May 11, 2018

Feeding Your Infant: Tips & Tricks for the First Six Months

May 11, 2018

Parenting is…
I’m going to let you “fill in the blank” with this sentence because it seems that every parent has an individual and usually quite distinct version of the “correct” answer. It does make sense for each parent to receive a different parenting experience because no child is the same. However, this in no way means that the basic process of child-rearing should be restricted to a single method. Nowadays, many new parents are faced with the dilemma of whether they should breastfeed or use baby formula. If you’re one of these parents, let me point out one small, but very monumental fact…babies are expensive. Therefore, why extend the extra money each month for synthetic baby formula when natural breast milk surpasses all products available in every single category?

It used to be commonplace for parents to feed their children natural and unprocessed foods during every stage of life. Unfortunately, we have reached a point where society has simplified food products to such an extreme level that many processed foods now contain more synthetic ingredients than they do real ingredients.

“The process of modifying cow milk for large-scale production in the 1920s represented the birth of the infant formula industry. Since then new ingredients have been added for a variety of reasons. For example, iron was added in 1959 to reduce the risk of iron deficiency in formula-fed infants (Fomon, 1993), and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) were recently added in an effort to improve infant visual and cognitive development…When considering new ingredients, manufacturers analyze every step in the production process, including materials (availability, source, and purity), processing methods, packaging, storage conditions and shelf life, methods of home preparation, and potential for misuse…These considerations continue today as manufacturers attempt to alter infant formulas to imitate human milk in either composition or performance and to address the nutritional needs of specific infant populations (e.g., those with cow-milk allergy, metabolic abnormalities, and prematurity) (Benson and Masor, 1994)” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). For all source information, please see the end of the article for a detailed list.

Click here to download the first chapter of my book for free!

Translation: You may be consuming more chemicals on a daily basis than you are real food ingredients. Frightening, I know. For new parents, this disturbing reality is enough to spark a minor panic attack in even the least informed moms and dads. It is scary to think that all of the effort you’ve already extended may not be benefitting your child’s growth and development as much as you had previously hoped.

I get it, this is a new chapter in your life and caring for a fragile human being is no easy feat! Plus, you’re probably seriously sleep deprived so extending any extra effort in your daily routine is going to sound impossible. However, whether you are an experienced parent with multiple children or a complete novice with baby number one, your child’s nutritional standard should never be sacrificed for the sake of convenience in the kitchen. This applies to every stage of your child’s life, of course, but in this article I am going to focus specifically on the first six months of a baby’s diet regimen.

Step One: the milk phase. A hundred years ago, this phase was pretty cut and dry. Breast milk was your only option and because the female human body is well equipped to create the best quality breast milk for a new born baby, it has always remained the perfect option.

That is, until baby formula was created to bring convenience and simplicity to the average parent’s method for adequately caring for their child. Whenever I’m at the grocery store and I see a Mom or Dad purchasing this product, I cringe inside because I have read the ingredient labels for every brand. Even though the appearance of each label displays a multitude of differences, every product is composed of the same synthetically derived ingredients.

Baby formula is essentially designed to fill the void that human breast milk is supposed to satisfy. Therefore, it is filled with an impressive list of synthetically derived vitamins meant to promote healthy growth during the stage where the human body needs it most. If I didn’t know any better I would probably think, “Wow, my kid is getting some great nutrients from this stuff! Who knew powdered milk could be so beneficial?!” Obviously, this thought has never and will never enter my mind! But it has entered the minds of many other parents who are simply trying to care for their children, but are unaware of the true damage this product will cause.

Society has kept a large portion of the population in the dark on what should constitute a healthy ingredient. Newton’s Third Law states, “For every action, there is an equal opposite reaction” (The Physics Classroom). Society acted by promoting the idea that synthetically derived foods can be healthy if containing the right synthetic ingredients and we reacted by wholeheartedly believing these lies, purchasing synthetically derived foods more often than naturally derived foods, and began the depletion of our total-body health without even realizing it. I was never great at physics, but WOW did we fall for their false propaganda or what??? And now our reaction is creating an abundance of problems in every area of life, most especially our understanding of healthy and unhealthy products.

“Historically one approach to match human-milk composition is to add new ingredients (see Appendix B for the composition of formulas and human milk). This turns out to be a quixotic quest since human milk is a complex body fluid that is variable not only among individuals, but within an individual over time. In addition, it contains components, such as live cells and bioactive compounds, that either cannot be added to formulas or cannot survive a shelf life. Finally, not all human-milk constituents are essential; some, like LC-PUFAs, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (ARA), can be synthesized by term and preterm infants born at 33 weeks gestation (Uauy et al., 2000)” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Take, for example, our understanding of the concept of good and bad vitamins. Some people don’t realize that synthetically derived vitamins do NOT help bodily function; they act as interrupting factors because the human body is not supposed to consume synthetic vitamin sources when naturally derived sources are available. It can be the most expensive synthetic vitamin available on the market; it will not make a difference because, at the end of the day, the product was composed in a laboratory from chemicals. Once ingested, your body begins a process of sending this foreign element to a variety of different places, but it is always rejected.

“Manufacturers who wish to add some, but not all ingredients found in human milk may defeat the purpose of the added nutrients or may potentiate negative interactions. Examples include the deleterious effect on growth when eicosapentaenoic acid is added without adequate DHA (Carlson et al., 1996) and the potential negative effect of adding polyunsaturated fats and large amounts of iron without adding adequate antioxidants (Halliwell and Chirico, 1993; McCord, 1996)…For many nutrients that do not interact chemically or compete for enzymatic or receptor binding sites, the relative amounts may not be important. However in situations where there is competition for enzymes (e.g., among n-3 and n-6 PUFAs) (Brenner, 1974) or receptor binding sites in the intestine (e.g., for zinc, iron, and copper), the relative proportions may have biological significance” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

What happens next? Well, sometimes your body just rejects it altogether through your urine, stool, sweat, pores, etc. In some cases, your body will decide to hold onto the foreigner travelling around in your system. Heavy metals are an excellent example of those bad elements that your body will accumulate instead of rejecting. I don’t know why this happens, but the accumulation of heavy metals within your cells is something that can take place for years without you even realizing that it is happening. Sooner or later though, you will begin to notice the presence of heavy metals usually in the form of an illness. Epilepsy, for example, is commonly caused by an over abundance of heavy metals. As you’ve probably already realized, you do not want to wait until later to discover if you are indeed ill. I speak from experience here and I guarantee that your moment of discovery will be neither convenient nor will it be ideal for you, because that is the way life always seems to work when it comes to the unveiling of a serious medical condition. I was fifteen years old, in the middle of my spring break, and sleeping over at a friend’s house when my first seizure took place…not exactly opportune for something like that to occur and I would say that I am very lucky I was not injured due to the circumstances.

