Have you ever wondered why it seems that cancer rates have skyrocketed in recent years? One of the reasons could be that Americans are consuming so much processed food.
Pre-packaged foods often have way more chemicals in them than nutrients. They are high in sugar, sodium and fat. 75,000 man made food additives have been created since the 1940’s.
It is often the additives that are used to give a food a marketable quality, such as color, that most commonly cause allergic reactions. Some of these hypersensitive reactions include: Digestive disorders – diarhea and colicky pains. Nervous disorders – hyperactivity, insomnia and irritability. Here are some that you should definitely avoid
MSG – Monosodium Glutomate (is a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid) that enhances the flavor of certain foods. It is found in 80% of all flavored foods. MSG creates the desire to eat fat.
Artificial Food Coloring is used to brighten and improve the appearance of everything from candies to condiments.
Artificial food coloring may promote hyperactivity in sensitive children and can cause allergic reactions. Red 3 has also been shown to increase the risk of thyroid tumors in animal studies. In recent years, though, there have been many concerns about their effects on your health. Specific food dyes like Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 have been associated with allergic reactions in some people.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative often added to carbonated drinks and acidic foods like salad dressings, pickles, fruit juices and condiments. Sodium benzoate may be associated with increased hyperactivity. If combined with vitamin C, it may also form benzene, a compound that may be associated with cancer development. Carbonated beverages contain the highest concentration of benzene, and diet or sugar-free beverages are even more prone to benzene formation
Trans Fats are a type of unsaturated fat that have undergone hydrogenation, which increases shelf life and improves the consistency of products.It can be found in many types of processed foods like baked goods, margarine, microwave popcorn and biscuits.A number of potential health risks have been associated with trans fat intake, and the FDA even recently decided to revoke their GRAS (generally recognized as safe)
status. In particular, multiple studies have linked a higher intake of trans fats to a higher risk of heart disease
Sodium Nitrite- Frequently found in processed meats, sodium nitrite acts as a preservative to prevent the growth of bacteria while also adding a salty flavor and reddish-pink color.When exposed to high heat and in the presence of amino acids, nitrites can turn into nitrosamine, a compound that can have many negative effects on health.
One review showed that a higher intake of nitrites and nitrosamine was associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer. Many other studies have found a similar association, reporting that a higher intake of processed meats may be linked to a higher risk of colorectal, breast and bladder cancer).Other studies suggest that nitrosamine exposure may also be linked to a higher incidence of type 1 diabetes, although findings are inconsistent. Still, it’s best to keep your intake of sodium nitrite and processed meats to a minimum. Try swapping out processed meats like bacon, sausage, hot dogs and ham for unprocessed meat and healthy sources of protein Chicken, beef, fish, pork, legumes, nuts, eggs and tempeh are just a few delicious high-protein foods that you can add to your diet in place of processed meats.
Aspertame – found in diet soda, causes loss of bone density and neurological problems such as vision problems. Airline pilots are prohibited from drinking diet soda for that reason. Aspertame also triggers the release of formaldahyde, which is a toxic poison.
Aspertame & Caffene together create a “buzz effect” that is addicting.
Propoleyne Glycol is an additive that is used to create things like “fake blueberries” found in pre-packaged blueberry muffin mix.
Propoleyne Glycol is also found in anti-freeze. It will winterize your car and is highly toxic to humans and pets.
All of these additives create biochemical changes in our brain that makes us crave fat and sugar. So how do we combat this? Think about what you are buying; was it made in a lab (processed foods usually located in the center of the grocery store), or was it grown on a farm (outside perimeter of the grocery store). Cook your own healthy meals and make sure you are reading the labels on the food you buy, and avoid any with the above additives!
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