Foods to Avoid
Key foods to avoid for better health: processed seed oils, wheat, sugar, corn, soy, factory-farmed meat and fish - with guidance on finding alternatives.
Eliminating even just one or two of these problematic foods can significantly improve how you feel. It may be surprising to discover how many of these ingredients are lurking in your fridge and pantry. Take a moment to read the labels in your kitchen, you might be wondering what foods will remain after removing vegetable oils, wheat, processed sugar, corn, soy, industrial meat, and farmed seafood from your diet.
Seed Oils
Processed seed or vegetable oils are widely used in the food industry due to their relatively low cost and versatile processing properties. These oils are extracted from the seeds of plants using chemical or mechanical methods and often undergo further processing, including high heating, bleaching, and deodorizing. Common seed oils include soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, sunflower, safflower, sesame, ricebran, grapeseed, flaxseed, cottonseed, and peanut.
When you read food labels and eliminate seed oils, you'll notice that most of the other foods on this list will be avoided as well.
If you could make only one change for better health, eliminating seed oils would likely have the biggest impact. However, these oils are commonly found in many processed foods.
Here is a list of foods where processed seed oils are most frequently used:
Packaged Snacks: Chips, crackers, and pretzels often contain processed seed oils as a key ingredient.
Fried Foods: Fast food items such as french fries, fried chicken, and doughnuts are typically fried in these oils for flavor and stability at high temperatures.
Processed Baked Goods: Commercially prepared cakes, cookies, pies, and pastries frequently use the oils as a fat source.
Salad Dressings and Mayonnaise: Many store-bought salad dressings and mayonnaise brands are made with processed seed oils because they are liquid at room temperature and have a mild flavor.
Margarine and Non-Dairy Spreads: Originally created as cheaper alternatives to butter, many of these products are based on processed seed oils.
Frozen Meals: Pre-prepared meals that you can heat in a microwave or oven often contain these oils as part of their ingredient list for flavor and to prevent sticking.
Non-Dairy Creamers: Liquid and powdered creamers for coffee and tea often include the oils to achieve a creamy texture without dairy.
Processed Sauces and Condiments: Including barbecue sauce, stir-fry sauces, and some types of hot sauce.
Store-bought Nut Butters: Particularly those that are not labeled as "natural" or those that have a creamy consistency, may contain added oils to improve spreadability and shelf stability.
Movie Theatre Popcorn: Movie theatres typically use non-hydrogenated canola oil. The liquid butter is also a blend of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated soybean and canola oils, along with artificial flavors.
Pre-packaged Popcorn: Many microwavable and pre-popped popcorn brands use processed seed oils for popping and flavoring.
Vegetable Oil Blends and Cooking Oils: Bottles of cooking oils often contain a blend of different refined seed oils; these are staple cooking aids in many kitchens.
Prepared Vegetable Dishes and Sides: Frozen or refrigerated side dishes, including seasoned vegetables or grain mixes, often use these oils as a cooking or flavor additive.
Restaurant Foods: Many meals including vegetable dishes use seed oils for flavoring. Make a habit of asking your server for options without seed oils or to not use them at all.
Consuming foods prepared with these common cooking oils lead to high intake of linoleic acid, an inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid. Modern diets contain much higher levels of this acid than those of our ancestors. Our bodies store linoleic acid and other omega-6 fatty acids in cell membranes and body fat. These unstable oils break down inside us, forming harmful oxidized omega-6 fats, especially when heated during cooking. Although linoleic acid is essential for health, excessive amounts, often due to high consumption of processed foods, can be detrimental. These oxidized fats can damage DNA, mitochondria, and the liver, and contribute to cardiovascular disease. Too much linoleic acid can lead to widespread inflammation, including in the brain, which may impair its optimal function.
Many processed foods use hydrogenation to extend shelf life, transforming already unhealthy oils into even more harmful synthetic trans fats. Trans fats are associated with numerous health issues and are a major contributor to obesity. Despite government efforts to reduce trans fats in our food supply, they remain present. When consumed, artificial trans fats are incorporated into cell structures, resulting in improperly functioning cell walls.
It is important to note that there is one naturally occurring trans fat, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), found in grass-fed butter and dairy. CLA is distinct from artificial trans fats and offers various health benefits. In contrast, artificial trans fats are detrimental to our bodies. Don't be misled, margarine is not equivalent to butter in terms of health effects.
Wheat
Wheat farming is a massive industry that generates billions of dollars annually. To maximize profits, farmers focus on increasing crop yields. One effective method is hybridization, which involves cross-breeding different wheat varieties to create stronger, more resilient plants. These hybridized wheat varieties can withstand harsh weather conditions and pest infestations, making them highly durable.
