By Dr. Mercola
Many foods have been heavily promoted as being healthy when they are
nothing more than pernicious junk foods. In the featured article, Clean
Plates
1 founder Jared Koch shared his list of nine staple foods that are far less “good for you” than you’ve been led to believe.
Here, I expand on the selections that are mentioned in the featured article.
1. Canned Tomatoes
Many leading brands of canned foods contain BPA -- a toxic chemical
linked to reproductive abnormalities, neurological effects, heightened
risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, heart disease and other
serious health problems. According to Consumer Reports’ testing, just a couple of servings of canned food can exceed the safety limits for daily BPA exposure for children.
High acidity — a prominent characteristic of tomatoes – causes BPA to
leach into your food. To avoid this hazardous chemical, avoid canned
foods entirely and stick to fresh fruits and vegetables, or switch over
to brands that use glass containers instead—especially for acidic foods
like tomatoes.
2. Processed Meats
As Koch warns, processed deli meats like salami, ham, and roast beef are
typically made with meats from animals raised in confined animal
feeding operations (CAFOs).
This means they’re given growth hormones, antibiotics and other
veterinary drugs, and raised in deplorable conditions that promote
disease, these meats are also filled with sodium nitrite (a commonly
used preservative and antimicrobial agent that also adds color and
flavor) and other chemical flavorings and dyes.
Nitrites can be converted into nitrosamines in your body, which are
potent cancer-causing chemicals. Research has linked nitrites to higher
rates of colorectal, stomach and pancreatic cancer. But that’s not all.
Most processed deli meats also contain other cancer-promoting chemicals that are created during cooking. These include:
- Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) which are hazardous
compounds created in meats and other foods that have been cooked at high
temperatures. According to research, processed meats are clearly
associated with an increased risk of stomach, colon and breast cancers.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Many
processed meats are smoked as part of the curing process, which causes
PAHs to form. PAHs can also form when grilling. When fat drips onto the
heat source, causing excess smoke, and the smoke surrounds your food, it
can transfer cancer-causing PAHs to the meat.
- Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When
food is cooked at high temperatures—including when it is pasteurized or
sterilized—it increases the formation of AGEs in your food. AGEs build
up in your body over time leading to oxidative stress, inflammation and
an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.
The truth is, processed meats are not a healthful choice for anyone and should be avoided entirely, according to a 2011 review
of more than 7,000 clinical studies examining the connection between
diet and cancer. The report was commissioned by The World Cancer
Research Fund2
(WCRF) using money raised from the general public. Therefore the
findings were not influenced by any vested interests, which makes it all
the more reliable.
It's the biggest review of the evidence ever undertaken, and it confirms
previous findings: Processed meats increase your risk of cancer,
especially bowel cancer, and NO amount of processed meat is "safe."
You’re far better off ditching the deli meats and opting instead for
fresh organically-raised grass-fed meats, or wild caught salmon.
3. Margarine
The unfortunate result of the low-fat diet craze has been the shunning
of healthful fats such as butter, and public health has declined as a
result of this folly. There are a myriad of unhealthy components to
margarine and other butter impostors, including:
- Trans fats: These unnatural fats in margarine,
shortenings and spreads are formed during the process of hydrogenation,
which turns liquid vegetable oils into a solid fat. Trans fats
contribute to heart disease, cancer, bone problems, hormonal imbalance
and skin disease; infertility, difficulties in pregnancy and problems
with lactation; and low birth weight, growth problems and learning
disabilities in children. A US government panel of scientists determined
that man-made trans fats are unsafe at any level.
- Free radicals: Free radicals and other toxic
breakdown products are the result of high temperature industrial
processing of vegetable oils. They contribute to numerous health
problems, including cancer and heart disease.
- Emulsifiers and preservatives: Numerous
additives of questionable safety are added to margarines and spreads.
Most vegetable shortening is stabilized with preservatives like BHT.
- Hexane and other solvents: Used in the extraction process, these industrial chemicals can have toxic effects.
