Thursday, January 8, 2015

5 Controversial Ingredients Explained Once & For All

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about Parabens, BHA/BHT, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, and Gluten as being harmful to our health…but why? It is best to do some research to find out. Here, I’ll help by summing it up and providing links for you.

1. PARABENS
What are they?
Preservatives used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Where are they found?
Shampoo, conditioner, lotions, facial cleansers, scrubs, makeup
How can they be harmful?
They have been discovered in biopsies of tumors, especially in relation to breast cancer due to the mimicking of Estrogen which has also been shown to cause premature development in girls. This is known as a disruption to the Endocrine system which regulates hormones.
How can I avoid them?
Look on the label for the following ingredients: Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Isoparaben, or Butylparaben. Also, look for products that are labeled Paraben-Free, such as Sacred Earth, Biolage, Organix, Burt’s Bees and Herbal Essences Naked, Earth Science, Eminence, or Terra Firma.

2. BHA/BHT
What are they?
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHP (butylated hydroxytoluene) are synthetic antioxidants that act as preservatives found in foods to prevent oils from oxidizing (coming in contact with oxygen) which can cause them to become stale and rancid.
Where are they found?
Most packaged foods such as cereal, sausage, noodles, vegetable oil, cookies, etc. as well as cosmetics such as lipstick and moisturizers.
How can they be harmful?
 They can cause allergic reactions to the skin, they can interfere with hormone productions, and they have been proven, through the National Toxicology Program, to be carcinogens.
How can I avoid them?
Some products, such as those in the whole foods section of a store, may have ‘BHA/BHT Free’ on the label. It is best to check the list of ingredients to see if  BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHP (butylated hydroxytoluene) are listed. If those are not present in the ingredients, you are good to go.

3. HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
What is it?
It is a fructose/sucrose liquid sweetener created in the corn plant which is a genetically modified plant.  HFCS is cheaper to produce and distribute than Sucrose, the natural sugar we get from Sugar Cane.
Where is it found?
Not only is it found in sweet products such as candy, cookies, cereal and sodas, it can also be found in breads, sauces, salad dressings, and other processed foods and snacks. It is in nearly everything that is processed/packaged and widely distributed.
How can it be harmful?
There is much controversy here and from my studies I have learned that HFCS itself is just as harmful as any sugar/carbohydrate out there. Too much consumption can lead to health issues such as Obesity and Diabetes. The issues I have found are that A) It is all too common in our foods. The fact that it is added to non-sweet foods baffles me. We do not need it in our breads or sauces, and B) HFCS is produced in corn which has been genetically modified for years. The true, natural, unaltered ancestor of corn is Maize, still found in Mexico (see here: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/selection/corn/). Corn is a GMO source and now that I have learned this, I avoid it as much as possible. In conclusion, it is just as bad as any other sugar but it does come from a genetically modified plant.
How can I avoid it?
Many products out there now offer ‘No High Fructose Corn Syrup’ such as Dave’s Killer Bread, Hunt’s Ketchup, and Franz whole grain bread- but still check the ingredients label- you may still see a form of sugar (ending in ‘-ose’) listed. It is a matter of finding and eating products that contain little to no amounts of sugar at all. To do this, it is best to eat lots of vegetables, grass-fed organic meats, nuts, moderation of fruit, and almond milk/coconut milk vs cow’s milk. 

As a very important side note, Lactose found in dairy products is a sugar. The less fat in a dairy product, the more sugar it contains. Along with that, sugars break down in our bodies very quickly whereas proteins do not. Proteins can slow those sugars down, causing fermentation in our digestive system. This is what can cause an intolerance to Lactose.

4. ASPARTAME
What is it?
An artificial low-caloric sweetener that is known to be 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Where is it found?
Better known under the brand names of Nutrasweet and Equal, it also found in products such as yogurt, gum, soft drinks, gelatins, puddings, frozen desserts and many products labeled ‘Sugar Free’. It is even in some pharmaceuticals.
How can it be harmful?
This is another controversial product and in research and understanding how certain sources can be biased, this is where we have to dig a little deeper to really understand the facts. Aspartame is claimed to be low in calories and an amino acid beneficial for our health. This is taken from the FDA website. Much of their answers regarding health dangers are very vague and have no resources to back up the true safety of Aspartame. In doing more research, the Mercola site lists complications due to the sweetener such as Diabetes and enhancing Diabetes-related complications, cancer and ulcers, heart conditions, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and so much more. At the bottom of one of the pages, they listed clinical references to back up their findings:
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm
How can I avoid it? 
It is required to list Aspartame on the ingredients label, so that is where you would need to look. An interesting piece of information on how companies can trick you into believing that removing Aspartame is beneficial for consumers is something to pay attention to. For instance, there is currently a Yoplait Light commercial advertising the removal of Aspartame. In an article I found, they have replaced it with another artificial sweetener, Sucralose (aka Splenda). It is just as harmful. The best advise- know your sugars!

5. GLUTEN
What is it?
It is a wheat protein that gives the elasticity of dough to help it rise and keep its shape throughout the baking process, leaving the final product with permeability and providing a chewy texture.
Where is it found?
It is found in wheat and other grains such as barley and rye. Of course, it is most common in breads and pastries.
How can it be harmful?
We need to throw out the misconception of a ‘gluten sensitivity’. Unless you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, the true Gluten allergy, there is no harm in Gluten itself. It is a naturally occurring protein that provides the elasticity of breads/pastries. It is not found in every wheat source. It is most likely that if you think you have a gluten issue, it is not that but an issue with other ingredients in the foods such as sugars/carbohydrates or fats. If you have been told to cut gluten out of your diet and have not been tested for Celiac, yet you feel better from doing so, chances are it was something else in the foods you were eating that had gluten in it. The most common ingredients that affects us negatively are sugars/simple carbohydrates. The mainstream media is feeding us so much misinformation on this subject. That's when you have to apply some science and being logical about the situation. Wheat, in general, can cause digestive issues, though. Wheat has not always been around and wheat crop processes have certainly changed over the years, so wheat may not be as healthy for us as it used to.  http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2015/03/wheat-gluten-fructans-intolerance


This is to demonstrate how thorough research is vital to your health. In short, I cannot take a biased approach on these products until I have all of the facts. Learning your ingredients may very well save your life.


transferred- original post date 01/08/2015

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