Food additives are the norm in today’s market. As a matter of fact, we’ve pretty much come to accept the fact that most f what we buy is going to have some type of additive or preservative thrown in.

While some additives can have a minimal impact, others are downright scary. Here’s some of the creepy stuff major food manufacturers put in your food without your knowledge.

1. Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Partially hydrogenated fats are the principle sources of trans fat in the American diet, and a Harvard study estimated that trans fat causes 70,000 heart attacks every year. The good news: Partially hydrogenated oils are beginning to slowly retreat from our food. Progressive jurisdictions like New York City are starting to restrict the allowable amounts in restaurants, and many chains are switching to healthier frying oil. Still, the battle isn’t over. At Long John Silver’s, for example, there are still 17 menu items with more than 2 grams of the stuff. According to the American Heart Association, that’s about the maximum you should consume in a single day.
 
Where you’ll find it: McDonald’s McChicken, Long John Silver’s Broccoli Cheese Soup

2. Azodicarbonamide

This chemical is used most frequently in the production of industrial foam plastic, and although the FDA has approved its use for food in the States, the United Kingdom has labeled it a potential cause of asthma. In a review of 47 studies on azodicarbonamide, the World Health Organization concluded that it probably does trigger asthmatic symptoms. The WHO concluded, “exposure levels should be reduced as much as possible.” I’ll put it more concisely: Avoid it.
 
Where you’ll find it: Dunkin’ Donuts bagels, McDonald’s burger buns

3. Aspartame

Aspartame is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by combing two amino acids with methanol. Most commonly used in diet soda, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar. Over the past 30 years, the FDA has received thousands of consumer complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches dizziness, memory loss, and, in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Many studies have shown the sweetener to be completely harmless, while other have linked the additive to cancer. A 2006 Italian study found that rats fed high daily doses of aspartame—the equivalent of nearly 3 liters for a 150-pound human—experienced higher levels of lymphomas, leukemia, and other types of cancer. Still, after reviewing the study, the FDA concluded that the results weren’t strong enough to warrant the confectionary chemical’s removal from the market.
 
Where you’ll find it: Nutra-Sweet, Equal, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi

4. Nitrate and Nitrite

The are nitrogen-based compounds that are essential for digestion in small amounts. They occur naturally but are synthetically produced for use in fertilizer and as food additives. They’re commonly used to cure processed meats. Nitrates and nitrites have a tendency to fuse with amino acids to become carcinogenic nitrosamines. Ironically, the processed meats into which nitrates are commonly added are rich with amino acids, making nitrosamine formation very likely. In addition to concerns about cancer, increased nitrate and nitrite intake has been linked to deaths in Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s patients. Despite the risks, the valuable use of nitrates and nitrites as inhibitors of botulism warrant their acceptance as food additives in the eyes of the FDA.

Where you’ll find it: Oscar Meyer hot dogs, Hormel bacon, Hillshire Farm deli meat

5. Paraben

Parabens are used to prevent mold and yeast formation in food, and they’re also used in cosmetics, toothpaste, and personal lubricant. Although they exist in nature, the parabens used in commercial products are created synthetically. It’s been documented that parabens act as mild estrogens, and according to the Environmental Working Group, they can disrupt the natural balance of hormones in your body. In a Japanese study, male rats fed propyl paraben daily for four weeks suffered lower sperm and testosterone production, and other studies have found parabens present in breast cancer tissues.
 
Where you’ll find it: Baskin Robbins sundaes – Source

Of all the food additives listed above, the one that is constantly linked to death in humans is trans fat. Check out the following video to learn a little more about how trans fat impacts your body.

The best way to avoid these additives is to shop for natural foods. Start shopping for organic foods at natural food stores and farmer’s markets. You may also want to go on some kind of detox diet and do a liver cleanse to help flush some of those preservatives out of your system.

