Spices offer much more than a decorative addition to meals. Aside from making food taste better, they can help to protect against obesity, as well as chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
What makes them so powerful? Polyphenol, which is a type of plant compound, provide the primary benefits that spices bring to the dinner table. It can also be found in tea, red wine, and fruits and veggies.1
Spices are linked to several health advantages: 2 3
Health Benefit #1 – Spices May Help You Control Your Weight
We tend to eat bland foods faster with less satisfaction than tasty foods. And when we’re not satisfied, we’re bound to overeat, and inevitably gain weight.
Using spices over salty sauces keeps the flavor but nixes the extra salt, as well as calories, fat and sugar.
In fact, a study shows that a compound found in chili peppers called dihydrocapsiate can rev people’s fat-burning capacity when they eat it three times a day.
Health Benefit #2 – Spices May Help Prevent High Blood Pressure & Diabetes
Every one in three Americans has high blood pressure.
But evidence shows that adding certain spices to foods can help bring blood pressure rates down.
For example, the spice cardamom is found to reduce blood pressure and improve antioxidant status. And cinnamon can potentially fight diabetes. The antioxidants in cinnamon are linked to lower inflammation, as well as reductions in blood glucose concentrations in people with diabetes.
Health Benefit #3 – Spices May Have Cancer-Fighting Components
Some spices, like turmeric and cumin, have certain cancer-fighting components. For instance, turmeric contains polyphenol curcumin, which has been proven to slow or halt the growth of cancer cells causing melanoma, leukemia, and breast, brain, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.
Health Benefit #4 – Eating Spices Instead of Salt Helps Reduce Sodium Intake
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Dietary Guidelines of 2010 recommend people under 51 reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams. They recommend anyone over 51 to reduce intake to 1,500 milligrams, as well as anyone who is African American, has hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. Thus, the dietary guidelines require most Americans to find substitutes to salt and other sodium-based additives.4
Health Benefit #5 – Spices Can Keep the Heart and Lungs Healthy
Several spices, especially ones sourced from India, have great potential to maintain a strong heart. Spices like ginger and turmeric, can serve as preventative and treatment agents for managing heart diseases. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory makeup is useful in fighting heart disease, and studies show turmeric can help counteract conditions like cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases, and even muscle injuries.5
Plus, some spices can actually stop glycation (when a sugar molecule bonds with a protein or fat molecule) and formation of AGE compounds, which cause premature aging and heart disease.

Because the health benefits of fiber are so widespread, it’s one of the most talked about nutrients. Dietary fiber is comprised of carbohydrates that cannot be digested by humans, as well as lignin, which is a compound that forms the cell wall of plant cells.
Up until very recently, fiber was divided into two broad categories- soluble and insoluble, the classification being based on whether or not it dissolves in water.1 However, researchers are now using other classification systems as well, distinguishing between fibers that exist in whole foods (dietary fiber) and fibers that are extracted or manufactured (functional fiber).
Dietary fiber includes materials derived from plants and well as animals (i.e. chitin, which forms the shells of insects and crustaceans, though people don’t generally eat lobster shells). Functional fiber can be both man-made (i.e. fructooligosaccharides and polydextrose, which are used as food additives) and extracted from natural sources, like the chitin from crustaceans, which is found in nutritional supplements.
Although the different ways fiber is classified is interesting, from a health standpoint, it doesn’t really matter, as the health benefits of a high fiber diet are independent of the way a scientist groups them.
What Are Some Of The Health Benefits Of Fiber?
Cholesterol Lowering Effects: Viscous fiber is a fiber that combines with water to form a gel in the stomach. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated that intake of viscous fiber lowers both total and LDL (traditionally thought of as the “bad” cholesterol).2 The foods used in these studies include beans, peas and lentils.
Heart Disease Reduction: High intakes of fiber-rich foods are strongly correlated with lower incidence of both number of heart attacks and deaths from heart disease.
Blood Sugar Effects: Since viscous fibers form a gel in the stomach, when they are added to meals, the result is a slowing of nutrient absorption into the blood stream, which effectively lowers the amount of insulin needed to clear the sugar from the bloodstream and has favorable effects on blood sugar and insulin resistance. This is especially important for diabetics but can also eliminate the post-meal hunger that can result from a dip in blood sugar after consumption of a large amount of carbohydrates.
Treating and Preventing Constipation: As fiber is not absorbed through the GI tract, fiber-rich foods add to stool bulk and decrease the amount of time needed for waste to pass through the digestive system. Most of the research supporting this benefit has been done using fruit, vegetables and wheat bran.3
Weight Control: Viscous fiber’s ability to increase feelings of fullness likely result from the gel it forms in the stomach, making it easier to eat fewer calories. Additionally, fiber has fewer calories than other carbohydrates.4 Studies show that people who consume fiber-rich foods are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than those who don’t. However, the role of fiber alone as a weight management tool has not been clearly established.
What Are The Best Sources Of Fiber?
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds are all good sources of fiber. Supplemental fiber is a great, convenient way to up daily fiber intake, especially for those who are restricting calories or eat high amounts of processed food, which is essentially always stripped of fiber.
For the vast majority of people, however, more fiber is probably better (though always check with your doctor before making dietary changes). Since abrupt increases in fiber can cause gas, bloating and abdominal pain, it is wise to increase fiber intake slowly.