While this durability is beneficial in the field, it poses a problem for human digestion. The same toughness that allows wheat to survive harsh conditions makes it difficult for our bodies to break down and absorb nutrients from these crops. Consuming this highly resistant wheat can lead to various health issues. Instead of being properly digested and providing energy, it can cause inflammation, gas, bloating, water retention, and fatigue.
Here are some common foods and products where wheat is most present:
Bread: One of the most common foods containing wheat, including white, whole wheat, multigrain, and many other types of bread.
Pasta: Made from semolina or flour derived from wheat, including spaghetti, macaroni, fusilli, and many more types.
Cereals: Many breakfast cereals are made from wheat because of its nutritional content and flavor.
Pastries and Baked Goods: Includes items like cakes, cookies, muffins, scones, and pie crusts.
Flour: Wheat flour is a primary ingredient in a range of products and is used for baking and cooking. This includes all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cake flour, and pastry flour.
Crackers and Biscuits: These snacks often contain wheat flour as a primary ingredient.
Pizza Dough: Generally made from high-gluten wheat flour to achieve a chewy texture.
Pancakes and Waffles: Traditional recipes include wheat flour as a base ingredient.
Bulgur Wheat and Farro: Whole wheat grains that are often used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Italian cuisines.
Seitan: A popular meat substitute made from wheat gluten, highly valued in vegetarian and vegan diets for its protein content and meat-like texture.
Noodles: Many types, such as udon, soba (partly), and some types of instant noodles, are made from wheat.
Couscous: A North African staple made from semolina wheat.
Sauces, Soups, and Gravies: Wheat flour is often used as a thickening agent.
Beer: Many beers are brewed with malted barley, which is a type of wheat, making it a less obvious source of wheat in diets.
Battered and Fried Foods: The batter used for frying foods like chicken, fish, and vegetables often contains wheat flour.
This list is not exhaustive, and wheat can be found in many other processed foods and ingredients, such as some ice creams, soy sauces, and modified food starches. Always read ingredient labels, especially for individuals with wheat allergies or intolerances.
Wheat-Free Alternatives
Eliminating wheat from your diet might seem daunting, but it opens a world of healthier and tastier carbohydrate options. Instead of relying on wheat-based products, consider these nutritious alternatives:
Sprouted Grains: Look for breads and pastas made with sprouted grains like spelt. Sprouting makes grains easier to digest and increases their nutrient availability.
Wheat-Free Options: Supermarkets and health food stores offer a wide variety of wheat-free breads, bagels, and tortillas, often found in the freezer section for freshness.
Important Note: While most wheat products should not be consumed, sprouted wheat is an exception. The sprouting process initiates enzymatic changes that break down some of the complex compounds found in wheat. This transformation can increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients and reduce antinutrients like phytic acid, making sprouted wheat easier to digest.
Processed Sugar
Processed sugars, also known as added sugars, are commonly found in a wide variety of foods, especially in processed and prepared items. These sugars can lead to inflammation and insulin resistance in the body. Such effects contribute to various health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, brain disorders, and autoimmune diseases. Unlike whole foods such as fruits, processed sugars lack protective compounds that help moderate blood sugar levels, preventing sudden spikes and crashes. Manufacturers add these sugars to foods and beverages to enhance flavor, texture, and color, as well as to extend shelf life.
Here is a list of foods where processed sugar is most commonly present:
Sodas and Soft Drinks: One of the leading sources of added sugars in the diet, often containing significant amounts of sugar per serving.
Candies and Chocolates: High sugar content is a defining characteristic of most candies, including chocolate bars, especially those with less cocoa content.
Baked Goods: Cakes, cookies, pies, and pastries often contain large amounts of added sugar for sweetness and texture.
Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: Besides having artificial flavors and natural flavors, these treats are typically high in added sugars.
Processed Snacks: Snack foods, including granola bars, flavored yogurt, and processed fruit snacks, can contain surprisingly high levels of added sugars.
Breakfast Cereals: Even those marketed as healthy options can contain significant amounts of added sugars.
Jams, Jellies, and Preserves: Sugar is a key ingredient in these products, acting as a preservative and sweetener.
Sauces and Condiments: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce, and teriyaki sauce can have high sugar content, even in small serving sizes.
Prepackaged Meals and Fast Foods: Added sugars can be used to enhance flavor in frozen dinners, fast food items, and other prepared meals.
Fruit Drinks and Juices: Even those labeled as "made from real fruit" or "100% juice" can contain added sugars to increase sweetness.
Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks: Marketed for hydration and energy, these often contain large amounts of added sugars.
Flavored Coffees and Teas: Specialty coffee drinks and sweetened teas can have high sugar content due to syrups and other sweeteners.
Alcoholic Beverages: Many types of alcoholic drinks, including cocktails, flavored beers, and sweet wines, can be high in added sugars.
