When is it time to buy a new mattress? Once you do decide that you need a new one, where are the best deals?

By: Pat Caudill 5/13/13

     I have found that there are only two reasons to buy a mattress.  Either you don’t have one or the one you have is old and needs to go.  I’ll assume that you are looking for a new mattress because the old one hurts your back or it’s just too uncomfortable.  If that is the case, lying on a new mattress for thirty seconds in a store show room will not even come close to giving you an idea of its actual comfort level. 

 Here is a great way to get a feel for a mattress.  Before you leave your home, take the sheets off of your bed, remove all of the pillows and now you should be looking at nothing more than the bare mattress.  Keeping both hands open and fingers curled under each finger press down on random areas of your old mattress.  Note how it feels and come up with words that mean something to you: squishy, lumpy, soft, very soft, sharp, hard, inconsistent, or stiff.  Write them down and head out to Sam’s Club, Sears, JC Penny’s, Mattress Discounters, or your local Original Mattress Factory.  Based on the size and style of your previous mattress and using the same pushing method, find a similar mattress to you old one and start pushing and noting how it feels when you push.  This is the best way to compare apples to apples.  Then depending on your budget move up or down the model line until you find a mattress that will fit your needs and budget.  

     Keep in mind that everyone sweats, leaves behind bodily fluids, hair, skin, and who knows what else on their beds.  There is a study that was done some time ago that says that a mattress will weigh 50% more eight years after you purchased it, if it is your daily use bed.  What is the extra weight?  Well, let’s just say that there will be plenty of DNA to prove that, that is your mattress. 

I recently had to purchase a new mattress for a guest bed in our home.  I went on line and looked for the best deals but I was not able to really compare mattresses so I still didn’t feel as though I was able to make a truly informed decision.  Then I visited an actual mattress factory.  I essentially attended mattress 101.  I’m here to tell you that I’ll never look at a mattress the same again.  

There are two components to a mattress set:

1.        The Box Spring

2.       The Actual Mattress

     The Box Spring is essential for the mattress to bend and flex the way it was specifically designed to.  Without a real box spring you are immediately taking years off of your mattress.  I have found only one company that builds a true box spring for a mattress.  Original Mattress Factory.  While this is a big deal it’s not necessarily a deal breaker or a deal maker.  It is however a big plus.

     As far as the mattress goes there are so many options and sizes and comfort levels it’s mind boggling.  Here is what you need to know going into it.  All mattresses have the same type of padding.  The FDA and EPA require all mattresses to be made of a specific type of petroleum based foam due to its fire retardant abilities.   The rest is just coils and the cover.  Now before I get too much further, let me clarify, I am not addressing the Sleep Number type beds nor am I addressing the memory foam type of beds.  

     The mattress that you are looking for should have the firmness and still the comfort of a plush top layer that is comfortable to you and your spouse / significant other if necessary.  Here are some secrets that most bed manufacturers simply will not tell you.

1.        A mattress that has a pillow top has the exact same amount of filling / padding as the less expensive model, it’s just slightly more compacted because there is no pillow top to allow it to expand.  In 6 or 9 months your body will compress the foam and the $300  to $800 extra that you put down on that pillow top will be unrecognizable compared to the non-pillow top type mattress in the same class.

2.       The inner spring is the heart of the mattress.  Often the spring core of a mattress will have already begun rusting by the time you get it.  Not only that but quality of the core springs vary wildly.  The thicker the metal the longer it will last.  Ask to see the inside of the mattress, if they don’t have a cut away of the model of the mattress that you are looking for then don’t buy it. 

3.       Buying a mattress has as many trappings as shopping for a used car or at a carpet store.  Every sales person WILL attempt to upsell a higher end mattress and / or a warranty or some other “protection”.  Look, I’m all for companies making a profit.  However, I want a fair deal and I want to be treated with respect.  If you feel like you are getting played by the sales staff.  Walk out.  They are not the only show in town and you have a right to spend your money where ever you like.

