Last week I posted a funny story about how I discovered a selection of Bob’s Red Mill products at the local Big Lots store.
I received a couple of emails and comments from folks about this post mentioning that they were happy to hear that Bob’s Red Mill is a brand I trust.
After chewing on this for a few days, I’ve realized that clarification of my unintentional plug for Bob’s Red Mill products was necessary!
The fact is, Bob’s Red Mill is most decidedly not a brand I trust. While I do indeed use a few of their products and find them to be high quality, there are a number of products in the Bob’s Red Mill line that are extremely unhealthy and ones that I would never consider buying.
Note the picture to the right.  Bob’s Red Mill carries a product called “TVP”.  TVP stands for Textured Vegetable Protein, better known to those of us in the Traditional Food World as MSG loaded, thyroid weakening, backside expanding, hair falling out of your head producing, can’t get off the couch fatigue-inducing soy protein.
In short, TVP should be avoided like the plague.
The product next to the TVP is Hemp Protein Powder.  Hemp protein powder is also another product I would take great pains to avoid eating at all costs.  All protein powders contain MSG and are nothing but highly processed denatured ingestibles (I can’t even bring myself to call it food) no matter who markets them. I wrote a post about this a while back called Ditch That Protein Powder if you want to know more.
Whey protein, in particular, is extremely fragile and cannot ever be powdered or dried.
“Trust in a brand” implies that the use of any of the products in the brand’s product line would bring no harm to the consumer and contain acceptable ingredients. Bob’s Red Mill does not come close to qualifying based on that definition.
People Gain Our Trust, Not Brands
I put my trust in people, never brands. The people I trust who produce my food may have a brand of products that I use, but I don’t trust their products, I trust them. Because I trust them and understand and agree with their food philosophy, I buy their products.
It’s a bit of a chicken and egg thing.
The reason I don’t trust the brand is because the folks I trust might choose to sell that brand one day (which is fine and totally their prerogative – this is a capitalist country after all)Â to a Big Food company.
Then, all of a sudden, the brand is cheapened and its ingredients or method of production no longer acceptable.
Has this ever happened to you?  A brand you thought you “trusted” that had excellent ingredients and that you used for years suddenly was sold unbeknownst to you to a large food corporation that did a bait and switch with the ingredients?
The reason this happens is because the person you trusted who originated the brand is now out of the picture due to the buyout.  The brand then goes to the dogs even though the name and the marketing remain the same.
This is why you must always put your trust in people through buying locally or from small scale producers in other locations that you ideally know personally or at the very least, can talk to on the phone directly.
It’s another reason why you need to frequently check the ingredients label of the brands you do buy unless you personally know the owner and are in contact with them on occasion. Otherwise, you are at risk for The Big Fast One.
Big Food loves to pull The Big Fast One on the consumer. It is a favored marketing technique that explains why so many little organic food companies have been gobbled up over the past 10 years and continue to be acquired at a rapid rate.
Check out this chart by clicking here. Can you believe all the little organic food company acquisitions by Big Food over the past few years?
Big Food is attempting to buy consumer trust with this acquisition strategy.
I don’t know about you, but you can’t buy my trust. You have to earn it.
I’ll bet some of your favorite healthy “brands” are in fact owned by Big Food and you didn’t even realize it! Â Doesn’t this shocking visual help to cement the notion that people, preferably local people, and not brands, should really be the focus of our trust?
This buying out of small companies by big companies isn’t just limited to foods. Many of the skin products are now classified in that realm, as well. For instance, Burt’s Bees was sold to Clorox a few years ago. I haven’t noticed any major changes yet, but give them time. One thing I have noticed is they are paring down the line of products considerably, because there are a couple of items which are no longer available at all. Some of their products now contain “fragrance” which can mean dang near anything. It’s a term used to hide any number of undesireables. I look for products with the least amount of ingredients and only essential oils for fragrance, same with dish soaps etc. If I can make it myself, I will do that instead but there are some things I’ve gotten used to over the years which I can’t reproduce because of the expense of certain essential oils (like rose absolute and sandalwood – yikes). I still make a lot of my own stuff for daily use, though. Toothpaste with dolomite and cinnamon leaf oil; mouthwash; anti-bacterial hand washes and sprays using eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon, lime and lavender. I used to use tea tree but I don’t like the scent.
Sarah, I was wondering if you have a post or can refer to one with the negative effects of TVP you mentioned…I assume they are all from the soy? I have an aunt that has all those symptoms and more She eats very low fat with plenty of soy I’m sure…It’s so hard to help those that are set in their ways, but for all her efforts to eat “healthy” she is a walking testimony of why low fat doesn’t work!
On a positive note, I shared a post of yours (Slaying the Sugar Monster in Four Doable Steps) with an aquaintance who commented after a FB link I posted to Mercola’s article, “Saturated Fats are Good for You”. She ended up reading though a lot of your blog here, and says it completely transformed her thinking on healthy eating! She plunged right in and bought Nourishing Traditions at your recommendation!