My point here is that synthetically derived vitamins are what your baby will be consuming if you choose the formula route. Who wants the substitute product for their child if the original is available??? Don’t settle for second best.

Breast feeding or using a breast pump may require more effort than mixing a scoop of powdered formula with some water, but it is ultimately the best decision you will ever make for your child’s long-term health. For starters, during the pregnancy stage the female human body spends nine months (give or take a few weeks) preparing milk that is packed full of natural vitamins, nutrients, anti-bodies, probiotics, and other helpful elements that will help nurture a newborn baby through those first couple of months by laying a superior foundation necessary for proper function throughout his or her entire life.

Breastfeeding isn’t simply a preference for how to feed your baby, it is a crucial first step in preparing your baby’s body for the rest of his or her life. So many parents are concerned about buying the right stroller and choosing the safest toys, but the best way to protect your baby begins with the diet you choose for him or her.
I understand that certain circumstances can prevent some parents from feeding their babies milk. A dairy allergy, for example, will make any mom reach for the soy-based baby formula as quickly as she can. However, there are still better alternatives to breast milk and cow’s milk than baby formula!

In most cases, health experts will recommend a “nutrient-dense” baby formula as an ideal alternative to breast milk. However, I disagree. Baby formula will only appear to be the next best option from a superficial perspective. As long as one does not delve too deep into the foundational details of a formula product, s/he will be easily fooled by the “healthy” façade. Ignorance is not bliss in this situation, therefore, I highly recommend every parent remove their rose-colored glasses and see this product for what it truly is…a very poor substitute for breast milk.

Take the impressive list of vitamins and minerals found on nearly every canister of the majority of brands of baby formula. Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc, and Selenium are just a few of the names you’ll find included in this list. When derived from natural sources, these vitamins and minerals can be very beneficial for the human body. If you ask any baby formula brand if their product’s nutritional qualities have been derived from natural sources, the answer is most likely going to be “No” because synthetic sources are a heck of a whole lot cheaper and easier to attain!

The focus on quality has been lost over the years…the concern is no longer for the well-being of the consumer, it is for the well-being of the manufacturer. Even corporations that are willing to spend a bit more for a healthier, organic product still remain prone to choosing synthetic ingredients over natural ingredients.

At the end of the day, the only “green” they care about is going into their pockets instead of their product. And we, the consumer, are the ones suffering from these decisions concerning product quality. So, even though formula may be the easier choice in the moment, it will always fail to help build the crucial nutritional foundation your baby desperately needs in order to function properly as a toddler, a young adult, and (eventually) as a grown adult.

This perspective changes things a bit, doesn’t it? My hope is that it helps all of you parents out there to think twice before automatically supporting the formula industry. Truthfully, we’ve all been there, but whether you’re wearing the title of “Mom” or “Dad” (maybe both for all of the single parents out there) just put the formula canister back where you got it from and back away slowly. This is literally the best advice I can give to any parent debating using formula as an alternative to breast milk.

The unfortunate reality of those months of preparation is that things don’t always go according to the plans we make. For example, a mother’s milk may not “come in” completely, leaving any parent with a stressful dilemma: a hungry baby. And like most adults, hunger makes for a very grumpy little human being. An ideal solution for this problem in the past was a wet nurse. You could hire someone with the proper resources to come in and feed your baby for you…on paper this is a simple solution. However, babies are already expensive enough on their own and hiring a wet nurse is not an option for the majority of parents.

Plus, I feel like using another person to feed your baby takes away from the special emotional bond that will form during the time you spend personally feeding your child. Whether it is Mom breast-feeding or Dad bottle-feeding, the intimacy of these moments will have a large impact upon the type of relationship you develop with your child. It is important not to dismiss this time as a waste of your own time, nothing can be more important than the attention and time you devote to your little ones.
So, since wet nurses are too expensive an option, detract from your relationship with your child, and no longer serve as a practical option…What do you do instead to avoid baby formula?

If you’ve read my blog before than you know how much I love the natural route of just about everything, especially food. Baby food is no exception! Babies are at a crucial step in their development process during the milk phase, therefore, choosing the right breast milk substitute is incredibly important and has a lot of potential to be either beneficial or detrimental to your child’s future health.

Here’s why: Dairy products are a prominent food group that is frequently prone to synthetic additives such as hormones and antibiotics, which is why finding a healthy product at the local grocery store can be such a challenge. Sometimes we may not even realize we’re purchasing an unhealthy product.

Take the “Vitamin D Additive” found in many milk products, it’s not a beneficial characteristic at all! It’s actually a synthetic additive that, once ingested, only creates problems for the human body. Most synthetically derived ingredients have been chemically engineered in a lab rather than collected from natural sources within nature. Because of this, our bodies aren’t sure what to do with these ingredients or where to send them. There is no appropriate location for these imposter ingredients because, truth be told, no human being should ever consume this kind of garbage.

During the digestion process, these synthetic ingredients really do get lost in translation because they are essentially composed of a foreign language breed of ingredients that have no proper place of “belonging” in the body. Unfortunately, these foreign ingredients are occasionally stored in the cells of our bodies when consumed. This is only one of the many reasons why they should be avoided in every stage of life, but most especially in the early years when key development is occurring on a daily basis. You can read more about ingredients and ingredient labels here.

So how do we avoid synthetic ingredients in the foods we feed our children when the majority of products being sold by our local grocers are full to the brim with these exact ingredients? We’re living in an age when reading an ingredient label is necessary to determine the true quality of a product. Personally, I’ve reached a point where I no longer buy the majority of my dairy products from a commercial vendor. Instead, I purchase Raw Dairy Products from a private farm where every product is guaranteed to be Organic, free from all additives, and derived from grass-fed animals (a very important detail for those of you with soy allergies and looking to avoid the soy feed commonly used as the “healthier” option by many companies).

