Worst And Evil Ingredients In Food

One question passes you more than once or twice whenever you’re out shopping…

“What ingredients should I avoid (to become healthier and consequently live longer)?”

The following should be avoided like the plague, for they really can bring a plague:

acrylamides – carcinogenic compounds formed when carbohydrates are baked, fried, grilled, or exposed to high heat; can be found in anything from chips to pie crusts

aspartame – synthetic sweetener; linked to neurological disorders, among other conditions

autolyzed proteins – highly processed kind of protein with free glutamate; used to replicate the effects of MSG, i.e. taste-enhance

BPA (Bisphenol-A) – carcinogenic chemical with hormone-like properties; usually found in almost all food packaging plastics; linked to hormone disorders, infertility, and male feminization

casein – milk proteins

corn syrup – also known as high fructose corn syrup; a highly processed liquid sugar extracted using glutaraldehyde; associated with diabetes and obesity

food colors – derived from petroleum; many contaminated with aluminum, some linked to children’s behavioral disorders

genetically modified organisms/ingredients (GMOs) – includes almost all traditionally grown corn, cotton and soy; associated with infertility; may cause bacteria inside the body to virtually secrete pesticide in the gut

homogenized milk – one wherein the fats are changed into smaller molecules that stay suspended in the liquid; said to cause cardiovascular ailments and allergies

hydrochloride (pyridoxine hydrochloride or thiamin hydrochloride) – artificially produced form of vitamin B; added by companies to products in order to inflate RDA values

hydrolyzed vegetable protein – free glutamate (MSG) processed from soy protein; used as taste enhancer

partially hydrogenated oil – one stable at room temperature due to some chemical modifications; contains trans fatty acids and linked to narrowed arteries; may cause “sludge blood,” often misdiagnosed as “high blood pressure”

phosphoric acid – chemical used to dissolve carbon dioxide in soda; adds to soda fizz; highly corrosive to steel; may damage tooth enamel

propylene glycol – liquid used to winterize recreational vehicles; used to make fake blueberries in bagels, breads, and muffins

sodium (white salt) – also known as “death salt”; processed salt without trace minerals; in contrast, real salt has trace minerals that act as preventives against cancer, chromium, and contagious diseases

sodium nitrite – carcinogenic food coloring for processed meats like bacon, ham, hotdog, sausage, and pepperoni; highly associated with brain tumor, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer; USDA attempted to ban it but meat industry foiled its efforts

soy protein – one made by combining, among others, genetically engineered soybeans and hexane; used in “protein bars” eaten by many bodybuilders

sucralose – synthetic sweetener better known by brand name Splenda; contains a chlorine atom

sugar – byproduct of sugarcane processing; nutritionally deficient because cane’s vitamins and minerals all end up with blackstrap molasses, which are merely fed to farm animals; exacerbates diabetes, obesity, and nutrient deficiencies

textured vegetable protein – often made of protein derived from genetically engineered soybeans and hexane; prevalent in vegetarian foods like “veggie burgers”

yeast extract – hidden form of MSG that holds as much as 14 percent free glutamate; added to “natural” products supposedly with “no MSG”

Seeing through food companies’ sugary trick

So consumers will not freak out, companies demote sugar from a product’s list of ingredients. They place sugar further below the list to make it look like they used it more sparingly than otherwise. Usually they enumerate 3-4 different forms of sugar and then scatter them below the label: “Whole wheat, sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids.” In truth, sugar is this product’s most ubiquitous component.

Where to get authentically good food

You can’t go wrong with a farmer’s market, food cooperative, or CSA. Better yet, grow some of your food in a garden.

Purchase more food with unprocessed, unrefined ingredients. Check a product’s label before going to the counter. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably should not purchase it.

If you want to take healthy eating up a notch and eat organic food, look for the USDA’s organic seal on the product.

By Healthy Lifestyle Blogzine