Hi Merina, that’s great! So glad your friend is now on the right path to wellness ! 🙂
Yes, the problem with TVP is that it is soy with all the hormone disrupting, thyroid depressing goitrogens and isoflavones. The best article on this that I’ve read is “The Ploy of Soy” on the westonaprice.org website.
A great book on the subject is Dr. Daniel’s book The Whole Soy Story.
oh another thing… i saw a commericial last night about some chicken stock that is being made that is the best of the best… blah blah blah.. so i look it up.. its knorr homestyle stock… funny my wife and i make stock at home about every 2 weeks.. we make 2 gallons at a time.. not trying to brag here but i would put our stock against anyone elses and we only use a few veggies and lots of chicken bones, feet and necks.. i just cant remember the last time we added “modified palm oil, yeast extract, flavour, sugar, xanthan gum, dehydrated chicken, natural colour, carob bean gum, thiamine hydrochloride, disodium inosinate, succinic acid, cysteine, spice..” this is straight from the website.. matter of fact, i wouldnt know where to even buy this stuff.. either way, made me laugh..
in a better mood now,
-jason and lisa-
That is exactly what is in all the foods you buy and I can’t get people to realize the garbage they are buying.. even my mom said ” the government wouldn’t let them put stuff in the foods that would hurt us” Yeh! Right! I do not want to eat all that additives and preservatives.. Wake UP! America! Food companies are in it for the money only. They don’t care about your health!
You’re so right. My mom and my child’s father are the only two people who take heed to my advice when it comes to real food. My mom was trying to inform one of my older brothers about the dangers of industrialized processed foods and he told her that he believes some of the things that she tells him, but not all of it. What exactly does that mean? The sad part is that he is close to having diebetes. He learned how to cook when he was in high school, but he chooses to eat processed junk. I have an older sister who is so stubborn and set in her ways to the point where it’s useless trying to tell her about the dangers of vaccinations and processed foods. If the government really cared about our safety, then they would stop allowing toxic chemicals in our foods and they would shut down factory farms.
Let me just say one more thing. I am African American and I’ve noticed that in my family, as well as my race in general, that most people are oblivious when it comes to real food and nutrition. Everone in my family eats processed foods without a clue as to how it will affect their health in the long run. When you try to educate people about the dangers of processed foods, some people take offense to it. I am passionate about food and I feel that it’s my duty to tell people about real foods, especially people from the African American communties.
I come from a background of poverty, a lack of education, as well as poor nutrition among other things, but that doesn’t stop me from learning about real nutrition. I think most of the time people use their circumstances as a reason not to eat real foods, but that is an excuse not to eat better. If I can do it, then most people can as well. I am living below the poverty line and I have to make up for my missed education, however, that doesn’t stop me from buying real foods and cooking from scratch so that my child is eating wholesome foods. I have a long way to go when it comes to educating myself so that I can have a real career and afford all the organic foods I want to, but I do pretty good with what I do have. There are a lot of poor people who want to eat better, but they can’t afford to do so. I take it one step at a time and I don’t buy any processed foods anymore. It can be done if a person wants to do better.
Amen Neeli! I live in an area were lots of people are on aide from the government. I try to educate them on eating whole foods, but their excuse is that it’s too expensive. But then let’s go load up our cart with soda and bags of chips, cookies, and stuff in boxes, even bottled water. Talk about expensive! Then they are over weight and have lots of medical issues. I find it troublesome, but I will continue! Neeli, thank you for your response. You have encouraged me. Keep up the good work.
I’ve taught my children that if a food is advertised on the TV that it is not healthy period. Can’t be as advertising time on TV is so expensive that the food must be cheap and have a huge profit margin.
I’ll have to borrow that idea and tell that to my daughter. I like that.
This is exactly what I tell my kids. If I see one more commercial for chocolate cheerios that says “Full of wholesome goodness” (when the first 3 ingredients are corn, sugar, and corn syrup) I might scream! Society, as a whole, is taught to look at the nutrition label but few look past that and to the ingredients.
I really love your site…it makes me feel rational in my frustrations over the food industry.
Hm, that wouldn’t work for us… our kids don’t see TV advertisements. 😉 (We don’t have our TV hooked up to any reception… just DVDs and console game systems!)
What goes into your chicken stock? I have seen many recipes and tried a few and it still comes out blah. Help!
