tested were mood, aggression, and selected cognitive functions. Some subjects ingested almost 20 times the daily amount taken by a vast majority of the general public. During this four month test period, subjects were either given aspartame, sugar or a placebo. They underwent both physical and psychological testing. Some of the subjects were given doses of up to 45 milligrams per kilgram of body mass. This is equivalent to 17 to 24 12-ounce diet drinks for males, and 14 to 19 12-ounce diet drinks forfemales. Generally, most Americans who consume aspartame in their daily diet only ingest 3 milligrams per kilogram of body mass.

MIT also reported that "Despite the high consumption of aspartame, the 48 normal subjects showed no changes in mood, memory, behavior, electroencephalograms (which record the electrical signals of the brain) or physiology that could be tied to aspartame." Some of the subjects who were given aspartame complained of headaches, fatigue, nausea and acne. However, the same amount of people who were given sugar and given a placebo reported the same. Dr. Spiers brought up a recent study which showed that aspartame had no effect on preschool and elementary children.

~Christine

Diabetes

2005-11-04T08:39:00.000-05:00

Dr. Joe Schwartz discussed the benefits of eating sugar free chocolate for diabetics in his book A Fly in the Ointment. I was curious to find out more about what diabetes is exactly and how many people have it. These are my findings.

Roughly 18.2 million people in the United States have diabetes – 6.3% of the population. Of that number, nearly one-third (5.2 million people) are unaware they have the disease. Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms seem relatively harmless – frequent urination, excessive thirst, unusual weight loss or increased fatigue. But diabetes is a serious disease. The good news is that early detection and treatment will decrease your chances of developing complications.

When the body digests food, it converts that food to blood sugar or glucose. As levels of glucose rise, this signals the pancreas to release the hormone insulin. Insulin “unlocks” the body’s cells, allowing glucose to enter and be converted to energy. Diabetes is a disease in which the body either does not produce insulin or does not use it properly. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can starve cells for energy. Over time, high glucose levels may damage organs and body systems, including the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.

See http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp for more information.

~Amanda

Not Up to Snuff with the Competition

2005-11-03T23:44:00.000-05:00

A recent study by researchers at the University of Minnesota showed that smokeless tobacco (aka snuff) should not serve as a replacement for nicotine gum and other nicotine replacement products. Researchers found that in 54 test subjects that used smokeless tobacco products that their urine contained higher amounts of carcinogen metabolites than that of the nicotine replacement users. The two most prevalent carincogens are N’-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), these are both group 1 carinogens to humans. These carcinogens show that snuff may not be safer than cigarettes, and do not help people quit. Tests showed that smokeless tobacco products have tobacco specific nitrosamine levels that 100 times higher than those in nicotine replacement products. This shows that smokeless tobacco products are not safe alternatives when compared with the much healthier nicotine replacement products. Studies in Sweden showed that men who used snuff products did not show significant drops in cigarette smoking, and snuff was often used in conjuction with the cigarette smoking rather than decreasing the use of cigarettes.

~Tyler

Polymeals

2005-11-03T21:33:00.000-05:00

Although an excessive intake of chocolates may detriment one’s health especially if he or she has a slow metabolism, eating chocolates does not always have negative impacts on chocolate lovers.

Medical studies on the dining of Polymeal have shown that wine and chocolates expand the life expectancy by reducing the chances of developing heart diseases by 76%. The results showed that men would live an average of 6.6 years longer than those who did not partake in the meal plan. Additionally, in contrast to those who do not dine according to the Polymeal, they will live for nine years longer without succumbing to heart diseases. Results were less dramatic for women, which showed that those who ate the Polymeal will live about five years more than those who did not.

The Polymeal includes wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruits and vegetables, almonds and garlic, eaten on a daily basis (but four times a week for fish). Scientists reviewed the medical literature on how much each ingredient cuts heart disease, blood pressure or cholesterol levels by varying amounts, (150ml wine daily for instance reduces heart disease by 32%) and worked out the combined effect of the ingredients. They then calculated the potential effect across an ongoing study of American adults.