4.       Delivery is usually about a $50.00 option.  If you have a king sized mattress going up stairs, it’s totally worth it.  They will even get rid of the old mattress for you too and they may even make the bed for you.  How great is that?!

5.       Flipping your mattress:  Many moons ago it was commonplace to literally flip your mattress once every six months or so.  This helped air out the mattress and it helped prevent sagging in the middle.  To save money most mattress companies only build one sided mattresses,  and in doing so, prevent you from flipping your mattress.  The goal is to ensure that the mattress wears out faster and you will in-turn need to buy a new mattress sooner.   They are cheaper to build that way and they can still charge you the same amount by claiming that its pillow top will ensure that it lasts longer.  This is simply not true.  They are essentially building in a disposal date into the mattresses.  The Original Mattress factory still to this day builds double sided mattresses.  They have a 12 year replacement warranty (non-prorated), which happens to be the best in the industry.

     Now I ended up purchasing a twin mattress for our granddaughter to sleep on while she is here visiting us.  My needs were specific; I knew exactly what I was looking for, and how I wanted the mattress to feel.  

     Normally I only mention a specific company if I feel that they have really impressed me, and to be honest, that rarely happens.  Well, the Original Mattress Factory had zero sales pressure, they were very knowledgeable, very respectful and I felt valued while I was shopping there.  They helped me load up the mattresses into my truck and I was off.  I ended up spending $350.00 on a twin mattress with a real box spring.  I have already decided that I will be getting our queen mattress replaced in the next year and I will be going back the Original Mattress Factory in Beavercreek. 

Words - Reflections on their Power

I spent my morning journaling about words spoken to and about me by some primary authority figures in my early life and came to the following conclusions:

1. My confidence is born out of encouraging words from those authority figures.
2. My negative beginnings end with rebuilding, restoring, compassion and healing; evidence of God's hand in countering pain in my life.
3. My grand mother was my primary source of love, encouragement and self-worth; she also defined my role-model for womanhood.
4. Most of the damage I received through words originated from those in authority over me.

Bottom line: I have the power to hurt and the power to encourage those around me, especially as a grand mother and a leader.When I speak to my grand daughter, the words I choose will ripple into her future; if they are encouraging words, her future can be impacted for the good. When I speak to those I lead, I have the ability to strengthen and encourage them with the words I choose.

I will admit this is a skewed perspective in that mine is the only experience examined; I would enjoy hearing of the experience others have had in respect to the impact words from authority figures have had on their lives...

Discussion between Rebecca and I this evening?  Was Jesus present prior to the creation of the world...  A great conversation indeed...

The Death of a Mixer

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012 will live forever as a day of infamy in the Caudill household.  It's the day that my 7qt, 1000watt mixer suddenly died.  6 years prior I had done hours upon hours of research for the best, heaviest duty, and longest lasting stand mixer.  The result was a new Viking mixer.  They were not cheap but I was willing to pay the price for a worthy product.  Now, just the thought of referring to this mixer as worthy, is, well, laughable - to the point of tears.  I found a website (FYKitchen.com) that had the best price and I was so impressed with the reviews of the Viking 7qt mixer, I got the Viking food processor too.  Again, these were a serious investment for me, but as far as I was concerned I was getting the best product available in the world.  I have used the mixer to make all sorts of breads, sweet breads, yeast breads, bagels, sourdough, traditional white, heavy whole wheat breads and many more.  I Have used this mixer to whip butter from fresh cream from locally raised and harvested dairy products.  I have used it to whip egg whites for my wife's favorite Angel Food Cake for her birthday as well as my favorite, carrot cake.  The Viking was certainly not a perfect mixer but it handled everything that I threw at it and rarely complained.  If one can actually love a mixer, then I, believe it or not, loved my mixer.  While making a cake for a client, the very day of my birthday (August 23rd) it was whipping egg whites and it simply shut off and never budged again.  I had to finish whipping the egg whites by hand and by God's grace, the cake still turned out wonderfully. 

