Most companies use cheap ingredients and fillers. Often, these filler ingredients cause digestive distress. Let's take a quick look at 5 to avoid.
1. Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate that is effectively a less sweet form of corn syrup. Studies have shown that it is linked with inflammation, imbalance of the gut bacteria, and breakdown of the mucosal lining of the stomach, which may allow pathogenic bacteria to infiltrate the gut lining.
2. Carrageenan (Irish Sea Moss).
This is the one of the rare times, that a natural, plant-based ingredient should be avoided. Carrageenan is highly inflammatory and toxic to the gut.
It's cancer causing, and has even been implicated as playing a causative role in IBD, IBS and arthritis.
3. Canola and Sunflower Oil.
Vegetable oils damage the lining of the gut, cause inflammation, and lower the metabolism. They are hidden in most packaged foods, including "health" foods.
Look for pro-gut fats including coconut and extra virgin olive oil, or animal fat sourced from properly cared for animals (grass-fed).
4. Sugar alcohols.
Sugar alcohols are easily identified by their -ol ending, and include xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, maltitol and lactitol.
Despite some positive effects, the consumption of sugar alcohols is frequently linked also to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and abnormal flatulence.
5. Synthetic "Antioxidants".
Natural antioxidants are excellent for gut health. When you see "antioxidants" on a food label however, they will be the synthetic kind.
The most often used synthetic antioxidants are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate (PG) and tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ).
These don't sound real good, do they?
High doses of synthetic antioxidants may cause DNA damage and induce premature cell death. These antioxidants are wildly pervasive in packaged foods.
Really nasty stuff.
References: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5).
