Last week I told you about the worst ingredients found in the foods you eat, every day. These are the “foods” that the FDA says are “ok” to feed Americans. Yet, we are becoming ill faster than ever before. Long, slow deaths by heart disease, obesity and cholesterol.  Reading labels can be tricky and sometimes there are some things in there that we can’t even pronounce let alone spell or know what they are but yet we consume them without asking any questions.

Today I will tell you which of these unpronounceable mystery ingredients are good for you along with some common known ingredients to look for in the foods you eat. These are among the best foods you can eat, and should be included in your daily diet. Let’s take a look at what they are.

Whole Grain–­Before we get to whole grain, let’s fist look at ‘enriched flour’ products. These are the breads, rolls and pastas that are first stripped of their outer grain portion, removed of their nutrients and bleached of their natural color. the product is so poor, so value-less, that they are then “enriched” with vitamins and nutrients. Ridiculous! Forget these products, they are scams and unnatural.

What you should be grabbing for are whole-grain products. These are carbohydrates that are made from the entire grain and contain the original vitamins, nutrients and fiber and are thus good for regularity, blood sugar, lowering cholesterol and optimal brain functioning.

When checking out the ingredients on carbohydrate products, looks for those where the first ingredient listed says whole grain, whole wheat, whole meal or whole corn. These will be in the form of bread, pastas, hot cereals, brown rice, bulger, buckwheat, spelt and wild rice. The USDA suggests that each of us get at least three servings of whole grains every day.

Soy Lecithin—A product of soybean oil and also extracted from soy beans, soy lecithin is used as an emulsifier in prepared foods. It keeps chocolate from crumbling or splintering, helps dough rise in baked goods and keeps spreadable “butters” and cheeses from separating.

This product has passed the muster of the American Dietetic Association. It is found not only safe, but also good for you. As a result, soy lecithin also comes in supplement form. You see, it’s packed with choline, which is found in eggs and is known to boost brain development while also preventing heart disease, lowering cholesterol and helps treat dementia. Not too shabby!

The bottom line is, the USDA says soy lecithin is a safe emulsifier. And keeping your intake below 3.5 grams per day will yield no known side effects. So if you have to grab a bite of a processed food, look for this as its ‘hold it together’ ingredient. Better yet… go for whole, unprocessed foods instead.

Disodium Phosphate—The liver and gallbladder are so important to health and wellness. They help purify blood, breakdown toxins and fats. As far as food preservatives go disodium phosphate is one of the better ones. In fact, it helps maintain proper pH levels in the body as well as metabolizing cholesterol.

Found in such products as frozen hash browns (to keep their brown color), in canned tuna (for buffering and chelating), in poultry and pork as a scalding agent, and in potato products (as a sequestrant).

On the whole, it is best to avoid preservatives in foods as they are generally toxic to the body and harmful to the liver. However, as stated disodium phosphate actually supports liver and gallbladder function and has properties that foster good health. So, go ahead and eat some preserved meats, fish and potato products—just be sure they are preserved with disodium phosphate, and nothing else.

Riboflavin—Who doesn’t know how vital the B-vitamins are to the body? Like magnesium, the B-complex vitamins are essential to so many vital functions of the body. And riboflavin (B-2) is among the most important of the group.

In fact, a deficiency of riboflavin can cause nervous system disorders and lesions on the skin and digestive tract. This water-soluble vitamin is involved in maintaining normal cell function, proper metabolism and cell function and in energy production.

Vitamin B-2 is found in both plant and animal tissue. As such, if you eat a well-balanced diet there will be no need to take a supplement containing this vitamin. No matter what your diet, riboflavin can be found in meat, green veggies and dairy products.

In conclusion, there are many healthy foods out there. But even among prepared foods, there can be healthy options.  As one of the top personal trainers in Virginia, Maryland and DC,  I’m always looking to keep my clients informed on what to look for on nutrition labels.  So next time you are out shopping, or running to grab a quick snack, look for those foods containing whole grains, soy lecithin, disodium phosphate and riboflavin. They’re pretty good for you.

About the Author:  Dennys Passeto is a Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of Achieve Fitness.  Home of the top personal trainers in Maryland, DC, and Virginia and the only… Women’s Only Fitness Bootcamp.  For more information about our programs and services, please call 1-888-872-7961.

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