The Dirty 6: Watch Out for these Ingredients

Let's start with the problem. The problem today is obesity and diabetes are on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about one-third of American adults are obese. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 29.1 million Americans have diabetes and 86 million Americans ages 20+ have pre-diabetes. What's more, metabolic syndrome affects about one in three U.S. adults, according to a JAMA Study published in May 2015.

Why is this happening? In one word, our food. In two words, processed foods.

Food makers have adopted processed production methods over the last 30 years and consumers have welcomed them with open arms. Processed foods are packaged -- be it boxed, bagged, canned or jarred -- and processed using methods like dehydration, refrigeration, freezing and canning. If there's a laundry list of ingredients on the back of the packaging, rest assured it's been processed. Processed foods have to make up for a loss of nutrients. How do they do this? Healthy nutrients are replaced with synthetic vitamins and minerals to "enhance" the nutritional value of the food.

As a result, our taste buds become acclimated to the incredibly strong flavors of processed foods and even further, increase our cravings for more salt and sugar on whole or raw foods.

This leaves us to where we are today. We really don't know how to eat healthy or even where to begin. The truth is we barely understand the foods we eat and we don't invest enough time to learn. The book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser brought to light many of the facts about fast food and processed food and according to his research, about 90 percent of the average American's budget is allocated towards processed foods.

Why We Eat Processed Foods

Convenience seems to be the major reason for the high consumption of processed foods. The problem has surmounted to be about time. Who has hours upon hours to spend in the grocery store aisle analyzing nutritional labels, ingredient lists and Googling what they are, to then return home, prepare a meal without a lot of additives and actually enjoy the meal they end up with? The culture of food in America has changed in the last 30 years and we need to reverse it.

Eating a diet high in processed foods has been shown to lead to diabetes, according to a PNAS study from 2012, and liver disease, not to mention these foods increase cholesterol and blood pressure -- all proponents of heart disease.

Did you know the FDA doesn't require food makers to disclose every ingredient or additive, for consideration and full review, if the manufacturer deems the ingredient GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe), a 57-year-old regulatory law from the FDA. This means if this standard is "met" or "claimed," food makers get away scot-free from the FDA, especially if no immediate evidence exists proving the harm of the ingredient. Some synthetic chemicals injected into processed foods are known to have carcinogenic properties, promoting the development of cancer. The World Health Organization believes processed foods are to blame for the spike in obesity levels and chronic disease globally.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener added to sodas, fruit-flavored drinks, breakfast cereals, cookies, cakes and salad dressings. There are many differing opinions on understanding if the body metabolizes HFCS in the same way it does regular white sugar. Regardless, too much of this additive can contribute to unwanted calories that have been linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high triglyceride levels, which all can boost the risk of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia and liver failure. A significant 2014 study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine showed that eating too much added sugar may raise the risk of dying from heart disease, even if you aren't overweight.

Refined White Flour

When flour is refined, about 14 vitamins, 10 minerals and proteins are cut from the natural state of the product. Sometimes you'll see "enriched white flour" in the ingredient list. Don't be deceived, this only adds about four vitamins to the product. White flour is chemically bleached and leaves behind a residue that is consumed. These chemical residues are also what help to develop gluten, which some people suffer allergies towards. Bleached white flour can be found in breakfast cereals, pasta, pizza, baked goods and breads. In order to process these refined foods, the body actually pulls the vitamins, minerals and enzymes consumed from healthy food sources out of the organs, tissues and bones. A diet rooted in eating foods with white flour can also lead to chronic fatigue syndrome. Refined white flour also has a higher glycemic index -- a measurement of how fast sugar is released in the blood -- which at a level of 100 means sugar is being released faster and in a greater amount, leading to Hyperglycemia. On a simpler note, once all of this stripped away, white flour is a starch and your body is likely to store these refined carbohydrates as fat, contributing to obesity. Look for "enriched flours" or "refined flours" on the packaging; this indicates white, bleached flour.