Because cardiovascular diseases prevailed and affected various patients, many researchers attempted to design research plans that would help lower such chances of getting heart diseases in the future. For instance in 2003, the medical researchers made a pharmaceutical approach by introducing the Polypill, a combination of drugs designed to reduce heart diseases by 80%. Although the percentage was substantially high researchers wanted to find a tastier, safer, more effective, natural approach to reducing heart diseases, and thus concluded on the Polymeal.

~Stella

Have Your Cake And Eat It Too

2005-11-02T23:52:00.000-05:00

Good news. Research says you can have your cake and eat it, too. As long as that cake is chocolate. Chocolate's scientific name, theobroma cacao, is literally translated as "food of the gods," and chocolate cravers don't need any studies to tell them the power of chocolate in mood alteration. Its feel good chemicals have long been associated with feelings of love, safety, and comfort. Maybe that's why Americans eat an average of 12 pounds of chocolate per year.

Chocolate contains vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, as well as potassium, sodium, iron, and fluorine. Now, researchers say those creamy chocolate confections may actually help us live longer, too.
Harvard researchers tracked nearly 8,000 males, with an average age of 65. Those men who enjoyed chocolate and candy lived almost a year longer than those who did not. Those who ate one to three candy bars per month had a 36 percent lower risk of death (compared to the people who ate no candy), while those who ate three or more candy bars per week had a 16 percent lower risk.

Why? The researchers say they don't know for sure, but that it might have something to do with antioxidants. Chocolate contains the same antioxidant chemicals as wine (phenols). In the chocolate bar, phenols help preserve the fat. In our bodies, phenol can help prevent atherosclerosis.

Like anything, chocolate is best enjoyed in moderation. Just one ounce of solid chocolate packs about 150 calories and can be as much as 50 percent fat. So, for your next chocolate fix, consider reduced fat alternatives, such as chocolate covered foods or chocolate syrup.

source

~Amanda

Sweet Solution

2005-10-27T21:49:00.001-04:00

A rather unusual form of hope came for the world's smokers. A recent study by researchers at Heinrich-Heine University in Dusseldorf Germany showed that chocolate may repair blood vessels damaged by smoking. The study financed by Mars Inc. involved the participants in the study to drink two cocoa flavored drinks. The 11 participants were all smokers and generally were about 31 years of old.

The participants were each instructed to drink a flavonol-rich cocoa drink and a flavonol-poor cocoa drink. (Flavanols are antioxidants often found in fruits and vegetables.) After drinking the flavonol rich cocoa drink, the participants all showed a significant increase in the functionality of the blood vessels after drinking the flavonol rich drink. Researchers believe this occured because of a rise in levels of nitric oxide in the blood. Further evidence for this conclusion was presented when the participants were given drugs to block nitric oxide. This resulted in a halt in any improvements.

Although this study provides evidence that smokers could find aid through chocolate consumption, they must remember that eating too much chocolate would result in an increase in calorie consumption and possible weight gain, thus putting more burden on the heart.

~Tyler

A BitterSWEET Argument Part Two

2005-10-27T21:21:00.000-04:00

Is artificial sugar healthy? This is the second of a two part analysis that shows both sides of the argument.

PRO NATURAL SUGAR:

AspartameKills.com is a popular website that explains the horrors of aspartame in greater detail, their essential view is that Donald Rumsfeld and NutraSweet ignored the potential health risks to push approval of their wondrous sweetener. They recently posted a study by Dr. Russell L. Blaylock that explores artificial sweeteners and their harmful effects on children with ADD and ADHD. In it he states: “I have been impressed with the dramatic improvement in children with ADD and ADHD following abstention from excitotoxin use. It requires care monitoring of these children. Each time they are exposed to these substances, they literally go bonkers. It is ludicrous, with all we know about the destructive effects of excitotoxins, to continue to allow our children and ourselves to continue on this destructive path.”

Another story, reprinted from the October issue of Oxygen Magazine comments on the dangers of aspartame poisoning says that 90% of the independent studies conclude that it's dangerous. Conspiracy theorists note that the National Soft Drink Association initially opposed the approval of aspartame and say the government won't listen to their concerns. In her article, Dr. Christine Lydon, extensively explains all of the diseases that may result if too much aspartame is consumed.

