A Simple List of Ingredients I Avoid
Without dramatics or great elaboration, here is a list of common ingredients in foods that I work hard to avoid. I would love to hear what ingredients you choose to avoid and why.
- A huge “duh”: High Fructose Corn Syrup, despite their fluffy (ridiculous) ad campaign
- Should be a huge “duh”: Corn Syrup, period
- Monosodium Glutamate, aka MSG
- Aspartame
- Propyl Gallate, which prevents fats from going rancid in food and cosmetics
- Propylene Glycol, which I found in my cosmetics, antifreeze, and shredded coconut
- Acesulfame K, aka “Sweet One”
- Food Colorings, such as FD&C anything
- Olestra
- Potassium Bromate (see here also regarding iodine deficiency…your bread is a culprit!)
- Sodium Chloride, aka “table salt”
- Sulfites (very hard, as they are in most beers and wines, but can cause asthma attacks, rashes, headaches, etc)
- Non-organic Corn (likely genetically modified, which concerns me because of this, this and this)
- Non-organic Berries, Grapes, Apples, Leafy Greens
- Meats (for Marc) with Sodium Nitrites or Nitrates, Butylated Hydroxy anything (BHA or BHT)
These can be very tricky to avoid, and I have learned not to take anything for granted. Now I read every label, and you might be shocked to realize what “healthy”-marketed brands have completely horrific ingredients.
Any food ingredients I need to avoid that I missed?
Always do your own research. Know what your ingredient list is. Decide for yourself how you feel. Plus, be warned that finding credible third-party information from peer-reviewed scholastic independent journals can be incredibly hard to find. Do not rely on any information supplied by branches of the government, pharmaceutical companies, or food processors… as they have obvious ties and financial interests in securing you to believe what they want you to believe. In fact, with every single study you find, you have to find out not only who conducted the study, but who paid for that study. Like the “high fructose corn syrup is made with corn, so it’s good for you” ads: provided by the Corn Refiners Association of America. That said, please do not rely on scare-tactic emails and Wikipedia as your sources either.
Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue
Can you elaborate on avoiding salt? I know it’s best not to get too much of it, but unless you cook everything yourself, that’s a really hard one to avoid all together. Even if you do, homemade rolls or rice without salt would be pretty dreadful.
I avoid the combination of citric acid and sodium benzoate, since they supposedly turn into benzene when heated. Sounds like a good excuse to drink IZZE to me!
That’s a great q, Lenore. I guess simply put, I try not to use too much. By trying to avoid it, I might possibly keep it at a healthy level. Which, of the aforementioned list, that one is the only one I’m not vigilant about. I love myself some Smart Balance. But I try to use sea salt instead of table salt when I *do* salt (sea salt steers me away from additives), and I just love Bragg’s Liquid Aminos to use instead of salt or soy sauce. Yum!
Hey, thanks for the benzene-resulting combo! I didn’t know about that. Anything, however, that is a reason to drink Izze’s is something I will toast!
Have you tried the birch Izze? Or peach? I am really curious about both!
I haven’t tried birch IZZE yet, but peach is pretty good. I like apple better, though. I’m still bummed that they discontinued pear.
Bragg’s Liquid Aminos looks interesting!
Ah! Apple too! I almost bought it today ~ never had it either. I’ve only had four flavors, soon five. Pear sounds like it would have been great!
I must try birch. Sounds too crazy not to try… and I’ll get Marc a blueberry. He might really dig that.
Hello Ashley Sue,
Very nice blog! You popped up in my google alerts, and I thought you would like to know there is an eco friendly alternative to the plastic neti pot:
http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/store/product/1cd56fba-b599-442c-a6db-e2259152402f.aspx
Further, our salt jar is made from the same stuff, plant sugars, as the eco pot. We are also a great organization if you care to research further.
Good luck,
Travis
This is fantastic! You know, I glimpsed one of these just yesterday, and felt how lightweight it was and saw “non-breakable” on the package, assumed it was cheap old plastic, and in my hurry scurried away. How wrong was I?
This is a fantastic option… and if mine breaks again or I buy some as gifts, Himalayan Institute brand will be the only option I consider! Love this! Thanks!
Travis, I just wanted to add I have changed my mind on giving out the Himalayan Institute’s eco-friendly bio-plastic neti pot. While I very much like the concept of lightweight and eco-friendly material, the pot is also made in China. I have a hard time recommending any product made in China, but that is my choice. Others may choose differently than I.
Thanks again!