Popcorn is a classic snack. There’s nothing quite like settling down to watch a movie with a big bowl of popcorn nestled in your lap.

Many would agree that its distinct squeaky texture and hearty flavor is nothing short of addicting. You can imagine the excitement stirred when scientists started buzzing that this unprocessed, 100% whole grain snack may actually contain a higher concentration of polyphenol antioxidants than many fruits and vegetables.1

So, if popcorn is 100% whole grain, high in fiber, low in calories, and packed with healthy antioxidants,2then what’s with the bad rap? Let’s just say you can thank the movie theaters and microwave popcorn companies for that.

You might already be aware of the excessive sodium and fat in movie theatre popcorn, but that’s not the whole truth. Diacetyl and related chemicals used in the artificial butter flavoring have actually caused lung damage and illness upon consistent exposure. If inhalation of these chemicals can have such toxic consequences, why should consumers ingest these chemicals?3

And if you’re thinking about avoiding movie popcorn and sticking to convenient microwave popcorn, that isn’t exactly the answer. Not only do most flavored microwave popcorns also contain diacetyl-related chemicals, but the bags themselves have been incriminated. A fatal toxin known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been detected in the coating of the bags 4, the same compound used in Teflon-coated non-stick pans, used to prevent the popcorn from sticking¹. It is a concern that when heated, this toxin may leach off of the bag into the popcorn, and into the bloodstream. PFOA is a likely human carcinogen and immunosuppressant, and has caused cancer in many lab animals during testing². Well, the big bowl of popcorn on your lap suddenly doesn’t feel so comforting after all. Don’t be too disappointed.The truth is…the difference is all in the way you pop it!

By air-popping your own popcorn you can avoid cooking in high-temperature fattening oils, and preserve the healthy snack profile of this pure whole grain snack. For this Paper Bag Popcorn Recipe, there’s absolutely no need for a fancy electric air-popper.

Brown Paper Bag Popcorn | Ingredients

1 Brown Paper Lunch Bag
¼ Cup Organic Popcorn Kernels
1 Tbsp olive oil or olive oil spray
Seasoning of choice
*Serves 2. Use 2 Tbsp. of kernels for a single serving (~3 cups popped)

Brown Bag Popcorn | Preparation Instructions

Using an ordinary brown paper lunch bag, measure out ¼ cup of organic popcorn kernels and pour them in the bag.

Fold down the top of the brown paper bag 2-3 times and place it in the microwave for about 1 minute & 30 seconds, or until the popping slows down (1 pop every few seconds).

