7 Foods You Should Never Eat
Published December 02, 2011
Food scientists are shedding light on items
loaded with toxins and chemicals–and simple swaps for a cleaner diet
and super-sized health.
Clean eating means choosing fruits,
vegetables, and meats that are raised, grown, and sold with minimal
processing. Often they’re organic, and rarely (if ever) should they
contain additives. But in some cases, the methods of today’s food
producers are neither clean nor sustainable. The result is damage to our
health, the environment, or both. So we decided to take a fresh look at
food through the eyes of the people who spend their lives uncovering
what’s safe–or not–to eat. We asked them a simple question: “What
foods do you avoid?” Their answers don’t necessarily make up a “banned
foods” list. But reaching for the suggested alternatives might bring you
better health–and peace of mind.
1. The Endocrinologist Won’t Eat: Canned Tomatoes
Fredrick Vom Saal, is an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A.
The problem:
The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a
synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from
reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent
characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies
show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that
suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of
animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and
that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,”
says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”
The solution:
Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need
resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can
also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe’s and Pomi.
Budget tip:
If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce
for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few
added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.
2. The Farmer Won’t Eat: Corn-Fed Beef
Joel Salatin is co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming.
The problem
: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers
today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals
faster for slaughter. But more money for cattle farmers (and lower
prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent
comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson
University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is
higher in beta-carotene, Vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and
potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats
that have been linked to heart disease. “We need to respect the fact
that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and
chicken manure,” says Salatin.
The solution:
Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty
grocers, farmers’ markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It’s usually
labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don’t see it, ask your
butcher.
Budget tip:
Cuts on the bone are cheaper because processors
charge extra for deboning. You can also buy direct from a local farmer,
which can be as cheap as $5 per pound. To find a farmer near you, search
eatwild.com.
3. The Toxicologist Won’t Eat: Microwave Popcorn
Olga Naidenko, is a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group.
The problem:
Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in
the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be
linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA.
In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize–and
migrate into your popcorn. “They stay in your body for years and
accumulate there,” says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that
levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in
laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to
phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags
of popcorn will be sold between now and then.
The solution:
Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a
skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings,
such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.
Budget tip:
Popping your own popcorn is dirt cheap
4. The Farm Director Won’t Eat: Nonorganic Potatoes
Jeffrey Moyer is the chair of the National Organic Standards Board.
The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and
fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes–the nation’s
most popular vegetable–they’re treated with fungicides during the
growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous
vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated
yet again to prevent them from sprouting. “Try this experiment: Buy a
conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t,”
says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also
owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). “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.”
The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.
Budget tip: Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds.
5. The Fisheries Expert Won’t Eat: Farmed Salmon
Dr. David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the
Environment at the University at Albany, published a major study in the
journal Science on contamination in fish.
The problem:
Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into
pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a
result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants,
including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides
such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated
fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus.
“You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without
increasing your risk of cancer,” says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish
contamination study got broad media attention. “It’s that bad.”
Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but
some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks.
There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides
used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed
with the same drugs and chemicals.
The solution:
Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package
says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries
left for wild Atlantic salmon.
Budget tip:
Canned salmon, almost exclusively from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.
6. The Cancer Researcher Won’t Drink: Milk Produced With Artificial Hormones
Rick North is project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon
division of the American Cancer Society.
The problem:
Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with
recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to
boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and
even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called
insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may
contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government
approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down
in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein
in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies.
“There’s not 100 percent proof that this is increasing cancer in
humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized
countries.”
The solution:
Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced
without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate
rBGH-free products.
Budget tip:
Try Wal-Mart’s Great Value label, which does not use rBGH.
7. The Organic-Foods Expert Won’t Eat: Conventional Apples
Mark Kastel, a former executive for agribusiness, is codirector of
the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports
organic foods.
The problem:
If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides
contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted
(descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its
distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests
and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues
are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to
minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples.
“Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. And
increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden
of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s Disease.
The solution:
Buy organic apples.
Budget tip:
If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel
them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise. “I would rather see
the trade-off being that I don’t buy that expensive electronic gadget,”
he says. “Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet
for a family.”
