Below are a few chemicals often found in packaged products on the supermarket shelves. All you have to do is get to your pantry or refrigerator and start looking at the labels. If you see a product that contains one (or more) of these chemicals in it, trash it.
#1 – High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a highly refined form
of sugar. It’s cheap and addictive and that’s why it is added to pretty much
everything on the shelves. I would LOVE to tell you to get rid of any kind of
refined sugar totally, but right now, I won’t do that. (I’m still working on
this myself and it is taking a really long time. That is how addictive sugar
is).
#2 – Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Are you suffering from
headache, flushing, sweating, facial tightness, heart palpitations, chest
pains, shortness of breath, nausea, muscle weakness; and numbness, tingling or
burning in the mouth, around the face and in the limbs? Check your labels!
It’s everywhere! There are so
many other names for it, you may think that a product does not contain MSG, but
it could be in there, just in another form. Here are a “few” names
code names: Glutamic acid, Glutamate, Monopotassium glutamate, Calcium
glutamate, Monoammonium glutamate, Magnesium glutamate, Natrium glutamate,
Yeast extract, Yeast food, Autolyzed yeast, Whey protein, Whey protein
concentrate, Whey protein isolate, Soy protein, Soy protein concentrat, Soy
protein isolate, Soy sauce, Soy sauce extract and the list goes on and on.
#3 – tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)
In the clean eating world the
rule usually goes, “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it.”
Seriously?! Why would this be allowed in our food supply? You won’t see it on
the label as such. You’ll see it as “TBHQ” and you’ll never question
it because TBHQ is just so easy to pronounce. Well, start questioning!
“TBHQ is a synthetic
antioxidant that is used to extend the shelf life of oily and fatty foods. In
processed foods, it’s sprayed on the food or on its packaging to prevent
discoloration and changes to flavor and odor. Others products, such as
cosmetics, perfumes, varnishes and lacquers, contain TBHQ to maintain
stability.” (www.livestrong.com)
#4 – Sodium nitrate
This chemical is commonly
found in processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon and lunch meats.
Mayo Clinic says,
“Sodium nitrate, a preservative that’s used in some processed meats, such
as bacon, jerky and luncheon meats, could increase your heart disease risk.
It’s thought that sodium
nitrate may damage your blood vessels, making your arteries more likely to
harden and narrow, leading to heart disease. Nitrates may also affect the way
your body uses sugar, making you more likely to develop diabetes.” (http://www.mayoclinic.org/…/exp…/sodium-nitrate/faq-20057848)
#5 – Food Dyes
OK, I know this is going to
be a rough one, especially for those of you with children so I understand if
this one takes some time. Honestly, we’re still working on it in my household
too. These dyes are everywhere – and not just in candy and cookies, sprinkles
and brightly colored sweets. Check your white marshmallows. Do you see Blue dye
in there? Check your vanilla ice cream. Yellow dye, maybe? Check your jar of
pickles. Yellow dye, again.
“Artificial food dyes
are linked to hyperactivity in children, asthma, allergies, and skin issues.
They are banned in certain countries and require a warning label in
Europe.” (Vani Hari, The Food Babe Way)
If you can cut back
dramatically, that is a start – a baby step.
#6 – Artificial Sweeteners
We have a severe sugar
problem in the world. I’d like to say in the United States, but our thinking
and our piss poor food practices have infiltrated the world. Before I started
my clean eating journey I was a Diet Coke addict, so I know how difficult
breaking the habit can be. We are tricked into thinking that because it is
“sugar-free” it is better than the alternative. Anything artificial
is definitely not better than natural, but when it comes to refined sugar, both
options pretty much poor.
NutraSweet, Sweet’N Low,
Equal, Splenda – toss ’em. A better choice would be pure stevia leaf powder or
liquid (in small amounts).
Again, this is going to be a
rough one to let go off. These are addictive substances so withdrawal symptoms
are common when you cease ingesting them.
#7 – perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
This is a chemical that lines
the bags of….MICROWAVE POPCORN. So this one is easy. Go to your pantry, grab your stash of microwave popcorn and
toss it in the trash!
PFOA is the non-stick chemical
also found in Teflon pots and pans and the EPA has classified it as a
carcinogen. With no studies done on humans, the FDA allows this in our food.
Lucky us!
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