Eating clean means eating healthy food in it’s natural state which has been as minimally processed as possible. The following foods are not only not clean, but they can actually cause illness in the body. Here are 5 foods you should absolutely eliminate from your diet immediately:
1. Processed meats. Processed meats include lunch meat, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. They contain the chemical preservatives sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, which have been linked to an increased risk of colon and other forms of cancer. If you eat any processed meats, choose only ones that are uncured and made without nitrates, preferably from grass-fed sources (http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/processedmeat050305.cfm).
2. Microwave popcorn. Although they’re convenient, those bags of microwave popcorn are lined with chemicals that are linked to causing not only infertility but also liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancers. The
U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in microwave popcorn bag linings as “likely” carcinogenic, and several independent studies have linked the chemical to causing tumors. Similarly, the diacetyl chemical used in the popcorn itself is linked to causing both lung damage and cancer (http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400701/Microwave-Popcorn-Threat.html).
3. Soda. Soda is loaded with sugar, food chemicals, and colorings. Soda also acidifies the body and literally feeds cancer cells. Common soda chemicals like caramel color and its derivative 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) have also specifically been linked to causing cancer. (http://www.naturalnews.com/031383_caramel_coloring_cola.html).
4. Farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is another high-risk cancer food. Farmed salmon not only lacks vitamin D, but it is often contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), flame retardants, pesticides, and antibiotics http://draxe.com/the-dangers-of-farmed-fish/
5. Hydrogenated oils. Also known as trans fats, these oils are commonly used to preserve processed foods and keep them shelf-stable. Unfortunately, hydrogenated oils alter the structure and flexibility of cell membranes throughout the body, which can lead to a host of debilitating diseases such as cancer. (http://www.naturalnews.com/010095_hydrogenated_oils_unhealthy.html).