Tips on Eating Healthy - Avoid These Food Ingredients

If you spot any of these in the ingredients list, put the merchandise back on the shelf. Keep looking, and you'll be sure to find another product that will suit you just as fine, minus containing any of these unhealthy ingredients.

EDTA. This is a synthetic agent used to retain color in the food. The FDA is currently studying this for toxicity. Why would you want to ingest something that's being studied for toxicity?

Potassium bromate. This "dough conditioner" is found in bread. Isn't "conditioner" supposed to apply to a hair product?

Sodium steroyl-2-lactylate. Another synthetic dough conditioner. Dough conditioners are a non-essential food ingredient. Bread without dough conditioners tastes just as good -- if not better, than bread with chemicals.

Brominated vegetable oil. Bromates are toxic and linked to central nervous system dysfunction.

Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenation involves adding hydrogen atoms to the oil, changing its properties. This change includes raising trans fat levels. Trans fats are just plain bad for the human body.

Oxystearin. This synthetic fatty acid is found in vegetable oils. It's purpose? To prevent the oils from clouding in the refrigerator.

Bleached flour. The process of bleaching-which involves harsh chemical oxidizers-removes some of the nutrients in the flour.

Bromated flour. The only words that should come before "flour" are, for example, "whole wheat" or "spelt."

TBHQ. This synthetic, petroleum-based substance is used for extending the shelf life of food.

Tartrazine, astaxanthin, and "nature identical" colors. All of these are artificial coloring agents.

Disodium guanylate, disodium inositate, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). These are artificial flavorings. MSG is linked to headaches and nausea, and is a very common food ingredient.