nutrition BY ROBYN O’BRIEN


What’s inyourfood?


ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS THAT ARE BEST TO AVOID, PLUS NATURAL ALTERNATIVES


hey’re cheap, colorful, and preserve shelf life—it’s no wonder artificial ingredients are now in most processed foods. Every year, U.S. food manufacturers use 15 million pounds of synthetic dyes alone, even as scientific evidence increasingly links some additives to health issues such as allergies and certain cancers. “Te body doesn’t recognize these chemically produced ingredients as simple foods, so it has to work harder, and that leads to irritation over time,” says Ashley Koff, RD, coauthor of Mom Energy (Hay House, 2011).


T One way to avoid additives is to buy foods labeled


USDA Organic (see “What’s Not in USDA Organic Foods,” page 52). Here are the top questionable ingredients—and healthier natural choices.


Synthetic food dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2). Synthesized from petroleum products, artificial food colors are in cereals, baked goods, and even salad dressings. Some clinical studies link them to hyperactivity in children. ➻


april 2012 | deliciousliving 51


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