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9 Ingredients to avoid in processed foods

by Brett Blumenthal - Sheer Balance, on Thu Apr 8, 2010 9:52am PDT
924 Comments Post a Comment Read More from This Author » Report Abuse

If you know me at all, you know that I’m an advocate for whole,
unprocessed foods. However, many of us inevitably turn to
packaged or processed foods when we are short on time. Maybe we
grab a frozen dinner or pizza for a quick dinner for our family.
Maybe we grab a quick nutrition bar to satiate our hunger until we
can sit down for a real meal. Or maybe, we just don’t like to cook.
Whether we like it or not, packaged and processed food has become
a huge part of our food industry and, as a result, a part of many of our diets.

Although there are some brands that I hugely advocate for, there are many more that border on
outright unhealthy and “scary.” Many packaged foods that seem healthy often contain fillers,
preservatives and other ingredients you don’t want in your diet. It is always preferable to choose
products that have only a handful of ingredients, all of which should be recognizable. One test to
know whether an ingredient is healthy is to ask yourself whether your grandmother would recognize it.
If not, there is a good chance the ingredient is less natural food and more man-made chemical.
Another good test is whether or not you can easily pronounce the ingredient. If you feel like you
need a science degree to pronounce it properly, chances are the ingredient is worth avoiding.

If you do have to resort to a processed food for a snack or dinner (anything canned, packaged, etc.),
try to avoid those that contain the ingredients listed in the following chart. Although this isn’t an
exhaustive list, these ingredients are some of the most highly processed and least healthy of all:

Ingredient Why it is Used Why it is Bad

Chemical compounds made Linked to allergic reactions,
Artificial Colors from coal-tar derivatives to fatigue, asthma, skin rashes,
enhance color. hyperactivity and headaches.
Linked to allergic reactions,
dermatitis, eczema, hyperactivity
Cheap chemical mixtures and asthma
Artificial Flav orings that mimic natural flavors.
Can affect enzymes, RNA and
thyroid.
Highly-processed,
Artificial Sw eeteners Can negatively impact
chemically-derived,
(Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, metabolism
zero-calorie sw eeteners
Equal®, NutraSweet®, Some have been linked to cancer,
found in diet foods and diet
Saccharin, Sweet’n Low®, dizziness hallucinations and
products to reduce calories per
Sucralose, Splenda® & Sorbitol) serving. headaches.

May result in hyperactivity,

Benzoate Preserv ativ es
(BHT, BHA, TBHQ)
Brominated Vegetable Oil
Compounds that preserve
fats and prevent them from
becoming rancid.
Chemical that boosts flavor
angiodema, asthma, rhinitis,
dermatitis, tumors and urticaria
Can affect estrogen balance and
levels.
Increases triglycerides and
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