Fresher

When you’re shopping for your family, you want to make sure that what you’re putting in your grocery cart will nourish your family the right way. We’ve all been there – picked up your favorite thing to eat, flipped the package over, and discovered a long list of unpronounceable ingredients and chemical additives.  Many families today are looking for real food for their table; whole ingredients put together to form healthy meals that are minimally processed and chemical-free.

We all want fresh foods that taste great and are good for us too! Often times “healthy foods” come at the sacrifice of taste or flavor, but it shouldn’t have to be that way. At Boulder Sausage, we believe when food is made right, it can be both healthy and tasty. That’s why we are committed to crafting wholesome, natural foods that are as fresh as possible, delivering impeccable quality and flavor. When you purchase our sausage you receive the highest quality and most nutrient-dense product possible. That’s because our products are made and delivered to your local market FRESH, never frozen, and always preservative-free.

Did you know:

When meat is frozen, the natural water content inside the meat begins to form ice crystals, which in turn breaks down the proteins. The longer it is frozen, the more the proteins are broken down. Typically this process is relatively slow but can be accelerated when brands elect to add additional water to their products OR when meat is frozen, thawed, and then refrozen. Although water is typically harmless, it is often added to products as a costless filler and when added to meat, it accelerates the decomposition of the protein value (for more on the effects of added water, click here). Additionally, many so-called “fresh” brands often freeze their products for long term storage and ease of transportation, only to be thawed out in store for purchase, and then often refrozen by the consumer. This continual change from fresh to frozen to thawed to frozen to thawed again also accelerates the rate at which the protein is broken down.

At Boulder Sausage we value your hard-earned dollars and believe you should get the most for those dollars. This is the reason we never add water to our raw sausage products. Additionally, our products are made and delivered to your local market FRESH, never frozen*, and always preservative-free. This ensures when you purchase our products, you are receiving the highest quality and most nutrient-dense sausage possible. On average, the time between when the hog was butchered to the time you are serving it on your dinner table is less than 14 days. Any FRESHER and you’d be doing it yourself.

*Please note online product orders are vacuum packed and flash frozen for shipping. Because we vacuum pack and flash freeze, this helps eliminate the ice crystals from forming and mitigates the proteins from breaking down. The product you receive is ready to stick directly into the freezer for safe storage, but we do still recommend using all frozen product within 60 days for optimum quality and flavor. 

Preservatives/Additives:

Food additives/preservatives refer to any substances that are added to change food in some way before it is consumed.  Additives include preservatives for extending shelf life, flavoring and coloring for improving taste and appearance, and nutritional supplements such as vitamins and minerals. The contaminants from manufacturing, storing and packaging processes are also considered as indirect food additives.

Boiling, freezing & refrigeration, pasteurizing, dehydrating, pickling are the traditional few. Sugar, mineral salt and salt are also often used as preservatives food. Nuclear radiation is also being used now as food preservatives. Modified packaging techniques like vacuum packing and hypobaric packing also work as food preservatives.

Here are some healthy, safe food preservatives/additives to look for:

• Salt
• Folic acid
• Ascorbic acid
• Vinegar
• Sorbic Acid
• Sugar
• Beets

Here are some unhealthy, chemical preservatives/additives to look for:

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) for enhancing flavor
• Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharine, and sodium cyclamate
• Preservatives in oily or fatty foods such as BHA, BHT, and sodium benzoate
• Preservatives in fruit juices such as benzoic acid
• Sulfites for stopping fermentation of beer, wine, and packaged vegetables
• Nitrates and nitrites in hot dogs and other meat products for color retention
• Antibiotics given to food producing animals
• Food stabilizers and emulsifiers such as lecithin, gelatins
• Anti-foaming agent for reducing the formation of foam in the industrial process of liquids

Sugar

Eating too much sugar is linked to weight gain and various diseases like obesity, type II diabetes and heart disease.  

It is very important to make the distinction between added sugars and sugars that occur naturally in foods like fruits and vegetables.  These are healthy foods that contain water, fiber and various micronutrients. The naturally occurring sugars are absolutely fine.  However, added sugars are those that are added to foods. The most common added sugars are regular table sugar (sucrose) or high fructose corn syrup.  If you want to lose weight and optimize your health, then you should do your best to avoid foods that contain added sugars.

The best way to cut back on sugar is to simply avoid Chemically (highly) processed foods and satisfy your sweet tooth with fruits instead.  This approach doesn’t require math, calorie counting or obsessively reading food labels all the time.

However, if you’re simply unable to stick to unprocessed foods for financial reasons, then here are some tips on how to make the right choices:

Salt

The body can NOT function without sodium. Period.  The more sodium we have in our bloodstream, the more water it binds. For this reason, sodium is thought to increase blood pressure (which it does, but only mildly).

Sodium is believed to increase blood pressure, a common risk factor for heart disease and stroke. These are the two most common sources of death in middle- and high income countries.

It’s important to keep in mind that blood pressure itself doesn’t kill anyone directly. It’s a risk factor, not necessarily a cause of disease.  Even though some intervention successfully lowers a risk factor, it doesn’t mean that this automatically reduces the risk of disease, especially if the intervention causes other adverse effects that outweigh the benefit.  

Not only is it probably useless for the majority of people, these guidelines may even cause downright harm.  