So which is the lesser of the two evils? That is left for you to decide.

~Amanda

A BitterSWEET Argument Part One

2005-10-27T21:13:00.000-04:00

Is artificial sugar healthy? This is the first of a two part analysis that shows both sides of the argument.

PRO ARTIFICIAL SUGAR:

Aspartame, or NutraSweet, was approved for human consumption by the Food and Drug Administration about 20 years ago. According to a study by scientists working for NutraSweet “the safety of aspartame and its metabolic constituents was established through extensive toxicology studies in laboratory animals, using much greater doses than people could possibly consume.” Of course, as the tobacco industry has shown the public, corporations with billion dollar products have trouble accepting that their products may be unhealthy. So the question is can NutraSweet be trusted?

Well one might not believe NutraSweet, but an independent study performed at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health agrees. The study consisted of 108 volunteers. Every day for 24 weeks, half of the test subjects consumed the amount of artificial sugar in 10 liter’s worth of Diet Coke - 75 mg/kg. The results were promising to all Diet Cola addicts. “No persistent changes over time were noted in either group in vital signs; body weight; results of standard laboratory tests; fasting blood levels of aspartame's constituent amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine), other amino acids, and methanol; or blood formate levels and 24-hour urinary excretion of formate. There also were no statistically significant differences between groups in the number of subjects experiencing symptoms or in the number of symptoms per subject.”

Now it is not suggested that sugar fans change their diets just yet. Coming up next is the rebuttal.

~Amanda

Irresistable Lindts

2005-10-27T19:43:00.000-04:00

Dr. Joe Schwarcz makes a brief reference to Lindt milk chocolates in the short story, "Sugar-Free Kisses"; "...of course, I had to try the sugar-free Hershey's chocolate. My digestive tract didn't rebel, but my taste buds were less than entralled. Give me a small piece of Lindt milk chocolate any day". What exactly makes these chocolates so special that they provoke Dr. Joe to choose them over any Hersheys Bar, low-fat or fat-free?

"For over 150 years Lindt & Sprüngli has decidedly adhered to the principle of premium quality. The company works with processes and plants that reflect state-of-the-art technology in the chocolate industry. Rationalization is not the only consideration foremost in technological progress, but rather the guarantee and enhancement of quality. Lindt & Sprüngli does everything in its power to consistently renew the trust of its loyal chocolate lovers. The trademark "LINDT" is the guarantee for chocolate manufactured with the greatest care from the highest quality ingredients and famous for its distinct smoothness, characteristic taste and innovative flair."

Even though some people usually avoid chocolates or are not big fans of chocolates, they cannot resist the pleasant melting sensation nor deny the splendor of a single lindor chocolate ball. From 3 for $1.00 or one 19oz big bag for $9.99, Lindt chocolates are not quite the cheap quality chocolates at all.

Lindt's high premium quality results from many factors. For instance, they use the best ingredients to satiate one's tastebuds, and utilize specific materials to ensure high food preservation quality with foil wraps. In addition to the custom-designed packaging procedures, the quality of all supplies is rigorously controlled before production. Furthermore, Lindt manufactorers and employers are highly-qualified, willing to inundate the company with numerous creative ideas for improvement and innovation of Lindt chocolates, one of the most treasured chocolate brands in the world.

pic url: http://www.lindtusa.com/shop_product_detail.cfm?PID=3&PageNum_GetProducts=1&ProductShopBy=Lindor

~Stella

Relief for Diabetes Patients

2005-10-21T11:12:00.000-04:00

Millions of people around the world live their lives under the constant inconvenience of diabetes. For these people, every day is interrupted with various injections and analyses of blood sugar levels. However, a recent breakthrough could change the lives of these patients forever.

A newly developed artificial pancreas is in testing stage, and could be ready for the world in roughly four years. However, just the thought of such a revolutionary product is relief for the diabetes patient’s ears. The new organ consists of three parts: a sensor that continually monitors blood or tissue sugar levels, an insulin infusion pump, and a computer algorithm that controls the delivery of insulin minute by minute based on the sugar levels measured.

