What is poisoning us?
Why are there so many people sick with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers etc?
We looked at sugar in week 2.
The next one that is great to reduce or even remove before Ramadan is caffeine. Sugar and caffeine withdrawals are most likely the main culprits for the head aches people get when they are fasting!
Caffeine restricts blood flow to the brain. When you restrict blood flow to the brain, you get premature aging, lousy memory and brain fog.
Caffeine messes with your sleep. Sleep, you know, is key to brain health, skin rejuvenation, repair work globally in the body, and weight management (particularly appetite control).
Caffeine dehydrates your brain (and your body). Your brain is 80% water and needs lots of water to keep healthy. Result? You're less likely to think quickly.
Caffeine inflames you. Studies show that about 2 cups of coffee raises homocysteine, a biomarker for inflammation and heart disease.
Caffeine is linked to the dreaded muffin top. Caffeine raises cortisol, which makes you store fat at your mid-section for a rainy day.
What is being added to our food?
Over the past 50 years the use of food additives has skyrocketed to the point where very few of us have any real idea exactly what`s in the food we eat. Alarmingly, the rates of diseases such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, autism, depression, asthma and ADHD have also increased dramatically over this time. Every year, Australians consume over 5kg of food additives each, yet how many of us really know what these chemicals do, which ones are safe and which ones are known to be harmful?
Thankfully, not all food additives are harmful. In fact, of the 300 or so additives approved for use in Australia, most of them are safe, well tested and pose no problem for most people. However, there are at least 60 food additives used in our foods which are at best questionable in terms of safety, or at worse, known to be harmful.
This list includes the worst additives that most people want to avoid. These are the additives that are widely regarded as suspected carcinogens, are banned in other countries, or are linked to other serious adverse health problems. If you have asthma or other specific health concerns, or if you have young children, there may be other additives you wish to include on your list.
102, 104 110 120 122 123 124 127 129 131 132 133 151 153 155 160b 173 174 175 249 250 251 252 280 281 282 283 310 311 312 319 320 321 385 407 407a 431 433 435 436 466 530 553 621 627 631 635 900 914 943a 950 951 952 954 967 1201 1520
1521
Genetic Engineering
Another area of concern is the genetic engineering of foods to make crops resilient to pests and produce larger quantities and better quality fruits, vegetables and grains. Corn, tomatoes, potatoes, wheat, rice, strawberries are some of the commonly genetically engineered foods. These days it would be hard to know if it is GE unless you buy organic foods.
Haven't you notices how in supermarkets fruit and veg is now looking so perfect in colour, size and quality? But ... have you also noticed how a tomato doesn't taste that rich in flavour? Did you know that in the process our fruit and vegetables are also being reduced in their nutritional value?
Glutens that didn’t exist before
GE has also effected the grain industry and as a result there are glutens in our breads and other bakery foods that didn't exist before and that our body isn't designed to deal with. As a result we see more people gluten intolerant.
Oils
The oil industry isn't free from GE either. Better to use olive oil and coconut oil for cooking.
Milk just isn’t milk anymore.
Milk is also not the natural product it once used to be. With permeate (a waste product from making cheese) being added to increase the volume of milk and the hormones and other things they feed the cows to produce more milk being carried into our milk, it is no wonder we are seeing more people intolerant to milk products.
Here are some more nasties that are added to foods!
Sodium nitrate: Sodium nitrate tops the list of dangerous food additives. It is highly toxic and stimulates the formation of nitrosamines which are highly carcinogenic (cancer causing) in nature. This deadly compound takes up a good portion of our processed meats, acting as a good preservative which prevents bacterial growth and fast decaying of meat. Skip the hot dogs and bologna and choose from organic chicken and lean meats.
Trans fats: Making up a considerable amount of our hamburgers, biscuits, chips and popcorns, Trans fats are responsible for triggering obesity and heart problems among millions of people around the globe. While saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, Trans fats go a step further. They not only raise cholesterol levels, but also deplete the amount of HDL (the good cholesterol) in your body, making you more susceptible to heart disorders.
Olestra: Olestra is the ‘non-fat’ fat, found in your potato chips, which is actually nothing but a fake fat. However, it is known to bind to fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, which protect the body from cancer and boost immunity. Binding of olestra to these vitamins in general, makes you much more prone to cancer. Also, it has demonstrated digestive upset in 12% of population. Replace your packet of potato chips for a fruit or a few wholegrain biscuits.
Propyl Gallate: Propyl Gallate is a component of meat product, vegetable oils, potato sticks, chewing gum and ready-to-make soup mixes, which prevents them from spoiling, basically acting as a preservative. Studies however show that, regular consumption of these products may cause colon and stomach cancer.
Butylated hydroxyanisole: Functionally similar to Propyl Gallate, Butylated hydroxyanisole is responsible for preventing oils and other food stuffs from going rancid. However, research shows they play a major role in causing cancerous tumors in rats.
