After I read that we consume an average of 61 lbs. of high fructose corn syrup per year, I went on a HFCS witch hunt, which led me down an unexpected path. It seems the vast majority of sweetened, prepared foods include either high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners.

I've been aware of the dangers of artificial sweeteners, but I let my guard done. They have snuck  into foods I didn't expect:  frozen fruits, some frozen veggies, breads and other things we blindly throw in the cart when we are trying to rush through the market.  I used to just think "diet soda."

What astounded me is how artificial sweeteners have become the cornerstone of the diet industry, despite their very well documented risks. It seems nearly every food offers an artificially sweetened option: reputable yogurt brands, bread products, fruit drinks, salad dressings, marinades, not to mention "desserts", whipped cream, etc.  The story of how sweeteners came (and remain) in our food is an astounding one, and mostly has to do with our lack of regulations and a strong diet food lobby.

Artificial sweeteners were a $1 billion industry a decade ago,  and have since grown.  I came across a film released in 2004 by Sound and Fury, called "Sweet Misery," which links the dramatic rise in brain cancers to the release of aspartame into our foods in 1983.  The correlating data is shocking.

Good-bye occasional diet soda. (Twice a week, maximum. Really.) Hello agave syrup, honey, maple syrup and, well, high fructose corn syrup. I have to triage my battles. Once I recover from this research, I will take on high fructose corn syrup, though.

Here is a 10 minute snippet from "Sweet Misery". The full movie can be found here.

If anything could kill the joy of a good glass of wine, I’d have to say it’s the thought of pesticides, sulfurous acids, and other chemicals in my favorite drink. This being said, with the holidays just around the corner, many people will be consuming these three lovely additives without even realizing it—in their glass of wine.

Have no fear.  As a wine lover and someone who values what I ingest in my body, I have found an alternative to the traditional celebratory toasting beverage: organic wine.

Organic wine is made with organic grapes, which are held to strict criteria.  Organic foods must be certified before they can be labeled “organic”--this means they are not allowed to be sprayed with harmful pesticides and chemicals. In your search for wines made with organic grapes, be sure to read the labels carefully. Some wines, while claiming to be “made with organic grapes,” may not be made with 100% organic grapes.

Another bonus to seeking a conventional wine alternative is that organic wines contain less sulfites than the conventional alternatives. “Sulfites are salts or sulfurous acids which occur naturally in many wines. It is very rare to find a wine without sulfites. Added sulfites are generally used for preservation of wines.”

Organic wine makers do not add the additional sulfites.

And the final reason to drink organic wine (and you better believe I use this one often!) is that wine contains antioxidants, which makes it beneficial to the heart. Studies show that “a moderate amount of red wine (one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) lowers the risk of heart attack for people in middle age by 30 to 50 percent.” While the traditional glass of wine is still good for the heart, organic wine has the added bonus of being good for the heart, minus the toxins.

But don’t take my word for it, check out some different brands of organic wine.  My personal favorite is Frey wine, a domestic from California.  Do some of your own, "hands on" research (*tasting*).

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and people everywhere are busily preparing their shopping lists and menus.  You may want to reconsider any canned items on your list,  in light of this startling news.

A new test by Consumer Reports has found a wide range of chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) in 19 name-brand canned foods, including soups, vegetables, juices and more. (As an aside, the Vermont legislature will be introducing a bill that bans BPA from certain products...we'll keep you posted.)

BPA, which has been used for years in clear plastic bottles, PVC water pipes, medical equipment, electronics, cash-register receipts and food-can liners, has been linked to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk for breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and most recently, sexual function in males.

The study revealed canned green beans and canned soups were among foods with the highest amounts of BPA.  Canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake for example, averaged a BPA level of 123.5 parts per billion, or about 80 times more than what experts recommend you ingest each day.

Organic canned foods aren’t off the hook either—according to the study, organic canned foods did not always have lower BPA levels than their non-organic counterparts.  BPA was even found in cans claiming to “BPA-Free".

What you can do this Thanksgiving and throughout the rest of the year to reduce BPA exposure: (more…)

I can’t think of anything I love more than a fine glass of wine. Its one of those things I can justify on every occasion: “I worked really hard today, I earned this.” “I had the worst day ever, I deserve the pick me up.” “I got the promotion! Let’s celebrate...” You get my point.

But I also consider myself a responsible drinker. I drink wine in moderation, I never drive after more than one glass, and I purchase the ever-so-classy, but more importantly, eco-friendly boxed wine.

photo credit: George Marks / Getty Images / Photo Illustration Gloria Dawson

I know what you are thinking—“Gross! There’s a reason why Box O’ Wine is cheap.” Not so quick, my friends. As a responsible and environmentally savvy wine lover, I’m here to tell you the times are changing.

One reason to go boxed has to do with cork. Fine wine used to be a long process, but with modern technology, wine production is being accelerated all over the world. This has created a greater demand for cork. “In years past, cork was harvested from trees eight to ten years old. Now corks are made from four year old trees grown in forests which are too large due to increasing demand,” reports Steve Swan of Bay Crossing.

These younger corks have a tendency to contain a “dead spot" little pocket of bad cork, which reacts with the wine as it rests in the bottle creating a compound known as 246 Trichloricanisol. This compound causes the wine to be tainted, aka, “corked wine.”

Another reason try to boxed wine is because there are now many more brands to choose from (meaning you don’t have to resort to Almaden-- ew).

French rabbit Chardonnay tastes great and its packaging is made of 70% paperboard, a renewable resource. They also plant one tree for every 4 wines sold!

Three Thieves Bandit Pinot Grigio is another fav, whose wine comes in “lightweight, portable and eco-smart containers.”

And anything from Boho Vineyards is delicious, whose 3L Premium Cask package outer cardboard shell is made from 95% recycled material with soy-based printing inks and results in 85% less landfill waste. 

Still not convinced about boxed wine? Check out these reviews

Cheers, to earning that glass of wine and protecting the environment!