Keeping ourselves beautiful means taking responsibility for what we eat as well. Consume foods that whole with little or no processing and low glycemic index is the ultimate method of knowing exactly what you are putting into your body. Be AWARE that food
companies use a lot of unhealthy and dodgy ingredients to extend shelf
life, add gaudy colors, and make us crave their products. You can (and
should!) steer clear of these toxic, tacky ingredients to protect your
family’s health. The first step is education. Read on...
Nutrition Facts -The 10 Worst Food Ingredients to Avoid
Food companies use a lot of unhealthy and dodgy ingredients to extend
shelf life, add gaudy colors, and make us crave their products.
You can (and should!) steer clear of these toxic, tacky ingredients
to protect your family’s health. When enough of us say “no way,” these
food companies will get the message and clean up their act.
So pay attention to the
nutrition facts! Here are
the top 10 “worst of the worst” food ingredients in our opinion (not
necessarily ranked in order of the harm they do)…
Nutrition Facts – 10 Worst Food Ingredient List:
1. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor-enhancer in processed foods (one of the most common food additives).
WHY IT’S BAD: It’s an known excitotoxin, which is a
neurotoxic chemical additive shown to harm nerve cells— overexciting
them, sometimes to the point of cell death. Regularly consuming
excitotoxins like MSG destroys significant numbers of brain cells and
can lead to serious health problems, including neurological disorders.
(The two other common excitotoxins used in food are aspartic acid (found
in aspartame) and l-cysteine, which is used as a dough conditioner.) In
addition, regular consumption of MSG has been shown to stimulate the
appetite and contribute to weight gain and obesity.
AKA: MSG goes by several aliases, such as Hydrolyzed
Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Vegetable Protein Extract,
Yeast Extract, Glutamate, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Caseinate, Textured
Protein, Soy Protein Isolates, Barley Malt, Calcium Caseinate and Malt
Extract.
IT’S FOUND IN: Processed foods like salad dressings,
low-fat yogurt, canned meats, frozen entrees, potato chips, canned
soups (including Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup), and flavored
crackers (like Wheat Thins, Cheez-Its and Triscuits).
2. Aspartame
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: One of the most widely-used artificial sweeteners.
WHY IT’S BAD: Like MSG, aspartame is an excitotoxin.
It also is believed to be carcinogenic, and produces neurotoxic effects
such as headaches, dizziness, blurry vision, and gastrointestinal
disturbances.
Aspartame contains 10-percent methanol, which is shown to be broken
down by the body into the toxic by-products formic acid and
formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is considered to be a potent nerve toxin and
carcinogen, which may explain why aspartame accounts for more reports to
the FDA of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives
combined.
AKA: NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Spoonful, Natrataste, AminoSweet, plus others.
IT’S FOUND IN: Over 6,000 products contain it,
including diet and sugar-free sodas and drinks, sugar-free chewing gum,
yogurt, breath mints, instant breakfasts, frozen desserts, juice
beverages, and gelatins.
AVOID ITS PALS: Splenda (Sucralose), Sweet ‘n’ Low (saccharine)
3. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: This is a highly-refined sweetener in which
corn starch is separated from the corn kernel. The corn starch is then
converted into corn syrup through a process called acid hydrolysis.
WHY IT’S BAD: Nearly all HFCS is made from
genetically-modified corn. It is the number-one source of calories in
the US diet, and has been shown to contribute to weight gain and the
development of diabetes.
HFCS also is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease,
arthritis, insulin resistance, and elevated triglycerides and raised LDL
cholesterol. In 2009, the Environmental Health Journal reported that a
study conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found
mercury in 9 of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. The HFCS came from 3
different manufacturers including popular brands such as Quaker, Hunts,
Kraft, Yoplait, Nutri-Grain, and Smuckers. Mercury is a heavy metal and
is considered a potent brain toxin. The presence of mercury-contaminated
caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common.