Flavor your popcorn:
Just drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto your popcorn before adding on your seasonings; if you have an oil mister, give it a few sprays.
The seasoning will stick nicely to the popcorn, and the olive oil adds a great flavor. You can keep your popcorn simple and just add a touch of sea salt, or you can experiment by adding a combination of seasonings. Some ideas include sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried herb mixtures, nutritional yeast, onion powder, lime juice, and truffle oil.

Just lightly sprinkle the seasonings on the popcorn in the bag, shake it up, and you’re all set… Enjoy the popcorn right out of the bag!!

Enjoy!

Most of us know adding salt or creamy sauces to our food isn’t the healthiest habit, but let’s get real – it sure does make it taste better.

Fortunately, there are tons of other nutritious choices to make meat, veggies, or whatever is on tonight’s menu taste just as delicious.

Those choices are spices; from peas and carrots to chicken and beef, spices add a kick to basically any food without adding all the extra calories. Spices most often come from seeds, berries, bark or roots of plants.1

Here are 7 healthy spices to enjoy:

Healthy Spice #1 – Cumin

Cumin comes from India. The seeds, yellow in color, have a strong pleasant odor and taste. A recommended amount is 6 teaspoons or ½ teaspoon of cumin powder a day. One great way to use cumin is to mix a bowl of root veggies, like sweet potatoes, cauliflower and turnips with olive oil and 1 teaspoon cumin powder, bake at 300 degree for a half hour. Add some pepper and chopped cilantro to make it extra tasty.

Healthy Spice #2 – Ginger

Ginger, or ginger root, comes from the plant Zingiberofficinale, and is in the same family as cardamom and turmeric. Its cultivation started in South Asia. Ginger comes fresh or powdered. While the latter is a bit easier to work with, there are many ways to use fresh ginger.

To use fresh ginger, you must first peel off the dark outer layer with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife. Then you’ll usually need to grate it before adding to recipes. You’ll likely find it works best when mixed with wet ingredients. It should be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic or paper bag. Try ginger in a soup by simmering butternut squash, carrots, and garlic in chicken broth. Add fresh ginger and pepper, then puree, and enjoy. Or, mix ginger, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and garlic for a beef marinade.

Healthy Spice #3 – Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the dried bark of Cinnamomumloureirii and is abundant in flavor. Use it to replace sugar in sauces, meat, and vegetable dishes. It can specifically work in homemade barbecue sauces, pulled pork marinade and marinara sauces. Sneaking cinnamon into breakfast, lunch, and dinner is easy. Stir cinnamon into oatmeal with berries and nuts, put it in vinaigrette salad dressing and mix it into coffee or smoothies. Be sure to use it sparingly, though, up to one teaspoon in a serving.

Healthy Spice #4- Cardamom

Cardamom is from the dried fruit or seed of Elettariacardamomum L. Maton. Guatemala and India produce the mostcardamom. It contains potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. You can find both cardamom pods & powders in markets and grocery stores year-round. While cardamom is most commonly used in sweets and coffee, black cardamom can be used in lentil curries and rice pilafs.For brown rice, add ½ teaspoon cardamom (and ½ teaspoon cinnamon) to the boiling water for a nutty flavor to get a huge kick of flavor and very few calories.

Healthy Spice #5 – Chili Peppers

Chili peppers come from the chili plant, which originated in Central America, and chili peppers have plant-derived compounds known to contain disease preventing and health promoting characteristics. They are available all year in grocery stores, either dried or in powdered form. Use hot chili peppers as a condiment while preparing soups and chili sauces. Poblano peppers are the mildest of the chili pepper family, and can be sautéed, roasted, and stuffed. You can mix Serrano peppers in with homemade salsas and guacamoles.

Healthy Spice #6 – Turmeric

Turmeric is from the dried root of the perennial herb Curcumma longa L, and comes from India. Ayellow spice, it’s popularly used in Middle Eastern cuisine.Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory, and can help possibly both speed up the metabolism and boost the immune system. Add a pinch or two of turmeric to grilled foods and veggies, or a couple of teaspoons to soups and stews.

