One of the most important stepping-stones on the path to healthy eating is reading food labels. Do not be fooled by various labels or packaging that read as all natural or organic. Many packaged foods on the market are chock-full with processed sugars, trans fats, and other ingredients that are harmful to your health. You simply cannot trust the processed or packaged foods that you purchase, short of independent laboratory analysis. This isn’t very practical, of course. Do your homework and make the best choice you can with the information you have. Reading and understanding ingredients that are listed on food labels will guide you to better food choices and ultimately living a healthier lifestyle.
“When it comes to processed foods, if it says it’s natural, ignore the claim,” reports Organic Lifestyle Magazine. “It means nothing. If it says it’s organic, it doesn’t have to be 100 percent organic unless it says it is. Remember processed foods can be labeled organic if only 80 percent of the ingredients are organic. And organic junk food is still junk food.” This may or may not surprise you, the FDA does not check to see if the Nutrition Facts panel is accurate, only if it is present!
Many food items are currently exempt from being labeled; this includes GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients, irradiated ingredients, pink slime and ingredients from cloned animals. Be especially on the lookout for corn and soybean ingredients/derivatives including lecithin. Most corn, soybean and cotton crops grown in the United States have been genetically modified.
One way that you can be sure that a product is free of these ingredients is for the product to state it is non-GMO. For more GMO information, you can download a Non-GMO Shopping Guide from the Institute for Responsible Technology. Labels that state “all organic” have little meaning without the official USDA Organic seal, ensuring the product is at least 95% organic. The official seal is your best assurance of quality, however keep in mind that it has been compromised over the past several years.
Eating healthy really comes down to a change in your mindset – choosing to eat “real” food. The bottom line is the least processed, the more natural a food is, than the better it is for you! I purchase fresh veggies, fruits and meats and prepare meals for my family from scratch. I prefer to purchase as much as I can from local farms and sources that do NOT use GMO seeds and pesticides; we consume grass-fed meats and dairy products that are free from hormones and antibiotics. I also try to purchase certified organic foods as much as I can afford to from grocery stores that I trust.
I am careful to read EVERY label listed on EVERY food before I make my purchase at the grocery store! My preference is in glass containers vs. cans or plastic.
Ingredients and Additives to Avoid and Why:
- Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and corn sugar – It is critical to cut out all corn syrup from your food supply. High fructose corn syrup is one of the worst things you can put into your body. The majority of it is made from genetically modified food and contains mercury. It has been linked to diabetes, an increase in triglyceride levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, obesity and metabolic syndrome.
- Trans Fats – Avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil. Margarine, shortening and fried foods contain trans fats. Look out for labels that read, “No Trans Fats.” Please be aware that “0% trans fat” does NOT mean “no trans fat.” A food product can still contain up to 500 mg of trans fat in its “standard serving” and yet claim zero percent (0 %) trans fats. Please note that most of the portions are ridiculously small and it’s more common that no one ever eats just one serving! This is what I call “legal deception”.
- MSG - flavor enhancer and a potent neurotoxin that can cause anything from migraines to Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. It is also hidden in other ingredients such as autolyzed yeast, glutamate, textured protein, gelatin, natural flavors, barley malt and soy sauce, just to name a few.
- Nitrates and nitrites – carcinogenic preservatives used to cure meats such as ham, bacon, hot dogs, sausages, and cold cuts. It is possible to purchase these foods without them.
- BHA and BHT—preservatives that are added to processed foods and have been linked to cancer.
- Potassium Bromate – an endocrine disruptor that is added to many white flours and baked goods that can cause damage to your thyroid and psychiatric and cardiac problems. Most countries except in the U.S. and Japan have banned it.
- Common food dyes – Most FD&C dyes are derived from coal tar, which is a human carcinogen, including Citrus Red No. 2, which is used to dye your oranges orange, unless you purchase organic oranges. According to Dr. Mercola, “Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. While the European Union has recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to inform consumers of the health risks, the United States has no such requirement.”
- Pink Slime – A beef-based food additive that the meat industry calls “lean, finely textured beef” and a former government scientist coined as “pink slime.” It is made from fatty trimmings that are sprayed with ammonium hydroxide to remove pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli, as they are more susceptible to contamination than other cuts of beef.
Did You Know?
U.S. health officials consider ammonia (ammonium hydroxide, ammonium phosphate and ammonium chloride) to be “safe” in “small amounts” and was approved nearly 40 years ago. It is used in making many processed foods including soft drinks, soups, canned vegetables, cheese, etc. Related compounds have a role in baked goods and chocolate products. It is NOT required by U.S. regulators to be included on food labelswhen it is considered a “processing aid.”
Food For Thought?
Hmm, what else is considered “safe” and what is meant by “small amounts?”
“How to Read and Understand Food Labels” listed in Organic Lifestyle Magazine
Non-GMO Shopping Guide
Labels to look out for:
