Food companies use lots of unhealthful and
dodgy ingredients to extend shelf life, add gaudy colors, and make all of us
crave their products. You should steer well clear of these toxic, tacky
ingredients to protect both you and your family’s health. When enough of us say
“no way,” these food companies will get the message and maybe clean up their
act.
Here are the top 10 “worst of the worst” food
ingredients in my opinion (though they are not necessarily ranked in the order
of the harm they do to the human (and animal) body)…
Agave
Nectar or Agave Syrup is
highly-processed sweetener is derived from the agave (cactus) plant. Most agave
sold in the US comes from Mexico.
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.
Also goes
by the names of: Ice cream, energy bars
and cereals, ketchup and other sauces. Agave is also sold as a stand-alone
sweetener.
Artificial Food Coloring: If your food isn’t
naturally colorful, these additives tint them much like the dyes that color
clothing.
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.
Also goes
by the names of: 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.
Where is
it: 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”).
Aspartame: One of the most widely-used artificial sweeteners.
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.
Also goes
by the names of: NutraSweet, Equal,
Canderel, Spoonful, Natrataste, AminoSweet, Splenda (Sucralose), Sweet ‘n’ Low
(saccharine)plus others.
Where is
it: 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.
BHA
and BHT: Butylated hydroxyanisole
(BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives used in many foods
to prevent oxidation and extend shelf life.
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 is
it: In packaging
materials, cereals, sausage, hot dogs, meat patties, chewing gum, potato chips,
beer, butter, vegetable oils, cosmetics, and animal feed.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) 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.
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.
Also goes
by the names of: Corn sugar,
glucose/fructose (syrup), high-fructose maize syrup inulin, iso-glucose, and
fruit fructose.
Where is
it: Soda, salad
dressings, breads, cereals, yogurt, soups, lunch meats, pizza sauce and
condiments. On average, Americans consume 12 teaspoons of HFCS per day.
Monosodium
Glutamate (MSG)This is an amino acid used as a flavor-enhancer in processed
foods (one of the most common food additives).
This nasty one is an known as an 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.
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.
Where is
it: 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).
Potassium
Bromate: A form of bromide,
it is used as an additive to increase the volume in some breads, rolls, and
flours.
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.
Also goes
by the names of: Bromic acid, potassium
salt, bromated flour, “enriched flour.”
Where is
it: 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.
Recombinant
Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH): 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.
“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.
Also goes
by the names of: Recombinant bovine
somatotropin (rBST).
Where is
it: All dairy products
that aren’t specifically labeled “No rGBH or rBST.”
Refined
Vegetable Oil: There are many
different kinds of commercially-refined vegetable oils, including soybean oil,
corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil.
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.
All of 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.
Where is
it: 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).
Sodium
Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate: These two closely-related
chemicals are used to preserve meat.
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%.
Also goes
by the names of: Soda niter, Chile
saltpeter
Where is
it: 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.
If we as 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!) “Voting” with your money is a powerful and immediate way to
influence the quality of food in the supermarket. The less you spend on these
products the faster things will change!
MY CONCLUSION: This is not a
complete list of all the unhealthful ingredients (just the overall top 10 worst
food ingredients) in commercial foods today, but these are the ones to avoid
like the plague. If you have other nominees, please let me know.
As always, be safe!
-Bird
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