Dairy Desserts and Flavored Milk: Chocolate milk, strawberry milk, and many types of ice cream and yogurt are sweetened with added sugars.
Nut Butters and Spreads: Some brands add sugar to their products to enhance flavor, making even a simple peanut butter sandwich a source of added sugar.
It is important to read food labels carefully, as added sugars can be listed under many different names, including but not limited to sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, maltodextrin, and xylose.
Corn
Corn has become a common food in many diets, but it can have a negative impact on your metabolism. This is largely due to how farmers have modified corn over the years. In an effort to increase yields, the genetic makeup of corn has been significantly altered. These modifications have resulted in a crop that is very different from its natural state.
One significant change is the increased sugar content in modern corn. While this might not seem immediately alarming, this concentrated sugar acts as a catalyst for white fat production in the body. This means that consuming a large amount of corn can lead to increased fat storage, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight and a fast metabolism.
Corn-derived ingredients to look for on labels include corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, cornstarch, corn oil, dextrose, maltodextrin, and cornmeal, among others. Due to the prevalence of corn in numerous forms, it is important to carefully read ingredient labels.
Here are some food categories where corn is most prevalent, either as a primary ingredient or in a derived form:
Cereals and Snack Foods: Many breakfast cereals, granola bars, and snack foods use corn in the form of cornmeal, corn flour, or corn-based sweeteners.
Sodas and Sweetened Beverages: High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a common sweetener made from corn, extensively used in colas, fruit-flavored beverages, and other sweetened drinks.
Processed Meats: Corn products, such as cornstarch and corn syrup, can be used as fillers, binders, and sweeteners in sausages, deli meats, and canned meats.
Canned Vegetables and Fruits: Some canned vegetables and fruits contain added corn-derived ingredients, such as corn syrup, to sweeten or preserve the products.
Sauces and Condiments: Many sauces, salad dressings, ketchup, and mustards contain corn-derived ingredients like vinegar and high-fructose corn syrup.
Baked Goods and Bakery Products: Cornstarch, cornmeal, and high-fructose corn syrup are common in cookies, cakes, pastries, and bread, improving texture and sweetness.
Frozen Foods: Corn ingredients, especially corn oil and cornstarch, are found in frozen meals, pizzas, and breaded items for their role in flavor, texture, and as anti-caking agents.
Confectionery and Candy: Corn syrup is a key ingredient in many sweets and candies, providing texture, sweetness, and moisture retention.
Dairy Products and Alternatives: Processed dairy products, like some yogurts and ice creams, may contain corn-based sweeteners or thickeners.
Soup and Broth Preparations: Many prepared soups and broths utilize cornstarch as a thickening agent or include corn-derived products for flavoring.
Alcoholic Beverages: Certain beers (especially mass-produced ones) and spirits may utilize corn as a fermentable sugar source.
Baby Foods and Formula: Some baby food products and formulas include corn derivatives as sources of carbohydrates or for texture.
Packaged Meals and Side Dishes: Microwaveable and ready-to-eat meals, as well as side dishes like instant mashed potatoes and pasta mixes, often contain corn derivatives as flavor enhancers, thickeners, or fillers.
Energy Bars and Drinks: For texture, shelf stability, and sweetness, energy bars and drinks frequently use corn-derived ingredients.
Pet Food: Many pet food brands use corn or corn by-products for their carbohydrate content and as fillers.
Corn and Fat in Meat Production
The effect of corn on fat production is not limited to humans. Farmers often use corn to increase the marbling in beef. This marbling, which is the white tissue fat that adds flavor to the meat, increases the grade and value of the beef. By feeding cows and other livestock a corn-heavy diet before slaughter, farmers can increase the fat content in the meat. When eating meat, it is always best to purchase 100% grass fed beef or pasture raised pork and poultry.
Soy
While many people consider soy products like tofu, edamame, and tempeh to be healthy, especially for those who don't consume animal protein, they might not be the best choice when focusing on metabolic health. Soy contains plant estrogens, which are similar to the estrogens produced by the human body. These plant estrogens can lead to increased belly fat. Additionally, a large portion of soy production is genetically modified, making it more difficult for the body to process.
Soy can be found in many forms, including soybean oil, soy protein, soy flour, soy lecithin, and hydrolyzed soy protein. Here is a list of processed food categories where soy is most prevalently used:
Meat Alternatives: Soy-based products like tofu, tempeh, and textured vegetable protein (TVP) are common meat substitutes found in vegetarian and vegan products due to their high protein content.
Processed Snacks: Many snacks, including chips, crackers, and nutrition bars, contain soy ingredients like soy lecithin (an emulsifier), soy protein, or soybean oil.
