Artificial ingredients are widespread in our foods these days, unfortunately. Many manufacturers use them for maintaining and preserving the food’s taste, texture, and look. However, these ingredients can have many harmful effects on our bodies, and the fact that the public isn’t very well aware of what exactly these harmful effects are is also concerning.
So what are artificial ingredients? They are ingredients or flavors that are made from unnatural substances or created synthetically. We can usually find them in a lot of processed and packaged foods that we see on store shelves.
To learn more about three specific artificial ingredients that you shouldn’t add to your meals, especially if you suffer from high cholesterol, we spoke to Katie Andrews, a registered dietitian and wellness expert. She revealed to us that trans fats, coconut oil, and added sugars are three artificial ingredients we should stay away from. Read below to find out more about this.
Trans Fats
The first culprit is trans fat, and Andrews explains why. "Trans fats are unnatural, man-made alternatives to butter and oil that are solid at room temperature. While this helps provide structure and texture to baked goods, promoting shelf stability, trans fats also raise LDL cholesterol levels, increasing cardiovascular disease risk."
Andrews explains to us the sneaky ways that companies can hide the addition of trans fat in the foods that they sell to us. "Once it was discovered that trans fats were carcinogenic, food companies changed their labels to better hide the addition of trans fats. Current law states that food manufacturers are only required to list trans fats on the nutrition label if there are more than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving," she states. In situations like this, it's best to avoid artificial ingredients with trans fats as much as you can to lower your risk of high cholesterol.
Examples of foods that contain trans fats are baked goods, fried foods, and potato chips. She gives us a heads up on another helpful tip when looking for trans fats on labels by stating, "Be careful to look for any 'partially hydrogenated oils' in the ingredient list. Heating unsaturated fats like oils can also cause trace amounts of trans fats, hence why fried foods are not recommended for people with high cholesterol." Good to know!
Coconut Oil
You may be shocked to see the ultra-popular coconut oil on the list since all you hear about it is how healthy it is, but Andrews has a good reason as to why it should mostly be avoided. Although coconut oil has been portrayed as being good for you, there have been little to no studies that provide evidence for this claim. Andrews says, "Coconut oil is different than other unsaturated vs. saturated fats because it’s made of saturated medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). Experts speculated that even though coconut oil is mostly saturated fat, these MCTs may provide benefits in improving HDL levels and reducing LDL levels. Unfortunately, studies have mixed results, and these claims are not backed by science. In fact, some studies show negative effects for cardiovascular health."
Instead, Andrews recommends that we choose other healthier oils for our foods that will keep our cholesterol and overall health in good condition. "Something like olive oil and avocado oil are going to be better options for heart health. Remember, olive oil is best for dressings and cold applications, whereas avocado oil can be used for high-heat applications."
Added Sugars
We live in a time where even something that doesn't taste too sweet can have a high amount of sugar added to it. Staying away from sugar is one thing if you're trying to lose weight, but it turns out that it has the potential to harm other areas of your health. Andrews shares that, "Researchers are finding that not only do unhealthy fats affect our cholesterol for the worst, but excess sugar plays a role in the formation of plaque arteries." She suggests we avoid foods such as sugary beverages (fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks), desserts with added sugars, dried fruits, and, surprisingly, ketchup.
But that's not all; she notes the importance of checking the food labels of other healthy packaged items that we commonly buy without thinking twice. "Be sure to check the labels of supposed 'healthy' foods with added sugar like condiments, granola bars, and flavored yogurts."
The Bottom Line
Artificial ingredients such as trans fats, coconut oil, and added sugars can have a detrimental effect on those who suffer from high cholesterol. It's important to keep educating ourselves by learning from experts and applying that knowledge to our everyday eating and shopping habits. These little tips and tricks can go a long way in our health journey when we're better equipped to know what's artificial and what's natural.
