Dr. Earl Mindell's Unsafe at Any Meal: How to Avoid Hidden Toxins in Your Food

by Mindell, Earl; Mundis, Hester

• ISBN13: 9780658021152
• ISBN10: 065802115X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-06-14
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

The ultimate health-defense guide for eating wisely and safely Food manufacturers rely increasingly on the use of chemicals to produce larger crops and livestock and to extend the shelf lives of products. Foods once considered safe are being tagged as potential health hazards on a regular basis. Contaminated beef, orange juice carrying salmonella--the list continues to grow. The nearly 3,000 additives being concealed in food products can cause everything from asthma and headaches to heart problems, miscarriages, cancer, and more. Dr. Earl Mindell's Unsafe at Any Meal, a bestseller in its previous edition, is the consumer's best weapon against the hidden hazards in food, drink, herbs, and medicines. Dr. Earl Mindell, one of America's leading nutrition experts, exposes the food industry's chemical cover-ups and provides crucial information on what to look out for when shopping, cooking, and taking medications. This thoroughly revised, updated edition includes coverage of genetically modified foods as well as foods designed to provide specific health benefits.

Author Biography

Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., has written extensively on health. A popular lecturer, he is an authority on nutrients, supplements, and natural health.

Hester Mundis is the author or coauthor of 26 books. She is a four-time Emmy nominee for outstanding achievement in writing.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. x
Preface	p. xi
A Note to the Reader	p. xiv
The Lowdown on Labels	p. 1
Why You Still Can't Judge a Food by Its Label
Where Did Those Percentages Come From?
What Must Appear on a Food Label?
What's Allowed to Go Unmentioned Is Unforgivable
"Labelese": How General Terms Can Be Particularly Confusing
Yes, What You Don't Know Can Harm You
Basic "Labelese" for Beginners in Search of Better Health
Label Highs and Lows at a Glance
How Fresh Is "Fresh"?
What Manufacturers Can Say and What They Mean
How Natural Is "Organic"?
Check Those Serving Sizes
How to Find Hidden Ingredients
Foods That Don't Have to Tell
Coping with Invisible Ingredients
What's in a Flavor?
Flavoring Labeling Translated
Those Mysterious "Spices"
Are You Getting the Right USDA Grades?
Secrets of the Pyramid Revealed
Any Questions About Chapter 1?
Food for Thought
Those Unpronounceable Additives	p. 25
What Additives Are
Understanding the Myths
Unintentional Additives
The GRAS in Your Diet
Some Popular GRAS Additives You Might Want to Keep Off Your Shopping List
Why Are Additives in My Food?
What They Can Do to You: Symptom--Additive Connections
The Silent Additive
The Sinister Six Sulfites
Protecting Yourself Against Sulfites
Know Your Most Frequently Sulfited Foods
Vitamins Can Be Additives, Too
Any Questions About Chapter 2?
Food for Thought
Genetically Modified Food Fright	p. 53
What Are Genetically Modified Foods?
Biotech Terms to Come to Terms With
Gee, GE Is Risky Business
How to Spot the Usual Unusual Suspects
Who Can You Trust?
Genetically Unmodified Facts
The Functions of Functional Foods
Foodraceuticals
Misfunctional Foods
Any Questions About Chapter 3?
Food for Thought
Is This Any Way to Start a Day?	p. 65
The Meal Most Likely to...
Breakfasts That Don't Make Your Day
Getting the Juice on Juice
Know Your Oranges
Hold the Bacon, Please!
Do Eggs Have a Sunny Side?
Cold Starters
What's Hot and What's Not
Breads You Might Not Propose to Toast
Choosing Your Morning Bread Spreads
Any Questions About Chapter 4?
Food for Thought
