8 Foods Even The Experts Won’t
Eat.
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. Exposure to BPA
Causes Permanent Damage In OffSpring
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.
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 organic 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. Make it organic and use coconut oil.
If You’re Still Eating Microwave Popcorn, You’re Not Fully Grasping The Health
Consequences
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. Farmed Fish vs. Wild Fish: How Healthy Is The Fish At Your Favorite
Grocery?
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. “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: Buy raw milk or check labels for
rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk.
These phrases indicate rBGH-free products. Why Do Humans Still Drink Milk?
7. The
Biotech Specialist Who Won’t Eat Convenional Soy: GMO Unfermented Soy Michael
Harris is biotech specialist who has directed several projects within the
biotech sector including those for genetically engineered food. He has been a
consultant, manager and director for companies such as Xenon Pharmaceuticals
and Genon Corporation. The problem: Genetically engineered food is a cause of
great concern due to the manipulation of DNA and genetic code including
transfers from one species to another. Fermented Soy Is The Only Soy Food Fit
for Human Consumption and since almost 90% of soy in the world is genetically
modified, if you are not ensuring sources are organic, long-term health
problems are inevitable, especially since soy has been found to affect hormonal
balance and even cause cancer. The solution: Check labels to ensure soy is
Non-GMO or organic and never consume unfermented sources. If possible contact the
company to find out exactly where the Non-GMO soy was obtained.
8. 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.
