There are many interesting ingredients in the food found in our stores. We, as a family are on our way to getting rid of these “FDA-Approved” ingredients that we believe to be bad for our health. Many of these ingredients we’ve eaten for years. I wish we could go back and take these ingredients out of what we’ve eaten, but unless I come across a Tardis, that won’t be happening.
Here is a list of ingredients that we have mostly eliminated from our diet.
Artificial Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame, Neotame, Saccharin, Sucralose)
rBGH (growth hormones)
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup
Refined Sugars (white sugar, brown sugar)
Unsaturated fats / vegetable oils such as soy oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil
Corn starch, corn flour, corn meal, corn oil
Soy (all forms such as soy oil, soy lecithin, soy flour, tofu except fermented products such as soy sauce, fermented tofu)
Sodium Nitrate / Sodium Nitrite
Milk
Artificial Colors and Dyes
BHT / BHA (Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Butylated Hydroxyanisole)
DATAM (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides)
Propylene Glycol (the main ingredient in anti-freeze)
Transfats – Mono glycerides, di-glycerides, tri-glycerides
What does that leave us with?
Well, we try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. We also still have bread, pasta, and meat. We select organic fruits and vegetables to reduce the exposure to chemical pesticides and insecticides. Each year, the Environmental Working Group publishes a “Dirty Dozen” of fruits and veggies that have the most pesticide and insecticide residue. These fruits and veggies should be purchased in organic form to reduce the harmful chemicals.
Here is the “Dirty Dozen” list for 2012. Each year it changes a little, but most of the same items are on it year after year.
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Celery
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Spinach
- Grapes
- Bell Peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
- Lettuce
- Kale
Looking at what’s left: home cooking. Basically we make our own bread, we make our own cereal, we make our own suppers, our own lunches, we basically make our own food. This is because almost everything pre-made or pre-packaged contains several, if not many, of the items that we are trying to avoid.
Why avoid those items?
I don’t have concise evidence that eating those items will affect our health in a negative way. There are many that will tell you the same. BUT I feel that eating those chemicals and other items WILL impact our health, possibly in non-measurable ways.
