The three ingredients you should avoid

So what are the three worst ingredients you can put in your body?  High fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors and preservatives.

I'll start with the first one, high fructose corn syrup.  First, let's look at what happens when you consume sugar from a natural source like fruit.  When you consume fruit, the hormone Leptin is triggered.  Leptin tells our bodies to stop eating because we are getting full.  When you consume high fructose corn syrup Leptin is not triggered, that is why it is much easier to overeat when high fructose corn syrup is on the ingredient list.  Also, most foods that contain high fructose corn syrup do not contain soluble fiber which is found in the peels of fruits and vegetables.  Soluble fiber forms a gel-like consistency and releases the sugar into your body gradually.  So not only is it easier to overeat foods that contain high fructose corn syrup but you will also get a blood sugar spike and later crash from it.  So what do you do when you get a sweet tooth?  If regular fruit won't satiate it try mashing and freezing a banana; dried dates are also very sweet.

Hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated oils) are big offenders.  Let me start by pointing out a loophole in the nutrition labels that companies can use to their advantage and to your disadvantage.  Hydrogenated oils are also referred to as trans-fats and have a special place on the nutrition label.  However, companies can put 0g of trans-fats as long as it contains .5 grams or less.  On the ingredient list they have to list hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils if their product contains them, so a good rule of thumb is to check the ingredient list before the nutrition label.  So why are hydrogenated oils so bad for you?  Well not only do they slow down your metabolism and are easy to over-consume, but they can also cause the following:  cardiovascular disease, dementia, and obesity.  You see, hydrogenation is great for manufacturers because it gives their product a longer shelf life, but it's not so great for your health.  During the process of hydrogenation, manufacturers take an oil (such as vegetable oil) and add hydrogen to it, this gives the oil a semi-solid state rather than the liquid one it usually has.  Doesn't common sense tell you to stay away from these foods?  

I will talk more about specific artificial preservatives in another post, so for now I'm only going to write a little about artificial colors, also known as food dyes.  If you see a # sign followed by a number in your ingredient list, put it down and continue shopping.  Food dyes are now linked with ADHD and other disorders in children.  They have been shown to chemically alter the brain after consuming them!  I'll keep my brain just the way it is, thanks.

So there you have it, check your ingredient lists prior to purchasing any product and if you see any of the three biggest offenders it's a good policy to put down the product and keep shopping!