What the hell is in the milk?

It is commonly understood that when you buy organic milk you are getting milk from a cow not "fed" a crap-ton of antibiotics, and god knows what else.  Do you buy it, or get the cheap stuff?

Perusing the FDA additive site this morning I got the list of what that really means for you.  

• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Bacitracin, manganese bacitracin, zinc bacitracin, Bacitracin methylene disalicylate
• Benzathine cloxacillin
• Cephapirin, sodium
• Cephapirin benzathine
• Chlorobutanol
• Chlortetracycline
• Clopidol (3,5-Dichloro-2,6-dimethyl-4-pyridinol)
• Cloxacillin
• Dimethylpolysiloxane
• Erythromycin, Erythromycin thiocyanate or phosphate
• Ethoxyquin
• Hydrocortisone (as acetate or sodium succinate)
• Lincomycin hydrochloride
• Methylparaben (methyl-p-hydroxybenzoate)
• Methyl prednisolone
• Morantel Tartrate
• Neomycin
• Novobiocin
• Penicillin
• Polyethylene glycol
• Prednisolone 
• Prednisone
• Procaine penicillin
• Propylparaben (propyl-p-hydroxybenzoate) 
• Rennet (Rennin)
• Salicylic acid
• Sodium chloride
• Sodium citrate
• Sodium cloxacillin
• Sulfabromomethazine 
• Sulfadimethoxine
• Sulfadimethoxine + Ormetoprim
• Sulfaethoxypyridazine
• Thiabendazole
• Tylosin
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D 

At least I can identify the bottom two!  Too bad they are added!  

Now I ask, where's the "milk" in all of that??

What's in it? Aspartame

OK, it's in over 6,000 items, almost everything that's labeled "diet" and "sugar-free", it's even in children's chewable vitamins.

What is it and is it safe?

There is a ton of controversy concerning Aspartame and I'm not even going to get into the argument whether or not it should even be legally allowed in food.

When ingested Aspartame breaks down into three components:

Aspartic Acid, Phenylalanine and Methanol

These products break down further into Formaldehyde and Formic Acid.

I don't know about you, but I do not want to purposefully ingest formaldehyde!!

Methanol causes blindness, and it is highly advised that pregnant women not come into contact with it at all!!

There have been studies that connect the use of Aspartame to everything from Autism, seizure disorders, gulf war syndrome, and even DEATH, among countless others!!

Seriously, DO NOT INGEST!!

There was actually some truly eye opening information regarding this product, and I suggest that you do some research on your own just to see exactly WHO is controlling WHAT we eat.

It's pretty amazing to see that an item that was originally proposed to the FDA as a drug for peptic ulcers (not accepted due to side effects) is now one of the most common and socially acceptable artificial sweeteners.

What's in it? Artificial Flavors

We've already discussed "natural flavors", but what about the common ingredient of "artificial flavors"?

Because it's literally a chemical compound it's nearly impossible to tell.
Here is one example.

Artificial strawberry flavor:

• amyl acetate - (Hazardous)
• amyl butyrate - (Hazardous) 
• amyl valerate - (Hazardous)
• anethol - (Harardous)
• anisyl formate - (Hazardous)
• benzyl acetate - (Hazardous)
• benzyl isobutyrate - (Hazardous) Keep away from children!?!?!
• butyric acid - (Hazardous)
• cinnamyl isobutyrate - (Hazardous)
• 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 in alcohol),
• a-ionone,
• isobutyl anthranilate,
• isobutyl butyrate,
• lemon essential oil,
• maltol,
• 4-methylacetophenone,
• methyl anthranilate,
• methyl benzoate,
• methyl cinnamate,
• methyl heptine carbonate,
• methyl naphthyl ketone,
• methyl salicylate,
• mint essential oil,
• neroli essential oil,
• nerolin,
• neryl isobutyrate,
• orris butter,
• phenethyl alcohol,
• rose,
• rum ether,
• g-undecalactone,
• vanillin, 
• solvent.

What happened to actually using strawberries?

I got lazy, and a little freaked out, pulling the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for all of these compounds, but please feel free! 

Basically, I understand "Artificial Flavor" to be a cocktail of chemical compounds that are mostly harmful when ingested! 

WONDERFUL!

What's in it?

What's in the best of the best?

Carbonated beverages are the best selling grocery item in America.

Coca-Cola is the best selling carbonated beverage in America.

Let's start there. (I'm using a 12 oz can for reference)

So what's in it?

Carbonated Water

water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, a process that causes the water to become effervescent

High Fructose Corn Syrup 

any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness.

Caffeine

bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants ( Toxic at high levels)

Phosphoric Acid

Used as acidulant in soda (Not to be confused with Phosphoric Acid used for cleaning metal!)

Caramel Color

artificial brown coloring made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulfites under high pressure and temperatures. Chemical reactions result in the formation of 2-methylimidazole and 4 methylimidazole, which in government-conducted studies caused lung, liver, or thyroid cancer or leukemia in laboratory mice or rats.

Natural Flavoring

The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. 


(Update: It is Vegan, so none of the "natural flavors" are animal derived!)

Yay! Who wants to go out for Coke?