The insulin pump is the part furthest along in its development, and already is being used in clinical trials in the United States and Europe. The external pump is used by thousands of diabetes patients worldwide, but the implantable pump is just beginning the testing phase. The implantable pump provides a huge step forward for diabetes patients. The pump, which is inserted underneath the abdomen, acts just like the pancreas as it delivers insulin to the body. A California woman living with diabetes said "With the implantable pump, I can forget I am a diabetic." The pump removes the need for the numerous insulin shots, instead it provides multiple daily shots that increases the amount of insulin delivered while eating, making life for diabetes patients easier and "normal".

The next step is the finished automated pancreas, which delivers accurate doses of insulin based on automated sugar readings. Upon completion of this product the life of the diabetes patient will be void of the risks of diabetes complications, and allow patients to live happy, uninterrupted, injection-free lives.

~Tyler

Delving into the World of Table Sugars

2005-10-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

Sucrose, otherwise known as table sugar, is the most commonly used industrial sweetener. In fact, it is the most abundant pure-organic chemical and the most widely known to nonchemists as well.

As a disaccharide, it is a covalently bonded compound of glucose and fructose with an empirical formula of C12H22O11. Once extracted from sugar canes or sugar beets, sucrose is purified and crystallized for production. In fact, in the human digestive system, the reverse happens as the stomach breaks it down into fructose and glucose by acidic hydrolysis. Then, these component sugars of sucrose are absorbed into the bloodstream through the small and large intestines.

This table sugar has its common use in the industrial world today due to its unique combination of sweetness and functions. Thus, although many other sweeteners like glucose syrups have displaced sucrose, it is still important to the structure of foods such as biscuits and sorbets, while it also gives preserving qualities to foods. Despite its beneficial usages, sucrose may detriment one's health as well. Because it has a high food energy content of 4 calories per gram, it can cause tooth decay and obesity in a very poorly managed diet.

~Stella

pic url: http://dl.clackamas.cc.or.us/ch106-07/images/sucros1.jpg

How Much Sugar Do Americans Actually Consume?

2005-10-21T10:50:00.000-04:00

70 Million Tons. The United States of America consumes 70 million tons of sugar every year. It is the leading food additive in the United States food supply, followed by salt.

"Fifty years ago, 70% of the sugar we used we added at our own discretion. Today 65% of the 70 million tons is put in by food processors. Only 30% is added by the consumer."*

Where does all of this sugar come from? Coffee and tea drinking accounts for more than 750,000 tons of sugar consumed every year. This amounts to more than 4 million teaspoons of sugar a day or 2,000 tons of sugar per day that is stirred into tea and coffee cups. But where does the 65% consumers don't add come from? Sugar is used as ingredients in many foods such as breading and cookies, to improve the taste and color of foods, to preserve baked goods and enhance the flavor of baked goods, to prevent food from drying out, to make ice cream smoother by depressing the freezing point, in various syrups and solutions in canning, and in processing various foods such as lunch meats, bouillon cubes, and alcoholic beverages. The director of public information for Nabisco, Inc. admitted that Nabisco Ritz Crackers contain 6% sucrose because "sugar is unmatched when it comes to making products tender and appetizing" according to the International Sugar Research Foundation.

According to Dr. Frances Stern sugar produces the same kind of addiction as heroin, nicotine, and caffeine. This is because just like heroin, nicotine, and caffeine, a sugar "binge" is when the consumer tastes it, it leads to a craving for more of it. Dr. Stern explains, "Drugs upset the body's homeostasis (balance) mechanism so completely that, in a struggle to get back to normal, the addict can only take another dose of the same drug." To make matters worse, it has not been proven that there is a physiological need for sucrose. Sugar increases the size of the liver because it makes liver cells divide. It can also increase the amount of liver fat, and increases kidney size. All of these side effects can lead to various diseases. However, the most common side effect is the "sugar blues". This means that they have either too low or too high blood sugar levels. Diabetes and hypoglycemia are the two extremes of the sugar blues. Diabetes is a disease where a person's blood sugar level is too high because of his pancreas' inability to create enough insulin to hydrolyze sucrose. Hypoglycemia is the exact opposite, the pancreas creates too much insulin to combat the sucrose overload. Eventually this leads to the exhaustion of the adrenal glands and pancreas. Hypoglycemia usually is the precursor to diabetes. In 1980 Theron G. Randolph, a clinical ecologist, reported that 90% of hypoglycemics suffer from burnout or depression that is severe enough to be diagnosed as full-blown schizophrenia or mental illness and require hospitalization. Approximately 20 million Americans suffer from the "sugar blues". Is this really a surprise considering that Americans consume 140,000,000,000 pounds of sugar annually?