There’s no shortage of ways meat can kill you. From deadly bacterial disease to heart problems, that steak, cheesburger or rack of ribs will shorten your life, no doubt about it.

bacterial disease, however, is among the scariest, and quickest ways your meat can kill you. The results so far have been tragic. We are strong advocates of cutting meat of of your diet here at AloeVera. The following story might just convince you to do the same.

As 1½-year-old Simon Sparrow lay dying in a hospital in April 2004, doctors were perplexed as to what was causing his illness.

“None of the health care professionals at the University of Chicago had any clue as to why he died,” Simon’s mother, Everly Macario, recalls. “From the moment he got strange symptoms to when he died was 24 hours.”

Tests following Simon’s death revealed that he’d succumbed to an overwhelming infection caused by a highly antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria known as methicilliin-resistant Staph aureus, or MRSA. Despite having a doctorate in public health from Harvard, Macario had never heard of MRSA or its potentially deadly consequences.

Fighting bacterial disease is as easy as cutting meat from your diet

FreeDigitalphotos

Since her son’s death, Macario has made it her mission to raise awareness of these deadly infections. On Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Macario joined a group of concerned mothers, health care providers, farmers and chefs in a roundtable meeting to raise awareness of the growing problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

The “Supermoms Against Superbugs” event, co-sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, is meant to raise awareness of the link between antibiotic overuse in farm animals and an increase in antibiotic resistant “superbug” infections in humans.

Once superbugs such as MRSA, E. coli and salmonella escape the farm, they can spread their antibiotic resistance to other bacteria that also cause infections in humans.

Dr. James Johnson, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, says this is a big problem.

“Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness against bacteria,” Johnson says. “New antibiotics are not being developed at a fast enough rate, and we have fewer treatment options for infected patients.”

Superbugs can cause a variety of diseases in humans, including urinary tract infections, blood stream infections, meningitis and pneumonia. The most vulnerable patients tend to be the very young, chronically ill, hospitalized patients and the elderly. – Source

Breaking away from a meat-based diet is easier than ever. There are plenty of vegetarian options available today that cater to former meat eaters. These products are delicious, and don’t come with nearly the same risk of heart attack or bacteria.

Check out the following video to see just how easy going vegetarian can be.

Once you make the switch, you’ll find improved energy, better metabolism and an overall feeling of well-being. Many people take their vegetarian diet to the next level by implementing a raw food diet.

It’s good enough for Beyonce, but does the lemon detox diet live up to the hype? There’s no doubt a good detox cleanse can be a welcome relief. In fact, we’ve posted a few suggestions on this site. Naturally, I wanted to take a closer look at the latest craze.

The lemonade recipe

The original recipe by Stanley Burroughs produced fantastic results for almost 50 years. However, some have been promoting alterations of the original recipe. The problem with this arrangement is that they are done without understanding why the original ingredients work. Since the Master Cleanse is essentially a juice fast, adding shakes, cayenne pepper capsules or protein powder in an attempt to improve its efficacy is self defeating because it reduces the efficacy of the diet.

The purpose of the program is to give the digestive tract a ten day vacation, so adding things to be digested does not contribute to the objective of the diet. Stanley Burroughs in fact discourages the intake of supplements and vitamins during the program because it interferes with the body’s elimination system. Furthermore, the natural sources of vitamins and minerals already found in lemon and the maple syrup already provide for the body’s needs during the detox program.

Other alterations include mistakes in the ratio of water through modification of the original recipe and dilution. This modification defeats the purpose of the minimum 6 drinks a day because it is more than the amount of water required. It is best to remember that variations on the process and especially in the recipe will not produce the results that originally worked for the many that faithfully followed the original Master Cleanse program and lemonade recipe.

