Did you know? GreenEyedGuide-Blogspot now GreenEyedGuide.com

We've Moved!

GreenEyedGuide is now blogging exclusively from GreenEyedGuide.com!

Check it out -->

 

7 Reasons why THIS BLOG is moving to GreenEyedGuide.com

Hello friends and followers!

As you may have noticed, I maintain two blogs: GreenEyedGuide.com, and this one. For a long time now I've been linking the two so that no matter whether you follow that blog or this one, you never missed an Energy Drink of the Month, Food Science in the News or Day in the Life of a Food Scientist post. As of December 2015, I will cease to link the two; in fact, I'll only be posting articles on GreenEyedGuide.com.

The Day in the Life of a Food Scientist series was previously posted on this blog, with only the links to the articles posted on the GreenEyedGuide.com site. As of December 2015, all future articles in that series will be exclusively posted on the GreenEyedGuide.com site. I will keep this (blogspot) blog up and running to allow access to past articles, but I will not be posting any new content or links to new content here.

Okay, but why?

The day I woke up and realized that a blog would help me share my food science tips and insight, Blogger was the first site I found that would make that dream a reality. Through this blogger site, I became the "Green-Eyed Guide", guiding people to see the world the way I do through these green eyes.

It was VERY user friendly and thus an easy start to what I consider my adventure to become more tech-savvy. I never would have imagined I'd come this far. Granted, I am still a novice in many aspects: I have no idea how people make those videos like "RKO outta nowhere", and I just yesterday learned how to make my very first infographic.

As Sam Seaborn once said, "...let's forget the fact that you're coming a little late to the party and embrace the fact that you showed up at all."

via GIPHY

While I still have much to learn, I'm happy to reflect on how I went from not knowing anything about blogs, and from purposely obtaining from (even mocking) Twitter, to strategically managing the following:

1. This GreenEyedGuide.blogspot.com blog -- for all things energy drinks and food science PLUS my "Day in the Life of a Food Scientist / Quality Professional" series
   ...
2. My main blog, GreenEyedGuide.com -- for all things food science and energy drinks PLUS links and references to all third-party blogs I write for (including FitGurus, Scientific Parent, Food Dive, and now even BROBIBLE!)
   ...
3. A YouTube Channel -- for my workout demos and Green-Eyed Insight videos, such as the one below:
   
4. My Tumblr account -- which allows me to follow Professor John Coupland's blog, "Chemicals in My Food", and to document my progress toward competing in my first NPC Figure competition in March 2016.
   ...
5. My Instagram account -- which helps me stay inspired as I train for said NPC Figure Competition
   ...
6. My beloved Twitter account. How foolish I was to mock Twitter before when now I rely on my Twitter account to engage with all my followers from all realms GreenEyedGuide, and to post links to all my content from all the sources and outlets above.
   ...
7. My FitGurus page -- where I previously posted FULL, FREE workouts complete with rep recommendations, form corrections, and 30 second demos.
   ***NOTE - I am no longer working with FitGurus due to time constraints and a renewed focus on my writing opportunities with third-parties (see #2, above)***

All this in addition to my full-time job, where I am pleased to share that my adventures into the world of becoming more tech-savvy have helped me find a role as Quality Systems Manager (#ILoveSharePoint #OragleAgilePLM...#notsomuch)

BOTTOM LINE
I hope you follow me to GreenEyedGuide.com so we can continue to discuss energy drinks and food science. Nothing personal to Blogger or to those who prefer Blogger to WordPress, I'm just cutting back some of my commitments.

Thank you all, 

GreenEyedGuide 

What you should know about food scientists who burn toast -- Green-Eyed Guide on ScienceMeetsFood

When people hear the term "Food Scientist", they may imagine the product developers, but not all food scientists are naturals in the kitchen. On ScienceMeetsFood, we pay tribute to food scientists who choose an alternate path.

Source: http://sciencemeetsfood.org/quality-signs-you-should-take-the-qa-route/

Read Green-Eyed Guide's article on ScienceMeetsFood.com

Why I'm Carrageenan Girl for Halloween

This year I dressed up as the food additive, carrageenan. This unusual (and extremely food-science-nerd-y) decision is my response to the rampant use of fear in food marketing and reformulations.

Carrageenan Girl

Have you recently been told to be afraid of a certain food additive?

Related Posts:

Fooducate Caught being Anti-chemical AND Anti-chemophobia – A Plea from a Food Scientist

 Excerpt: "I'm tired of being told to be afraid of chemicals...

