Plastic Containers for Food

1) Know the code. Look on the bottom of your plastic to find the recycling symbol (a number between 1 and 7 enclosed in a triangle of arrows). The code indicates the type of plastic you are using and can give you important clues about safety. "We generally say 1, 2, 4 and 5 are considered to be the safest," says Sonya Lunder, senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group. Try to avoid using plastics with 3 or 6, as these leach chemicals that may be harmful. Number 7 is an "other" category that includes BPA-containing plastics called polycarbonates. These plastics, which you should avoid, will have the letters PC printed underneath the 7.
2) Heat can increase the rate at which chemicals like BPA leach from plastic. Containers labeled "microwave safe" have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found to leach extremely small amounts, which the FDA has determined to be safe. However, some experts advise people to keep plastic out of the microwave altogether. "I don't microwave anything in plastic," says Lunder. "It's really easy and fast to put my food into a ceramic or glass container and heat it that way." And never put plastic wrap on top of your food in the microwave, since it can melt. Use wax paper or a paper towel instead.
3) 3. Use it for its intended purpose. Plastics that are designed for single use should only be used once. "Plastic breaks down over time," Lunder explains. "Some aren't designed to withstand heating and cooling." Most plastics with recycling code number 1 are intended for single use, such as disposable water bottles. And that takeout container from six months ago? Toss it. In general they're fine for refrigerating leftovers, but aren't designed for heat exposure or long-term use
4)Wash by hand and Do not freeze.

MSG may actually make allergies worse!

There are two kinds of MSG, natural (found in everyday foods) and synthetic. Natural MSG is known as L-glutamic acid, which is non-essential amino acid (building block for proteins) that is found in nature. It is slowly broken down in our digestive system and delivered to receptors in the body and brain. In fact it is one of the main components of protein foods such as meat, fish and some vegetables. Surprisingly, Glutamate is also produced in the body (thus a non-essential amino acid) and is essential in human metabolism as well as being an active neurotransmitter in the brain. The synthetic or ‘free’ version is extracted in a lab using various processes (hydrolyzed, modified, autolyzed, texturized, and fermented) and is refined to a white crystal. Processing reveals the free version found in foods known as monosodium glutamate. MSG may actually increase the activity of a protein in the nervous system that makes allergy sufferers more sensitive to irritants (i.e. make allergies worse!) If you suffer from food allergies or other seasonal or environmental irritants, you may benefit from an MSG free diet. As doctors recomends that proteins consumption should be stopped or decrease during allergy attacks. Taken from supermarketguru.com

Health Food Website

www.IntegrativeNutrition.com
www.LocalHarvest.org
www.FoodNews.org

Fruit Labels: Organic, Conventional, and Genetically Altered.

Fruit Label:
Conventional Bananas 4011
Organic Bananas 94011
Genetically Altered Bananas 84011

The list of contaminated fruits and vegetables

From http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php. More
Products close to the top of the list do not have big difference between organic and regular option.

Rank Fruit or Veggie
1 (Best) Onions
2 Avocado
3 Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4 Pineapples
5 Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6 Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7 Asparagus
8 Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9 Cabbage
10 Eggplant
11 Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12 Watermelon
13 Grapefruit
14 Sweet Potatoes
15 Honeydew Melon
16 Plums (Domestic)
17 Cranberries
18 Winter Squash
19 Broccoli
20 Bananas
21 Tomatoes
22 Cauliflower
23 Cucumbers (Domestic)
24 Cantaloupe (Imported)
25 Grapes (Domestic)
26 Oranges
27 Red Raspberries
28 Hot Peppers
29 Green Beans (Imported)
30 Cucumbers (Imported)
31 Summer Squash
32 Plums (Imported)
33 Pears
34 Green Beans (Domestic)
35 Carrots
36 Blueberries (Imported)
37 Lettuce
38 Grapes (Imported)
39 Potatoes
40 Kale / Collard Greens
41 Cherries
42 Spinach
43 Sweet Bell Peppers
44 Nectarines
45 Blueberries (Domestic)
46 Apples
47 Strawberries
48 Peaches
49 (Worst) Celery