27foods you should

never eat

See which ingredientS food expertS won’ t touch

By leah ZerBe and emily main

hat’s the one food you refuse to eat?

Peas? Tofu? Liver and onions? Whatever it is, it’s probably because you don’t like the way it tastes, not necessarily because it contains ingredients sus-pected of causing cancer or because it was picked by farmers wearing Hazmat suits. Still, there are still a lot of foods that fit that description on store shelves, and food-industry insiders, who know what goes on behind the scenes, refuse to eat them. We polled some of those insiders—people who know the business and work daily to evict pesti-cides, genetically modified organisms, animal cruelty, social injustice, and unhealthy foods from the food supply—to find out what they know about the dark side of “convenience” foods and what they will eat. Take note so you, too, can avoid the worst of what grocery stores have to offer. Here they are in no particular order.

disgusted by food?

w

Robert Kenner, director of Food Inc. and founder of FixFood.orgt h e p ro b l e m : While filming Food Inc., Kenner says he wanted to film strawberry farmers applying pesticides to their fields. “The workers wear these suits to protect themselves from the dozens and dozens of known dangerous pesticides applied to strawberries,” he says. “When I saw this, I thought to myself, if this is how berries are grown, I don’t really want to eat them anymore. I haven’t been able to eat a nonorganic strawberry ever since.” Unfortunately for the food-concerned public, he wasn’t able to get the shot of these farm-ers. “I guess they didn’t think it looked too appetizing.”t h e S o l u t i o n : Opt for organic! The Environmental Working Group, which analyzes U.S. Department of Agriculture pesticide-residue data, has found 13 different pesticide residues on chemically grown strawberries.

nonorganic

Philip Landrigan, MD, professor of pediatrics and professor and chair of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicinet h e p ro b l e m : One of Dr. Landrigan’s No. 1 warnings to women who are pregnant or are looking to become pregnant? “Make avoiding mercury in fish a priority,” he says. Swordfish is notoriously high in the heavy metal, a potent neurotoxin that can damage develop-ing children and even trigger heart attacks in adults. Aside from obvious health concerns, swordfish is often overfished and some of the gear commonly used to wrangle in swordfish frequently kills turtles, seabirds, and sharks.t h e S o l u t i o n : For a healthy omega-3 brain boost, look for fish that are low in contaminants and have stable populations, such as wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Atlantic mackerel, or pole- or troll-caught Pacific albacore tuna. Have a more adventurous palate? Try snakehead fish to satisfy your fish craving and improve the envi-ronment. The invasive species lives on land and in water, where it wipes out important frogs, birds, and other critters. Snakehead fish is popping up on some restaurant menus, and the taste and texture are about identical to swordfish.

swordfish1

strawBerries 2

Isaac Eliaz, MD, integrative health expert and founder of The Amitabha Medical Clinic and Healing Center in Sebastopol, CAt h e p ro b l e m : Dr. Eliaz stays away from any diet soda and foods, sugar-free candies, and gum containing artificial sweeten-ers such as sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K, and neotame, among others. “The safety data on these sweeteners is shrouded in controversy and conflicts of interest with the manufacturers of these chemical compounds,” Dr. Eliaz warns. “Independent research strongly suggests that when metabolized in the body, these sweeteners can cause health-related issues and problems related to metabolism and weight gain, neurological diseases, joint pain, digestive problems, headaches, depression, inflamma-tory bowel disease, chemical toxicity, and cancer, among others.” t h e S o l u t i o n : If you’re craving a soda but want to avoid the shady sweeteners, fake food dyes, and preservatives found in popular brands, try a bottle of Steaz zero-calorie green tea soda or Bionade, a fermented soda that’s majorly popular in Europe.

