MSG

PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: MSG
Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

What Is MSG?

Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG, is a food-grade salt derived from glutamic acid found in seaweed and various vegetables. Glutamic acid is a ubiquitous, naturally occurring, non-essential amino acid found in most living things, including animals, plants, and humans. Today's food-grade MSG is primarily extracted from corn, beets, molasses, and sugar cane.

How is MSG used?

MSG is a flavor enhancer that adds richness and depth to foods, often described as umami, the fifth taste. For more than a century, chefs, companies, home cooks, and more have used it as a go-to additive.

MSG is commonly associated with take-out Asian foods, but it’s also added to many conventionally prepared, processed, and packaged foods—and you’d likely never suspect it. These include:

• Salad dressings

• Condiments, such as ketchup and mustard

• Marinades and seasonings

• Spices

• Fast food

• Restaurant foods, specifically from mass-chains

• Packaged soups

• Frozen meals

• Instant noodles 

Editor’s note: While MSG is naturally found in many foods, most notably certain cheeses and savory vegetables, like tomatoes, here we’re referring to the human-created flavor enhancer.

When was MSG discovered?
In the early 20th century, Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda discovered that a certain kelp added a savory richness to his kelp soup. As he dug deeper he learned that the glutamic acid in the kelp naturally carried this ability to bring out a food’s unique depths. Ikeda eventually found a way to extract and package the monosodium glutamate. Since then, it has taken off commercially.

Is MSG bad for your health?
In the century-plus since MSG has been in existence, people have been eating it generously. The FDA deems it “GRAS”, which translates to “generally recognized as safe” for consumption—which is nebulous terminology that doesn’t necessarily deem if something is, in fact, safe for our health. (Note: Food substances recognized as GRAS do not go through the same reviews as foods labeled as FDA-approved.) The FDA does require MSG to be included in ingredient lists.

Okay, so MSG is legal. But is it bad for your health? That’s a heated debate. Around the 1960s a heated campaign against MSG infused media headlines, pointing fingers at Asian restaurants for infusing foods with the vilified ingredients. This inspired advocates of the flavor enhancer to speak out in favor of it. Many believe since it’s a natural-occurring substance it poses no threat to humans. MSG advocacy groups have sprouted, as have studies that show no link to health concerns. 

Then there’s the other school, which believes MSG to be a toxic additive that poses health concerns. One study found MSG to potentially cause nerve and brain damage in laboratory animals. Others have found it to be the culprit of a host of reactions, including sweating, chest pain, headaches, and numbness. Researchers in the medical field have referred to these reactions as MSG System Complex. 

The PrimaFoodie take on MSG.
Simply put, MSG is an additive, and like any additive, it causes us to pause. The two biggest factors behind our stance are the fact that it’s a processed additive, and it’s everywhere, which means it can have a cumulative effect. 

MSG is a naturally-occurring substance in its organic form, but when it’s extracted from a source and turned into an additive, it’s processed in some way. And while it’s impossible to totally avoid processed foods these days, we aim to limit them as much as possible. Add to this that MSG is found in many foods, so while it may be technically fine to consume in small to moderate doses, what happens when we eat it consistently all the time? It compounds in our systems. 

We’re also concerned by the limited research around MSG. The FDA may state it to be “generally safe,” but this gives us zero confidence that it’s truly okay to eat. 

For this reason, we avoid MSG at all costs. We suggest reading labels and asking the brands or companies if they include it, and why. There are plenty of foods naturally rich in umami flavor—so why opt for a manipulated version?

This is the question to ask. 

Curious to learn more about what’s in your food? Check out our other Ingredient Spotlights.

Vanilla

Vanilla is rich, complex, and steeped in history. Warm and heady, it adds depth to foods in a way that's been beloved for centuries. But as ubiquitous and beloved as this natural ingredient is, people often misunderstand it and target it with artificial copies.  

Marty Parisien will talk about vanilla all day. As co-founder of Singing Dog Vanilla, an Oregon-based pure vanilla company founded in 2004, Parisien has seen it all. We called him to ask about the issues he faces, what to look for when sourcing high-quality real vanilla, and why he loves working with this gorgeous ingredient. 

A Conversation with Marty Parisien

When it comes to buying real vanilla, what are some concerns about quality and integrity that you’d like people to be aware of?

The FDA designates what pure vanilla extract is—13.35 ounces of vanilla beans extracted into one gallon of 35 percent alcohol-water solution. Vanilla is one of the only flavors the FDA defines. So we have to hold to that standard. The problem is, much like with the olive oil industry, people and companies are making vanilla that doesn't comply with those rules and claiming it’s real. 

When most people buy a fake vanilla flavor, they know it's fake: [Artificial vanilla] is labeled clearly in the US. It’s usually made from a derivative of wood pulp. But the biggest problem in the US—which all of us in the vanilla industry deal with—is people going to Mexico to buy cheap vanilla that is labeled as real FDA-approved when it’s not, it’s fake. The fake stuff that people get across the border is filled with who knows what kind of chemicals. A lot of it has Tonka bean extract, which has been linked to renal failure. [Editor’s note: Tonka bean is illegal in the US.] People buy this cheap, bring it across the border, and say, ‘I got this really good vanilla. It's really strong, and it was really cheap,’ when it’s all fake and filled with a lot of bad stuff. 

What are some common misconceptions about real vanilla?

People will often tell me that they got a really good real vanilla that’s clear. Well, vanilla is not clear. There's no way to make a clear vanilla. Vanilla is brown. 

The heavy hitter is price. Vanilla—real vanilla—is very expensive. It’s the only edible fruit from an orchid. The orchid takes about five years to mature and begin flowering. When it throws out a flower in the morning, you have about four hours to hand-pollinate it before the flower drops. Then it takes about nine months for this to grow into a full big green vanilla bean, which is then picked and sun-dried like raisins in the sun every day for about two months. They’re laid out in the sun, picked back up at night, and laid out in the sun the next day. Then they’re sorted, bundled up, and put into conditioning boxes for a couple of months—and that’s when they start to smell like vanilla. 

It's fascinating because vanilla is beloved and ubiquitous, but it’s often considered ‘basic’ or ‘plain’ for those who may not fully grasp its complexity.

It is so complex! There are between 250 and 300 flavor compounds that have been identified in vanilla. So it’s amazing that we use it to mean ‘plain’ in American English. 

What’s amazing about vanilla is that you don't taste vanilla in many things, but it brings out all the other flavors. Like in a crumble or a cherry pie, you may or may not taste vanilla, but it brings out everything else. And you will notice when the vanilla is not there. It’s like a support to everything else. We don’t know exactly why it works, but it works.

We created a vanilla salt. It comes in a grinder, so you grind the salt and vanilla together. We use it on everything from pineapple slices to fresh crab, seared steak, and salmon. It’s amazing what it does. Salt and vanilla are two things that bring out the flavor.

What is important to look out for when purchasing real vanilla?

Look to see that it was extracted in the USA. Price is an indicator. Price is a marker Like olive oil, truffle oil, or anything that can be faked. Vanilla is expensive. You should always be able to call or email the vendor and ask for a certification of analysis. We have this for every batch we extract. It’s also important to see that the alcohol used to mix is derived from a botanic source, not petroleum. Ours is from organic cane sugar. We do this rather than corn or soy because of allergies. 

But again, I always encourage customers to ask questions. If you’re concerned about the quality or the alcohol used, contact the vendor and ask. There are some really good vanillas out there, and the good companies will answer your questions. 

What do you love about vanilla and working in this industry?

You meet a lot of really interesting people in this business, both on the supplier side and on the customer side. I’ve met chefs all over. I’ve met mothers whose children are allergic to ingredients, and they’re so grateful we can tell them everything in our vanilla because we're transparent about ingredients. I’ve met many different people from around the world. I think that's been the most interesting part of this business. It reaches everywhere because everybody has a story about vanilla.

You can learn more about Marty and Singing Dog Vanilla at singingdogvanilla.com.

The Best Clean Sunscreens

Every year, our team at PrimaFoodie researches the best clean sunscreens. And every year, we're surprised. Our greatest surprise this year is a positive one: The array of clean sunscreens—which we deem as products made with minerals to block UVA and UVB rays that include zero artificial fragrance, parabens, emulsifiers, or additional ingredients linked to health concerns—is growing. More companies are creating lotions and creams without toxic chemicals. This is good news, considering that last year, the Environmental Working Group reported that approximately 75 percent of the 1,700 sun protection products its team evaluated contained "ingredients that could pose health risks."

In case you're not familiar, the terms "sunscreen" and "sunblock" are often used interchangeably, but they're different. Sunblock generally means a solution that blocks the sun's rays with minerals, such as zinc oxide. Sunscreen means it contains chemicals to filter and absorb the rays, diminishing their impact.