 

That begun the new search.  Was I going to replace my dead Vking with a new one?  What about a Kitchen Aid?  What were my other options?

 

Well, my Viking lasted less than 6 years and it was out of warranty.  There was no way that I was going to buy another, especially considering the cost and the fact that Viking has stopped production of these units.  For what it's worth, my Viking food processor died about 6 months ago too.

 

So, now that Viking is off the table, I have to tell you that I have been baking and making breads for years and years.  The top of the line Kitchen Aid is simply not able to handle the heavier dough that I use frequently.  So, if you do not bake breads, the Kitchen Aid is an awesome machine that will handle everything you throw at it.  Plus, they will always make Kitchen Aid parts, unlike Viking.

 

So, what else was out there for someone in my situation?  Well the first thing that I did was to hit my favorite websites (TheFrehLoaf.com amongst others).  The real toss up was between the Boshc Mixer and the Electrolux Verona Assistant DLX.  These mixers use a different gearing and method to knead the dough.  This has enabled them to handle the super heavy doughs that bread bakers like myself use so often.

There are people that are FIRMLY in the camp of each of these products, and for good reason.  You have to want to find an issue with these mixers.  You have to be looking knowing that once you find it, you have to spend as much time justifying the fact that it is an issue as you do explaining what the issue us.  That being said I went with the Verona Assistant.  Again this mixer has a great reputation but it aint cheap.  This has been the preferred mixer for bread bakers all over the globe. And still other famous bread bakers swear by the Bosch.  Either way, you are not going to go wrong. 

 

Which one did I get?  I ended up purchasing the Electrolux Verona Assistant, DLX mixer.  I ordered it from the pleasenthillgrains.com.  It's an online paradise for information regarding home milling and baking. Do the first thing I did was make a large batch of dough, enough to make 4 - 1lb loaves of a heavily seeded whole wheat yeast bread.  The recipe that I have uses flax meal, flax seeds. Salba seeds, Salba meal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, oat bran, and freshly milled Montana Gold hard red wheat.  This is definitely a seed heavy bread and by all counts should produce a dense and rather heavy loaf.  Instead of falling flat, the gluten development was remarkable.  That enabled the dough to rise to a great height prior to being put into the oven and again produced a surprising oven spring once it was in the oven.  I have eaten a few sandwiches on this bread and really loved it.  It was just as good if not better than breads that were made in the Viking (God rest its soul)... 

I don't do a lat of small batch stuff so I cannot comment on how it does with single batch cookies or cupcakes or anything.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Chef Pat @ CFL

Got Milk? No, Really...

                Milk, it's a controversial product of the modern age.  Some say that humans were never intended to consume dairy products, some say that organic is best, while others say that raw milk is the only way to go. So, what do you do with all of these options, especially when the folks that are providing the information are so passionate about their positions.  More importantly, who is funding the research behind each statement about their version of the "truth" about milk and dairy products in general? 

 

                Let's take a step back and look at how milk is handled in today's western culture and mindset.  First off, we need to understand that if a cow has been given antibiotics, the farmer cannot sell its milk.  So all of the advertisements that you see in grocery stores boasting about "No Antibiotics", is nonsense, for no reason other than it's illegal to do otherwise. 

 

                Another fact that is important to know is that mass produced milk does have hormones in it.  You see, for a cow to produce milk it needs to have given birth recently, if not then a farmer will give the cow hormones, in this case estrogen, to trick the cow's body into producing milk.  There are many studies that reveal the negative effects of an abnormal amount of estrogen in our diets.

 

                For instance, elevated estrogen levels in young girls is thought to be the reason that the breast size of developing girls has increased significantly over the last 20 years.  Girls are starting puberty younger than ever and that too is linked to the elevated estrogen levels that they are exposed to.  Young boys on the other hand are hitting puberty later and the need for testosterone supplements in adults is at an all time high.  Again, this is linked directly to the use of hormones in our food products.