***Side Note about Soy: “Soy-based formulas were developed for infants perceived to be intolerant of cow-milk protein. The first soy formulas were commercially available in 1929 (Abt, 1965). These formulas were made with soy flour and were not well accepted by parents, who complained of loose, malodorous stools, diaper rash, and stained clothing. In the mid-1960s isolated soy protein was introduced into formulas. These formulas were much more like milk-based formulas in appearance and acceptance. However the preparation of isolated soy protein resulted in the elimination of most of the vitamin K in the soy, and a few cases of vitamin K deficiency were reported. The occurrence of nutrient deficiencies in infants fed milk-free formulas contributed to the development of federal regulations concerning the nutrient content of formulas (Fomon, 1993). Soy formulas now account for about 40 percent of formula sales in the United States…Manufacturers who wish to add some, but not all, ingredients found in human milk may defeat the purpose of the added nutrients or may potentiate negative interactions. Examples include the deleterious effect on growth when eicosapentaenoic acid is added without adequate DHA (Carlson et al., 1996) and the potential negative effect of adding polyunsaturated fats and large amounts of iron without adding adequate antioxidants (Halliwell and Chirico, 1993; McCord, 1996)” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

If you are interested in the private farm I mentioned above, please email me directly at Katie@seizethedayblog.com for more information.
Raw dairy products are, hands down, the best alternative to natural breast milk. Raw goat’s milk is the real hidden gem in this situation. The goat’s stomach and overall digestive system are the most similar to a human being’s. Therefore, their milk is easiest to digest.

“According to the Journal of American Medicine, ‘Goat’s milk is the most complete food known.’ It contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein, and fatty acids that are utilized by your body with ease. In fact, your body can digest goat’s milk in just 20 minutes. It takes 2-3 hours to digest cow’s milk” (ROSEOFSHARONACRES.COM).

Researchers have actually found that people who struggle to digest cow’s milk have slim to no trouble during the digestion process when consuming goat’s milk. This same difference also applies to babies and young children, as well. Cows do have four stomachs, after all, making cow’s milk quite the challenge to digest. The best way to describe goat’s milk is as the gentle alternative. Goat’s milk is both under-rated and under-appreciated because our society is so used to considering cows as the primary source and societal “norm” for dairy products.

“Americans have been ‘culturized & advertised’ into associating milk with cows when in fact, goat milk is far more healthy for humans” (Roseofsharonacres.com).

You can never completely plan for the future in a way that will make you fully equipped for every unexpected twist and turn that is “Life.” If this was possible, maybe I would have gotten a clue a whole lot sooner when I was first diagnosed with epilepsy instead of wasting my time going down numerous rabbit trails that weren’t helpful or healthy for my long-term state of health. Hindsight is always 20/20 and I am 100% sure that although I have learned a lot from my experience with epilepsy, I also have a lot of regret in my past. Whether it is the way I handled certain situations or the approach I chose to manage the challenges I faced thanks to my health there is and always will be a part of me that wishes I did “this” or “that” differently. One of these wishes is that I tried the holistic path immediately. I constantly wonder where I would be at this point in my life if I had. I am confident in the fact that I am exactly where I am meant to be, but I also do not want to see this same regret I have acquired to be a part of your journey as a parent.

It makes sense to feed your children foods that are from-scratch, Organic, and Non-GMO. Skip the baby food aisle altogether and visit the produce section instead. In this way, you can try and become equipped for some of the challenges that are parenthood in a nutshell. Take the milk problem, for example. It is excellent to have a “Plan B” in the back of your mind so that you aren’t scrambling to handle another challenging, but totally worth it, moment of parenthood.

Goat’s milk is your alternative to formula, but what about when your baby graduates to the soft food stage? Do you turn to jarred foods that are filled with preservatives, additives, and many other synthetic ingredients? Of course not!!!!
You get to know your basic fruits and vegetables again! By steaming or boiling veggies, you can easily reach a texture that is appropriate for babies. You can safely begin this stage after your child reaches 6 months of age. Prior to 6 months, it is recommended by health experts that your baby maintain a strict diet of milk.

Creating healthy, from-scratch meals for your baby can often seem like a daunting task. However, these meals are actually going to be considerably easier than the meals you cook for the rest of your family. You are going to be cooking a lot of steamed veggies, which means meal prep is going to be a breeze! You are definitely going to want to take advantage of the perk of meal prep.
Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, steamed carrots, steamed broccoli, bananas, and many other fruits and veggies are excellent options for homemade baby food.

I would even try to coordinate meals so that you’re not making what feels like 2 separate meals. For example, try planning side dishes like mashed potatoes or steamed carrots, maybe both for a more balanced meal if you happen to be serving a main dish such as chicken or another healthy protein. Though your baby may not yet be able to chew a more solid dish like chicken, if he or she is 6 months old your little one can certainly be fed the mashed potatoes and steamed carrots (mashed). This way you only have one meal to prepare instead of two. This is hands down the best part about moving on to the soft food stage…you no longer have to feed your baby a completely separate meal.

So what are you waiting for? Simplify already! The majority of what you eat, your baby can eat too, so long as it is properly prepared. Think minimal seasonings when you’re preparing those potatoes, carrots, or any other side dish.

“Cinnamon is generally regarded as safe to give to your baby in small amounts after they turn 6 months of age. Cinnamon doesn’t commonly cause an allergic reaction in children or adults. Heavy exposure to cinnamon can cause stomach upset, skin or mouth irritation, and possibly problems with bleeding due to decreased blood clotting. But a sprinkle of cinnamon on your baby’s food probably won’t cause a problem.
If your baby appears to have an allergic reaction to foods containing cinnamon, or they appear fussy and agitated after consuming cinnamon, call your doctor right away” (Healthline.com).

Being aware of those seasonings, such as cinnamon, is imperative for your child’s health, but the good news is there are few seasonings as inflammatory as cinnamon. Usually you can just going the minimalist route and simply sprinkle a little pink Himalayan salt for flavor. Your baby will probably prefer less seasoning anyway since a newborn’s palette is undeveloped. Basically, I’m trying to promote the convenience that is this form of baby food…it will always be the ideal route because it is simple and healthy. You can make a healthy, no-fuss meal for your baby that is 100% free of synthetic additives and it can be made using real ingredients. This is clean-eating at its finest. And the earlier you introduce clean foods into your baby’s diet, the better it is for his or her ability to develop that foundation, which will serve as a key component during the critical stage of growth that is the first six months and, if we’re being really honest with ourselves, the first twelve months.

