There are some basic hidden ingredients in food which many of us are not aware of. As well, most of us are unaware that there are significant dangers associated with many of the foods that we eat. We have heard about harmful substances such as carcinogens, however there are other ingredients which we ingest every day that could be slowly destroying our bodies. Do you know which ingredients make up the foods you consume daily? Few of us read the ingredients labels written in a tiny font on the side of the packages. We simply trust that our foods will not harm us, assuming that some watch dog out, such as the FDA, is there protecting everything we eat.
The real mistake is in assuming that just because the substances we consume do not harm us today they will not harm us in the long run. This is a particularly bad assumption because the majority of deaths associated with eating foods which are bad for us are not related to poisoning or some sort of short term danger. Heart disease, for example, builds over many years as a result of consuming too many calories or the wrong types of fat. Heart disease is no laughing matter as it kills thousands upon thousands of people each year and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
If you want to avoid the many health problems which may be caused by hidden ingredients in the food you eat, you need to learn a few things about these ingredients. Three of them are trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup and food dyes. Although there are many other harmful hidden ingredients, you should be mindful of these three in particular.
Reading Ingredients Labels
Trans fats are primarily dangerous because of their affect on the circulatory system. These fats build up inside artery walls and lead to heart attacks and heart disease. Few of us realize that some fats are much more dangerous than others; trans fats are some of the worst. However, it is dangerous to assume that the food you are eating is free of trans fats so it must be safe to eat and good for you. Saturated fats are just as dangerous as trans fats.
Food dyes are not something that we hear about as much, but they have been shown to cause some serious health problems. Many of the common food dyes we consume daily, Blue 1, Green 3, and Yellow 5 and Red 40 among them, have been shown to cause serious behavioral problems such as hyperactivity. The real problem with these dyes is that they are everywhere. For example, most of the cereals we eat are filled with them. If you or a loved one is suffering from hyperactivity, you might consider dietary changes to see if food dyes are in fact the culprit.
High-fructose corn syrup is in many foods we eat especially our treats. High-fructose corn syrup is a concentrated form of sugar. It causes the same problems that eating too much sugar can cause, such as hyperactivity and difficulty concentrating. We often associate these problems with kids and dismiss them as unimportant, but it is important to realize that adults are also affected by too much sugar. They can experience the same mood problems and behavioral issues, just expressed in different ways. Try cutting high-fructose corn syrup out of your diet and you will see some results quickly.
By avoiding or reducing trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup and food dyes in your diet, you may improve your health in the short term and drastically reduce the likelihood of having serious health problems, such as heart disease, affect you in the future.
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