Healthy Spice #7 – Caraway

Caraway seeds are grown all over Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. While it has several medicinal uses, caraway consists of healthy nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. It is a superb mineral source of iron, calcium and potassium. Caraway is dense in dietary fiber, with 30 g of fiber per 100 g seeds. Plus, it contains compounds helping to prevent aging, infections and even cancers. Add Caraway to omelets, soups, salads or Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Caraway also aids in digestion when eaten with cabbage.

Take your pick. There are hundreds of different types of spices for you to choose from,and they are smart additions to everyday meals without harming health or sacrificing taste.

You might have a solid strength and cardio program, you might pay attention to your diet and eat clean, but do you take time to work on your mobility or balance?
Mobility (flexibility) training and balance are important aspects of fitness that are often under-appreciated and neglected. As we age, we lose both flexibility and balance.1 Improving your mobility can have significant benefits for your posture, lifting form, and strength, all while reducing injuries.
One of the best ways to improve your mobility, core strength, and balance is Yoga.2 Because there are a number of different types of yoga, it helps to know a little bit about each before deciding what type of yoga 3 works best for you and your training program.
Top 8 Different Types of Yoga: What To Expect in Class

Types of Yoga #1 – Hatha Yoga

In Sanskrit, “Hatha” means force. It describes the physical practice of yoga, so all other types of yoga fall under the category of Hatha.4
If you see Hatha Yoga on a class schedule, it means you’ll find a slower-paced class with little-to-no “flow” between poses. It’s a gentle class that’s perfect for beginners or the after-work yogi looking to wind-down. Here, you’ll learn basic postures, breath work, relaxation techniques, and meditation.
Types of Yoga #2 – Vinyasa

This style of yoga links movement with the breath, creating flowing postures that smoothly transition from one to the next. In Sanskrit, the word “vinyasa” means “connection.” Each movement connects with either an inhale or an exhale. You can expect to move through a few sun salutations, warrior poses, balancing poses, back bends, and seated stretches. Each class ends in savasana, which is the final relaxation pose.
There is no strict format or sequence of poses in a vinyasa class, allowing for more creativity on the part of the teacher. Some classes are more spiritual, incorporating breath work, chanting and meditation, while others are more athletically-oriented. It depends on the instructor, so if one class doesn’t suit you, try a different instructor.
Depending on the level, Vinyasa yoga can be gentle or rigorous. If you’re a beginner, look for a gentle flow or a level 1 class. Learn the basics before moving on to more advanced classes (level 2 or higher).
Types of Yoga #3 – Iyengar

Iyengar is an alignment-based style of yoga. These classes don’t flow like vinyasa classes. Poses are held longer, as you breath into a pose to find more expansion. Instructors use of a variety of props, such as blocks, straps, and blankets, to make sure you find the correct posture in each pose. Iyengar is a great style of yoga for individuals who appreciate detailed instruction, or for those with injuries and who need a class that can accommodate their limitations. Practicing Iyengar will help build strength, mobility, and stability.5
Types of Yoga #4 – Bikram

Bikram yoga is best known for hot rooms and sweat dripping postures. This style of vinyasa yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury and is comprised of 26 postures performed in strict sequential order. Bikram chose these specific postures because he believes they systematically challenge the entire body—the organs, veins, ligaments, and muscles.6 7
Types of Yoga #5 – Ashtanga (aka Power Yoga)

Developed by K. Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga yoga is considered a modern-day form of classical Indian yoga. It’s also known as “Power” yoga. Like vinyasa, movement and breath are linked. However, in Ashtanga, the movements are predefined. You move through four phases—an opening phase, one of six “series”, backbending, and inversions. There is an element of progression in Ashtanga: if you’re a beginner to the practice, you’ll start with the Primary series. When you’ve mastered that series, you will graduate to a more difficult series and so on. Advancing through the poses can take years or decades; however, the focus of the practice is not on advancement to more difficult levels, rather, it is to maintain internal focus.8
If you enjoy a more structured, powerful practice that focuses on mastery of poses and progression to more advanced levels, this could be a great style of yoga for you.
Types of Yoga #6 – Jivamukti