Research has linked some of the most common chemical sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, to pose health risks to marine and surrounding environmental life, suggesting that these chemicals may also impact human health. But here's more good news: According to a 2025 report from EWG, oxybenzone is on the way out: The chemical used to be in 70 percent of non-mineral sunscreens and is now in roughly just 9 percent. This is good news, but we still opt for sunscreens with mineral protection to avoid these and other potentially harmful chemicals.

So, the clean options for staying protected this summer are more abundant—which is great news. Still, we want to use the best—the formulations that feel good, aren't too sticky, and have nourishing ingredients, all while offering clean protection. That is where our following 2025 Guide to the Best Clean Sunscreens comes in. We hope to helps you navigate the maze on the shelfs—and if you have any questions, be sure to leave us a comment!

Editor's note: When selecting a personal care product, such as sunscreen, we recommend doing your due diligence. Check your labels, know your ingredients, test it on your skin, and trust your instincts.

THE OUTSET HYDRASHEER SPF 30

All mineral, zero fragrance, and silky to the touch, this sheer lotion offers great coverage without leaving any white cast. One PrimaFoodie editor enjoys mixing this with her tinted moisturizer for a protective day cream. If you're planning on a long day at the beach, this needs to be reapplied consistently.

ALL GOOD: SPF 50+ SUNSCREEN BUTTER STICK

For years, we’ve loved how All Good is committed to creating products that are good for our skin and for the environment. This butter—a mainstay on our annual list— is thick, hydrating, fragrance-free, and excellent for the face and body. The compact stick makes it easy to toss into your backpack or purse. The company claims it is "very water resistant," but we still suggest ample applications if you're swimming.

ATTITUDE PLASTIC-FREE MINERAL SUNSCREEN STICK SPF 30 - UNSCENTED

We learned about Attitude thanks to the EWG, which awarded this product its Verified mark to indicate that it meets the organization's strictest standards for health and safety. This easy-to-apply stick contains non-nano zinc oxide and comes in a biodegradable cardboard tube. This is an excellent toss-in-your-bag pick for adults and kiddos.

SKY AND SOL FACE AND BODY SUNSCREEN SPF 50 (Nichole’s New Pick!)

One of this year’s new finds, Sky and Sol had us at “edible.” That’s right, the company touts its products as containing only “edible, nutrient-rich ingredients.” And while we won’t be eating this sunscreen, we will be keeping it in our bags this season. Buttery tallow provides a base for the non-nano zinc oxide, resulting in a lotion that both sinks in and stays on, leaving skin supple and protected. We especially love how it contains no processed seed oils, silicone, or gluten.

SOLARA SUNCARE GO! DAILY DEFENSE MINERAL FACE SUNSCREEN

This lightweight SPF 30 came onto our radars last year and we still love it. EWG-verified, it is blendable and silky. Founded by a mother who started vetting her personal care products after battling Lyme Disease and also seeing her children react to various sunscreen, the company promotes clean, minimal-ingredients responsible skincare

KINFIELD DAILY DEW SPF 35

We've long loved Kinfield's products, and this all-day SPF is a winner. It has a silkier texture, which results in a dewy, glowy finish. We love how the aloe and sea kelp add a dose of hydration and antioxidants.

BADGER ACTIVE MINERAL SUNSCREEN CREAM

A simple, clean, universal SPF 30 cream made by a small, family-run New England company. Containing only five ingredients, one of which being super nourishing sea buckthorn oil, this is a great option for long days outside. It's a bit sticky and needs extra elbow grease to rub in.

RAW ELEMENTS SUNSCREEN SPF 30+ FACE & BODY

This super thick mineral sunscreen paste goes a long way when you're outside for hours. Considering its thick consistency, it rubs in surprisingly well and leaves only a slight light white cast. This is a great pick for hiking and all-day summer outdoor exploring.

URSA MAJOR FORCE FIELD DAILY DEFENSE LOTION

Ursa Major continues to be a pioneer in clean, effective skincare. Their unscented, lightweight moisturizer is great for the face, neck, chest, and arms. It absorbs almost immediately without leaving any residue. The aloe vera, jojoba, and shea butter are super moisturizing.

VIVE SANA DAILY PROTEZIONE SPF 30

This is an easily spreadable, hydrating, tinted sunscreen for the face, neck, and décolletage we've loved for years. Vive Sana's products are mostly made of organic ingredients and are free of chemicals and artificial additives. The Daily Protezione SPF 30 offers the physical protection of zinc oxide with no stickiness or pastiness.

Kids

ALL GOOD: SPF 30 KIDS SUNSCREEN LOTION

This fragrance-free lotion is rather light, which makes applying it to little ones' skin quick and easy. We found that a little goes a long way, and it leaves minimal to no residue. It also claims to be water—and sweat-resistant for up to eighty minutes.

BABO: CLEAR ZINC SUNSCREEN SPF 30

Babo is a thick, mineral all-over sunscreen lotion for babies, children, and adults. It's EWG-certified, free of any concerning chemicals, fragrances, or nanoparticles, and deemed hypoallergenic. We especially like how it doesn't run in the eyes. It's supposed to be waterproof for up to eighty minutes, making it great for long days on the beach.

Tinted

IRIS & ROMEO BEST SKIN DAYS

This serum-moisturizer-SPF, which doubles as a light daily foundation with SPF 25 protection, is buttery, silky, and moisturizing. It goes on smoothly and quickly settles into the complexion. We love that it also protects from blue light and contains hydrating rose and moringa oils.

SUNTEGRITY 5-IN-1 TINTED SUNSCREEN MOISTURIZER

This light, tinted SPF 30 comes in four shades. It's sheer, goes on smoothly, and blends in rather quickly, but it does require reapplications throughout the day. We wish the company offered a wider range of shades to include dark complexions.

SAINT JANE LUXURY SUN RITUAL PORE SMOOTHING SPF 30

One of our favorites for three years running! Rich in botanical antioxidants, including green tea, and hydrating ingredients, it doubles as a protective face moisturizer. We love how sheer it is, with the perfect amount of tint that results in no white cast from the zinc oxide, only a dewy finish. It is quite thin, so reapplication throughout the day is necessary.

TRUE BOTANICALS SKIN BARRIER SUN SHIELD SPF 30

Part sun filter, part tinted moisturizer, this mineral-based lightweight face lotion sinks in quickly. Given its thin texture, we find it best used as a daily moisturizer, but it doesn't fit the bill for a day at the beach.

To further your research, be sure to check out the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Sunsceen.

True Gold: A Founder Discusses the Richness of Turkish Olive Oil

Berk Bahceci of Heraclea on transparency, flavor, and caring for the land.

Berk Bahceci couldn't shake it. He saw people everywhere—in the US and abroad—consuming olive oil, but it was always from the same few countries, never from Turkey, where he grew up. It didn't make sense to Berk, given that Turkey is one of the world's largest olive oil producers.

"That disconnect stuck with me," Berk tells us. "And I realized there was a real opportunity to introduce Turkish olive oil to the U.S. market in a way that honored its origins and told its story with care."

That's what Berk did. While in the throes of working toward a law career in the US, he pivoted and put his attention toward his instincts—which happened to be his family's century-old olive groves around Mount Latmos mountain range in Turkey. Berk worked to preserve the land's rich history and modernize his family's conventional approach to olive oil production. With his wife, Sena, he launched Heraclea, a genuinely sustainable and transparent olive oil company that boasts the sweet, golden liquid from his native country.

We spoke with Berk about caring for the land, sourcing good quality olive oil, and the joy found in olive oil. As he tells us, he wishes to democratize the olive oil industry by empowering its true stakeholders: the workers and farmers.

Berk and Sena Bahceci in their family groves around Mount Latmos.

A Conversation with Berk Bahceci

Spain, Italy, and Greece get a lot of attention regarding olive oil. Tell us about Turkey and its olive tree groves around Mount Latmos.

Turkey absolutely deserves to be in that conversation—not just because of its volume but because of the land's deep olive oil history. Some even say olive oil was first discovered in what is now modern-day Turkey. In our groves around Mount Latmos, we care for nearly 15,000 trees, many of them ancient, others younger but naturally planted.

What type of olive do you grow?

We grow a native variety called Memecik. It's specific to our region—Milas—and produces a rich, aromatic oil that's full of character. The oil is protected with a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status from the European Commission, meaning it can only be produced here. The mountains, the sea air, the soil—it all comes through in the flavor.

Berk in the groves.

Sustainability is critical for you and the Heraclea team. What practices do you take to regenerate your soil and care for your land?

We work with the land, not against it. Our groves weren't manufactured—they've grown naturally over the years, stretching along the slopes of the mountain. We don't use artificial irrigation. Instead, we build ponds to capture rainwater, which animals drink from as they graze. These animals help manage weeds, so we don't need herbicides. We plant fruit trees to attract fruit flies, keeping them away from the olives without resorting to pesticides.

It's a system that relies on balance, not control. The trees live under a bit of stress from the tough soil, which is actually good—it encourages them to produce polyphenols, the antioxidants that make our olive oil so powerful.

