Yuka - Useful Phone App

[Daisy]

In another thread we have been discussing ingredients in food that become a problem and need to be avoided, eg chilli, garlic, gluten, nuts, dairy - the list is endless.

There are also chemicals (for want of a better word) used in manufacturing processes and I worry that we all find ourselves ingesting these unwittingly.

I have an app on my phone which recognises many food and cosmetic products and gives an instant analysis of those ingredients which may be of concern. It gives a quick overall rating - a percentage, and a good/bad indication as well as listing the ingredients. It also often gives a recommendation for healthier products. It's very easy to use on barcoded items and I use it a lot. There's an Apple version and Google Play.

https://yuka.io/en/

[Daisy]

One example of a shock Yuka result was a suncream I bought when we took our GDs on holiday.

DS2 and DIL2 are very careful about what products they eat and use around the house, and generally prefer the girls to cover up than use possibly toxic suncreams. I was a bit concerned though that on the beach that would be difficult so I bought what looked like a 'healthy' SPF50 suncream.

Yuka rated it 1/100, Bad, citing Octocrylene and Titanium dioxide (nanoparticles) as "hazardous", plus Phenoxythanol as a moderate risk. It gives more details, eg Octocrylene is a common UV filter which can be allegenic - causing, of all things, sun allergies, but also thought to be an endocrine disruptor.

It made scary reading. By co-incidence a friend at dog training who has a very fair complexion was saying how pleased she was she found a suncream that was developed by dermatologists and didn't cost a fortune. It was the same product, and she was equally shocked.

[Gemini]

Wow that sounds an extremely useful tool Daisy, Thank You!

[Daisy]

Gem, I do wonder to what extent modern food production methods and extensive use of chemicals are damaging our overall health.

To say nothing of all the chemicals in products we totally take for granted - everything from shower gel to cleaning products.

[Sum1Ls]

So useful. Thank you

Does anyone follow the Zoe website / blog? All through the pandemic I entered my health on the app created by Professor Tim Spector who has done wonderful work on food. And the Zoe blog developed from that and his research.

Essentially, he and his team have been working on the ‘gut biome’ and discovered that so much of what makes people ill is the ultra high processed additives in so much of supermarket ready meals, cakes, biscuits and so on. His advice is to look at the ingredient list and if there is something that you haven’t got, or never had, in your kitchen, then don’t buy or eat it. We need to go back to pre 1970 before the high tech manufactures set about adding emulsifying agents, colourings, chemical flavour enchancers and so on.

I can’t seem to post a link here but look for Zoe podcast and listen in. There’s all sorts of well researched topics such as building strength as we age, dementia, skin health and so on. It’s all based on proper research and not the sort of puff in magazines.

I haven’t changed what I eat much as I’ve always loved cooking, but what it’s brought home to me is that my French mother was right when she refused to eat ‘munged up meat’! Burgers etc unless she’d made it herself. However, we’re now very careful to only eat meat once a week and although I walk miles I realise that resistance training is just as important. Could do with a companion though as it’s still an ambition!

[Sum1Ls]

Meant to add that breakfast cereals are one of the worst offenders being high in carbs and so many of them with lots of sugars. I now have an apple and a big handful of almonds for breakfast and astonishingly I’m not tempted to snack and full until lunchtime. The yukka App starts with a cereal, so it reinforces this finding

[Daisy]

Sum1, thank you for the information about Zoe. Funnily enough, their posts have been coming up on my FB feed, and lo and behold the magical bots have been on high alert and it's there now. I'll pop back later and read it properly, but it looks as though it's saying (with scientific authority) everything I've been thinking about UHP foods and additives.

One of my big concerns is shop-bought bread and all the preservatives in such a common, daily staple.

[Sum1Ls]

So true. t makes all our bread and has done since the 1978 bakers strike! I know Oma’s B does too.
So it’s either that or find an artisan baker…

[Daisy]

I make our bread as well, Sum1. Admittedly, using a bread maker, but no additives find their way in.

[Plantaholic]

Oh dear this is frightening. I used not to use any convenience food when OH was alive but being on my own now I do buy quite a lot of pre-prepared food. Must look into this.

[Oma]

Sum1
Being Diabetic I’m very aware of the sugar in cereal, Im not saying I don’t eat it , I like a bowl of bran flakes with blueberries on and occasionally weetabix but avoid any surgery ones , the amount of sugar in them is scary,
The ones aimed at children are the worst.

We don’t buy white sliced processed bread , I do buy brown seeded for toast and Lidl do a low GI bread roll that I know is approved by the Diabetic nurse .

But unless you make your own it’s a mine field .

We never buy ready meals ,
MIL does but we try to take at least 4 meals every Thursday for her to put in Freezer and SIL takes her a meal on a Monday,
She wouldn’t make a meal just for herself so ready meals means she at least isn’t living on sandwiches when she’s used our meals up.

[Gemini]

Plant, we all, or almost all, eat a lot of things we maybe shouldn't. Don't worry. The main thing is that we do the best we can and eat healthily in the main.

My GS3 eats almost no processed food at all, and would have zero if it were down to his dad. Mostly vegetarian diet, LOTS of fruit and veggies, some fish. No bought bread, biscuits, crisps, yogurts apart from plain etc etc DD is a bit more realistic and knows the odd thing wont do much harm. I admire them, but he's 15 months old, I doubt it will stay quite this way as he grows older.

It's good to be aware of what we are eating, but we also need to enjoy ourselves and not stress.

[Oma]

I agree Gem that’s why we have been to our local farm shop and I bought a slice of Carrot cake B bought Custard slices 😁
A little of what you fancy now and then won’t hurt .

[Lizzie48]

I never buy "ready" meals and never have done, I don't mind cooking for myself, always use plenty of fresh vegetables with chicken or fish, pulses I use regularly as well. In fact I think they will be going in a casserole tomorrow.

I don't eat much bread at all after losing the weight, my local fresh baker has Fiord bread, ( A rich, dense, dark, Scandinavian style bread packed full of seeds and with added herbs. High in fibre and protein and low in carbohydrates) delicious!

I don't drink alcohol and never have done, get enough exercise etc etc.

If I eat too much of anything it will be a dairy product! Love yogurt, quark etc. I still make my own kefir and drink a glass daily.

Then again, this is no guarantee for a healthy life, I know people that eat and drink everything and are very fit and healthy.

[Nanto2girls]

Daisy, the app,certainly makes for interesting reading.