AKA: Corn sugar, glucose/fructose (syrup), high-fructose maize syrup inulin, iso-glucose, and fruit fructose.
IT’S FOUND IN: Soda, salad dressings, breads,
cereals, yogurt, soups, lunch meats, pizza sauce and condiments. On
average, Americans consume 12 teaspoons of HFCS per day.
4. Agave Nectar
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: This highly-processed sweetener is derived from the agave (cactus) plant. Most agave sold in the US comes from Mexico.
WHY IT’S BAD: Many consumers believe agave syrup is a
healthful sweetener, but it’s anything but. Agave nectar contains the
highest amount of fructose (55-97%) among all the commercial sweeteners,
including HFCS (which averages 55% fructose).
Fructose has been shown to increase insulin resistance, the precursor
to Type 2 diabetes. It is mainly broken down in the liver and then
converted to fat. Excessive fructose, when consumed in quantities
greater than 25 grams a day, has been shown to elevate uric acid levels,
which causes chronic, low level inflammation throughout the body. It is
also a main cause of fatty liver disease.
Fructose consumption also leads to weight gain, elevated blood sugar and triglycerides, plus high blood pressure.
AKA: Agave Syrup
IT’S FOUND IN: Ice cream, energy bars and cereals, ketchup and other sauces. Agave is also sold as a stand-alone sweetener.
5. Artificial Food Coloring
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: If your food isn’t naturally colorful, these additives tint them much like the dyes that color clothing.
WHY IT’S BAD: Artificial food dyes were originally
synthesized from coal tar — and now they are derived from petroleum.
They have long been controversial, and are one of the most widely used
additives in food products today. Many dyes have been banned because of
their adverse effects on laboratory animals. Studies have confirmed that
nine dyes currently approved for use in the US raise the following
health concerns.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s (CSPI)
study on food dyes, “The three most widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5,
and Yellow 6, are contaminated with known carcinogens. Another dye, Red
3, has been acknowledged for years by the Food and Drug Administration
to be a carcinogen, yet it is still in the food supply.” CPSI further
reports that these nine food dyes are linked to health issues ranging
from cancer and hyperactivity to allergy-like reactions.
A large-scale British government study (published in 2007in the UK
medical journal Lancet) found that a variety of common food dyes, as
well as the preservative sodium benzoate, increased hyperactivity and
decreased the attention spans of children. These additives were shown to
adversely affect children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), along with children having no prior history of behavior
problems.
The European Union (EU) has put labeling regulations in place to
inform consumers of the health risks, but the US has failed to follow
suit.
AKA: Caramel color, FD&C Blue #1, Brilliant Blue
FCF, Bright blue, Blue # 2, Ingtotine, Royal Blue, Red Number 3,
Erythrosine, FD&C Red No.40, Allura Red AC, Yellow 5 and 6, FD&C
Green Number 3, Fast Green, Sea Green, to name a few.
IT’S FOUND IN: Beverages, candy, baked goods,
cereal, energy bars, puddings, jams, bread, macaroni and cheese, deli
meat, frostings, condiments, fast food, ice cream, sherbet, sorbet, plus
meat and fish (to make them appear “fresher”).
6. BHA and BHT
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and
butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives used in many foods to
prevent oxidation and extend shelf life.
WHY IT’S BAD: BHA and BHT are oxidants, which have
been shown to form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in the
body. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World
Health Organization, considers BHA to be possibly carcinogenic to
humans, and the State of California has listed it as a known carcinogen.
WHERE IT’S FOUND:In packaging materials, cereals,
sausage, hot dogs, meat patties, chewing gum, potato chips, beer,
butter, vegetable oils, cosmetics, and animal feed.
7. Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate
Nutrition Facts
WHAT THEY ARE: These two closely-related chemicals are used to preserve meat.
