Tag: corn syrup

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Gastrointestinal Health nutrition

How Eating A Big Mac Effects The Body After 1 Hour

How Eating A Big Mac Effects The Body After 1 Hour

How Eating A Big Mac Effects The Body After 1 Hour

Unless you live on Mars, you probably know fast food really isn’t that good for us. From refined carbohydrates to the excessive amount of fat, it’s pretty safe to say we could live without. Unfortunately, with time constraints and a grumbling stomach, where’s the first place you go?

What-happens-an-hour-after-eating-Big-Mac__

Courtesy of: Fastfoodmenuprice.com

The moment you take the first bite of a Big Mac, it’s pure heaven. How can you deny yourself two patties with special sauce and cheese all on a warm sesame seed bun? Throw in fries and a Coke, and you will be in fast food utopia. At this precise moment, you probably aren’t thinking of what’s actually going on inside your body.Well here’s what happens inside.

10mins

Ten minutes after eating that scrumptious Big Mac, your blood sugar peaks to an abnormal level thanks to your 540-calorie treat. In addition, eating junk food triggers the reward system in our brains by releasing dopamine (“the feel-good chemicals”). This mechanism works similar to when someone uses drugs such as cocaine but in relation to food, it is likely to cause overeating.

20mins

Twenty minutes after eating that warm sesame seed bun, you might be craving more even though you are full. This is due to the high levels of corn syrup and sodium that are highly addictive.

30mins

Thirty minutes after chowing down, you probably will start to feel thirsty. You can thank the overwhelming amount of sodium you consumed which equates to 970 milligrams. Your kidneys are working double time trying to excrete the overload of sodium while your heart works harder in an attempt to pump blood through your veins. These two mechanisms combined are known to cause high blood pressure, which is a precursor to heart disease and strokes.

RELATED ARTICLE: 10 Disgusting Facts About Fast Food

40mins

At the 40-minute mark, you are probably feeling like you need a snack (hello cottage-cheese thighs). High-calorie foods cause a reaction in which your body tries to regain control by dropping your glucose level. This is why you feel hungry so soon after eating. Since high levels of fructose are absorbed quickly through the gastrointestinal tract, your insulin spikes and indeed, you feel hungry again.

60mins

One hour after that last bite, you might feel sluggish and in need of a nap. If you are wondering why, it’s because your body needs 24 to 72 hours to completely digest food and even longer for greasy food such as burgers. To make matters worse, Big Macs contain unhealthy trans fats, which are linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

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Health and Food

5 Things You Should Know about GMOs

5 Things You Should Know about GMOs

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created when the DNA of an organism is inserted into another in a non-natural way.

As a result of this, chemical companies have quietly overtaken our food system, flooding it with unlabeled (and have paid a lot to ensure this) GMOs ingredients.

1. They are everywhere
Almost all of the corn, soy, cotton, canola, and sugar beets are grown in America are genetically engineered to either produce a pesticide within the plant or survive being drenched in weed-killing chemicals. GMO crops are likely to wind up in almost every processed food, and you probably don’t know, since it’s not labeled.

2. They are keeping secrets
There are many countries that require labeling if a certain product contains GMO ingredients, but not in the USA yet, leaving many consumers in the dark. If they don’t want to say what’s in there, it’s probably not good, at all.

3. GMO’s have never been properly tested for long-term health impacts
The studies used for government approval of GMO crops are conducted by the very same corporations that create the seeds. Some late studies strongly link genetically altered foods with organ damage and food allergies. It is impossible at this point to know if they are safe or not, they have simply not been around long enough for adequate testing.

4. Chemical companies control what’s on your plate
3 massive corporations control 53% of the property seed market, as well as the chemicals used on the seeds.

5. GMO technology can’t outsmart nature
Technology that promised to help farmers is now causing never-before-seen pest problems, and ones that call for even greater chemical use, today there are more than 500 species of bugs resistant to pesticides. Bugs are mutating to survive, so more chemicals are created. A vicious cycle. When pesticides are sprayed on plants, bad bugs die, as well as good bugs that the plant needs to fulfill its cycle.

Buying 100% Organic, Certified Organic, and USDA Organic-labeled products are usually the easiest way to identify and avoid genetically modified ingredients.

The United States and Canadian governments do NOT allow companies to label products “100% / Certified Organic” if they contain genetically modified foods.

To put it in more detail:

100% Organic: Must contain 100 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). This is the only label that certifies a completely organic product AND completely GMO-free ingredients.

Certified Organic / USDA Organic: At least 95 percent of content is organic by weight (excluding water and salt). The <5% of the remaining ingredients must consist of substances approved on the USDA’s National List. GMOs are NOT on this list, so USDA Organic products are also usually GMO-free. For verification, consult the following sources:

Buy 100% certified organic food. While guaranteeing your safety from genetically modified foods, this also makes a statement to producers that you don’t support GMOs in our food system. It’s simple supply and demand (or, in this case, demand, and supply). Although it certainly isn’t the only reason to buy organic foods, it’s a great reason to start.

