Diet and Nutrition Fitness and Health Healthy Eating Tips Healthy Foods

My Three Best Healthy Nutrition Secrets

When talking about healthy nutrition secrets, my first and I think my best advice is to the tell people to always look at the ingredients list before buying anything.

healthy nutrition secrets

Looking at these pictures may get your mouth-watering for any one of your favorite treats. But before you bite, read on as I continue to open a can of worms.

 

My Three Best Healthy Nutrition Secrets

Read the Labels

Most of the times, when we are eating our favorite treat, we focus on its appearance. But I suggest, the next time you are indulging in your favorite treat, you take a closer “look”. Focus on the ingredient list. Uncover the secrets in the foods you eat.

What looks good on the outside may contain harmful dyes, preservatives, and additives on the inside. Ingredients like hydrogenated oil, MSG, corn syrup, and the others I have mentioned here are dangerous villains when it comes to your weight and health.

Many commercially prepared processed foods contain deadly ingredients in order to prolong product shelf life, enhance eye appeal and taste great. Oh, and let’s not forget, increase the bottom for the food companies.

In fact, as good as the food looks on the outside is as bad as it is on the inside. For example, the pretty colors that draw you to a handful of M&M’s are made from petroleum and other toxic materials. Needless to say, they are extremely hazardous to your health.

Here’s a short list of what is lurking in your pantry:

Caramel Color

You will find caramel color in sodas and many other such products. It sounds benign, as do all the other additives I am mentioning. But in reality, it’s made by heating sugar with ammonium. This caramel color has been linked with cancer.

Color Dyes

Yellow dyes No. 5 and 6 are thought to invoke allergies and hypersensitivity/hyperactivity reactions, kidney and adrenal cancer. These ingredients possibly contain cancer-causing materials.

Blue No. 2 has been linked to brain cancer.

BHA

BHA is a fairly controversial food addictive. While the FDA classifies it as generally safe, The Department of Health and Human Services and other National Institutes of Healthy classify it to be reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”.

Propyl Gallate

Commonly denotes as E310, Propyl Gallate is an artificial food addictive. You’ll find it in meat products, frozen meals, soup mixes, microwaveable popular, and mayonnaise. Most food manufacturing companies use it as a food preservation.

However, it’causes stomach and skin irritability. It can also cause liver and kidney problems and is known to be a cause of cancer. Propyl gallate is also likely to increase inflammation in those with asthma. Even though the FDA considers it as safe, most other countries have either banned it altogether or limited its use.

Mycoprotein

Mycoprotein (or Quorn pronounced Kworn) is a high protein vegetarian food developed by the chemical manufacturer, ICI. It is produced by fermenting a fungus and culturing it in huge vats. “The company that makes Quorn has tried to describe the product as ‘mushroom in origin’, which is stretching the truth quite a bit and they have been taken to court over it in the USA”. The result, allergic reactions including vomiting and much more.

Polysorbate 60

Polysorbate 60, is a chemical concoction of “ethylene oxide (used as an explosive), palm oil and hydrogenated corn syrup“. Notice the last two items are corn syrup (lots of sugar) and oil (fat). These are a perfect combo for weight problems and health issues

 Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial Sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, Ace-K, are linked to issues with the thyroid, nerves, urinary infections and specific types of cancers.

Avoid The Long List Of Ingredients

The more ingredients a package has, the more important it is to avoid the item. Keep your nutrition simple and stick to natural foods. If you have to go for a package, choose one with the least ingredients. Also, choose the products whose ingredients you can easily read and understand. If the ingredients sound like they come from a chemistry lab, avoid the item.

 

Eat More Veggies

Simply, eat more veggies. They do not have a package and they are the real “foods that fuel”. “Processed food is 75% of the Nations diet and this provides 8-10 pounds of additives/year.” These ingredients threaten your weight and health. Go natural. Stick to foods that grow in the fields rather than in the factory.

Facts About Healthy Nutrition Secrets Wrap-Up

Despite the health effects, these products continue to remain on the market! Why? How? Before reading this post, you probably had no idea about the ingredients that go into most packaged food.

But now you do!

Now the choice is yours. My aim was to offer you advice on healthy nutrition secrets so that the next time you pick up a bottle of pasta from the supermarket aisle. You stop and you look at the ingredients.

If you enjoyed My Three Best Healthy Nutrition Secrets, I think you’ll love these additional resources:

Facts About Nutrition Labels

TKO (Total Knockout) Healthy Eating Tips

 

About the author

Valerie Goldstein

Valerie raises the bar for health and nutrition know how with unconventional expertise and unconditional support for wellness.