Top Tips For Understanding Ingredient Labels
When you are reading ingredient lists, always make sure you
research any unfamiliar ingredient. Some ingredients like saturated and
trans fats, sodium and sugar can appear on an ingredient lists as
several different names.
Some experts suggest sticking to foods with only five ingredients,
adding that foods with over five or 10 ingredients are often packed with
preservatives, sugars and other additives that are hard to digest.
Felip recommends looking at the first few ingredients — those at the top
are the most used ingredients in a product.
She also suggests not buying foods with unfamiliar ingredients, being
cautious of "organic" and "natural" claims and always checking labels
for sugar content.
10 of the unhealthiest ingredients found in common foods and their side effects
1. Artificial Colours
There's a reason why most sugary treats give us a rush. Hidden
artificial colours in foods can cause hyperactivity and headaches.
2. Bleached White Flour
Found in most white breads, bleached white flour is usually stripped of nutrients and fibre and adds little value to our diets.
3. High-Fructose Corn Syrup
This ingredient is found in most processed foods, including lunch meats,
and has no nutritional value. It has also been linked to increase risks
of type 2 diabetes, and overconsumption can be damaging to our livers.
4. Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners give food that sugary taste that is also quite
addictive. Artificial sweeteners are almost always chemically derived
and have been linked to migraines and even cancer.
5. BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
BHT or butylated hydroxytoluene is often added to most processed foods
to preserve fats. An overconsumption of this chemical can cause allergic
reactions on the skin.
6. Partially Hydrogenated Oil
Partially hydrogenated oils (which are often found in cake mixes, peanut
butter and baked goods) can decrease good cholesterol levels, are
linked to heart disease and are hard for the body to dissolve.
7. MSG
MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a food additive that is found in many
foods, especially in fast food restaurants. MSGs can overexcite our
nerve cells in the brain and can even (eaten in large amounts) cause
brain cell death. On top of that, MSGs also can lead to exhaustion after
a big meal.
8. Sodium Nitrate And Sodium Nitrite
Sodium nitrates and nitrites are chemical compounds commonly found in
meat products like bacon and hot dogs, according to about.com. Nitrates
and nitrites can affect the way your body uses sugar and may increase
the risk of diabetes and colorectal cancer.
9. Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is a chemical preservative that is used to prevent the
growth of bacteria in foods like jams, fruit pies and soft drinks. It
can also deprive our cells of oxygen and weakens the immune system.
10. Sulphites
Sulphites are food additives used to preserve food colour and prolong
shelf life in many food products including canned fruits, frozen fries
and soy products. Sulphites can cause allergic reactions and flushed
faces and swelling of the eyes, face, tongue among others.