Heraclea Mature Harvest EVOO, photo credit: Rana Düzyol

What is your advice for sourcing a high-quality olive oil?

The truth is, you can't always tell what's in a bottle just by tasting it. That's why transparency matters. At Heraclea, we're vertically integrated—we grow, harvest, press, and bottle ourselves. That's how we ensure quality at every stage.

There are small but critical steps that impact the final oil, such as pressing within four to six hours of harvest and storing it in stainless steel tanks at a temperature below 60°F. Brands that just buy bulk oil from producers can't always guarantee these details. If you're shopping for olive oil, look for a brand that's truly close to the source.

What do you love most about olive oil—producing, eating, and sharing it?

There's something incredibly grounding about it. To care for a tree all year, harvest its fruit, press it into oil, and then cook with it—that's a full-circle moment few people get to experience. It's one of the great joys of my life.

Heraclea Olive Oils are organic, PDO certified, and Fair Trade certified. Learn more at heraclea.co.

Why Are Food Additives So Controversial?

Ingredients today are confusing. Some foods organically contain substances, while others have those substances added to them. There's sugar found in fruit, and then processed sugar packaged in a box. There's naturally occurring iron, and then cereals and milk fortified with the substance. It's a lot to keep up with and dizzying to understand.

That's why we break it down. At PrimaFoodie, we pay close attention to additive ingredients in foods: substances combined with foods—mainly processed foods—to increase shelf-life, reduce bacterial growth, and modify taste and feel. Generally, food additives are not eaten on their own. Still, the FDA considers them safe to consume and allows them to be incorporated into foods. This is why we see additives in countless foods.

This last fact begs the question: The FDA may deem food additives safe, and we see them everywhere, but where did they originate? And also: Why are they so controversial?

Foods Additives: A Brief History

It’s interesting to note that additives date back thousands of years. Before the massive industrialization of food, people in ancient cultures used salts and other natural ingredients to manipulate foods, mainly to dehydrate and clean them so they lasted longer.

Historians link some of the earliest records of adding ingredients to foods to Ancient Egypt circa 1500 BC. Back then, salt was likely added to dehydrate meats and fish. Later records show that various cultures used ingredients to supplement and preserve foods, including ancient China adding paraffin wax to fruits and ancient Romans dousing bread dough with mineral compounds such as potassium aluminum sulfate.

Adding ingredients to foods has expanded over the centuries. The Spice Trade played a significant role in how foods are cooked and preserved, as it offered cultures access to ingredients that bolstered flavor, texture, and more. The shift, as we see it today, generally began in the late 1800s when industrialization was a massive boon. Advancements in equipment and transportation brought a world of new methods to communities, including the advent of large-scale farming and refrigeration. More food was being cultivated and made—and with this output came the steady inclusion of ingredients to enhance and preserve foods. Some manufacturers started adding ingredients to allegedly provide consumers with nutrition. A well-known example of this was the addition of iodine to salt in the 1920s to combat iodine deficiency.

Food Additives Today: A Controversial Topic

These days, if you pick up a bag of cereal or jar of sauce, you'll find a host of ingredients with odd names, from sodium nitrate to guar gum. Over the last century, food manufacturers have discovered and created thousands of substances to add to edible substances. The purposes are wide and varied. Additives change texture, bolster shelf life, enhance flavor and color, change smell, thwart bacteria growth, and improve consistency, among other reasons.

Demand for additives has steadily grown alongside consumers' taste for foods manipulated with them, which is a controversial topic in and of itself. While some say additives make food safer and more beneficial, others are concerned about how the palettes of the Western world have grown to crave foods filled with additives.

Then there are the concerning studies. Research has linked modern food additives to multiple health impacts, from allergies and asthma to various cancers. Some have also linked additives to behavior disorders in children. These facts are concerning, as the additives mainly offer no nutritional value and are used to intensify flavor, color, and shelf life but put people in jeopardy.

What to Know Today

Food additives of our modern times get a bad reputation—and rightfully so. Many of these ingredients are artificial chemicals that are added to foods to stretch their shelf life and, subsequently, put more money in food manufacturers' pockets. In the wake of this, these additives usually offer consumers no nutritional value, and they can be simply unhealthy to consumers, especially consistently over time.

These days, the giant concerns around food additives are their potential impact on our health coupled with the lax overview from the FDA, a fact that is causing more concern than ever. The agency that is supposed to have our backs has permitted chemicals that scientists link to health concerns. While some have been rescinded, such as the case with the recent ban on Red No. 3, hundreds of other additives are still allowed, the safety of which is nebulous at best. As Senator Bernie Sanders told CBS, "I think the FDA has been negligent… and I think we want to make sure that they're more aggressive in reviewing the products that are getting onto the market."

Those on the side of additives point out that the FDA makes safety determinations, yet many worry that there's little consideration about the cumulative effect of consuming additives consistently. While one bowl of cereal filled with food coloring may not cause someone to get sick, what about a lifetime of bowls? As the Environmental Defense Fund points out, people are very concerned about additives.

At PrimaFoodie, our concern over additives is big, so we make it our business to spotlight them. Always aim to educate yourself and read labels. Because here's the fact that tops them all: Additives are in ultra-processed foods, and these are the foods we all should aim to remove from our diets..

We'll be digging deeper into additives in the future. We'd love to know: What confuses you about additives? What concerns you? And what would you love to learn more about? Let us know!

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Honey

Honey is one of the ingredients I value most in my pantry. Its layered natural flavor, which varies from floral to earthy to nutty, adds a sweetness to dishes. Adding it to desserts like Baked Apple Jack enhances the fruit and offers a depth of flavor. Beyond the kitchen, this golden viscous substance is rich in antioxidants and minerals, and research shows it can help to heal wounds.

Simply put, honey is a miracle. But there’s so much more to it that we overlook. So this week, we break it down for you in our Guide to Honey.

The 101: What Is Honey?

A thick, rich, golden liquid, honey comes from the orchestrated teamwork of honeybees living in a colony. They work in harmony to extract nectar from flowers and other vegetal sources (hence the varying flavors), then engage in a detailed process of digesting and regurgitating the nectar so it mixes with their natural enzymes. Eventually this process causes the nectar to thicken into the golden, sweet goo that is honey.

Nutritional and Medicinal Properties

For centuries, cultures across the globe have been using honey for its nutritional elements and healing benefits. Research shows that honey, deemed a “flavorful liquid food of high nutritional value,” boasts numerous flavonoid antioxidants, as well as small amounts of various minerals including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. It also has a lower glycemic index than sugar.

In addition to being a nutrient-dense alternative to sugar and other conventional sweeteners, honey has many medicinal benefits— which is why ancient cultures have long used it as a cure for ailments. It naturally has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, making it a protective salve. And studies have shown it to boast anti-inflammatory capabilities, to stimulate immune responses within a wound, and to provide allergy relief.

The Different Types of Honey

Honey is as complex as it is delicious. This is because the busy bees that make it live in different regions across the globe and extract nectar from various sources of local vegetation. For example, when a honey is called ‘Orange Blossom Honey, this means that the bees mainly frequented orange blossoms for their nectar. The same goes for ‘Buckwheat Honey,’ ‘Lavender Honey,' ’Wildflower Honey,’ and countless other varieties. The flavor profiles and nutritional values will vary depending on where the bees have sourced their nectar.

The Plight of the Bees

While it may seem easy enough to grab a jar of honey off the shelves, the complex world of honey's natural makers is in danger. ‘The plight of the honeybee,’ as stated by the advocacy group Friends of the Earth, is a serious issue. The globe’s honeybee population is rapidly declining due to use of fertilizers and pesticides, disease, habitat loss, and other unsustainable human-made practices. This presents dire consequences for essentially every ecosystem on earth, as bees’ pollination impacts the flourishing of countless vegetal species. Losing bees would create a great danger to our existing global food systems.

The Taste for Honey: A Growing Demand

Trend analysis shows a growing demand for honey—which, of course, fuels a need for its supply. As a result, honey has become greatly commercialized and industrialized to accommodate this growing need. Many commercial sourcing methods include forced, exploitative, and extractive measures and thus treat the bees with little to no consideration or care. In some industrial or commercial hives, human workers employ smoke techniques to extract bees. Others cut the queen bee’s wings to prevent her from leaving the colony to go to a new hive (thus impeding her ability to mate). Some honeybees are fed artificial sweeteners, such as sugar water or high fructose corn syrup. This lacks nutrition leaving their immunity compromised.

Sustainable Sourcing

While all pure and natural honey is nature’s gold, not all honey on the shelves is equal. Unsustainable practices, cruel measures, and other cryptic means can often lead to adulterated, pesticide-laden, or even artificial honey. To ensure you get the highest product with the most concentrated nutrients, it’s important to look out for several things:

• Local: The best honey to get is local honey. This ensures it’s fresh and derives from nectar from the region you live in (which can be great for combating allergies). You can source good quality, real raw honey from your local farmers market. As always, be sure to ask questions about harvesting and bee treatment—and get to know your farmers.