More than just a movement practice, Sharon Gannon and David Life developed the practice as a lifestyle. It is a physical, spiritual, and ethical practice that emphasizes animal rights, environmentalism, and veganism. There are five central tenets to the Jivamukti: shastra (scripture), bhakti (devotion), ahimsa (non-harming), nada (music), and dhyana (meditation).9
A typical class starts with a life lesson or intention, chanting, and breath awareness. It moves on to flowing vinyasa sequences and ends with relaxation & meditation. If you’re looking for a style of yoga that offers spiritual and meditative elements as well as physical benefits, Jivamukti could be perfect.
Types of Yoga #7 – Kundalini

Grounded in the Chakra system, Kundalini focuses on the breath (pranayama) and core work. Kundalini strives to develop the mind, awareness, and consciousness. Each pose is associated with a different breathing technique that is believed to intensify the effects of the posture.10
Kundalini is much more spiritual and meditative than other styles of yoga. It emphasizes breathing, chanting, meditation, and hand gestures (mudras). Although this class often involves more sitting than other styles, it is still physically demanding. This class offer both physical and mental challenges, as well as spiritual and meditative elements.
Types of Yoga #8 – Yin (aka Restorative)

This is a slow-paced style of yoga developed by Paulie Zink, a martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher. Here, the poses are held for longer periods of time, about 5 minutes per pose. Holding a pose for this length of time is believed to put stress on the connective tissue, enhancing circulation and increasing flexibility. This style is believed to improve the flow of qi (life energy) and was created to complement more rigorous forms of activity.11
As this practice is slower-paced, it makes use of a lot of props and is usually performed in a room heated to 80-90F. The heat enables the muscles to expand, becoming more elastic, which is important when holding poses for 3-5 minutes. Holding poses for longer periods of time challenges patience and the mind, bringing attention to the breath in a meditative way.
You won’t find much flowing movement here, so Yin is great for individuals interested in a deeper stretch and a more relaxing class.

One of the two major components of milk, whey is the liquid portion of the milk that separates from the curds (the other major component), during the process of making cheese. Whey contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Due to its strong amino acid profile and ease of absorption, it is arguably the most popular sports nutrition supplement. Whey protein has been shown to augment muscle protein synthesis, support fat burning, boost the immune system, improve insulin sensitivity, and decrease appetite. Additionally, whey concentrate is shown to boost production of glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant.1
Whey protein exists in three main forms: isolate, concentrate, and hydrosylate (where whey isolate undergoes additional processing.). This article will focus on the differences between whey protein concentrate and isolate. Both forms contain whey protein, but whey isolate, which is made from whey concentrate, undergoes further processing which yields an end product with more protein per unit than whey concentrate. This processing results in a product that differs from whey concentrate in several important ways.
How is Whey Protein Made?
Pushing the liquid portion of milk through a filter creates whey protein. The material left behind is dried and forms whey protein concentrate. Concentrate contains varying amounts of fat and carbohydrates in the form of lactose. The percentage of protein varies from about 30% to about 80%, and includes a variety of protein subfractions,2 many of which have significant biologic activity and health benefits. Evidence suggests that these peptides must remain in their native, undenatured form (the 3-d form that exists in nature) in order to exert these properties.
Why is this Important in Whey Concentrate vs Isolate?
As whey concentrate is further processed and purified into whey protein isolate,3 these 3-d structures can degraded and lose their biologic activity. You should note, however, that the amino acid sequences do not change when protein is denatured, and whether a protein is denatured during processing does not affect its muscle-building qualities. All large proteins are broken down during digestion into smaller protein chains and individual amino acids (denatured), and whether this process occurs in the gut or in the manufacturing plant is irrelevant to the muscle fibers getting these proteins.
However, since denaturing can affect the biologic activity of certain peptides, whey concentrate has a theoretical health advantage over isolate. That being said, depending on the process used, whey isolate may still have significant amounts of bioactive peptides. Ion-exchange is a purification process that, while producing the highest concentration of protein, essentially eliminates all bioactive compounds. Micro-filtration techniques, such as Cross Flow Micro filtration, are a more expensive procedure but yield a whey isolate with more intact bioactive peptides. Hydrolyzed whey isolate is whey isolate that has been further broken down, yielding small peptides that are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. Again, though, this extra processing comes at the cost of destruction of health promoting substances.
So, Which Type of Whey Should You Chose?
When choosing a whey protein product, it is important to consider your goals, budget, and any allergies. For example, since whey concentrates contain significant amounts of lactose, anyone with lactose intolerance should avoid them. Since isolates undergo more processing, they are more expensive and can lose many health-promoting compounds found in concentrates; on the flip side, they contain a higher amount of protein per serving. This is important for people who are calorie restricting and want to consume as much real food as possible, and while 5 grams of carbs (per serving of whey concentrate) may not seem like a lot, 2 shakes a day can mean a half of an apple. Whey isolates, and particularly hydosylates, are more rapidly absorbed than concentrates and create a more profound insulin response.4 This makes whey isolates popular post-workout choices. Whether this increased rate of absorption translates into any real-world anabolic advantage is arguable, but anyone wishing to limit rises in insulin may want to avoid isolates because of their effects on insulin release.