Refined Sugar

Ahh, refined sugar or commonly known as white (granulated) sugar, perhaps the most deadly ingredient on this list. It's nearly impossible to remove sugar completely from our diet, since it's naturally found in most foods. But refined sugars can directly impact an individual's risk for obesity and other chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. These sugars can be found in almost every processed food from baked foods, to boxed macaroni and cheese. The average American consumes approximately one-third of a pound of sugar each day, translating into nearly 130 pounds of sugar per person every year.

Artificial Sweeteners

Think Splenda, Sweet n' Low or Equal, more substantial evidence has been uncovered about the harms of artificial sweeteners in the last five years than ever before. Earlier this year, PepsiCo announced they would no longer use aspartame in their Diet Pepsi product. Aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener, has long been a controversial ingredient, even though the FDA claims it's one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives. Well, a number of studies have shown that aspartame in particular along with other sweeteners are linked to some of the most debilitating diseases including heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, cancer, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Over 6,000 food and drink products contain it, often hidden under labels marked "diet" or "sugar-free." Even with substantial evidence, artificial sweeteners remain popular among dieters and even diabetic patients looking for a sweet fix. But research speculates that when we consume sugar substitutes, the body expects to see a surge in glucose and when this expectation is not met, we continue to crave sweets, consuming food until the craving is met.

Synthetic Trans Fats

Last week, the FDA announced a three-year deadline for all food makers to eliminate synthetic trans-fat or "partially hydrogenated oils" from their products. These oils are the key source of trans fatty acids in the American diet. As a result, medical experts are rejoicing since major bodies of evidence exist that show an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer from heavy consumption of these fats. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,trans fats are found naturally in animal fats but PHOs are found in baked goods. Food makers have used these for many years because they're inexpensive and extend the food's shelf life. The problem? Artificial trans fat raise low-density lipoprotein or LDL (the bad cholesterol), which is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, the number one cause of death in America. The CDC projects eliminating these fats could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths per year.

MSG

Topping the charts of dangerous additives is MSG or monosodium glutamate. The good news is many studies have been done on its effect on the body. This additive is not just in your Chinese food, but added to thousands of the foods you eat, especially prevalent in processed foods. MSG overstimulates our nervous system, exciting the nerves, causing inflammation -- a massive proponent for cancer. One 2013 study showed rats who ate MSG experienced a 40 percent increase in their appetite. In 2011, researchers at the University of North Carolina found that both men and women who ate the most MSG (an average of 5 grams per day) were 30 percent more likely to become overweight.

Our food culture in America needs a lot of reform. Bottom line, we need to spend more time on educating ourselves about the ingredients in our foods. In a perfect world, processed foods would be cut from our diet completely, but it's not that simple. Who loves dining out? We all do and how do we know what in those foods? Many questions remain along with differing opinions, but one fact remains, these six ingredients among thousands of others are not natural. They're designed to withstand long periods of time on a shelf regardless of temperature; how can we expect our bodies to break them down? We can't. Ask more questions when it comes to the foods on your grocery list. When you're about to eat that cracker or cookie, ask yourself, "What's in this?" and "Do I need it?" Be your own advocate when it comes to the food choices you make.

New Reports Show More Evidence of Coffee’s Health Benefits

Two new studies continue to prove why coffee is a good idea (most days and in reasonable moderation.)

Research noted this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal showed significant correlation between coffee and being in good health. Two studies further suggested the more coffee you drink, the more your risk of dying from an illness such heart disease - the number one killer of both men and women. Both decaf and caffeinated coffee had the same effect on the studies subjects.

One of the studies examined results from 185,000 people across multiple ethnicities include African Americans, Japanese Americans, Native Hawaiians, Latinos and caucasians. Their coffee consumption patterns were measured over a 16-year period layered on top of if they smoked or were currently living with an illness.

Conclusions included that greater consumption of coffee was linked to lower risk of death in all populations except Native Hawaiians, which showed no notable difference.

Those subjects that consumed 2-4 cups per day had an 18% lower risk of dying from diseases like heart disease, stroke and cancer versus those who didn’t consume the beverage.

The second study examined 520,000 people in 10 European countries over the same time period. Researchers found that coffee consumption lowered the risk for mortality, especially from digestive and circulatory diseases.

