Food Recall Cause for Concern
It looks like there is another reason to worry about our food.
A recall has gone out by the FDA about HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein) due to concerns about salmonella found contaminating production equipment in factories.
HVP is often a disguised form of MSG (monosodium glutamate), a potentially dangerous neurotoxin that is used to flavour many processed foods. Most of us think of MSG as being used in Chinese foods, yet it’s use is prevalent in many processed foods. HVP is also a common ingredient used in many vegetarian foods.
Whether it’s MSG or HVP, this issue makes it all the more important to read labels and also to eat closer to nature. Reading labels makes you more aware of what you eat and when you are more aware, you are also more likely to eat ‘cleaner’ foods - foods without chemicals.
Eating closer to nature (think raw foods) also means you are going to eat live foods which are healthier for you anyway. People tend to think of these foods as too plain or maybe boring to eat.
Yet herbs and spices can help make these foods have more flavour, without worrying about chemicals. When you do this, you’ll not only be eating healthier, but will not have to worry when processed foods are recalled.
Marilyn Zink is the publisher of the Herbal Collective magazine and the administrator for Herbguide, an online herbal community. Find out how to be healthy with herbs and eat healthy with easy, delicious recipes at www.herbguide.ca.
