The top 5 fake health foods to avoid ever buying even if they are certified organic and prominently displayed at a health food store with the label emblazoned with marketing buzzwords.
Consider yourself warned! Not all products at the health food store are healthy!
In fact, much of it can be classified as organic junk food.
You can always tell health food store newbies as their shopping carts are typically loaded up with these types of foods.
This pattern of behavior likely indicates that they have only recently made the transition from grocery store junk food and are simply replacing one type of highly processed boxed food with another.
Having shopped at health food stores for over 30 years and seen many a food fad come and go, here is my top five list of supposedly “healthy” foods that are anything but nourishing to you and your family.
Protein Powder (all of them are bad!)
Most people do not realize that protein is a very fragile macronutrient.
When you forcibly separate protein from its whole food source in a factory, it becomes denatured.
This is the case even when done at low temperatures. For example, the simple act of drying and powdering whey protein is denaturing!
Denatured foods are toxic and allergenic to the body. This is because digestive enzymes do not work as effectively on them. This results in an incomplete digestive process for protein powder.
Undigested food rots in the gut and is the perfect food for pathogenic yeasts and bacteria to thrive upon. Over a period of time, this leads the body down the path to autoimmune disorders (most of the immune system is in the gut!).
To reiterate this important point…whey protein is especially fragile and cannot be powdered or dried even at low temperatures.
For more information, this article includes additional details on the dangers of protein powders and other high protein foods.
Incidentally, I don’t recommend bone broth protein powder either. They do not offer the same healing benefits as homemade bone broth.
If you need a protein boost, go for Real Food! Skip the processed protein powder and eat a grass-fed steak, some pastured poultry, or an egg instead!
If you must have a powder to add to your smoothie, choose a third-party certified glyphosate-free collagen powder (such as this brand).
Plant-Based “Milk”
Soy milk and other types of alternative “plant-based” milk are not ancestral foods. Nor were they ever considered of value in traditional societies, contrary to modern claims.
Not only are there zero health benefits from soy milk, but commercial alternative milk brands are almost without exception completely toxic due to the processing and packaging.
These products are a quintessential modern fake food invention…a cheap, mass-produced product with an undigestible form of calcium and synthetic Vitamin D2.
Unnatural fortification of processed foods is linked with hyperactivity, coronary heart disease, and allergic reactions. (1)
Packaging is another very serious problem with alternative milk. Drinking them risks ingesting microplastics from the thin plastic lining hiding inside the tetrapaks.
The leaching occurs from the boiling hot liquid sealed in to sterilize the cartons for ultra-long shelf stability.
The horrible taste is covered up with sugar, “natural flavors” with solvent residues, and/or innocuous-sounding alternative sweeteners allowed under USDA Organic. (2)
Perhaps the most concerning aspect is the devasting impact of these beverages on the thyroid gland. Soy is one of the most goitrogenic (thyroid-suppressing) foods on the planet. Ingestion of endocrine disruptors from the microplastics and solvent residues is also a risk to this delicate gland. (3)
Interestingly, Dr. Harry Miller, the man credited with popularizing gag-worthy soy milk in China in the late 1930s which then spread to the rest of the world, specialized in goiter surgery in his medical practice!
Canned (and Tetrapak) Broth and Soup
Canned soups and broths even if organic are never a healthy food choice. Most brands are nothing but water, sodium, and MSG.
Organic bouillon cubes are no improvement and the tetra packs of organic broth should be avoided as well due to the same packaging issues described above for plant-based milk.
Anything that is in the store that is soup-related will usually have MSG in it.
Organic MSG is still MSG. The same damaging effects occur on the neurons in your hypothalamus.
Remember that the hypothalamus is the Master Controller of the endocrine system.
Thus, if you don’t want your metabolism messed up, then avoid canned soup of all kinds as this is a very big source of this toxic ingredient.
To get a sense of how big this problem is, just read the label of your favorite organic soup and then read the list of the dozens of MSG pseudo-names manufacturers use to fool consumers. (4)
There are a few brands of organic soup that appear to be free of MSG with no offending names on the ingredient list. However, I am skeptical that this is truly the case given that regulations allow unlabeled MSG in certain situations (same situation as unlabeled transfats).
Even for soup and broth brands that seem to not contain MSG, the packaging continues to be an issue. BPA or BPS cans are not safe nor are microplastic-laden tetrapaks.
If you want a decent bowl of soup, embrace the fact that you probably need to make it yourself unless you have a local business that makes it from scratch. Consider one of these healthy soup and broth recipes to get you started.