diet soda

Joel Salatin, sustainable farmer and author of Folks, This Ain’t Normalt h e p ro b l e m : McDonald’s isn’t just about food, it’s about food mentality, according to Salatin. “It represents the pinnacle of factory-farming and industrial food,” he says. “The economic model is utterly dependent on stockholders looking for dividends without regards to farm profitability or soil development.”Fast food typically is loaded with many of the ingredients mentioned elsewhere in our list: genetically engineered corn, food dyes, artificial sweeteners, and other bad actors in the food supply. The type of farm-ing that supports this type of food business relies on harmful chemicals that threaten not only human health, but also soil health.

the Solution: Learn to cook! You might be surprised to find that paying extra up front for a pasture-raised chicken can be cheaper than

buying prepared fast-food chicken. For instance, cooking a chicken and then boiling down the bones for a rich, disease-fighting stock can yield up to three

meals for a family! (Here’s how to make homemade stock.) Find sustainable farmers at LocalHarvest.org.

anything from mcdonald’s

3

4

5

6

Frederick vom Saal, PhD, professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia the problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, or BPA, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s bodies exceeds the amount that sup-presses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 micrograms of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.” the Solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Eden Organic and Bionaturae. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, such as Trader Joe’s and Pomi.

canned tomatoes

Bread

William Davis, MD, cardiologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Wheat Bellythe problem: Modern wheat is nothing like the grain your mother or grandmother consumed. Today, wheat barely resembles its original form, thanks to extensive genetic manipulations during the 1960s and ’70s to increase the grain’s yields. “You cannot change the basic characteristics of a plant without changing its genetics, biochemistry, and its effects on humans who consume it,” Dr. Davis notes. In his book, Dr. Davis makes the case that modern-day wheat is triggering all sorts of health problems, everything from digestive diseases like celiac and inflammatory bowel disease to acid reflux, obesity, asthma, and skin disorders. “If there is a food that yields extravagant, extraordinary, and unexpected benefits when avoided, it is bread,” says Dr. Davis. “And I don’t mean white bread, I mean all bread: white, whole wheat, whole grain, sprouted, organic, French, Italian, fresh, day-old . . . all of it.”the Solution: Try eliminating bread altogether from your diet for a few weeks to see if you note health improvements. When you do choose grains, look to things like quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and wild rice, but in smaller quantities (less than a half cup) because these can also trigger high blood sugar, Dr. Davis says.

industrially Produced hamBurgers

Michael Pollan, author of numerous books and articles on the food system including The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and Cookedthe problem: Cattle raised in filthy conditions, pumped full of growth hormones, and fed diets composed mostly of genetically modified corn are three major reasons humane, grass-fed ground beef is a better alternative for your burger. But they aren’t the only ones, says Pollan. Also consider that while a steak or roast usually comes from a single animal, processors of ground beef combine meat from hundreds of animals. “This vastly increases the risk of contamination,” he says. USDA scientists have found dangerous levels of disease-causing bacteria in more than 50 percent of ground beef samples they’ve tested. the Solution: “I love hamburgers, but only eat them when they’re grass-fed and ground by a butcher,” Pollan says.

corn

Maryam Henein and George Langworthy, directors of the documentary Vanishing of the Beesthe problem: Today’s corn plants are more like little pesticide factories with roots. Most of the nation’s corn supply is genetically engineered to either produce its own pesticide supply within the plant or withstand heavy sprayings of chemicals, which wind up inside of the food. That’s problematic not just for bees, but for people, too. “I avoid corn because most is genetically modified, and on top of that, most of the seeds are treated with systemic pesticides that are killing our bees,” says Henein. “And let’s not be fooled, the sublethal effects of these pesticides also slowly impair our health.”the Solution: In one form or another, corn is present in the vast majority of processed foods. From ketchup to salad dressing, and even bread, it’s hard to escape corn ingredients. One to especially look out for? “I always try to avoid foods containing high-fructose corn syrup,” says Langworthy. “Not only is it unhealthy, but the pesticides used in the production of the corn are detrimental to honeybees and other pollinators.”To avoid genetically engineered corn, which has never been tested for long-term impacts on human health, choose organic or non-GMO verified foods.