WHY THEY’RE BAD: When added to meat, the nitrates
are readily converted to nitrosamines, which are associated with an
increased risk of certain types of cancers. This chemical reaction
occurs most readily at the high temperatures. In a 2007 analysis, The
World Cancer Research Fund revealed that eating 1.8 ounces of processed
meat every day increases your cancer risk by 20%.
AKA: Soda niter, Chile saltpeter
THEY’RE FOUND IN: Cured meats, bacon, ham, salami,
corned beef and hot dogs, pate, pickled pig’s feet, canned meat (Vienna
sausages, deviled ham), smoked salmon, dried fish, jerky.
8. Potassium Bromate
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: A form of bromide, it is used as an additive to increase the volume in some breads, rolls, and flours.
WHY IT’S BAD: It has been shown to cause cancer in
animals and is banned in the EU, Canada, and several other countries.
The FDA, since 1991, has requested that bakers voluntarily stop using
it. It is rarely used in California because a cancer warning is required
on the label. Bromide is considered to be an endocrine disruptor.
AKA: Bromic acid, potassium salt, bromated flour, “enriched flour.”
IT’S FOUND IN: Most commercial baked goods in the
US, including Wonder Bread, Sunbeam, Home Pride (but not in Pepperidge
Farm, Arnold, Entenmann’s, and Orowheat brands). It’s also common in
flour, and occurs in some toothpaste and mouthwash brands as an
antiseptic.
9. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: Produced by Monsanto, rBGH is a
genetically-engineered version of the natural growth hormone produced by
cows. It is used to boost milk production in dairy cows.
WHY IT’S BAD: “rBGH milk” contains high levels of
insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), excess levels of which have been
implicated as major causes of breast, colon and prostate cancers. rBGH
milk is not required to be labeled.
Giving cows rBGH has been shown to increase the incidence of
mastitis. When a cow has mastitis, pus and blood are secreted into the
milk. It also leads to antibiotic resistance, which is tied to the
spread of virulent staph infections such as MRSA. Hormones in food have
also been linked to the onset of early puberty for girls.
Consumer feedback spurred such megabrands as Dannon and General
Mills, and the supermarket chains Wal-Mart, Starbucks, and Publix to
phase out products with hormones rBST and rBGH.
AKA: Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST).
IT’S FOUND IN: All dairy products that aren’t specifically labeled “No rGBH or rBST.”
10. Refined Vegetable Oil
Nutrition Facts
WHAT IT IS: There are many different kinds of
commercially-refined vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil,
safflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil.
WHY IT’S BAD: Refined cooking oils are made by
intensive mechanical and chemical processes that extract the oil from
the seeds. The refining process also utilizes chemical solvents and high
temperatures. The oils are then typically deodorized and bleached. This
process removes the natural vitamins and minerals from the seeds and
creates a product that has been shown to become rancid and oxidize
easily, causing free radical formation.
These oils are also high in Omega-6 fatty acid, which is inflammatory
and neutralizes the benefits of Omega-3s in your diet. The oxidation
effect has been shown to contribute to inflammation in the body, DNA
damage elevated blood triglycerides, and impaired insulin response.
Additionally, many refined vegetable oils are hydrogenated. This process
creates trans fatty acids, which are known to contribute to heart
disease and some cancers.
IT’S FOUND IN: Many, if not most, processed foods
such as crackers, granola bars, and baked goods use these vegetable
oils. They also are popular as stand-alone products (i.e., cooking oils
and margarines).
CONCLUSION: This is certainly not a complete list of
all the unhealthful ingredients (just the top 10 worst food ingredients
in our opinion) in commercial foods today, but these are the ones to
avoid like the plague. If you have other nominees, please add them here.
If we consumers refuse to purchase products containing these
ingredients, the food industry will quit making them. It’s really that
simple. (You’d be surprised at how closely food companies monitor their
sales!)
SOURCE: UndergroudHealthReporter.com
So be sure to read the nutrition facts and
take action to protect your family from harmful ingredients that do nothing but make food risky to consume.
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