“NOPE!”...I am not paying for poison!

Protecting yourself from the Super-UNnatural isn’t easy, there are toxins lurking almost everywhere. Choose ORGANIC whenever possible/affordable. The good news is that there are usually healthier options once you start seeking them out. You can start by quickly reviewing food labels and the list of ingredients. It’s shameful that we need to waste our precious time doing this, but eventually it’ll become second nature. When you identify a Super-UNnatural additive shout “NOPE!” Who cares, just do it. Sometimes I do it without realizing it because it’s a product that I really want and it makes me angry when I found out that it’s toxic. By keeping this crap out of your cart we can start a food revolution and force positive changes throughout the industries that are poisoning us for profit. This isn’t the total list of toxic B.S. invading our food supply, but it’s a damn good start! Some additives are too difficult to add to the list without explanation. We will explore the toxic truth about these unnecessary additives in separate “bite-sized” posts (pun definitely intended!) while we eventually complete our list and try to escape from the clutches of the Super-UNnatural.

“NOPE!”...not in my cart!

-FOOD DYE / ARTIFICIAL COLORS = Most are created synthetically and/or derived from petroleum, a known carcinogen. If any ingredients start with FD&C...it’s toxic garbage, keep it out of your cart!

-HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS) = Chemical derivative of corn syrup. HFCS is neither sugar, corn or corn syrup...it’s toxic trickery!

-ASPARTAME = Technically could be considered a drug. Just saying.

-PRESERVATIVES = Among the worst are nitrates and nitrites. Beware of BHA and BHT, I believe both banned all over the globe, but still allowed in the United States. Ditch the tBHQ and PGPR. Sorry Reese’s and Hershey’s chocolate lovers.

-ANTIBIOTICS = Always buy antibiotic-free meat and dairy or opt for organic which should also be antibiotic-free.

-GROWTH HORMONES = Look for organic, grass-fed, and/or pasture-raised meat, poultry and dairy. If not organic, look for a label that states the product is rBHG-free and/or rBST-free. Due to the dangerous impact on human and bovine health, growth hormones are pretty much banned everywhere besides the U.S.

-TRANS FATS aka “partially hydrogenated oils” = Don’t always believe the “No Trans Fats” label due to an FDA loophole.

-CARRAGEENAN = This seaweed-derived additive is used as a substance that keeps liquids from separating. This thickener has been proved to be unsafe, however it’s still allowed to lurk in some organic foods.

-MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) = MSG is a master of disguise. Some companies will label a product as “No added MSG”, but then use one of the various MSG nicknames in the list of ingredients. Super sneaky!!! We will explore MSG and its various disguises in a separate post.

Always choose Organic or Non-GMO whenever possible!
***Organic is automatically Non-GMO, but Non-GMO does not mean Organic***



References:
Marlowe, Maria The Real Food Grocery Guide. Beverly: Fair Winds Press, 2017. (Awesome book for quick, easy and frequent reference!)
Hari, Vani The Food Babe Way. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2015.
Bonvie, Linda and Bill Badditives! New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2017.