Saturday, August 30, 2014

Calendula recipe links

My Calendula is doing great!! It's so pretty and I have lots of it drying & more blooming...

So the hard part is deciding what I should use it for...

http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/14-uses-for-calendula-tea/ - great article!! Plus links for recipes

http://myjournalkohn.blogspot.com/2011/06/homemade-calendula-salve.html

http://adelightfulhome.com/how-to-make-calendula-salve-and-why-you-should/

**** http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail145.php

Friday, August 22, 2014

Ice Cream... why is it bad?? A compiling of information....

I have been trying to quit eating ice cream for awhile now... boy is it hard!!
Why? Well I don't like the thought of "Dairy" products... but worse yet is the collection of Nasty products that factories use as ingredients... I've heard of a few that are just crazy.. why is it in ice cream??

So I needed to find a bunch of information on the subject & scare myself into quitting it for good

My first stop was http://www.naturalnews.com/023849_ice_cream_chemicals_health.html
There thoughts are it's not really "fit for human consumption" I kinda figured this myself... .  " hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and dry milk solids are used to produce something still allowed to be called ice cream"

Ice creams filled with air to double the volume, sure not dangerous, but similar to the water filler you find in many commercial products

Mention of the chemicals like....  "caroxymethyl cellulose, butyraldehyde, and amyl acetate are additives in some commercial ice creams." ... "diethyl glycol -- a cheap chemical used to take the place of eggs, which is also used in anti-freeze and paint removers."

Hmmm "artificial flavorings" ... I have wondered, ... "Aldehyde C-17, flavoring for cherry ice cream, is an inflammable liquid used in dyes, plastics, and rubber. Piperonal, used in place of vanilla, is a lice killer. Ethyl Acetate, a pineapple flavor, can also clean leather and textiles. Ethyl Acetate's vapor has been known to cause chronic lung, liver, and heart damage."

FDA does not require ice cream makers to label all of their ingredients.. Umm why??

Here's a recipe borrowed from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon:

* 3 egg yolks
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon arrowroot
* 3 cups heavy cream, preferably raw, not ultrapasteurized

Beat egg yolks and blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to instructions. (Remember to choose the highest quality ingredients you can find like raw cream, eggs from pastured chickens, or at least organic eggs, and organic (grade B, if you can find it) maple syrup. Pure vanilla extract and arrowroot powder or flour can be found in most health food stores.) 
***Author Nancy Piscatello  
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/023849_ice_cream_chemicals_health.html#ixzz3B80FpMft

The article "Ice cream anyone" at http://dherbs.com/news/4809/4669/Ice-Cream-Anyone/d,ai.html#.U_dF0PldXkU starts aff talking about the horrors of dairy... yep I agree completely. Poor cows getting injected with this & that so they can produce a larger quantity & more consistently... they just go into more details...

Similar content on the nasty chemical ingredients & their other uses...
 "Propylene glycol, used in anti-freeze solution for cars, is being used as an ingredient in many ice creams and cupcakes.
Piperonal, which is used in place of vanilla. Piperonal is also a chemical that is used to treat lice. 
Diethyl glucol is a cheap chemical used as an emulsifier instead of eggs. It can also be found in antifreeze and paint removers. 
Butyraldehyde is used in nut-flavored ice cream and is one of the ingredients in rubber cement. 
Amyl acetate is a chemical used for banana flavor. However, it is also used as an oil paint solvent. 
Ethyl acetate is used for pineapple flavor and is mainly used as a cleaner for leather and textiles. 
Aldehyde C17 is a chemical used to flavor cherry ice cream but is used as a inflammable liquid used in aniline dyes, plastic and rubber."
Pretty consistent with the other article...

The article "Commercial Ice Cream Ingredients Will Make YOU scream" at http://terrimeredith.hubpages.com/hub/Commercial-Ice-Cream-Ingredients-Will-Make-YOU-Scream started out the the author having similar feeling to Ice cream as I do.. I would think this would be common.. seriously.. what's up with these ingredients??
Again I find a listing of the chemical ingredients, but yes, I've listed them here again because the author offered a little more detail in the explanations and added more...