Fish Oil Supplements
Fish oil is a very delicate oil highly subject to rancidity due to the high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fats can never be heated. Even exposure to light and air hastens their rapid breakdown to a rancid state.
With this in mind, how could plain fish oil supplements be anything but unhealthy given that they are all processed at extremely high temperatures?
They are then packaged in capsules or bottles that sit for goodness knows how long on store shelves until the unwitting customer buys them.
The best type of marine oil is virgin cod liver oil from sustainable and clean waters. The delicate omega-3 fats are completely unheated and raw. In addition, natural vitamins A and D are present for a legitimate health boost.
Krill oil is marginally acceptable if low-temperature processed.
For those allergic to fish and seafood, these alternatives to cod liver oil are worth considering.
Gluten-Free Foods
Gluten-free went mainstream in 2010 when Chelsea Clinton requested a gluten-free cake at her wedding reception.
Since then, the gluten-free boondoggle has continued to expand with some health food stores dedicating entire aisles to products certified free of this loathed plant protein.
Don’t be fooled by the hype.
In most cases, gluten-free processed foods are a crutch for those who are very allergic to processed foods but aren’t yet ready to switch to Real Food.
The mark-up on a product that is gluten-free is also quite ludicrous, especially given how high in carbs and lacking in nutrition they are!
If you are allergic to gluten, it is much better to work on your gut health by focusing on a legit traditional diet (from sourcing to preparation) rather than the band-aid approach of buying gluten-free processed foods.
Once you rebalance and rebuild your gut (aka, “heal and seal”) so that beneficial bacteria dominate rather than the pathogens, you will likely be delighted to find that food sensitivities that you had before are greatly minimized or even completely resolved!
Conclusion
I hope this list helps you become a savvier health food store customer.
Beware of falling for the siren song of highly processed organic junk food marketing with faddish buzzwords.
Stick with organic or (even better) local produce grown in rich soil and minimal ingredient foods such as sprouted nut butter and traditional sourdough bread.
If you are allergic to wheat, prepare nutrient-dense gluten-free dishes at home (here is my recipe for gluten-free flour blend with no gums).
This simple change will put you far ahead of the pack and well on your way to loading your pantry and refrigerator with foods that will really enhance your health and not just give you a false sense of security.
(1) Not Milk and Uncheese: The Udder Alternatives
(2) Neotame: USDA Organic’s Dirty Little Secret
(3) How Common Chemicals Are Harming Your Thyroid
(4) MSG Aliases
Don’t forget that unprocessed junk food is still junk food!
You said to look at our soups from our pantry so I did just that. I am going to list the ingredients now:
Health Valley Organic No Salt Added Minestrone Soup– The can clearly states NON-BPA LINING on it
Filtered water, organic celery, organic carrots, organic tomatoes, organic onions, organic peas, organic tomato paste, organic pasta (organic wheat flour, organic egg whites), organic green beans, organic red kidney beans, organic corn starch, organic small white beans, organic spinach, organic expelled pressed canola oil, organic evaporated cane juice, organic onion powder, organic garlic granules, organic spices, organic concentrated lemon juice, organic white pepper, organic cayenne pepper, vitamin A palmitate.
I don’t see anything on this list to be extremely concerning (while the addition of vit A, might not be necessary, it is the last ingredient and it does not raise any red flags). It most certainly does not contain any MSG (or hidden MSG) as you erroneously claim. And I would like to know what kind of soup you make without water, because all of the homemade soups that I have made are also mostly water or milk so I wasn’t really sure where you were going with that statement.
While I appreciate the idea of making everything homemade it just isn’t feasible for everyone. Most people work outside of the home and simply do not have the time to spend in the kitchen making soups and all other sorts of meals that live up to your ridiculously high standards. When able, it is good to make things from scratch with whole ingredients, but in a pinch I think that these alternatives are good to have available. For you to poo poo them because you are some sort of elitist is just nonsense. But everyone is entitled to an opinion. I just know better and thought that perhaps some of your readers should be made aware of your ridiculously unfounded claims as well.
Also, you clearly know nothing about bodybuilding or protein. There are some good organic protein powders on the market today (and you are wrong about whey- there are Whey concentrate – not isolate- protein powders that are cold processed, but had you done your research you would know this!). But you don’t understand that when I leave the gym, I can’t just grill up a steak in my car. Nor am I going to have one on hand. Your lifestyle is not realistic for normal people. And I thought I was crazy about being organic. Holy Cow! You really take the cake on this. But LYING to people doesn’t promote your cause! It’s your karma.
Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. Very clear and intelligibly written. Blessings.
