Health is wealth. When we are healthy and strong, we have the ability to perform our daily responsibilities. We are able to learn, work, play and nurture our families. One of the most common sayings today is that we are what we eat. This means that the food which you consume contributes positively or negatively to your wellbeing. There are many types of food which contribute to our wellness. There are also others that prevent us from being healthier and actually make us feel and perform worse. Here are the 10 worst foods and ingredients to avoid for better health.
Sugary, fizzy drinks
Artificially added sugar is one of the most dangerous and negative ingredients in food. It is abundant in fizzy, soft drinks. The problem with this type of sugar is that our systems do not register it as being food. Thus, when we consume some fizzy drinks with lots of artificial sugar in them, we consequently eat more instead of less. This results in a calorie overload which can lead to obesity. Moreover, artificially added sugar can create insuline resistance in our bodies. As a result, you can suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Thanks to their constituent ingredients, sugary fizzy drinks are major contributors of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Avoid them and consume water or fruit juice instead.
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Artificial flavorings
Artificial flavors are added to our food so as to make it taste a certain, appealing way. Despite their ability to tingle our taste buds, these flavorings are destructive to our health over time. As a matter of fact, some of them are labeled as natural flavors yet are added to chemical mixes to enhance their effect. Artificial flavors are a red flag that eventually causes conditions such as flavor insensitivity. Moreover, if food has to be flavored artificially for you to like it, then it is definitely not natural. The extent to which manufacturers perform chemical mixing to create artificial flavorings is mind-boggling. For example, artificial strawberry flavoring contains a total of 49 ingredients. This is a definitely a cocktail of chemicals which you don't want to consume.
Commercial pizza
Pizza is one of our favorite fast food options. It is tasty, convenient to eat and often quite affordable. Unfortunately, commercially-made pizza contains very unhealthy ingredients. The dough which is used to make them constitutes highly refined wheat flour. Moreover, the meat in your pizza is processed and packed with preservatives. In addition to that, the commercial pizza has a huge amount of calories too. Thus, stick to home-made pizza or find something healthier to cure your hunger pangs.
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Food colorings
These are chemicals which are added to food so as to make it look attractive or consistent in a manufactured batch. Examples of food colorings are red 3, blue 1, green 3 and yellow 6. As much as they make food appear more tasty and exciting, food coloring is suspected to cause ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in children. Therefore, it should be on your watchlist of ingredients to avoid.
Commercially produced white bread
Often a staple in our lunchtime sandwiches, white bread is one of the tastiest snacks today. Commercially prepared white bread is made of refined wheat. This one contains a protein known as gluten. This particular constituent can cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to it. Gluten also causes uncomfortable symptoms in people who suffer from celiac disease. Refined wheat also has very low essential nutrients and causes a major spike in blood sugar. Thus, it is not advisable for diabetics. Overall, substitute the white bread in your diet with healthier whole grain bread.
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Benzoate preservatives
Benzoate preservatives are included in processed food so as to prevent the development of mold on it. Examples of these are TBHQ, BHA and BHT. You can see them in the ingredients panel. Interestingly, Sodium Benzoate is utilized in fireworks to create a whistling noise after it is ignited. These preservatives are questionable ingredients because Sodium Benzoate reacts with vitamin C to form benzene. This is a well known carcinogen. In addition to that, BHT and BHA are difficult to metabolize for some people. This results in problems with their health and changes in behavior. Moreover, the Benzoate preservative TBHQ is well known to cause anxiety and increase the intensity of ADHD in children. Therefore, take a look at the ingredient panel of your processed food to search for Benzoate preservatives and if you find them, consume with caution.
Non-organic potatoes
The most popular vegetable in many countries across the world is potatoes. Today, these can be grown inorganically through the application of chemicals. Non-organic potatoes are normally treated with fungicide chemicals as they grow. After that, they are sprayed with herbicides to eliminate any fibrous vines prior to harvesting. Once they are harvested, they are further treated with chemicals to prevent sprouting. A regular non-organic potato from your vegetable store shall not sprout. This shows the extent to which the chemicals have become embedded in it. When you consume it, they are deposited in your body and can lead to intestinal cancer. Thus, strive to consume organic potatoes and stay cancer-free.
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Sodium Nitrates and Sodium Nitrites
These are preservatives which are found in processed meats. Examples of these meats are hot dogs, bacon and lunch meat. Sodium Nitrates and Nitrites keep the meat from going bad. They also have tremendously negative effects on your body. They are well known to cause diabetes-causing metabolic syndrome. In addition to that, they cause colon cancer. Always pick fresh meat so as to avoid consuming these dangerous sodium derivatives.
Canned Tomatoes
Those tasty, long-lasting canned tomatoes which you love could be causing very serious problems for you. The can in which they are packed has a resin chemical known as bisphenol-A(BPA). This is a synthetic estrogen. Tomatoes are quite acidic. This characteristic causes the BPA to leach into them. In this way, you eat this resin along with your canned tomatoes. Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD is an endocrinologist who has a deep understanding of BPA. The University of Missouri don indicates that this resin has been linked to various diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and reproductive issues. Moreover, it negatively affects sperm production and damages the chromosomes of human eggs. Every liter of canned tomatoes has approximately 50 mcg of BPA. This is a very high level. Therefore, pick out tomatoes which have been pickled in glass or Tetra-Pak containers instead of tins.
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Commercial microwave popcorn
Microwave popcorn is a quick way to get a snack for your movies or simply to while away the afternoon. Sadly, this tasty snack contains fatal chemicals in the lining of its bag. Olga Naidenko, PhD is a senior scientist who indicates that the lining of this bag contains a chemical known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This scientist from the Environmental Working Group explains that when you microwave the popcorn, this chemical evaporates right into the snack. This potentially leads to pancreatic, liver or testicular cancer. Over the years and multiple bags of microwave popcorn, the PFOA can accumulate and reach levels high enough to cause cancer in your body. It can also lead to infertility. If you can prepare your popcorn in another way except microwaving, that is a much healthier option.
The Important Take Away
The food we eat is supposed to make us healthier and stronger. Unfortunately, there are so many ingredients that do the opposite. They have been indicated above for you. Know and avoid them so as to save yourself from debilitating diseases and conditions in future.