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Health and Food

Top 5 Worst Food Additives You Should Avoid

Top 5 Worst Food Additives You Should Avoid

[Last Updated on February 17th 2014]

 

Top 5 Worst Food Additives You Should Avoid

 

Food additives find their way into our foods to help ease processing, packaging and storage, they have been used for centuries to enhance the appearance and flavor of food and prolong shelf life. Many of these can cause dire consequences to your health.

1. Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame, better known as Nutrasweet and Equal, is found in foods labeled “diet” or “sugar free”, it is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined.

Food_additives

Aspartame is a neurotoxin and carcinogen, known to erode intelligence and affect short-term memory, the components of this toxic sweetener may lead to a wide variety of ailments including brain tumors, diseases like lymphoma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue, emotional disorders like depression and anxiety attacks, dizziness, headaches, nausea, mental confusion, migraines and seizures.
Acesulfame-K is another artificial sweetener found in baking goods, gum and gelatin, has not been thoroughly tested and has been linked to kidney tumors.

You can find it in these foods: Diet or sugar free sodas, diet coke, coke zero, jell-o (and other gelatins), desserts, sugar free gum, drink mixes, baking goods, table top sweeteners, cereal, breath-mints, pudding, kool-aid, ice tea, chewable vitamins, ice cream, and even toothpaste

2. High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a highly-refined artificial sweetener which has become the number one source of calories in America. It is found in almost all processed foods and packs on the pounds faster than any other ingredient, increases your bad cholesterol levels, and contributes to the development of diabetes and tissue damage, among other harmful effects.

what-are-food-additives

You can find it in these foods: processed foods, breads, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, cereals, crackers, soup, frozen dinners, and many more.

3. Monosodium Glutamate

MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and many restaurant foods, it is also known as an excitotoxin, a substance which overexcites cells to the point of damage or death.
Regular consumption of MSG may result in adverse side effects which include depression, disorientation, eye damage, fatigue, headaches, and obesity, it also affects the neurological pathways of the brain and disengages the “I’m full” function which explains a lot of weight gain.

You can find this in Chinese foods, many snacks, chips, cookies, seasonings, most Campbell Soup products, frozen dinners, lunch meats.

4. Trans Fat

This is used to enhance and extend the shelf life of food products and is among the most dangerous substances that you can consume, they are formed by a process called hydrogenation, which means the fat is whipped with air until it becomes a solid, this solid does not liquefy again.

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Trans fat increases LDL cholesterol levels while decreasing H cholesterol, therefore increases risk of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke, and contributes to increased inflammation, diabetes and other health problems.
You can find this in foods like: margarine, peanut butter, chips and crackers, baked goods, fast foods.

5. Common Food Dyes

Artificial colorings which are found in soda, fruit juices and salad dressings, may contribute to a significant reduction in IQ.

  • Blue #1 and Blue #2 (E133)

May cause chromosomal damage

Found in: candy, cereal, soft drinks, sports drinks and pet foods

  • Red dye # 3 (also Red #40 – a more current dye) (E124)

This dye continues has been proven to cause thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage in laboratory animals, may also interfere with brain-nerve transmission

Found in: fruit cocktail, maraschino cherries, cherry pie mix, ice cream, candy, bakery products and more!

  • Yellow #6 (E110) and Yellow Tartrazine (E102)

Increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in laboratory animals, may cause chromosomal damage.

Found in: American cheese, macaroni and cheese, candy and carbonated beverages, lemonade and more.

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Health and Food live longer weight loss

How to Choose Healthy Chocolate

How to Choose Healthy Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the best sources of antioxidants and other nutrients that are helpful for our health. For example, it’s been shown that chocolate reduces stress and the risk of stroke and is beneficial in heart health. Also chocolate is a mood-booster food. Interestingly, chocolate is helpful in weight loss! Check out this amazing video to learn more about chocolates benefits and how to choose healthy chocolates.
 

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Chronic disease diabetes Health and Food

What’s in your soda?

What's in your soda?

As almost everyone knows, soda is not a healthy drink and it may cause a lot of health issues, including diabetes and obesity. Even the widely advertised “diet soda” may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in people who drink it regularly. (For more info check out this link).

These are a list of soda’s ingredients and you can find the real effects of these ingredients in the following poster:

  • Sugar (Sucrose) and corn syrup
  • Aspartame
  • Caramel color
  • Flavor additives
  • Phosphoric acid and caffeine
  • sodium


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Health and Food infographics

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Why High Fructose Corn Syrup Is Silently Killing You

We’ve started a series of posts about sugar. High fructose corn syrup is widely used in the industry and recently, it’s even more advertised in the television. In this infographic you can see some of health dangers of high fructose corn syrup, as well as some tricks that are commonly used to deceive the customers.
 

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