Nutrition school taught me a lot. Each training day was pretty mind-blowing and often depressing as I learned of the dangers of so many foods in the SAD (Standard American Diet).
Out of the huge amount of information I now have tucked in my brain, these 5 dangerous foods stand out and were out of my diet ASAP. Learn what they are and why you should avoid them below.
#1 Canola Oil – Canola oil is a genetically modified product, processed from rapeseed oil, which is highly toxic to humans. Even organic canola oil should be avoided.
Unfortunately, a lot of restaurants use it and a whole lot of products contain it. Look for products that use sunflower or safflower oil instead. When you cook, use olive oil, coconut oil or sesame oil depending on the level of heat you need to use.
Beware: Whole Foods currently uses canola oil in all of it prepared foods. Total bummer…I hope that changes soon.
#2 Artificial Food Coloring – Should your food really be bright red, yellow or blue? Artificial food coloring is linked to many cancers. See below why you should skip the M&Ms, Skittles, Red Velvet cake and other items that use these chemicals.
- Red 40 is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It is linked to the increased appearance of immune system tumors. It also causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children.You can find it in beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, and drugs.
- Yellow 6 is linked to adrenal tumors and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions.You can find it in color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage and drugs
- Blue 1 is linked to kidney tumors. You can find it in your baked goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.
- Green 3 is linked to significant increases in bladder and testes tumors. You can find it in candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet, and ingested drugs.
Beware: Check your vitamins, too. I was so upset when I checked my mom’s vitamins and found out that her Centrum contains Red 40 and Yellow 6!
#3 Non-stick Cooking Spray – Aside from their containing GMOs and diacetyl, a butter flavored chemical linked to lung cancer, these sprays also contain propellants. Propellants are butane, isobutene and propane, colorless and odorless compressed gases derived from petroleum and natural gas. Do you really want to consume that? Toxic!
#4 Standard American Dairy Products – U.S. dairy products are strongly linked to cancer. The hormones and antibiotics pumped into American cows makes it nearly impossible to get your hands on healthy milk/cheese products so avoid them altogether.
#5 Non-Organic Corn, Soy and Wheat Products – These are the most genetically modified foods in our grocery stores so either avoid them all together or choose their organic options.
I hope this information helps you. Good health begins with what we put in our mouths so choose wisely.
Namaste,
Brenda