 

                There is much more to be learned about the negative side effects of estrogen and the commercial production of milk.  I could write pages upon pages of information regarding milk production and estrogen but I think that you get the point.  However, if you'd like more info, here is a great link and here is another.  Both are worth taking the time to read.

 

                Putting aside the estrogen issue, there are a few other processes that commercial milk is required to go through prior to being bottled and put on a shelf in your local grocery that deserve mentioning.  Pasteurization and Homogenization.  Pasteurization is the process of heating the milk to either 135 or 145 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on whether its pasteurized(EHT) or ultra pasteurized (UHT).  This process kills any bacteria that may harm us. Homogenization is the process of breaking the fat (cream) into uniform sizes to ensure a smooth and creamy texture upon consumption.  Sounds like a good idea right?  Well, maybe, maybe not...

 

                Milk directly from a cow is teaming with life.  There are loads of bacteria and enzymes that make drinking milk a cornerstone of any healthy diet.  The pasteurization process kills all bacteria and enzymatic activity, significantly decreasing the benefit of its consumption.  Homogenization is a rather benign process only effecting the texture of the beverage, however, it does expose the milk to more oxygen and as a result the nutritional value is marginalized.  Any process will inadvertently increase oxygen exposure.  The less we manipulate the raw product the less exposure therefore the integrity of the raw product is retained.

 

                That bring us to raw milk.  There are volumes of pages on the internet that will tout the praises of raw milk.  Loads of ancedotical evidence that supports raw milk's role in resolving digestion issues, boosting immune system function, fighting off cancer, correcting blood pressure, curing bacterial infections and the list honestly goes on and on.  Unfortunately, it's obvious that selling "raw milk" is illegal so how in the heck do you get your hands on it?    There are purveyors of raw milk and raw milk products all over the U.S.  The legal path to raw milk starts with purchasing a "herd share".  This means that you actually own a portion of the cows in that specific herd.  So legally now you can do whatever you want to do with the milk that is harvested from your cows.  Next you will need to pay a monthly boarding fee for your "portion" of the herd.  A herd share runs anywhere from $50 - $100.  The boarding cost is usually somewhere around $30 or so per month. 

 

                I honestly believe that there are great benefits to consuming raw milk.  Let me explain why; raw milk is unprocessed, unrefined, unhomogenized, and completely natural in every way.  It is in its most basic form and that is the way it was intended to be consumed.  I will always prefer the raw, unprocessed version of any food product.  The enzymes and positive bacteria will do for our bodies what we hope vitamins will do.  Consuming organic raw milk and dairy products is what was done 2000 years ago and only since we have found a way to pollute milk even before it's harvested have we noticed negative impacts of dairy products on our health.  It's not that dairy products are unhealthy, it's that all of the chemicals and processes that we subject the raw product to is making it unhealthy.

 

               I'd be in hot water if I failed to give the disclaimer about the potential dangers of raw milk.  There can be potentially dangerous bacteria living in raw milk.  So in effect you are taking a measured risk by consuming raw dairy products.  That is why it's always good to go to the farm that your herd shares are on.  Check out their operation and get to know your cows and if you are uncomfortable with anything then move on, there is usually more than one farmer in an area that has herd shares available.

 

                So, contact your local organic dairy farmer, take the plunge and purchase a herd share then get ready to feel the benefits of raw milk.  Rest assured, they will be unexpected, far reaching, and life-long.

 

Chef Pat @ CFL

 

Here are some internet resources to help you find raw milk in your area.

http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/

http://www.realmilk.com/

http://www.rawmilk.org/default.php

http://www.eatfoodforlife.com/new-website/

http://www.eatwild.com/index.html

Sourdough Bread, Baby Steps...