This week alone, I have been told by a fast-casual burrito company to be afraid of Silicon Dioxide; I’ve been told by a face wash company not to put “chemicals” on my face (unless those “chemicals” are vitamins, natural sugars, and/or plant extracts); and I’ve had to ask my former-favorite juice company in the world to PLEASE use some alternative sweeteners instead of my whole day’s allowance of sugar in one bottle."

Food Additive Deep Dive (pun intended) for Carrageenan 

Excerpt: "

Like rumors in high school, ingredient stigmas make me wonder, how did this claim get started? Is it personal or just a misunderstanding? How did this rumor spread so fast? Is there a grain of truth behind it, and how can the subject of the rumor possibly clarify or dispel the rumor?

Do You Diet out of Fear?
Excerpt:

"When fear is used to motivate diet decisions there are three major outcomes to consider."

Do You Diet Out of Fear? Green-Eyed Guide on Health Blog

Have you ever changed your eating habits based on alarming headlines or infographics? In this Green-Eyed Guide guest blog, we examine the three outcomes that may occur when fear is used to shape food choices.

Read Green-Eyed Guide's article featured on Health Blog: Do You Diet Out of Fear?

From: http://www.ahealthblog.com/do-you-diet-out-of-fear.html

Processed Meat and Cancer -- Food Science in the News

Compound Interest has jumped on the big news of the day, that processed meat are as carcinogenic as smoking. This article is a quick, easy read and will answer all your questions, including (but not limited to):

• If meat is as bad as smoking, HOW MUCH meat? 1 piece of bacon = 1 pack of cigarettes? 
• How high is the risk of cancer for those who eat meat?
• Why do people disagree on these findings -- how solid is the WHO's proof?

 (#FactsNotFear)

A snippet from the article at:
http://www.compoundchem.com/2015/10/26/carcinogens/

That moment when Fooducate flips a coin and decides to join the "all chemicals are bad for you" bandwagon for the day.
Cue the song by Fun., "What do I stand for? Most nights, I don't know."
Fooducate can't decide where they stand... Anti-chemical or Anti-chemophobia

I'm tired of being told to be afraid of "chemicals".

--> Read more 

What is "Evidence"? From Food Babe to Dr. Oz to Peer-Reviewed Journals and more

What do you consider a trustworthy source? This is such a FASCINATING dialog! A discussion on what constitutes "evidence", and the answers and ideas are not theoretical. This discussion encompasses Food Babe-isms, whether or not you can trust Dr Oz, what's wrong with trusting a peer-reviewed study, what constitutes "proof", the proliferation of bad science through social media, and so much more.

I HIGHLY recommend this webcast, whether you're a scientist or a consumer who's confused about who you can trust or fed up with the science flip-flops in the media (e.g. butter is bad, butter is healthy; coffee is bad, coffee is good etc.)

http://www.bodyofevidence.ca/blog/trottier-symposium-roundtable

Published on Oct 6, 2015

In this roundtable discussion, academics, members of the media, and other experts in the field discuss imparting evidence-based science, specifically with respect to vaccines, genetic modification, and wifi/radiation, to the public. The conversation is moderated by Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society.

Participants include:
- Bill Brownstein, City and Cultural Life Columnist, The Montreal Gazette
- Dr. Ariel Fenster PhD, Office for Science and Society, McGill University
- Dr. Kevin Folta, Professor and Chairman of the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida
- Dr. Kenneth Foster PhD, Professor, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
- Dr. Geoffrey Kabat PhD, Professor of Epidemiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University
- Dr. Christopher Labos MD, McGill University
- Dr. Bruce Lennox PhD, Dean of Science, McGill University
- Dr. Paul Offit MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Julie Payette, Engineer and Astronaut, COO, Montreal Science Centre
- André Picard, Public Health reporter, The Globe and Mail
- Dr. Terry Polevoy MD, Founder of Canadian Quackery Watch
- Dr. Aaron Rosen MD, McGill University
- Joe Schwarcz PhD, Director, Office for Science and Society, McGill University
- Lorne Trottier, co-founder Matrox and founder of McGill University’s Trottier Public Science Symposium
- Dr. Brian Ward MD, Professor, Medicine and Microbiology, McGill University

Peanuts, Prison, and POV of a Food Scientist – Food Science in the News

You can’t use “3 outta 5” for pathogen testing. You also shouldn’t test a teaspoon from one box to represent a whole truck’s worth of supply. That’s like flying into LAX and assuming all the cars in the parking lot are black because of the 3 you saw parked on the roof.