8

7

10

9

Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale Inc. and author of Organic Manifestothe problem: Ironically, there’s a lot of evidence that suggests using artificial sweeteners, which have zero calories, is just as bad for your waistline as using regular, high-calorie sugar. For instance,

research from the University of Texas has found that mice fed the artificial sweetener aspartame had higher blood sugar levels

(which can cause you to overeat) than mice on an aspartame-free diet. Not only are they bad for your health, but scientists have also detected artificial sweeteners in treated wastewa-

ter, posing unknown risks to fish and other marine life. Plus, as Rodale says, “They’re unnatural, nonorganic, taste horri-

ble, and lead to all sorts of bad health consequences, false expectations, and short-term strategic thinking.”

the Solution: Refined white sugar isn’t any healthier, but you can replace it with small amounts of nutritious sweeteners,

including honey, blackstrap molasses, and maple syrup, all of which have high levels of vitamins and minerals.

artificial sweeteners

Drew Ramsey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychi-atry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and coauthor of The Happiness Dietthe problem: The right kind of chocolate serves not only as a sweet treat but as a brain-boosting superfood, too. The problem is, white chocolate’s health profile is blank. “The data on the health benefits of cacao is pretty awesome,” says Dr. Ramsey. “Much of this is due to a set of amazing phytonutrients that can increase blood flow to the brain, protect blood vessels, and boost mood and focus. White chocolate is missing all this goodness.” the Solution: Indulging in a chocolate treat? Look for organic versions from companies like Theo and NibMor.

white chocolate

12

11

Alexandra Scranton, director of science and research at Women’s Voices for the Earth, a nonprofit that advocates for environmental health issues that directly affect womenthe problem: Diacetyl is used in a lot of fake butter flavorings, despite the fact that the chemical is so harmful to factory workers that it’s known to cause an occupational disease called “popcorn lung,” Scranton says. After news of the chemical got out to the popcorn-eating public, companies started replac-ing diacetyl with another additive—which can actually turn into diace-tyl under certain conditions, she adds. Neither chemical is disclosed on microwave-popcorn bags because the exact formulations of flavorings are considered trade secrets. “It’s a classic example of the need for bet-ter chemical regulation and improved transparency on the chemicals used in our food and other household products,” she says. the Solution: Make your own popcorn using real butter. Pop it on the stovetop in a pot or go an easier route: Put a small handful of kernels into a brown paper lunch bag and stick the bag in the microwave. The kernels will pop just like those fake-butter-flavored kernels in standard microwave popcorn bags. When they’re done, pour some melted organic butter over them. “Makes pretty good popcorn at a fraction of the cost!” Scranton says.

Doug Powell, PhD, professor of food safety at Kansas State Uni-versity and author of the BarfBlog food-safety websitethe problem: Sprouts have been the source of so many major food recalls that they’re not worth the risk, Dr. Powell says. Whether bean or broccoli, alfalfa, or pea, sprouts have been at the center of at least 40 significant outbreaks of food-borne illness over the past 20 years. They’re often found to be contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria; they’re vulnerable to contamination because the seeds require moist, warm conditions in order to sprout—conditions that are ideal for bacteria to multiply.the Solution: Get the crunch of sprouts—without the added bacteria—by shredding cabbage or carrots onto your sandwiches. If you really enjoy the flavor of sprouts, cook them first.

sProuts

Butter-flavored microwave PoPcorn

13

14David Zinczenko, author of the Eat This, Not That series of booksthe problem: “No matter where you go, the ice cream sundaes made in most chain restaurants have a couple things in common: namely, supersized portions and an ingredient list a mile long,” he says. “All you really need for ice cream is milk, sugar, and maybe a lit-

tle vanilla, but somehow these places are loading it up with corn syrup, cellulose gum, and vegetable shortening.” In addition to being unhealthy, those additives are usually derived from geneti-cally modified corn and soy. the Solution: Go local, says Zinczenko. Small-batch ice cream from local stores is less likely to be some industry Fran-

kenfood creation. Or, for totally homemade sundaes, you could try making your own ice cream. “A killer caramel sauce can be

made with just sugar, butter, and heat, and you’ll never have to won-der what kind of chemicals you’re loading up on,” he says. “Plus, you’ll control your portion size, which means you can indulge in modera-tion without widening your waistline.”