As most of you know I am an avid baker.  I have thoroughly enjoyed baking traditional sandwich, Italian, and of course, our signature multi grain breads.  We have even gotten into making some sweet yeast breads that have been a real hit with our clients.

Last week I attempted to set up 2 variations of a sourdough starter for my bread for my future recipe needs and to deepen my own knowledge of maintaining a culture in a home kitchen environment.  To help me get going I purchased the book "Secrets Of A Jewish Baker." - By George Greenstein some time ago and have finally decided to get to work on some of his recipes.  As for the book, it is well written and quite easy to follow if you are interested in getting it.  I HIGHLY recommend it.

Needless to say I went with the simplest Rye starter that I could find and began working on my own variations straightway.

Chef Greenstein uses this as his basic Rye Starter. 

I'll refer to this as my control;

 1 1/4 c room temp filtered water.

 1.25c 100% WW Flour

 1/2 tsp of Yeast

 1tsp pulverized onions.

Directions: Combine to make a soupy mixture and let rest covered at room temp until it is frothy and at least doubled in size.

50 /50 Variation #1:

As most of yuo know I do perfer to mill the bulk of my own flour so I figured that I'd try to see what I could capture directly off of the winter wheat berries.

 1c WW Flour 1cRye Flour

 2c water (Filtered)

 1tsp yeast

 1 tsp pulverized onions

Directions: Combine to make a soupy mixture and let rest covered at room temp until it is frothy and at least doubled in size

Note:  Variation 1 is going to be about twice as large in volume as the other two so plan accordingly with your vessels and rising / fermenting locations.

Whole Wheat Variation 2:

This variation simply replaces all of the Rye flour with home milled WW Flour.

1 1/4 c room temp filtered water.

 1.25c 100% WW Flour

 1/2 tsp of Yeast

 1tsp pulverized onions.

Directions: Combine to make a soupy mixture and let rest covered at room temp until it is frothy and at least doubled in size

Tomorrow will be the real test to see how they do. I have high expectations so maybe this time next week, I may have some nice SD bread!  The hope is to see a frothy bubbling action at the top of the dough mixture right before feeding.

So the whole point here is to "catch" the "right" bacteria and allow it to grow for the purpose of fermenting your own bread recipe, to help with the rising process, gluten development or all three.  Honestly, for me, will I tell you though, the flavor of these breads are almost impossible to be beat.  The depth in flavor and the brightness of the fermented yeasts leave an aftertaste that is truly incomparable to anything that a big box store has to offer. Especially when you combine it with the flavors of the various wheat berries and fresh butter or olive oil. 

I have attempted this a few times before and it honestly never ended too well.  Sure I was able to get a loaf or two but at the end of the day I was left wanting.  So what am I doing different now?  Great question!  I am only a few days out of the hospital, I need to have a reason to get off my keister and I have very little other distraction.  My hope is that by me being confined to the house for the next week or two, I'll be able to focus, stay disciplined and take really good notes.  So I expect that I'll be referring back to this blog entry more than you will as my regular readers.

So, if you're up for it, join on and we can learn and bake together!

It's only fair to warn you that I do have a few other things in my arsenal.  Another book, this one by. Susan Jain Cheney called: "Bread Time"  and I also have a few of my favorite Peter Rienheart books and lastly the "Tassajara Bread Book" - by Edward Brown.  All great authors, all great chefs, all great bakers.

In regards to equipment I do have a nice bread mixer, I have the right pans, a clean work surface and I'm starting with a clean kitchen.  Our oven is clean and functional and I have cooling racks to get my loaves cooled down quickly.  Lastly I do have a decent baking stone, but don't get hung up on that.  Any brick wrapped in foil will do.  A decent internal thermometer is also nice to have.

You may remember, the last time I tried this, I ended up in the hospital for a week.  Join me in hoping for a better outcome would ya?!  One poster said that I may be allergic to wheat.  That is something my wife would love to convince me of.  No such luck on a wheat allergy, just a bad season for headaches. :-)

Meanwhile I'm onto my second feeding and lets see how we look.

