When embarking on a journey to wellness, it is often hard to know where to start. The supermarket can suddenly become a confusing place. Which ingredients are ok? Which ones should we avoid? Here are the top 3 on our “do-not-touch” list.
Aspartame 951
Not just found in “diet” soft drinks, this insidious little chemical sweetener can find its way into iced tea, protein shakes, chewing gum, lollies and even chewable vitamin supplements! Aspartame has been linked to brain and nervous system damage, weight gain, liver toxicity, kidney disorders and even cancer, so our advice is to give it a wide berth.
MSG 621
Good old monosodium glutamate – favoured by many a Chinese restaurant in the 1980’s and 90’s (and still today!), it is now a staple ingredient in many packaged and processed foods. Chips, biscuits, cup-a-soups, gravies and stock cubes/powders are rife with the stuff. And watch out for products which claim to be “MSG Free” – they may contain one of MSG’s cousins like diosodium glutamate – so read your labels carefully.
Sodium Benzoate 211
Found in soft drinks, fruit juices, jams, jellies and pickles, sodium benzoate has been linked with hyperactivity, nerve damage and premature ageing. It is also thought that sodium benzoate can form benzene, a known carcinogen, when coming into contact with vitamin C, and that it may damage DNA – a good reason to avoid it wherever possible!
So how do we best avoid these nasty ingredients? Simple! Ditch those prepackaged foods, read all labels, and eat fresh food cooked from scratch. Recently I saw a quote online which said “If a product contains ingredients that you don’t recognize, your body won’t recognize it either.” How true… Keep it simple, fresh and unprocessed and your body will reward you with health and vitality.