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

SOURCES:

1. Enfamil Premium Infant Formula Powder – 12.5 oz: https://www.target.com/p/enfamil-premium-infant-formula-powder-12-5-oz/-/A-12849663?sid=1958S&ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=1013549&gclid=CjwKCAjw4sLVBRAlEiwASblR-xSmAL2MNop2_N3IiYHWl2pxOqAShHgjDO_zEJRaBVcKnQoGJAsvuhoC_gkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
2. Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/can-babies-have-cinnamon
3. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Evaluation of the Addition of Ingredients New to Infant Formula. Infant Formula: Evaluating the Safety of New Ingredients. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 3, Comparing Infant Formulas with Human Milk.Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215837/
4. Livestrong: https://www.livestrong.com/article/536769-when-do-babies-stop-jar-food/
5. The Physics Classroom (Newton’s Third Law): http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-4/Newton-s-Third-Law
6. Rose of Sharon Acres: https://www.roseofsharonacres.com/raw_goat_milk_benefits

February 27, 2018

From My Recipe Box To Yours: Classic-Style French Fries

February 27, 2018

I could not post a picture of those delicious homemade French fries in my recent Saturated Fat Article without sharing the recipe, as well! The link to this article on Saturated, Monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated Fats is provided if you’re at all interested in learning about a rarely discussed facet of fat…the healthy facet.

Not only are these French Fries healthy for you, they’re loaded with healthy fats that your body will thank you for. There is no reason to feel guilty after eating these babies if you follow the recipe below. The key to a healthy fried potato lies solely in the cooking oil you choose to use. Skip those yucky hydrogenated oils such as vegetable, palm, soybean, etc. and go with a healthier, saturated option like coconut oil instead.

I LOVE coconut oil, it should be known as the superhero oil because it can be used for practically anything across a diverse list of fields and it offers so many benefits for the human body. For example, I use coconut oil as a body moisturizer in place of a synthetically-derived product filled with petroleum, soy, and who knows what else! It makes an effective hair mask for dry, damaged hair. I also add coconut oil to my Ginger-Honey Tea that I drink every morning as well as my green smoothie in the afternoon. And that’s just the beginning of my list! Basically, it is an irreplaceable item in my daily routine.

We all want to be healthy, no one enjoys being sick! But we don’t always realize that the path toward a healthy and balanced human body does not begin at the gym, it begins within.

Your brain is composed of 60% fat. When the proper amount of fat is not being delivered to the brain, it becomes prone to all kinds of health issues! There are many protective layers within your brain, two of which are essential in maintaining strong, healthy brain function. They are known as the Myelin Sheath and the Blood-Brain Barrier. Each has a different function, of course, but they are equally important and equally prone to degradation when frequently exposed to toxins. Unfortunately, fighting against daily exposure to these toxins is much more difficult than it sounds because we are constantly absorbing toxins into our bodies from an array of sources. The environment, our lifestyle choices, the lifestyle choices of others, and pollutants (naturally-occurring and synthetic) are only a few examples of the very real dangers threatening every human being’s ability to maintain superior health.

This is where we come in…we need to strive to eat foods free of synthetic and chemical ingredients so that we fight against those unwelcome toxins instead of adding more. Why not begin this fight with a batch of French Fries?? I don’t wish to force your hand with this, but when it comes to making changes to your diet does it get better than French fries as your first step?? Not in my opinion!

Coconut Oil can be purchased in both flavored and unflavored forms. I highly recommend using an unflavored coconut oil for this recipe! Coconuts and potatoes just don’t mix very well (go figure!). I prefer the Tropical Traditions brand of coconut oil because it is a good quality, raw, and organic product as it always should be, but frequently isn’t when sold by other companies. We do not want any pesticides sneaking in by using a “natural,” but not organic product. Food corporations are too good at confusing us consumers by getting wordy with their product labels. Just in case you are in need of a good coconut oil brand, I provided a link to the product I use above.

~ Classic-Style French Fries Recipe ~

Ingredients:

4-6 Medium Potatoes, sliced
4 cups Coconut Oil
Salt, for topping

Materials:

Heavy Duty Frying Pan, 12 inches
French Fry Cutter/Vegetable Slicer

Directions:

Place four cups of coconut oil into the frying pan. Heat over medium low heat for about 7-10 minutes (approximately). The best way to test whether or not the oil is ready is to place a single uncooked french fry into the oil. If the oil surrounding the french fry bubbles then your oil is definitely ready. Be careful not to overheat oil because this will make it prone to splattering (and you do NOT want that!).
You will want to break the whole amount of sliced raw potatoes in half and fry each half in its own smaller batch allow them to cook up properly to a nice golden brown.
After about 8 minutes of cooking, use a spatula to separate any potatoes that may be stuck together or flip those that appear to need a little extra heat on the upward facing side.
The total cook time for these french fries will be around 15-20 minutes in total. However, every stovetop is different, therefore I recommend keeping a sharp eye on your fries if it is your first time making them. Once again, you only want to cook until golden brown.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and please comment below with any questions about preparation or if you try the recipe and would like to add a tip for other readers. I’m always looking to improve the recipes I post because you better believe I’m eating them too!

***Side Note: These French Fries are an excellent side dish with hamburgers.

Recipe for Sweet Potato Fries cooked in coconut oil for those of you who prefer this style of fry!

