Buying food as close to its original state of being is important to me. I think it is important to know what you are eating, where does it come from, what ingredients are in it, can I pronounce them? There are many concerns about the foods that we can purchase at the store these days. Here is a list of ingredients you should try to avoid if you can. These products contribute to cancer, obesity, auto-immune disorders, migraines, and other serious illness. Take time to do some research and find out what they are. I highly recommend buying organic, non-gmo products whenever you can. They are a little more expensive but it is cheaper to eat well and stay healthy than to eat poorly and have medical bills.
I will give you a brief overview.
Soy and Soy Lecithin-This is in almost everything. Soy is not a healthy thing to consume on a regular basis because our bodies can't handle the extra hormone boost that comes from soy. Soy in large amounts can contribute to auto-immune disorders and cause serious headaches in those that are sensitive to soy. Most people don't know they have a sensitivity, they just live with whatever nagging ailments they have without making the connection. Soy is also largely genetically modified. What this means is that if you are consuming foods high in soy you are introducing small amounts of pesticides into your system regularly. GMO or genetically modified foods have been engineered to resist pests. They do this by adding the equivalent of "Round-up" at the cellular level so that the plants will survive a pest infestation. This means that simply washing the soybeans does not get rid of the exposure to pesticides. Steering clear of soy altogether is a good thing and if you do eat soy, make sure it is fermented so that your body can digest it properly.
MSG-This one has many different names. Natural flavoring, spices, glutamate, etc. Google it and you will find a huge list of alternative names. MSG or mono-sodium glutamate is put in foods to make otherwise bland, cheap foods taste better and last longer on the shelf. MSG immediately interacts with your brain and can cause lesions on your brain in high levels. You develop an immediate desire to finish whatever you are eating with it in it and then can feel bloated and heavy later. It also induces migraines in more sensitive people. This is one to avoid.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)-Like soy, corn is mostly genetically modified (GMO) now. It is difficult to find popcorn or corn for your table that isn't GMO corn. HFCS literally makes you fatter faster. It contributes greatly to belly fat which has been linked to an increase chance of heart disease. This is one to avoid at all costs. However, like soy, it is in everything. A good place to start is soda pop. It is 90% corn syrup. As a rule, if you purchase organic foods, they aren't suppose to have any GMO foods in them.
All artificial dyes-Artificial dye contributes to ADD/ADHD, cancer, and can even mutate healthy DNA. This includes Blue #1&2, Yellow #5&6, Red #40. There are others too but these are the worst. They are not against the law to add to foods in the US but can cause real problems. Many companies are using natural dyes in foods and baking products. Look for them on the ingredient list.
Bromiated Vegetable Oil-This is in some soda pop and adds bromine to your body. Yet another reason to avoid sodas that aren't made with healthy ingredients.http://whatisthatingredient.com/ingredient.php?id=65
Azodicarbonamide-This chemical is used in bleaching flour. Don't ever buy bleached flour. I don't even know why they make it. Unbleached and organic, non-gmo if you can find it is the best way to go. Walmart sells "Montana" flour in my area and it is non-gmo and unbleached.
rBGH and rBST-Bovine growth hormone that can be found in milk. Most milk doesn't have it in it anymore. If you have a source for raw milk I highly recommend drinking it instead of pasteurized milk. It is so much better for you and hasn't had all the good bacteria stripped out of it so it is easier to digest.
Potassuim Bromate-This is used in the manufacturing of bread and bread products. Baking your own bread at home is best. If you have a bakery you like and know what they are using to bake their breads then that works too. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401144/A-Carcinogen-in-Your-Bread.html
Olestra-This goes by the name "Olean" and is a fat substitute. This stuff is nasty. It depletes fat soluble vitamins from your body and carotenoid. It is used in potato chips and its most noticeable side effect is diarrhea.
BHA & BHT- Carcinogen found in cold cereals and snack mixes. Cold cereal and snack mixes have no food value other than the milk you pour on them. We have recently sworn off most cereal if it isn't organic and non-GMO. We don't eat much cereal anyway and oatmeal is so much better for you in the morning. I have also made my own granola that subs as a great cereal. It was hard to go off cold cereal but it has been worth the health benefits to be done with it. We have a real breakfast at our house each morning. Eggs, pancakes, waffles, skillet potatoes, oatmeal, muffins, fruit smoothies, ect. It makes for a much better day.
Happy researching. I hope this post will give you some things to think about and that you will try to eliminate those products from your shelves that contain these chemicals. I appreciate any correction if I have made an error at all.