Americans are consuming less salt then we were at the turn of the 20th century when salt was the primary preservative used for food and as much salt as were 50 years ago. Salt is not only not unhealthy, cutting way back on it could be harmful. As reported in the New York Times article, “Salt, We Misjudged You”, in 2011, two meta-analyses were published by the Cochrane Collaboration. The first concluded that cutting back “the amount of salt eaten reduces blood pressure, but there is insufficient evidence to confirm the predicted reductions in people dying prematurely or suffering cardiovascular disease.”
The second concluded that “we do not know if low salt diets improve or worsen health outcomes.”
It isn’t the salt in the food that’s causing us health issues.
My brother was recently diagonse with cirhossis in the liver and he is in a diet low protein and low sodium. I am desperate to find a store where I can purchase all the items to use for fixing meals for him. Right now I don’t know where to start feeling helpless. We leave in Denton, Mckinney, Texas area. Looking for guidance. Gricelda
Gricelda, you could try Dandelion and Milk Thistle herbs as these support and help heal the liver. Also, can I suggest that he do a detox with fresh vege juices. Good luck!
Yes, totally agree that you can absolutely heal your gut. My friend who has severe IBS has been working with a holistic healer and has done just that. She was only allowed to eat chicken soup broth and fresh juices while her gut healed.
However, if she goes back to eating the same foods (grains, gluten) that helped damage her gut in the first place, she will end up right back where she started. Just because your gut has healed does NOT mean you can go back to eating grains/gluten.
As for myself, when I decided to go gluten free for 30 days as a trial (mostly I was tired of feeling bloated). I also noticed that as long as I avoided gluten , all of my PMS symptoms disappeared. When I shared the info with my sister-in-law and friends, their symptoms also disappeared after going gluten-free. Gluten-free diets are more than just a fad. Gluten has been shown to disrupt our hormones-especially estrogen. There is much research on this.
I rarely eat any grains, opting for fresh veggies and fruits, dates and nuts and believe strongly grains are unhealthy.
I agree with you when you advise people to avoid processed foods and to eat REAL whole foods but I’m confused that you claim you can now eat products with gluten in them. I cannot think of any products that contain gluten that are not considered a processed food.
It would be nice if you gave us some sources for all of the claims you make here.
I hope your readers are good critical readers because nothing you have said here is supported by factual evidence.
agreed….
All of Trader Joe’s products (with the Trader Joe’s label on them), including soups and broths, are free of MSG.
I’ve been in the industry for about 30 years, and I don’t necessarily agree with *all* of the above.
First of all, it is indeed possible to find sources of Omega 3’s in health food stores that are still completely viable. You’re right that many manufacturers do it the easiest and cheapest way, and as such, shorten the life of the nutrient. But if you do your research, you will be able to find a good quality product whose Omega 3 is very worth your while.
Secondly, you’re right that many gluten-free products are basically desserts touted as healthy. No, thank you! However, Udi’s makes some gluten-free breads that are wonderfully delicious, and are chock-full of great nutrients. (I have no association with the company.) Being gluten-free myself, I only eat Udi’s and love it.
Finally, if you’re in search of a powdered protein source from a health food store, try brown rice protein! It does indeed come unsweetened, and it’s much much healthier for you than most all the other kinds.
Incorrect information on gluten free. There’s an allergy to gluten and then there’s gluten enteropathy or Celiac. Gluten intolerance is very different from a gluten or wheat allergy. We simply can NEVER eat gluten in any form no matter how long we stay gluten free, every again without medical complications. You may grown out of it if it’s an allergy only.
Yes, it’s become a fad! And, it’s not healthier to go gluten free; unless it’s a medical issue for you. You don’t lose weight. But when it’s a medical genetic disorder for you, there’s no choice.
For many many of us this is very real, I can medically never go back. And, it causes many medical problems to try, including the painful cramping of IBS within a day if I try or accidentally eat even small amounts of gluten.
Real food is always better, processed is never as healthy as the real deal. But, please become more informed on this issue. I’m glad for your husband, I miss cinnamon buns terribly. But your information about gluten is misleading and incorrect.
Actually, Cherrri, many people say nowadays that we should ALL go gluten-free! Health experts are learning how a glutenized diet affects many systems in our bodies.
I know that diabetics especially are told to stay both gluten- and dairy-free. I happen to agree that we’d all be better off that way.
Actually, Sara D, ‘many people’ once said that saturated fat was bad for the body. That has been debunked.
Why anyone would follow the cattle over the cliff is beyond me…you have far, far more to learn; I’m not going to be the one to teach it.