Have you ever wondered about all those ingredients you can barely pronounce or heard the saying from Michael Pollan, “If you can’t say it, don’t eat it.”
Check out the list below of harmful food additives that you should avoid…
- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate): A flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that’s “generally recognized as safe,” it had been known to cause; headaches, facial pressure or tightness numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas, rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations), chest pain, nausea, and/or weakness.
- Artificial Food Coloring: Artificial Food Colors (Blue 2, Green 3, Yellow 3, Yellow 6, Red 3, etc) have been linked to children’s behavioral problems, hyperactivity, and several types of cancers.
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup: High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a manmade sweetener that’s found in a wide range of processed foods. It can cause obesity and contains small amounts of mercury.
- BHA and BHT: Food preservatives most commonly found on gum, cereal, and chips, as well as in vegetable oils. Studies show that they increase the risk of cancer and liver enlargement.
- Trans Fat ( or Unsaturated Fat): Partially hydrogenated oils are more harmful than naturally occurring oils. Trans fats increase cholesterol levels and increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Artificial Sweeteners like Saccharine, Aspartame, etc: Artificial sweeteners appeal to consumers as an attractive alternative to sugar because it adds virtually no calories to your diet, but has been under scrutiny for causing cancer and other health problems for years.
- Sodium Nitrate/Nitrate: Is best known as a food additive to prevent botulism. It has been linked to gastric cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
- Sodium Sulfite: Is used as a preservative to prevent dried fruit from discoloring and for preserving meats. Has been known to cause dangerous reactions to people who are sensitive to it, including asthma, rashes, headaches, and breathing problems.
- Sulfur Dioxide: A toxic additive found in beer and wine, dried fruits, soft drinks, and chips. It has been linked to multiple diseases like conjunctivitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease.
To avoid these potentially hazardous food additives, go organic!
According to wikipedia, Organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. The requirements vary in each country, but typically involve a set of standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that include:
- no human sewage sludge fertilizer used in cultivation of plants or feed of animals
- avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs not on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc.), genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of bio-solids
- use of farmland that has been free from prohibited synthetic chemicals for a number of years
- keeping detailed written production and sales records
- maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products, as well as undergoing periodic on-site inspections
Most of Shiloh Farms products are certified organic. Stop by our website and check out the great organic products we have to offer.