Multiple studies show that salt restriction causes adverse effects on health:

• Increased LDL and Triglycerides: In a massive review, low sodium diets were found to cause an increase in LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) by 4.6% and an increase in triglycerides by 5.9%.
• Insulin resistance: In one study, just 7 days on a low sodium diet increased insulin resistance, a leading cause of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
• Type II Diabetes: A study found that in patients with type II diabetes, less sodium was associated with an increased risk of death.
• Hyponatremia: In athletes, a low sodium intake can cause hyponatremia, a sodium deficiency which can be very dangerous.

Types of Salt: Himalayan vs Kosher vs Regular vs Sea Salt

• Refined Salt (Regular Table Salt)
• Sea Salt
• Himalayan Pink Salt
• Kosher Salt
• Celtic Salt

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

Depending on who you ask, MSG is either 100% safe or a dangerous neurotoxin. As is often the case in nutrition, the truth is somewhere between the two extremes.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamate, an amino acid found in the human body and all sorts of foods. It is a popular food additive because it enhances the flavor of foods.  There are some people who may experience adverse effects after consuming MSG.  

Symptoms included headache, muscle tightness, numbness/tingling, weakness and flushing.  What some studies indicate, is that MSG sensitivity is a real thing. The threshold dose that causes symptoms may be around 3 grams in a single meal.

If you personally feel that you react adversely to MSG, then you should avoid it. Plain and simple.

But if you can tolerate MSG without any symptoms, then there doesn’t seem to be any compelling reason to avoid it.  That being said, MSG is generally found in processed, low-quality foods, stuff that you shouldn’t be eating much of anyway.  If you already eat a balanced, real food-based diet, then your MSG intake should be low by default.

Nitrates and Nitrites

There is a lot of confusion about Nitrates and Nitrites in the diet.  These are compounds found naturally in some foods (like vegetables) but also added to processed foods (like some bacon) as a preservative.  Some people believe that they are harmful and can cause cancer.  However, the science isn’t as clear and some studies suggest that they may even be healthy.  Nitrates are found in small amounts in chemically (highly) processed meats, and in much larger amounts in healthy foods like vegetables. They are also found in drinking water and produced by our own bodies.  

Unfortunately, there is a dark side to all of this.  When nitrites are exposed to high heat, in the presence of amino acids, they can turn into compounds called nitrosamines.  

It’s important to keep in mind that nitrosamines mostly form during very high heat. Even though vegetables also contain nitrates/nitrites, they are rarely exposed to such high heat.  Nitrosamines can also form during the acidic conditions in the stomach.

There are some steps you can take to minimize your nitrosamine exposure even further… without having to give up bacon.  You can choose quality bacon that is truly nitrate-free, not laden with celery salt or something similar that also contains nitrates.  A lot of “nitrate free” bacon can even contain more nitrates than conventional bacon.   

Processing

The word “processed” often causes some confusion, so let me clarify what I mean.  Obviously, most foods we eat are processed in some way. Apples are cut from trees, ground beef has been ground in a machine and butter is cream that has been separated from the milk and churned.  But there is a difference between mechanical processing and chemical processing.  If it’s a single ingredient food with no added chemicals, then it doesn’t matter if it’s been ground or put into a jar. It’s still real food.

However… foods that have been chemically processed and made solely from refined ingredients and artificial substances, are what is generally known as “processed food.”

Processed meat is generally considered unhealthy.  However, meat that has been frozen or undergone mechanical (minimal) processing like cutting and slicing is still considered unprocessed.  There is no doubt that highly (chemically) processed meat contains many harmful chemicals that are not naturally present in fresh meat.  

Here are 9 ways that highly (chemically) processed foods are bad for your health.

1. Processed Foods Are Usually High in Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup
2. Processed Foods Are “Hyper Rewarding” and Lead to Overconsumption
3. Processed Foods Contain All Sorts of Artificial Ingredients
4. Many People Can Literally Become Addicted to Processed Junk Foods
5. Processed Foods Are Often High in Refined Carbohydrates
6. Most Processed Foods Are Low in Nutrients
7. Processed Foods Tend to be Low in Fiber
8. It Requires Less Energy and Time to Digest Processed Foods
9. Processed Foods Are Often High in Trans Fats or Processed Vegetable Oils

Manufacturers Seeking Natural Ways to Extend Foods’ Shelf Life

Keeping food fresh, safe and appealing is the ultimate goal of any food manufacturer, but there are new challenges now that clean, free-from ingredients and minimal processing are in such high demand.

With the trend toward clean labels, consumers are carefully checking ingredient lists to find the fewest or safest-sounding ingredients and the least amount of “processing.” One of the most difficult challenges in that regard is to find natural ways to extend shelf life.  Shelf life isn’t just a way to track days or weeks on a store shelf; it involves microbial activity, mold/yeast development, lipid oxidation, flavor, aroma and color as well as usability at home. A food’s shelf life relies on such factors as the type of process and formulation involved, the packaging used and storage conditions. But in the end, shelf life extension involves additives.

Reading food labels

Product ingredients are listed by quantity, from highest to lowest amount.  That means that the first listed ingredient is what the manufacturer used the most of.  A good rule of thumb is to scan the first three ingredients, because they are the largest part of what you’re eating.  If the first ingredients include refined grains, some sort of sugar or hydrogenated oils, you can be pretty sure that the product is unhealthy.

Instead, try to choose items that have whole foods listed as the first three ingredients.  Another good rule of thumb is if the ingredients list is longer than 2–3 lines, you can assume that the product is highly processed.

Watch Out For Serving Sizes