~ Bon appétit! ~

Medical Disclaimer:

Sources:

1. Blood Brain Barrier:

– http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-blood-brain-barrier-and-how-can-we-overcome-it-75454

– https://qbi.uq.edu.au/brain/brain-anatomy/what-blood-brain-barrier

2. Myelin Sheath: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/function-b12-production-myelin-8022.html

3. Tropical Traditions: https://healthytraditions.com/tropicaltraditions/coconut-oil/expeller-pressed-organic-coconut-oil/coconut-oil-organic-expeller-pressed-1-quart.html

February 18, 2018

Saturated Fat: A Key Ingredient For A Healthy Life

February 18, 2018

One of the most shocking moments for me during my journey with epilepsy wasn’t the day I had my first seizure. It was the day I realized that I did this to my body. I am the reason that my brain isn’t functioning correctly. I am the reason that my hormones are imbalanced. I chose to eat foods that caused nutritional deficiencies, digestion issues, and a long list of many other problems. Before I was diagnosed, I did not read ingredient labels, I did eat processed foods on a daily basis, and I believed the lie that food companies and government organizations wouldn’t put anything harmful into the food products I was consuming. I involuntarily depleted my health until my body reached a point where it literally could not handle it any longer, and it is all because I did not understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy ingredients.

Considering the fact that I could have prevented the medical issues I struggle with right now is a difficult pill to swallow, but I would do it all over again for the knowledge I have gained through my personal experiences. I have been able to apply this knowledge in the way I work to overcome my own medical dilemmas, but the real icing on the cake is being able to share this knowledge with others. It is also proof of how there is always a bright side to every situation, including being diagnosed with a serious medical condition.

Take the concept of Saturated Fat, for example. Numerous people still believe this ingredient, and the foods containing it, to be unhealthy junk foods that will eventually kill you. However, despite the protests of major food companies, commercial diet regimens, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Saturated Fats never have and never will be as black and white as the reputation the afore mentioned sources have worked so hard to build for this ingredient.

The most important thing to understand about Fats and their presence in our food is that not all Fats are bad. There are many different types of fats found in foods and I’m going to help you distinguish between the good fats and the bad fats.

Too many people make the mistake of cutting all fats out of their diet completely. The food pyramid exists for a reason and it is because the human body needs a little bit of every category in order to be healthy and balanced. This includes sugar! Did you know that foods with gluten and sugar (foods supposedly containing dangerous amounts of saturated fats) actually bind to the heavy metals in your body, particularly your cells, and chelate them out through your pores, stool, and urine? This is not an open invitation to go out and buy all of the cookies, donuts, and twinkies that your heart desires. Homemade foods containing gluten and sugar are always the best sources. Learn more about the risks of cutting gluten and sugar out of your diet completely here: (The GAPS DIET ARTICLE)

On government health websites, you will typically be advised to eat as little saturated fats as possible because of the supposed “link” that has been found between saturated fats, high cholesterol, and heart disease. As advertised by most government groups, this conclusion might seem like a logical one. However, on paper, we find that this theory actually has a few holes in it. First of all, let’s take a look at cholesterol and its function in the body…the purpose of cholesterol is to fight infection in the human body.

***Side Note: A little insight from Healthline should help clarify the function of Cholesterol…“Cholesterol is a waxy substance that circulates in your blood. Your body uses it to create cells, hormones, and Vitamin D. Your liver creates all the cholesterol you need from fats in your diet.

Cholesterol doesn’t dissolve in the blood. Instead, it bonds to carriers called lipoproteins, which transport it between cells. Lipoproteins are made up of fat on the inside and protein on the outside.”

The more infection present in the body, the more cholesterol will be required to help fight it. So, when people begin taking medications to lower their cholesterol, they aren’t reducing their odds of getting heart disease, they’re increasing their odds because they are taking away their body’s defense system known as “Cholesterol.”

These people shouldn’t be focusing on their cholesterol levels being too high or too low, they should be concerned about the reasons behind their body’s need to create more cholesterol. The focus needs to be on the infection that is clearly present inside the person’s body. Realistically, you want that cholesterol present while you work to figure out the sources of the problem so that your heart and other organs will be protected. I know that Cholesterol isn’t typically advertised as a “protectant” component inside the human body, but it is protecting you by sending you a warning sign. Cholesterol isn’t the enemy here, it is your best defense against unwanted antibodies and toxins that are present within your body and possibly contributing to the infection.

Please do not think that Cholesterol levels should be ignored based upon this information. On the contrary, you should pay more attention to these levels. However, I believe it would be beneficial for one to read between the lines and strive to understand what the true source of his or her high cholesterol levels may be before using pharmaceuticals as a solution to the problem. The human body has a lot to tell a person if he or she is willing to listen. It is imperative that we pay attention to the red flags sent by our bodies so that we can treat the source of the issue, not just the symptoms.

I have a special type of epilepsy that is caused by a hormone imbalance in my body. This should be an incredibly important piece of information for doctors when they are given the task of figuring out my case, but I am yet to find a neurologist who actually takes this detail into consideration when determining my treatment plan. For some reason, every doctor chooses to ignore the source of my issue and focuses instead on curing my symptoms.

Every single neurologist I have visited whether it is the crème de la crème of neurologists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, or my local neurologist here in California…all refuse to even try and treat the source of my problem. Ultimately, these doctors want my seizures to stop, same as me, but they never seem to understand that if the source continues to exist the symptoms will continue to exist as well. It doesn’t matter how much medication they prescribe, my body will never be free of the issue until the cause is addressed first.

This is also the case for those of you dealing with high cholesterol issues. You can take medication that might “lower” these levels, but this doesn’t solve the problem….it simply gives you inaccurate data on the inner-workings of your body. You want to work to lower those levels naturally, not synthetically. Cholesterol levels are one example of your body’s way of communicating to you from the inside out. In this case, it is bringing to your attention the presence of a red-flag situation happening somewhere in your body without your knowledge. Remember, listen to your body even if it doesn’t have much to say because there is always an explanation for all of the inner- and outer-workings that take place. Literally every single one! So be sure to keep an open mind and an open ear.

Before moving on from Cholesterol it is also important to keep in mind that “There are two main types of cholesterol carried by different types of lipoproteins. Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL) are sometimes called “bad” cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol can build up in your arteries, causing heart disease.

High-density Lipoproteins (HDL) are referred to as “good” cholesterol. HDL cholesterol carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to the liver. Your liver then processes the cholesterol out of your body. It’s important to have healthy levels of both types of cholesterol” (Healthline.com).

***Here’s a little food for thought you won’t find on a government health site: Lowering your cholesterol actually increases your risk of heart disease.