• Raw and Unfiltered: Raw honey is the densest in nutrients and healthy enzymes. That is because it has undergone limited to no processing from the hive to the jar, so it’s in its purest form. There may be some trace impurities in raw honey. Unfiltered honey may undergo a mild straining to remove some impurities, but it is done so in a way that honors the honey’s integrity.
  Honey that is not marked pure raw or unfiltered means that it has likely been processed, blended with carrier ingredients (like corn syrup), or heated in a way that will jeopardize its natural purity. High amounts of heating and/or filtering often robs the liquid of its beneficial natural enzymes, chemical compounds, and antioxidant properties.

• Humane Sourcing: As previously mentioned, honoring the integrity of the bees is critical. Aim to source from local farmers who humanely care for their bees or brands who put transparency and ethics first.

Choosing Your Honey: What to Look for in the Market

Like shopping for eggs, sourcing good quality honey in the market requires a bit of a dance. The first marker: Read the jar to find the honey’s location of origin. Again, it’s always best to purchase honey that is harvested in the region you live in.

Some markets offer honey that is labeled organic, which would ideally mean that the bees are humanely treated and allowed to pull nectar from vegetation that hasn’t been treated with pesticides. This is ideal, but nearly impossible to fully guarantee. When ethical beekeepers bring their bees to source their nectar, it’s impossible to know if the bees are always pulling from vegetation that is, in fact, organic. Therefore, when it comes to honey in the US, the organic marker is still nebulous. Most labeled organic are a blend of honeys from other countries, usually Mexico and Brazil.

Rather than being lured in by the ‘organic label’ in this case, look for other markers that communicate that the honey has been ethically and locally produced in your region. True Source Certified, an independent third-party verification system, is an excellent marker as it verifies authenticity, purity, and traceability of ethically produced honey.

PrimaFoodie-Approved Brands

Here are some of our favorite honey brands at PrimaFoodie. Each follows ethical beekeeping and harvesting practices:

• Honey Pacifica: With apiaries in southern California, Honey Pacifica has partnerships with local farmers to provide ample space, crops, and water for their honeybees.

• Bloom Honey: Bloom Honey is unfiltered and unpasteurized. It’s also True Source Certified.

• Blue Ridge Honey: Ethically produced, family owned, and local to California.

• White Gold Honey: White Gold is based out of Canada. Although all of us at PrimaFoodie aim to source local honey in California, this company boasts excellent standards. They produce unheated, unfiltered, untreated, unprocessed pure raw honey.

Many of Us Still Overlook Critical Facts About Sugar

Functional Nutrition Practitioner Margaret Floyd Barry on what we need to know, how blood sugar works, and the foods to avoid.

Sugar is the most divisive ingredient in our modern diets. It's the culprit of countless health issues, from inflammation to raised blood pressure. But we can't deny that it makes things taste good—so good that we become addicted. It's obvious in some foods, but hidden in so many others. Sugar is everywhere, yet its impact is still widely misunderstood.

Margaret Floyd Barry is working to change this. A functional nutritionist, Margaret has an accessible way of breaking down the convoluted but critical topics of what we eat today. We say "accessible" for a good reason: Before she discovered the power of whole clean foods, Margaret was a self-described "total mess" who was on a constant "energy roller coaster." She was a vegetarian who thought she was healthy, yet she was eating starches—aka sugar—that impacted her moods, energy levels, and overall well-being. "I had migraines all the time," she tells us. "I had severe digestive issues."

As she dug into her nutrition education, Margaret learned how invasive sugar is. So, she overhauled her diet and discovered an entirely new world of eating unprocessed foods free from all the hidden sugars. This new approach to eating left her feeling incredible. We love how she puts it: "Life on the other side of sugar feels better than you probably even know possible."

Today, as the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen, Margaret educates about the metabolic and life-changing impacts of clearing out sugar and leaning into whole foods. She spoke with PrimaFoodie about the sneaky impacts of sugar, how our blood sugar really works, and the facts people still overlook but need to know.

To receive access to the rest of this article, along with a fresh batch of recipes every month, become a PrimaFoodie paid subscriber on Substack for only $7/month or $59/year!

The Complete Guide to Cooking with Fats

The different types, smoke points, and what to look for in the store.

Fats are a foundational cooking ingredient that can transform and amplify the foods we eat. Depending on what type we use, whether it be olive oil or rendered bacon fat, this ingredient brings out a dish's delicious and textured potential. As chef and author Samin Nosrat writes in Salt, Fat, Acid Heat, "food can only ever be as delicious as the fat with which it's cooked."

The nuanced aspect of fat brings up a critical point: Not all fats are created equal. There are various sources, which range from animal fats to oils extracted from nuts and seeds. Each one boasts its own flavor profiles, effect on the taste of a dish, health aspects, and smoke points. It's incredible just how nuanced and varied fats are. To that end, we've outlined our top picks for the best fats to cook with and how to use each one when making a dish.

What Is Fat?

Water, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. These are the four essential building blocks of all foods. Fats are made up of triglycerides, which are collections of molecules. When this collection comes in a liquid form, we normally refer to it as oil. When it comes in a solid form, we usually refer to it as fat. We will use the terms fat and oil interchangeably in this guide.

Fat is critical to our health and survival. Contrary to what many diets in the 1990s posited, fat is good for us when we choose the healthiest versions. The essential benefits of fats are wide and varied. They aid our body in absorbing vitamins, nourish our cognitive abilities, and support our immune system—among many other things.

(Note: When in question, always check with a medical professional before consuming different, more, or fewer fats.)

What Are the Types of Fats?

The main building blocks of fat are called fatty acids. Generally, a fatty acid consists of a "chain" of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

There are three basic types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. What makes these three different depends on the number of carbon atoms on the chain.

• Saturated fats all have carbon atoms that have bonded with hydrogen atoms. In general, saturated fats are stable fats that are most often solid at room temperature. This makes them a great option for cooking at high heat, as their smoke point is often higher than others.

• Monounsaturated fats have one set of bonded carbon atoms, so it's carbon to carbon rather than carbon to hydrogen. Monounsaturated fats are less stable against high heat, so they're best to cook at lower temperatures or used in other ways. These are almost always liquid at room temperature.

• Polyunsaturated fats have two (or more) carbon sets that have bonded together, so it's a carbon double bond rather than a carbon to a hydrogen atom bond. Because these oils tend to be unstable, they're best used as dressings and toppers rather than cooking oils. These are liquid at room temperature.

Why Fats Are Essential in Cooking

Fats (this includes fats and oils) serve two primary purposes in cooking: as a topping or seasoning (think olive oil drizzled over fresh greens) and as a cooking medium. For this guide, we'll be focusing on fats used as a cooking medium. When heated, fat becomes an incredible source to crisp up proteins and cook fresh vegetables.

What Is a Smoke Point?

The actual molecular makeup of a fat or oil varies with each type. For this reason, every fat responds differently to heat. The term "smoke point" (also called "burn point") is the literal temperature at which a certain fat or oil starts to break down and smoke. For instance, when cooking with olive oil, you'll notice the oil shimmering when getting hot, and then smoke will appear. That moment and temperature is the smoke point.

Smoke points vary, typically ranging from around 300°F to 500°F. The flavor and health value can decline when fat or oil starts to smoke. Therefore, using oil with a higher smoke point (keep reading) is important when sautéing, frying, and doing other high-heat cooking. Saturated fats tend to have the highest smoke points.

The Best Fats to Cook In

The best oils to cook with are saturated and have a higher smoke point. What you're cooking will mandate which oil best complements the dish and your needs. Here are our favorite fats and oils to cook with at PrimaFoodie:

Clean Animal Fats, such as Duck Fat
Fat Type: Saturated

Animal fats are Nichole's go-to for cooking. That's because they are shelf stable (solid at room temperature) and thus won't turn rancid quickly, have a higher smoke point, and lend a rich, distinct flavor to a dish. Animal fats are incredible for frying up vegetables and potatoes. After cooking bacon on the weekends, Nichole saves the grease and "bits and pieces" to store in the fridge for later use. Duck fat, in particular, lends incredible flavor.
Smoke Point: Ranges from 375 °F to 390 °F

Ghee
Fat Type: Saturated

Also known as clarified butter, ghee is an excellent fat to cook in at higher temperatures. It's also a baking hero.
Smoke Point: Around 485 °F

Olive Oil
Fat Type: Monounsaturated

An Italian staple, olive oil has a rich, nutty flavor profile. It's a monounsaturated fat with a lower smoke point, making it a better oil to cook with at lower heat (no frying) to avoid smoking.
Smoke Point: Around 325 °F to 350 °F

Butter
Fat Type: Saturated

Butter lends a coveted flavor, which is why it's still a favorite in the kitchen—including one of ours. Plus, this animal fat is great for higher heat and has a high water content that adds an additional cooking benefit.
Smoke Point: 350 °F

Avocado Oil
Fat Type: Monounsaturated

Avocado oil is a light, multi-use cooking oil that is nutritious and has a higher smoking point. Great for cooking vegetables and potatoes quickly in high heat.
Smoke Point: Around 500 °F to 520 °F

Coconut Oil:
Fat Type: Saturated

Another PrimaFoodie favorite (and a mainstay in my kitchen) for its shelf stability. The only potential downside of coconut oil is that it has a distinct flavor that isn't for everyone or every dish.
Smoke Point: Around 350 °F for unrefined; 400 °F for refined

Buying and Storing Fats and Oils: What to Look for

Fats are one of the most critical kitchen staples to invest in—so focus on quality. This means buying fats and oils from purveyors dedicated to sustainable and organic practices. Because toxins are stored in fats, you want to choose them from sources that haven't been sprayed with pesticides or fed or injected with antibiotics.