~Christine

*It should be noted that this article was published in American Fitness fourteen years ago. These statistics have most probably inflated since then.

Fructose Based Soft Drinks

2005-10-20T20:33:00.000-04:00

In a recent study, the common sweetener fructose found naturally in fruits and honey may lead to more body fat. Fructose is a common sweetener found in such products as soft drinks, fruit juice and cereal often in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Scientists believe that fructose alters the body's metabolism causing it to store more body fat. This may explain the increase in obesity rates and the increase in soft drink consumption.

The study involved analysis of mice as they are exposed to four different types of drinks: fructose-sweetened water, a soft drink sweetened with sucrose, a diet soft drink, and water. The results showed that the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water gained an average of 8 grams and their body fat rose about 11%. The mice that drank the other products gained an average of 5 grams. Also, the mice that drank the soft drink had a 7-8 percent increase in body fat, and those that drank water had a 5 percent increase. However, the most surprising result of the study was that the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water consumed less overall calories, but still gained more weight. This provides more evidence that the body metabolizes fructose differently from other sweeteners.

A report by Obesity Research showed that Americans consume about 132 calories of high fructose corn syrup, and that number increases to about 300 for the top 20% of Americans. Also, researcher David Bray from WebMd said that between 1970 and 1990 high fructose corn syrup consumption increased more than 1000% because soft drink companies switched from sucrose to high fructose corn syrup as the choice sweetener.

~Tyler

Sorbitol: In Candy, Make-Up, and Cigarettes

2005-10-13T22:29:00.000-04:00

Sorbitol, like mannitol, is a sugar alcohol. It has been used for nearly half a century as an artificial sweetener. However, sorbitol is also a bulk sweetener meaning it adds volume to whichever product it is put into. In addition to adding volume, sorbitol adds texture and acts as a humectant, which means it absorbs water from the air and keeps food products moist. Sorbitol is approximately 60% as sweet as sucrose and only contributes 2.6 calories per gram. It is often used in baked goods and chocolate because they tend to dry or harden. Since sorbitol can prevent this the foods remain fresh for a longer period of time. Like mannitol, sorbitol does not contribute to the formation of cavities or other tooth decay.

Sorbitol is also produced by the body. If there is too much sorbitol in the body it can cause damage. Studies have shown that diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy maybe related to the accumulation of too much sorbitol in eye cells and nerve cells. Diabetic retinopathy can lead to severe vision loss or even blindness. It is one of the long term risks of Diabetes mellitus, more commonly known simply as diabetes. Neuropathy is also a long term risk of diabetes. Neuropathy is the disease of the nervous system, the most common form is peripheral neuropathy which mainly affects the feet and legs.

Sorbitol isn't only found in foods and the body. Sorbitol can be found in cigarettes. It is sometimes used as a humectant for cigarettes. It is oftenly used in make-up as a humectant and thickening agent.

~Christine

Mannitol: Artificial Sweetener, Laxative, and Vasodilator

2005-10-13T21:39:00.000-04:00

Can it be possible? Is there a substance that can act as a sweetener, act as a laxative, and reduce blood pressure? Yes! Mannitol can!

Mannitol is a sugar alcohol, also known as a polyol, that is commonly used as an artificial sweetener. It has been used for more than sixty years. It is approximately 50% as sweet as sucrose and has a "cooling effect" usually used to mask bitter tastes. This cooling effect is why mannitol is used in mints. It is also used as a dusting powder for chewing gum to prevent the gum from sticking to manufacturing equipment and wrappers. This is because mannitol is nonhygroscopic, meaning it does not pick up moisture. Mannitol can also be found in chocolate-flavored coating agents for ice cream and confections. This reduced-calorie sweetener contributes 1.6 calories per gram. It has not yet been used as an alternative sweetener for people with diabetes, however it is thought that it may be possible in the near future. Mannitol also does not contribute to the formation of cavities or tooth decay.