The truth is, a theory was made in 1957 about saturated fats and cholesterol, not a factually-based hypothesis, but the world chose to view it as the latter. This theory is known as the Diet-Heart Hypothesis. “The traditional diet-heart hypothesis predicts that the serum cholesterol lowering effects of replacing saturated fat with vegetable oil rich in linoleic acid will diminish deposition of cholesterol in the arterial wall, slow progression of atherosclerosis, reduce coronary heart disease events, and improve survival” (bmj.com). It is important for everyone to understand that “at the time, this was not based on any experimental evidence in humans. This hypothesis was based on assumptions, observational data, and animal studies. The diet-heart hypothesis then turned into public policy in 1977, before it was ever proven to be true” (Healthline.com).

The creator of this idea, Dr. Ancel Keys, formulated an assumption that led him to become heavily involved in the human condition. Personally, I find this to be a strange direction for someone who began his career as a zoologist. An expert in animals has not only taken it upon himself to supposedly “improve” human life, but he also went about this endeavor in all the wrong ways.

So, naturally, society labeled him an expert, gave him the title “Mr. Cholesterol” out of their adoration for him, and put his face on the cover of Time Magazine.

According to Dr. Cate Shanahan, “Keys based his claim that saturated fat increases blood cholesterol on the experiments he’d done. But the experiments were not performed using real foods rich in saturated fat. His experiments used saturated fats that had been artificially created from vegetable oils using a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated vegetable oils contain not just saturated fat but also trans fat and a whole host of other unnatural molecules. Trans fat does indeed raise blood cholesterol, as well as lead to heart attack and strokes, and has been since shown to be so unhealthy cities like Manhattan and San Francisco have outlawed its use in restaurants. So when Ancel Keys told doctors his experiments showed that saturated fats raise cholesterol, they thought he used butter. He actually used margarine. Keys fooled doctors using the term ‘hydrogenated fats.’ He rightly guessed nobody would bother to look up either his research or the meaning of the word. 60 years later, most doctors are still confused” (Dr. Cate Shanahan).

Somehow, the process of hydrogenation became interchangeable with the process of saturation in the eyes of Keys despite their monumental differences. Clearly, a lot of assumptions were made about Keys’ experiments and not a lot of clarification was provided. When the fuss about saturated fats began (thanks to Keys), Keys was NOT using saturated fats in his experiments, he was using hydrogenated fats (a synthetically derived form of fat), but reporting data on the former. Therefore, his data was misleading and just plain untrue about common saturated fats like butter.

The most interesting observation (and lie) made by Keys is that health conditions such as heart attacks and high cholesterol became more common when saturated fats increased in the daily diets of the average Joe. I refer to this statement as interesting because the fact of the matter is that saturated fats are not what increased in the diets of everyday people…it was actually hydrogenated fats that increased, but no one took the time to make the distinction between the two.

Let me be one of the few to actually point out the fact that regular butter (from a cow) and margarine (synthetically derived) are NOT the same thing! Butter has an ingredient label composed of real food ingredients whereas margarine is filled with synthetic chemicals. The effect these two foods have on the human body are as different as night and day.

One provides nutrients derived from real food sources, like animals, whereas the other is derived from chemical ingredients found in a lab. It has been proven that synthetic foods can warp your cells and disrupt your bodily function because your body is not meant to process synthetically derived ingredients. There is no knowledge of what to do with the chemicals it does receive, which ultimately leads to an interruption in function.

“Back in the 1950s and 1960s, Ancel Keys designed a series of highly influential experiments that changed the course of American dietary history. Before Keys, Americans enjoyed traditional foods like butter, eggs, and bacon without worrying about their health. After Keys made the cover of Time magazine on January 13, 1961, the American public was introduced to the idea that saturated fats were clogging their arteries, and that idea ultimately led to a sea of change in the foods we eat. Real foods would be increasingly replaced by processed, and the era of obesity and chronic disease would begin” (Dr. Cate Shanahan).

Once this idea was introduced, people ran with it! This is evident in the decrease in consumption of foods such as butter and lard and the increase in margarine and shortening (both made from hydrogenated vegetables oils). As a community we want to be healthier. This is evident in our actions, post-Ancel Keys hypothesis. He proposed an idea as fact and the world listened to what he had to say. The major issue here is that millions of people were turned off of nutritionally-rich foods and turned on to synthetic, nutritionally-deficient foods instead.

“This diet-heart paradigm is supported by evidence from randomized controlled trials showing that replacement of saturated fat with linoleic acid lowers serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein and by observational evidence linking serum cholesterol to coronary heart disease events and deaths. Despite these compelling relations, no randomized controlled trial has shown that replacement of saturated fat with linoleic acid significantly reduces coronary heart disease events or deaths” (bmj.com).

If major food companies, commercial diet regimens, and billion dollar corporations, as well as the FDA, put the same amount of effort into making healthy food products as they always seem to put into convincing us of believing their false propaganda, we might not be in the health epidemic we currently find ourselves. I’ll go one crazy step further and suggest that we might even have healthy food products worthy of consuming.

Right now, there are few commercial food products that aren’t considered “seizure triggers” in my book. What I mean by this term is that few commercially produced food products currently exist that won’t cause a seizure in my body when I consume them. Many of these commercial products contain synthetic ingredients that affect the human brain, the way it functions, and its ability to filter the energy created by your brain waves. If too much energy becomes built up, your brain has no other choice but to dispose of this energy through a short burst of rapid brain waves…scientifically known as a seizure.

As you can imagine, the limitations I face when it comes to food make grocery shopping quite the challenge. For this very reason, I usually skip the commercial food aisles altogether and shop for baking ingredients, such as flour, salt, sugar, fruits, vegetables, etc. Instead of buying cookies at the grocery store, I bake my own from scratch. The best part? I know every single ingredient that has gone into making the final product. No hidden preservatives, no tricky names on the ingredient label that say one thing, but are actually code for another ingredient entirely, and everything is organic (well, most of the time)! This may seem like too much work for some people, but for those of you wanting to make “clean eating” a priority in your life, this lifestyle really isn’t so difficult to adopt.

Plus, it’s only February! If you couldn’t think of a New Year’s Resolution in January, now you have one. It is never too late to apply some positive change to your life and your diet makes for a great starting point! In order to do this successfully, it is very important to understand what is truly good for the human body and what is truly bad regardless of what is advertised by the FDA or marketing propaganda from individual food companies. I have found that the most accurate information is not found in popular hearsay, but my own research, which is why I take the time to research everything before I eat it.

