Which foods do health experts avoid?

I caught this link on Twitter this morning and thought it was an interesting read.

I’ve always been about healthy eating, but I’ve been even more conscious about it lately since I keep having these health problems that refuse to go away.

I’d like this blog to focus more on healthy living rather than weight loss specifically. I believe that living a healthy lifestyle is much more important than trying to lose a few pounds. Besides, weight loss is a side effect of healthy living so it makes sense to focus on the latter first.

I’m a firm believer that you are what you eat. Unfortunately, a lot of the foods we eat can be dangerous for our health. Some more so than others. This article talks about 7 foods that experts won’t touch. Grain-fed beef and pesticide ridden apples are among some of the more common foods that health nuts avoid, but I’ll summarize the other 5 here:

Canned Tomatoes – Buying tomatoes in jars or tetra paks is safer than canned tomatoes. Tin cans contain bisphenol-A (BPA) which has been linked to a wide variety of health problems including heart disease. Better be safe rather than sorry and avoid buying them canned. Buying tomatoes locally or growing them yourself is the tastiest and healthiest option. I love eating home grown tomaties with macaroni. Very yummy!

Microwave Popcorn - It’s easy to toss a bag of popcorn in the microwave and chow down, but the chemicals that can stay in your system after eating said popcorn are not looking out for your best interest. My favorite way to make popcorn is in a pot on the stove. Chemical-free and delicous!

Nonorganic Potatoes – Here’s a quote from the article which should be enough encouragement to start buying organic potatoes:

“I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals.”

Farmed Salmon – Salmon is one of my favorite things to eat and I’m surprised at myself for not knowing that farmed salmon are fed chicken feathers among other gross things! You can read more about farmed salmon and why you should avoid it here.

Hormonal Milk – It’s widely known that dairy producers give their cows hormones to increase milk production which may be linked to certain cancers. It’s not proven yet, but why risk it? Look for organic milk instead. I personally like to drink almond and hemp milk which are readily available at health stores.

Even though it can be more costly to opt for healthier alternatives to the foods listed above, it’s well worth it. You can’t put a price on your health.