chain-restaurant ice cream sundaes

Michael F. Jacobson, PhD, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest the problem: Health advocates have tried for years to get the Food and Drug Administration to ban food dyes. Their concern is based on small studies linking them to hyperactivity in children and cancer in animals, and that’s one reason Jacobson avoids them. Red 3 has caused cancer in lab rats, and Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 may contain cancer-causing contaminants. But mainly, he says, he avoids them on principle. “I just don’t like eating synthetic chemicals and oftentimes the synthetic foods in which they’re used.” His group criticizes companies that use food dyes to make foods appear more healthful than they are and to replace truly healthy ingredients. In a recent report on the nutritional quality of fruit juices, the Center for Science in the Public Interest noted that Tropicana Twister Cherry Berry Blast contains no berry and cherry juice, but lots of the artificial dye Red 40.the Solution: Read labels anytime you’re buying a prepackaged food. Food dyes can crop up in some really unexpected places, even in healthy foods like cheese and yogurt.

food dyes

15

16Philippe Cousteau, explorer, environmental advocate, and cofounder of EarthEcho, a group empowering youth to protect the water-based planet

the problem: Bluefin tuna is overfished and on the verge of collapse, thanks to the global appetite for this type of

tuna, largely from sushi restaurants. Stock of the fish is down a shocking 96 percent.the Solution: You can still enjoy seafood, but look for sustainable options. Download Monterey Bay

Aquarium’s Seafood Watch app for a handy, go-to guide.

Bluefin tuna

Margaret I. Cuomo, MD, board-certified radiologist and author of A World Without Cancerthe problem: “Fish is naturally low in saturated fat, and some types, like salmon, are also high in omega-3 fat, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack and inflammation throughout the body. While Americans need to eat more seafood and less red meat, some fish such as farmed salmon are contaminated with carcino-genic chemicals such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), pesti-cides (including dieldrin and toxaphene), and antibiotics,” she says.And unlike wild salmon, farmed salmon are fed a mixture of other fish ground into fishmeal and fish oil, and they concentrate more toxins in their fat tissue than do other fish, Dr. Cuomo notes.the Solution: “Fish is an important part of my family’s diet, and I am very careful to choose wild salmon, rather than farmed salmon, which contains many carcinogens,” Dr. Cuomo says.

farmed salmon

17

18Mark Kastel, cofounder and senior farm policy analyst at the Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group based in Wisconsinthe problem: Insects love potatoes. To counter that, nonorganic farmers gener-

ally spray chemicals on potato plants several times a year in the field. “But if that’s not enough, in many production systems, their vines are sprayed with an herbi-

cide just prior to harvest so they can be more easily harvested,” Kastel explains. After harvest and washings, potatoes are often sprayed with a mold and

sprout inhibitor—right on the skin, the high-fiber part.the Solution: Buy organic potatoes. “They

are cheap and have one of the lowest pre-miums you need to pay to eat organically,” Kastel notes.

nonorganic Potatoes

Natasha Turner, ND, regular guest expert on The Dr. Oz Show, the founder of Clear Medicine Wellness Boutique, and the author of three internationally bestselling books: The Hormone Diet, The Supercharged Hormone Diet, and The Carb Sensitivity Programthe problem: While everyone loves a good barbeque, grilling meats can produce carcinogens if you aren’t careful. The two most associated with charring are HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). HCAs form when meat is cooked at high temperatures; PAHs are created when the flames touch the meat or when fat drips into the flames and pro-duces smoke, which then rises and coats the food.the Solution: To grill more healthfully, lower the heat on your gas grill or increase the distance between the fire and the meat if using a charcoal grill. Choose smaller cuts of meat, flip them often, and use a meat thermometer when cooking at lower temperatures so you can check to be sure the meat is fully cooked. Marinating the meat ahead of time, particularly with a rosemary marinade, may reduce the risk of HCAs; you can also opt to envelop meats and veggies in aluminum foil for a healthy alternative.

