Have you ever heard of nitrates and nitrites? Did you know, they are in almost ALL deli meats and processed meats? The only positive thing I can say about nitrates and nitrites; they inspired me to start my blog. Surprisingly, those harmful chemicals are throughout our food supply. Why isn’t someone screaming from the rooftops – “Hey, that crap causes cancer in you!” so…I started JoAnn’s Food Bites! What Are Nitrates and Nitrites? They are inorganic chemical compounds found naturally in all kinds of foods, including vegetables. Once these foods react with your stomach acids, they can help lower blood pressure. READ MORE ABOUT FOOD AND BLOOD PRESSURE HERE! HOWEVER, an…
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Maintaining a Healthy Edible Garden Organically
Maintaining a Healthy Edible Garden Organically Most of us have our edible garden planted and anxiously await mother nature to do her thing; however, maintenance is an integral part to a healthy edible garden. Many view maintaining a garden as work, but I don’t – and if you are reading this, you probably don’t either. Numerous studies have shown that gardening is good physical and mental exercise. Container gardening is growing in popularity because you can grow practically anything, anywhere. You can control your potted plant’s environment far more easily than you can with plants tucked into the ground; however, my tips are conducive for both container gardening and plot…
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Everything You Need to Know About Buying Organic
The organic food market in the United States hit $49.4 billion in sales in 2017- a record. Organic food in 2017 accounted for 5.5 percent of the food sold in retail channels in the United States. Total organic sales in 2017 were $49.4 billion, also up 6.4%, as sales of organic non-food products rose 7.4 percent to $4.2 billion. I know you see the Facebook posts and hear the television teasers, “are you truly buying organic? Stay tuned for our in-depth report!” I wanted my own garden to be ORGANIC, but it is not. I had to use man-made fertilizer to stimulate my tomatoes. Inception of the Organic Label In…
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Are You Eating Bioengineered Food?
In the United States, I feel I have a right to know what is in our food supply and how our food is grown. Global food policy research conducted by the Center for Food Safety confirms that 64 countries, including member nations of the European Union, Russia, China, Brazil, Australia, Turkey and South Africa require standards of mandatory GE food labeling. The United States is NOT included on the list of governments providing open, accurate information on the source of foods on grocery shelves. Hence, why I am such a supporter of GMO (genetically modified organisms) labeling. As the spread of commercialized genetically engineered food products increase, the number of…
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8 Ways to Lower Bad Cholesterol and Triglycerides
A recent health checkup indicated a jump in my LDL, or bad cholesterol numbers. My husband, recently evaluated due to a new health program at work, was told his triglyceride numbers were too high. What are LDL and triglycerides? LDL or low-density lipoprotein is the “less desirable” type of cholesterol in your body, (that is how I remember which is which). LDL causes plaque build-up in arteries, which causes blood to be restricted and can result in heart attacks, heart disease, and strokes. I have a family history of heart disease and my father has survived several heart attacks – so this is cause for concern for me. Ideal LDL…