Be sure to store your cooking fats and oils in an airtight container and away from direct heat and light, and aim to replace them at least once a year, ideally every six months. Look at the harvest date, NOT the expiration date, as this tells you when the oil or fat was harvested, offering the most accurate idea of its shelf life. Fats and oils become rancid after sitting for too long due to oxidation from oxygen and heat. Besides having a horrible taste and smell, rancid oils are terrible for our health. Studies have linked the consumption of rancid oils to free radical damage, inflammation, and digestion issues. (Note: Due to their higher levels of polyunsaturated fats, oils from vegetable sources, like olives and almonds, tend to go rancid faster than fats derived from animals.) So keep your oils fresh!

Maltodextrin

One of our most significant missions at PrimaFoodie is to educate people about ingredients. We love to parse labels and learn the history and reasons behind why so much—literally, so much!—stuff gets added to food. The additives in the states are as nebulous as they are ubiquitous. Their names are often impossible to pronounce, offer little to no nutritional value, and are often hazardous to our well-being. So, when we pick up a box, we're left with more questions than answers. Is this thickener necessary? What's the point of methylene chloride? And just how bad is this food coloring?

So we investigate common food additives and reveal their origin and (so-called) purpose —all in the quest to help consumers make better decisions. Because the truth is, just because something is edible doesn't mean it's healthy—or even necessary.

This week, we're looking at maltodextrin—a processed powdery substance made from vegetable sources. If you're like us, you've seen the word for years but are unclear what it does. Let us break it down.

What Is Maltodextrin?

Maltodextrin is an intensely processed white powder carbohydrate primarily made from corn, potato starch, rice, wheat, barley, sorghum, or tapioca. We say "intensely" processed because it takes several steps to make it. First, manufacturers extract the starch from whatever vegetable source they're using, then break it down through hydrolysis, a process that cooks the starches to change their structure and turn them into a gel-like paste. From there, the paste is mixed with acids and other enzymes to break down the properties further. The result is an odorless, tasteless, powdery substance.

What's the Purpose of Maltodextrin?

You may be thinking that maltodextrin doesn't sound appetizing. We're with you. However, the reality is that this additive is woven into so many foods that most of us in the United States consume it.

Food manufacturers use maltodextrin to improve the texture, thickness, and consistency of foods and amplify their flavor. Think: a chewier granola bar or creamier yogurt. The powder amps up the taste and feel, making foods craveable and preventing caking in certain baked goods. Maltodextrin is also incorporated to extend the shelf-life of many packaged foods, including crackers and protein bars.

Where Is Maltodextrin Found?

Because it's a tasteless and odorless additive, the powder weaves into processed foods stealthily. Meaning you don't really know it's there. That's why manufacturers use it. It bulks up the flavor and texture, leaving no trace of its own.

You'll find maltodextrin in:

• conventional yogurt

• nutrition and energy bars

• cereal

• cookies, crackers, and chips

• nutrient supplements and protein powders

• salad dressings

• condiments

• "low-fat" products, such as light cream cheese and yogurt

• spices

• processed meats and meat products

Is Maltodextrin Harmful?

This is the key question regarding additives: what are the risks? The Food and Drug Administration deems maltodextrin as a GRAS—generally recognized as safe—ingredient. The worrisome fact, however, is the cumulative impact of eating maltodextrin repeatedly—which is a common occurrence, given how it's in countless food products.

Research shows that maltodextrin may negatively affect the balance of bacteria in the gut when eaten consistently. One study claims it "leads to the promotion of intestinal inflammation," and it "could be a risk factor for chronic inflammatory diseases," including inflammatory bowel disease.

Anotherstudy shows that maltodextrin may increase Escherichia coli (e-coli) bacteria. At the same time,additional research suggests maltodextrin plays a role in helping salmonella bacteria to survive in the gut, which could lead to a host of bowel problems, including inflammation.

Also, the glycemic index in maltodextrin is 95 and higher than that of table sugar, which is 65. The powder's high GI means it has the potential to cause a blood sugar spike.

The PrimaFoodie Take on Maltodextrin

At PrimaFoodie, we advocate for adding as few ingredients to a food as possible. So, when we see something like maltodextrin pop up, we shake our heads: Is it necessary? The studies linking it to potential gut issues make us even more concerned.

We aim to avoid maltodextrin whenever we can. Instead of relying on processed, pre-packaged foods, we opt for whole, natural ingredients whenever possible.

Why Was RAW Farm's Milk Pulled from Shelves? The Truth You Need to Know

RAW Farm USA, a family-owned company that produces non-GMO, humanely unpasteurized milk, knows what it's like to face a bully.

The team, including founder and CEO Mark McAfee, his daughter Kaleigh Stanziani, son Aaron McAfee, and son-in-law Josh Stanziani, has faced its share of adversity since its inception in 1998. Hits have come mainly from conspiracy theories and accusations from many people, including those who believe pasteurization is crucial for health safety.

These last two weeks have sent another storm of adversity the company's way.

On December 3, officials with the California Department of Public Health declared and secured a recall of all RAW Farm products, claiming that the products are contaminated with multiple detections of bird flu, specifically the H5N1 avian influenza viruses. "Raw Farm milk products have tested positive for bird flu at both retail and dairy storage and bottling sites in recent days," the department declared in a statement.

The state officials placed the farm under quarantine and suspended any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter, and cheese products produced on or after November 27. Furthermore, they stated that "customers should immediately return any remaining product to the retail point of purchase" and "pasteurized milk remains safe to drink."

RAW Farm disputed the claims. On the same day of the California announcement, the team posted its stance on social media, stating "there are no illnesses associated with H5NI" in any of their products and "there are no food safety issues" or consumer safety concerns.

The team's critical rebuttal included another remark: the recall is a political issue. "Our family has faced many political challenges before and we are resilient," RAW Farm continued.

The recall caused a flurry. Customers loyal to the RAW Farm’s products swarmed social media, posting images of empty milk shelves and asking the brand to bring back the milk and followers not to be fooled by the headlines.

The state of California did not actually find any contaminated products, despite its recall actions.

More than a week after the state recall, Kaleigh Stanziani, who heads RAW Farm's marketing and branding, posted on the company's Instagram stories that the ordeal was a game of "political tug of war" and that RAW Farm has complied with the state's demands. "Nobody wanted this; we didn't want this," said Stanziani. "Why it happened to begin with is definitely timing. It's definitely because they were trying to defame and diminish and discredit."

She added that the company has passed many hurdles and is working tirelessly to get its milk back on shelves and ultimately to its customers—a feat she says is looking "extremely optimistic."

The Claims Against Raw

Raw milk has long been a target.

Centuries ago, all dairy was raw. But after the Industrial Revolution, a steady rise in city living came with increased infestations of germs, mold, viruses, and bacteria—much of which was contaminating foods, including milk. French scientists were the first to find that heating milk could kill much of the germs, and in the early 19th century, New York City officials mandated that all milk be heat-treated to keep it safe. (This mandate followed the harrowing swill milk incident, where people in New York fed their babies milk from dairy cows that were fed mucous and germ-laden mash leftover from alcohol distilleries.)

So, pasteurizing was seen as gold because it kept contamination contained. However, as the decades passed, this came at the expense of raw milk and impacted small farmers who were responsibly producing healthy, untainted raw milk. All the while, the giant corporate dairy industry, known as 'Big Dairy,' gained more and more power, and it spewed out propaganda stating the so-called benefits of pasteurized milk. (Meanwhile, large swaths of milk produced by big dairy come from animals abused and given copious amounts of antibiotics and growth hormones, not to mention pesticide-laden feed.)

