It’s easy to walk through the grocery store and assume everything on the shelves is safe to eat, but the truth is that food is often full of harmful ingredients. Pesticides, synthetic additives, and genetically modified ingredients are just the beginning of what you’ll find in packaged food.
In addition to what’s on the label, there are often hidden dangers that don’t make it to the ingredients list. Here’s what you need to know about the toxins in your food and why eating organic matters more than ever.
What is organic food?
Technically, organic food is food that hasn’t been sprayed with synthetic pesticides. When farmers use synthetic pesticides and other chemicals, that’s when food stops being organic and becomes highly toxic.
Everyone knows that pesticides are harmful to your health – you wouldn’t drink from a bottle of RoundUp – but food manufacturers want you to think that eating produce coated in these chemicals is somehow safe when it’s not.
Pesticide exposure through food can lead to a host of health problems, including cancer, reproductive issues, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, and more. Some people are more sensitive than others, but the damage is cumulative over time. Many people don’t even realize their health problems are caused by eating pesticide-laden food.
Eating organic food is the only way to avoid ingesting synthetic pesticides. However, organic produce isn’t pesticide-free. Unless you’re buying from a local farm whose growing methods you can verify, most organic produce bought in stores has been sprayed with pesticides. The difference is that organic food is sprayed with pesticides derived from natural ingredients. Natural pesticides aren’t necessarily non-toxic since they are designed to kill pests. However, eating organic food will drastically lessen the amount of toxins you consume. The only way to avoid all pesticides is to grow your own food at home.
Although eating organic food is a wise move, it doesn’t mean you’re automatically avoiding all toxic ingredients. The organic food label doesn’t cover all sources of toxins, but it’s a good place to start.
Not every toxic ingredient is on the label
If you think your favorite foods are safe because the law requires food manufacturers to list all ingredients on the label, think again. Some ingredients are exempt for various reasons. For example, white rice is often coated in a mixture of talc and glucose to make it look shiny, but you won’t find that on the label.
Talc is a serious problem when added to food because it’s commonly contaminated with asbestos – the substance that causes mesothelioma. This could be why so many people develop peritoneal mesothelioma in the lining of the abdominal cavity. Either way, you don’t want to eat talc. The fact that food manufacturers use talc as an anti-caking agent in a variety of products, including supplements and powdered foods, is cause for concern.
When a food manufacturer lists talc in the ingredients, it will be listed as “magnesium silicate.” However, there’s no guarantee it will be listed at all. The only way to avoid consuming this toxic ingredient is to eat fresh, organic produce and skip the packaged foods.
Pesticides don’t wash off
Your parents probably taught you to wash your vegetables and fruit, but that doesn’t eliminate pesticide residue. Pesticides are oily, water-resistant substances, and you need to soak them in water with a pH of 11.5 to remove pesticide residue. However, pesticides can contaminate the entire fruit or vegetable. Since pesticides are sprayed on crops early and often, they soak up a hefty amount of pesticides as they grow.
Other toxic ingredients to avoid
In addition to synthetic pesticides and talc, there are a host of ingredients to avoid. These include:
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Nitrates and nitrites
- Butylated hydroxyanisole
- Sulfates and sulfites
- Bisphenol A
- Triclosan
- Polyethylene glycol
- Acrylamide
- Formaldehyde
- Arsenic
- Artificial colors and flavors
- And more
While organic food might contain some of these ingredients, reputable manufacturers avoid using known toxic ingredients because that’s what consumers expect. As a general rule, look for the organic version of the food you want to buy and then read the label to make your final decision. Most of these ingredients will be listed in the ingredients if present.
What’s on your plate matters
Food is fuel for your body, and consuming organic, toxin-free food nurtures your health and wellbeing. The silent threats lurking in conventional foods are real, but they’re also avoidable. When you choose organic and toxin-free foods, you’re being kind to your body and giving it the nutrients it needs to thrive.