YOURS:
MINE: Last week I posted a list of my top five food poisons as on omnivore. Number one on that list was hydrogenated oil and I'd like to share some more information about that today.
Hydrogenation is the process of shooting hydrogen bubbles into various kinds of oils to turn the oils into solids. Why did food companies start doing this? Preparing foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils allows foods to have a longer shelf life and cuts down on product oily-ness. Why would companies want their foods to have a longer shelf life? Profit. If their products remain unsold on shelves, they become rancid, then are unappetizing to the public.
Did you know that many European countries have already banned, or set dates to ban, the use of hydrogenated oils in food products? Why would they? What's so bad about these oils? Let me count the ways...
1. Hydrogenated oil is like a double edged sword. Not only does is raise the bad cholesterol levels, it lowers the good cholesterol levels.
2. It binds to cells and does not allow important nutrients to enter in. Remember, it's got a long shelf life, whether it's in our grocery store isles or in our arteries and veins, so if you're thinking your body will "process" it out, think again.
3. Hydrogenated oils make you fat. Our bodies crave essential fatty acids from good sources, like avocadoes, nuts and olives. If we feed our bodies hydrogenated oils, our body knows it's not getting what it needs, so will continue to activate the hunger hormones in a desperate attempt to gain what it needs. The problem is, if we continue to consume these dangerous oils, our body will never be satisfied.
What foods have hydrogenated oils? The answer: almost every packaged food out there. Look in your cupboards. Read your ingredient labels and see if you find something like this...
When my brother first talked to me about the dangers of hydrogenated oils about ten years ago, I didn't want to believe him. Peanut butter was my favorite food and I simply couldn't give it up. But his voice kept nagging in my head and I finally did some research on it. It was as bad, if not worse, than he said it was. The next time I went to the grocery store, I looked for peanut butter without the hydrogenated oil and I found some! It was more expensive, but worth it! This is the kind I usually buy...
After using this type of peanut butter for years, when I taste the other kind, it feels like I'm eating melted plastic. Changing my kids' taste was another story. Up until recently, their father still bought them peanut butter with hydrogenated oil, because they couldn't get used to the grainy texture of natural peanut butter, but now Skippy has come out with a natural peanut butter with the same texture my kids grew up on...
It has no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils and I feel like a better mom when I serve it to my kids.
On a side note, trans fats is another name for hydrogenated oil. If a label says a product has no trans fats, beware. If one serving has less then 0.5% hydrogenated oil, companies can claim their products are trans fat free. ALWAYS read the labels and avoid all foods containing this poison. Yes, you might have to learn how to make your own crackers, cake mixes and cookies, but isn't it worth it? Plus, that's quality time we can spend with our kids!
What about you? Do you use hydrogenated oils or have you removed them from your home. I love hearing inspiring stories of how people have made difficult changes and sacrifices for something much better....our family's best shot at a long, disease-free life.
......Next, because people ask, here's what I ate today...
Breakfast: Natural peanut butter and raw honey sandwich on whole wheat bread, 1/2 PB and blueberry jam sandwich on whole wheat bread, and a glass of almond milk.
Lunch (at our uncle's home): Large spinach salad with strawberries, zucchini, cucumbers, sunflower seeds and pine nuts with poppy seed dressing, steamed broccoli and peas that may or may not have had a little bit of butter (I wasn't comfortable enough to ask the person who prepared them how they were cooked), one roll (may or may not have had butter, again with the discomfort), one bite of cake just to see how it was, but didn't really care for more.
Snack: Macadamia nut hummus with pita chips and a banana so I wouldn't be tempted by cake at the baptism I attended.
Dinner: Leftover raw vegetable stir fry and rice.
OURS: Okay, what have you got for us today? If you don't have a post ready, feel free to scroll through your archives and submit anything that has to do with homemaking! Have a great Homemaker Monday!
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17 comments:
Thanks for all the oil tips! I will keep an eye out from now on. Those are so bad for you!!!
I've really been wanting to do one of these for awhile, so I was grateful you said we could pull out an old post and I had to go old school using one from my 1st blog, hope that is okay. Not sure if this will count or not, use our lapbooks from school as this is a way I incorperate scripture into our education.
I had to laugh at your post today. When it became clear to me that my oldest had exclusively had pbj's for lunch for over a month, I called my healthiest friend (daughter of a heart surgeon!) and asked what peanut butter she uses. I felt like a dork but she totally understood and pointed me to the Sm*ckers too. So thanks for taste testing the Sk*ppy for us! Very helpful.
Hope the twins feel better soon!
Thanks for info. I too love peanut butter. I will have to try the natural kind again. I couldn't do it in the past for same reasons as your kids. Thanks Jen
I am very wary of hydrogenated oils as well. I need to be even more vigilant! Thank you SOOOO much for posting what you are eating. I need all the nutrition help I can get and these kinds of things really help. :) Thanks!!
Spent most of Sunday cleaning up my crafting supplies, whew a lot of hard work! Had to show it off:)
Love Mondays! Looking forward to wonderful thoughts :)
Kristin
I'm so glad to know about that new peanut butter. I will feel so much better serving that to my children. I try to not buy food with hydrogenated oils, but sometimes its hard to avoid when you need convenience.
Emily, you are right about it being difficult to avoid hydrogenated oil for convenience, but if we plan ahead, or do without, our families will be the better for it! Also, when we buy a product that contains hydrogenated oils, we are voting with our money for that company's policies! We are saying, "we support what you are doing and here is my money to show it!"
I entered my blog post from today for your homemaking monday carnival. Hope it's useful for you!
I was just thinking about PB this past weekend while I was adding some to the food storage. I wondered how hard it would be to make my own ?? How long is the shelf life of the brand you use?
RhondaLue, it's not hard at all to make your own peanut butter. I actually have never made peanut butter, but I make almond butter and other nut butters all the time. I've heard that the peanuts need to be roasted for the peanut butter to turn out well, but you can use other nuts raw. Just put the nuts with some salt in a food processor and add olive oil until it's the right consistency. I actually have a post about it somewhere on my blog! About the natural peanut butter, it seems as though it keeps for about 6 months. I went to Walmart once and bought all they had (about 50 jars to last six months as we go through about 2 jars a week) and my mom was kind of mad because when she went there the next day, there was none on the shelves! So, if I were you, I would just make sure to rotate it and store about 6 months worth.
I have been reading your blogs for a while now, and have been seriously listening. I cannot thank you enough for ALL the infor and research you have done for your readers. Little by little I am apply to my family. So far soooo GOOD. Love and Prayers, Suzanne
Yes, I was very happy to see the natural peanut butter from skippy too. When trying to pinch pennies, all natural peanut butter can be really expensive. I just bought a bunch of the Skippy natural for a dollar a jar! Yay!
I feel the same way about those dumb oils! If only more people would understand how bad it is! Especially the older ladies who are so set in the way they cook. Im lucky I have a mom who is a healthy food freak!
This was a very interesting post, I feel very bad about those disgusting stuff they put in the food. I have banned any prepared food, I only buy raw food that I prepare and I am now obliged to do everything from scratch at home. I just don't trust the food industry anymore, between HFCS, oils, fats, colors, flavors, etc.. The time I would spend to read the labels, I spend it to cook and bake healthier food for my family! ;)
hope your kids feel better soon! :)
Avoid this sort of oil like a plague because it is!
It's amazing what America's food Industry will put up with in terms of whats bad for you, I wouldn't touch Hydrogenated Oils with a 3 meter pole! (10 feet for you guys :p)
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