Red Flag Ingredients
Before I get into it- I want to reiterate the fact that we do not have to be perfect when it comes to finding clean foods. If it were a year and half ago, I would have been a crazy perfectionist, asking about every little ingredient of everything I ate. I have lived that life, and let me tell you- although I am SO happy that I now know the ins and outs of healthy foods, I also feel so much healthier while not being as disciplined. Now, I still eat mostly healthy foods, but I’m okay with a treat or a food with 1-2 unhealthy ingredients every once in a while. This has influenced my physical, mental, and emotional health in a BEAUTIFUL way. So- this short story here may be saving some of you from ever going down the path of ultra-restriction! Regardless, it’s really important to understand how to identify healthy and unhealthy foods. So ANYWAY…
I focused on the food industry and food labels in my last post and podcast episode here, but now I want to go a little deeper into the actual labels. First of all, I want to focus on one of the most important labels, which is organic. Organic produce is grown without the use of synthetic things like pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), bioengineering, sewage sludge, or ionizing radiation. So if it’s not organic, it’s conventional and that means that it has a chance of being grown with these listed things. The level of nutrients can be greater in organic produce and the toxic burden can be much greater in conventional produce. You may have heard of the “Clean 15” and “Dirty Dozen.” The AMAZING organization, The Environmental Working Group (or The EWG), conducts research to see which produce is most heavily “sprayed” or exposed to toxins, placing them on the “Dirty Dozen” and which are the least exposed, placing them on the “Clean 15.” This is a helpful guide for someone who wants to save money. The USDA Certified Organic label means that the company pays for the label and gets their product inspected by a separate organization (The USDA) to check and make sure at least 95% of their product is made with organic ingredients. This is a sure way to know something is organic, although produce from a local organic farm may not have the certification because they can’t afford it. It’s about knowing where the food is coming from and deciding who you trust!
I’m including a Food Label Reference at the bottom of this post (click here) so that you can see certain labels and what they mean!
Now, let’s really get into the worst ingredients out there! When I learned about these things, I was freaking shook. When you dig into the truth, it’s WILD. But I’m sharing this to put you in a place of power and we’re going to push through it! First of all, let’s make it clear that there’s a serious issue with the health of our country. A study by Mayo Clinic showed that nearly 70% of Americans are on at least one prescription drug, more than half receive at least two prescriptions, and 20 percent are found to be on five or more prescription medications. (Mayo Clinic, “Nearly 7 in 10 Americans Take Prescription Drugs, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center Find,” June 19, 2013) According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes around 47 pounds of cane sugar and 35 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup per year. (USDA, Agriculture Fact Book, www.usda.gov.) These facts aren’t to scare you, but to help you get in touch with what’s going on. We need to make changes in our diet and lifestyle, which are hugely impactful on our most common health issues, like heart disease, depression, cancer, diabetes, etc. Unfortunately, the government doesn’t teach these things so well, so we have to put effort into learning and making changes.
Some of the cheapest crops that are in so much of our food is corn, soy, and grains. The issues come into play when we consider how processed they are. Whole grains are healthy but when they’re refined and processed, they’re completely changed. All 3 of these things are often genetically modified or GMO. This means that these foods are not the natural foods anymore, but their DNA has been altered, often to benefit the person growing it so that it's more resistant to disease or herbicides, making the company more money. So when I say corn, soy, and grains are some of the worst ingredients, I’m talking about the processed version. Tempeh is a healthy form of whole soy, but soy lecithin is a processed unhealthy form of soy. Check out some of the ways these ingredients are listed in my last blog post here.