Baked Goods: Soy flour, soy oil, and soy lecithin are often used in breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries for moisture retention, to extend shelf life, and improve texture.
Cooking Oils: Soybean oil is one of the most commonly used vegetable oils for cooking and is found in various processed and pre-packaged foods.
Dressings, Sauces, and Marinades: Soybean oil and soy lecithin are frequently found in salad dressings, mayonnaise, sauces, and marinades as emulsifiers or to enhance texture and mouthfeel.
Dairy Alternatives: Soy milk, soy yogurt, and soy cheese are popular dairy-free alternatives for those who are lactose intolerant or following a vegan diet.
Frozen Foods: Many frozen dishes, including meals, vegetable preparations, and even ice creams, might include soy proteins, soy oil, or lecithin.
Cereals and Breakfast Foods: Soy ingredients can be found in breakfast cereals, granola, and meal-replacement shakes for added protein.
Soups and Broths: Certain prepared soups and broths use soy protein as a thickening agent or to boost protein content.
Infant Formula: Soy-based infant formulas offer an alternative for infants who are lactose intolerant or allergic to cow’s milk.
Confectionery and Chocolate Products: Soy lecithin is a common ingredient in chocolate and other sweet confections as an emulsifier to maintain texture and consistency.
Energy and Sports Nutrition Products: Soy protein isolates or concentrates are often found in protein powders, energy bars, and sports drinks.
Beverages: Soy derivatives can be used in various beverages, including smoothies, meal replacement drinks, and some soft drinks as emulsifiers.
Pasta and Noodles: Some types of pasta and noodles can be fortified with soy protein to enhance their protein content or to offer a gluten-free alternative.
Pet Food: Soy is also a common ingredient in pet foods, providing a source of protein for pets.
Soy in Livestock Feed
In conventional cattle farming, soy is frequently added to livestock feed to boost protein content at a low cost. This practice is similar to how some fast-food restaurants incorporate soy protein into their hamburgers. The estrogenic properties of soy lead to rapid weight gain in livestock, which is beneficial for the meat industry but undesirable for human health.
Industrial Meat and Farmed Seafood
Approximately 95% of our food comes from industrial agriculture. Our bodies struggle to process meat from these modern farming methods, and women are particularly at risk of hormone imbalances. Factory-farmed meats are often considered less healthy and environmentally damaging for several reasons:
Poor Animal Diets: Animals in factory farms are often fed genetically modified low-cost, low-quality feed, including corn and soy that have been sprayed with pesticides. This poor diet can cause leaky gut and hormone disruption for the animals and accumulates harmful substances in the meat.
Antibiotics and Hormones: To keep animals alive in poor living conditions and to promote rapid growth, factory farms frequently use antibiotics, hormones, and synthetic estrogen compounds. These substances can end up in the meat and dairy products consumed by humans, potentially leading to health issues.
Living Conditions: The animals are often kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions, which can lead to widespread illness. The use of antibiotics is often necessary to prevent disease outbreaks in such environments.
Nutritional Quality: Grain-fed meat has less vitamins A, B, C, and E; less conjugated linoleic acid (which aids fat burning); and fewer omega-3s. It also has more omega-6 fatty acids than meat from pastured or wild animals. Grain-fed beef has an 8:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, while grass-fed beef averages 2:1. Factory-farmed pork and poultry is worse with an average 19:1 ratio, compared to 11:1 in pastured pork and poultry.
Environmental Impact: Factory farming contributes significantly to environmental pollution. The waste from these farms can contaminate air, rivers, streams, and ocean habitats. Fish farms release large amounts of waste, including feces and uneaten feed, into surrounding waters. This pollution can lead to nutrient overloads, causing harmful algal blooms that deplete oxygen levels and create dead zones where marine life cannot survive.
Factory-farmed meats are often used in:
Fast food restaurants: Many fast food chains rely heavily on factory-farmed meats for their burgers, chicken sandwiches, and other meat-based products.
Processed meats: Products like hot dogs, sausages, deli meats, and canned meats often use factory-farmed meats.
Frozen meals: Many frozen dinners and pre-prepared meals contain meat from factory farms.
School and institutional cafeterias: Due to budget constraints, many cafeterias in schools, hospitals, and other institutions use factory-farmed meats.
Low-cost meat products in supermarkets: The less expensive meat options in grocery stores are often from factory farms.
Some restaurant chains: Especially those focusing on high-volume, low-cost meals.
Packaged snacks: Meat-flavored snacks or those containing meat products often use factory-farmed sources.
Dairy Products: Milk, butter, and ghee from grain-fed cows.
One of the single most significant impacts you can make to your health and the environment is to choose organic, 100% grass-fed or pasture raised animal products and wild caught seafood whenever possible.
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