Monosodium Glutamate: Commonly known as Chinese salt, this compound features near the top of the list of dangerous food additives. Why? Firstly, because MSG is now a part of almost everything you consume during the entire day. This amino acid is used to flavor salads, soups and other food preparations and was typically used in Chinese food preparations. However, its use has now spread to the Eastern and Western areas, and by now, almost every restaurant or fast food joints literally coat their foods with MSG.
Studies conducted on a number of rats showed that almost all of the rats taken under study reported damaged hypothalamus (an important part of the brain concerned with regulatory activities of the body) and neurons of the inner retinal layer on just one dose of MSG. Also, MSG is used to lab-induce obesity among rats. What makes it far more dangerous is the fact that humans are 3-5 times more sensitive to MSG than rats. To stay away from MSG, look out for citric acid on the label of your packaged foods.
Aspartame: Responsible for causing brain tumor in rats, aspartame is an artificial sweetener that makes up for our sugar alternatives and low-cal diet foods. Overconsumption of these products is known to increase the susceptibility to lymphomas and luekemias. When it enters the body, aspartame converts to formaldehyde, and causes migraine, vision loss, seizures, multiple sclerosis and even Parkinson’s disease. Short term side effects include headache and dizziness.
Potassium bromate: Potassium bromate is an oxidizing agent used in the bread-making process. This compound has demonstrated carcinogenic effects and has also proven to be nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys) both in man and animals. It has developed thyroid and kidney tumors among rats, when they were fed with bread using potassium bromate as the oxidizing agent.
Food coloring: Food colorings like blue #1 is responsible for causing cancer whereas red #40 may lead to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children. Red#3 which is widely used in baking and giving artificial color to cherries induces thyroid tumors in rats. Stay away from foods and drinks that look unnaturally colorful and bright.
Butylated hydroxytoluene: Butylated hydroxytoluene is found in chewing gums, potato chips and other packaged foods as a preservative. In spite of being approved by the FDA, they are proven to be cancer-causing, making them among the top 12 dangerous food additives. One simple way to avoid it is to check the label. Many brands do not use this preservative, so you can switch to using those brands of packaged foods.
Acesulfame-K: A new sweetener which is now being used in various soft drinks and baked foods, Acesulfame-K, is actually 200 times sweeter than natural sugar, and is responsible for causing cancer among mice. Also, it affects the thyroid gland in other animals like rabbits and dogs.
Chloropropanols: This family of drugs is common in Asian food sauces like black bean, soy, and oyster sauce. Two specific substances within this category are known to be cancer producing and are banned in many countries.
Stay alert for these additives displayed on food labels and avoid them to stay healthy. As far as possible avoid fast foods and processed foods and go for simple, home cooked meals.
Here is another article you can read:
Top Ten Food Additives to Avoid
We looked at sugar in week 2.
The next one that is great to reduce or even remove before Ramadan is caffeine. Sugar and caffeine withdrawals are most likely the main culprits for the head aches people get when they are fasting!
Caffeine restricts blood flow to the brain. When you restrict blood flow to the brain, you get premature aging, lousy memory and brain fog.
Caffeine messes with your sleep. Sleep, you know, is key to brain health, skin rejuvenation, repair work globally in the body, and weight management (particularly appetite control).
Caffeine dehydrates your brain (and your body). Your brain is 80% water and needs lots of water to keep healthy. Result? You're less likely to think quickly.
Caffeine inflames you. Studies show that about 2 cups of coffee raises homocysteine, a biomarker for inflammation and heart disease.
Caffeine is linked to the dreaded muffin top. Caffeine raises cortisol, which makes you store fat at your mid-section for a rainy day.
What is being added to our food?
Over the past 50 years the use of food additives has skyrocketed to the point where very few of us have any real idea exactly what`s in the food we eat. Alarmingly, the rates of diseases such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, autism, depression, asthma and ADHD have also increased dramatically over this time. Every year, Australians consume over 5kg of food additives each, yet how many of us really know what these chemicals do, which ones are safe and which ones are known to be harmful?
Thankfully, not all food additives are harmful. In fact, of the 300 or so additives approved for use in Australia, most of them are safe, well tested and pose no problem for most people. However, there are at least 60 food additives used in our foods which are at best questionable in terms of safety, or at worse, known to be harmful.
This list includes the worst additives that most people want to avoid. These are the additives that are widely regarded as suspected carcinogens, are banned in other countries, or are linked to other serious adverse health problems. If you have asthma or other specific health concerns, or if you have young children, there may be other additives you wish to include on your list.
102, 104 110 120 122 123 124 127 129 131 132 133 151 153 155 160b 173 174 175 249 250 251 252 280 281 282 283 310 311 312 319 320 321 385 407 407a 431 433 435 436 466 530 553 621 627 631 635 900 914 943a 950 951 952 954 967 1201 1520
1521
Genetic Engineering
Another area of concern is the genetic engineering of foods to make crops resilient to pests and produce larger quantities and better quality fruits, vegetables and grains. Corn, tomatoes, potatoes, wheat, rice, strawberries are some of the commonly genetically engineered foods. These days it would be hard to know if it is GE unless you buy organic foods.