Beyonce made the lemon detox diet popular again

Flickr Photo: ewen and donabel

This is the classic single serve recipe provided in Stanley Burrough’s book:

2 (tbs). of lemon or lime

2 (tbs). of genuine maple syrup

1/10 tsp cayenne pepper

10 oz. water (hot or cold as preferred)

For those who cannot enjoy their lemonade, Tom offers this alternative:

1. Mix equal parts of lemon juice and maple syrup as a concentrate in a dark container. Keep this mixture cool.

2. Make enough concentrate for as long as you are incapable of making the fresh lemonade juice.

3. Every time you want a glass of lemonade, measure 4 tbs. of this mixture in a glass.

4. Add water and cayenne pepper, stir and drink. The maple syrup preserves the lemon juice and prevents oxidation of the vitamin C and enzymes.

Tom Woloshyn fondly recalled Stanley Burrough’s remarks. He was said to have repeated many times over a phrase most technical people use when instructing frustrated customers, “When all else fails, follow the instructions.” In order to ensure success and experience the benefits of the Master Cleanse Detox diet, it is essential to understand how to do the program properly. Faithfully following what has been prescribed is the first step in this direction. – Source

Want to see the making in action? Check out the following video to see what one version of this detox looks like.

After you’ve tried the lemon diet, you can take the detox routine a step further by trying a liver cleanse. Some of the products we’ve seen don’t require the type of preparation you may have seen in the video above. The pre-made detox cleansers would be a good option for people on the go. 

There’s been a lot of yoga-hating going around lately, particularly form those who say certain yoga poses can do more harm than good by causing blood clots and even leaving you paralyzed. While such fear-mongering is laughable to most of us, some still need to be convinced that yoga really is good for you.

Well, here you go.

Arthur Boorman, 47, has managed to lose the weight using DDP, or Diamond Dallas Page, which is a pumped-up form of yoga that forgoes all of the gongs and serenity typically associated with the Hindu physical and spiritual discipline.

“It’s a different kind of yoga. We make a joke: ‘It ain’t your momma’s yoga,’” Boorman said.

DDP was invented by Diamond Dallas Page, an extreme former wrestler who thought yoga could use a new intensity. We all know yoga can build strength and flexibility, but it can also be the key to significant weight loss by creating a slow, deep resistance to each movement, getting the body working against itself. Page’s program capitalizes on this.

These days it’s hard to imagine that not many years ago, Boorman was a Gulf War veteran with some serious back issues. At that time he plunged into some dark days, becoming so obese that at one point, he couldn’t walk without leg braces.

Boorman thought yoga could help his back pain, but no studios wanted to work with him because he couldn’t stand on his own.

“I was up late, on a search engine just typing different things, and I typed in yoga and broken back, and up popped Dallas’ page,” he recalls.

Boorman soon got the Page’s DVDs, and slowly and surprisingly he saw himself shrinking, tightening and strengthening.

After his weight loss, Boorman has now moved from DDP student to teacher. But he must warn his pupils that there is nothing soothing or meditative about his class.

“It’s like the Marines, yoga for the Marines,” Claire, one of Boorman’s students, said.

Stacey Morris had the same shock as Boorman when she lost significant weight through DDP. At her peak two years ago, she weighed more than 300 pounds; now she has gone from size 28 to a size 8.

“I actually look better at 47 than I did at 21,” she said.

Morris, who is also 47, and Boorman say that the high-intensity yoga first gave them a new feeling of energy and control.

“It’s very cardio. It works the muscles and my body started to rehabilitate and heal and my posture changed,” Morris said. – Source

II know, sometimes you still have to see it to believe it. So take a gander at the man himself, getting down with a few of those famous yoga poses.

You see, there’s a reason people have been practicing yoga for more than 5,000 years. It works. It actually does improve your life and weight loss is only one of the benefits.

Flexibility: Stretching your tight body in new ways will help it to become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to muscles and joints. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips.

Strength: Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing on one leg (such as in Tree Pose) or supporting yourself with your arms (such as in Downward Facing Dog). Some exercises require you to move slowly in and out of poses, which also increases strength.

Muscle tone: As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone. Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles.