Butyraldehyde is a derivative of butane, used in manufacturing plasticizers, alcohols, solvents and polymers. It has an almond like smell and is used to make flavors.
Amyl acetate, more often called banana oil, is used as a flavoring agent. It is also a paint and lacquer solvent, and is used in the preparation of penicillin.
Diethyl glycol is used in the production of polyester resins and plasticizers, and is a paint solvent. In ice cream, it's used as a cheap substitute for eggs to thicken the product. Three years ago it was mistakenly used in paracetamol (acetaminophen) syrup and caused the deaths of 25 children in Bangladesh. Five years ago, it was found in discount toothpaste made in China and pulled from store shelves in Miami, Port of Los Angeles & Puerto Rico. Health officials called it a sweet syrupy poison and warned it was toxic to children and people with kidney or liver disease. “Counterfeiters” have found it profitable to substitute diethylene glycol for its chemical cousin glycerin because it is cheaper. The FDA said the substance in ANY amount is not suitable for use in toothpaste. ( I find it interesting that it's not suitable for use in a product that is spit out, but ok for a food that is intentionally ingested)
Aldehyde C-17 is an inflammable liquid used in dyes, plastics, rubber and as a food flavoring. I did several searches looking for this specific aldehyde but couldn't find it anywhere, though there is much online regarding aldehydes in general, as well as specific types. For me...something that can be doubled as a food flavoring as well as in the manufacture of plastics and rubber, isn't something I think I want to eat.
Piperonal is used in place of vanilla as a cheap substitute though, interestingly, it is a natural substance that comes from the vanilla bean. It is listed in the National Library of Medicine HSDB Database as “moderately toxic” and a “human skin irritant”. Another use for it? To kill lice. I can't wonder at the term “moderately toxic”. Does that mean it will only cause a small amount of cancer? Or only make people a little sick? Or maybe it means we won't die quickly but at a more “moderate” pace.
Ethyl Acetate is a solvent in coatings and inks and is used for the extraction of fatty materials during food processing. It's also used to create a pineapple flavor. The vapor is known to cause chronic lung, liver, and heart damage. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) claims toxicity if ingested in quantity but warns that formaldehyde toxicity increases with ethyl acetate. That might be an interesting twist in “diet” ice creams that use aspartame, as aspartame is a chemical which transforms into formaldehyde in the body. Or even better...have an ice cream float with diet soda which contains formaldehyde caused by aspartame! Woo Hoo!!! Cancer Sundae!
Monoglicerides, Diglicerides, & Triglicerides – all three substances are composed of fatty acids, and all may contain trans fats when those fatty acids are subjected to high heat processing. The industry only has to report trans fat content from triglycerides (not mono or di) even though trans fats are inevitably formed when mono and di are manufactured. {industry is playing with serving sizes in order to keep trans fats under the ½ gram per “serving” allowance so as not to have to report them. Under ½ equals zero for labeling.}
Disodium phospate – the MSDS is rather useless. Apparently not much is known about the chemical other than it's slightly hazardous in case of skin and or eye contact, and in case of ingestion and inhalation. Carcinogenic Effects: not available Mutagenic Effects: not available Teratogenic Effects: not available Developmental Toxicity: not available. I guess not knowing is the same as being safe when it comes to food processing.
Benzyl acetate is used in soaps, detergents, incense, oils, lacquers, polishes, printing inks and as a solvent in plastics and resins. It is also used in food flavors. It is known to be carcinogenic in rodents, causing tumors in lungs, liver and gastrointestinal organs, though it's claimed that there's only a 0.1% probable chance of such in humans. That's an interesting claim as there is very little reproductive data or long term studies to determine dangers.Monostearates are considered of low toxicity but toxic nonetheless.
Propylene glycol – The ATSDR lists the skin, kidneys, urinary, and respiratory systems as being affected by the chemical. It's a synthetic liquid that absorbs water and is used in foods to absorb extra water and maintain moisture. It's a solvent for food colors and flavors, and in plastics and paint.
This is a link to an addendum put out by the CDC for propylene glycolhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/propylene_glycol_addendum.pdf?id=1123&tid=240
Sodium benzoate has the ability to deprive cells of oxygen, to break down the immune system and cause cancer. It is actually the sodium salt of benzoic acid and known to be carcinogenic, causing damage at the cellular level through deprivation of oxygen in mitochondria cells, sometimes even shutting them down altogether.
The FDA says it's ok to use as preservative because of the low amount used, though it can't be combined with any vitamin C or E which causes benzene to be formed. Benzene causes cancer. So foods containing sodium benzoate should never be mixed with most fruits, condiments, sodas, salad dressings, jellies, mouthwash, toothpaste, cough syrup or thousands of cosmetics and lotions. Basically, it's virtually impossible to keep consumption of sodium benzoate separate from consumption of vitamin C or E. Parkinson's, neuro-dengerative diseases, and premature aging have all been attributed to sodium benzoate.
Polysorbate 80 is used in ice cream to resist melting. So while we get to enjoy ice cream that takes longer to become a drippy mess, this chemical is working to suppresses our immune system. It can cause severe allergic reactions including anaphylactic shock., and causes infertility, abnormal heart rhythm, heat attack, stroke, tumor growth and cancer. {Here's an interesting side note: scientists are currently working on a vaccine that will intentionally cause fertility problems as a method of birth control. The main ingredient is Polysorbate 80.}
Potassium sorbate is used as a preservative to inhibit the growth of yeast and molds, therefore increases shelf life. Continued ingestion of the substance over time leads to allergic reactions such as nausea, diarrhea, and nutrient loss in food.
Modified corn starch – all modified food starches have been treated with an acid in order to lower their viscosity (thick, not free flowing, semifluid). Long term effects are completely unknown. Generally speaking, modified starches are very hard for the human body to digest. Modified corn starch often contains about 10%maltodextrin, a common keyword used by the industry to hide the presence ofMSG. If it's on the label, you can bet it's not a natural genetic modification, but rather something done in a laboratory. About 70% of all processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients.
Soy lecithin – The biggest problem with this ingredient is that most of the world's soybeans have been genetically modified which in itself poses many health hazards to humans and the environment in which we live. When it comes to the process used to manufacture soy lecithin, it is usually confined to unfermented soy sources because it becomes cheaper and quicker to make. Unfermented soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for both sexes, allergies, ADD and ADHD, a higher risk of heart disease and cancer. There is a question of malnutrition as a result of digestion issues and a loss of libido.
Above information by Author  .. follow link to find more