Today, there's both a staunch stance for and against raw milk. And as Stanziani said, it is political. The CDC believes raw milk can lead to health consequences and heat treating it is crucial for killing germs and keeping milk "safe." Those in favor of raw milk—(which includes all of us at PrimaFoodie, in full transparency) see its myriad benefits, including the live digestive enzymes, rich essential fats, and bioavailable vitamins and minerals, all of which pasteurization commonly reduces or kills. As Mark McAfee told us previously, when milk is pasteurized, its natural nutrients "are destroyed, inactivated, or denatured," he says. Some raw milk enthusiasts simply love its taste, which is richer and creamier than pasteurized milk.

But there's more. Some see raw milk as a way to break with convention. It's a means to opt for something truly natural in our overly processed, corporatized world, and push against the politically charged machine of the USDA, FDA, CDC, and others. So yes, it's political. Raw milk is legal in just over a dozen states, with some additional states allowing for its sale on-farm only.

It is critical to point out that raw milk can contain germs, but that is if it comes from a farm and facility that does not actively take measures to prevent this. This is true for any food, be it dairy, salmon, vegetables, eggs, or something else. Copious other foods have held places on do-not-eat lists created by the CDC, including rare steak, runny eggs, and raw cookie dough. And yes, for reasons linked to illness, including salmonella poisoning, a real issue, these foods come with warnings. Still, how many people use their judgment and order a medium-rare steak or a sunny-side-up egg at brunch? And are eggs and steaks getting walloped? No. When we interviewed McAfee earlier this year, he told us that RAW Farm tests every vat of their milk for E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other bacteria and contamination.

Drinking with Eyes Wide Open

RAW Farm’s recent challenge is a cautionary tale to all of us consumers to always look between the lines. If a fully transparent, family-owned farm creates a pure product, why is it targeted? What are the motives behind this recall? 

Perhaps the big corporate food industry dislikes people genuinely wanting to buck the profit-focused processed food world. Maybe it’s a threat to their bottom line when people want to consume real foods from farmers and producers who put health, humans, and the planet first.

Stanziani was cautious in her Instagram statements not to explicitly say too much, but the underlying message was clear: the big corporate food world does not have our backs. "There are still a whole lot of threats all around," she said.

Still, she stressed that the entire RAW Farm team is hustling to get their products back, even in the face of all the adversity.

"When you are a pioneer, every hurdle can be overcome,” she said.

4 New Culinary Titles that Expand What a Cookbook Can Do

Unlike novels or memoirs, cookbooks usually offer little literary mystery. When you pick one up, you know you're in for recipes and instructions, generally well worth it from a sage cook. But on occasion, a cookbook comes along that surprises. Within its pages are deep stories from in and out of the kitchen, history lessons that expand generations and cultures, and admissions of hope found in the symphony of chopping vegetables and peeling fruits. These are the cookbooks we devour at PrimaFoodie. Thankfully, this fall, there's a bounty of these gems just out or on the horizon. These are the new culinary titles that are exciting and inspiring us the most right now. 

My Healthy Dish

By My Nguyen

My Nguyen has millions of followers for a good reason: Her accessible, nourishing take on cooking is based on her honest journey of needing to better care of herself so she could take better care of her two toddlers. So, she chose to get rid of the calorie counting and lean into her intuition, and she takes us along on the journey in her new book My Healthy Dish. Nguyen shares her approachable, intuitive, playful take on home cooking, offering recipes for protein-packed breakfasts and snacks and easy weeknight meals, much of which are inspired by her Southeast Asian heritage. What we love most, though, is how she's helped her kids reach for the veggies. "Once picky eaters who longed for McDonald's, my girls now prefer my cooking to what we get at restaurants," writes Nguyen. "I'm making sure that they get plenty of time to play in the kitchen, too, starting them off on a path to lifelong good health a lot sooner than I did!”

The Bean Book 

By Steve Sando

We've been fans of Steve Sando and his heirloom bean company, Rancho Gordo, for a long time (did you catch his conversation with Nichole on the podcast?), so we jumped when we learned he was coming out with a cookbook. The Bean Book showcases what Sando knows best: growing, sourcing, and cooking with beans—but not just beans; the best heirloom beans. This book is fun, just like Sando. It offers over 100 recipes that incorporate beans in conventional and unexpected ways. (One of our favorites is the Clay-Baked Pacific Cod Gratin with Onions and White Beans.) The best part is that Sando offers a history lesson about each bean variety he cooks, making this book rich in ideas and lessons. 

What Goes with What

By Julia Turshen

We consistently turn to Julia Turshen for her kitchen wisdom by picking up one of her cookbooks (Small Victories is a PrimaFoodie favorite), reading her beloved cooking newsletter, or taking one of her online cooking classes. Her way of making cooking feel creative, adventurous, and empowering is unparalleled. And her dishes are always so satisfying. Her new book, just out this month, Turshen, focuses on the foundations of a meal, offering us readers with charts and recipes to help us build a dish while allowing room for personal iterations. She also weaves in personal essays, making this book both a literary gift and a culinary guide.

Food Is Love

By Palek Patel

Roasted Butternut Squash with Makani Sauce. Roasted Vindaloo Mushroom Wraps. Braised Vegetable Dal. These are just a few of the warming, nourishing dishes chef Palak Patel includes in her new book, Food Is Love. Seeing food as the ultimate act of love, Patel includes stories and recipes from her upbringing in West India and global travels that put love and care as the star ingredients. As she writes, she wants readers to view this book as an "opportunity to create memories with food and be more intentional, present, and open while cooking." She also includes deep dives into spices (a topic we love).

Diacetyl

Ingredients in our food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlights, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose— because even if something is edible, it doesn't mean it's healthy or necessary.

What is Diacetyl?

Diacetyl is a chemical compound with a buttery flavor and odor. It is both an organic chemical naturally found in certain fruits, vegetables, and dairy products and a synthetically manufactured flavoring agent used to give foods a butteriness. Diacetyl is also a natural byproduct of fermentation, which is why it is present in some beer and wine. For years, it was a common additive in microwave popcorn, lending that distinctively rich, buttery flavor that many people associate with movie nights.

What’s the Purpose of Diacetyl?

In the food industry, diacetyl’s primary purpose is to replicate the flavor of butter. The compound has been used in a wide range of products beyond microwave popcorn, including caramel, baked goods, and dairy items. It’s also used as a flavoring in certain beverages, giving them a slightly creamy, buttery finish. 

In processed foods, diacetyl not only enhances flavor but sometimes also acts as a preservative, making it a valuable tool for manufacturers looking to extend the shelf life of their products. This chemical is particularly prevalent in “buttery” food products because it makes foods creamier and more indulgent. 

Where is Diacetyl Found?

Diacetyl isn’t just limited to popcorn and dairy products. It occurs naturally in small amounts in various foods, but is more commonly used as an artificial additive in processed items, such as:

• Microwave popcorn

• Crackers, potato chips, and corn chips

• Baked goods and pastries

• Flavored gelatin and puddings

• Caramel, chocolate, and other candy

• Ice cream

• Certain types of beer and wine

• Sour cream and butter

• E-cigarettes (as part of dessert-like vapor flavors)

Diacetyl is naturally found in:

• Cocoa

• Honey

• Beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks

• Milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt

Interestingly, food labels don’t always list diacetyl explicitly. It can sometimes be hidden under terms like “natural and artificial flavorings” or “DATEM,” making it difficult for consumers to avoid it altogether.

Is Diacetyl Bad?

Despite its seemingly innocuous nature, diacetyl has been the subject of health concerns. 

In 2000, a serious health crisis within the microwave popcorn industry came to light. Factory workers exposed to diacetyl developed a debilitating lung condition known as "popcorn lung,” where the workers fell ill after breathing in diacetyl. The American Lung Association states that “while this flavoring may be tasty, it was linked to deaths and hundreds of cases of bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious and irreversible lung disease.”

Major popcorn manufacturers have since removed diacetyl from their products, but the risk is still out there, notably today in e-cigarettes, in which some manufacturers incorporate diacetyl as a vape flavoring.

The PrimaFoodie Take

At PrimaFoodie, we advocate for a mindful approach to food choices, especially when it comes to ingredients like diacetyl, which can carry risks. While diacetyl may no longer be a staple in microwave popcorn, its presence in other products means that it’s still worth paying attention to. Instead of relying on processed, pre-packaged foods, we suggest opting for whole, natural ingredients whenever possible.

Popcorn, for example, can be easily made on the stovetop with organic kernels and fresh, high-quality butter from your local farmer’s market or health food store. Not only does this eliminate the need for potentially harmful additives, but it also reduces waste from plastic and other unsustainable packaging.

In a world where quick, convenient foods often come with health compromises, we believe in empowering consumers to make informed choices. Knowing what’s in your food—and understanding the potential risks—can make a world of difference in maintaining a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

So, our take? We at PrimaFoodie avoid diacetyl.

Small Snacks, Big Problems: The Issue with American Snacking Today

Lately, we have snacks on our minds here at PrimaFoodie. One reason is that school is here, so we're thinking of nutrient-packed ways to keep the kiddos satiated and healthy throughout the day. (Stay tuned for our PrimaFoodie-approved Snack Guide, which is coming soon!) Another reason is one that haunts us: Snacking in the US has become an issue that is hurting our health. 