Good-old-fashioned butter, when made from grass-fed cows, is rich in a substance called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
CLA is not only known to help fight cancer and diabetes, it may even
help you to lose weight, which cannot be said for its trans-fat
substitutes. Much of the reason why butter is vilified is because it
contains saturated fat. If you're still in the mindset that saturated
fat is harmful for your health, then please read the Healthy Fats section of my Optimized Nutrition Plan to learn why saturated fat is actually good for you.
4. Vegetable Oils
Of all the destructive foods available to us, those made with heated vegetable oils
are some of the worst. Make no mistake about it--vegetable oils are not
the health food that you were lead to believe they were. This is
largely due to the fact that they are highly processed, and when
consumed in massive amounts, as they are by most Americans, they
seriously distort the important omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Ideally, this
ratio is 1:1.
Anytime you cook a food, you run the risk of creating heat-induced
damage. The oils you choose to cook with must be stable enough to resist
chemical changes when heated to high temperatures, or you run the risk
of damaging your health. One of the ways vegetable oils can inflict
damage is by converting your good cholesterol into bad cholesterol—by
oxidizing it. When you cook with polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as
canola, corn, and soy oils), oxidized cholesterol is introduced into your system.
As the oil is heated and mixed with oxygen, it goes rancid. Rancid oil
is oxidized oil and should NOT be consumed—it leads directly to vascular
disease. Trans-fats are introduced when these oils are hydrogenated,
which increases your risk of chronic diseases like breast cancer and
heart disease.
So what's the best oil to cook with?
Of all the available oils, coconut oil
is the oil of choice for cooking because it is nearly a completely
saturated fat, which means it is much less susceptible to heat damage.
And coconut oil is one of the most unique and beneficial fats for your
body. For more in-depth information about the many benefits of coconut
oil, please see this special report. Olive oil, while certainly a healthful oil, is easily damaged by heat and is best reserved for drizzling cold over salad.
5. Microwave Popcorn
Perfluoroalkyls, which include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), are chemicals used to keep grease from
leaking through fast food wrappers, are being ingested by people
through their food and showing up as contaminants in blood. Microwave
popcorn bags are lined with PFOA, and when they are heated the compound
leaches onto the popcorn.
These chemicals are part of an expanding group of chemicals commonly referred to as "gender-bending" chemicals,
because they can disrupt your endocrine system and affect your sex
hormones. The EPA has ruled PFCs as "likely carcinogens," and has stated
that PFOA "poses developmental and reproductive risks to humans."
Researchers have also linked various PFCs to a range of other health
dangers, such as:
- Infertility -- A study published in the journal Human Reproduction3
found that both PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), dramatically
increased the odds of infertility. PFOA was linked to a 60 to 154
percent increase in the chance of infertility.
- Thyroid disease -- A 2010 study4 found that PFOA can damage your thyroid function.
Individuals with the highest PFOA concentrations were more than twice
as likely to report current thyroid disease, compared to those with the
lowest PFOA concentrations. Your thyroid contains thyroglobulin protein,
which binds to iodine to form hormones, which in turn influence
essentially every organ, tissue and cell in your body. Thyroid hormones
are also required for growth and development in children. Thyroid
disease, if left untreated, can lead to heart disease, infertility,
muscle weakness, and osteoporosis.
- Cancer -- PFOA has been associated with tumors
in at least four different organs in animal tests (liver, pancreas,
testicles and mammary glands in rats), and has been associated with
increases in prostate cancer in PFOA plant workers.
- Immune system problems -- Several studies by
scientists in Sweden indicate that PFCs have an adverse effect on your
immune system. As described in a report on PFCs by the Environmental
Working Group (EWG), PFOA was found to decrease all immune cell
subpopulations studied, in the thymus and spleen, and caused
immunosupression.
- Increased LDL cholesterol levels – A 2010 study in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine5
found that children and teens with higher PFOA levels had higher levels
of total cholesterol and LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while PFOS was
associated with increased total cholesterol, including both LDL
cholesterol and HDL or "good" cholesterol.
I strongly recommend avoiding any product you know containing these
toxic compounds, particularly non-stick cookware, but also foods sold in
grease-proof food packaging, such as fast food and microwave popcorn.
Clearly, if you're eating fast food or junk food, PFCs from the wrapper
may be the least of your problems, but I think it's still important to
realize that not only are you not getting proper nutrition from the food
itself, the wrappers may also add to your toxic burden.
