Food
10 Foods You’ll Avoid After You Know How It’s Made Part 2
Let’s face it; we’re all addicted to processed foods. Who has time to stand around the stove all day? We have better things to do, like check out Facebook. You’ve been waiting all week to get the latest scoop on your best friend’s situation at work. The minute they post something to their timeline you’ve got to be there to read it. Is the doctor having an affair? What did they eat for lunch? How can you cook at a time like this? You can’t, and that’s why we all turn to processed foods. You may avoid a few of your favorites after reading this. The intent from the beginning wasn’t to freak you out, but to inform you. Everyone needs to know what they’re shoving into their pie hole, regardless if the information makes you gag.
10. Citrus flavored soda pop
Who doesn’t love to crack open a cold can of citrus-flavored soda pop? Some of the sodas pack a sugary caffeine kick so strong that it could jumpstart a car. They were thought of as energy drinks before the whole energy drink craze. It doesn’t matter if you enjoy them with a slice of pizza, or have one as liquid refreshment on a hot summer day, citrus-flavored pops always hit the spot. You’re probably hoping that nothing too bad is in that can of stuff that you love so much. It’s a guilty pleasure of yours. Isn’t it? You wake up with a can in your hand, and you have more throughout the day. You’re not the only one who is addicted to guzzling down sugary drinks with a kick. There’s something you need to know about your favorite drink. No, it’s not the sugar content. It’s also not the amount of caffeine it has. Don’t hate us for ruining the one thing you enjoy from the time you wake up until you go to bed. That delightfully sweet citrus soda of yours might contain Brominated vegetable oil. That stuff is banned in Europe and Japan. For some reason, it’s not banned in the United States. Why do they put this stuff in soda pop? It seems that citrus-flavored pops like to separate when they’re in the can or a bottle. As you can imagine, your favorite drink wouldn’t taste so good if it was separated. Worse yet, it’d look terrible inside a bottle. The easy solution may be to come up with some way of shaking the soda before drinking it. But, if a person were to do that, then it may come out like malt liquor in 90’s rap videos.
9. Chewing gum
There’s nothing quite like the experience of chewing gum. You chew it for many different reasons. Sometimes a piece of gum is the only thing that can hold you over until it’s time to eat. How many times have you chewed gum to give you a little boost of brainpower? Then there are other times when you just want something sweet in your mouth. Let’s not forget one of the most fun things that can be done with chewing gum, and that’s blowing bubbles. As a kid, you probably loved to blow bubbles and made a mess all over your face. We all know what happens when the all too big bubble bursts and you’ve got to pick the remnants off of your face. Quite a few brands of chewing gum have something called lanolin in it. You’ve probably heard of lanolin being touted in beauty products. What is lanolin? It’s stuff secreted from the glands of a sheep. That doesn’t sound too yummy. You probably didn’t Google it since you don’t care too much about what’s in your shampoo. But, you had no idea this icky stuff from the glands of a sheep was in your favorite bubble gum. Try not to think about it the next time you chew gum. If you think about it, you’ll chew it faster, and that will cause you to chew harder on the sheep gland stuff. Lanolin is the stuff that makes gum chewy, and now one of your favorite pastimes has been ruined.
8. Grated Parmesan cheese
What is a spaghetti dinner without some grated Parmesan cheese on top of it? You can’t enjoy a plate of spaghetti without dousing the entire thing with a heaping serving of grated cheese. You don’t have the time to grate the cheese yourself. You’ve got better things to do like spy on your neighbor’s Twitter feed. You know there’s something strange going on over there. You’re just hoping they accidentally spill the beans one of these days. All that peeping over your curtains to see what they’re doing takes time. That’s why you reach for a can of Parmesan cheese to cover your spaghetti with. Have you ever gnawed on a piece of wood like you’re a beaver? You have if you’ve ever eaten Parmesan cheese sold in those containers with the shake top on them. You see, they use something called cellulose, and it comes from wood pulp. Yes, your plate of spaghetti and meatballs also has a healthy serving of wood pulp on it. Doesn’t that make you want to the kitchen and get seconds? Why stop eating the Parmesan cheese now? It’s just wood. Right? Keep on reading, and you won’t feel so bad about eating wood pulp after you find out what’s in some of the other stuff in your kitchen.
