4 Ingredients to Watch Out For

Let's talk about some ingredients often found in processed foods. The ones I mention are very common and to be avoided if possible.

1) Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Oil

This type of oil is TransFat. It's created by taking an unsaturated vegetable oil and adding hydrogen under pressure. This turns the vegetable oil into a solid or semi-solid, saturated fat. It effectively changes the chemical structure such that the fat behaves like a saturated fat in the body, raising LDL and lowering HDL, which greatly increases the risk of heart disease.

But there's more. Partially Hydrogenated Oils have been linked with the behavioral disorder ADHD, because the chemical composition actually blocks receptor sites and slows down the relay of information in the body.

So what sources of fat are best? Unsaturated. You can tell whether or not a fat is saturated or unsaturated just by looking at it. Saturated fats are solid or semi-solid. Unsaturated fats are liquid. The best oils to use are: Olive, Palm Fruit, and Peanut Oils.

For an informative video on TransFats, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0nc4kY-tc

2) High Fructose Corn Syrup

Made from corn and super cheap, high fructose corn syrup delivers a hard hit to the body by causing a blood sugar spike, often followed of course by a crash. While the body naturally craves certain flavors (like sweet and salty), we've tricked ourselves with modern food products that may satisfy a sweet craving, but don't actually provide anything of nutritional value. Our ancestors may have eaten an orange, but today we grab a can of orange soda.

Comparing a glass of orange juice with a can of orange soda, both have about the same amount of calories. However, the juice provides a high amount of Vitamin C, whereas the soda offers no vitamins or minerals. When the body craves sweet foods, it's craving the quick form of energy that sugar provides, but it's also wanting the nutrients that are often found in naturally sweet foods. We rob our bodies of essential nutrients when we grab a cookie or soda, instead of a whole piece of fruit (which also provides a good amount of fiber).

So what about sugars like honey, agave or maple syrup? While they may be more appealing because of their natural state, a sugar is a sugar is a sugar, and even these should be used in moderation. My advice - stay away from High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, and food products with Sugar in the ingredient label. Processed foods that have added sugar (and even homemade ones) should be eaten as special treats. Eating these foods on a regular basis can increase the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity.

3) Red 40 and other Artificial Colors

Artificial coloring is essentially chemical dye, and they do actually dye our intestines such that if you're getting a colonoscopy, you will specifically be instructed to stay away from red foods for several days before the test. Artificial colors are being linked with behavioral disorders in children, specifically ADHD, and some are being linked to cancer. Some colors have already been banned for their carcinogenic properties and others are on their way to that list as well, like Red 40.

4) Enriched Flours

They seem harmless enough and often the food labels boast a slew of vitamins and minerals in the product. The issue here is that first of all, enriched flours have to be enriched because they are processed down to a white flour. You're still eating white flour, sometimes with the bran (the high fiber portion of a grain) added back in. Secondly, not enough is known in the world of food science yet to determine whether vitamins and minerals behave differently when added to products than they do when they are a component of a whole food.

For example, taking a Vitamin C supplement versus eating citrus fruit. While it may be appealing for some to take a supplement, when we isolate a vitamin or mineral, we may inadvertently be removing other vitamins, minerals or nutritional components that make the Vitamin C more readily available in the body. By eating an orange, not only are we getting the Vitamin C, but other vitamins, minerals and nutrients that may actually enhance the C we are consuming. Supplements and enriched foods are no comparison to what nature and whole, unadulterated foods have to offer us.

The key? If you eat bread, buy breads that use the whole grain, like whole grain rye bread that has only three ingredients - Whole Rye Flour, Water and Salt. These kinds of whole grain breads have a host of health benefits. Not only are they high in fiber, they're what's called slow release carbohydrates. White flour would be a fast release carbohydrate. The more slow release carbohydrates you have in your diet, the lower your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity.

Why is that? Because they break down into sugar more slowly in the body, releasing energy over a longer period of time, which helps to keep blood sugar levels within a normal range. They also make us fuller so we don't need to eat as much (more bang for your buck). If you must choose either white or enriched, choose an enriched bread with as few artificial ingredients as possible.

In conclusion:

The best advice anyone can get when it comes to avoiding these ingredients is to learn to cook quick, simple meals using whole foods. When you make your own food, there are no secrets. You know what's going into your meal and what you're putting into your body, and you can feel good about it. You don't have to be a chef to cook good food. Some of the best dishes are very simple and full of natural flavor.