What are we really eating? Hidden dangers in our food!

What to eat versus all the things we need to avoid, however, danger lurks in our food -  everything from pesticides to artificial ingredients.  Some of these ingredients are  there without our knowledge but most are listed in the ingredient list.  We all need to start reading this list each time we buy a product.  Processed food is killing us slowly but there are options.   The first step is to be aware of what we need to avoid.  Here are a few general rules and then we will get more specific: 

• Avoid foods that are hard to pronounce – usually long, chemical sounding words
• Foods that didn’t exist ages ago, like in our grandmothers’ or great-grandmothers’ day
• Anything containing soybean oil or vegetable oils. Any refined oil high in Omega 6s. 
• Anything containing high fructose corn syrup or glucose-fructose  Any sweetener that ends in ‘ose’ is a processed ingredient. 
• Anything with Hydrogenated in the name indicates a trans fat.  (yes, they are still out there) 
• Almost anything advertised on tv or media.  The worse it is for you the higher the advertising budget.
• Anything in an aerosol can.
• Anything with artificial sweeteners or flavors. Could be labelled under Splenda, ACK-K, Aspartame.  All decrease bad bacteria in the gut wrecking our digestive system. 
• Anything with any type of preservative, additive or dye. 
• Any product with more than 5 ingredients listed unless they are all foods from the earth. 
• Emulsifiers and gums

More specifically avoid: 

• Nitrates and nitrites.  Used to color, preserve and flavor processed meats.
• MSG (monosodium glutamate) – often called isolated protein, HVP, autolyzed yeast extract, vegetable powder, glutamate, maltodextrins, etc. 
• Avoid preservatives like Polysorbates, BHT/BHA, Sodium Benzoate, diacetyl (popcorn flavoring), phosphates, aluminum additives, calcium propionate and propylparabens. 
• Avoid Antibiotics and Hormones found in factory farm animals, they cause the disruption of the gut microbiome, inflammation, weight gain and illness.
• White refined sugar and flour.  Avoid anything that has been bleached.

This is just a sample of what is lurking in our foods. There are books written that list all the hazardous chemicals and additives we consume.  Read the ingredient list before purchasing and eat as close to the earth as possible.  You’ll find more great information in my book, Fight Fire With Food, Cooking for Cancer Prevention, 2019  published by Friesen Press www.friesenpress.com  

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