7. Bread
There’s nothing better than making yourself a sandwich when you’re super hungry. It doesn’t matter if the sandwich consists of cold cuts, peanut butter, or a mix-match of leftovers from your refrigerator. Come on, admit it, you’ve eaten a pot roast and noodle sandwich. You can slap anything in between two slices of bread and call it a sandwich. The great thing about store-bought bread these days is that it seems to stay fresh forever. That loaf of bread you bought last week is still as fresh as it was the day it left the factory. Anyone who has ever eaten old world bread knows that it becomes stale and stiff after two days. Sandwich bread, that stuff could’ve been put in Egyptian pyramids, and it’ll still be factory soft thousands of years later. Have you ever wondered how the bread stays fresh for so long? You probably thought it was the plastic bag they put it in. You protect the twist tie with your life, so you never have to settle for anything other than a soft slice for your next sandwich creation. It’s not the plastic bag that keeps the bread soft. No, it’s something called L-cysteine. It’s an amino acid synthesized from hair. Not just any hair, it’s from human hair. The stuff on top of your head is why bread doesn’t get hard. You’ll think about your next peanut butter and jelly sandwich differently now that you know the secret ingredient is stuff from human hair.
6. Microwave popcorn
Who doesn’t love sitting down to a bag of freshly popped microwave popcorn? You don’t need to watch a movie to enjoy this delicious snack. There are so many different varieties and flavors to choose from. The smell of the popcorn popping in the microwave makes your mouth water. You know it’s going to be hot, but you still have to get a handful of it. The bag is half gone before ten minutes of your favorite TV show is over. It’s so easy to scarf down an entire bag without even thinking about it. You know what happens after you’ve eaten the whole bag of microwave popcorn. You feel like you just ate a salt shaker. There’s a chemical called diacetyl that they use in the factory when making microwave popcorn. You’ve probably heard about “popcorn lung.” Some claim that working in microwave popcorn factories exposes workers to a dangerous level of diacetyl. Supposedly breathing this stuff in can lead to lung cancer. Scientists and healthcare professionals are still debating if diacetyl is harmful in a factory setting. You shouldn’t be too alarmed as most believe that people who consume microwave popcorn are exposed to minimal levels of diacetyl. Though, it’s still a little worrying that the stuff may end up causing factory workers to develop lung cancer.
5. Coffee creamer
What’s the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning? For many of you, it’s coffee. You don’t go to the bathroom or look at your smartphone without your first cup of coffee. Some people like to load their coffee up with creamer and several heaping spoons of sugar. Does that describe your morning routine? It’s not unheard of for people to skip breakfast altogether and guzzle down creamy sweetened coffee. Those of you reading this might have a cup of coffee next to you right now. Do you put nondairy creamer in your coffee? If so, you’re putting all kinds of terrible stuff in your cup of Joe. If you use the liquid stuff, then there’s soybean and palm oil in it. But, you probably feel that it’s better for you since there’s no dairy in it. Well, it probably depends on what type of nondairy creamer you’re using. If you use the powdered stuff, then there’s a chemical in it called sodium aluminosilicate. That stuff is highly flammable. Healthier than cow’s milk? It probably depends on how close to a flame you are.