One of the significant issues with snacking today is how it has slowly replaced quality, nutritious meals for many Americans. In late 2023, the nonprofit PLOS Global Health published a study stating that American adults averaged 400 to 500-worth of calories in snacks per day. That is a meal's worth of calories consumed just in snacks alone—and so many of these snacks are eaten on-the-go, in the car, or at a desk or in front of the TV.

What's most alarming about this fact is the nutritional value of what people are snacking on. A snack is generally considered to be a food eaten between main meals. Research shows that snacking can positively impact a person's metabolic health—that is, if the snacks are healthy and unprocessed, like an apple. But these days, most Americans are choosing snacks that are anything but healthy. In fact, they’re potentially harmful. As the PLOS study and other research shows, the chewy, salty, crunchy snacks Americans are grabbing are ultra-processed and nutritionally lacking. Market research generally shows the most common snacks to be cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, cheese and yogurt, nuts, and chocolate. Not all of these foods are bad when they’re made of whole ingredients. However, this fact changes when they contain conventional additives, such as food coloring, sugars, seed oils, and other highly processed additives. 

Unhealthy snacking can have grave impacts. The CDC states that more than 100 million and nearly 15 million child have obesity. There's concern that these numbers will continue to rise, with a giant culprit being unhealthy snacking. Studies show there are various reasons behind snacking, from hunger to boredom to emotional reasons, and unhealthy snacking can often be habitual for adults and kids. What's additionally concerning is how food companies market unhealthy snacks to kids, thus influencing their eating decisions. "The food and beverage industry spends almost $14 billion per year on advertising in the US, more than 80 percent of which promotes fast food, sugary drinks, candy, and other unhealthy snacks," writes researchers at harvard.

In truth, this all just scratches the surface of just how large of an issue unhealthy snacking is in America and how targeted we are as consumers by giant corporations—which is why it’s on our minds. There’s a giant need for a shift towards healthier snack options. We'll continue to offer you more research and our PrimaFoodie-approved whole-food snacks, but as we always say, the best way to stay healthy is to stay informed: Read labels, consider a company's motivation, reach for whole foods, and cook nutritious meals at home when possible.

---

5 Foods that Surprisingly Have Artificial Dyes

Too many foods on market shelves and in our grocery delivery baskets are filled with artificial food dyes—and we don't even realize it. Take Red 40, the most used food coloring: The Department of Agriculture estimates more than 36,000 foods sold in the U.S. contain this dye. This is disturbing, not only because research links this and other food colorings to serious health implications (particularly in children), but also because there is no law requiring companies to disclose how much food dye they add to a product. So, our children are munching on snacks with sickening amounts of harmful chemicals.

This issue is on our minds. We believe it's on yours, too. When we dived deep into the impact of food dyes with Dr. Tanya Dempsey in 2022, our story exploded in popularity and remains one of our most popular. Over the last decades, immense movements on the individual, state, and federal levels have been attempting to thwart the use of food dyes. In early 2024, California introduced Bill 2316, which would protect children from six artificial dyes by banning them from foods served in public schools during school hours. This state has been bullish on the anti-dye front, as a 2021 report found synthetic food dyes potentially contribute to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children "and that children vary in their sensitivity to synthetic food dyes." Thankfully, other states are doing their parts, as well.

The advocacy for ridding food dyes from foods is out there, which is heartening. Still, these chemicals are permeating the food aisles often in ways that go by the most discerning eyes. As we've continued to dig into this topic, we've been utterly shocked by how food dyes are in the most unsuspecting foods. It's evident that Twin Pops have a rainbow of dyes, but a salmon salad? Must a salmon salad have Red. No. 40 and 3 and Yellow No. 5 and 6? We say no.

We also say no to all these other foods, which often contain cryptic food colorings we would never have suspected. So the next time you pick up one of the below, read the ingredients label closely (as we always suggest).

Consider this another cautionary list to keep you on your food-additive-aware toes.

5 Unexpected Foods That Contain Artificial Food Coloring

• Trail Mix

• Applesauce

• Packaged salmon products

• Salad Dressing

• Condiments and sauces

---

Aspartame

Ingredients in our food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlights, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose— because even if something is edible, it doesn't mean it's healthy or necessary.

What Is Aspartame?

Of all food sweeteners, aspartame has been one of the most widely used for decades. It's a low-calorie—technically near-zero-calorie—artificial sweetener created by combining the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine with methanol. The result is a sweetener nearly 200 times sweeter than cane sugar.

American chemist James M. Schlatter created aspartame in the mid-1960s to replace sucralose, a then-common table sugar replacement. Food manufacturers started incorporating aspartame in their products in the mid-1970s when the sweetener received FDA approval. Equal® became the most common aspartame tabletop sweetener brand, launched in the early 1980s.

What's the Purpose of Aspartame?

Aspartame is found in foods, candies, beverages, supplements, medicines, and tabletop sweetener packets. Its original purpose was to offer a low- to no-calorie replacement for sugar and a substance that some experts in the medical and scientific fields believed could provide a better sweetener option to people with certain conditions. "Being 180–200 times sweeter than sucrose, its intake was expected to reduce obesity rates in developing countries and help those struggling with diabetes," as a study published in the journal Nutrients states.

Aspartame is incorporated into thousands of edible products. The most common include:
diet sodas

• juices labeled "low calorie"

• sports drinks and flavored waters

• chewing gum

• medicines, most commonly those made for children

• vitamins and supplements, including electrolyte powders

• sugar-free desserts and snacks

• condiments

• sauces

• syrups

• mixed with other artificial sweeteners

Aspartame is also present in toothpaste, mouthwash, and other personal care products.

Is Aspartame Bad?

The research on aspartame and human health is wide-reaching and contradictory. In July 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization, and Food and Agriculture Organization released information citing that aspartame could have a potential carcinogenic impact on humans. The IARC review was prompted by previous research that reignited concern about the possible health effects of aspartame. One of those studies was the NutriNet-Santé cohort study that involved 100,000 people in France. It found that people who consumed higher amounts of aspartame were slightly more likely to develop breast cancer and overall cancer compared with people who did not consume the sweetener.

In other instances, consumers over the last three decades have complained that aspartame has caused memory loss, headaches, dizziness, weight gain, and even epileptic seizures. In 2017, researchers linked artificial sweeteners to obesity, stating “data in both animal models and humans suggest that the effects of artificial sweeteners may contribute to metabolic syndrome and the obesity epidemic.”

On the other hand, some studies have shown aspartame to be harmless and the FDA says that its scientists "do not have safety concerns when aspartame is used under the approved conditions." 

Our PrimaFoodie Take on Aspartame

When it comes to aspartame and any chemical ingredient, we consider the following: Where does this ingredient come from? Was it plucked from nature, or was it made in a lab? Is it necessary? What is the research behind it? And why do manufacturers use it? 

Aspartame has no nutritional value; its job is only to make us eat more processed foods. It is unnaturally sweet, artificial, and linked to too many potential health issues. It's a product made up in a lab by a chemist to mimic a natural taste and make foods addictive.

Aspartame is one of a handful of manufactured ingredients that loudly illustrate how our food system has shifted away from human health and toward profit. This artificial sweetener concerns us, as does the research linking it to even the possibility of it being carcinogenic. 

For these reasons, all of us at PrimaFoodie steer clear of aspartame. 

Just Released: The Most Impactful Guide to Living Healthier

The Environmental Working Group has released its 2024 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, and we're reading it with appreciative eyes. This guide, which the EWG has been releasing annually since 2004, includes the 'Dirty Dozen' list, which identifies the 12 fresh fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides, and the 'Clean Fifteen' list, which outlines the top 15 pieces of fresh produce with the lowest pesticide residues. Researchers tested 47,510 samples from 46 different fruits and vegetables.

These two straightforward lists provide barometers for understanding what fruits and veggies have the lowest and highest levels of unhealthy pesticide residue. If your budget allows, always aim to buy organic versions of the items on the Dirty Dozen, such as strawberries and spinach, as the non-organic options on this list are always heavily laden with pesticides.

The issue of pesticide residue is serious. This year, researchers at the EWG determined that 75 percent of all the conventional (non-organic) fresh produce they sampled had residues of potentially harmful, toxic pesticides. This year's alarming news includes the "skyrocketed" amount of pesticide residue on pears, the widespread residue found on peaches, and traces of acephate or methamidophos, two insecticides linked to developing nervous system harm, on green beans.

Below, we've outlined the 'Clean Fifteen' and 'Dirty Dozen' lists. To stay healthy and informed, choose organic options whenever possible, shop locally at your farmers' markets, support small, responsible farmers, and know your ingredients. A better food supply system starts with each of us.

