Thursday, March 1, 2018

Label ingredients I avoid

Work In Progress - I will be updating this post as necessary.

There are times when I can't avoid purchasing packaged food like chips, or prepared food like cheese, ham and sausage.  In addition to anything that is obviously a chemical (e.g. most acronyms), listed below are the seemingly innocuous label ingredients that are deal breakers for me - if any one is on the label, I won't buy the item.

I avoid ingredients made from corn, soy,  and potatoes because 99% are GMO and high in pesticides.  These non-organic ingredients are allowed in 'organic' products!  If you're allergic to gluten, peanuts or some other substance you will need a specific list for that.

Condensed List with minimal descriptions (for my purse):

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS OR COLORS - anything artificial is made with chemicals
BAKING POWDER - contains aluminum (unless it's labelled aluminum-free)
CARRAGEENAN and POLIGEENAN - carcinogenic, inflammatory, highly processed
CARAMEL COLOR -  usually synthetic, or made from GMO corn
CITRIC ACID - preservative often made from GMO corn and/or black mold
CORN anything - usually made from GMO corn
ENRICHED or FORTFIED - contains synthetic ingredients
GUM anything - guar, xanthan, etc... - might be OK but highly processed
HYDROGENATED anything - damaged oils that often contain MSG
MSG - excitotoxin that damages your brain
MIXED TOCOPHEROLS - often made from GMO soy
NITRATES and NITRITES - these are carcinogenic preservatives
OIL - any refined oil will be rancid.  Coconut oil is the only 'oil' that's safe in packaged foods. PARABENS - preservatives that disrupt endocrine functions
PECTIN - usually derived from apples high in pesticide residue
PEPPER, BLACK - not a deal breaker but acidifying and often moldy
PEPPER, HOT - must be organic or it will be very high in pesticide residue
PROTEIN anything (pea, whey, etc...) - over-processed ingredient usually contains MSG
SALT - not a deal breaker but I prefer sea salt or salt free
POTATO anything - usually made from GMO potatoes
SODIUM LAUREL SULFATE (SLS) - carcinogenic lathering agent
SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - carcinogenic lathering agent
SOY LECITHIN - made from GMO soy
SUNFLOWER LECITHIN - unless it's organic it will be high in pesticides
SPICES - usually contains MSG - I want to know exactly which spices are used
VANILLIN - artificial vanilla flavor made from paper plant waste
YEAST - usually grown on GMO-corn substrate


Detailed list where I will be adding information as I learn it:

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS OR COLORS (including 'caramel') - anything artificial is made with chemicals.  Unless the flavor/color is labeled organic, it was made from conventional fruit high in pesticide residue.

BAKING POWDER - contains aluminum (unless it's labelled aluminum free)

BHA - carcinogenic preservative

CARRAGEENAN and POLIGEENAN - carcinogenic, inflammatory, highly processed.  Derived from seaweed, the raw seaweed is safe, but not the version found in processed food.

CITRIC ACID - preservative often made from GMO corn and/or black mold

CORN STARCH - from GMO corn

ENRICHED or FORTFIED - contains synthetic ingredients

GUM anything - https://chriskresser.com/harmful-or-harmless-guar-gum-locust-bean-gum-and-more/

HFCS - high fructose corn syrup

HYDROGENATED anything - damaged oils that often contain MSG

MSG - excitotoxin that damages your brain

MIXED TOCOPHEROLS - often made from GMO soy

NITRATES and NITRITES - these are carcinogenic preservatives

OIL - any refined oil will be rancid.  Coconut oil is the only 'oil' that's safe in packaged foods.

PARABENS - preservatives that disrupt endocrine functions

PECTIN - usually derived from apples high in pesticide residue

PEPPER, BLACK - not a deal breaker but acidifying and often moldy

PEPPER, HOT - must be organic or it will be very high in pesticide residue

POTATO STARCH - from GMO potatoes

PROBIOTICS - usually grown on conventional dairy substrate

PROTEIN anything (pea, whey, etc...) - over-processed ingredient usually contains MSG

SALT - this is not a deal breaker but I prefer sea salt to table salt

SODIUM LAUREL SULFATE (SLS) - carcinogenic lathering agent.  Morrocco Method blog post details the dangers and lists the ways it's hidden on labels:
This list is compiled by the US Department of Health & Human Services
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt
• Sodium dodecyl sulfate
• Dodecyl sulfate, sodium salt
• Sodium lauryl sulfate ether
• Sodium n-dodecyl sulfate
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - carcinogenic lathering agent.  Morrocco Method blog post details the dangers and lists the ways it's hidden on labels: 
This list is compiled by the US Department of Health & Human Services
Sodium dodecylpoly (oxyethylene) sulfate
• Sodium lauryl sulfate ethoxylate
• Sodium polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sulfate
• Sodium laureth-8 sulfate
• Laureth-8 carboxylic acid, sodium salt
• PEG-5 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• PEG-7 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• PEG-8 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• PEG-12 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• Polyethylene glycol 5 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• Polyethylene glycol 7 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• Polyethylene glycol 12 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• Polyethylene glycol 400 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• Polyethylene glycol 600 lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt
• Sodium laureth 5 sulfate
• Sodium laureth 7 sulfate
• Sodium laureth 12 sulfate
• Sodium lauryl ether sulfate

SOY LECITHIN - made from GMO soy (non-organic sunflower lecithin is high in pesticides)

SPICES - this usually contains MSG - if there are spices in the food, I want to know which ones

VANILLIN - artificial vanilla flavor made from paper plant waste

YEAST - usually grown on GMO-corn substrate



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