6. Non-Organic Potatoes and Other Fresh Produce Known for High Pesticide Contamination
Your best bet is to buy only organic fruits and vegetables, as synthetic
agricultural chemicals are not permissible under the USDA organic
rules. That said, not all conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are
subjected to the same amount of pesticide load. While Koch focuses on
potatoes, as they tend to take up a lot of pesticides and other
agricultural chemicals present in the soil, I would recommend reviewing
the "Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce"6 by the Environmental Working Group.
Of the 48 different fruit and vegetable categories tested by the EWG for
the 2013 guide, the following 15 fruits and vegetables had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy or grow organically:
Apples |
Celery |
Cherry tomatoes |
Cucumbers |
Grapes |
Hot peppers |
Nectarines (imported) |
Peaches |
Potatoes |
Spinach |
Strawberries |
Sweet bell peppers |
Kale |
Collard greens |
Summer squash |
In contrast, the following foods were found to have the lowest
residual pesticide load, making them the safest bet among
conventionally grown vegetables. Note that a small amount of sweet corn
and most Hawaiian papaya, although low in pesticides, are genetically
engineered (GE). If you’re unsure of whether the sweet corn or papaya is
GE, I’d recommend opting for organic varieties:
Asparagus |
Avocado |
Cabbage |
Cantaloupe |
Sweet corn (non-GMO) |
Eggplant |
Grapefruit |
Kiwi |
Mango |
Mushrooms |
Onions |
Papayas (non-GMO. Most Hawaiian papaya is GMO) |
Pineapple |
Sweet peas (frozen) |
Sweet potatoes |
7. Table Salt
Salt
is essential for life—you cannot live without it. However, regular
‘table salt’ and the salt found in processed foods are NOT identical to
the salt your body really needs. In fact, table salt has practically
nothing in common with natural salt. One is health damaging, and the
other is healing.
- Processed salt is 98 percent sodium chloride, and the remaining
two percent comprises man-made chemicals, such as moisture absorbents,
and a little added iodine. These are dangerous chemicals like
ferrocyanide and aluminosilicate. Some European countries, where water
fluoridation is not practiced, also add fluoride to table salt
- Natural salt is about 84 percent sodium chloride. The remaining
16 percent of natural salt consists of other naturally occurring
minerals, including trace minerals like silicon, phosphorous and
vanadium
Given that salt is absolutely essential to good health, I recommend
switching to a pure, unrefined salt. My favorite is an ancient,
all-natural sea salt from the Himalayas. Himalayan salt is completely
pure, having spent many thousands of years maturing under extreme
tectonic pressure, far away from impurities, so it isn't polluted with
the heavy metals and industrial toxins of today. And it's hand-mined,
hand-washed, and minimally processed. Himalayan salt is only 85 percent
sodium chloride, the remaining 15 percent contains 84 trace minerals
from our prehistoric seas. Unrefined natural salt is important to many
biological processes, including:
- Being a major component of your blood plasma, lymphatic fluid, extracellular fluid, and even amniotic fluid
- Carrying nutrients into and out of your cells
- Maintain and regulate blood pressure
- Increasing the glial cells in your brain, which are responsible for creative thinking and long-term planning
- Helping your brain communicate with your muscles, so that you can move on demand via sodium-potassium ion exchange
While natural unprocessed salt has many health benefits, that does
not mean you should use it with impunity. Another important factor is
the potassium to sodium ratio of your diet. Imbalance in this ratio can
not only lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and other health
problems, including heart disease, memory decline, erectile dysfunction
and more. The easiest way to avoid this imbalance is by avoiding
processed foods, which are notoriously low in potassium while high in
sodium. Instead, eat a diet of whole, ideally organically-grown foods to
ensure optimal nutrient content. This type of diet will naturally
provide much larger amounts of potassium in relation to sodium.
8. Soy Protein Isolate and Other Unfermented Soy Products
Sadly, most of what you have been led to believe by the media about soy
is simply untrue. One of the worst problems with soy comes from the fact
that 90 to 95 percent of soybeans grown in the US are genetically
engineered (GE), and these are used to create soy protein isolate.
