Thursday, March 15, 2012

Contaminants in Food

I have found through my reading and research that often what is AVAILABLE for purchase is not always healthy, or good for you, or even safe.  Just because it's approved by the USDA has little merit in my opinion.  There are some things you should definitely avoid giving your baby, and I try to avoid as well.  Here is a list of food items to avoid:



Smoked/cured meats (hot dogs, bologna, bacon) due to preservatives such as nitrates

Cold smoked fish (it may contain Listeria)

Fish from contaminated water, as mercury is a big concern

Caffeine, for obvious reasons

Imitation foods (okay, so I'm not going to give reasons for all, as hopefully it is apparent why you would want to avoid these...)

Processed foods

Herbal teas (herbs can often have detrimental effects)

Chewable vitamin C (it damages tooth enamel)

Contaminated water (bottled water does NOT mean safe!)

Unpasteurized juice

Artificial sweeteners

Non-organic produce, which often contain high levels of pesticides

Non-organic animal products - the chemicals concentrate in fat, so when eating full-fat dairy, meat, etc., you are more likely to consume these

(I suggest always eating organic when possible)

Additives to avoid: brominated vegetable oils (BVO), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHA), monosodium glutamate (MSG), propylgallate, quinine, saccharin, sodium nitrate/nitrite, sulfites, artificial colors/flavors, carrageenan, hyptyl paraben, phosphoric acid

It seems a bit overwhelming, but if you focus on feeding your family unprocessed, organic foods, it becomes relatively simple to avoid these things.

 

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