Processed foods are not not acidic, but they are detrimental to your overall health for many reasons.  Often you are not even aware that you are eating them so it's crucial that you start paying attention to food labels and start examining what is really in the food you are eating.  Take a look at this 10 food ingredients that you need to avoid.

 1.  MSG or monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer put in many foods.    MSG is an excitotoxin that can promote death of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.  It also increases appetite and makes you store fat.   MSG is commonly found in seasonings, packaged products like flavored potato chips, dips and processed meats.   

3.  High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is the most common added sweetener in processed foods and beverages.  It is chemically similar to sugar.  There has been a wide range of concern about the dangers of HFCS mainly because of how it is processed and its prevalence in so many foods.  One fact remains certain, HFCS is highly acidic and for pH balancing purposes should be avoided.   

 4. Processed white sugar or sucrose is a highly concentrated form of sugar taken from natural sugarcane with little nutritional value beyond its calories.  Brown sugar is no better; it's just a blend of sucrose and molasses. Excessive sugar and insulin can directly affect the strength of our immune system and can lead to many health problems including diabetes and heart disease. There is nothing healthy about refined sugars.  They are highly acidic so stay away from them.   Savor your sweet tooth with natural alkalizing fruits or use sweeteners like palm sugar and stevia. 

 5.  Artificial colors are simply chemicals that are added to foods and drinks to make them look more appealing or appetizing. Often the aim is to simulate a color that is perceived by the consumer to be natural.  Others are used to mask natural variations in color or to enhance naturally occurring colors. Children are among the targeted consumer groups because these foods and drinks are more visually stimulating.  Artificial colors are found mostly in processed foods, which are high in calories and low in nutrients.    Stay clear of such foods. 

 6.  Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.  This deadly trans fat comes about through the process of hydrogenation whereby hydrogen is added to vegetable oil.  This is done to prolong shelf life, which is why these substances are more solid at room temperature. They are deadly and they are attributed to heart disease, cancer, atherosclerosis and a range of other health problems so avoid them like the plague.  Extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil and avocado oil are all alkalizing and are wonderful alternatives.  

 7. Natural and artificial flavors are ingredients in a wide variety of foods.  It is obvious that the artificial flavors are chemicals manufactured in laboratories but what is surprising is how vague the ingredient “natural flavors” can be.   The FDA does not require that flavor companies disclose ingredients as long as all the ingredients are "Generally Regarded as Safe." This policy allows companies to protect their secret flavor formulas.
A single natural or artificial flavor listed on the ingredients list on a product label can contain many different ingredients so that adds to the complexity.  Avoid products containing such vague ingredients.  

8. Ingredients you cannot pronounce present problems.  If you can’t pronounce it, it is probably a manmade chemical that is not a good idea to consume.   If it is not something that you would cook with or that you could make from scratch, why allow your body to ingest it?  You cook your food in a kitchen not in a laboratory, so why tolerate strange chemicals in the production of food products?  Compare an organic food label with a non-organic food label and you will see the difference.

9. Labels that say low fat can be misleading.  The term "Low Fat" does not necessarily mean healthier. It means that the reduced fat has been replaced with sugar and likely more acidic ingredients.  Not to mention "Low Fat" often implies that you can eat more, which is obviously not true.   

10.  Sodium nitrates are preservatives added to foods such as processed meats to give them a pink color.  In the stomach they are converted into nitrites that have been linked to cancer.  Meats are acidic anyway so avoid your intake of processed meats and stick to fresh organic meats if you decide to eat them.

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