At Organic Garage we believe that food should be “real” and “healthy” with NO unnatural ingredients.

Partially hydrogenated oils are chemically manipulated liquid oils that are solid at room temperature.  Hydrogenated oils are typically sold as shortening and margarine.  They are found in hundreds of packaged grocery products and are used to increase the shelf life and stability of foods.  Hydrogenated oil creates dangerous fats known as trans fats.  If hydrogenated oils are present, you will most likely see “partially hydrogenated oils” listed on the label.  Trans fats have been shown to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood, lower HDL (good) (cholesterol) in the blood, cause heart disease or strokes and contribute to diabetes.

At Organic Garage, we believe food should be "real" and "healthy" without the addition of high fructose corn syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a clear, colourless, highly processed liquid.  HFCS is used as a sweetener in many processed foods because thanks in part to large agricultural subsidies to the corn industry, it’s cheaper than sugar.  That means HFCS is everywhere, even in products you wouldn’t expect to see it in.

HFCS is comprised of two sugars; fructose and glucose – but HFCS is very different than table sugar.

In HFCS, the glucose and fructose are not bound together, resulting in “free” sugars.  Table sugar is a disaccharide with a bond between its glucose and fructose.  The difference sounds small, but HFCS is not something you could make in your kitchen.  In fact, it takes several steps with enzymatic chemical reactions and bacteria attached to rods to create. 

Why is HFCS Unhealthy?

The corn industry tells you that HFCS is ok “in moderation”.  However, that is nearly impossible with food from a conventional grocery store.  It is in ketchup, bread, granola bars, flavoured yogurt, frozen treats etc. 

A recent study suggested that HFCS may contribute to increased weight, increased abdominal fat and increased triglyceride levels in the blood more rapidly than table sugar.

At Organic Garage we believe that food should be “real” and “healthy” with NO unnatural ingredients.

For centuries, humans used natural preservatives like salt, vinegar and sugar in order to preserve and improve the taste of meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. 

However everything changed in the 20th century when artificial ingredients replaced their natural counterparts.

Artifical means “not natural”.  Artificial ingredients are made through human manipulation.  Most artificial ingredients are derived from petroleum, coal tar or corn processing.  Artificial ingredients were introduced into the food supply in order to extend shelf life and reduce the cost of food.  These ingredients have no nutritive value and can be found in almost everything on the shelf in a conventional grocery store. 

Artificial ingredients include artificial sweeteners and artificial coloring, including food dye and artificial preservatives.  

Flavourings are focused on altering or enhancing the flavours of natural food products or creating flavour for food products that do not have the desired flavours such as candies and other snacks.

Artificial substances are typically produced by fractional distillation and additional chemical manipulation of naturally sourced chemical or from crude oil or coal tar.

At Organic Garage, we believe food should be "real" and "healthy" with NO unnatural ingredients.

Synthetic growth hormones became popular during the 20th century because it accelerated weight gain in beef cattle so that the cows could get to market faster.  Synthetic growth hormones also increase milk production in dairy cows.

Most conventional beef cattle in feedlots are given growth hormones.  While growth hormones are most effective when given in the ear, most ranchers give the injections into the muscle, which means that more of the hormone makes it into the food that we eat.

Animal by-products are any part of the animal considered not fit for human consumption.  This includes animal brains, stomachs, necks, feet, bones, heads, intestines or feathers.  Animal by-products are used because they are considered a cheap source of protein.  There are no quality standards for animal by-products.  Much of what goes into animal by-products has been presented to the meat packing plant as dead, dying, deceased or disabled.  Animal by-products are most commonly found in animal feed, pet food, medicinal products and cosmetics.  Animal by-products have been linked to disease in animals, including mad cow disease. 

At Organic Garage, we believe food should be "real" and "healthy" with NO unnatural ingredients.

Bleaching flour involves using chlorine gas to artificially age flour.  It whitens the flour, which gets it to the shelf faster.  When chlorine gas is added to flour, it reacts with some of the proteins in the flour, which produces a by-product named alloxan.

Bromated flour is treated with potassium bromate.  The potassium bromate is a maturing agent that allows for the development of gluten in dough to make the dough stronger.  It also whitens the flour.  However if given time to age, flour will naturally whiten, and gluten levels will naturally improve.