Quick Green-Eyed Insight on the food safety aspect of the executives from the PCA going to jail. Read more --->
 

5 Supplement Additives that Don't Deserve the Hype

In this post we review five ingredients used in sports supplements which are currently the target of "clean label campaigns", removed in favor of simpler, more consumer-friendly food additives. We discuss the safety concerns and why consumers should not believe the hype and gripes.

Carrageenan

Silicon Dioxide and Silicate Salts.

Vanillin and Vanilla Flavor

Titanium Dioxide

Acesulfame Potassium ("Ace-K")

(READ THE FULL POST -->)
Danielle Robertson aka the “Green-Eyed Guide” is a food biochemist, former gymnast, and the author of “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks — How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely”. She enjoys adding gymnastics modifications to her weight training workouts, blogging to demystify food science, and discussing anything caffeine or Harry Potter related. Learn more at GreenEyedGuide.com or take on any of her workouts for FREE HERE!
OTHER FITGURUS BLOGS BY DANIELLE ROBERTSON:

• 3 Things You Didn’t Know About Vitamin B5
• Caffeine and Volumetrics: 3 Traps to Avoid
• When Energy Drinks Dress Up Like Workout Supplments
• Caffeine, Drop Sets and the 5 Levels of Fatigue

Panera KNOW-No Project: Part V of V

Soggy spinach, crunchy chips, moist bread - texture is as important as flavor in consumer acceptance. For the fifth and final part of the Panera KNOW-No project, we review the food science of the texture modifiers on the No-No List.

In May 2015, Panera published a list of ingredients that would be removed from their food. Several other companies have made similar commitments to simplify their ingredients, but it's rare these announcements address why the ingredient was in the food in the first place. This is a missed opportunity to celebrate the food science. Thus, this was my inspiration for this project. For each ingredient, you'll find a brief explanation of its purpose, safety concerns if any, and whether a natural counterpart can perform as well or better. [For Part I, Overall Response, Part II, Sweeteners, Part III, Color/Flavor Enhancers, and Part IV, Preservatives, see previous posts].

Part V of V - Texture Modifiers (and remaining miscellaneous ingredients)

Read more -->

Protect Your Meat - Food Science on Fit Gurus

BHA, BHT, and TBHQ are synthetic antioxidants used to preserve meat from degradation and lipid oxidation. We review the problem, the solution, the synthetic/artificial strategy, the natural strategy, and the watch-outs for future use of natural antioxidants.

Protect Your Meat :

Click HERE to read the Green-Eyed Guide article on FitGurus:

Did You Know...

Green-Eyed Guide articles are now featured on FitGurus.com -- it's Food Science meets fitness!
Here's what we've been talking about lately:

• 3 Things You Didn't Know About Vitamin B5
• Caffeine and Volumetrics - 3 Traps to Avoid
• When Energy Drinks Dress Up Like Workout Supplements -- Part 1: Pre-exercise and During-exercise/Hydration- supplements and Part II: Post-exercise/Recovery
• Don't Play Favorites -- Caffeine, Drop Sets, and the 5 Levels of Fatigue

♦

 Thanks for your support! 

Learn how Guarana is different from coffee, and what panax ginseng has to do with the movie Speed or the book Flowers for Algernon. Learn which B-vitamin can damage your nerves if over-ingested, and how to use the 5 Levels of Fatigue to find the perfect energy drink for your own needs and lifestyle.
The Energy Drink Guide -- your one-stop reference for the common energy drink ingredients: what they are, where they come from, what they (are supposed to) do, and how much is too much. (available through iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and more)
Show your support at Patreon (for as little as one buck!)
Visit/Like the Facebook Page
Follow @GreenEyedGuide on Twitter

Know Thy Enemy - The Food Science of Sugar on FitGurus

Understanding the other functions of sugar helps explain why a product seems so dramatically different, or why other ingredients become necessary, when the sugar is reduced or removed.

 

The 5 OTHER Functions of Sugar

Click HERE to read the Green-Eyed Guide article on FitGurus:

 

Did You Know...

Green-Eyed Guide articles are now featured on FitGurus.com -- it's Food Science meets fitness!
Here's what we've been talking about lately:

• 3 Things You Didn't Know About Vitamin B5
• Caffeine and Volumetrics - 3 Traps to Avoid
• When Energy Drinks Dress Up Like Workout Supplements -- Part 1: Pre-exercise and During-exercise/Hydration- supplements and Part II: Post-exercise/Recovery
• Don't Play Favorites -- Caffeine, Drop Sets, and the 5 Levels of Fatigue

♦

 Thanks for your support! 

