Over the last 30+ years, chemicals have found their way into most of our "food" making many people (including yours truly) question its safety. The fact that there has been an increase of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease in our nation may just be a coincidence, but somehow my gut (and many research studies) is telling me otherwise.
Other countries have wizen-ed up. For example, in the UK, if a product contains food dyes, they are required to put a warning label on it. Companies (including American companies like KRAFT) have found ways to produce their products without using the additives in question, to avoid negative labeling. Over here in the US? Its business as usual. The more additives, the better, it seems.
(You can read more about an effort to get KRAFT to stop adding dyes to food marketed towards children here).
Whether you are someone who is wanting to eat a more healthy diet, or simply trying to lose a few pounds, I urge you to stop looking at the nutrition facts and instead start reading the ingredients. Many of our favorite "food" items consist of more chemicals than actual food.
Here is a list of some common chemicals you have probably ingested recently:
List
of Common Additives (AVOID)
This list is by no means all-inclusive – it is
meant to
give you an idea of how harmful our “food”
has become.
Carrageenan
– known carcinogen
Aspartame
– is linked to diabetes, auto-immune disorders, depression (which
can cause you to eat more) birth defects and several forms of cancer.
*(Products containing it have a warning printed on the label &
it's considered one of the most dangerous substances allowed in our
food supply ).
Red
#40, Red #3, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Blue #1: known
carcinogens & cause allergic reactions
High
Fructose Corn Syrup: a GMO
(corn)
Maltodextrin:
a GMO (corn)
Citric
Acid: a GMO (corn)
Carmel
Color: completely artificial, carcinogen known to cause liver,
lung & thyroid tumors in mice.
Sucralose
(splenda): chemically derived &
no nutritional value – likely dangerous
Caffeine:
over consumption causes addiction & adrenal fatigue (more pop
than coffee – combined with sugar)
Sodium
Benzoate: increases hyperactivity in children & when combined
with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) it can form a carcinogen, kill DNA
cells & accelerate aging.
Natural
Flavors: Not regulated. Food
scientists can engineer natural flavors to cause the inability to
stop eating or drinking. All of the Coca-Cola products listed above
have added natural flavors. These flavors scientists synthesize
trick your mind into wanting more and more. They don’t want you to
have the full essence of the strawberry or real coconut – they want
you to only experience the best 1 millionth part of the taste – so
you get “addicted” and keep having to go back for more and more,
searching continuously for gratification – eating more of that
product which in turns fills Coca-Cola’s pocket, as well as other
big food companies.
From
Concentrate: The juice is
heated down to syrup and then reconstituted with water. To keep
the flavor consistent – they have to add back in natural flavors
and what you end up with is an inferior product that is a mix of
several different species of fruit that have lost their original
integrity, taste and nutrition.
Cellulose:
wood pulp; used as a filler in
processed food & can't be digested
Erythritol
– a sugar alcohol the body does not easily digest & is linked
to diarrhea, headache & other intestinal disorders
Acesulfmae
Potassium – negatively effects thyroid gland (which in turn
messes with your metabolism) and is likely a carcinogen.
GMO's:
linked to obesity, insulin
regulation, toxicity, fertility issues, allergic reactions &
cancer
Monosodium
Glutamate (MSG): linked to
obesity, eye damage, headaches, fatigue & disorientation,
depression, numbness, burning sensation, tingling, facial pressure or
tightness, chest pain or difficulty breathing, nausea, rapid
heartbeat, drowsiness, weakness.
Proplyene
Glycol: derived from petroleum
& key chemical in anti-freeze.
Azodicarbonamide:
causes asthmatic symptoms, increases food sensitivities & is
banned in U.K., Europe & Australia.
Cheap
Oils (soy, canola, corn): full
of Omega 6 fatty acids which increase the risk of inflammation, heart
disease, obesity, prostate & bone cancer.
Even though I've become fairly vigilant about reading the ingredients on packaged food, there are still some nasty chemicals that sneak their way into my house from time to time. Here are some of the sneakiest:
* Baking Powder - go check yours now. Does it have aluminum? Some do, some don't. You don't want it.
* Vanilla Extract - even the "real" stuff often has propylene glycol. Yuck.
*Seasonings - It was a full year before I realized that one of our favorite Greek seasoning blends contains monosodium glutamate. Yeah, that's fancy talk for MSG.
*Pickles - Yellow #5 anyone? How about a side of Blue #1? Btw, these are added just for looks.
My point here, is to check everything. It may seem excessive at first, but you never know where those sneaky little chemicals are hiding. After awhile, you'll learn what brands you can generally trust (but still check labels - I've had brands switch things up on me).
Have you been surprised to find chemicals in any of your food?
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