The Most Unhealthy Foods in Your Supermarket

1. Margarine- The process to make margarine yellow and spreadable makes this food incredibly unhealthy. Margarine is the ultimate source of trans fat, which is known to elevate cholesterol and damage blood vessel walls. By using loopholes, companies are able to claim margarine is ‘virtually’ trans fat free. To read more about the process of making margarine and the truth about trans fats, click the following links: How is margarine made? and The truth about trans fats
2. Breakfast Cereals- Although your kids love the sugary goodness, “McDonalds actually makes a more nutritious breakfast than cornflakes,” according to Peter Dingle, a Western Australian Toxicologist. Peter is also the author of My Dog Eats Better than Your Kids and The DEAL for Happier, Healthier, and Smarter Kids. Choice Magazine looked at the top 10 selling children’s breakfast cereals and concluded that they were so high in sugar and lacking nutrients that you may as well have a candy bar for breakfast, and I’m sure your kids would love that! The process to make the highly processed grains in cereal is called extrusion. This process damages the nutrients and proteins in the grain leaving it devoid of nutrients, highly toxic and not much more than empty calories. To read more about the dangers of the extrusion process follow this link: Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry
3. Refined Vegetable Oils- These oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids. Diets high in omega-6 polyunsaturated vegetable oils have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, melanoma, learning disorders, allergies, immune suppression, heart disease, atherosclerosis (plaque in your arteries), and reproductive problems. Instead use oils high in omega 3 fatty acids, such as coconut oil, olive oil and good old fashioned butter.
4. Doughnuts- Yes they taste amazing, but is it worth the heart disease, obesity and diabetes they cause? According to Carla Wolper, Nutritionist at the New York Obesity Research Centre, “When it comes to health, the only thing good about them is the hole.”
5. Soda- The easiest way to stop yourself and your family from drinking it, stop buying it. The average can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar as well as artificial food coloring and sulphites, well known triggers of asthma and allergies. Diet sodas, which use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, are excitotoxins to the brain and nervous system and are linked to an increased risk of obesity. Soda impairs calcification of growing bones. Soda shouldn't even be given to children as a treat, would you let your child eat 10 teaspoons of sugar as a treat?
6. Aspartame (NutraSweet or Equal)- Aspartame is broken down in the body into a well known toxin, methanol (wood alcohol). Methanol is then converted into formaldehyde, which is a neurotoxin that causes damage to the nervous system. Methanol has been shown to cause visual problems and problems with DNA replication (which can cause cancer and birth defects). Some of the toxic reactions caused by Aspartame and acknowledged by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include: ADHD, anxiety attacks, asthma, birth defects, blood sugar problems, chronic cough, depression, headaches and migraines, heart palpitations, hearing loss, insomnia, numbness or tingling of arms and legs, seizures, vertigo, vision loss, weight gain. It can also mimic or worsen the following diseases: fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical sensitivity, and epilepsy. To read more on the toxic effects of aspartame click the following link: http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
7. Soy Protein- If you want to include soy in your diet, use the whole bean or foods made from the whole bean. According to an article from Savvy Vegetarian, if you’re currently using textured vegetable proteins (TVP), found in most vegetarian products, you may want to find an alternative. The world’s biggest manufacturer of TVP is the world’s second largest chemical company, DuPont. Most of the soy in our country comes from genetically modified soy beans (genetically modified to make them resistant to the pesticides sprayed on them). Please read the research on Why You Should Avoid Soy
8. Potato Chips- The oil that chips are cooked in is heated to extremely high temperatures, forming all sorts of toxic compounds. To make matters worse, the oil is filtered and reused again and again. Some of the toxic compounds produced include carcinogens (cancer producing chemicals) such as acrylamide and toxic fat molecules far worse than trans fats. Some brands of potato chips tested had levels of cancer causing acrylamide 500x more than the safe limit set by the World Health Organization for acrylamide in drinking water. After the chips are cooked, they are loaded with flavor enhancers such as MSG, stabilizers, preservatives and colorings.
9. Fructose and sucrose- Every has heard of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). According to Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of California, research over the last 10 years has shown that fructose is NOT a healthy alternative to glucose. Dr. Lustig stated, “We’re being poisoned to death by fructose.” He describes fructose as behaving more like an alcohol and fat rather than sugar, “just like alcohol without the buzz.” A high fructose diet can cause liver damage, weight gain, elevated uric acid (gout), high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. Our consumption of fructose has increased from 250g/year in 1970 to 250kg/year in 2003. Wonder why obesity is on the rise? Choose a piece of fruit over a glass of fruit juice and check the labels of food you buy. You’ll be surprised how many items have HFCS in them.
10. Fat Free and Diet Foods- A diet too low in fat leaves you feeling depressed and battling food cravings, which both do not aid in weigh loss. Fat makes food taste good, so when they remove fat from foods, they have to load them up with sugar, salt, MSG and other artificial sweeteners to make them taste better. Avoid processed, boxed foods more than fat. You’ll be surprised how much easier weight loss is when cravings are reduced.

Remember, you don’t have to completely deprive yourself of everything on the list. Just cut them out as much as possible. You can enjoy a few “vacation meals” each week when the majority of your meals are healthy.

References:

1. http://goodhealthnaturally.nourished.com.au/the-most-unhealthy-foods-in-your-supermarket-part-1/
2. http://goodhealthnaturally.nourished.com.au/the-most-unhealthy-foods-in-your-supermarket-part-2/
3. Escrich E, et al. 2006. Are the olive oil and other dietary lipids related to cancer? Experimental evidence. Clinical and Translational Oncology.
4. Peskin BS, Carter MJ. 2008. Chronic cellular hypoxia as the prime cause of cancer: what is the de-oxygenating role of adulterated and improper ratios of polyunsaturated fatty acids when incorporated into cell membranes? Medical Hypothises.
5. Vinceti M et al. 2005. A population-based case-control study of diet and melanoma risk in northern Italy. Public Health and Nutrition.