Day Two Feeding

All three batches look quite frothy and active.  They are not too aromatic but I'm not sticking my nose right into the bowl either.  My feeding went exactly as follows.

Control:  Add 1c Rye Flour plus 1/2c room temp filtered water

Variation #1: Add 1c Rye Flour plus 1c of WW Flour, plus 1c room temp filtered water

Variation #2:  Add 1c  WW Flour plus 1/2c room temp filtered water

Now that the new feedings have been mixed in I'll let this sit for 12 to 24 hours depending on how long it takes for the dough to become highly active again.  Based on what I've seen so far, I think we will be closer to the 12 - 14 hour mark.  I'll let you know as soon as I get there!!

Ok, so it's been about 4 or 5 hours since I fed the starter and it has already literally doubled in size and is nice and bubbly. 

There is lots of great action throughout the dough that shows that the fermentation process is moving along quite nicely.  I decided not to feed the dough this time.  There seems to be plenty for it to feed on and as such overfeeding will actually decrease the fermentation process that we are working towards.

After stirring the starters I have noticed that they each have a very gelatinous consistency, not very pleasant if you ask me but it's all part of the process...

I'll see if I have any additional containers because I'll obviously need a bigger bowl before it's all said and done.

Diet Sodas, Juice, and Water

                Ok, I have no doubt that as you read the title of this article that you have deduced the answer to my question.  Which one is best for you?  Obviously water is the clear winner, but why?

Allow me to explain.

                Water, and when I say water, I mean city water, not the stuff that is bottled, is a great way to ensure that you stay hydrated, it's calorie free, no carbohydrates, no sugar, and no chemicals that are foreign to your body.  Now, I know what you're thinking and yes, chlorine and fluoride (commonly found in municipal water sources) are naturally occurring chemicals.  As a matter of fact chlorine is essential for the formation of most life forms, including humans! 

                A word on bottled water.  There are no regulations on bottled water so, some (many in fact) companies simply bottle water straight from the city taps and call it spring water.  Dasani, a Coke product, was doing that very thing until an employee told the rest of the world.  As a result, they then began purifying the city water through reverse osmosis to prevent a worldwide boycott.  Again, not because it was illegal, good for their customers, or sound science but because they wanted to ensure folks kept buying their product. 

                There is a marketing story surrounding the sale of bottled water, I don't know if it's true or not but it certainly is interesting.  Is goes something like this.  One marketing genius is having lunch with another marketing guru.  During their conversation one says to the other, I'll be you could bottle water and sell it!  (As a joke)  The other marketing genius says, wow, that's a great idea!  The first bottled water was sold by Evian, the word naive spelled backwards.  By the packaging and marketing alone, they sold the image of health and purity, meanwhile they were insulting their customers, and laughing all the way to the bank. 

                True or not, it makes a good point, we are buying and idea, an image; not the reality of a truly healthy product.  Additionally, the waste produced to make RO (Reverse Osmosis) water is significant.  The chemicals used to activate the filter and the concentration of toxins in the unusable water is flushed right back into the lakes and streams that it's taken from.  Not only that but the empty plastic bottles are filling up the landfills at alarming rates.  There is even a guy that has used nylon mesh to hold together 250,000 empties, placed ply-wood on top of them added soil on top of that and has his own floating island.  Here is a website with his story - http://ecoble.com/2007/11/18/250000-bottles-amazing-recycled-mexican-island-paradise/

                The point is this.  Bottled water is bad for the environment on every level, the PCBs used to make the plastic is highly toxic, the caps and bottles that are left over is an absolute waste of resources, the runoff of the RO units making the water is polluting the remaining water sources, and lakes and rivers are drying up because of the companies that are shipping the bottled water all over the world which disrupts the natural global water vapor distribution.  Let's face it, city water is healthy, cheap, and better for the environment on many levels.

