Thank you Oprah....

Rarely do I get a chance to come home and watch afternoon television, but yesterday after a day in the bakery I came home early and took a few minutes to relax and have a snack before heading off to cheer camp with Alexis. I snuck off to the the living room and turned on The Oprah Winfrey Show that was in the middle of discussing a new documentary, Food Inc. and Food 101 with Michael Pollan. I was hooked! Definitely and episode worth watching - http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Truth-About-Food-with-Michael-Pollan.
Basically, the show discussed where our food comes from, how they are processed and how it affects our bodies. As Ms. Winfrey recommended numerous times throughout the program, please review the information and make your own decision but at least consider what is being presented before you.
Both the documentary Food Inc., and Mr. Pollan discuss the manufacturing of food, preservatives and artificial fillers used in products to increase production, growth and shelf life. These manufacturing practices albeit cost effective, make foods that are genetically unrecognizable in comparison to our great grandparents food; chickens grow faster and fatter & food lasts on the shelf for months. At what physical and emotional costs?
The truth is American's are sick...food allergies on the rise, diabetes, autism, heart disease, asthma, obesity and more, all on the rise? Studies show that in countries that do not rely on the convenience of processed foods or genetically engenered farmed animals, are in fact much healthier. There must be a reason, although scientists have no definate answers, one can speculate.
Mr. Michael Pollen has written a book "Food Rules" discussing the use of anitbotics, fillers, preservatives and how low fat diet food can actually make you fat. In the book he suggests some simple rules to follow including not to eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize, for example go-gurts, don't eat products that contain ingredients a fourth grader can not pronounce or to only eat food that eventually spoils - if it's a living thing it will die.
When Sweet Alexis Bakery was born I did consider using preservatives to sustain the product as schools and stores require a 6 month shelf life. Although it would have made my job much easier, it has always been my montra that "we do not know what is making our children sick" so I stuck to my guns and produced Sweet Alexis products without preservatives or fillers. Whenever possible we use organic ingredients, freshly locally grown produce and are proud to say a fourth grader can read our labels.
With the Oprah Winfrey Show coming to an end, the hopes of the Sweet Alexis Bakery appearing on the show to talk about our delicious and safe dairy, egg, tree nut and peanut free products, and more importantly, advocate for the millions of Americans with food allergies, is all but gone. However, we would like to thank Ms. Winfrey for yet another amazing and informative show.
How about the Ellen DeGeneres Show? Sweet Alexis Bakery products are vegan, too.........................