Pain Prevention: Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who suffer from back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car. That can cause tightness and spinal compression, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, both in and out of class, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Better Breathing: Most of us breathe very shallowly into the lungs and don’t give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises, called Pranayama, focus the attention on the breath and teach us how to better use our lungs, which benefits the entire body. Certain types of breath can also help clear the nasal passages and even calm the central nervous system, which has both physical and mental benefits. – Source

There are other great options out there for anyone interested in taking up yoga. For instance, YogaBody is one product we always recommend here at AloeVera.com. This particular program is great for busy users and beginners, because it only requires a 15 minute commitment every day. There’s also a great range of supplements, such as the Happy Belly Probiotic supplement, that will help keep your digestion under control.

Some massive company is always trying to push the latest lab-developed ointment or skincare product and it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. Multi-million dollar ad campaigns and clever packaging works, and it makes us forget that the best ointment on the planet comes courtesy of Mother Nature: aloe vera gel.

The historical use of aloe vera dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for natural wound care and healing. Over the centuries, different cultures around the world have ascribed aloe gel with a near-miraculous healing capacity not only to promote the healing of wounded or infected skin and restore it to health, but also to help keep it beautiful.

Aloe Gel: Nature’s Own Band Aid
Aloe vera has been described as a portable first aid kit that you can use to treat cuts, burns, bruises, scrapes, sunburn, bites and stings. When aloe vera gel is applied topically onto or into a wound, it serves as a natural, band aid or wound dressing that seals it against outside infection, accelerating the body’s own healing process. It is an effective, inexpensive first-aid solution for all minor burns and scalds.

How Aloe Vera Gel Works
Like all other succulents, aloe vera is a self-healing plant. If a living aloe leaf is cut or torn, it will immediately seal the “wound” to prevent the loss of water and nutrients and to protect against bacterial contamination. Within minutes, the aloe gel will seep out to the surface and form a water-tight, rubber-like coating over the injured area. This gel coating contracts as it dries, pulling the edges of the wound shut. Within days the wound heals completely with zero scarring.

The same natural, healing mechanism is triggered when aloe vera is applied topically to a wound, accelerating the healing process. Aloe gel forms a seal over the damaged skin, helping to staunch bleeding and protect against wound infection. It provides essential nourishment to the traumatized tissues, while stimulating the regeneration of skin cells and connective tissue. Aloe gel also alleviates inflammation, reducing redness and swelling.

A Wealth of Healing Properties
Aloe vera gel contains a wealth of biologically active compounds that give this herb its potent medicinal properties. It is rich in nourishing phytonutrients that play a key role in the healing process. These include vitamins, especially the antioxidant vitamins A, B complex, C and E, minerals including calcium, magnesium and zinc as well as amino acids like tyrosine and phenylalanine. Other beneficial compounds include: prostaglandins, polysaccharides, saponins, enzymes, glycoproteins, anthraquinones, plant sterols and lignin. – Source

Aloe vera gel has amazing natural healing properties

 Flickr Photo: Éamonn

The long list of aloe vera benefits is in itself a good reason to always have a tube of aloe vera gel around. In all things health related, natural is always better.

Honest and Real Turbulence Training Review

Turbulence Training promises fast fat loss results for men and women who don’t have a lot of time for exercise. This is a bold promise, and Craig’s workouts promise maximum results in only three workouts per week.

We take a look at this claim in our Turbulence Training review, and see if it really measures up.

Before we get to the program, let’s take a look at the expert behind the workouts. I’ve come across Craig Ballantyne’s name many times in popular fitness magazines such as Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness, and even in Oxygen and Shape magazines. So the program is clearly put together by a trusted fitness expert.

I’ve also talked to Craig about his training and education background, and I’ll be honest, it was impressive, unlike the trainers with weekend certifications that pop up at large commercial gyms. Craig’s experience goes back to the mid-nineties, in both the gym and in the research lab. He’s actually led research trials on sport supplements, strength training, and cardiovascular training.