                Now that we understand the negatives of bottled water let's use the tap water that everyone one of us have access to. 

                Now let's compare that water resource to juice and diet sodas.

                Let's start with the diet sodas.  Taken from LiveStrong.com " Five artificial sweeteners have been tested and approved by the FDA as safe for consumption. They are acesulfame potassium, neotame, saccharin, sucralose and aspartame. Of these, only aspartame can be digested by the body, and all but neotame are used to make brand name grocery products. Diet sodas may contain more than one of these sweeteners. For example, Diet Pepsi contains acesulfame potassium, but Pepsi Max and Diet Sierra Mist have both acesulfame and aspartame. Pepsi One has acesulfame potassium and sucralose, as does Diet Montain Dew, which also contains aspartame." - Read more at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/408129-sweeteners-in-diet-sodas/#ixzz1z7AHktjy

                There have been many studies done on the ill effects of artificial sweeteners and in NY there is one that states that "if you drink one diet soda a day you increase your risk for a stroke or heart tack by 61%".  From a soda, just one per day!  -  This article can be found at: http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/health/Daily_diet_soda_tied_to_higher_heart_attack_risk-115659744.html

                The point?  Diet sweeteners are as dangerous and toxic as anything that we could ingest.  They are unnatural and our bodies are simply not designed to deal with these chemicals.  If you MUST have a soda, and I'll be the first to admit, I need to get my Mountain Dew on from time to time, go with one that is flavored with natural sugar, not corn syrup or the like.  Natural is ALWAYS better!

                Now let's look at juice.  When I mention juice, I am not talking about squeezing your own juice from your own organically raised fruits.  I'm talking about store bought juice, those from concentrate and those that are not from concentrate.

                All juice is pressed using a mechanical press.  In and of itself, no big deal.  However, the reality is that most juice is made from fruit that has already started rotting and is already on the ground.  Once the apples or oranges or whatever you're drinking is harvested from the trees/bushes, the fallen fruit is then gathered and processed into juice.  So straight away you are dealing with a subpar product where nutrition has already begun the degrading process.  Once pressed, the juice is placed in holding tanks for months on end.  While in storage, the juice continues to lose its nutritional value due to oxidation and temperature variance. 

                To keep the juice stable and to prevent it from fermenting an additive is added.  This additive is not on the list of ingredients.  Why?  Great question!  The FDA does not require it.  Why?  Another great question!  The FDA is made up of former agribusiness CEOs and they make the rules for their previous employers and business associates. 

                By the time the juice is deposited into the plastic bottles it is mixed with other batches of juice that has been stored for sometimes a year or longer.  This it is sent to your local grocery store and placed on a shelf that is berated with UV light until whatever nutritional value that remains is utterly depleted.

                So when we think of fruit juice, we normally think that it's healthy for us than water because of the antioxidants and nutrients.  Unfortunately, that is far from the truth.  Not only that, but there is so much sugar in juice that it contains hundreds more calories than you would imagine.  A single serving of orange juice contains 28 carbs, and over 110 calories not to mentions the additional sodium. 

                I'm not knocking juice entirely.  There are some decent organic stores that do carry good organic juice that is very good for you.  However, if you are thirsty for orange juice, eat an orange.  The pith is what contains most of the vitamin C and the fiber is great for your digestive tract.  All of which is lost in the pressing and storing process.

                At the end of the day, the human body is between 75% and 50% water (Depending on age, body mass and gender).  We are designed to consume water, not chemicals.  If you were to cut out all sodas, diet or regular, for 6 months, drink 1 serving of REAL fruit juice a day and 8, 8oz glasses of water per day, you'd be amazed at how much better you feel, how easily your body heals and loses weight.

                So, stop buying bottled water, stop buying the regular store juices, eat fresh fruit, and drink lots of water.  It's good you and the environment.

Chef Pat @ CFL