EWG 2024 'Dirty Dozen'
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, collard, and mustard greens
4. Grapes
5. Peaches
6. Pears
7. Nectarines
8. Apples
9. Bell and hot peppers
10. Cherries
11. Blueberries
12. Green beans

EWG 2024 'Clean Fifteen'
1. Avocados
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Honeydew melon
9. Kiwi
10. Cabbage
11. Watermelon
12. Mushrooms
13. Mangoes
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Carrots

Head over to the EWG for the downloadable versions of these lists.

Cellulose

Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn't mean it's healthy—or necessary.

What Is Cellulose?

Every one of us has consumed cellulose. This ubiquitous fiber is both naturally found in plants and an additive in countless foods, from ice cream to bread to veggie burgers. But what exactly is cellulose? Let's dig in.  

Cellulose is a naturally occurring organic insoluble fiber in nearly all plant matter, from cotton and wood to vegetables and fruits. It's a carbon, oxygen, and carbon molecule in plant cells that lends plants structure and support. Cellulose is also extracted from plant sources, processed, bottled, and used as a supplement and food additive. For this article, we'll look solely at cellulose as a food additive.

What's the Purpose of Cellulose?

Cellulose provides food with added bulk, thickness, and texture. Food manufacturers add cellulose to stretch a product's quantity and lend it additional fiber. Because cellulose is relatively tasteless and contains zero calories, it has little impact on a food's flavor or nutritional value. When mixed with water, cellulose forms a gel-like consistency and can, therefore, emulsify certain foods, giving them a satisfying, blended consistency. This is why it's commonly added to ice cream, condiments, sauces, soups, and more. Cheesemakers often add cellulose to their recipes to prevent caking.

Cellulose generally comes in three forms: cellulose gel, cellulose gum, and cellulose powder. The most popular form of cellulose added to processed foods usu­ally comes from wood pulp and cotton lint.

The Various Names of Cellulose

Look at an ingredients list, and you may see 'cellulose' labeled just like that. But chances are, it will lurk behind one of its other names: microcrystalline cellulose (also called MCC) or carboxymethylcellulose.

Where Is Cellulose Found?

Due to this thickening, emulsifying, stretching, and fiber-adding qualities, it's added to countless foods. You can find cellulose in:

Cheeses
Cottage cheese
Yogurt
Ice Cream
Bread and other baked goods
Snacks
Condiments
Soft drinks
Juice
Canned goods
Jared sauce
Gravies

Is Cellulose Harmful?

Researchers have studied additive dietary cellulose and its potential impact on the microbiome and overall gut health. Still, there needs to be more evidence of research on the impact of how food additive cellulose impacts human health. The FDA deems cellulose powder, gum, and gel as 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS). 

The PrimaFoodie Take

It may not surprise you that we try to avoid cellulose, as much as possible. The FDA may deem it as ‘GRAS,’ but this always makes us pause. Same goes for the word ‘additive.’ Dietary cellulose is just that, an additive. Plus, it’s primarily wood pulp or cotton, and yet another way for food manufacturers to stretch food to increase their profits. Cellulose fills our stomachs, but does not nourish our bodies. 

Simply put, we’ll take our cheese free of wood pulp. 

Brominated Vegetable Oil

Last fall, we came across two pieces of food news that made us fist pump in the air. First, in October, California banned brominated vegetable oil (BVO)—along with red dye no. 3, propylparaben, and potassium bromate from use in foods and beverages. A month later, the Food and Drug Administration proposed making BVO illegal in food nationwide.

These two headlines are a giant, necessary step. BVO has always been bad news. And it has a storied past.

A common food additive made of vegetable oil modified with bromine, BVO has been used since 1958 to stabilize citrus (and other fruit) flavoring oils in sodas, candies, and foods. (The additive gives sodas a cloudy look.) The FDA initially gave it a GRAS status, generally recognized as safe (a modifier that sends chills up our spines). People successfully rallied to revoke this status in 1970 because more and more people knew (and likely intuited) that BVO may harm our health. So, what did the FDA do? It stated the BVO can be used, but only in specific limited doses. (This means nothing because even if a drink company puts a specified limited amount of BVO in a drink, it still adds a toxic chemical to its product. Not to mention, people who consume more than one BVO-containing drink put themselves at risk of the cumulative effects that come from imbibing this chemical over and over.)

Since 1958, BVO has been swimming in its “generally recognized as safe” glory and filling the bellies of kids and adults. Meanwhile, more and more research has revealed its ugly impact, stating it causes headaches, skin irritation, and harm to the nervous system. “The risks of BVO have been known for decades,” the EWG reported in 2021. “A 1980s study showed that rats that consumed BVO up to 2 percent of their diet showed significant reproductive harm. An earlier study showed that rats fed diets containing brominated corn, cottonseed, olive, or sesame oil developed changes in the heart and liver. And in one instance, a man who consumed eight liters of Ruby Red Squirt daily for several months developed tender nodules on his hands and fingers.”

Some manufacturers have stepped up and (claim to have) removed BVO from their products, including PepsiCo. Still, the EWG states it is present in smaller soda brands and generic brands, such as Great Value products. (We’ll add here that the EU and Japan ban BVO for use in food.)

All these gross, unnerving facts make the news of California banning it and the FDA proposing to ban it even more critical. But the catch? The California BVO ban won’t take effect until 2027 under the California Food Safety Act. And the FDA news is merely a proposal. Nothing is set in stone, yet. Which means BVO continues to lurk in our food and drinks. It continues to harm our kids and wreak havoc on our nervous systems. So we must keep being vigilant, aware, and proactive by doing the following:

• Reading labels (watch out for brominated vegetable oil and any other artificial additives)

• Educating our friends and family about BVO

• Fighting back with our wallets by not purchasing from companies that do use BVO

• Calling your local and state Congresspeople to fight to have your state ban BVO (New York is another state setting a great example)

• Choosing fresh, unprocessed foods and beverages as much as possible.

We won’t stop until BVO is history. We hope you join us in the fight.

Beet Sugar

Ingredients in our food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlights, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose— because even if something is edible, it doesn't mean it's healthy or necessary.

What Is Beet Sugar?

Beet sugar is... sugar. It comes from the liquid of the sugar beet, a white bulbous root vegetable (not to be confused with the red or golden yellow beetroot, which we love to use in recipes). 

The sugar beet juice is pressed from the beet, filtered, and purified before transforming into granulated sugar crystals. (This process is much like that of cane sugar extracted from the sugarcane plant.)

What's the Purpose of Beet Sugar?

Like any sugar, beet sugar makes foods, beverages, candies, and other edible substances sweet. Beet sugar is one of the most popular types of processed sugar worldwide. In the US, it accounts for nearly 55 percent of the domestically processed sugar, compared to cane sugar, which makes up approximately 45 percent.  

You can find beet sugar in nearly everything processed these days, including:

• sodas

• juices

• packaged snacks, from cookies to crackers

• jarred and canned sauces

• salad dressings

• condiments

• ice creams

• gravies

• candy

• desserts

• syrups

• sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup

Is Beet Sugar Bad?

While its source of origin is a natural plant with naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, beet sugar is a processed food high in sucrose with zero nutrients. Any minerals or vitamins once present in the sugar beet have been stripped away by the time they become sugar granules.

The issue with beat sugar is the issue with sugar on a macro scale. Sugar is one of the most significant dietary issues we face today. It's highly addictive and in nearly everything. Countless studies show that added sugar can weaken the immune system, trigger inflammation, feed cancers, disrupt the health of the gut microbiome, and cause other types of harm to our health. Even more alarming is the fact that Americans are the biggest consumers of sugar across the globe.

A Vegan Note

Some companies tout cane sugar as vegan, which can be confusing. Isn't sugar vegan already? Here's the truth: Cane sugar manufacturers often use bone charring, a process that incorporates charred animal bones to filter naturally brown cane sugar to allow it to achieve the bright white color sugar is known for. On the other hand, beet sugar does not require this process as it's naturally white from the start. So those who avoid any products that touch animals turn to beet sugar—but the vegan label does not mean it's healthier than cane sugar. 

The PrimaFoodie Take

Here's the issue: Smart marketing tactics may lead you to believe that the "beet" in front of beet sugar makes it healthier to consume than cane sugar—but beet sugar is just as unhealthy. A whole fresh sugar beet in its natural state does carry some nutrients. The story changes when the beet juice is extracted, filtered, processed, and made into granules. At this point, it becomes a full-fledged ultra-processed food that is pure sugar. Additionally, most beet sugars grown for sugar are genetically modified and doused with chemicals. 

So, our verdict? We avoid beet sugar.

The good news is that ridding your diet of sugar doesn't have to lead to ridding all decadence from your diet. Check out our guide on healthier alternative sweeteners and our dessert recipes that get kicks of sweetness from dates, maple syrups, honey, and other non- or less-processed options. 

Curious to learn more about what goes into your food? Be sure to read more of our PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlights here.