Plus, Craig has been a strength coach and has worked with hundreds of clients in thousands of training sessions. This is a unique, and thorough background, so its not surprising he’s come up with a new training system for fat loss.

In fact, Craig’s articles are always pretty hard on traditional aerobic cardio workouts. So if you’re looking for new ways to spend 30 or 60-minutes doing cardio, then this program is not for you. But if you only have 45 minutes to workout, a couple of times per week, and you have access to only a bench, dumbells, and an exercise ball, then you’ll like what Craig has for you here.

Save 50% on Craig’s Turbulence Training Program here

Now one of the biggest questions about the program is simply, “What is Turbulence Training?” Well according to Craig, its the combination of resistance training and interval training used to boost your metabolism so that your body burns calories and fat between workouts. He says, “Cardio doesn’t boost your metabolism after exercise. Only strength training and interval training do that – while you work, sleep, and eat – your body will be shedding fat.”

Fortunately, Craig’s unique system of bodyweight exercises, dumbell exercises, and interval training can all be done at home, with minimal equipment (if you are really strong, it might help to have a chinup bar). So again, if you are one of those people who loves machines, or cardio equipment, or marathon workouts, then this program is not for you.

Frankly, I’ve used the program myself and recommended it to many others. Why? Because no one has time for long workouts! That’s why. After an eight or ten hour workday, a round-trip commute of 90 minutes, and spending time with my family, I just don’t have time to do another 90 minute workout every day of the week.

Click here to Save 50% Off on Turbulence Training

In fact, I either get up early and do the workout before work, or I do it just before bed. This workout is perfect for busy men and women. But its not the type of routine that is going to turn anyone into a pro bodybuilder. If you want maximum muscle and want to bulk up, try another one of Craig’s programs. But the Turbulence Training system is best for burning fat without sacrificing muscle – so you end up lean, defined, chiseled and toned.

And its fun! So many workouts are boring (i.e. long cardio) or repetitive (i.e. doing the same bodybuilding workout over and over again). But Turbulence Training uses a lot of unique (but not fluffy) exercises, including some cool, killer bodyweight moves that will make you more athletic and increase your functional and core strength – again, all with minimal equipment needs.

But, I am even able to recommend this program to friends who are just starting out, because Craig has put together a 6-week introductory program, and a 4-week intermediate program in addition to the 16-week advanced training phase (PLUS, the Turbulence Training program comes with a massive amount of bonus workouts for muscle building, bodyweight only, advanced fat loss, and even a female specific bonus).

But each workout progresses into the next. He’s used all of these workouts with hundreds of clients – so they are safe and effective. Sure, you can get other programs that leave you smashed and puking after the first workout, but Turbulence Training is not like that. Soreness doesn’t matter, only results matter! And you are in expert hands with Turbulence Training, and Men’s Health expert, Craig Ballantyne.

Get Instant Access to Turbulence Training and Save 50% Off

Craig’s Turbulence Training also contains a contract — basically, your pledge to being committed to the program. It also includes an ebook on Nutrition Guidelines from expert, Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., and an extensive Q&A section, a 21-Healthy Habit Building Plan, plus the complete Turbulence Training workouts for beginner, intermediate and advanced level individuals.

All users will benefit from the Turbulence Training MP3 audio where Craig goes over the program, plus you can find every single exercise explained in detail, complete with photos.

Okay, so bottom line. Turbulence Training is NOT….
    •    Long, slow cardio workouts
    •    A machine-based exercise circuit
    •    A bodybuilding program to gain bulk
    •    A workout with lots of time-wasting isolation exercises
    •    A restrictive eating plan

Turbulence Training provides NONE of the above. On the other hand, Turbulence Training is perfect for busy men and women who want to burn fat in the comfort of their own homes without spending a lot of money on equipment or space on exercise machines. Oh, and you’ll actually have fun and you won’t “dread” these workouts – heck, they will be over before you know it!

