Nonna's Nutrition News & Views

Food Poisoning in the News…Again

Food recalls are so commonplace, that we almost don’t pay attention. The FDA has recently recalled products containing a potentially salmonella-tainted ingredient. The items recalled contained hydrolyzed vegetable protein. This is a flavor enhancer, much like MSG, made by Basic Food Flavors. HVP is produced by boiling cereals or legumes (such as soy, corn, or [...]

Avoid The Dirty Dozen

What’s the big deal about organic food? What makes organic worth the price? What does organic produce mean, anyway?

These are questions I often get asked.
What is Organic?
As defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic foods are those grown WITHOUT the use of pesticides, petroleum- or sewage-based fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and [...]

What to Eat When You Eat Out

After showing moms my year-old
Happy Meal, they want to know what they can eat out. Eating out used to be a treat. Families went out to dinner occasionally. Now people eat out several times a week. It ’s always a challenge, because restaurant food is a landmine full of sugar, bleached flours, trans fat [...]

Happy Birthday to My Happy Meal

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You.
Happy Birthday, Dear Happy Meal, Happy Birthday to You!
I know it’s hard to believe. Time flies, doesn’t it? My eyes tear when I think today, March 3, is my Happy Meal’s first birthday. They grow up so fast, don’t they?
I purchased a Happy Meal, not to eat, but [...]

5 Label Traps & How to Avoid Them

We’d like to believe that food manufactures, or at the very least the Food and Drug Administration, are looking out for our health.
No, the only way you can be sure you are eating nutritious foods is to read and understand food labeling. The food manufacturer will do just about anything to convince you that their [...]

Ludicrous Labeling

Cool Whip has 0g trans fat!
That’s what the label says. I’m NOT kidding.
I wanted to purchase a tub of Cool Whip for a talk I was giving on the
“10 Worst Foods of the Decade” and couldn’t find the tub variety, so I bought the aerosol can.
As you can imagine, I was more than a [...]

What’s a Natural Flavor, Anyway?

What is this?
Amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone (10 percent solution [...]

Psychedelic Flavors

Do you know what percentage of food dollars is spent on processed foods, most, if not all, which have added chemicals to enhance flavor?
Kids are conditioned to these psychedelic flavors. The additives like food flavorings, 
high fructose corn syrup, MSG and salt are almost always ingredients in processed foods, especially junk foods. Salt is added [...]

Vaccine Controversy

Part 2–A Shot in the Dark
I do not consider myself to be an expert on childhood vaccinations. The following information is the result of my research. At the very least, I trust you will find this information thought-provoking. With permission I compiled much of the following from www.mercola.com. You will find links to other internet [...]