Coffee, Tea, or Milk?	p. 91
That Not-So-Great Cup of Coffee
The Dangers of Decaffeination
Other Decaffeinators
Withdrawal Warning
Coffee Trade-Offs
Caffeine Comparisons to Keep in Mind
The Tea Alternatives
What Could Be Wrong with Milk?
Milk Trade-Offs
Never Trust a Nondairy Creamer
Any Questions About Chapter 5?
Food for Thought
The Lunch Crunch	p. 107
Dying for Lunch?
Packing Lunch Boxes with Trouble
Sandwich Cautions
The Scoop on School Lunches
Simple Sandwiches for Superior Performance
Fast-Food Foolishness
Fast-Food Calorie Countdown
Some Fast-Food Fat Trade-Offs
Not-So-Hot Dogs
Any Questions About Chapter 6?
Food for Thought
Scary Snacks	p. 117
The Unsweet Side of Sugar
A Table of Sugar Contents
Why Quick Pickups Let You Down
All Sugars Aren't the Same
Real Facts About Artificial Sweeteners
What Four Out of Five Dentists Don't Tell You About Sugarless Gum
The Sweet Treat That Ought to Be Behind Bars
The Candy-Candida Connection
Little Snacks Can Have Big Dangers
There's Nothing Bright About Artificial Colors
Assorted Unappetizing Snack Additives
Smarter Snack Trade-Offs
Any Questions About Chapter 7?
Food for Thought
Think Before You Drink--Anything	p. 141
Rubbing in the Hard Facts About Alcohol
Beer Is Nothing to Cheer About
The Heavy Truth About Light Beers
Nonalcoholic Trade-Offs Pay Off
The Grapes of Wrath
The "French Paradox" Explained
Why Wine Coolers Are Not So Hot
Liquor Facts That Won't Raise Your Spirits
Taking the Fizz Out of Soft Drinks
The Unwatered-Down Truth About Water
How Safe Is Your Tap Water?
The Hazards of Home Water Filters
Hitting the Bottled Alternatives
Any Questions About Chapter 8?
Food for Thought
For Whom the Dinner Bell Tolls	p. 157
The Big Supper Mistake
Meaty Problems
Mad Cow Disease
Resolving the Protein Predicament
Why Not a Low-Fat Chicken in Every Pot?
The Soy Alternative
Please Pass on the Salt
Are You Getting the Full Fish Story?
Yes, You Still Should Have Fish for Dinner
Pasta Pitfalls
Any Questions About Chapter 9?
Food for Thought
The Hazards of "Health" and Healthy Foods	p. 173
All That's Fiber Isn't Fabulous
Know Your Fiber Before You Eat It
Dangers in Natural Foods
Healthy but Hazardous
Potentially Harmful Herbs, Teas, and Spices
Raw Foods That You Are Better Off Cooking
Some Other Advantages of Cooking
When Cooking Is Not So Hot
Cooking to Preserve Nutrients and Your Health
Vegetarian Vulnerabilities
The Big B12 Problem
The Amino Acid Balancing Act
An Apple Today Can't Keep Doctors Away
Crudites to Consume Cautiously
Half-Truths About Whole Grains
Finding Grains of Goodness
Getting Sour on Yogurt
What They Forgot to Tell You at the Health Food Store
Any Questions About Chapter 10?
Food for Thought
Cautions a la Carte	p. 201
Food Poisoning Is Alive and Well
Protecting Yourself at Home and in Restaurants
Microwave Cooking Safety
Is That Still Okay to Eat?
Learn the Dating Game
Mind Those Molds
Possible Plastic Problems
How Long Will It Keep?
Portions of Cautions
International Cuisine Kudos and Cautions
A Not-for-Seniors Reminder
Do You Know the Foods That Supply Your Nutrients?
Any Questions About Chapter 11?
Food for Thought
The Disease and Wellness Connection	p. 229
The Diet-Disease Link
Cancer Brewers
Foods That Can Fight Back
Food Mood Swingers
Eating Your Way to Depression
Depression and Stress Antidotes
Foods Can Be Sex Sinkers
Great Boosters for Better Sex
Aging Accelerators
Help for Holding Back Advancing Years
Immunity Underminers
Boosting Your Body's Defenses
Any Questions About Chapter 12?
Food for Thought
May I Help You?	p. 243
How to Locate a Nutritionally Oriented Doctor
Free Calls for Fast Answers
Afterword	p. 247
Glossary	p. 249
Bibliography and Recommended Reading	p. 261
Index	p. 265
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