FitSugar

Who Owns Organic Food Brands?

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:45:00 PDT

When buying organic and natural-food brands, such as Kashi and Naked Juice, you may think you're supporting small, independent companies. But often these brands are actually owned by major conglomerates: Kellogg, in the case of Kashi, and Pepsi for Naked Juice.

I was excited to find this very cool chart in the latest issue of Good magazine, which breaks down most of the major natural brands by their corporate owners. For the details,

read more. Some of these definitely did not surprise me: I figured that Morningstar Farms had a corporate owner, and I've read before that Muir Glen is owned by General Mills. However, I had no idea that the Heinz subsidiary Hain Celestial owned so many small companies! Westsoy, Casbah, Shariann's, and more. Check out the entire chart here. I'm not suggesting you should avoid these brands just because they have corporate owners. But it might help you decide where to put your money if there are certain companies whose policies you disagree with. I'm curious, does corporate ownership affect your buying habits? Source

Fashion With a Soul: 10 Feel-Good Ways to Indulge and Give Back

Marisa Tom — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:59:23 PST

Fashion doesn't just concern itself with what or who you're wearing. The wide network of designers, models, retailers, photographers, and more that make up this stylish industry have banded together to draw attention to important world-impacted issues. It's feel-good fashion at its finest - these special collaborations, fair trade products, eco-friendly elements, and charitable exchanges take care to give back, remain ethical, and promote conscientious business practices, all with a chic-infused spin. TOMS Shoes donates a pair of shoes to a child-in-need for every pair you purchase, Project Paz works with a supercool lineup of designers to create exclusively unique pieces to benefit great organizations around the world, and Rogan partnered up with its sister brand Loomstate to create environ-conscious surf totes. We narrowed it down to 10 chic ways to give back, go green, and more - click through to see all of them.

Source: Foam Magazine

Khloé Kardashian Odom Tells Us Women and Girls Shouldn't Be Shy About Their Bodies

Annie Scudder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:01 PST

While Kris Jenner is making headlines for promoting a very adult product - arousal oils to be exact - her daughter Khloé Kardashian Odom is appealing to a younger audience. Khloé has teamed up again with U by Kotex, the eccentric line of pads and tampons for young women. Khloé told me that she loves that the line is "trying to destroy the old-fashioned belief that we have to be so discreet" and that it also supports the charity Girls for a Change. During fashion week, a fleet of branded U by Kotex taxis will be picking people up at Lincoln Center and in the Meatpacking District, and donating up to $100,000 to the charity. I chatted with Khloé, and she opened up about the awkward years in the Kardashian household, as well as her move to Dallas for love. Keep reading to find out all about it!

TrèsSugar: Why did you team up with U by Kotex?
Khloé Kardashian Odom: I love their packaging, the neon colors, the black boxes, they're trying to make everything so chic, and fun, and vibrant, like it's OK. Especially if you're in high school and you're pulling out one of those tampons or maxi pads, it's not as embarrassing. I love being able to let women, and especially younger women, know that it's OK to talk about this and to ask questions.

TS: Would this message have appealed to you when you were younger?
KKO: I am so thankful that I had older sisters, because I had a really tough time in school. I was always bullied in school. If it wasn't for my older sisters always making me feel like everything was OK and being able to ask them questions, I don't really know how I would have gotten through those years. I love that this brand is almost like an older sister but on a larger scheme. They're letting everyone know that this is what happens to everybody and it's awkward for everyone.

TS: So who did your older sisters talk to? Did your mom fill that role?
KKO: Kourtney told me that she didn't even tell my mom she got her period for the first year and a half. She said she told her friend and her friend just told her what to do. To me, I find that so weird. But that's Kourtney. Kim was always very open about it, but I think Kim got hers first, and I think Kourtney got jealous. Kids are weird! I don't get what that jealousy is. I'm like, "Honey, please. Be grateful that you don't have it." It's so funny that I'm 27, and my sisters are 16 and 14. I'm not so much older than them, but the comfort in talking about your bodies grows so much.

TS: Do you have an awkward or funny memory from that time?

Find out Khloé's answer, as well as the scoop on Dallas, when you keep reading.

Will Susan G. Komen's U-Turn Make a Difference?

Annie Scudder — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:40:00 PST

This morning, Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced that it has reversed its decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood's breast cancer screenings. Under pressure from its own affiliates, employees, and supporters, the breast cancer foundation released a statement that began, "We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives." It continued:

Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.

Acknowledging the damage to its brand, it stated, "We urge everyone who has participated in this conversation across the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue. We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics - anyone's politics." The reversal fell short of an apology to Planned Parenthood for creating a policy that blatantly targeted the organization, and there is still evidence that staunchly pro-life individuals are running the show. But do you think responding to the public's outcry will bring people back on board with Komen?

Old-School Sleepover Staple Caboodles Celebrates 25 Years

Kate Stahl — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:01:00 PST

In my sleepover heyday, you just weren't "It" unless you had arrived with your very own Caboodles (I had two: one metallic purple and one half teal and half pink. Hey, it was the late '80s). After introducing its first cosmetic organizer in 1987, Caboodles became a phenomenon after People magazine ran a picture of Vanna White using a plastic tackle box to store her makeup. (Yep, super '80s.) Soon, every lil girl I knew had one, and we stocked them with scrunchies, Love's Baby Soft, Dr Pepper-flavored ChapStick, and many other 10-year-old beauty necessities.