If you’re in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Craig’s program. I was very impressed with all of the Turbulence Training workouts, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Craig’s expertise. For the money, it’s the best deal in the fitness and fat loss industry – so much better than diet pills! And remember…

Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training is backed by a 8-week money back guarantee. And this is a real guarantee… if you are not completely satisfied, you will receive your money back, no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts.” So you really have nothing to lose.

>> Click Here to Get Instant Access to Craig’s Program <<

As if there weren’t enough signs that we need to abandon the processed food lifestyle pushed on us by the world’s major food manufacturers. The latest obesity statistics released by a leading medical journal show obesity will hit 42 percent in the United States by 2030.

After years of rising obesity rates in the United States, recent statistics show the rates may have steadied. But that may not be enough, according to a new report released on Monday – it estimates about 42% of the U.S. population will be obese by 2030.

The report suggests an additional 30 million Americans will be obese in 18 years. This would cost an additional $549.5 billion on medical expenditures, according to the report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“If you could keep the obesity rates at today’s level, you would save $550 billion,” said Eric Finkelstein, lead author of the report.

The latest obesity statistics don't look good.

 PHOTO CREDIT

About 35% of U.S. adults are obese today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The obesity statistics were released at the CDC’s Weight of the Nation conference, which is focused on preventing this growing health problem. A four-part HBO documentary with the same title begins airing next week.

Finkelstein and co-authors estimate that 11% of the population will be severely obese by 2030. Severe obesity is defined as a body mass index over 40 or being roughly 100 pounds overweight. Obese people have shorter life expectancies and greater lifetime medical costs, “suggesting that future healthcare costs may continue to increase even if obesity prevalence levels off,” wrote the authors. – Source

When obesity statistics get that bad, we all lose. Just think about the healthcare costs alone. That’s not only going to impact deductibles for those considered obese. The health insurance companies are as bad as big food, and they’ll be passing costs on to your plan, no matter how many push-ups you do every day. 

But it isn’t too late to not only stop the crisis from hitting epic proportions, but turn it around. Americans need more healthy diet options. Instead of opting for surgery, or diet pills that will only end in relapse, it’s time to get more people on a healthy diet that combines healthy eating with a solid exercise routine.

There are countless programs, like the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet, that will help people get back on track toward good health. We also need to stand up to the big food companies, write emails and letters. Demand more healthy and affordable options. If you are a parent, show up to school board meetings and demand healthy options in the cafeteria.

Jessica Simpson is subscribing to a Weight Watcher’s diet and reportedly signed a multimillion dollar deal with the giant dieting company. While making a pledge to get healthy and drop weight is a noble venture, shouldn’t someone with that kind of star power set a better example? It seems like she’s promoting mass-produced, preservative packed frozen meals instead of instilling in her fans a sense of importance for exercise and fresh, healthy food.

There are plenty of programs, like the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet, that put a high premium on fresh, healthy produce and a regular exercise regimen. Anyone who thinks there’s an easier way (without resorting to surgery or potentially dangerous diet drugs) is in for disappointment. Maybe Simpson should rethink her diet plan. Then again, that’s probably not likely, considering the payday she’s getting from Weight Watchers.

Should Jessica Simpson go with the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet instead?

Flickr Photo: simplistic.designs

Now that Jessica Simpson has finally delivered her bundle of joy, she’s apparently prepared to lose weight for a bundle of cash.

Last December, the New York Post reported that the star had inked a $3 million deal with Weight Watchers to become its spokesperson. That means we could watch the reality TV star go from maternity duds to her Daisy Dukes.

The fashion mogul, who jokingly called herself “fat” while pregnant, has another motivation: She is planning to wed her fiancé, Eric Johnson, and would probably like to be slimmed down for her walk down the aisle.