charred meat

20

19

Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United Statesthe problem: Foie gras, the unnaturally fatty liver of a duck or goose, is traditionally thought of as a luxury food item. But the bird lives a far from luxurious life. “The way foie gras is produced involves extreme animal cruelty,” says Pacelle. The ducks are force-fed three times daily for weeks on end, causing their livers to swell more than 10 times their normal size, leading to diseased organs. “The feeding makes it difficult for the animals even to walk,” Pacel-lel says. “That’s too much cruelty for a mere table treat.”the Solution: If you enjoy the texture of foie gras, but not the animal cruelty, Pacelle recommends trying Faux Gras, a healthy lentil-walnut paté.

foie gras

Keeve Nachman, PhD, MHS, assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health and director of the center’s Farming for the Future programthe problem: Your supermarket meat could be coated in superbugs. Industrially produced animals in the U.S. are rou-tinely fed antibiotics, which can promote the growth and spread of bacteria that are able to withstand the antibiotics we rely on to treat infections in people. Government research has turned up bacteria on grocery store meat samples that are resistant to multiple important antibiotics.the Solution: “If I eat meat, I want to be sure it’s cooked to a temperature that will inactivate or kill those bacteria,” Nachman says. “I also am careful to clean meat preparation surfaces and utensils.”

undercooked meat

22

21

fast-food french fries

Andy Sharpless, CEO of Oceana, the world’s largest group dedicated solely to ocean conservation, and author of The Perfect Proteinthe problem: Shrimp is the most common seafood in the American diet, but our taste for it has an astounding environ-mental impact and potentially threatens our health, too. For each pound of wild shrimp harvested from oceans, there are five pounds of bycatch pulled onto the boat deck—including sea tur-tles—which is left to die. Farmed shrimp generally comes from foreign mangroves turned into filthy ponds doused with antibiot-ics to ward off disease. “If you want to be a responsible seafood eater, I’m sorry to say you have to give up shrimp,” Sharpless says.the Solution: “You’re better off eating wild or farmed shell-fish like oysters, mussels, and clams, which are filter feeders and help clean the ocean as they grow,” Sharpless says. “Unlike farmed shrimp, these guys are an ally in keeping the oceans healthy.”

shrimP

Jillian Michaels, health and wellness expert and author of Master Your Metabolismthe problem: Heart disease has become the number one killer in America. A major culprit, Michaels says: Trans fats, aka hydrogenated or partially hydroge-nated oils, vegetable oils that have been “reconfigured” to extend their shelf life (but that ultimately harm your cholesterol levels). A medium fry from a fast-food restaurant could contain as much as a whopping 14.5 grams of this fat. That’s sig-nificant because there are no safe levels of trans fats, according to many public health experts. In fact, if only 3 percent of your daily calorie intake is from trans fats, your risk of heart disease goes up by 23 percent, Michaels notes. “Although fast-food fries are a main culprit, I highly recommend reading your food labels and avoiding this toxic preservative wherever and whenever possible,” she says.Solution: Bake your fries at home using this simple recipe: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Cut a potato into wedges. Mix together 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1⁄2 tea-spoon paprika, 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder. Coat the potato wedges with the oil/spice mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

24

23

Tasneem Bhatia, MD, medical director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine and author of What Doctors Eat

the problem: A single chicken wing has 81 calories and 5 grams of fat. Given that most people don’t eat just one, a lone

feast of chicken wings could easily lead to 1,000 extra calo-ries and 50 grams of fat—nearly two or three days’ worth of

artery-clogging fat!“Since 500 extra calories per day leads to two pounds

per week, chicken wings are a recipe for weight gain,” Dr. Bhatia says.

the Solution: If you like chicken, try baked or grilled versions to avoid a calorie overload.

