Food ingredients

Grocery Shopping 101.

Basic Toxins to Avoid/Minimize

Aluminum-Containing Foods and Products

  • Aluminum Foil - Use unbleached parchment paper instead

  • Antacids (Genexa offers a clean version)

  • Commercial Baking Powder (look for aluminum free)

  • Artificial Flavor

  • Artificial Food Dyes (look for these names)

    • Artificial Color

    • Blue #1, 2

    • Citrus Red #2

    • FD&C Lakes (combination of colors)

    • Green #3

    • Orange B

    • Red #40, 3, Allura Red

    • Yellow #5, 6, Tartrazine

  • Artificial or Refined Sweeteners

    • Aspartame

    • Corn Syrup Solids

    • Dextrose - Derived from GMO corn

    • High Fructose Corn Syrup

    • Saccharin

    • Sucralose

  • BHA/BHT

  • Calcium or Sodium Caseinate

  • Canned Foods - Specifically avoid BPA/BPS lining. Glass containers preferred where available

  • Carrageenan

  • Commercial Salt (think Morton's salt)

  • Enriched Wheat (look for whole wheat as the first ingredient in any grain product)

  • Factory-Farmed Meat, Eggs, Dairy, and Fish

  • GMOs (might say bio-engineered. Look for Non-GMO certification)

  • Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Fats and Oils

  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

  • Industrial Seed Oils -

    • Canola

    • Corn

    • Cottonseed

    • Grapeseed

    • Refined Palm

    • Safflower

    • Soybean

    • Sunflower

  • MSG

  • Natural Flavors (these could go either way, it's better to take caution until you know exactly what they are in a product)

  • Plastic Cooking or Eating Utensils

  • Plastic Food Containers - Opt for glass. Do not heat food in plastic

  • Processed Meat (specifically look for nitrites/Sodium nitrates).

  • Sodium Benzoate (specifically when ascorbic acid is also an ingredient)

  • Soy Protein Isolate

  • Sunflower or Soy Lecithin

  • TBHQ

  • Tap or Fluoridated Water (64% of bottled water brands are just rebottled tap water; maybe with a little minerals, extra filtration, fluoride, etc. added)

  • Teflon or Non-Stick Pans - Use cast iron pans with caution (quality matters). Make sure it’s not seasoned with soybean/seed oils . Opt for quality All-clad stainless steel. If ceramic is preferred, Xtrema is better.

  • Ultra-Pasteurized, Fortified, or Reduced-Fat Milk and Dairy Products (Raw, Low-pasteurized is best. If not, grass-fed/organic whole milk)

  • Xantham or Guar Gum