Let’s talk about corn, specifically. Corn is one of the main ingredients in our modern food system today. You probably don’t realize this right away, but hear me out. Think about chicken nuggets. They’re full of corn. Often the chicken is fed corn, the batter is made with corn flour, the binding is cornstarch, and it's fried in corn oil. Corn is often the “vegetarian feed” that they give to factory farmed animals (chicken, cows, fish, etc.) When we eat the animal, we are also eating what the animal ate. Corn is also in additives and preservatives and listed as modified starch, unmodified starch, glucose syrup, maltodextrin, ascorbic acid, crystalline fructose, lactic acid, MSG, caramel color, and xanthan gum. These things are all in cereals, dressings, syrups, margarine, packaged foods, etc. The average American consumed 64.5 pounds of corn-based sweeteners (like corn syrup in soda and foods) per person in one year in 2010. YIKES.
Let me give you a background of corn. In 1930, the hybrid seed was developed and produced plants with sturdier stalks, allowing them to be grown close together and resist pests and being blown over. In 1947, Scientists discovered a way to convert surplus ammonium nitrate (used as an explosive in WWII) to increase nitrogen levels- growing corn faster. In 1960, scientists discovered how to develop high fructose corn syrup. In 1970, the U.S. farm policy encouraged farmers to grow corn and sell at any price. The U.S. government subsidies made up the difference. All corn was put on the market, driving the price down. Lower corn prices drove small farmers out of business. Agribusiness like Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland picked up the slack. In 1990, Ethanol production (gas alternative) created new uses for corn. Farmers were encouraged to grow more. The problem is, it takes more energy to turn corn into ethanol than it actually produces.
So you may be taking that in like…. How?! Why?! We’ll get to that- stay with me!
Let’s talk about sugar really quickly. Sugar is related to weight gain, anxiety, heart issues, hypoglycemia, etc. and it’s hidden in pretty much everything these days. That’s why it's important to read labels and pay attention to how much we consume. Sugar can be converted into energy, but not when it’s fructose. Table sugar is half glucose and half fructose. The fructose is not used as energy, but goes straight to the liver and if there’s too much, the liver converts it to fat. This is when excess insulin is created and this leads to things like diabetes. We can eat a lot of fructose and not feel full because it messes with our leptin mechanism (or our appetite mechanism), leading us to eat more sugar AND more of everything else. In studies on rats, sugar has been found to be more addictive to our brains than cocaine and heroin. Sugar wasn’t as available in Hunter-Gatherer days. We still have the same DNA as the Hunter-Gatherers, but now, sugar is in almost everything at the store.
So hopefully, you can see how these things are a problem. But you’re probably confused WHY. Why is this how our food system is? If the fruits and veggies grow from the earth, why are these fake ingredients so much cheaper?
It’s because unfortunately, our government subsidizes foods that aren’t healthy. It subsidizes corn, wheat, the cattle industry, the dairy industry, and the sugar industry. It doesn’t subsidize fruits and vegetables. With one action, the government could change the entire health care crisis, especially during this pandemic, just by subsidizing fruits and vegetables. The price of meat and milk is low because of government subsidies. Without the subsidies, meat would be priced so much higher because there wouldn’t be money to cover the cost of cutting down the Brazilian Rainforest for cattle grazing. If we moved the subsidies to fruits and vegetables, the prices could go down and low income people could afford it more often. Do you see what’s going on here? The food and drug companies benefit from each other. Big food makes us chronically sick, causing us to need the drugs. Much of the science out there that guides the decisions around our diets are paid for by the big food and drug companies. For example, the food pyramid was designed by Kelloggs, one of the biggest food companies that creates lots of toxic foods and creates a lot of grain products. Remember when the food pyramid had grains as the largest section at the bottom? Things have changed, but believe there is still a lot of lobbying and corruption happening. We do have to know how to read the labels and avoid the junk foods. The best thing we can do, as I’ve said before, is to make changes with your dollar. It actually goes really far. By not giving your money to companies that create toxic foods, and instead giving your money to organic farmers and small conscious brands, you’re creating real change in the supply and demand of certain types of foods.
