When you buy food from the grocery store, how aware are you of what is used it it? When you look at food labels and ingredients, do you know what the ingredients are? Can you even pronounce them all? The food you put into your body impacts your health now and in the future, so it should be important to everyone to understand what is going into their bodies.
The fact is, that the government actually allows a lot of substances to be added to our food and not all of it is good for us. Some might even say that a lot of it is not good for us and should be eliminated.
The FDA tries to rationalize the reasons for letting certain chemicals into our food. When it comes right down to it, you have control though. You choose what you put into your body and the bodies of your children. You just need to make yourself aware of it.
Food Coloring and Dyes
One of the most controversial ingredients that can be found in a large array of food and drink products is food coloring and dyes. Despite the fact that there have been many studies to prove that there is evidence of how harmful they can be, manufacturers use food dyes to make food look prettier, thus more appealing to eat.
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Dyes are organic chemicals. They were originally made from tar but are not made out of petroleum. Besides the fact that they look pretty, they are more stable, cost less, and look better than natural options. These dyes can be found in products like cereals, fruits, vegetables, canned items, and more.
Some of the dyes that you should watch for include:
• Blue 1
• Blue 2
• Citrus Red 2
• Green 3
• Orange B
• Red 3
• Red 40
• Yellow 5
• Yellow 6
Take a look at the video. You’ll be very surprised.
Why should you be concerned about the use of food dyes in the things you consume? The dyes that are found in food and approved by the FDA have been linked to things like tumors, cancers, hyperactivity in children and a plethora of other problems. Those who support the use of food dyes will say that the studies are inconclusive; however, it is important to note that the studies are also somewhat biased.
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The majority of studies on food dyes and safety are conducted by the companies that manufacture the food dyes themselves. This in itself is a big problem. Another reason there is bias in these studies is that most have only been conducted over a 2 year period, which is not enough time to come to a conclusion on the long-term risks of food dyes. Additionally, research has not considered that these dyes may have different effects on our children as their bodies develop and grow.
Other Additives
Food dyes are not the only dangerous ingredients in our foods. Consider the possible consequences of these additive:
High Fructose Corn Syrup: found in most sugar sweetened drinks and in processed foods; is linked to dementia, cancer, obesity, heart disease, tooth decay, liver failure, and other conditions; because of the chloro-alkali that is used in the manufacturing process, it has high levels of mercury that are toxic.
Hydrogenated/Trans Fats: Trans fats are fats that have been hydrogenated in order to make food last longer on the shelf. They are pretty much the same thing but next time you see your favorite product with “trans fat free” on the box, check the ingredient to see if it has hydrogenated oil in it. Why? Because hydrogenated oil acts exactly the same as trans fats and has the same effect. Trans fats and hydrogenated additives are one of the things that contribute to clogged arteries, which leads to strokes and heart attacks.
Hormones
The meat and dairy industries have been using hormones to increase production for years now. There are a variety of hormones that are used in meat and dairy production including:
• rbGH (Recombinant bovine growth hormone); also called bovine somatotropin
• estrogen
• testosterone
• progesterone
• estradiol
• progesterone
• man-made steroids
• and more
Some of these hormones are naturally present in the human body but that does not mean that there cannot be consequences. The main concerns are growth and human reproduction related. Some studies have shown that men can suffer from low sperm counts or damaged sperm. Other studies have shown children reaching puberty at abnormally early rates. Studies that have been conducted are short term and do not consider the long term effects of consuming meat and dairy products that are filled with hormones. Most studies also do not consider the effects on young children and pregnant women.
For all the talk that you hear on the media and in conversations about controlling your diet, the government’s control of what you put in your mouth is often omitted. Since most people are not able to grow their own food and have animals for meat consumption, it is important to speak up and let the food manufacturers know what you want!
While the politicians are trying to control what size sodas Americans should drink, nothing is being done by the politicians to try and stop these big American conglomerates from slowly killing Americans and at the same time making billions of dollars in profits annually.
It’s not the size of the soda that counts, it’s the ingredients in it that are making us sick and escalating the cost of healthcare at the expense of the American population!!!
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