Us Weekly, citing an unnamed source, says Simpson “would have one year to use the point-counting program to ‘lose a significant amount of weight.’”

Then, as those familiar with the program know, there would be the big reveal of skinny Jessica, who would appear in ads for the diet company touting its formula for success.

The 31-year-old wouldn’t be the first star to cash in on her post-baby weight gain. Current spokeswoman Jennifer Hudson signed on with Weight Watchers after giving birth and lost 80 pounds on the diet plan.

And good news for the star, who has been enjoying being off diet and exercise of late: The Points Plus plan is flexible, assigning a number value to foods that dieters already eat. So J-Simp won’t have to give up the PB&J sandwiches (11 points) she craved throughout her pregnancy. All that’s required is simple math. 

Simpson told Hello magazine that she put on 40 pounds during pregnancy, and added, “Eating and not having to worry too much about it has been fun. But I’m ready for it to be over. I’m ready to have my body back.” – Source

If you are looking to lose weight quickly you need to check out the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet Plan.

Learn How to Lose Up to 25 lbs in 25 days here

Usually, it’s not such a bad thing to subscribe to the out of sight, out of mind notion. Unfortunately, that means you are eating a lot of bugs without even knowing it.

I’m a big proponent of protein. Eggs for breakfast, grilled chicken for lunch, lightly seared filet of salmon for dinner—I can’t get enough. But even I have a limit, and that limit generally begins about the time I see exoskeletons, tentacles, pinchers, or stingers sticking out of my food.

I realize that in some parts of the world, bugs are considered a reliable source of protein. But the people who eat those bugs do so willingly. It’s a normal part of their diet. Here in the United States, we’re pretty squeamish about chomping into insects or stabbing our forks into larvae. And that’s why it might come as a shock to discover that, because of the FDA’s lax food-safety regulations, your food might very well be crawling with creepy, slimy, buzzing things of all sorts. In fact, it’s been estimated that the average person unintentionally eats a pound of insects every year. And I’m not talking about gummy worms here. I’m talking about real live (or formerly live) bugs.

With the help of Rodale.com writer Emily Main, we’ve identified a few of the more disgusting bugs infiltrating your food. Prepare to be grossed out.

Thrips

Fickr photo

At anywhere from 1/25 to 1/8 of an inch long, these tiny little winged parasites are legally allowed in apple butter, canned or frozen asparagus, frozen broccoli, and frozen Brussels sprouts. 

 Aphids

Flickr photo

Those same little green or black bugs that can destroy a bouquet of flowers can infiltrate your frozen veggies, particularly spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. And if you home-brew beer, you might consider growing your own hops: The FDA legally allows 2,500 aphids for every 10 grams of hops.

Mites

flickr photo

These tiny white bugs are common in wheat and other grains that have been stored for a while, but expect to eat a few with your frozen vegetables. And if you have indoor allergies, that could be a problem. Storage and grain mites can cause the same type of allergic reaction as the dust mites common in homes.

Maggots

Flickr Photo

If you’ve ever eaten canned food, you’ve probably also eaten a maggot. These disgusting little critters abound in things like canned mushrooms, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and pizza sauces, as well as fresh or frozen Maraschino cherries. Mushrooms are by far the worst: 20 maggots are allowed for every 100 grams of drained mushrooms, compared with between 1 and 5 for every 500 grams of tomato products.

Fruit Flies

Flickr photo

Buy a piece of fruit covered in fruit flies, and you can wash them off. Buy a can of citrus juice, and you’ll be swilling five fruit flies with every 8-ounce cup of juice. Grab an 8-ounce handful of raisins and you could be eating as many as 35 fruit-fly eggs.

Corn Ear Worms

Acorn Organic Photo

Corn is notoriously difficult to grow organically, because it’s prone to insect infestations. But in most cases, it’s easy to avoid eating the earworms that burrow into corncobs and eat the silk—just cut the kernels off the cob, and voilà! However, canned sweet corn will come with some extra crunch from all the larvae, skins, and skin fragments allowed by the FDA. 