All these jump rope workouts listed below are considered High Intensity Interval Training workouts!
Jump Rope Workout #1
Timed Jumping Rope
For this timed workout, which is the most advanced of the three, you will try to get as many reps as possible in 30 seconds, then rest 30-90 seconds, then repeat for 5-10 cycles. The rest period depends on your fitness level, but I would stick with some specific amount of time, let’s say 30 seconds rest. You want to keep your heart rate high, feel the burn in your lungs, your shoulders, and core too. I try to shoot for 100 reps in 30 seconds, although I just miss almost every time (so frustrating!). How many can you do?

What I’ve found is the limitation for how fast and for how long I can jump rope is not my cardio, but the muscular endurance of my shoulders. Be sure when you are maxing out that you keep your core tight as well, because your core will be engaged intensely. As you’ll find out, jumping rope as fast as you can just about works every muscle in your body!
Jump Rope Workout #2
Sliding Scale Jumping Rope
As you are completing a jumping rope workout, chances are you will get tired over time (at least if you’re human). One great way of keeping the volume high, but with a manageable intensity is to create a sliding scale. You start out with let’s say 500 jumping rope reps in a row, then rest, decrease by 50 reps to 450, then complete again, until you get down to 50 reps. So it looks like this:
(Rest 30-90 seconds in between each set)
300
250
200
150
100
50
The total amount of reps is a solid 1,050 accomplished in 6 sets, but the intensity is manageable because the amount of reps per set decreases over time.
Jump Rope Workout #3
“Pick a Number” Jumping Rope
Probably the most common workout I do, which can also be a warm up depending on how fast you jump, is picking a number of say 100, or 200 jump rope reps. You complete those 200 reps at a reasonably fast pace, then rest until you catch your breath (so don’t need to rest for a specific time period), then go again. You can complete 5-10 cycles depending on your fitness level, which would be 1,000 to 2,000 total reps.
If you are just starting out, volume (total number of reps) is something you should track and increase over time. So you might do 300 reps one workout, than 350 the next, and so on. This will ensure you get better and stronger over time, because your workouts will naturally become more difficult.
These workouts are only about 10-20 minutes, but they can help you increase your speed, stamina, and help melt that extra layer of fat off your body. If you are more advanced, you can try one of these workouts after a jog, lifting, or some other type of activity.

