Detox Friday, Fourth of July: Detox your pantry

On Facebook I am hosting an event called Detox Friday.  Last week we jumped right in and only ate fresh foods for one day, eliminating any processed foods.  For some, this was the first detox they had ever done, but they got through it. 

This week, I thought since it is the Fourth of July everyone would be barbequing, having fun and  not really into giving up foods.  So, we are doing a pantry detox! 

There are a few things that all of us should be avoiding, but just don't know we should.  So go through your pantry and look at the ingredients list.  If the following ingredients are there, you should consider finding an alternative product. 

• Trans fats - (could also say hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat) - this fat is a man made fat, made by adding hydrogen ions to fully saturate the fat. This makes a liquid oil solid at room temperature. The problem, because it is man made, the body doesn't know what to do with it.  Why it should be removed:  If the last sentence didn't convince you, maybe knowing that it raises your cholesterol will.  Not only does it raise your LDL, it reduces your HDL.  

• High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) - It is NOT the same as sugar, even though the manufacturer would have you believe otherwise.  this is a cheap sweetener made from corn.  It is believed to contribute to some of the metabolic syndromes that are rampant these days like obesity and diabetes. The high fructose content is also really hard on your liver.  Here's why it should be removed:  when you consume HFCS, it follows a different metabolic pathway than sugar which turns off your appetite control mechanism,  making you consume more food.
  

So, if you have a product for instance ketchup.  Most conventional ketchup contains HFCS.  Next time you go shopping, look for a ketchup that does not contain HFCS, maybe cane sugar. 

Since it is a holiday weekend, I didn't want to overwhelm you, so two items this week to look for.  Then next week when you go food shopping look for similar items without these two ingredients in them. Next week we will look at a few other items to detox our pantry!

If you haven't already joined us, please join the event so you don't miss a single thing!  Below is the link to the event. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/718853661504348/?ref=22

Please let me know how you make out detoxing your pantry!