The only soy with health benefits is organic soy that has been properly fermented , and these are the only soy products I ever recommend consuming . After a long fermentation process , the phytate and ? anti-nutrient ? levels of soybeans are reduced , and their beneficial properties become available to your digestive system . To learn more , please see this previous article detailing the dangers of unfermented soy .
9 . Artificial Sweeteners
Contrary to popular belief , studies have found that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame can stimulate your appetite , increase carbohydrate cravings , and stimulate fat storage and weight gain . In one of the most recent of such studies , saccharin and aspartame were found to cause greater weight gain than sugar .
Aspartame is perhaps one of the most problematic . It is primarily made up of aspartic acid and phenylalanine . The phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to carry a methyl group , which provides the majority of the sweetness . That phenylalanine methyl bond , called a methyl ester , is very weak , which allows the methyl group on the phenylalanine to easily break off and form methanol .
You may have heard the claim that aspartame is harmless because methanol is also found in fruits and vegetables . However , in fruits and vegetables , the methanol is firmly bonded to pectin , allowing it to be safely passed through your digestive tract . Not so with the methanol created by aspartame ; there it ? s not bonded to anything that can help eliminate it from your body .
Methanol acts as a Trojan horse ; it ? s carried into susceptible tissues in your body , like your brain and bone marrow , where the alcohol dehydrogenase ( ADH ) enzyme converts it into formaldehyde , which wreaks havoc with sensitive proteins and DNA . All animals EXCEPT HUMANS have a protective mechanism that allows methanol to be broken down into harmless formic acid . This is why toxicology testing on animals is a flawed model . It doesn ? t fully apply to people .
Guidelines for Healthy Food
Whatever food you ? re looking to eat , whether organic or locally grown , from either your local supermarket or a farmer ? s market , the following are signs of a high-quality , healthy food . Most often , the best place to find these foods is from a sustainable agricultural group in your area . You can also review my free nutrition plan to get started on a healthy eating program today :
It ? s grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers ( organic foods fit this description , but so do some non-organic foods ) It ? s not genetically engineeredIt contains no added growth hormones , antibiotics , or other drugsIt does not contain artificial anything , nor any preservativesIt is fresh ( if you have to choose between wilted organic produce or fresh conventional produce , the latter may still be the better option as freshness is important for optimal nutrient content ) It was not grown in a factory farmIt is grown with the laws of nature in mind ( meaning animals are fed their native diets , not a mix of grains and animal byproducts , and have free-range access to the outdoors ) It is grown in a sustainable way .
ABOUT THE FOUNDER OF HEALTH NUT NEWS Erin Elizabeth is a long time activist with a passion for the healing arts , working in that arena for a quarter century . Her site HealthNutNews . com is less than 2 years old but has already cracked the top 20 Natural Health sites worldwide . She is an author , public speaker , and has recently done some TV and film programs for some of her original work which have attracted international media coverage . You can get Erin ? s free e-book here and also watch a short documentary on how she overcame vaccine injuries , Lyme disease , significant weight gain , and more . Follow Erin on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .
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