Today is the last day to participate in the poll on the right sidebar if you haven't yet.
The number one most viewed post of 2011 was What Is It from March 18, 2011.
I believe the reason this was the most viewed post of the year is because on October 11, 2011, Snack Girl posted a comparison of two different cereals (one being Quaker Oatmeal Squares), then asked if we had tried either one and what did we think.
Since I had done this post I added a link to it in her comment section rather than type out a long answer. I received over 300 views from that! I had no idea it would draw so much traffic to my blog!
Please check out Snack Girl. She has a fabulous site!
I will resume blogging sometime next week. Happy New Year!
********************
Vitamin E Acetate: One of the principle differences between vitamin E acetate and the oil forms of this vitamin is that the former has no immediate antioxidant properties.
People interested in raising their consumption of vitamin E through food should be advised that as much as 90 percent of the vitamin is lost in cereals that have been refined.
Vitamin A Palmitate: Vitamin A palmitate is a synthetic version of the vitamin A that occurs naturally in animal food sources. It was developed to fortify low-fat and fat-free dairy products, whose natural vitamin A has been stripped away in the fat-removal process. Palmitate originates in palm oil but undergoes so many chemical changes that the result can barely be called a derivative of the oil.
Sodium Ascorbate: Because sodium ascorbate contains sodium, this form of vitamin C should be avoided by those following a low-sodium diet. [In regards to supplement form.]
Maltodextrin: Maltodextrin is a processed additive and is classified as a sweet polysaccharide. Maltodextrin is an artificial sweetener that is made from carbohydrates from starchy foods like corn, potato or rice.
Some of the side effects can be in allergies, skin rashes, itching, wheezing, asthma, bloating, digestion problems, insulin spike (which can lead to excess storage of energy in the form of fat leading to unhealthy weight gain), headaches, upset stomach, dizziness, fatigue and more.
It is better to avoid long term use of this alternative sweetener to prevent any health complications.
Calcium Carbonate: Calcium carbonate is widely used medicinally as an inexpensive dietary calcium supplement. This is not quality calcium.
Yellow # 5 (Tartrazine): This product has been banned for usage in Norway, Austria and Germany. It is extracted from coal tar.
Tartrazine appears to cause allergic and intolerance reactions, particularly among asthmatic.
A variety of immunologic responses have been attributed to tartrazine ingestion, including anxiety, migraines, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heatwaves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches, and sleep disturbance.
Certain people who are exposed to the dye experience symptoms of tartrazine sensitivity even at extremely small doses, some for periods up to 72 hours after exposure. In children, asthma attacks and hives have been claimed, as well as links to thyroid tumors, chromosomal damage, and hyperactivity.
BHA (A Preservative): Can cause cancer.
Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow): Sunset Yellow is a sulfonated version of Sudan I, a possible carcinogen, which is frequently present in it as an impurity. Sunset Yellow itself may be responsible for causing an allergic reaction in people with an aspirin intolerance, resulting in various symptoms including gastric upset, diarrhea, vomiting, and swelling of the skin. The coloring has also been linked to hyperactivity in young children.
As a result of these potential health issues, there have been calls for the withdrawal of Sunset Yellow from food use.
On June 30, 2010, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) called for the FDA to ban Yellow #6. The CSPI said, "These synthetic chemicals do absolutely nothing to improve the nutritional quality or safety of foods, but trigger behavior problems in children and, possibly, cancer in anybody."
BHT: Preservative; certain people should avoid
Would you like to guess what this popular food item is? (Remember, this isn't an all-inclusive list, but other ingredients include whole wheat flour, whole oat flour, brown sugar, molasses and salt.)
What is it? Quaker Oatmeal Squares
Try this quick, easy and healthy alternative to boxed processed cereals! Pumpkin Coconut Multi-Grain Crockpot Oatmeal is warming to the body in the cold winter months. Want an alternative for summer? Try my Granola Peach or Blueberry Breakfast.
Read my previous post: Best of 2011: #2 Burrito in the Buff
Read my next post: Important Announcement (Please Read)
