As a qualified personal trainer and health coach, I have evaluated many diets and meal plans over the years. I always ask “How is your diet?” And the most common response is… “Oh, actually my diet is pretty good.” It’s not until we delve into what people consume on a daily basis that we begin to realize that their diet wasn’t so healthy after all.
Just because a food product is on a supermarket shelf doesn’t mean it’s okay to eat. Think about it… Kids can eat crayons, but we don’t call them food. So why are we putting so many lifeless, nutrient-devoid foods, as well as so many known toxins, into our bodies these days?
Food companies certainly don’t make it easy. Most food labels don’t make much sense because of all the codes and unpronounceable names. But did you know that there are loopholes where manufacturers can add certain ingredients and chemicals to the product, but state on the label that the product does not contain those ingredients at all? Isn’t that ridiculous?
As you read on, you’ll realize why more and more people are turning to fresh, healthy, unprocessed foods to avoid these shameful ingredients. Here are 8 shocking and dangerous hidden ingredients in your food that you should be aware of.
1. Antifreeze
Yes, you read that right… Antifreeze is what goes into your car’s radiator so it doesn’t overheat but also doesn’t freeze in colder weather. It’s called propylene glycol, also known as propane-1,2-diol or E1520. It is a chemical that has many industrial uses, such as Corexit, which is an oil dispersant used for oil spills in the ocean. It is also used in medicines and cosmetics, even in many ice creams.
Fortunately for the people of the European Union, they have not approved propylene glycol as a food additive or food grade product. My advice, make your own ice cream and stop consuming products that contain this chemical.
2. Human hair
Proteins are the building blocks of life and are made up of amino acids. Although they are good for your health, I am sure you will agree that there must be a better way to extend the life of some products than using human hair or duck feathers.
The amino acid L-cysteine is used to extend the shelf life of many products, such as commercial breads. The L-cysteine used to prolong these foods often comes from duck and chicken feathers, as well as the horns of cows that have been slaughtered. However, the most widely used version comes from human hair. Yes, you read it right.
Reports have shown that the hair used to obtain L-cysteine comes primarily from China, where it is collected from hair salons and barbershops and then processed. Most fast food chains add this form of L-cysteine to their buns and hamburger buns.
To avoid consuming human hair or duck feathers in your food, try buying freshly baked loaves from your local baker, as L-cysteine is not in the flour, but is added to the mix during the production of loaves and the like. Even better, make your own.
3. Arsenic
Arsenic is a known carcinogen, which means that it causes cancer in living tissue. The unfortunate thing about this toxic element is that it seems to keep showing up in our food supply. It’s found in everything from breakfast cereals and rice to fruit juices and drinking water. Sometimes at levels up to 2 or 3 times what is considered safe. It has also been shown to be found in many protein powders. Yes, you read that right too… those expensive protein powders that many people spend their money on have been shown to contain this toxic element, among others.
Many wines and beers have also been shown to contain arsenic, mainly the lighter ones. To filter these drinks they use diatomaceous earth, which is a natural product but contains iron and other elements, such as arsenic.
So to avoid this toxin, get a good quality water filter for your home and drink unfiltered wine or beer. Unfiltered wine and beer also contain more nutrients.
4. Anal tassels
Sounds good, doesn’t it?… Anal glands, anyone? No thanks!
Most people don’t realize that some of the flavors used in their favorite ice creams, among other things, come from beavers’ beaver sacs, which are found on the back of the animal. This secretion is called castoreum and is used to mark the beaver’s territory. Due to the proximity of the castor sacs to the beaver’s anal glands, the castoreum can be a combination of urine, beaver gland secretions, and anal gland secretions.
Castoreum is used to flavor vanilla, raspberry, and strawberry ice creams and is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved food additive in many popular brands of ice cream. It is also used to flavor many beverages, such as protein and meal replacement drinks. You’ll usually find it labeled “natural flavoring.” Isn’t that great? So for all you know, many of these so-called “natural” ingredients could be anal secretions from other animals.
My advice…again, make your own ice cream so you don’t consume beaver droppings.
5. borax
Borax has been banned as a food additive in Canada and the US, but is allowed in the European Union, even though it was listed as a Substance of Very High Concern. It is commonly used to make cosmetics, detergents, enamels, fiberglass, as a flux in metalworking, and is used in fire retardants.
In the food industry it is known by its E number: E285. Borax is used for acidity control, firming agent and preservative. It can be found in some caviar, noodles, and depending on the region, it can be added to a variety of dishes to add a firm texture.
Borax has received the revised classification as Reproductive Toxicant – Category 1B.
6. coal tar
Doesn’t this sound appetizing? No way! You might be thinking what the heck is coal tar doing in food? Well, the good old processed food industry is at it again.
Many of the processed foods that grace supermarket shelves these days contain a long list of food dyes. Most of those food dyes are derived from coal tar and it is listed as a known carcinogen (causes cancer in living tissue).
It is used in such things as making roads, road and pavement seal coats, cosmetics, shampoos, and pharmaceuticals.
In foods and beverages it is known as E102, Tartrazine, or Yellow #5 and can be found in soft drinks, flavored potato chips, pickles, cheese-flavored products, and many other foods and beverages. This is just another reason to keep processed foods away from your body and those of your loved ones.
7. Rodent hair
Would you like some rodent hair with that? I’m sure this is something you often sprinkle on top of your freshly made healthy meals… No. Well, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it’s okay to have some rodent hair in your food.
Because most food manufacturing is processed in large industrial facilities, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has an allowance for rodent hair in many products, in what they call “unavoidable defects.” They allow 1 rodent hair per 100g of chocolate, 5 rodent hairs per 18oz jar of peanut butter, and 22 rodent hairs per 100g of cinnamon.
This will surely keep me away from processed foods for a long time.
8. Boiled beetles
It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? Now why would you need beetle bits in your food? Known as carmine, natural red #4, crimson lake, or E120, it is a food dye made by boiling cochineal in a solution of soda ash or ammonia.
It is used to make plastic flowers, inks, dyes, paints, and cosmetics. In foods and beverages, it is used to color ice cream, candy, yogurt, and certain fruit juices. It has been shown to cause anaphylactic shock and severe allergic reactions in some people.
Other dyes used in place of natural #4 are synthetic alternatives such as: red #40 and red #2. These are derived from oil production. My advice, keep this crap away from your body as much as you can.
We seem to be wondering why, although we are more technologically advanced than at any other time in history, humans are also sicker than at any other time in history.
To me it is as clear as day. It’s the items I’ve mentioned and the thousands of other food additives, flavors, colors and preservatives that our leaders allow manufacturers to add to the foods people eat that are helping to cause disease around the world.
So it really depends on you. As Hippocrates said thousands of years ago:
“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food”
So be smart and choose your food wisely.
To excellent health,
Pablo Scicluna
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