7 foods you should probably stop eating

7 foods you should probably stop eating

Even though modern food production has given us the ability to enjoy the safest food in the history of mankind, in some ways, big food manufacturers are also introducing new hazards in our food supply. Thankfully, labeling regulations force food manufacturers to print ingredients on packaging so consumers will be more aware of exactly what it is they are eating. Providing information on exactly what ingredients are used to produce food probably does not make big food manufacturers happy, but it gives us consumers the vital information we can use to make better choices. Giving up on the following food items is worthy of consideration, due to the harmful nature of their ingredients.

1. Margarine

After many years of touting the “benefits” of swapping your butter for margarine, the truth is slowly starting to come out. The latest discoveries are suggesting that fat is not as bad for your health as the government and food producers have been telling us since the 1970’s. Margarines can be loaded with trans- fats, artificial flavors, artificial colors, and calories, which probably present a much greater danger than butter ever has.

2. Artificial sweeteners

A lot of us may remember the introduction of artificial sweeteners such as Saccharine as a low-calorie substitute for sugar. It was great for the makers of artificial sweeteners, since consumers bought them with the hope of helping them lose weight. Since then, many other artificial sweeteners have emerged, and have been included in more and more food products, including many that are not even advertised as “diet” foods. The problem with just about all artificial sweeteners is that they can actually promote weight gain. There’s also the issue of the potential damage they can do to your health, such as increasing the likelihood of diabetes or damage to the kidneys.

3. Tomato sauce

Unless you can find and purchase “real” tomato sauce, without all kinds of additives, the “tomato sauce” that’s sold to consumers is often loaded with stuff that surely doesn’t fit the description of “tomato sauce.” In their never-ending quest to make their products more addictive, food manufacturers add ingredients like refined sugar and corn syrup to their products. Many also have sodium, which is not recommended for people with certain health issues such as high blood pressure.

4. Frosting

What’s a cake without frosting? Well, healthier for one thing. Especially if you normally used that prepared frosting that they sell in cans at the supermarket. This stuff is probably one of the worst foods imaginable and is loaded with sugar, trans-fats, corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. Some of the food coloring used in these products is actually banned in other countries!

5. Cookies

Again, the packaged cookies sold commercially are the worst of the batch where cookies are concerned. Cookies often contain hydrogenated oils, which are one of the worst things you can eat if you value your health. Obviously, cookies are also loaded with sugar, and may also contain things like artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives and bleached white flour. You’re much better off making your own cookies at home, and eliminating a lot of the harmful ingredients the big food producers use to extend the shelf-life of their product, make it more attractive, and increase their profits.

6. Soda

This product is undoubtedly one of the worst of the worst. It’s basically little more than liquid sugar with a good dose of artificial colors and flavors thrown in. Worse yet, the manufacturers of these beverages now substitute other sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners like aspartame for sugar since it probably costs them less to produce the product which boosts the money they make selling it to a mostly-unsuspecting public. It’s not hard to see just how awful this stuff is when you consider that much of it also contains phosphoric acid, which inhibits your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Don’t be fooled by labels that contain words like “natural” or “all natural,” since they are really meaningless, and there are no laws that strictly govern the use of those terms. Many manufactures settle on plain old tap water to produce their product, meaning that it may also contain things like fluoride, chlorine and other contaminants.

7. Fast food

When you realize that many fast food restaurants are basically serving up warmed- over garbage, it becomes a lot easier to resist opting for a quick burger and fries. Fast foods are, not surprisingly, formulated to provide the best flavor to keep customers coming back for more. Unfortunately, the ingredients that taste good seldom contribute to improved health. In fact, most of them are detrimental to your health, including high levels of sodium, MSG, sugar, and trans-fats. Add to that things like food colorings, artificial sweeteners and preservatives and you end up with food that’s not only quick to prepare and serve, you also end up with  a trip down the fast lane to an early grave.