I’ve been writing about the benefits of eating organic food for months. I’ve focused on why this food is so essential to healthy living and how it makes us sparkle inside and out. One thing I haven’t focused on is why your everyday non-organic food is so BAD for our health. I decided to go online and check out the ingredients that can be found in the food that many people consume on a daily basis. It is more important than you think to read the ingredients that are in your food. Chances are if you can’t read the label, you probably shouldn’t eat it. Here some are examples of popular foods and products along with their surprising ingredients. This is sure to make even the biggest skeptics think more about switching to pure organic food. Remember, you can feel comfortable that the food you are eating is safe when you switch to organic and you don’t need a chemistry course to translate the ingredients!
Gum, Instant Coffee, Tea, Pudding, Gelatin Desserts, Non-Dairy Creamers
All of the above could contain an additive known as acesulfame K that caused cancer in laboratory animal testing. This is an artificial sweetener that is better known as “Sweet-One” or “Sunette”. Aspartame has also been known to cause mental retardation if the phenylalanine reaches a toxic level in the blood.
Bread, Canned/Bottled Drinks, Crackers, Cereal, Butter, Potato Flakes, Shortening, Seasonings, Soup Bases, Candy, Pet Food, Baked Goods and much more…
The above contain BHT and BHA, antioxidant chemicals that are used as preservatives in foods containing fats and oils. They keep the fat from oxidizing and turning rancid. These chemicals could contribute to the development of cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the state of California have publicly recognized BHA as a likely carcinogen.
Meat
Sodium Nitrite and Nitrate are found in meat to preserve freshness. Meat containing these chemicals can be a huge contributor to illness when cooked at high temperatures. Nitrate coverts to nitrite that in turn transforms into nitrosamines when it fuses with other compounds under high heat and this can cause cancer.
Chips and other snack foods: Jif Peanut Butter, Tide Detergent, Crest Toothpaste, Folgers Coffee
Always check the ingredients! Olestra can be found in the foods and products above. Would you jump off a cliff if your friends told you to? Then you should also say no if they offer you anything containing Olestra. This disgusting additive is used as a fat replacement and is terrible for your health. It causes diarrhea because it sticks itself to all of the essential vitamins and minerals in your body that are used to help protect you from cancer, heart disease and blindness. Once it has clung itself to your vital nutrients, it flushes them out. As if this is not enough, Olestra is the gift that keeps on giving since it also inhibits your body’s ability to absorb more vitamins. Talk about getting yourself malnourished over night!
Fruits and Vegetables, Juice, Soybean Oil, Sugar, Meat including chicken, beef and pork
I can’t stress enough how important it is to buy organic produce to avoid pesticides. Pesticides build up in your system and are toxic. They prevent your body from releasing waste and block the absorption of nutrients. Many say that there may possibly be a link between pesticides and the increased cases of autism that have occurred over last few years.
Quorn-Brand and Some Other Meat Substitutes:
This product contains mycoprotein, that may sound healthy but it’s not. It is mold. That’s right, mold with added chemicals to make it look and taste like meat! The creators claim that it is a mushroom product but in fact it’s mold that is grown in large tanks of liquid. They glamorize it a little stating that it undergoes “fermentation”. Seriously, who in their right mind would even consider turning this fowl product into “food”, never mind sell it for a profit? If you want real protein without the meat, organic beans are a great way to go. There is a huge variety and many different ways to prepare them.
Soda
I define soda as liquid trash. Soda may taste interesting, but is it that good that we should risk our lives to drink it? There is hardly anything natural about it and the high-fructose corn syrup rots our teeth. Many brands of soda contain sodium bicarbonate and citric acid (not the natural kind found in fruit, etc.). These chemicals together can change into a carcinogen under heat or light. I think I’ll stick to water.
I saved the best for last…
Propylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol can be found in…
Cosmetics, Food Seasonings, Lotions, Hand Sanitizer, Hair Color, Massage Oils, Hair Gel and Hairspray, Popcorn, Deodorant, Mouthwash, Medicine, Lubricants, Baby Wipes, Toothpaste, Pet Food, Salad Dressing, Cake Mixes, Soda, Sour Cream, and Fat-Free Ice Cream.
These chemicals contribute to the following:
- Infertility
- Birth Defects
- Nerve Degeneration
- Heart Problems
- Brain, Liver and Kidney Abnormalities
- Metabolic Problems
Propylene Glycol is also used in anti-freeze, electronic smoke machines, hydraulic fluid and as a solvent for pills (most notably Diazepam).
So, why go organic? I think the question here is, why not?
Learn more about the value of organic food on these television networks:
- Food Revolution on ABC Fridays at 9:00 p.m. EST
- Future Food on Planet Green Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. EST