Haven't you notices how in supermarkets fruit and veg is now looking so perfect in colour, size and quality? But ... have you also noticed how a tomato doesn't taste that rich in flavour? Did you know that in the process our fruit and vegetables are also being reduced in their nutritional value?
Glutens that didn’t exist before
GE has also effected the grain industry and as a result there are glutens in our breads and other bakery foods that didn't exist before and that our body isn't designed to deal with. As a result we see more people gluten intolerant.
Oils
The oil industry isn't free from GE either. Better to use olive oil and coconut oil for cooking.
Milk just isn’t milk anymore.
Milk is also not the natural product it once used to be. With permeate (a waste product from making cheese) being added to increase the volume of milk and the hormones and other things they feed the cows to produce more milk being carried into our milk, it is no wonder we are seeing more people intolerant to milk products.
Here are some more nasties that are added to foods!
Sodium nitrate: Sodium nitrate tops the list of dangerous food additives. It is highly toxic and stimulates the formation of nitrosamines which are highly carcinogenic (cancer causing) in nature. This deadly compound takes up a good portion of our processed meats, acting as a good preservative which prevents bacterial growth and fast decaying of meat. Skip the hot dogs and bologna and choose from organic chicken and lean meats.
Trans fats: Making up a considerable amount of our hamburgers, biscuits, chips and popcorns, Trans fats are responsible for triggering obesity and heart problems among millions of people around the globe. While saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, Trans fats go a step further. They not only raise cholesterol levels, but also deplete the amount of HDL (the good cholesterol) in your body, making you more susceptible to heart disorders.
Olestra: Olestra is the ‘non-fat’ fat, found in your potato chips, which is actually nothing but a fake fat. However, it is known to bind to fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, which protect the body from cancer and boost immunity. Binding of olestra to these vitamins in general, makes you much more prone to cancer. Also, it has demonstrated digestive upset in 12% of population. Replace your packet of potato chips for a fruit or a few wholegrain biscuits.
Propyl Gallate: Propyl Gallate is a component of meat product, vegetable oils, potato sticks, chewing gum and ready-to-make soup mixes, which prevents them from spoiling, basically acting as a preservative. Studies however show that, regular consumption of these products may cause colon and stomach cancer.
Butylated hydroxyanisole: Functionally similar to Propyl Gallate, Butylated hydroxyanisole is responsible for preventing oils and other food stuffs from going rancid. However, research shows they play a major role in causing cancerous tumors in rats.
Monosodium Glutamate: Commonly known as Chinese salt, this compound features near the top of the list of dangerous food additives. Why? Firstly, because MSG is now a part of almost everything you consume during the entire day. This amino acid is used to flavor salads, soups and other food preparations and was typically used in Chinese food preparations. However, its use has now spread to the Eastern and Western areas, and by now, almost every restaurant or fast food joints literally coat their foods with MSG.
Studies conducted on a number of rats showed that almost all of the rats taken under study reported damaged hypothalamus (an important part of the brain concerned with regulatory activities of the body) and neurons of the inner retinal layer on just one dose of MSG. Also, MSG is used to lab-induce obesity among rats. What makes it far more dangerous is the fact that humans are 3-5 times more sensitive to MSG than rats. To stay away from MSG, look out for citric acid on the label of your packaged foods.
Aspartame: Responsible for causing brain tumor in rats, aspartame is an artificial sweetener that makes up for our sugar alternatives and low-cal diet foods. Overconsumption of these products is known to increase the susceptibility to lymphomas and luekemias. When it enters the body, aspartame converts to formaldehyde, and causes migraine, vision loss, seizures, multiple sclerosis and even Parkinson’s disease. Short term side effects include headache and dizziness.
Potassium bromate: Potassium bromate is an oxidizing agent used in the bread-making process. This compound has demonstrated carcinogenic effects and has also proven to be nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys) both in man and animals. It has developed thyroid and kidney tumors among rats, when they were fed with bread using potassium bromate as the oxidizing agent.
Food coloring: Food colorings like blue #1 is responsible for causing cancer whereas red #40 may lead to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children. Red#3 which is widely used in baking and giving artificial color to cherries induces thyroid tumors in rats. Stay away from foods and drinks that look unnaturally colorful and bright.
Butylated hydroxytoluene: Butylated hydroxytoluene is found in chewing gums, potato chips and other packaged foods as a preservative. In spite of being approved by the FDA, they are proven to be cancer-causing, making them among the top 12 dangerous food additives. One simple way to avoid it is to check the label. Many brands do not use this preservative, so you can switch to using those brands of packaged foods.
Acesulfame-K: A new sweetener which is now being used in various soft drinks and baked foods, Acesulfame-K, is actually 200 times sweeter than natural sugar, and is responsible for causing cancer among mice. Also, it affects the thyroid gland in other animals like rabbits and dogs.
Chloropropanols: This family of drugs is common in Asian food sauces like black bean, soy, and oyster sauce. Two specific substances within this category are known to be cancer producing and are banned in many countries.
Stay alert for these additives displayed on food labels and avoid them to stay healthy. As far as possible avoid fast foods and processed foods and go for simple, home cooked meals.
Here is another article you can read:
Top Ten Food Additives to Avoid