Ditch The Chemicals Start The Year Off Healthy

Five wooden spoons filled with colorful spices on a wooden surface.

Many people have no idea what ingredients exist in their foods. Have you read the labels? Do you shop at “regular” grocery stores where chemicals and additives abound? Why not start the year off by taking care to read labels and investigate the damage that some foods–that are not actually real food–can do to your body?

ARTIFICIAL DYES

Most countries in the world have banned artificial dyes. Unfortunately, We here in America still allow these dangerous ingredients to be in some foods. There are many articles that share the dangers of artificial dyes. Here is one: https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/2010/06/artificial-colors-are-they-safe

The most commonly used artificial dyes are: red #40, yellow #5 and blue #1. There are, however, many more. Everything from hyperactivity to cancer (and many disorders and diseases in between) are exacerbated by these colored dyes. Why not choose foods that use natural, real foods to add color? Take a look, as we compare common brands of foods with foods from companies who use natural and organic ingredients. What do you see?

CANDY

Common Brand Red Licorice

Corn syrup, wheat flour, sugar, cornstarch, contains 2% or less of: palm oil, salt, artificial flavor, glycerin, citric acid, potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial color (red 40), and soy lecithin.

Not only does it have red 40, it also has artificial flavors, preservatives and a host of other ingredients that do not belong in your body!

Natural Brand Red Licorice

Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Sugar, Corn Syrup, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Vegetable Glycerin, Sunflower Oil, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Strawberry Juice Concentrate, Elderberry Extract, Licorice Root Extract.

Real fruit! Nothing artificial! Even some organic ingredients!

Another Natural Brand Red Licorice

Wheat Flour, Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Water, Glycerin, Rice Bran Oil, Natural Strawberry Flavor, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Salt, Color (Fruit and Vegetable Juice Concentrates), Licorice Extract

Instead of corn syrup, they use another form of sugar syrup, but no artificial ingredients, colored by real fruits and vegetables!

YOGURT

Popular Brand of Yogurt

Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Kosher Gelatin, Corn Starch, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate Added to Maintain Freshness, Sucralose, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Acesulfame Potassium, Yogurt Cultures (L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, L. acidophilus), Vitamin A Acetate, Yellow #5, Blue #1, Vitamin D3.

Not one, but two artificial dyes as well as preservatives and other words you do not recognize, with a spattering of artificial flavors.

Leading Brand of Healthy Yogurt

Nonfat Yogurt (Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk). Contains Milk. Contains Live And Active Cultures: S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus And L. Casein.

Not one single artificial ingredient. No added sugar. No other strange ingredients. No artificial sugar. Less is more!

OTHER CHEMICALS IN FOOD

Do you see BHA, BHT and TBHQ listed in products on your pantry shelf? Time to toss them and find out why they cause harm. They are commonly found in fast foods, cereals, gum, processed foods, drink mixes, snack foods, candy, and many other products that many Americans purchase. What are they you ask? Check out some details here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bha-and-bht-a-case-for-fr_b_4475967 and https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/potential-tbhq-dangers

BHA or butylated hydroxyanisole is a synthetic antioxidant, which is used to prevent fats from going rancid. It is also a defoaming agent in yeast.

BHT or butylated hydroxytoluene also stabilizes fats. It is put into foods to help retain food smells, colors and flavors.

TBHQ is similar to the above mentioned toxins. It is used to prevent food from becoming rancid and extend their shelf life. Foods are meant to be consumed, not live on a shelf for months and months.

According to the folks at Feingold Association of the United States, http://www.feingold.org/Research/bht.php, it has been proven that these ingredients are carcinogenic, can cause organ damage, cause chronic neurotoxic effects, decreased learning, sleep disorders, allergic reactions, vision disturbances and more.

WHICH CEREAL WOULD YOU PICK?

Popular Brand:

Whole Grain Oat Flour, Sugar, Corn Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Rice Flour, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Disodium Phosphate, Reduced Iron, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, BHT (A Preservative), Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid*.

Not only does this have BHT, but it has artificial colors and other odd ingredients!

Healthy brand:

Sevan Whole Grains and Sesame Blend Whole Hard Red Wheat, Whole Brown Rice, Whole Oaks, Whole Barley, Whole Triticate, Whole Rye, Whole Buckwheat, Sesame Seeds.

Are you wondering where the sugar is? What about all the words you don’t recognize–none of them are there either!

The old saying, “You Are What You Eat” rings true. Ring in the New Year with healthy eating. Change your eating habits and those of your family members. Read labels… know what goes into your bodies! Changing what you eat has helped many people avoid medications. Give it a try, you have nothing to lose except feeling better and being healthier!

Barrie Silberberg is the author of The Autism & ADHD Diet: A Step-by- Step Guide To Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) And Others Interventions.

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This post originally appeared on our January/February 2018 Magazine