Of course, money is a factor in all of this. Organic and healthy options are often pricier due to the subsidies that are given to unhealthy foods and lack of for healthier foods. I will do a whole post/episode on healthy eating on a budget, but do what you can with what you have! Make changes gradually. Eat more produce- organic or conventional. Use the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen. Find out which stores sell certain things cheaper. I will never buy almond butter from Whole Foods because it is so damn expensive there! But I can get the same quality and size for a way cheaper price at MOM’s Organic Market. Don’t be hard on yourself! Just do your best! Things are changing due to the public pressure and so many people voting with their dollar!
This topic can suck but it can also be empowering. This is another skill that helps us during the epidemic- that gives us knowledge that becomes power to choose. Now that we’ve talked about the labels and the industry, I want to talk about healthy eating on a budget and food freedom / diets and how to eat in a way that’s ideal for you and your bio-individuality! Look out for these topics coming up! :)
Glossary Of Labels
Antibiotic-free
Antibiotic-free means that an animal was not given antibiotics during its lifetime. In the United States, this label is not allowed on meat or poultry products but can be used on dairy products. Other phrases to indicate the same approach include “no antibiotics administered” and “raised without antibiotics,” both of which may be used on meat products.
Bioengineered
Bioengineered is a label that, as of January 2020, is required by the U.S. government on foods that “contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques.”7 This label must be used on any foods that contain one of the 13 bioengineered foods available throughout the world: alfalfa, apples, canola, corn, cotton, eggplant, papaya, pineapple, potatoes, salmon, soybeans, squash, and sugar beets.8 However, no disclosure is required if the amount of genetically modified material cannot be measured.
Cage-free
Cage-free means that the birds are raised without cages. What this doesn’t explain is whether the birds were raised outdoors at pasture or if they were raised indoors in overcrowded conditions. If you are looking to buy eggs, poultry, or meat from animals raised outdoors, look for a label that says “pastured” or “pasture-raised.”
Certified naturally grown
Certified naturally grown is an alternative to organic for farmers who may find it expensive or time-consuming to get or maintain the USDA label. This label means that food was grown using responsible soil management techniques, without the use of synthetic pesticides on plants or hormones and antibiotics on animals, and without genetically engineered seeds. While this label shares many of the same standards as the USDA organic label, there isn’t a yearly review of the records; in some cases, there may be more stringent requirements for this label.
Conventional
Also known as “industrial agriculture,” conventional describes a system of growing that uses technology and synthetic chemicals to help increase yields. Conventional farming may include growing the same crop on the same plot each year (monocropping), genetically modified organisms (GMOs), confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and synthetic chemicals that target insects and weeds.
Fair trade
A fair trade label means that farmers and workers, often in developing countries, have received fair wages and worked in acceptable conditions while growing and packaging the product.
Free-range
The use of the terms free-range or free-roaming is only defined by the USDA for egg and poultry production. The label can be used as long as the producers allow the birds access to the outdoors so they can engage in natural behaviors. It does not necessarily mean that the products are cruelty-free or antibiotic-free or that the animals spent the majority of their time outdoors. Claims are defined by the USDA but are not verified by third-party inspectors.
GMO-free, non-GMO, or no GMOs
GMOs are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses, or other plants and animals. Products can be labeled GMO-free if they are produced without being genetically engineered through the use of GMOs.
Grain-fed
Animals raised on a grain diet are labeled grain-fed. Check the label for a claim of a “100% vegetarian diet” to ensure that the animals were given feed containing no animal by-products.
Grass-fed
This means the animals were fed grass, their natural diet, rather than grains. In addition to being more humane, grass-fed meat is leaner and lower in fat and calories than grain-fed meat. Grass-fed animals are not fed grain, animal by-products, synthetic hormones, or antibiotics to promote growth or prevent disease; they may, however, have been given antibiotics to treat disease. A grass-fed label doesn’t mean the animal necessarily ate grass its entire life. Some grass-fed cattle are grain- finished, which means they ate grain from a feedlot prior to slaughter. Look for grass-fed and grass-finished.
