We’ve been touching a bit on dairy and I hope you understand that dairy from animals on organic pasture can be a healthy addition to a diet. Raw whole milk, raw cheese, cream, butter are full of essential minerals and vitamins.
I also hope that you’ve taken away that the “fat” in these products do NOT make us fat. There is NO reason to be drinking low fat or skim milks.
Lately, I have noticed an obsession for the non dairy coffee creamers and I’m not sure if it’s because folks are trying to avoid cream or because they just like the flavor.
You know the ones, the flavors of French Vanilla, Eggnog, Hazelnut, Vanilla Caramel, Creamy Chocolate. Delicious, right? Well, have you ever looked at the ingredients in those creamers?
Here’ s the ingredient list on Coffee Mate’s Fat Free Hazelnut Liquid Creamer (because God forbid we ingest a little fat :))
INGREDIENTS: WATER, SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL**, AND LESS THAN 2% OF MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)***, COLOR ADDED, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, CARRAGEENAN, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE.
Let’s break these ingredients down a bit:
Sugar- After water, it’s the first ingredient and if you know about reading labels, the ingredients are listed according to their prevalence in the food .. so basically, you’re consuming liquid sugar.
Sugar weakens our immune system, feeds pathogenic bacteria in our gut and contributes to inflammation. To boot, about 95% of all sugar made from sugar beets is genetically modified. (we don’t know if this sugar is, because here in the US, we have no labels which identify genetically engineered ingredients- appalling , right, but more on that another day!)
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean oil- OK, even the FDA came clean on hydrogenation a couple of years ago and admitted that hydrogenated oils are dangerous to our health.
These synthetic fats are proven to cause inflammation- and inflammation is at the root of many modern diseases (heart disease, autoimmune diseases, cancer).
Additionally, soy and cotton are genetically engineered crops and studies have shown that the oils contain residue of glyphosate (the active ingredient in Round Up which is heavily sprayed on genetically engineered crops).
Remember, glyphosate has been proven to cause endocrine disruption, digestive issues and interferes with the functioning of our beneficial gut bacteria.
Carrageenan: This is a common additive in many foods (non dairy drinks like almond milk, ice creams and yogurts.
It is added to give foods a thickness and a fuller taste.
Carrageenan is derived from a seaweed, so it is considered “natural”.
Studies have shown that carrageenan is particularly destructive to the digestive system, stimulating an immune response that is similar to the response when your body is invaded by pathogens.
This immune response causes inflammation which can lead to ulcerations and bleeding.
Natural Flavors- This is what makes the creamers taste so irresistible.
However, natural flavors are often another name for MSG (monosodium glutamate).
MSG is an excitotoxin, exciting your brain cells to the point of damage.
Not to be a Debbie Downer here, but it is really important to know what we are putting into our bodies.
So, instead of reaching for those non dairy creamers, why don’t you instead reach for REAL cream- REAL organic cream, preferably raw if you can find it.I
If you can’t do dairy, reach for a bit of coconut milk (without carrageenan!) .
RECIPE CORNER
Here’s a tasty alternative for those creamers.
If you can do dairy, you can also add a touch of vanilla extract and a bit of cinnamon to your cream!
Coconut Coffee Creamer
1 can coconut milk
2-4 TBSP natural sweetener (honey or maple syrup)
1 TBSP vanilla extract (or more or less to taste)
Mix all ingredients and add desired amount to your coffee.
Store the rest in a covered container in the refrigerator.
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