Learn how Guarana is different from coffee, and what panax ginseng has to do with the movie Speed or the book Flowers for Algernon. Learn which B-vitamin can damage your nerves if over-ingested, and how to use the 5 Levels of Fatigue to find the perfect energy drink for your own needs and lifestyle.
 
The Energy Drink Guide -- your one-stop reference for the common energy drink ingredients: what they are, where they come from, what they (are supposed to) do, and how much is too much. (available through iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and more)
.
 
Show your support at Patreon (for as little as one buck!)
Visit/Like the Facebook Page
Follow @GreenEyedGuide on Twitter

Green-Eyed Guide featured on Fit Gurus -- July 2015

I'm excited to announce I've been invited to write for Fit Gurus. Here's what we've been talking about on FitGuru.com lately:

When Energy Drinks Dress Up Like Workout Supplements

Part I: Pre- and During Exercise supplements

Energy drinks may have started as highly caffeinated soda wannabes, but now there are energy drinks that resemble herbal teas, some that resemble bottled water, and some that resemble workout supplements. The evolution of the energy drink market is like the transformation of the 5K (back in my day we just ran; there was no mud, glow sticks or colored dust involved). Yet for every sport, there are limitations, and caffeine is no different. Does caffeine belong in a pre-, during- or post-workout supplement?

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Part II: Post-exercise supplements

Energy drinks are evolving, and many big name brands have come out protein-caffeine combinations that walk the line between energy drink and workout supplement. Caffeine may have a place in your daily routine, but does it belong in your workout supplement regimen? In Part I, we discussed the benefits and limitations of including caffeine in a pre- or during-workout supplement. In Part II, we evaluate the pros and cons of including caffeine in a post-workout supplement.

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Don’t Play Favorites — Caffeine, Drop Sets, and the 5 Levels of Fatigue 

When I tell people I wrote a book on energy drinks, they often ask, “What’s your favorite?” But picking a favorite energy drink is like choosing what shoes I’m going to wear: it depends on where I’m going, what I’m doing, my mood, and the rest of my outfit. The secret to finding the best energy drink for your body is just like choosing what exercise to do at the gym: it depends on your goals, schedule, fitness level, and what’s available in terms of space or equipment. (read it here -->)

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Food Science and Traveling: 5 Convention/Expo Essentials

I don’t always travel for work, but when I do, I always have five essentials. These five items ensure I don’t get stuffed up, bloated, undernourished, or worse, hangry. When I don’t have room in my luggage, I know I can find these five essentials almost anywhere my travels take me. Better yet, I know I can take these five essentials anywhere because they don’t require refrigeration or cooking. (read it here -->)

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 Thanks for your support! Did you know I also post full workout plans on FitGurus.com?

    

 

Panera Know-No List — Part IV: Meet the Preservatives

From medieval salt preservation, to witch trials induced by ergot in moldy bread, to Twinkies that would reportedly survive a nuclear blast, food preservation has come a very long way.
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In May 2015, Panera published a list of ingredients that would be removed from their food. In the same month, other companies like General Mills and Nestle made similar announcements, and more will surely follow suit. The food industry is amidst a curious and wonderful revolution, but the saddest part about these announcements is the missed opportunity to celebrate the food science.

Announcing the removal ingredients from a product can attach an stigma to those ingredients, especially if the justification isn’t fully explored. James Cameron reportedly waited for cinema technology to advance before making Avatar, so why can’t food companies talk about how the swaps they’re promising weren’t technically feasible until now?

.

In this post, we continue deconstructing Panera’s No No list. [For Part I, Overall Response, Part II, Sweeteners, and Part III, Color/Flavor Enhancers, see previous posts]. For each ingredient, you’ll find a brief explanation of its purpose, safety concerns if any, and whether a natural counterpart can perform as well or better. 

READ MORE -->

San Andreas and the Food Science of Earthquake Kits

As a So Cal native, I've been preparing earthquake kits since 2nd grade. After watching the movie San Andreas, I was inspired to discuss the food science behind the best earthquake kit food.


Thank you for watching/liking/sharing!
What would YOU put in your earthquake kit? Feel free to share your comments below. 

You Know You're a Quality Assurance - Food Scientist When....

This is a series of posts in which I share snippets of what it's like to be a food scientist. As a product developer for dry powder shakes, there are some lessons I never learned in school and some challenges I never saw coming. 

You know you're a food scientist in quality assurance when...

THIS makes you slap you head

"SHOULD BE absent?" Okay, but IS IT? Note the asterisks

 

THIS makes you smile

 

They answered all my favorite questions!