Many mainstream sources, such as the American Heart Association (AHA), claim that all saturated fats are bad. Period. Here is their take on the situation: “Eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of LDL Cholesterol in your blood increase your risk of heart disease and stroke” (AHA, heart.org) This all sounds very convincing, especially when they use confusing scientific terms like “LDL Cholesterol”. Terms the organization is probably hoping we do not know the meaning of, so that they can continue to pull the wool over our eyes before we understand as well as they do, what a load of crap the majority of everything they endorse truly is!

Once again, we see the myth that cholesterol is the danger here. The AHA is advertising that your body’s defense system is the issue when it comes to keeping your body healthy…You may be asking yourself, “How does that make any sense???” The answer is that IT DOESN’T! The AHA wants to blame cholesterol for the heart problems people are experiencing nowadays and they actively strive to get rid of it. So why are they always completely shocked when people continue to struggle with the state of their health? Well, when you remove the defense system (Cholesterol) from the body, you remove the protection a person’s heart needs to fight off existing inflammation or infection.

This is the equivalency of removing the alarm system from within your home with the purpose of better “protecting” it and then being shocked when a break-in occurs. Without the alarm system, how are you even supposed to be aware of the presence of an intruder so that you can defend yourself?

Your cholesterol is your guide to understanding your current state of health, and whether or not you should be doing something to correct a potential problem. Cholesterol is your body’s alarm system, the inflammation, infection, disease, etc. is the intruder. The AHA wants you to ignore the inflammation and focus solely on your cholesterol, the alarm system…I don’t want you to ignore either!

I actually recommend you pay close attention to your cholesterol so that you may focus on treating any inflammation when present. It is all about finding that happy medium in the amount of attention you devote to your body, so that you don’t miss the red flags that components such as Cholesterol are designed to provide.

The input of saturated fats will feed your body, your whole body and the organs functioning within your body. And, as is the case with many ingredients, there are both healthy and unhealthy foods containing saturated fats. This part is crucial for you when it comes to achieving that goal of “clean eating” because it is the choices you make for yourself that will determine whether your saturated fats are healthy or unhealthy.

The AHA wants you to cut saturated fats out of your diet altogether, but I want you to continue consuming saturated fats in a more selective manner. Just because a food contains saturated fats doesn’t mean it is automatically unhealthy, but it also doesn’t mean that every ingredient is healthy either. Though saturated fats can be very beneficial for your body, make sure to examine the whole ingredient label before determining the quality of the product and remember, everything in moderation.

Fats have been broken up into three categories: Saturated, Monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated fats. Trans fats also exist, but are found to be a smaller category not worth mentioning by the so-called “experts,” despite the fact that these are the least healthy fats to consume and are also found in many commercially produced foods.

You see, when eaten correctly, Saturated Fats can be incredibly beneficial for the human body. These “Fats” will actually provide energy to your entire body and they will support proper function by contributing nutrients to various organs, systems, and cells. Did you think Saturated Fats are only found in greasy snack foods such as potato chips? It wouldn’t surprise me if you have made this common mistake. I know I certainly did before I was diagnosed with epilepsy!

It was only after my change in diet that I discovered Saturated Fats had been falsely accused of a crime they didn’t commit. The preconceived notion that this notoriously unhealthy ingredient was a fabricated and synthetic additive was finally abolished once I learned the truth…Saturated fat is actually a naturally occurring component in foods. For example, did you know that avocados are actually one of the best sources of saturated fats? Would you consider an avocado unhealthy? How about coconut oil, one of the healthiest oils on the planet and a natural source of saturated fats? No, I didn’t think so. Yet we don’t hear from the FDA or commercial food companies to stop eating these foods. While this observation may seem like evidence of something “fishy” taking place, I commend you for taking notice because there most certainly is! And it’s called the double standard upheld by the majority of organizations involved in the commercial food industry.

So, please take a moment to learn a little bit more about how to incorporate rather than remove these saturated fats in your diet in order to improve your total-body health. We are told by society to avoid saturated fats if we want to preserve our heart health. However, they fail to mention the effect this diet choice could be having on the rest of your body, especially your brain.

“Your brain is 60 per cent fat. As the human brain develops in the womb and in childhood, it needs a constant fatty acid supply to support the growth of nerve cells (neurons). Even the adult brain needs fat to maintain the membranes and myelin sheaths surrounding these cells—all 86 billion of them—and in comparison to the protein components of neurons, the fatty components need to be replaced more regularly. The myelin sheath is a fatty insulating layer that speeds transmission of nerve impulses along neurons. It is produced by ogliodendrocytes in the central nervous system and Schwann cells elsewhere.

Without myelin, our nervous systems couldn’t function properly. In multiple sclerosis, people gradually lose the myelin in parts of their brain, which causes problems with movement, sight and thinking. In the 1990s, scientists found that people with multiple sclerosis had very low levels of certain fatty acids in their red blood cells and plasma” (Big Picture Education).

I am always amazed when I learn about something like the Myelin Sheath, it is such a small component of the human body in size, but when measured by importance it is monumental. The degradation of the myelin sheath layer has been linked to epilepsy, as well. It certainly got me thinking about my lifestyle and the importance of maintaining a healthy myelin sheath, something I hadn’t even heard of before I began experiencing seizures. And though vitamin supplements might seem like the best option for achieving this goal, food sources are actually preferable because they are natural and, therefore, more easily absorbed.

After all, you have to eat to maintain your bodily function so you might as well maintain healthy bodily functions, right? There are three main types of fat that human beings consume. Despite evidence that fats are not as detrimental as researchers, such as Ancel Keys, have led us to believe, major organizations continue to recommend excluding fats from our diet entirely.

This is part of the reason why silly anecdotes, such as the notion of skinless chicken being healthier than chicken with the skin, have become common knowledge for most Americans. I call this statement silly because the skin is actually where the most vitamins and nutrients are found in a chicken. In actuality, we should be avoiding the skinless chicken and choosing chicken with the skin, so that we get the naturally occurring nutrients found in their skin! Here’s a shocker for you: maybe the parts of certain animals that we consider “fatty” or “unhealthy” are actually the most nutritionally-rich areas! I’ve had a pretty strict diet for the past 7 years now and if there’s one thing I’ve learned to adopt into my natural behavior, it’s to question everything! You can’t always trust those big-wig health companies. Doing your own research is key to building a truly healthy diet regimen.