Ok.. So all this is helping me... Seriously .. and I'm letting my daughter eat this crap?? Ughhh!!

Next article from http://preventdisease.com/home/tips101.shtml
I went through & pulled out some of the points I hadn't seen before of the ingredients... 
Polysorbate 80  "it is of current relevance as a 'hidden' inductor of anaphylactoid reactions", and "Polysorbate 80 was identified as the causative agent for the anaphylactoid reaction of nonimmunologic origin in the patient. The study included a pregnant woman who suffered anaphylactic shock after being given a IV drip of multi-vitamins containing polysorbate 80. 
... studies in Food and Chemical Toxicology which showed that Polysorbate 80 causes infertility. Baby female rats were injected with polysorbate 80 at days 4-7 after birth. It accelerated the maturing of the rats and caused changes to the vagina and womb lining, hormonal changes, ovary deformities and degenerative follicles. 
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, which is part of the United Nations, scientists from the organization are developing vaccines specifically to damage fertility as a method of contraception. A suggested ingredient for the vaccine is Polysorbate 80 (also known as tween 80). As it is a preferred ingredient, scientists are obviously aware of its ability to cause infertility.
Mono- and Diglycerides
Their only purpose is to improve volume, uniform structure and develop the right meltdown characteristics. Regardless of their quantity, the inclusion of hydrogenated oils in any food product is only detrimental to our health and their adverse effects are well documented. Avoid any ice creams (or any food products for that matter) with mono-diglycerides.

