With the vast processed foods that surround, it can be easy to fall prey to unhealthy foods in disguise. Seemingly “healthy” foods may be humdrum at best, and harmful at worst. I call this phenomenon the “unhealthy healthy”, and it is a pervasive problem.
Check all labels for these common pitfalls of the “unhealthy healthy”:
- Unhealthy Fats. You likely know to avoid “trans fats” and all oils with listed “hydrogenated” or “partially-hydrogenated”. These fats actually rob us of the good cholesterol (HDL) that we aim to build. Remember to always read the actual ingredients, since serving size loopholes enable a product to be labeled “0 trans fat” or “trans fat free” when hydrogenated oils are present. And there are additional unhealthy oils with which we must be wary. For the traveler, these especially include soybean oil and canola oil. Most all Soybean, Canola, and Cotton are genetically modified to withstand the weed-killer RoundUp (glyphosate), so when you consume these, be sure the contents are either “Non-GMO” or “Organic”. Organic oils are best, as they cannot be genetically modified and they cannot be processed with hexane. Hexane is a gasoline byproduct that is commonly used for processing commercial oils. Both the CDC and EPA have confirmed hexane to be a harmful irritant, toxin, and neurotoxin. A good organic oil instead will use cold-expeller pressing to process the oil. Also avoid generic “vegetable oil” – this is likely a cheap blend of soybean, canola, and/or cottonseed oils. (For more thoughts on GMO and glyphosate, see here.)
- Preservatives, Additives, Chemicals. From artificial sweeteners, to “flavorings” and “color” to BHA / BHT, nitrates and nitrites, etc – many of these substances are confirmed harmful as irritants, allergens, and even carcinogens or as having “carcinogenic concerns”.
- Sodium. Way. Too. Much. We travelers already feel bloated and dehydrated from air travel. The last thing we need is a dish loaded with sodium. I’ve seen plenty of packaged ‘healthy’ salads and dishes with more than 40% of the entire sodium we’d need in one day, all in one dish! It’s common at restaurants too, so we must advocate for ourselves. When looking at the labels, I personally aim for less than 11% RDI sodium* in one serving, assuming one serving is indeed all I would eat. At certain restaurants, I’ll request “easy on the salt”.
- Sugar. Too much, and highly processed forms. Oftentimes “low fat” or “fat free” signals “high sugar”, which we want to avoid. Our blood sugar wants to remain even, with no major spikes, so avoiding high glycemic and high sugar foods helps. Excess sugar that we don’t burn up through activity becomes stored in our bodies as fat – so sugar is a surefire way to pack on unintended inches. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a particularly disruptive sugar in that it is highly processed and causes a rather large spike. Turns out the hailed ‘healthy’ agave is also commonly highly-processed, so it is similar to HFCS in its effects on our bodies. A good guideline is to keep sugars minimal and restricted to natural forms such as whole fruits, raw maple syrup and honey. Ditch the sugar alcohols too!
- Other Marketing ‘lingo’ There are little to no guidelines or restrictions around how these terms may be used, so consider them meaningless.
- “Free range” = meh. Look for “pastured” eggs and pastured meats. And with meats these days, be sure to specify pasture-raised AND pasture-finished (“grass-finished”). There are a number of producers who confine cattle in the last 180 days or so to to fatten them before the kill – and use the label “pasture raised” (emphasis on raised), which is misleading. These cows are actually grass-fed and grain-finished.
- “All natural” is meaningless. Review the ingredients and see if anything is unrecognizable as a whole food.
- “Healthy”. Judge for yourself, read the label!
Be on guard at airports, and any grab-and-go scenario. Check the labels carefully, even at your favorite health food stores. Items we’d perceive as perfectly healthy, such as pre-made soups and salads, are common culprits within which you may be surprised to find canola oil, soybean oil, and/or processed sugars. And if there are no ingredients listed, it is always worth an ask. The unhealthy healthy furthers our risk of being undernourished and overfed, and I’ve learned time and again that we must ask and advocate for ourselves and each other.
*My 11% guideline is based on assumptions of the USDA RDA maximum of under 2,400 mg sodium per day. Some people need to limit sodium to under 1,500 mg per day – but most Americans get over 3,400 mg
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