In episode 11 of Connecting the Dots, my mom, Gail Carney, talks about how once you know what’s in certain junk foods, you don’t want to let your children have it… even every once in a while. This is because some ingredients in popular processed foods have been linked to cancer, chronic illness, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. Below is a list of ingredients that you should look out for at the grocery store.
- Refined flour: In episode 1, Melanie Warner explained that refined flours and sugars are major culprits for the obesity epidemic. Additionally, refined flours can cause spikes in blood sugar and exacerbate diseases like diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
- Vegetable oil & canola oil: As I explained in my blog post about veggie burgers, the problem with these oils is how they are processed. The seeds are refined, bleached, and processed using high heat – which can make them very unhealthy. The Medical Medium also states that canola oil in particular is mostly GMO and can cause damage to your small and large intestines.
- TBHQ: I am not an expert on this additive, but Dr. Josh Axe explains that it can potentially damage the immune system, promote cancer, cause neurological symptoms, damage red blood cells, or cause allergies.
- Food coloring: In episode 7, Julie Daniluk and I talk about how consuming red food dye negatively impacted us as children. The Center for Science in the Public Interest shared that Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, Blue 1 should be avoided as they hyperactivity and/or behavioral problems in children. Artificial food coloring and dyes are commonly made out of petroleum chemicals and are banned in many countries in Europe.
- Natural and Artificial Flavors: Most of the time, they’re made out of harmful chemicals and because they’re disguised with these vague names, you never really know what they are.
- Maltodextrin: This thickener is typically made from GMO corn or wheat. It could contribute to weight gain and cause spikes in blood sugar.
- MSG: Can cause weight gain, high blood pressure, and could cause free radicals to form. The Medical Medium indicates that MSG is dangerous because it can cause damage to the brain and central nervous system.
- Citric acid: Depends on how it is sourced. If it comes naturally from citrus fruits, not bad. If it comes from GMO corn or beets, bad. This type of citric acid could irritate the linings of the stomach and intestines.
- High fructose corn syrup: Dr. Axe says this highly processed sweetener has been linked to weight gain, cancer, fatty liver, diabetes, heart disease, and leaky gut.
Make sure you check the ingredients’ label on processed foods for these unhealthy ingredients. If you are suffering from any illness, eliminating processed foods filled with genetically modified ingredients, refined flour, and sugar should be the first foods you eliminate from your diet. If you want more information on foods that you should consume, check out my book, We Can’t Change What We Don’t Know: How I Started to Think of Food as Medicine or the resource guide for episode 11.
