Most people who read our hacks think they eat and are healthy. But when I start getting into the details of diet, I realize that most of them consume a lot of “healthy” foods that they should never eat. I’m not blaming them, don’t get me wrong. All the confusion generated by product labels, advertising, “sugar free”, “natural” and even “organic” confuses many people, and for good reason!
To make things easier for you, I’ve put together a list of the top foods you should never consume. Many of these cannot even be considered “food”. In fact, many are undercover “caloric bombs with sugar”, foods that cause inflammation throughout the body, hormonal imbalance with a series of very toxic chemical compounds. Here it comes…
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1. Fruit juice
Fruit juices are almost as dangerous as soda when you drink them abundantly. Think of them as follows: when you sit down and drink 250 ml of juice, you practically consume 4 medium-sized oranges in a few seconds – or a few minutes at most. Compare this to how much it would take you to eat 4 oranges (including digestion!) And then you will realize how beneficial it is to eat fruits in their normal, natural fruit form (thanks in large part to the fiber content).
Fruit juices are so dangerous for the most part because of their high fructose content (sweet-tasting substance). In June 2014, a study published in the journal Nutrition indicated the concentration of fructose per 16oz for regular fruit juice: 25 grams.
For carbonated drinks, this value is, guess what: 25 grams per liter. Keep in mind: While glucose is used as body energy, fructose is processed almost exclusively in the liver, where it is converted into FAT (ever heard of fatty liver disease?)
2. Soybean protein
Contrary to popular opinion, soy products are NOT healthy for human consumption; at least, unfermented soy. But the consumption of edamame (soybean seeds), soy milk and soy protein is extremely dangerous.
Soybeans grown in the US are genetically modified to resist glyphosate, a kind of pesticide against weeds. A recent Norwegian study has shown extremely high levels of glyphosate in US soy – which means that you actually eat pesticides instead of soy. This is a major problem, as there are studies linking glyphosate to many health problems, including the death of human cells.
It is already generally accepted that long-term use in soy diet supplements, such as soy protein powders, leads to health problems, such as:
- allergic rhinitis
- asthma
- breast cancer
- cystic fibrosis
- endometrial cancer
- kidney disease
- hypothyroidism
- bladder cancer
All these are sufficient reasons that make soy a “healthy” food to be avoided altogether. A healthy option can be coconut amino acids (available online, search for “coconut aminos”). If you still want to consume soy, use the fermented version: natto, tempeh and miso soup.
3. Atlantic and/or farmed salmon
Another “healthy” food that should be avoided is the farmed fish. For example, Tilapia is even worse than smoked ham full of preservatives. Also, avoid farmed salmon, often called Atlantic salmon or just salmon.
Here are some reasons why you should NOT consume farmed salmon:
- A study from 2016 indicated extremely low levels of Omega3 in farmed salmon and continues to decline. The reason is the lower level of ground mussel served to live fish in fish farms that grow such fish
- Albany University in New York found dioxin levels 11 times higher than in caught fish. Pollutants are directly linked to cancer, internal organ disorders and immune system dysfunction
- Many salmon farms use prohibited (illegal) pesticides that cause major concern
- In November 2015, the FDA (US Food Authority) approved the sale of genetically modified salmon without any special labeling rule – basically consumers don’t know what to buy
Our recommendations: choose Alaska salmon, Pacific sardines, Atlantic mackerel.
4. Microwaveable popcorn
Full of questionable ingredients, this type of “food” product is not worth consuming. Main problem? The bag in which this type of popcorn sits when placed in the microwave oven is covered on the interrior with anti-adherence perfluorochemicals such as PFOS (sulfonated perfororoctan) and PFOA (perfluorooctanic acid), a substance directly linked to cancer.
Another major problem is diacetyl. This artificial butter aroma leads to serious lung disease when inhaled in large quantities.
Healthy option: the next time you crave popcorn, just make it yourself. Buy organic popcorn corn kernels. Use coconut oil or organic butter, about 3 tablespoons, in a steel pan (a pan with a glass lid, for example). Put two grains in the pan, let go of the fire and wait for one of them to burst and then put about 1/3 cup in the pan. Stir the pan constantly and, at the end, after the popcorn is done, dust with grated parmesan or cayenne pepper. Yummy!
5. Margarine
You used to think that margarine has been a forgotten subject for many years, but no, many people still use it. The idea that started the margarine was that the content of saturated fat is lower than in the case of butter, therefore it would protect the health of the heart. But now we already know that this is not true.
Unfortunately, trans fats were used in the first margarine variants. This is tragic because we now know that trans fats are responsible for at least 50,000 annual heart attacks. The same type of fats increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and other severe health problems.
Although much of today’s margarine no longer contain trans fats, it is important to note that they all contain ultra-refined industrial oils, impossible to find in nature that seriously harm health.
Healthy option: choose ordinary butter or ghee (clarified butter) made from milk from cows that grazed the grass. Or, use coconut oil / butter.
6. Shrimp
Here are some reasons why you should avoid shrimp completely:
- shrimps contain 4-hexylresorcinol, a food additive used to prevent discoloration of shrimps. This additive has an estrogen (hormonal) stimulating effect that can reduce sperm quality (sperm count) in men and increase the risk of cancer in women
- Shrimp farms frequently use neurotoxic pesticides based on organophosphates directly linked to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and memory loss. Malachite green, a potential carcinogenic additive, is used to destroy fungi that form on shrimp eggs. Once used on shrimp meat, this substance lasts for a very long time – more than 200 days in water at 50 degrees F.
- Numerous studies indicate that rotenone, a chemical used to destroy fish in the area where shrimp live, can cause paralysis if inhaled. Other studies indicate a strong link between this substance and Parkinson’s in studies in mice.
- shrimp farms use shock treatments with organostan compounds to destroy the shrubs before collecting the shrimps. These compounds mimic estrogen hormones and destroy hormonal balance by predisposing anyone to obesity regardless of diet
7. Agave nectar
This type of sweetener has become very popular lately but it is far from healthy. Agave has the highest concentration of fructose on the market at the moment. And, as you already read, fructose dramatically stresses the liver and forces the body to manufacture and store this substance in the form of fat, leading to fatty liver disease.
Better option: consume moderate quantities of honey or stevia when you want a bit of “sweet”. Honey also contains excess fructose and the effect on the liver is identical, however it can have benefits due to traces of enzymes and minerals.