Do you work hard at the grocery store? Are you one of those folks I see staring down the labels in the beverage aisle, trying to find the juice that actually contains juice? Over in produce contemplating the organic spinach? Juggling loaves to see which bread is really whole-grain? You’ve gotta check out this e-newsletter.
eBRANDAID isn’t run by a doctor. But founder Kerry McLeod does describe herself as a “brand doctor.”
And this dedicated longtime nutrition writer and mom is out there scouring grocery shelves to give you a free bi-weekly lowdown on finding the healthiest, best-tasting foods out there. The writing is clever and engaging and the rotating features are packed with info:
Label Lessons: highlight the junk ingredients hidden in brand-name food (i.e. Welch’s Light Grape Juice Cocktail cuts calories by replacing actual juice with artificial additives and chemical sweetners).
The Doctor Is In: answers questions from shoppers searching for the healthiest brands (i.e. cochineal, a popular dye found in many red-tinted foods, is made up of ground insect bodies).
BestBrands: boldly names names when recommending the healthiest brands on the shelves (i.e. Newman’s Own Organic Popcorn, which contains no artificial flavors).
Health junkie that I am, I immediately signed on for the free service. And my first newsletter didn’t disappoint. Promising “the bitter truth” about the sweetener Splenda, it described in molecular detail how the sugar substitute is made in the lab from a fusion of sugar and, gulp, chlorine. Following was a “reality check” explaining that just six studies have been conducted on the effects of Splenda on humans, and then the recommendation (no surprise here) that folks avoid Splenda (tough though it may be) until more research has been done. My favorite part: The authors’ recommendation that instead of a plate of bland, sugar-free cookies, we savor a few home-made cookies lovingly crafted with a bit of actual sugar. That’s my kind of natural eating!