Watch What You Eat: 5 Food Culprits You Should Be Wary Of

1. MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG)
Used in moderation as a flavor enhancer, MSG should not pose a problem. But when you consume much food containing MSG (like junk food, seasoning, and processed food) or hydrolyzed protein, this is absorbed and immediately released into the bloodstream, causing the glutamate level in the body to go up around 20 times the normal level. This elevation hyper-excites the nerves and the transmission of impulses goes haywire.

The effects can range anywhere from a simple headache to life-threatening arrhythmia, a condition where your heart beats fast irregularly and sometimes stops. Other problems include sleepiness, anxiety, mental confusion, insomnia, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations.


2. ASPARTAME
This artificial sweetener is found in many popular products. When ingested, it is converted into methanol then into formaldehyde (a.k.a. formalin; the stuff you use to embalm and preserve dead people and objects with). While the amount of aspartame in a serving of an artificially sweetened drink is not enough to cause major damage, there is a cumulative effect because it is hard to clear formalin from the system. With repeated intake of aspartame, there is accumulation of formalin in the system to the point that the body cannot clear it effectively in time to repair the DNA damage before new damage arises.

Researchers at the University of Miami have linked aspartame to pediatric and adolescent migraines. The University of Kansas has linked contact dermatitis of the eyelids due to formaldehyde derived from aspartame.


3. TRANS FAT
Trans fat is oil that's chemically modified to make food more solid, less likely to spoil, and seem less greasy. Its used in commercial fried foods (french fries), donuts, cakes, and junk food. On food labels, they're known as hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil.

Trans fats cannot be digested by the human body. Several studies have shown that they elevate bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, make the arteries more rigid, and cause major clogging of arteries, insulin resistance, or contribute to Type 2 diabetes.


4. ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS
Artificial ingredients include food coloring, preservatives, flavors, and a lot of other chemicals food manufacturers are not legally bound to declare on their food packaging. They are found in most processed food and beverages. The human body is not designed to process and eliminate them properly. They just circulate aimlessly in the bloodstream and get deposited in the liver, kidneys and other tissues.


5. CONTAMINANTS
These are synthetic chemicals found in the environment that also make its way into food and water. They include pesticides, industrial chemicals, chemical residues, antibiotics and hormones from farm animals, and heavy metal. They have direct effects on the human physiology and lead to illnesses. Like artificial ingredients, they cannot be fully cleared by the body.