Regardless of the diet you’re on, there are usually foods you should eat more of, as well as those you should stay away from. Today, there are dozens of healthy, as well as fad diets, and they all have their “followers.” However, there are some foods everyone should not only stay away from but avoid them like a plague. These foods are more than just unhealthy. Some of them contain so many artificial additives and synthetic chemicals, they are actually dangerous to eat. Unfortunately, many of these foods are very popular and we eat them all the time. Some of them are even offered by health food shops. When you go through this list, you’ll understand why the so-called diseases of civilization are becoming a serious threat to global health. Three things that most unhealthy foods have in common: – They are popular Most of these foods are on our table every day. What’s even worse, some of them are sold in health food shops as healthy alternatives to sugar, meat or dairy. – They are aggressively marketed The meat and dairy industries have powerful lobbies that successfully manipulate people into buying foods they shouldn’t. Aggressive marketing campaigns and misleading messages have resulted in consumers becoming unable to decide for themselves, but doing what they are told. – They are tasty, cheap, and convenient What makes giving up these foods so difficult, is that most of them are very tasty (because they are full of flavor additives), cheap (because they are mass-produced from the cheapest ingredients), and convenient (many of them are pre-packed and ready to use, requiring minimum preparation time). The story of modern agriculture and the stressful sedentary lifestyle we now lead is a long and complicated one and is beyond the scope of this book. Suffice it to say that your diet should be much more than fuel that keeps you going. A diet can be a source of healing or toxic foods. It can improve or destroy your health. It can boost your mood and performance or contribute to premature aging and chronic disease. So, whatever food you think is best for you, make sure it’s free of the following foods:
1. Canned foods All canned foods contain Bisphenol A (BPA). This chemical is used in can lining and has been linked to infertility, obesity, cancer, and other conditions. Whenever possible, choose fresh or frozen foods instead of canned ones.
2. Deep-fried foods Deep-fried foods are usually very tasty which is why we love them. However, they are cooked in a lot of oil which makes them very fatty. Besides, what makes it even more unhealthy is that such oil is usually reused many times. Avoid or limit these foods if you want to get rid of free radicals, high cholesterol levels, heart disease or acidic diet.
3. Instant noodles Instant noodles, just like all other instant foods, are full of preservatives, and color- and flavor additives. Besides, they contain a lot of calories and sodium. If you often eat instant noodles, you risk having a stroke, developing diabetes or succumbing to heart disease.
4. Margarine Margarine is based on trans fats. These clog arteries and restrict the flow of blood to the heart. When it first appeared on the market, we were told it was healthier than butter and would protect our hearts. Today, we know this is nonsense. Regular consumption of trans fats increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
5. Soft drinks Soft drinks contain a lot of sugar (about 40 grams per bottle) and if taken regularly will increase your blood sugar levels which can lead to many serious conditions, eg high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
6. Packaged Fruit juices Many people start their day with a glass of orange juice. Well, they shouldn’t. It takes four oranges to produce a single glass of juice. Although juice is a healthy beverage, unfortunately, all the fiber from the fruit has been discarded. Besides, fruit juice contains almost as much sugar as soft drinks. A better way to start a day would be to eat an orange, not drink a glass of orange juice. That way, you’ll get all the vitamins, plus the fiber, and the amount of fructose your liver has to deal with would be minimal.
7. Artificial sweeteners Artificial sweeteners are found in many sugar-free products, et chewing gums, baked goods, jams, etc. They are also what sugar replacements are based on, e.g. xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol. Although these artificial sweeteners are marketed as natural, they are actually heavily processed and are often produced from GMO ingredients. Long-term use of artificial sweeteners can create an imbalance in your gut flora and contribute to the development of diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, weight gain, etc.
8. Soy protein Most of the soy produced in the US (as well as in some other countries) is genetically modified. The reason GM soy is now farmed is that it is resistant to glyphosate, a weedkiller commonly used in soy farming. A recent Norwegian study found that US-produced soy contains so much of this herbicide, it almost feels like you are eating weedkiller. Glyphosate is linked to many life-threatening conditions, including several types of lymphoma cancer. While fermented soy products, such as natto, tempeh, and miso soups are perfectly safe to use, you must stay away from edamame, soy milk, and soy protein.
9. Farmed salmon (Atlantic salmon) Most people eat salmon because it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids. However, farmed salmon available today have considerably lower levels of these healthy fats than the salmon we could buy only five years ago. The most likely reason for this is that salmon is now fed much less nutritious food. Besides, dioxin levels are ten times higher in farmed salmon than in wild salmon. This is bad news because this chemical is linked to cancer, organ damage, and immune system dysfunction. On top of that, farmed salmon is regularly treated with banned pesticides. To make things even worse, it recently became legal to produce and sell genetically engineered salmon without having to label it as such.
10. Meat from large-scale farms All animals raised this way are fed growth hormones, antibiotics, and food grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers. A recent analysis of chicken meat and feathers discovered traces of banned antibiotics, allergy medications, painkillers, and even arsenic.
