Of all fruits and vegetables, tomatoes fare the worst when stored in cans. This is because tomatoes are very acidic and the acidity will cause the chemical that lines the cans to permeate into the food. Cans are known to contain about 50mcg of the toxic bisphenol-A, or BPA, which can severely affect adults and especially children.
Consumer Reports' latest tests of canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna, and green beans, have found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods we tested contain some BPA.
Background: BPA is a toxic chemical linked to reproductive abnormalities, neurological effects, increased risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, heart disease and other serious health problems.
Comment: You might want to consider avoiding tomatoes altogether as they are nightshades. The nightshade family also includes potatoes, peppers, okra and eggplant and is linked to chronic pain and inflammation.
Aluminium Poisoning
When food is stored in an aluminium can, over time, it will gather some of the aluminium that it is stored in. This is especially so with tomatoes with its high acidity.
To avoid the toxic BPA, avoid canned foods completely and consume fresh fruits and vegetables. Another way is to switch over to brands that use glass containers instead—especially for acidic foods like tomatoes.
Comment: Another good idea would be to learn how to do your own canning. Food preservation is a good skill to have and this way you can have more control over quality and avoid consuming added potentially toxic ingredients.
2. Processed Meats
Deli meats, summer sausage, hot dogs, bacon, and many other meats sold at the grocery store are often loaded with sodium nitrite and other chemical preservatives that have been linked to causing heart disease and cancer
Indeed, a review of more than 7,000 clinical studies examining the connection between diet and cancer came to a stark conclusion: No one should eat processed meats at whatever amounts.
Quotes from report by the World Cancer Research Fund:
"There is strong evidence that ... processed meats are causes of bowel cancer, and that there is no amount of processed meat that can be confidently shown not to increase risk ... Try to avoid processed meats such as bacon, ham, salami, corned beef and some sausages."
This is the biggest study ever done on processed meats and was funded by monies contributed from the general public. Thus, not influenced by any corporate vested interests. From the study, it is clear that no amount of processed meats is good for your health.
If you eat meat, stick with uncured, nitrite and nitrate-free varieties, and preferably those that come from organic, grass-fed animals.
Comment: Actually, the research connecting nitrates with cancer has since been discredited. There have been major reviews of the scientific literature that found no link between nitrates or nitrites and human cancers, or evidence that they may be carcinogenic. Recent research suggests that nitrates and nitrites may not only be harmless, they may be beneficial, especially for immunity and heart health. However, many processed meats may contain other ingredients that are potentially harmful such as MSG, thus you should scrupulously read labels and limit your consumption of all processed foods.
3. Margarine
Margarine has grown in popularity especially with the bad publicity that butter has gotten with its saturated fats. Little known is that hidden in margarine, is hydrogenated trans-fat oil - something you want to avoid at all costs for your health.
Trans fats are formed by converting liquid vegetable oils into solid fats and are known to increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, bone problems, hormonal imbalance, skin diseases amongst many other conditions.
Contrary to popular belief, butter and saturated fats in general are not unhealthy, especially when they are derived from pastured animals that feed on grass rather than corn and soy. If not, go for extra-virgin coconut oil or olive oil spread alternatives.
4. Artificial Sweeteners
In a bid to provide 'healthier' alternatives, many food companies come up with 'diet' or sugar free version of their products, thereby releasing another more harmful compound known as aspartame. Aspartame comprises of methanol, phenylalanine and aspartic acid - all of which are problematic by themselves.
There are over 90 health risks documented linking to the consumption of aspartame which includes, brain tumors, migraines, dizziness, depression, heart palpitations, hearing loss, numbness - just to name a few.
If I have not convinced you on the health risks related to aspartame, I hope this video will.
5. Microwaveable popcorn
Have you ever wondered why your burger food wrapper never leaks the grease or sauces from your burger? It is because the compound, perfluoroalkyls is used to line the wrapper to prevent grease/sauces from leaking out.
The same compound, perfluoroalkyls is also used in your microwave popcorn bags and this is where the nightmare begins. When the bag gets heated up in a microwave, Perfluoroalkyls leaches onto the popcorn.
It is logical at this point to ask - what is perfluoroalkyls? Perfluoroalkyls are stable, synthetic chemicals. Perfluoroalkyls are unique because they repel oil, grease, and water. The two perfluoroalkyls made in the largest amounts in the U.S. are perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).
These chemicals are commonly referred to as "gender-bending" chemicals, because they can disrupt your endocrine system and affect your sex hormones. Research has linked these chemicals to infertility, thyroid disease, cancer and immune system problems.
Comment: It's a good idea to avoid consuming any type of corn. Most of the corn grown is now genetically modified and corn also contains gluten, which reacts similarly to wheat gluten and is thus not recommended for the gluten intolerant. The healthiest alternative would be to avoid grains altogether as they contain anti-nutrients such as lectins and phytates. They also contain protease inhibitors which block the digestion of proteins in your gut.
6. Soda
Can you picture yourself drinking liquid sugar? Seriously, drinking soda is like drinking liquid sugar and the advent of soda has been closely linked to obesity, increased risk of certain cancers, heart problems and more.
In fact, companies like Coca Cola have been upfront about the negative health effects of its products. Coca Cola actually made the below video which talks openly about the health risks of its drinks but later took down the video. The video was later uploaded by other users.
7. Potato Chips
You may already know that fried food is bad for your health. What you may not know is that potato chips also contain a cancer causing by-product called acrylamide. Acrylamide is produced when potato chips are cooked at high temperatures.
Comment: Fried foods aren't necessarily bad, depending on the type of fat used. Saturated fats are healthy, but vegetable oils and particularly canola oil (which is likely to be GM) are toxic to the body. Another reason to avoid potatoes is that they are also members of the nightshade family. Sweet potatoes although still high in carbohydrates, are a much healthier alternative.
Acrylamide is a harmful and potentially neurotoxic chemical that is made when carbohydrate-rich foods like potato chips and French fries are cooked at a high temperature (above 212°F or 100°C). Some medical experts attribute acrylamide to cause several thousand cancer cases per year in America.
Reality sucks! Long live the Illusion!