pet-food-ingredients-list

Ingredient List Cheat Sheet

Ever wonder what some of those crazy words are found in the ingredient list of our processed foods these days? Well if you have any confusion, this article is for YOU. Here is a list of some of the top food additives that you should look to minimize in your diet if you are looking to maximize your health.

1. Azodicarbonamide

This chemical used to make shoe rubber and yoga mats can also be found in many common breads and bagels. Companies use azodicarbonamide to make the bread that beautiful white color we all crave. Due to its link to asthma and possible connection to cancer, it is currently banned in all of Europe and Australia but you can still find it in American products such as Betty Crocker’s Suddenly Pasta Salad, Jimmy Dean’s Flat Breads and Healthy Life English Muffins.

2. Soybean & Canola Oil

These two get lumped together because they are both processed oils that are highly inflammatory and contribute to things such a high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, joint pain and brain fog. Unfortunately you can find them in nearly all processed foods which we understand are impossible to avoid completely. Just do your best to limit these as best you can. When baking or cooking at home opt for oils such a avocado oil (a mild oil that is an easy substitute for baking and cooking) or coconut oil.

3. BHA/BHT

These two ingredients will often be found as the last listed ingredient in processed foods. They are added to extend the shelf life of products keeping them good for years to come (red flag right there). You can find these in items such as breads and cereals. Studies have linked them to cancerous tumor growth.

4. Brown Rice Syrup/High Fructose Corn Syrup/Corn Syrup

All of these are various forms of sugar added to processed foods for additional sweetness. They increase your blood sugar which starts the roller coaster of peaks and valleys in your blood glucose. Blood sugar regularity is now linked to longevity so it is absolutely vital to avoid spikes in blood sugar as often as possible. Blood sugar irregularity is also linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Better sweetener options include stevia and monk fruit sweetener.

5. Paraben

This is an additive used to stop mold and yeast from forming in foods. It is also commonly found in our beauty products such as shampoo, lotion, lipstick, scrubs and more to prevent bacteria from growing in them. Parabens are now linked to hormone disruption and are thought to play a role in breast cancer development.

We don’t mean to scare you with what some of these additives are linked to but rather inform you of what is in our food supply. We always advise opting for REAL, WHOLE foods that do not even require a nutrition label (think fruit, veggies, raw nuts & butcher meat) when possible. Your body has some incredible detox pathways for the days when we have to opt for the processed snack food bar, and as long as we aren’t overloading those pathways, we will be just fine! As my mom always said, make good choices.

-Michelle