Healthy
Foods labeled healthy must be low in saturated fat and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium. Certain foods must also contain at least 10% of the following nutrients: vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein, and fiber.
Heritage
A heritage label describes a rare and endangered breed of livestock or crops. Heritage breeds are traditional livestock that were raised by farmers in the past, before industrial agriculture drastically reduced breed variety. These animals are prized for their rich taste and usually contain a higher fat content than commercial breeds. Production standards are not required by law, but true heritage farmers use sustainable production methods. This method of production saves animals from extinction and preserves genetic diversity.
Hormone-free
The USDA has prohibited the use of the term hormone-free for certain animals, but those raised without added growth hormones, such as cows, can be labeled no hormones administered or no added hormones. By law, hogs and poultry cannot be given any hormones. If the meats you are buying are not clearly labeled, ask your farmer or butcher if they are free from hormones.
Local
In general, local refers to food that is grown within 100 miles of where it’s being purchased – though some may prefer food grown closer; others have an even more strict definition, believing only that food directly from a farm or farmers’ market is local. Local food can be conventional or organic and may or may not contain GMOs. Local food is fresher, often tastes better, and provides clarity for where the food is sourced.
Natural
No standards currently exist for this label except when used on meat and poultry products. USDA guidelines state that meat and poultry products labeled natural can only undergo minimal processing and cannot contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. However, natural foods are not necessarily sustainable, organic, humanely raised, or free of hormones and antibiotics.
Nonirradiated
This label means that the food has not been exposed to radiation. Meat and vegetables are sometimes irradiated (exposed to radiation energy) to kill disease-causing bacteria and reduce the incidence of foodborne illness. No thorough testing has been done to know if irradiated food is safe for human consumption.
Pasture-raised
Pasture-raised indicates that the animal was raised on a pasture where it was able to eat grasses and other plants rather than being fattened on grain in a feedlot or barn. Pasturing livestock and poultry is a traditional farming technique that allows animals to be raised in a humane manner. Animals can move around freely and carry out their natural behaviors. This term is very similar to grass-fed, but pasture-raised more clearly indicates that the animal was raised outdoors at pasture.
rBGH-free or rBST-free
Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) or recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) are genetically engineered growth hormones injected into dairy cows to artificially increase their milk production. The hormone has not been properly tested for safety and is not permitted in the European Union, Canada, and other countries. Milk labeled rBGH- free is produced by dairy cows that have never received injections of this hormone. Organic milk is rBGH-free.
Organic
All organic agricultural farms and products must meet the following guidelines (verified by a USDA-approved independent agency):
Abstain from the application of prohibited materials (including synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and sewage sludge) for three years prior to certification and then continually throughout their organic license.
Prohibit the use of GMOs and irradiation.
Employ positive soil building, conservation, manure management,
and crop rotation practices.
Provide outdoor access and pasture for livestock.
Refrain from antibiotic and hormone use in animals.
Sustain animals on 100% organic feed.
Avoid contamination during processing of organic products.
Keep records of all operations.
If a product contains the USDA organic seal, it means that 95%–100% of its ingredients are organic. Products with 70%–95% organic ingredients can still advertise “organic ingredients” on the front of the package, and products with less than 70% organic ingredients can identify them on the side panel. Organic foods prohibit the use of hydrogenation and trans fats.
Footnotes
5| Greener Choices. (2019). “Antibiotic free.” Retrieved from www.greenerchoices.org/2017/11/16/antibiotic-free-mean
6| Calvo, T. & Meltzer-Warren, R. (2018). What “no antibiotics” claims really mean. Retrieved from www.consumerreports.org/overuse-of-antibiotics/what-no-antibiotic- claims-really-mean
7| United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (n.d.). BE disclosure. Retrieved from www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be
8| United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (n.d.). List of bioengineered foods. Retrieved from www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be/bioengineered-foods-list
*Information Came From A Lesson At Thee Institute of Integrative Nutrition