I make a roast chicken each week. I use a spice blend such as a morroccan blend, garam masala or something like that mixed with olive oil , and spread this over the chicken. Or I use lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and pepper. When I make the stock after dinner, it come out full of flavor. I usually pop some carrots, maybe celery, and an onion. Bones. That is it. Our soup tastes different each week as a result. One tip if your stock us blah– take the lid off and reduce it so the flavor is more concentrated.
we use 2 gallons of cold filtered water..we use a few packs of chicken feet denailed.. then just add a lot of bones.. you can use a whole chicken, necks or really just anything that has a lot of bones in it.. cut up some celery, onion and carrots.. fill the stockpot up with as many bones as you care to put in and fill with water until just above the bone line… stir in 2tbl. raw apple cider vinegar per gallon and let that sit for about an hour.. after that, we put it on the stove top and bring the heat up to a boil then reduce to a simmer where there is movement in the pot but it isnt boiling.. about this time we skum skim…..very very important to skum skim.. just use a slotted spoon and scrape off any foam that rises to the surface..shouldnt be much but get it out.. get the temp right, add a handful of peppercorns and just let it sit.. we have gone up to 24 hours on our chicken stock.. for ours, if we use pieces that have a lot of meat on them, once the meat is cooked we will pull it and eat it.. just drop the bones right back in.. by the time we are done our stock is usually a dark yellowish color.. we strain out everything that we put in to it and add salt to taste.. then pour in to freezer jars and save.. some people take the fat layer off of the top for chicken base but we usually leave ours on.. it taste good in the stock to us..
we use only organic veggies and our chicken is always local and freerange.. we buy from the chicken farmer at the market on saturdays.. what goes in really does change what comes out always remember that..
we make it all the time so if anyone reading this has any suggestions, were always up for trying something new.. hope this works for you..
-jason and lisa-
Lol… we were posting at the same time, and the exact same method! It’s awesome stuff!!!
hey jane, i posted under the wrong one but i was writing to you.. sorry.. its just below..
-jason and lisa-
I don’t really use a recipe, but here is how I do it. Use lots of bones, either from roasted chickens or raw necks and backs. Save them in the freezer until you have enough to make stock. Put them in the pot, just cover with water, add a splash or two of raw apple cider vinegar, put the lid on, and let it sit for 30 min. to an hour.
Turn on the heat, and slowly bring it to a simmer. Skim off all foam and scum that floats to the top. Add a few roughly chopped carrots, celery stalks and a quartered onion. I usually throw in several crushed garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and some peppercorns too. Do NOT let it boil!! Keep it at a minimal simmer for 24 hours.
I usually put the lid on, and turn off the burner when I go to bed, then start it up again the next morning. After 24 hours, strain it. You should have a rich, golden colored broth. However, the key to awesome flavor is proper salting!
Either salt it to taste after straining, or when you use it. It will be blah without enough salt. Use sea salt. I’ve really found this step to be vital to a good soup or whatever I’m using the stock to make. Think about what is in boullion or canned broth… salt, and lots of it. I’m not saying to go overboard, but don’t be afraid to salt it to taste with quality sea salt. Hope this helps, and good luck!
You know we have been trying to teach out oldest about food and nutrition before he goes to college. He eats what we have in the house but when he leaves home he’ll need to shop for himself more (he’ll still have a meal plan). I always tell him, don’t buy things with ingredients your mom doesn’t have in the kitchen.
@ Merina, thanks for that! I will read it. It’s waiting in my inbox 🙂 I am always concerned with opening statements, though, and the mood they set, but I guess that’s the whole point!
I love your blog! I am always learning something new. Thanks for all that you do!
Sarah,
What Bob’s Red Mill products have you used in the past and enjoyed?
I use the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, organic rice cereal, and organic rolled oats.
That’s why I just eat raw fruits and vegetables
wow… also, thanks to SB510, the government is after our farmers markets.. lets see how long they last.. when you do get a good company that is large and doesnt sell out, the government finds a way to shut them down.. (morningland dairy)… but thats all fine, we are just going to raise our kids on food that we grow on our own land and make sure that they arent pricked up with vaccinations..at least that i still have a say so on what is injected in to my child.. oh wait…….. more change on the horizon… from what i can tell, if a bill goes up in any state….any state at all; if it is against the people and their best interest, it will pass..and if it passes in one place, it will pass in all others in time.. we talk a bit about minor civil disobedience but it looks to me we need an all out revolution.. but i better be careful, fbi might show up at my doorstep and tell me to calm down, i look too angry while i attend a peaceful protest; and they need to make sure i dont have plans on hurting anyone… (hopefully you’ve seen the video)
very upset with the way our country is looking,
-jason and lisa-
p.s. this is the best run-on sentance ive heard in a bit..
TVP stands for Textured Vegetable Protein, better known to those of us in the Traditional Food World as as MSG loaded, thyroid weakening, backside expanding, hair falling out of your head producing, can’t get off the couch fatigue inducing soy protein.
I’m taking a cue from Joel Salatin with that sentence. He cracks me up with his run-on sentences that are so incredibly entertaining. 🙂
Ilana, her post clarifies that point. Basically that the person is to be trusted but the brand can be sold and reformulated without any noticable label changes. If you read the post, you would be in agreement.
That was eye-opening! I am sharing this!