THIS makes you nervous

 

When you've seen too many recalls and know too much about certain food, like sprouts

THIS makes you roll your eyes

 

·         Add to the picture above, any time a scientist is wearing goggles but not gloves; any scientist in the movies or TV shows who takes off their gloves with their mouth, any time a scientist mouth-pipettes...and so on. This is why I love the sites http://thatsnothowyoupipette.tumblr.com/ and PHD Comics

 

THIS makes you sigh with frustration

....and finally....THIS is your mantra

http://www.redwineandapplesauce.com/2014/05/01/formaldehyde-chemophobia-ewg-and-the-most-important-thing-to-know-about-toxic-stuff/

 Related Posts:

• • What Consumer Testing is Really Like 

  • Quality Assurance and Parenting

  • The Xanthan Gum Disaster

    Ingredient Testing and the 5 Most Surprising Risk Assessment Discoveries

   

Panera KNOW - No List — Part III: Meet the Color/Flavor Enhancers

There’s nothing inherently wrong with a food company making a commitment to a clean label, as long as there’s some effort to explain the WHY. WHY is Ingredient X coming out? WHY was it in there in the first place? WHY do people prefer Ingredient X to Ingredient X-prime?
In this post, we continue deconstructing Panera’s No No list. [For Part I, Overall Response, and Part II, Sweeteners, see previous posts]. For each ingredient, you’ll find a brief explanation of its purpose, safety concerns if any, and whether a natural counterpart can perform as well or better.

Part III of V – Colors and Flavor Enhancers

(click the title to read the whole article)

 

Response Part I to Panera's No-No List

Panera publishes a list of ingredients it will not use, but something important is missing from their list.

As reported by Food Business News:

Panera Bread is the latest company to jump on the clean label bandwagon. The company announced May 5 the publication of its “No No List” of ingredients that will not be used to formulate its products. - From "Panera publishes 'no no list' of ingredients it will not use" by Keith Nunes (click here to read full article)

Maybe they will achieve a "transparent menu" as expressed by Mr. Ron Shaich, founder and chief executive officer. HOWEVER, I believe consumers would benefit much more from this if Panera was scientifically transparent about WHY each ingredient was coming out. Instead of providing a list of ingredients and building the stigma around them, how about a short statement about what that ingredient is, what food science function it holds, and why it is deemed no longer necessary.

In fact, perhaps I'll take it upon myself (with the help of my favorite dietitians, culinologists, and fellow food scientists) to provide such a supplement to Panera's list.

Stay tuned for Part II.

***UPDATED: Part II (Sweeteners) available here
***UPDATED: Part III (Color and Flavor Enhancers) available here

--- Green-Eyed Guide

Patreon, Age of Ultron, There and Back Again, and Supplement Reviews in Planning

Some quick news from the Green-Eyed Guide

• I've started a Patreon site, calling all Patrons

This site helps me engage with my followers so I can provide more of the content you so heartily crave. This site also helps me work off the payments I made to my publisher for publishing my first book, Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks -- How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely. You can read more about what happens when I reach my goals and your special prize for a $1/month contribution at the Patreon site --> https://www.patreon.com/GreenEyedGuide 

https://www.patreon.com/GreenEyedGuide

• Gymnastics vs Crossfit, Hobbit/Storywonk and Age of Ultron 

My goal since starting college has always been to help people see products the way I do, hence "Green-Eyed Insight". I've taken the insight normally devoted to energy drinks and food science to the gym, and I've started recording WorkoutWednesday videos. These videos feed my craving/nostalgia for gymnastics, and also help me respond the the atrocity that Crossfit calls a pull-up. #YoureDoingItWrong

You can catch the latest WorkoutWednesday video below. In this video, I show you how to make basic leg kicks more exciting, while rocking my Marvel T-shirt in excitement for Age of Ultron. The name of this video (and the ones to come over the next 2 weeks) is "Back and There Again" as a shout-out to the Storywonk "Dear Mr. Potter" series, and The Hobbit.

• Supplement Reviews to Come

Finally, I've gotten a few different requests for supplement reviews after posting an ingredient-by-ingredient review of Swish Energy.

First of all, thanks for all the interest and support, and second, I am planning to get to all your suggestions. Some of the products on my To Review list include a VERY popular pre-exercise supplement. I also want to dedicate a post to reviewing and discussing a group of products that are trying to cross-over into new markets (it's like when you're reading a How To book and it suddenly feels more like an autobiography).

As always, thank you for all your views and support, your feedback and even your constructive criticism.

Advice of the day: Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brain falls out.

-- Green-Eyed Guide

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