Cowpea curculio

Photo from Clemson University

Love black-eyed peas? Buy them dried and cook them yourself, rather than buying them frozen or canned. A can of black-eyed peas, cowpeas, or field peas may contain an average of five or more cowpea curculio larvae, which will grow into dark brown, beetle-like weevils that infest all manner of peas and beans. 

Caterpillars

Flickr Photo

Fuzzy, ugly caterpillars are supposed to turn into beautiful butterflies for people to marvel at—not eat in a mouthful of frozen spinach. But along with the 50 or so aphids, mites, and thrips allowed in 100 grams of spinach, you may also find yourself munching on caterpillar larvae and larval fragments. Mmm . . . probably not what was giving Popeye all that strength. - Source

If the list of bugs commonly found in your favorite veggies didn’t freak you out, why not consider eating bugs intentionally? After all, it does have its benefits.

At the London restaurant Archipelago, diners can order the $11 Baby Bee Brulee: a creamy custard topped with a crunchy little bee. In New York, the Mexican restaurant Toloache offers $11 chapulines tacos: two tacos stuffed with Oaxacan-style dried grasshoppers.

Could beetles, dragonfly larvae and water bug caviar be the meat of the future? As the global population booms and demand strains the world’s supply of meat, there’s a growing need for alternate animal proteins. Insects are high in protein, B vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc, and they’re low in fat. Insects are easier to raise than livestock, and they produce less waste. Insects are abundant. Of all the known animal species, 80% walk on six legs; over 1,000 edible species have been identified. And the taste? It’s often described as “nutty.”

The vast majority of the developing world already eats insects. In Laos and Thailand, weaver-ant pupae are a highly prized and nutritious delicacy. They are prepared with shallots, lettuce, chilies, lime and spices and served with sticky rice. Further back in history, the ancient Romans considered beetle larvae to be gourmet fare, and the Old Testament mentions eating crickets and grasshoppers. In the 20th century, the Japanese emperor Hirohito’s favorite meal was a mixture of cooked rice, canned wasps (including larvae, pupae and adults), soy sauce and sugar.

Over the past two years, three Dutch insect-raising companies, which normally produce feed for animals in zoos, have set up special production lines to raise locusts and mealworms for human consumption. Now those insects are sold, freeze-dried, in two dozen retail food outlets that cater to restaurants. A few restaurants in the Netherlands have already placed insects on the menu, with locusts and mealworms (beetle larvae) usually among the dishes.

Insects have a reputation for being dirty and carrying diseases—yet less than 0.5% of all known insect species are harmful to people, farm animals or crop plants. When raised under hygienic conditions—eating bugs straight out of the backyard generally isn’t recommended—many insects are perfectly safe to eat.

Meanwhile, our food needs are on the rise. The human population is expected to grow from six billion in 2000 to nine billion in 2050. Meat production is expected to double in the same period, as demand grows from rising wealth. Pastures and fodder already use up 70% of all agricultural land, so increasing livestock production would require expanding agricultural acreage at the expense of rain forests and other natural lands. Officials at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently predicted that beef could become an extreme luxury item by 2050, like caviar, due to rising production costs.

Raising insects for food would avoid many of the problems associated with livestock. For instance, swine and humans are similar enough that they can share many diseases. Such co-infection can yield new disease strains that are lethal to humans, as happened during a swine fever outbreak in the Netherlands in the late 1990s. Because insects are so different from us, such risks are accordingly lower.

Energy can be in short supply as the work day drags on. Relying on caffeine or other energy drinks can work in the short term, but will often leave you feeling worse than before.

On the other hand, a natural energy boost will keep you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the world for most of the day. Here are a few ways to make the daily grind feel a lot less exhausting.

Aroma therapy and excercise will help you get that natural energy boost

Flickr Photo: asterix611