4. Canned mushrooms
Canned mushrooms seem like a blessing in disguise. How many times have they saved your homemade pizza from being dull and bland? Mushrooms in a can have a million, and one uses. You can fry them up and add them to your favorite burger. They’re good tossed in a salad if you don’t mind the slightly rubbery texture. You never know when you’re going to need mushrooms. If you buy them fresh, they go bad so quickly. Canned, on the other hand, seem like they can last forever. A can of mushrooms is there when you unexpectedly need them. You never know when you feel like creating a pizza from scratch. When the urge comes a calling, no one stands more proud to serve than mushrooms in a can. Did you know that the FDA allows a certain amount of bugs and bug parts in processed foods? You may be surprised to learn they don’t bat a single eyelash when learning about insect legs in your chocolate bar. So, you shouldn’t be surprised that they allow maggots in canned mushrooms. Still not freaked out? The FDA also allows for small amounts of mites too. Still, don’t feel queezy? The FDA says that up to 10% of the mushrooms are allowed to be rotten. Rotted mushrooms don’t sound so bad when you consider the possibility of opening up the can and finding some maggots in it.
3. Deli meats
We already made you not want to eat bread. We thought we might as well go after what’s inside the sandwich as well. Deli meats are excellent no matter how you slice and eat them. Sub sandwich shops serve up all kinds of cold cuts on sandwiches. The most famous of which is Subway and everyone has gone there in a pinch. Admit it; you need a reason to go in there and get a half a dozen cookies. Picking up a so called healthy sandwich is good enough reason alone. Deli meats are tasty and don’t require you to do any work at all. Also, they last for what seems like forever in the refrigerator. You were waiting for us to ruin deli meats for you. Let’s start with the little things and work our way up to the big one. First off, deli meats are loaded with salt. All of that salt isn’t good for your ticker and your kidneys. Then, there’s what’s in the deli meat itself. Ever wonder what’s in the bologna you’re eating? It’s all the parts of animals that they can’t sell by themselves. It’s all ground up and combined with spices. We’re talking about body parts that would make you gag if you knew what they were. Then, there are the nitrates. These are the real reasons why you want to avoid deli meats. Nitrates are known to cause cancer, and they’re not good for you at all. Eating foods containing nitrates only a few times per month dramatically increases your chances of getting cancer.
2. Canned spray cheese
How many late nights have you spent spraying cheese on crackers? There’s something about cheese in a can that’s so much fun. Is it more fun to eat spray cheese than it is to play with the can? It’s almost impossible to put the can down once you have it in your hand. You want to spray the cheese on everything in eyesight. You’ve probably sprayed some on your hand and licked it off. You know who you are. The oddly satisfying yellowish orange color of the cheese makes the appearance so enjoyable. The flavor, well, who cares? Really, who cares what something so fun to use tastes like? It doesn’t matter one bit what it tastes like. The only thing that does matter is how much fun it is to put on everything. You knew this part about the bad stuff was coming. Well, the first bad thing is that it isn’t cheese. Well, it’s kind of not cheese. It’s cheese mixed with a whole bunch of other stuff. Come on, man, it sprays out of a can. You can’t expect it to be real cheese. It’s mostly an emulsified concoction of water, oil, and casein. The stuff resembles store-bought mayonnaise more than it does cheese.
1. Fat-free milk
You drink fat-free milk to avoid feeling guilty about your diet. No, you don’t cut back on the other fattening stuff like chips or fast food. But, for whatever reason, it’s the milk that’s on your radar. There are also quite a few parents who think it’s healthier to give their kids low and no-fat dairy products. Recent studies have shown that the fat in dairy products may cause you to eat less over all. That means the higher fat dairy is healthier in the sense that it will keep you feeling full longer. If that happens, then you won’t reach for that Twinkie. Who are we fooling, you’re still going to gorge yourself on all kinds of goodies. That’s why you’re here, to begin with. You share a love of food. What’s the rub about fat-free milk? Did you know that milk turns blue when they remove the fat? You probably wouldn’t want to sit down to a glass of moo juice if it were blue. The dairy processors add titanium dioxide to keep the milk white. So, you’re not getting fat, but you are guzzling down a healthy dose of titanium dioxide. Yeah, maybe you won’t dip your cookies into it much longer. Get the stuff with the fat in it unless you feel like drinking milk with the chemicals in it that sounds like a heavy metal band.