Potassium Sorbate
Food and chemical toxicology reports have labeled potassium sorbate as a carcinogen, showing postive mutation results in the cells of mammals. Other studies have shown broad systemic and toxic effects on non-reproductive organs in animals. 

Sodium Benzoate
 It can convert into lethal carcinogenic poison when combined with absorbic acid..... the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station" of cells known as the mitochondria. "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether." he stated.
Sodium Benzoate, as most other preservatives, should not be ingested in any quantity. This toxin is banned from all foods and drinks for children under three, and is currently being phased out of all Coca-Cola products. 

Artificial Colors/Flavors
...artificial colors (especially when paired with sodium benzoate) increase levels of hyperactivity in preschool and older children within the general population. They have also been found to provoke asthma attacks and have links to thyroid tumours. Coincidently, artificial colors are very prevalent in ice cream products which are directly marketed to children.
Every single artifical color in the food industry has some kind of detrimental health effect. These include neurotoxicity, organ, developmental, and reproductive toxicity and cancer. 

Carrageenan

Carrageenan is another emulsifier and stabilizer. It comes from algae or seaweed extract common in the Atlantic Ocean. It 
is typically extracted from natural sources using powerful alkaline solvents.
 Carrageenan is often touted as 100% vegetarian and natural. 
So does that mean it's safe? Just because something comes from a natural source does not mean that it is safe. There are also natural sources of MSG and Aspartame which are chemically identical to the artificial brands. These are equally poisonous to humans as those marketed in the food industry.
Several studies on humans have demonstrated that digestive enzymes and bacterial action convert high weight carrageenans to dangerous low molecular weight carrageenans and poligeenans in the human gut. These carrageenans, even at low doses, have been found to destroy human cells and are linked to various human cancers and digestive disorders. 

Carrageenan has also been found to impair and depress cell-mediated immunity and cause the proliferation of tumour growth. The mechanism responsible for carrageenan-induced immune suppression is believed to be its selective degenerative effect on white blood cells. 

 Xanthan Gum
Xanthan gum is produced by fermentation of glucose or sucrose by the Xanthomonas campestris bacterium. One of its most remarkable properties of is its capability of producing a large increase in the viscosity of any liquid by adding a very small quantity of gum, usually less than one percent. For this reason, it is used as an emulsifier in a very large percentage of ice creams around the world.
As a polysaccharide, one of the problems with this food additive is that it is typically made from corn. People who have corn allergies may not be aware that these additives can cause diverse reactions when consumed. Moreover, a very large percentage of corn around the world is nowgenetically modified (GM) which is then reflected in the production of many types of xanthan gum. GM foods are a cause for great concern

Some people develop an allergy to conventional xanthan gum, with various gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Even consumption of a very minor amount can lead to days and days of recovery and many trips to the bathroom. For others a xanthan reaction can also precipitate migraine headaches and skin itchiness.

Plant sourced organic xanthan gum is non GM and non corn-derived without any chemical reproduction in a laboratory. Some people who develop reactions to synthetic xanthan sources and then consume organic sources experience no symptoms at all.
If the xanthan gum is not labeled as organic, avoid the product.
Guar Gum

Guar gum is an emulsifier, a firming agent, a formulation aid, stabiliser, a thickener and even a plasticizer. It is a natural hydrocolloid that is obtained from the ground endosperm of the guar plant. When untreated ice cream melts and refreezes, grainy ice crystals often form. Guar gum has the natural ability to bind with water molecules, preventing them from forming the unwanted crystals.
 The gum functions dynamically and synergistically with xanthan gum by increasing the viscosity of ice cream.
The use of conventional guar gum as an ingredient in non-prescription diet aids was officially banned in the early 1990s in Canada and the U.S. The guar gum would bind with liquids in the stomach and swell, causing a feeling of satisfying fullness. However, this mass of swollen guar gum would also cause dangerous intestinal and duodenal blockages, as well as abdominal cramps, nausea, flatulence and diarrhea. Guar gum was declared unsafe and ineffective for use as a non- prescription diet aid, but then allowed in small doses in the food supply. 