As I mentioned earlier, there are three different types of fats found in the foods some of us consume on a daily basis. They are known as Saturated Fats, Monounsaturated Fats, and Polyunsaturated Fats. Saturated Fats have become known as the taboo fat because this type of fat can be found in a multitude of unhealthy commercial food products. However, Saturated Fats are also found in healthy foods such as radishes, cream, butter, milk, and coconut oil (just to name a few). But no one ever seems to advertise this fact! Many times, people will label ALL fried foods as unhealthy because of the universal opinion shared by many people around the globe. What these people don’t realize is that the cooking style isn’t what’s making these foods unhealthy, the cooking oils are the bad guys here!

The truth is, you can switch out that vegetable oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, or any other kind of synthetic cooking oil for a healthier option like coconut oil. By doing so, you’re making the switch to a healthier lifestyle! Coconut Oil is naturally derived from the edible white flesh and clear liquid found inside the coconut fruit shell. No additives, no preservatives, and no synthetic ingredients. I prefer to use organic companies such as Tropical Traditions for my source of coconut oil because I know they are grown with the utmost care and attention. This company is also an excellent source for flavored and unflavored coconut oils. You are definitely going to want the unflavored coconut oil when making foods such as French fries, fried chicken, and baked garlic green beans.

However, the flavored coconut oil is excellent in hot teas! I drink a Ginger-Honey-Coconut Tea with breakfast and it has become an incredibly convenient way to consume a tablespoon of coconut oil each morning! It is always good to double-check your source for legitimate Saturated Fat components before consuming (you don’t want anything synthetic sneaking its way into your healthy meal). You just might find that these “fats” will provide you with more of a brain boost than that supposedly healthier granola bar!

Monounsaturated Fats are actually a very highly underrated fat component in our diets because they do provide a helping hand in the bodily functions that keep us healthy. A key characteristic of monounsaturated fats is their anti-inflammatory nature. These types of fats actually fight infection and inflammation within the human body in order to protect your heart health and total-body function. Also, these fats work to lower your bodily inflammation, which also means these fats are working to lower your cholesterol levels back to a healthy level, as well. If no inflammation in your body exists, your cholesterol levels will not be raised to a level of concern. This is yet another reason why you should eat more avocados on a daily basis! Avocados are probably the most famous food containing monounsaturated fats. Once again, everything I recommend should be consumed in moderation. If you gorge yourself on anything it is considered unhealthy for your body! Keep this in mind!

Lastly, we have Polyunsaturated fats. This fat is found in eggs, fish, certain nuts, cooking oils, and dairy products. It one of the many reasons why fish oils have become a common vitamin supplement in today’s market. Polyunsaturated fats are a bit tricky because they are found in foods such as Canola Oil and recommended as a good cooking substitute for butter, however, this is untrue. When consumed in healthy amounts, butter will be incredibly healthy for your heart, your brain, and the long-term function of your body. Too often, foods like butter are blamed for our sky-rocketing rates of obesity, especially in children. However, no one ever points out that any food can be fattening if the portions are too large. Though I believe ingredients labels should always be reviewed before purchasing a product, mainstream companies need to address the issue of portion control rather than trying to phase healthy foods like butter completely out of our diets and replacing it with an unhealthy synthetic product like margarine.

Foods Containing Saturated Fats:

– Cheeses

– Milk

– Cream (Heavy Whipping Cream, Whipped Cream, Ice Cream, etc.)

– Butter

– Ghee

– Coconut Oil

– Mayonnaise

– Beef (esp. fatty meat)

– Lamb

– Pork (bacon is particularly good)

– Baked Goods

Foods Containing Monounsaturated Fats (List courtesy of Dr. Axe):

– Olives

– Extra Virgin Olive Oil

– Avocados

– Almonds

– Peanuts

– Cashews

– Eggs

– Red Meat

– Tea Seed Oil

Foods Containing Polyunsaturated Fats (List courtesy of Medline Plus):

– Walnuts

– Sunflower Seeds

– Flax Seeds or Flax Oil

– Fish (Salmon, Mackeral, Herring, Albacore Tuna, & Trout)

– Cooking Oils (careful with these because unhealthy oils such as Corn, Soybean, Safflower, and Sunflower are recommended sources of Polyunsaturated Fats, but should never be consumed because of their poor quality ingredients…Stick with oils such as Coconut, Almond, and Olive instead, they are much healthier!)

You will notice in each of these lists some foods that our society considers to be “unhealthy” and recommends (for humanity’s sake, of course) to exclude each from every person’s diet. However, I have found the true sign of a healthy product does not lie in the amount of fats contained in a product, it lies in the ingredient label. You can have a product that is completely free from any type of fat, but the ingredient label is full to the brim with synthetic ingredients that have only negative effects on the human body. Society would say this is a healthy product because the fat levels read zero, but is such a product actually healthy? No, it isn’t! You have to dig deeper into the content of a product or else you’ll end up thinking Twinkies are a healthy snack for you or your children to consume.

Yes, the label on the side of a Twinkies box does read “0” when it comes to the amount of fat in the product. However, the first eight ingredients of this product’s label are as follows: Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour, Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil and/or Animal Shortening (Soybean, Cottonseed and/or Canola Oil, Beef Fat), Whole Eggs, Dextrose. Ingredient Label courtesy of Fooducate.

Does that sound like a healthy product to you? I’m sorry, but it is impossible for me to consider a product containing more synthetic than natural ingredients as “healthy.” I’m sorry to all of the Twinkie lovers out there, but just say “No” the next time you are tempted. Seriously!

Bottom Line: You cannot determine a product’s quality by the reported levels of sugar, fat, calories, or cholesterol. The ingredient label is where all the information resides that will actually help you to determine if a product is good or bad. Don’t be fooled.

Discussion on the subject of Saturated Fats is always welcome so please fill out a comment form below to join in!

Also, be sure to check out Seize the Day Blog for a healthy recipe (packed full of Saturated Fats) for Classic-Style French Fries!!!

If you prefer Sweet Potato Fries, no problem! Just click here and bon appétit!