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Showing posts from February, 2023

FDA Bans First FD&C Dye! Which Will be Next?

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The FDA has moved to finally ban Red Dye No. 3 from use in food and drugs in America.  Red Dye No. 3 was first determined to be a cancer causing color additive almost 30 years ago.  Studies conducted using labs rats found that they became inflicted with the disease after consuming large amounts of Red dye No. 3.  Thirty years ago, the FDA officially banned Red Dye No. 3 from use in cosmetics but left the door open for it to be used as a color additive in food and prescription drugs.  By January 2027, the FDA has ordered that Red Dye No 3 must be removed from all food in the USA and by 2028--from all drugs. Food Manufacturers Shiver in their Boots Red Dye No. 3 has mostly been used in baked goods, sweets and candies.  It is used by prominent candy manufacturers such as Mars Inc (Skittles) and Just Born Quality Confections (Peeps).  Food Manufacturing giants such as Con Agra, McCormick, Heinz, General Mills and Pepsi Co will all have to find alternatives for ...
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Sitting For Too Long Linked to Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

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Spending a great deal of time sitting in your cubicle? Do you love to be indoors sitting down while watching your favorite TV show? Do you find yourself sitting down very often on your college campus after lectures? It’s been suggested that 13 percent of the global ailment of Alzheimer’s can be attributed to sedentary behavior. 100 million people will be affected by dementia by 2050 (Hughes et al., 2010).   It can be alarming when finding out that a sedentary activity such as sitting is no bueno for your health but it’s best to learn earlier so as not to continue actions that can be detrimental to health. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles discovered a link between sitting for long periods of time and decreased brain thickness in a region that is essential for the formation of memories (Siddarth et al., 2018). This is an area of the brain that declines with age. Thirty-five adults between the ages of 45 – 75 took part in the study. The adults were given q...
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Dark Chocolate Contains Heavy Metals Cadmium and Lead

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Dark chocolate has frequently been lauded by health fanatics for its numerous benefits.  It’s classified as a source of antioxidants and has been even said to help regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  It's even been claimed to help with weight loss.   A  New York based non-profit named Consumer Reports tested heavy metal levels of 28 different brands of chocolate including Hershey’s, Godiva, Tony’s, Lindt, Endangered Species and Trader Joe’s.  Consumer Reports measured levels of cadmium and lead against standards set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).  According to OEHHA, human exposure to cadmium should not be more than 4.1 mcg per day and their exposure to lead should not be more than 0.5 mcg per day. Many of the dark chocolate bars contained more lead than they should have.  Ten bars contained more than the OEHHA recommended level of lead while eight contained more than the recommended level for c...
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