[Other Uses]

However, if mannitol is an artificial sweetener that can act as a laxative does that mean if a person ingests too many mints or chews too much gum... No. The only way that mannitol will act as a laxative is if it is ingested in doses larger than 20 grams. Sometimes mannitol is sold as a laxative for children.

Mannitol is a vasodilator, which means that it causes blood vessels in the body to become wider by relaxing the smooth muscle in the vessel wall. This is called vasodilation. Since there is more room for the blood to flow, then blood pressure is reduced and it may allow blood to flow around a clot. Mannitol is most often used as a vasodilator to reduce pressure in the cranium and to treat patients with oliguric renal failure. Oliguric renal failure is when the kidneys do not excrete either toxins or fluid adequately.

~Christine

Kid Food Pyramid

2005-10-13T19:54:00.000-04:00

On September 28th, the government released a new kid specific version of the food pyramid. This new food pyramid teaches children healthy eating habits in a computer game called "MyPyramid Blast Off Game". The objective of the game is to get your spaceship to "Planet Power" by giving it the appropriate combination of healthy foods from four different groups: Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, and Meat and Beans. The government hopes that the game will educate children on healthy eating habits, and lower the child obesity rate that has reached epidemic proportions. The game aimed for children ages 6-11 also incorporates the importance of exercise through the use of cartoons displaying children playing soccer, basketball, baseball, walking their dogs, and riding bikes. However, this new pyramid also has its imperfections. Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, said "The materials don't even have the guts to urge kids to drink less soda pop, to eat less candy." With America's child obesity rate more than double that of the previous generation, Jacobson calls for the elimination of junk food from school menus and require fast food restaurants to provide calorie counts on the menu boards. Although the new food pyramid has its faults, it is taking a necessary step that hopefully will lead to the end of the obesity epidemic.

~Tyler

Chocolate = Marijuana ?!?

2005-10-13T19:42:00.000-04:00

The universal cultural practice of consuming large amounts of sweet chocolates to relieve depression or to stimulate feelings of excitement shows that chocolate truly has a chemical effect on humans. In fact, chocolate contains anandamide, a neurotransmitter that targets the same brain structures that THC affects. And what exactly is THC? It is an active ingredient in marijuana.

Does this mean that chocolate fanatics all over the world are breaking the law on a daily basis by inducing large potions of goodies that exhibit the same addicting chemicals as the illegal drug, marijuana?

Absolutely not. First of all, anandamide merely attacks similar structures of the brain that the THC aims for, yet chocolate itself does not contain THC by all means. In addition, because only small amounts of anandamide are present in the brain, chocolate, evidently unlike marijuana, has a smaller effect on individuals. “Christian Felder at the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that a 130-pound person would have to eat 25 pounds of chocolate at one time to get any marijuana-like effect.”

Take a deep breath and continue eating that Hershey bar; studies show that it is completely safe - and legal - to indulge in chocolates.

~ Stella

Sweet Death?

2005-10-06T19:57:00.000-04:00

Obesity has been an ongoing debate for many years now. There is an estimated 60 percent of diseases worldwide due to cardiovascular illness resulting from an excessive intake of sugar. This causes 47 percent of deaths. According to Professor Kaare Norum, the leader of the World Health Organizations (WHO) and most senior scientist involved in formulating an international policy to fight heart disease and diabetes resulting from a junk food diet, the Bush Administration has been irresponsibly and blatantly disregarding the WHO's strategy to lower the rising rate of obesity. The Bush Administration submitted a 30-page report to the WHO criticizing it claiming that it lacked scientific evidence. However, Norum and Professor Philip James (the head of the International Obesity Task Force) believe that this is part of a scandal. The sugar industry donates millions of dollars to the Bush Administration. One of the Bush Administration's main supporters is sugar baron Jose "Pepe" Fanjul, the head of Florida Crystals.

