We hear all about the chemicals in our cleaning products, laundry products, makeup, etc. But how much do we really hear about the chemicals in our food? Yup, you read that right. It’s sad to say but there are a lot of chemicals in our foods today. They use them for preservation, looks (as in synthetic colors), and greater volume.
Preservatives tend to be the most toxic. Two to definitely avoid are BHT and BHA. Studies have shown that they can damage the structure of our mitochondria, the “energy engines” inside our cells. These preservatives can also be endocrine disrupters which in turn can lead to hormonal imbalances. They can also disrupt our digestion.
These preservatives can also play havoc on our energy levels. Here’s some of the things to watch for. Two or more may mean you have too much of the preservatives in your diet.
- Indigestion or bloat
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Joint pain
- Skin rashes or itching
- Mental fog/foggy thinking
You can find BHT and BHA in vegetable oil, spices, butter, margarine, cheese, nuts, and processed meat, cereal, dehydrated potatoes, crackers, chips, cake mixes, and many boxed baked goods. Check your labels. A lot of natural products will use Vitamin E as a preservative instead which is a much better alternative. It’s hard to do but I’m making a big effort this year to decrease processed food. But even more so, I am reading labels to make sure I don’t have either of these preservatives in what I eat.
Here are 12 of the most dangerous additives to food:
- Sodium Nitrate
- Trans Fats
- Olestra
- Propyl Gallate
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
- Aspartame
- Potassium Bromate
- Food Coloring (especially Blue #1, Red #3, and Red #40)
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene
- Acesulfame-K
- Chloropropanols
This is a topic that I want to do more research on. Not just these two preservatives but all the chemicals that end up in our food. I’ll let you know what I find out.
Do you have certain ingredients that you avoid in your foods? I would love to hear what and why. Please share in the comments.
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