Since conventional chicken feed often con-tains antibiotics, and sometimes even

arsenic, to stimulate faster growth, choose organic whenever you can.

chicken wings

Mark “Coach” Smallwood, executive director of the Rodale Insti-tute, an organic research farm in Pennsylvaniathe problem: Margarine and other vegetable oils contain BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), artificial antioxidants that help prevent food from oxidizing or spoiling too quickly. These chemicals have been shown to produce potential cancer-causing compounds in the body, and have also been linked to liver and kidney damage, immune problems, infer-tility or sterility, high cholesterol, and behavioral problems in children. “In addition, margarine is usually manufactured from genetically modified crops, and contains residues of the pesticides and chemicals used in their cultivation,” Smallwood says.the Solution: Choose real butter from cows raised on organic grass pastures. This type of dairy is higher in heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids.

margarine

26Anne Alexander, editor-in-chief of Prevention magazinethe problem: Don’t trust front-of-package labeling to figure out

whether a cereal is truly healthy. “I’ve seen breakfast cereals with up to 10 different kinds of sugar!” says Alexander, author

of The Sugar Smart Diet. Not only is excess sugar a threat to healthy blood sugar levels, but it can also trigger overeat-ing, lead to dangerous fat buildup around your liver, and even cause accelerated aging.the Solution: Always check the label and check for

hidden sugars on the ingredients list—especially in healthy-sounding cereals. Sugar lurks in dozens of different

ingredient names, including sucrose, cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, agave, fruit juice concentrate, and high-fructose

corn syrup, among others. All of that adds up! “I try to aim for no more than 5 to 6 grams of sugar per serving and as much fiber

as possible—I look for at least 5 grams of fiber per serving—in my cereal.”

hidden sugars in “healthy” cereal

Andrew Weil, MD, founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicinethe problem: Chips, pretzels, and most packaged pastries are highly processed manufactured foods and are typically loaded with some combination of sugar, salt, and unhealthy oils and rank high on the glycemic index. “They contribute to blood sugar dysregulation and systemic inflammation,” Dr. Weil says.the Solution: Choose healthy snacks—they can be satisfying and delicious. “Consider seasonal fresh fruit alone or mixed with a dollop of organic plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of ground flax-seed; a small handful of walnuts, cashews, or almonds; or a small piece of high-quality dark chocolate containing at least 70 percent cocoa,” he recommends.

Packaged snack foods25

27Ellen Gustafson, food activist, cofounder of Food Tank, and for-mer UN spokespersonthe problem: Even though they’re delicious and Con-cord grapes are one of the few fruits original to North Amer-ica, the way most of us taste them is in the form of high- fructose-laden grape jelly. “Even though it’s given away for free like ketchup in little plastic packets, it’s basically a jelly-textured candy loaded with various forms of sugar, artifi-cial colors, and flavors,” Gustafson says.the Solution: Gustafson suggests opting for real fruit, honey, or 100-percent apple butter on your PB&(F, H, or AB) sandwich. If you do reach for jelly in the store, look for low-sugar, organic ver-sions—organic bans the use of artificial colors and flavors and requires the grapes be grown without the use of chemical pesti-cides. (Nonorganic grapes are one of the most pesticide-laden fruits.)

graPe Jelly

© 2013 by Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.

This material is for the personal use of Rodale customers only. For any other purpose, no part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

The material here is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, please seek competent medical care.

Before you undertake a new health program or fitness regimen, we encourage you to discuss your plans with your health care professional, especially if you have not exercised for several years, are over 35, or are overweight.

Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities does not necessarily imply endorsement by the publisher nor does it imply endorsement of the information by those companies, organizations, or authorities.

Internet addresses and telephone numbers were accurate at the time this was posted.

rodalenews.com