When you pick up a nutrition label to read, sometimes it seems like there a million ingredients that are all acronyms or unpronounceable jargon: this is generally once you reach the list of additives.
If you’re trying to be health-conscious, this can be extremely frustrating, because how can you watch what you put into your body if you have additives that aren’t real “foods” in almost every processed food. While sometimes eating foods with these additives may be unavoidable, at least if you are armed with some background on what exactly these additives are, you can look for alternative ingredients.
So, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 food additives to avoid when you’re buying meals.
Food Additive #1 – MSG
While this concentrated salt is a form of glutamic acid (a naturally occurring amino acid1), the version used in foods to enhance flavor is highly processed and evidence suggests it stimulates appetite, contributing to weight gain.2 Where will you find it? Potato chips, canned soups, canned meats, pepperoni, and flavored crackers, to name a few.
Food Additive #2 – Aspartame
A non-saccharide (non-carbohydrate) sweetener,3the issue with aspartame is that contains methanol. Although it makes up just 10% of aspartame’s ingredients, it’s a chemical whose by-products are formic acid (an acid that naturally occurs in the venom of bee & ant stings) and formaldehyde, which is thought to be a carcinogen. You’ll see aspartame in a variety of diet products: diet sodas, sugar-free drinks, sugar-free chewing gum, mints, yogurts, gelatins.
Food Additive #3 – High Fructose Corn Syrup
This is a refined syrup-sweetener where the corn starch is separated from the corn kernel and then converted to syrup4 through enzymatic processing. Because it is found in so many foods, it’s one of the highest sources of calories in the US diet, contributing to weight gain, and potentially diabetes.5 You may see HFCS in soda, bread, cereal, yogurt, salad dressing, & condiments.
Food Additive #4 – Palm Oil
One of few highly saturated vegetable fats, this is used to keep packaged foods “fresh.” The problem with this ingredient is that its blasted with hydrogen, rather than used in its natural state, becoming a trans fat.6 Since trans fats can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase risk of heart attacks, they’re best avoided.
Food Additive #5 – Sodium Nitrate & Sodium Nitrite
Both salt-based chemical compounds, sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are used as a preservatives and color fixatives in cured meats, poultry, and many deli meats. It’s thought that both compounds may increase risk of heart disease.7
Food Additive #6 – Olestra
A fat substitute used primarily in foods that are fried and baked, Olestra is semi-indigestible8; it is linked to gastrointestinal disease, diarrhea, gas, cramps, bleeding, incontinence, and preventing the absorption of some vitamins.
Food Additive #7 – Phosphoric Acid
This acid is used in sodas to dissolve the carbon dioxide9 and increase the fizz. In addition to this use, it’s also used to remove rust.10 Phosphoric acid in soda has been linked to lowering bone density, as well as stripping tooth enamel.
Food Additive #8 – BHA & BHT
Preservatives found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) keep foods from changing color, changing flavor, or becoming rancid. However, they can also effect the neurological system of the brain, which controls behavior.11 They are oxidants, which are linked to cancer-causing compounds in the body. You can find these preservatives in things edible: meat patties, beer, butter, sausage, hot dogs, …and non: packaging materials, cosmetics, and animal feed.
Food Additive #9 – Brominated Vegetable Oil
A vegetable oil bonded with the element bromine, this is used to stabilize citrus-flavored sodas.12 Bromine, though, is a halogen (a group of elements that are all toxic) and displaces iodine, which can depress thyroid function and cause unpleasant side effects.13
Food Additive #10 – Artificial Coloring
After decades of debate over the safety of artificial coloring, only 7 remain approved by the FDA. Every decade, more issues surface, with their opponents claiming that they are toxic, carcinogens, and contributors to ADHD.14More testing continues on the dyes currently deemed safe for consumers, so it may be wise to avoid them until the “safe” label is 100% sure. Artificial coloring is found in some things you’d expect: drinks, candies, baked goods, cereals, energy bars, puddings & jams, frostings, condiments, fast food, ice cream, sherbet & sorbet…and some that are surprising: bread, mac & cheese, deli meat, meat, and fish.
Hope this list helps clear up exactly what these additives are – and their possible side effects if you’re consuming them in processed food. While it may not be easy, it’s ideal to aim for unprocessed, whole foods to maintain a healthy, nutritious diet.

Fresh salmon fillets on sale at publix!