Apparently, the Bush Administration is not helping lower the consumption of sugar. It opposes a recommendation that 10 percent of a person's energy intake should come from added sugar (for example, natural sugars such as fructose are not included). However the Bush Administration feels that 25 percent of a person's energy intake can come from added sugar. Perhaps this explains why more than half of the U.S. population is overweight, why one in three U.S. citizens are obese, and why obesity rates among U.S. children has risen 50 percent.

But can we blame the government for controlling what an individual chooses to eat and how much they choose to exercise?

~Christine

Diabetes: Statistics and Risk

2005-10-06T19:07:00.000-04:00

Sugar-free products inevitably attract a large number of diabetics, whose sugar intake levels must be within very low ranges. However, many candies, chocolates, and gums have been produced to satiate the diabetics’ yearn for “sugar"-y goods. If markets have developed to aim at such type of consumers, then there must be a substantial number of diabetics in the world today. In fact, according to statistics, “An estimated 18.2 million people in the United States—6.3 percent of the population—have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition. Of those, 13 million have been diagnosed, and about 5.2 million people have not yet been diagnosed. Each year, about 1.3 million people aged 20 or older are diagnosed with diabetes.”

Diabetes, marked by hyperglycemia or high sugar levels in the blood, is a life-long disease caused by resistance to insulin. Some of the risk factors for diabetes are obesity, age greater than 45 years, high blood pressure, high blood levels of triglycerides, or high cholesterol level. Moreover, the symptoms for this disorder are increased thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, itchiness, and tiredness.

~Stella

Splenda, Not So Splendid

2005-10-06T15:35:00.000-04:00

In an article on PRNewswire, the California Alliance for Consumer Protection and Consumers First sent a joint letter to California Attorney General Bill Lockyer in hopes that he would investigate claims that a series of ads specifically replaced the word sugar with Splenda, leading consumers to believe that it is a natural substance. One example of this would be the Fruit2O's new label boasting that it is now made with Splenda. The fact is, Splenda is made from combining sugar molecules with a chlorine chemical similar in many respects to that of DDT. Splenda is known to cause bloating, abdominal pain, gas, nausea, headaches, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, depression and dizziness. One may think that this product is too dangerous to be on the market, yet the FDA allows its use because the body cannot easily metabolize it. In fact the average person only absorbs about 15% of the chemicals in Splenda. This is beneficial to diabetics, because they cannot allow unmonitored amounts of sugar into their bodies.

~Amanda

Sweet [Innocent?] Sugar

2005-10-05T18:05:00.000-04:00

Why the fascination with artificial sweeteners? Sugar is not good enough anymore?

If this trend continues then The Sugar Association (TSA) will be forced to dismantle. Therefore it makes sense that they want to promote the beneficial effects of sugar and dispell the myths that surround sugar, otherwise known as sucrose or saccharose. The first and most prominent myth they attempt to dispell is that sugar causes obesity. According to TSA,

"In 2002, a 3-year study conducted by The National Academy of Sciences concluded,'There is no clear and consistent association between increased intakes of added sugars and [Body Mass Index].'"

TSA say that sugar (a carbohydrate) and proteins have 4 calories per gram whereas fat has 9 calories per gram. TSA argues that carbohydrates and proteins are immediately converted into fuel that the bo and fats are stored in fat cells for later use. What they avoid is the fact that artificial sweeteners do not contribute to caloric intake. However, if the reader knows this fact the site provides some interesting "facts" about the beneficial effects of sugar. TSA says that sugars are converted to blood glucose which is the "fundamental fuel" needed by the brain. In reality, the hydrolyzation (breaking apart) of sucrose (a disaccharide of fructose and glucose) can be harmful. Our intestines have hydrolytic enzymes that convert sucrose into fructose and glucose which can turn into fatty acids that contribute to neutral fats (triglycerides). These neutral fats are stored in adipose tissue, more commonly known as fat. In reality sucrose contributes 9 calories per gram as opposed to the TSA's claim that it only contributes 4 calories per gram.

~Christine

Team Members

2005-09-29T21:23:00.000-04:00

Amanda Alge
Stella (Hye Young) Kim
Christine Mau
Tyler Stearns