March Madness Wellness Tip Week #1

March Madness Wellness Tip

There are many preservatives in foods that we don’t know are bad for us. Some of these preservatives are BANNED in other countries but still allowed in US food products. Below is a list of what preservatives to watch for and a list of healthy alternatives.

BAD PRESERVATIVES:

• Brominated Vegetable Oil & Potassium Bromate 
• Banned in Europe, China, Canada and over 100 other Countries. 
• Bromine is a chemical that makes dye stick to liquid. It is also added to carpet as a flame retardant. It is linked to birth defects, organ damage, kidney and nervous system damage, thyroid problems. 
• Brominated Vegetable Oil is found in soda and Potassium Bromate is found in certain breads. 
• Food Dye: 
• Banned in Norway, Austria, UK and other Countries require a warning label when using certain food dye. 
• Red#40, Blue#1, Blue#2, FD&C, Yellow#5 are a just a few made with petroleum. Petroleum is also used to make gas for our car, asphalt and tar. It has been linked to brain cancer, hyperactivity and nerve cell deterioration. 
• BHA & BHT: 
• Banned in Japan, UK and over 100 other Countries. 
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) are waxy preservatives added to foods to prevent from spoiling. They have been linked to cancer. 
• BHA and BHT can be found in butter, meat, dehydrated potatoes, gum, nut mixtures and cereal to name a few. 
• Potassium Sorbate: 
• Used to prevent mold in products such as cheese, yogurt, wine, pickles, dried meat, apple cider and certain dips. 
• Benzoate: 
• Used in carbonated drinks, pickles, fish, salad dressings and fruit juices to enhance flavor. 
• Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphites: 
• Used to preserve flavor and color in fruits, dried fruits, vinegar, juices, soda, sauces, beers and wines. 
• Propionates: 
• Used to prevent mold in bakery items. 
• Sodium Nitrate & Sodium Nitrite: 
• Used in processed meat such as bacon, ham, sausages, hot docs, luncheon meats, cured meats and smoked fish to preserve the meat.

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES:

Read the labels carefully and look for the use of natural preservatives.

• Fresh Fruit 
• Fresh Vegetables 
• Natural Almonds 
• Natural Hummus & Preservative Free Crackers 
• Organic Snack Bars 
• Pretzels (preservative free) 
• Popcorn (popped from the kernel) 
• Natural Flavored Water (take water and add in fresh fruit or vegetables to get flavor) 
• Fresh Bread (preservative free) 

REMEMBER: It is very hard to cut all preservatives out of our diet and in small amounts the preservatives are normally okay to consume. Just think about what you eat on a daily basis and how it could all add up… Instead of a bag of chips or cookie swap it out for an apple or carrot sticks.