Genetically engineered soybeans are designed to be "Roundup ready,”
which means they’re engineered to withstand otherwise lethal doses of
herbicide.
The active ingredient in Roundup herbicide is called glyphosate, which
is responsible for the disruption of the delicate hormonal balance of
the female reproductive cycle. What's more, glyphosate is toxic to the
placenta, which is responsible for delivering vital nutrients from
mother to child, and eliminating waste products. Once the placenta has
been damaged or destroyed, the result can be miscarriage. In those
children born to mothers who have been exposed to even a small amount of
glyphosate, serious birth defects can result.
Glyphosate’s mechanism of harm
was only recently identified, and demonstrates how this chemical
disrupts cellular function and induce many of our modern diseases,
including autism. Soy protein isolate can be found in protein bars, meal
replacement shakes, bottled fruit drinks, soups and sauces, meat
analogs, baked goods, breakfast cereals and some dietary supplements.
Even if you are not a vegetarian and do not use soymilk or tofu, it is
important to be a serious label reader. There are so many different
names for soy additives, you could be bringing home a genetically
modified soy-based product without even realizing it. Soy expert Dr.
Kaayla Daniel offers a free Special Report7,
"Where the Soys Are," on her Web site. It lists the many "aliases" that
soy might be hiding under in ingredient lists -- words like "bouillon,"
"natural flavor" and "textured plant protein."
Besides soy protein isolate, ALL unfermented soy products are best
avoided if you value your health. Thousands of studies have linked
unfermented soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system
breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive
disorders and infertility—even cancer and heart disease.
The only soy with health benefits is organic soy that has been properly
fermented, and these are the only soy products I ever recommend
consuming. After a long fermentation process, the phytate and
"anti-nutrient" levels of soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial
properties become available to your digestive system. To learn more,
please see this previous article detailing the dangers of unfermented soy.
9. Artificial Sweeteners
Contrary to popular belief, studies have found that artificial
sweeteners such as aspartame can stimulate your appetite, increase
carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In one
of the most recent of such studies8, saccharin and aspartame were found to cause greater weight gain than sugar.
Aspartame
is perhaps one of the most problematic. It is primarily made up of
aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The phenylalanine has been
synthetically modified to carry a methyl group, which provides the
majority of the sweetness. That phenylalanine methyl bond, called a
methyl ester, is very weak, which allows the methyl group on the
phenylalanine to easily break off and form methanol.
You may have heard the claim that aspartame is harmless because methanol
is also found in fruits and vegetables. However, in fruits and
vegetables, the methanol is firmly bonded to pectin,
allowing it to be safely passed through your digestive tract. Not so
with the methanol created by aspartame; there it’s not bonded to
anything that can help eliminate it from your body.
Methanol acts as a Trojan horse; it's carried into susceptible tissues
in your body, like your brain and bone marrow, where the alcohol
dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme converts it into formaldehyde, which wreaks
havoc with sensitive proteins and DNA. All animals EXCEPT HUMANS have a
protective mechanism that allows methanol to be broken down into
harmless formic acid. This is why toxicology testing on animals is a
flawed model. It doesn't fully apply to people.
Guidelines for Healthy Food
Whatever food you’re looking to eat, whether organic or locally grown,
from either your local supermarket or a farmer’s market, the following
are signs of a high-quality, healthy food. Most often, the best place to
find these foods is from a sustainable agricultural group in your area. You can also review my free nutrition plan to get started on a healthy eating program today:
- It’s grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers (organic foods fit this description, but so do some non-organic foods)
- It’s not genetically engineered
- It contains no added growth hormones, antibiotics, or other drugs
- It does not contain artificial anything, nor any preservatives
- It is fresh (if you have to choose between wilted organic
produce or fresh conventional produce, the latter may still be the
better option as freshness is important for optimal nutrient content)
- It was not grown in a factory farm
- It is grown with the laws of nature in mind (meaning animals are
fed their native diets, not a mix of grains and animal byproducts, and
have free-range access to the outdoors)
- It is grown in a sustainable way (using minimal amounts of
water, protecting the soil from burnout, and turning animal wastes into
natural fertilizers instead of environmental pollutants)