All too often we place our trust in food manufacturers to put healthy ingredients in the foods that we eat. We just assume that the Government wouldn’t let companies put in harmful ingredients into the foods that they sell. However, this isn’t always the case. Some questionable ingredients are likely in some of the foods that you eat every day.
Partially Hydrogenated Oil
This is a major contributor to trans fat in your daily diet. Your body doesn’t like trans fat as it’s twice as hard for your body to digest as regular saturated fats are. Trans fats have been shown to boost bad cholesterol levels and actually decrease the good ones. Therefore, it’s not really a surprise to learn that partially hydrogenated oil which is packed full of trans fats is an active cause of diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, heart disease, and cellular deterioration.
MSG
MSG is formally known as monosodium glutamate. It can also be referred to by the names maltodextrin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, citric acid, autolyzed yeast, sodium caseinate, and yeast extract. As you can tell, MSG is a hard ingredient to watch out for because you have to check the food label for all these variations of names. MSG can be found in tons of different products and has been shown to be a chemo-inducer for metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, and obesity. As such, there is controversy about whether it should be avoided or not. If it has been linked to disease in even a small portion of the population, it would be a good idea to avoid it just to be safe. Opt to buy everyday groceries like healthy pasta sauce, pre-made soups, salad dressings, and so forth that sport “no MSG” on the label.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
This unhealthy food additive is one that you’ve likely heard a lot about lately. High fructose corn syrup is a man-made invention formulated by processing glucose. This unhealthy invention has been shown to inhibit leptin levels in the body. Leptin is the hormone that is responsible for signaling to your brain that your body is full. When it’s inhibited, your body has trouble signaling to your brain that it’s full. This can lead to problems like obesity, metabolic disorders, and diabetes.
Ensuring that good food gets put in your body is a responsibility that you have to take care of. No longer should you be relying on other parties to handle the safety of foods. Rather, you should actively play a role in paying attention to what is in the foods that you’re eating. If you notice that some of your regular favorites have these questionable ingredients, consider switching out that item for something that doesn’t.
Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn't on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @RachelleWilber; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009221637700