The first study did define a cup of coffee as 8 ounces but didn’t explicitly say what type of coffee it was or what was in it. Obviously drinking coffee with excessive amounts of cream and sugar can have nutritional impact but this was not identified in the study.

In most other studies regarding coffee’s health benefits, it was noted that coffee when consumed black was where the most health benefits came about.

Researchers still tout that it’s too soon to recommend endless amounts of coffee as naturally it’s a diuretic and can have an impact on energy levels being volatile but still worth considering and following this body of research as findings get consistently built upon.

Eat the same thing Most Days? Find out if this is healthy for you.

The Pros

Of all your meals and snacks, if fruit, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, healthy fat and dairy you’re off to a great start. Variability in your diet including all the important food groups is critical. About 90% of Americans don’t get enough recommended daily amount of vegetables and 85% don’t get enough of the recommended daily amount of fruit, as noted from the most updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Repetition and balance in your daily meal plans is good practice when it comes to meal preparation and planning. Having a healthy plan in place allows you to be prepared and not eat foods when you’re bored that you’re not even hungry for.

Other research does suggest a non-diverse diet is also a great alternative. A study from 2015 highlighted diet quality and variability in over 5K adults and found that the more diverse diet was associated to a greater waist circumference and a higher quality diet was associated with a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Diversity in eating didn’t necessarily lead to a higher quality diet or better metabolic health.  

The Cons

But it’s important to think on the other side because if your daily diet is balanced, it probably doesn’t contain everything you need. There’s really no way you can meet dietary requirements by eating the same thing every day. Variety is essential to a healthy, balanced diet.

Studies have found health benefits associated with eating a more varied diet. A 2015 study, for example, examined the diets of over 7,000 adults who were at least 20 years old. It concluded that greater food variety was associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome compared to those who consumed a less varied diet.

The Bottom Line

Eating different foods is important, what’s more critical is what you choose to eat. A notable research study from 2002 evaluated healthy and less-healthy foods and how it affect mortality in close to 60,000 women.

A woman who followed a healthy diet by eating a high variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads, cereals, fish and low-fat dairy products had lower mortality than women who consumes fewer of these foods.

Artificial Sweeteners: Weight Loss or Gain?

Despite intense scrutiny of artificial sweeteners for years, the product continues to be popular with dieters, diabetics and many just looking for a sweet fix. Even in the face of declining soda sales, the market share of diet soda continues to expand, with the second most popular soda being a diet variety. At the same time, the global market for non-sugar sweeteners has had impressive sales in recent years. In 2010, over 9 million dollars were spent on non-sugar sweeteners, with the industry anticipating continued growth in coming years.

A new report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal analyzed 37 studies on artificial sweeteners to measure their success for weight management. The studies followed over 400,000 people over the course of 10 years. Across the board, artificial sweeteners didn’t help any of the subjects lose weight. Consumption was evaluated over time , by people regularly consuming them and most patients had a higher risk for health issues like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

This new study is an addition to the growing body of research suggesting sugar substitutes are not the cure for sugar addiction. There isn't enough qualified studies and results that would encourage any individual of any health status to use artificial sweeteners. But it’s not yet clear if they are dangerous but there is a correlation to increasing an individual’s appetite for processed foods when consuming sugar substitutes.

Artificial sweeteners have a role in controlling carbohydrate intake by diabetics and dieters, while also decreasing ones risk of dental cavities. Despite extensive studies, epidemiological research has failed to demonstrate any cancer risks. While, diet products are a safe alternative to their full sugar counterparts. Exercising at least 3 days a week, increasing fiber and focusing on healthy choices are the best way to lose weight and stay fit.

What scientists think is happening is that that when we consume sugar-substitutes, the body expects to see surge in glucose. When this expectation is not met, we continue to crave sweets, eating until the craving is met. So it will definitely take much more than replacing real sugar with fake sugar to lose weight.  Unfortunately there are no real shortcuts here. The key to weight loss is cutting the total number of calories consumed, with clean eating.

While, diet products are a safe alternative to their full sugar counterparts, diet and exercise for weight loss is what will truly help in the long run. Exercising at least 3 days a week, increasing fiber and focusing on healthy choices are the best way to lose weight and stay fit.