I have been writing about the benefits of eating organic food for months. I have focused on why this food is so essential for a healthy life and how it makes us glow inside and out. One thing I haven’t focused on is why your everyday non-organic food is so BAD for our health. I decided to go online and see the ingredients that can be found in the foods that many people eat on a daily basis. It is more important than you think to read the ingredients that are in your food. Chances are if you can’t read the label, you probably shouldn’t be eating it. Here are some examples of popular foods and products along with their amazing ingredients. This is sure to make even the most skeptical think more about switching to pure organic foods. Remember, you can feel confident that the food you’re eating is safe when you switch to organic and you don’t need a chemistry course to translate ingredients!

Gum, instant coffee, tea, pudding, gelatin desserts, non-dairy creamers

All of the above could contain an additive known as acesulfame K that caused cancer in tests on laboratory animals. This is an artificial sweetener better known as “Sweet-One” or “Sunette”. Aspartame is also known to cause mental retardation if phenylalanine reaches a toxic level in the blood.

Bread, canned/bottled beverages, crackers, cereals, butter, potato chips, shortening, seasonings, soup bases, candy, pet food, baked goods and much more…

The former contain BHT and BHA, antioxidant chemicals that are used as preservatives in foods that contain fats and oils. They prevent fat from oxidizing and going rancid. These chemicals could contribute to the development of cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the State of California have publicly recognized BHA as a probable carcinogen.

Meat

Sodium nitrite and nitrate are found in meat to preserve its freshness. Meat that contains these chemicals can be a big contributor to disease when cooked at high temperatures. Nitrate turns into nitrite which in turn turns into nitrosamines when fused with other compounds at high temperatures and this can cause cancer.

Chips and other snacks: Jif peanut butter, Tide detergent, Crest toothpaste, Folgers coffee

Always check the ingredients! Olestra can be found in the above foods and products. Would you jump off a cliff if your friends told you to? Then you should also say no if they offer you something that contains Olestra. This disgusting additive is used as a fat substitute and is terrible for your health. It causes diarrhea because it binds to all the essential vitamins and minerals in your body that are used to help protect you against cancer, heart disease, and blindness. Once it has attached itself to its vital nutrients, it removes them. As if this wasn’t enough, Olestra is the gift that keeps on giving as it also inhibits your body’s ability to absorb more vitamins. Talk about malnourishing overnight!

Fruits and Vegetables, Juice, Soybean Oil, Sugar, Meat including chicken, beef and pork

I cannot stress enough how important it is to buy organic to avoid pesticides. Pesticides build up in your system and are toxic. They prevent your body from releasing waste and block the absorption of nutrients. Many say there may be a link between pesticides and the rise in autism cases that have occurred in recent years.

Quorn-Brand and a few other meat substitutes:

This product contains mycoprotein, which may sound healthy but it is not. It’s mold. That’s right, mold with chemicals added to make it look and taste like meat. The creators claim that it is a product of fungus, but it is actually mold that grows in large tanks of liquid. They glamorize it a bit by claiming that it undergoes “fermentation.” Seriously, who in their right mind would even consider turning this bird product into “feed”, let alone selling it for a profit? If you want real protein without meat, organic beans are a great option. There is a wide variety and many different ways to prepare them.

soda

I define soda as liquid waste. Soda may taste interesting, but is it so good that we should risk our lives to drink it? There’s hardly anything natural about it, and high fructose corn syrup rots our teeth. Many brands of soft drinks contain baking soda and citric acid (not the natural kind found in fruit, etc.). These chemicals together can become carcinogenic under heat or light. I think I’ll stick with the water.

I saved the best for last…

Propylene glycol and Ethylene glycol can be found in…

Cosmetics, Food seasonings, Lotions, Hand sanitizer, Hair dye, Massage oils, Hair gel and hairspray, Popcorn, Deodorant, Mouthwash, Medicines, Lubricants, Baby wipes, Toothpaste, Pet Food, Salad Dressings, Cake Mixes, Soda, Sour Cream, and Nonfat Ice Cream.

These chemicals contribute to the following:

• Sterility
• birth defects
• nerve degeneration
• Heart problems
• Brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities
• metabolic problems

Propylene glycol is also used in antifreeze, electronic fog machines, hydraulic fluid, and as a solvent for pills (most notably diazepam).

So why go organic? I think the question here is, why not?

Learn more about the value of organic food on these TV networks:

• Food Revolution on ABC Fridays at 9:00 pm EST
• Future Food at Planet Green Tuesdays at 10:00 pm EST