11. Microwave popcorn The microwavable bags are lined with perfluorochemicals that make the bags resistant to heat. Unfortunately, these chemicals are linked to cancer. Besides, the fake butter flavoring that’s often used in the production of popcorn is known to cause lung disease and inflammation in various organs.
12. Shrimp Farmed shrimps contain a certain food additive that is used to improve the color of shrimp. This additive has estrogen-like effects that can affect the sperm count in men and increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Besides, ponds where shrimps are raised, are often treated with neurotoxic pesticides known to cause certain neurological problems, eg attention deficit symptoms, impaired memory, etc.
13. Table salt Iodine is one of the most essential trace elements our body needs for proper functioning which is why we should use only iodized salt. Salt comes either from underground salt deposits or the sea. Although the natural salt is rich in minerals, by the time it is delivered to shops, it has been processed so much, that none of its original nutrients remain. Besides, salt rich in natural minerals is never white which is why it is bleached (to look clean). After bleaching, various anticaking agents are added to make it free-flowing. Excessive consumption of salt (including the mineral-rich healthy salt) increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, etc.
14. Vegetable oils Vegetable oils, e.g. canola, cottonseed, corn or soybean oil, are as bad as margarine. If you use a lot of oil or eat a lot of deep-fried foods, you will become more vulnerable to certain diseases, eg inflammation, atherosclerosis, certain types of cancer, diabetes, digestive disorders, heart disease, high cholesterol, liver problems, obesity, etc.
15. Fat-free and low-fat milk When raw milk is pasteurized, it loses a lot of its nutrients. Long-life milk is particularly unhealthy because it first has to be dried at temperatures of about 1000 degrees Centigrade, after which water is added to it. Needless to say, no enzymes or any other nutrients can survive these high temperatures. People usually choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products because they don’t want to gain weight. However, what they don’t realize is that when fat is removed, carbs or sugar are added. This is done so that milk would have flavor, otherwise, it would taste like water. So, fat-free and low- fat milk contains added sugar, which, if you drink a lot of milk, puts you at risk of developing diabetes or heart disease.
16. Coffee with added flavors Black coffee has a number of health benefits and can even protect you from certain liver diseases. However, after sugar, whipped cream or powdered milk has been added to it, it becomes a very unhealthy beverage.
17. Seitan We usually think of seitan as a healthy alternative to meat protein. However, it is simply wheat gluten. This means that even if you are not allergic to gluten but you often eat seitan, you may develop gluten intolerance symptoms. Besides, seitan contains a lot of sodium, over 500 milligrams per 100 grams. It gets even more unhealthy if you add non-dairy liquid creamers based on corn syrup. Black coffee is the healthiest option because although these additives improve the taste of coffee, they also contribute to increased liver fat and some gastrointestinal problems.
18. Burnt food Bunt foods should be avoided whenever possible. This is necessary partly because they are more difficult to digest, but especially because they produce cancer-causing chemicals. Burnt meat in particular is very unhealthy. Although many people find charred meat tastier than medium-to-rare, the risk of ingesting carcinogens is not worth the improved taste.
19. Diet soda The main reason you should avoid diet soda is that it’s full of artificial sweeteners. For a number of reasons, these are worse for your health than ordinary sugar. So, if you drink diet soda regularly, you are at a higher risk of developing both cancer and diabetes.
20. Processed meats Many people can’t imagine a sandwich without salami but cured meats are so full of saturated fat, sodium, and preservatives, that if you are into healthy eating, this is one of the first foods you should give up.
21. Canned green beans For some reason, U.S.-grown canned green beans are some of the most toxic canned foods there are. This food is treated with some of the most dangerous pesticides and eating just one serving a day, puts you at risk of developing cancer and having other health problems. Besides, all cans are lined with materials that contain Bisphenol A. This is a synthetic estrogen that can create fertility problems for both men and women. Unless you can find fresh or frozen green beans, this is one of the foods you must avoid at all costs.
22. Non-organic strawberries Some fruits and vegetables contain so many toxins from pesticides and fertilizers, that they are actually dangerous to eat. One of them is strawberries. Besides the pesticides, the soil on which non- organic strawberries are grown, is often treated with toxic gases. These were initially developed for chemical warfare, but are now used in agriculture. In other words, if you can’t afford organic strawberries, stay away from them.
23. Energy drinks The reason they are so addictive is that they taste so good. Which they do because they are full of sugar and flavor additives. Long-term use of energy drinks is linked to inflammatory processes, heart disease, and certain neurological problems. The list of unhealthy foods is much longer but the bottom line is to try and stay away from all processed, instant or foods that don’t even look like food. Whenever possible, stick to organically grown fruits and vegetables and grass-fed meat, dairy, and eggs.
24. Packaged foods They are usually very tasty which is why we love them. However, they are cooked in a lot of oil which makes them very fatty. Besides, what makes it even more unhealthy is that such oil is usually reused many times. Avoid or limit these foods if you want to get rid of free radicals, high cholesterol levels, heart disease or acidic diet.