Conventional and synthetic guar gum has been linked through studies to a high molecular weight agent that can cause occupational rhinitis and asthma. Its ingestion may also cause a significant reduction in the absorption and bioavailability of calcium, iron, and zinc.

Organic guar gum containing a high quantity of soluble fiber can be a very good aid to both irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. The soluble fiber present in organic guar gum dissolves in water though it is not digested. Moreover, when fully organic, this natural laxative contains no harmful chemicals as found in synthetic and conventional versions and thus has no side effects. 

If the guar gum is not labeled as organic, avoid the product.
Soy Lecithin or Soya Lecithin


Healthy sources of soy lecithin have many benefits and are a source of choline. It helps dissolve fat and cholesterol and can help regulate your kidney, liver and gallbladder function.
The problem is, just as corn, a very large percentage of soy lecithin is produced from soy which is GM and unfermented. Fermented soy is the only soy fit for human consumption. Unfermented soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women, allergies, ADD and ADHD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer, malnutrition, and loss of libido. 

If you can contact the food manufacturer and firmly source the soy lecithin and confirm it's non GM and fermented ...fantastic, otherwise stay away from any food product with this additive.
Have I read enough... no, I have more article tabs open...

Another good article http://www.superhealthymeals.com/how-bad-is-ice-cream/ ... it summerizes a bit of everything above... She also has a cookbook available that has 30 recipes for healthy ice cream.. but it's not free ..

This article http://www.freshhealthycooking.com/Ice_Cream.html .. also summerizes the chemical ingredients but has a couple recipes.. Yumm!


I had to do one last search... on Castoreum
Snopes.com was my site of choice to visit on this matter...

According to Fernelli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, total annual consumption of castoreum, castoreum extract, and castoreum liquid combined is only about 292 pounds (132 kilograms), or about .000129 mg/kg/day per consumer. 

In 2011, the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) queried five companies that produce vanilla flavorings about whether they used any castoreum in their products, and all five replied that they did not:

All five unanimously stated that castoreum is not used today in any form of vanilla sold for human food use.

One company, in business for ninety years, informed The VRG that they have never used castoreum in their products. "At one time," we were told by a senior level employee at this company, "to the best of my knowledge, it was used to make fragrance and still may be."

A major ingredients supplier told us this about some of their vanilla flavorings: "[Castoreum] is not a common raw material that is used and we don't use it, so I can safely say that our natural vanilla flavors do not contain any animal juices. All vanilla extracts are free of it, too, wherever you go."
Castoreum as a food additive is classified by the Food and Drug Administration as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS), and therefore food manufacturers don't always have to include castoreum in their ingredients lists and may instead refer to it as "natural flavoring." However yucky that may seem, according to a 2007 safety assessment published the International Journal of Toxicology, consumption of castoreum poses no health risk to humans:
Acute toxicity studies in animals indicate that castoreum extract is nontoxic by both oral and dermal routes of administration and is not irritating or phototoxic to skin. Skin sensitization has not been observed in human subject tests. A long historical use of castoreum extract as a flavoring and fragrance ingredient has resulted in no reports of human adverse reactions. On the basis of this information, low-level, long-term exposure to castoreum extract does not pose a health risk. The objective of this review is to evaluate the safety-in-use of castoreum extract as a food ingredient.
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/castoreum.asp#ts6G1dHOeect3qsK.99

I say ... Blecchhhhh... Who thinks of this stuff?? And why would you put it in food??? Seriously?

Yes.. to Amazon.com I go... Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker