By: Stewart Hare

The modern food industry rears its animals, grows its crops, manufactures and markets its foods with the impetus to cut costs, produce and sell more products.

To make profit they disregard animal welfare, promote unhealthy eating and advice, contaminate the land and livestock with pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics and go against laws of Mother Nature with genetic engineering and irradiated foods. While the companies involved within the food industry are making fat profits, the majority of western societies are also getting fatter and unhealthier. Rich western countries such as the Unites States and Britain are spending billions of dollars treating diseases such as cancer, yet the cure rate has not gone down and nobody seems to be trying to figure out why people are getting sick in the first place. Such research would no doubt bring up questions about the food we eat and modern day food industry practices.

Animal welfare is the price to pay by intensive methods that the modern factory food industry uses to increase rates of production. Every day 100,000 broiler chickens die prematurely in UK farms due to factory farming methods. In the UK 70% of the 29 million egg-laying birds are housed in battery cages, 35 million British Turkeys are fattened in cramped sheds that contain up to 25,000 birds which results in many ailments caused by overcrowding and 500,000 sows are kept indoors in cramped conditions throughout their lives which causes them to suffer from muscle weakness and lameness. Modern day dairy cows are bred to produce as much milk as possible and when either infertility or ill health set in (partly due by their welfare conditions) they are no longer of use and are culled. This is normally after only 5 short years.

“Industrially produced food appears to be inexpensive, but the pricetag doesn’t reflect the actual costs that we taxpayers bear. Factory farms pollute communities and adversely affect public health, thereby increasing medical costs for those living near such farms—costs that are often shouldered by public budgets.” Sustainabletable.org

For nearly 50 years, antibiotics have been used in farming as disease prevention since the cramped conditions of factory farming are exceptionally conductive to disease. The negative effects that antibiotic use in our food has on human health is now coming to light In the UK most intensively reared animals are given antibiotics on a daily basis. This is mainly as a preventive measure or to treat illness but some are given as growth promoters. The bacteria that live in these animals quickly become resistant to antibiotics. The antibiotics used for animals are similar to those used to combat human health problems and it is becoming more evident that there is a cross-over effect with the bacteria that cause illness in humans. Human bacteria are becoming more resistant to the antibiotics that we use, thus reducing effective treatments.

The genetic modification (GM) of food involves the artificial insertion of a foreign gene into the genetic material of an organism to create a food substance which is more economical to product. There are presently two types of GM crops, one to be resistant to herbicides in order to kill weeds and the other has been engineered to produce toxins to kill pests. In 1996 the first GM crop was grown in the US, now three quarters of the worlds GM crops are grown in North America. Soy and maize are the main GM crops grown in the US and oilseed rape is the main GM crop grown in Canada.

“If you recently ate soy sauce in a Chinese restaurant, munched popcorn in a movie theater, or indulged in an occasional candy bar – you’ve undoubtedly ingested this new type of food. You may have, at the time, known exactly how much salt, fat and carbohydrates were in each of these foods because regulations mandates their labeling for dietary purposes. But you would not know if the bulk of these foods, and literally every cell had been genetically altered!” 50 Harmful Effects Of Genetically Modified Foods

Advocates of GM crops claim that GM crops can provide a solution to world hunger with higher yields and are better for the environment because of their need for less herbicides and pesticides. Unfortunately, the benefits claimed by GM crops owners have not happened but many problems have. The facts are that GM crops do not increase yields and do not reduce the use of herbicides. GM and organic crops can not co-exist, in Saskatchewan Canada GM contamination wiped out the whole organic rape seed sector. In the US many people reported allergic reaction to GM Starlink maize which then had to be recalled with the estimated cost of $1 billion.

Pesticides are chemical substances that are used in modern farming to kill or control pests. Although there are some naturally based pesticides used in modern farming, the majority are made from synthetic chemicals. The usage of pesticides increased after the Second World War to increase food production. Pesticides have a very harmful effect on the environment and on people’s health. Pesticides have a major adverse effect on wildlife and are not only toxic to the pests that they target but also beneficial species, the whole food chain, the entire ecosystem and of course, human beings. Pesticides can adversely affect fertility and human health. Farmers and farm workers are especially venerable to short term poisoning and long term chronic illnesses. Some pesticides are non-toxic when used on their own but combined with other pesticides they can become extremely toxic. Organophosphates are probably the most dangerous pesticides that are used in modern farming and they have been linked to cancer, Parkinson’s disease, decreased male fertility, chronic fatigue syndrome in children and fetal abnormalities.

Food irradiation is the process of food being exposed to doses of ionising energy or radiation to extend shelf life and to kill insects, bacteria, molds and other harmful organisms. Advocates of food irradiation claim that it is safe but the real problem arises with how fresh and safe the food is, as food inspectors have no way of telling if the food is old or contaminated with food poisoning causing bacteria. Irradiation destroys Vitamin C, Vitamin E and the B complex of vitamins. It can cause unpleasant changes in texture, color and taste and not enough is known about its long term affects on human health.”

“Irradiated fruits and vegetables benefit the packer and grocer, not the farmer or consumer. The consumer receives an inferior product that appears fresh, but has depleted vitamins and enzymes.” Organicconsumers.org

In conclusion, the modern day food industry is motivated by profit and greed and as a result animals, the environment and humans are suffering. If a check on the way that the food industry produces its products is not implemented then further damage will be done to the environment and we will also see further increases in degenerative diseases such as cancer as well as an increase in both animal and human suffering.

If you truly understand the extent that the food industry controls what shows up on grocery store shelves and you are ready to stand up and take proactive steps to deciding what is actually in the food you eat, here is what you can do:

Buy Local
Join a Food Co-op
Grow Your Own Food
Buy sustainable, cruelty free, free range organic foods

Buy the Book: Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip Nu. Bespoke consultations for a healthier natural life website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com Get a free initial nutritional therapy diagnosis now…

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Here are a few foods you should be adding to your diet, as well as the reasons why.

• Blackberries, and I am not talking about the PDA. I am talking the actual fruit, the yummy berry. They are high in proanthocyandidins and while it sounds like the name of a dinosaur, it is really a type of antioxidant that might prevent cancer and heart disease. These berries also contain ellagic acid that combats carcinogens.
• Tomatoes are high in the hard to come by antioxidant lycopene, which is also found in pink grapefruit. Lycopene has been associated with decrease risk of prostrate, lung, colon and breast cancer. Tomatoes also contain glutathione, which boosts the immune system. Interestingly enough, cooking tomatoes helps make the antioxidants available to the body.

There’s a few more, so

• Walnuts may just be the new wonder food – they beat out all the other nuts when it comes to antioxidant content. Plus they are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, low in sodium, and they’re cholesterol free. Even though they are a super food you should limit yourself to just a handful of nuts a day though.
• You knew it was coming – broccoli is super high in indole -3-carbional (sounds like something my car engine needs), as are other cruciferous veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts. Broccoli seems to reduce the risk of breast cancer and other estrogen-sensitive cancers. It is also super high in fiber.
• Red wine and grape juice are both high in the antioxidant resveratol that boost heart health by scavenging those pesky free radicals. Resveratol helps keep blood vessels open and flexible. So raise a glass of red wine and toast to your health. If you don’t drink, have some tasty grape juice.

Eat Your Antioxidants originally appeared on FitSugar on Tue, 03/20/2007 – 7:30am Please see FitSugar for terms for use of feeds.

These berries grow in the Amazon region of south America on the acai palm tree. Many of the commercial growers are in Brazil and you will frequently see them advertised as Brazilian Acai Berries. They grow on the acai palm tree in clusters of 700 to 900 berries and are harvested twice a year. While they are only recently becoming popular in most of the world, acai berries have been eaten for centuries by the local people and are an extremely important part of their diet.

The berries are very high in antioxidants and that is the biggest reason they are becoming popular as a health and fitness supplement. They also contain omega fatty acids and fiber which are also very beneficial. While this berry may not be a great weight loss food directly, it certainly can make you feel better and give you more energy which should lead to weight loss. The omegas and fiber should also help regulate your digestive system which can also lead to weight loss.

Because of their overall benefits, acai berries are frequently used as the main ingredient in some of the most popular weight loss supplements on the market. Other all natural ingredients are added to make a complete weight loss supplement.

Another really neat thing about acai berry supplements is that there are a lot of offers for free trials. You can order a sample bottle and only have to pay for shipping and handling. This allows you to see if you like the supplement before paying for more. You will be signed up for an automatic monthly shipment when you get the free trial, but if you cancel this, you don’t have to pay for anything other than the shipping charge on the free trial. This can be a great way to get some really cheap weight loss supplements.

If you don’t know where to buy antioxidant supplements, head over to AcaiBerryPill.info and find out how to get great free trials. If you are looking for information on a number of different topics, head over to the Knowledge-Share.org.

The author is not a medical professional, has never played one on television, and didn’t even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. This article is based solely on personal experiences and/or research. It is to be used for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. You should consult a medical professional for any diagnoses or treatments required.

Supplying antioxidants to the body in a higher amount than any other food or supplement is the main benefit of taking acai berry supplements. You have probably heard of antioxidants before. Their purpose is to neutralize free radicals within your body. Free radicals roam around and cause damage to your body at a cellular level. Antioxidants roam around neutralizing these free radicals. In the process of neutralizing the free radicals, they are consumed. This means you need to continually keep replenishing your supply of antioxidants.

When it comes to replenishing antioxidants, you have a couple choices. You can eat fruits and vegetables. Blueberries have traditionally been thought of as being very high in antioxidants. In the last few years, 2 other foods have come into the spotlight because they are even higher in antioxidants. A few years ago, it was discovered that the pomegranate had a very high level of antioxidants and it was touted as the greatest super food known to man. Since then, an even more powerful antioxidant has been found, the acai berry.

The acai berry has been tested to have the highest level of antioxidants of any practical food supplement. The berry is also high in fiber which can help regulate your body and improve overall health and help you lose weight. There are even reports that it acts as an apatite suppressant in some people. To make things better, there aren’t any known acai berry side effects so you should be able to try acai berry supplements without any risk of unwanted side effects.

In many cases, you can try out acai berry supplements for almost free. Many companies have free trial offers where they will ship you some supplements to try and all you have to do is pay for shipping and handling. The offers I have seen usually cost around $5. You will be signed up for an automatic monthly shipment when you do this which is not free. If you decide not to keep taking them, just cancel and you won’t get any more. This can be a really good way to try several acai berry supplements for free. I have also seen this kind of offer for another up and coming supplement, reservatrol.

The author is not a physician, has never played one on television, and didn’t even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. This information is based entirely on personal experiences and/or research. It is to be used for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. You should consult a physician for any diagnoses or treatments you need.

Free radicals float around your body and cause damage to your cells. There isn’t any reason to go into details here, but if you need to know more, head over to Wikipedia and you can get more information. Ok, so we have established that there are things called free radicals in your body and they are bad news. Now, let’s look at how we can fix that.

The key to neutralizing these free radicals is antioxidants. It isn’t this simple, but for our purposes, let’s say that one antioxidant kills one free radical. Free radicals are pretty much a given so we have to keep putting more antioxidants into our body so we can keep neutralizing the free radicals and stop the damage they cause.

The important thing to discuss is what you can expect as far as results if you start taking antioxidant supplements. Well, it is different for each person, but many people feel more energy and even lose weight. In theory, as the free radicals stop destroying cells, your body stays healthier and doesn’t age as fast. Yep, many people say that antioxidants can actually slow the aging process. Sounds pretty good to me.

The last thing to discuss is where to get these extra antioxidants. You get antioxidants when you eat certain fruits like blueberries, pomegranates, and the ever popular acia berry. If you are into green vegetables, you can also get antioxidants from broccoli. The thing you need to be concerned with is how many antioxidants are in the different fruits and vegetables and how you can add them to your diet. You have 2 options here, you can either eat the fruits and vegetables or you can buy a dietary supplement to get them. Many people opt for the supplement because it is easier and usually cheaper than buying a bunch of extra fresh fruits which can spoil in a matter of days.

I am not going to give you a complete listing of antioxidant values. I’m not even going to try to explain what the number mean (mainly because I don’t know myself), but it is pretty easy to see that 200 antioxidants is more than 100 and with antioxidants. More is better so I would say that the acai berry is the best antioxidant supplement.

While I have not seen the actual scientific studies that produced these results, I have seen them in many different places so I think it is highly likely they are accurate.

* Broccoli – 900 ORAC
* Peach – 1,300 ORAC
* Strawberry – 2,600 ORAC
* Blueberry – 3,200 ORAC
* Pomegranate – 10,500 ORAC
* Acai Berry – 18,400 ORAC

There really isn’t much more to talk about. Now you have to choose what if anything you are going to do, but if I was making the decision, I would pick the food with the highest value. I would also get it in a supplement instead of eating it whole because it is way more efficient and cheaper. On top of that, I don’t really like fruits and vegetables very much and swallowing a supplement is easier than eating a bunch of fruits and vegetables. To me, it seems obvious which is the best, but it is up to you if you are going to try the best antioxidant dietary supplement.

Thanks for visiting and keep an eye out for more articles on acai berries as well as the newly popularized  resveratrol which was recently featured on 60 minutes. As with any new supplement or health change, you should consult with your doctor before you start taking it.