But like my little pals, Caboodles has grown up. The brand's more-sophisticated cases have appeared on Project Runway, Gossip Girl, and Desperate Housewives and have earned fans like Christina Applegate, Khloe Kardashian, and Whitney Port. Some of Caboodles's cutest cases - it offers more than 70 products - are still perfect for little girls. The hot-pink Go-Getter case, My Style petite train case with hearts, and Two of a Kind case in purple snakeskin (prices range from $5 to $40) would make any girl smile.

Madewell's 2012 Resolutions Inspire a Fresh Batch of Styling Tricks

Hannah Weil — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:02:11 PST

Some resolutions are vows to get in shape or promises to get organized, redecorate, or otherwise self-improve - these resolutions culled from Madewell's latest looks we love are designed exclusively to amp up your 2012 style. The brand delivers another round of its covetable, make-you-want-it-all styling tricks with a look at 12 ways to reinvent your wardrobe. From new layers to fresh white denim, we're walking you through the label's adorable lookbook and pulling inspiration from each covetable ensemble. Click through to see how Madewell's outfitting the new year, and get inspired to shake up your own style routine.

How to Jump-Start Your 2012 Workout Action Plan

Heather Dale — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:45:08 PST

If you're the type of person who likes to set New Year's resolutions each year, then you've probably already come up with some fitness-related goals to add to the list. With the holidays soon coming to a close, it can be difficult to carve out some time to plan for the next 12 months, which is why I've come up with some easy tips to help you get your workout plan underway. Just make sure your list doesn't include some of these unrealistic resolutions, which are pretty much guaranteed to fail!

Get Calendar Crazy: Don't stress about filling in your calendar for the entire year, but what can be helpful is to plan out the next two or three months. Is there a yoga or spin class you've been wanting to try? Find the class time each week and add it to your calendar so you instantly block off that time. If you know you want to get back into running, carve some time out of your calendar for scheduled running sessions. Also pencil in marathons and anything else fitness-related that interests you and is happening in 2012.

Keep reading to check out the rest of the plan!

3 Must-Have Items For New Year Fitness Goals

Michele Foley — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:39:35 PST

For a lot of us, the New Year equals a fresh start, and getting healthy and fit seems to be on everyone's mind. Regardless of what your fitness goals might be, it's never too early to start the journey. Here are a few items to get now, which will help ensure that 2012 is your fittest year ever!

Planner or calendar: There's something about scheduling a fitness date that keeps people committed. Before the New Year, go old school and treat yourself to a brand-new planner or calendar. When planning out your week, pencil in workouts the same way you do meetings, happy hours, and other engagements; doing this will keep you from double-booking and help you better organize your workouts. I'm partial to one of these handmade planners from Etsy.
New shoes or gear: There's no motivation to hit the gym or running trail than a new pair of shoes! In the same way that you can't wait to wear a brand-new dress, you'll be dying to break in your new shoes. If your shoes don't need to be replaced yet, treat yourself to a pair of high-quality capris or a couple of cute fitness tanks. Check out these picks of cute and fashionable fitness finds.
Personal training session: The beginning of a new year is a perfect time to assess your fitness level and set new goals. What better way to do that than to meet with a personal trainer? It might seem like a waste of money, but a trainer can assess where you're at, know which areas you need improvement in, and challenge you where you most need to be pushed. If you can only spring for one session, make sure to maximize your time with the trainer: ask a lot of questions and let him or her know what your expecting to get out of the session. Hopefully you'll walk away with a new workout or a plan that pushes you to the next level.

FabSugarTV: 8 Eco-Friendly Finds For Earth Day!

FabTV — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:50:00 PDT

In honor of Earth Day, we’ve sleuthed out eight amazing eco-friendly finds that make being green undeniably chic. From an animal-free colorblocked wedge to organic silk trousers, to Stella McCartney’s must-have fruit print purse, these covetable pieces will have you more than ready to start shopping for a good cause! On Allison: Blazer from H&M Conscious Collection

Olsenhaus Pure Vegan 'Tokyo' Sandal - Sold Out	Peacock Feather Cuff - Sold Out
Bodkin / Twist Halter One Piece - Sold Out	Stella McCartney Botanical-print Falabella tote - Sold Out
Stella McCartney CITRUS PRINT DRESS - Sold Out

4 Toxic Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips

Prevention — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 03:37:36 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Is your food loaded with toxins and chemicals? Here, simple swaps to protect yourself
By Anne Underwood

Clean eating means choosing fruits, vegetables, and meats that are raised, grown, and sold with minimal processing.

Often they're organic, and rarely (if ever) should they contain additives. But in some cases, the methods of today's food producers are neither clean nor sustainable. The result is damage to our health, the environment, or both. So we decided to take a fresh look at food through the eyes of the people who spend their lives uncovering what's safe - or not - to eat. We asked them a simple question: "What foods do you avoid?" Their answers don't necessarily make up a "banned foods" list. But reaching for the suggested alternatives might bring you better health - and peace of mind.

The Best Packaged Foods to Shop For

1. Canned Tomatoes

Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A, gives us the scoop:

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

Budget tip: If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.

Low-Sodium Alternative Dinner Options

Keep reading to three more foods to avoid.