Lunch Meat Gone Bad: Nitrates

There’s been a lot of BAD hype the last couple of years about “nitrates” in our food, specifically sodium nitrate. I’m not sure if it’s because there’s been an influx of pregnant friends in my life (lunch meat is a big no-no apparently!), or if it’s because of the massive recall of various Maple Leaf Foods processed meat products (due to listeria 2 years ago), or if I’m just paying more attention to what I’m eating. But sandwich meat and the like is being exposed for what it really is: bad bad stuff for you, your health and well-being.

Sodium nitrate is used to preserve and cure processed meats such as ham, sausage, salami, hot dogs, bacon, and some smoked and cured fish. It’s also used in meat as a means to prevent botulism and to give it that pink colour we find so appetizing and associate easily with “fresh” and “good for you” quality.

However sodium nitrate is nowhere near good for you and here’s why:

• first, these processed meats are usually high in salt and fat which endangers your cardiovascular system 
• the second health hazard is found with the “direct carcinogenic effect of nitrosamines, which are formed when nitrate interacts with amines (parts of proteins) in [your] digestive fluids or [your] foods eaten. Nitrosamines have been shown to be potent carcinogens in animals, producing increased amounts of cancer in the liver, lungs, and pancreas…” (Haas and Levin, 469) In other words, it causes various types of cancer 
• third, sodium nitrite is known to trigger migraine headaches, brain tumours and a form of lung disease, COPD (Common Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) 

So why are producers of these meats still allowed to use sodium nitrate in the food we consume? The very basic answer to this it that meat-processing is a billion dollar industry and manufacturers claim there is no good substitute for these nitrates and nitrites. And that's that...

But it doesn't mean this is out of your hands. The best possible thing you can do for yourself is choose to not eat these processed foods. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative your best bet would be organic chicken and tuna.

Life without bacon, can you do it? Let me know :)

Enjoy the journey... S

Haas, Elson M., MD and Buck Levin, PhD, RD. Staying Healthy With Nutrition – The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine. New York: Random House Inc., 2006.

"Honey, we're going vegan!"

Those were the exact words straight from my husbands mouth not 2 weeks ago as he walked in our front door! My same husband who would be happy to eat a steak on Monday, burgers on Tuesday, followed up with Wing Wednesday, spicy chili on Thursday... Don't even get me started on the weekend BBQ-fests

Honestly, I couldn't believe my ears. To this day I wish I'd had a tape recorder, or even taken a photo! Something to commemorate this grand announcement. Where did such an exclamation come from you ask, and how on Earth would anyone be able to convert (and convince) such a "caveman" as my husband?

I'll tell you. 2 words: Bill. Clinton.

Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqvjCIKoo8M

There's a lot of really great information out there these days, challenging us to look at the way and what we eat in an effort to save our health, our animals, our planet. But I absolutely LOVE that my husband was sold – immediately – on these few minutes of Bill talking... he really is a sweet talker (Monica didn't have a chance!)

In case you're wondering we have not gone totally vegan... instead we've decided to go vegan 4 days a week – Monday to Thursday. Which is still a lot if you knew my husband... and though it may seem like a spec in our grand carbon footprint, imagine if 2 or 200 or 2000 people decided to make that same small change. The "spec" doesn't seem so small now does it...

Whatever you decide to do, big or small, you can make things happen... but you have to do it.

Enjoy the journey... S

A few of my favourite things

I hope you had a wonderful looooong Civic Holiday weekend. I know I did. It was complete with some serious cottage time with my Love and my folks up in beautiful Georgian Bay. Just the four of us amongst the Georgian rocks, water, wind and trees. The loons were singing their own songs of summer throughout the nights too. I really don't remember the last time I heard them sing so loud – it was really quite magical. In fact there were a few really great things I did over the weekend that allowed me to unwind and get back to "my roots":

• paddled my way through the shallow rocky waters with my brand new SUP (stand-up paddle) board... talk about peaceful and adventurous. There's something about going in to parts of the waters where normal boat traffic just can't get to – along with the hot sun and wind at your back...
• picked wild blueberries with the help of our furry family members – that is something I hadn't stopped to do in years. I felt like a kid all over again – blueberry juice on my bathing suit, fingers and toes
• read my book... finally... the one that's been sitting on my bedside table all summer. Bossypants by Tina Fey. If you want to laugh and be put in a genuine good mood read this book. She is freaking hilarious... and smart... and pretty... and real... did I say hilarious??
• enjoyed a really great margarita with my mother – organic even! It was dee-lish, salted rim and all

What kind of wonderfulness did you enjoy this past weekend? Dust off any memories? Create new ones?

Enjoy the journey... S