Top food ingredients to avoid

It may be a battle choosing healthy foods on an everyday basis but knowing about harmful ingredients can help. While some of the compounds in common food products don't deserve serious concern, and some are even quite healthy, there are others that should be completely avoided whenever possible. The following substances are some of those top ingredients to avoid.

Aspartame: this artificial sweetener is used in thousands of products including diet sodas, juices, and sauces. It may cause blurry vision, seizures, migraine headaches and other such ailments with both short and long term use. This chemical has also been found to cause various health conditions including neurological disorders, obesity, and diabetes. Although widely used, aspartame is considered to be one of the most dangerous ingredients commonly consumed.

BPA or Bisphenol-A: this chemical is made to mimic human hormones. It can be found it the majority of plastics used to package food products. The substance is connected with hormone disorders and infertility in women as well as disrupting the normal male hormone production in men.

Food coloring: there are numerous colorings used in food products. Most of these substances are made from petroleum. Many of these products also have traces of aluminum. Such chemical colorings are often associated with the development of behavioral disorders in children.

GMO or genetically modified ingredients: these items may be difficult to look for because they come in many forms and are not all labeled. Such products are designed with chemicals that disrupt the natural processes of the body and can cause all sorts of ailments ranging from obesity to cancer plus many more. These products may include corn, wheat, soy, and cotton, amongst many other items.

High fructose corn syrup: this ingredient might also be listed simply as corn syrup. The product is a form of liquid sugar that is highly processed. The substance is extracted using glutaraldehyde, which is a chemical solvent. This chemical is often found with mercury contamination. The corn syrup is connected with the development of diabetes, mood disorders, and obesity.

Sodium nitrite: such products as bacon and sausage are often found containing this ingredient but it is considered to be one of the many dangerous ingredients. This compound has been associated with cancer including brain tumors.

How to avoid these ingredients

Many of these dangerous ingredients are found in numerous foods on the market. To have and maintain good health, it is important to eliminate these toxins from your diet as well as other poisonous substances. To achieve this, you are recommended to shop in the natural and organic sections of the grocery store as well as to read food labels thoroughly.

Shopping at the local farmer's market is also encouraged because these products are often grown without the chemicals that are used on the larger farms. Cooking with these foods can prevent you from ingesting chemicals that are added not only during the growing stages of the ingredients but also in the production phases as well.

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, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Examiner

Jeannette Payne-Shevchuk is a freelance writer, concentrating in health and business. Seemingly unrelated, she believes the two topics can have a huge influence on each other. Although she has the education to back up her research, much of her desire to grow and share this knowledge comes from...

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