Cheetos Crunchy

The bright orange packaging boasts “0 grams trans fat” and “Made with real cheese” and cute Chester Cheetah is skateboarding and munching on Cheetos; not hard to miss walking down the supermarket aisle. And, once you turn over the package to read the ingredients, the first lines that may grab your attention are “Made with All Natural Oil” and Frito Lay’s trademark, “We Grow the Best Snacks on Earth.”

In smaller print, there are a few words that jump out at me and I want to alert you to them: artificial flavor, artificial color, partially hydrogenated soybean oil and monosodium glutamate.

What words come to mind when you read artificial? Perhaps false, not real, not natural. So think about it, eating cheetos means you are consuming unnatural food products.

Of course, partially hydrogenated oils have been in the news for a few years. Essentially, chemists and food manufacturers came up with a way to process oil to make it more shelf stable, thus extending the shelf life of products on supermarket shelves. And, it is cheaper for food manufacturers to use hydrogenated oils. One more thing, partially hydrogenated oils contains trans fats, but because the amount is below minimum for food labeling per serving, manufacturers aren’t required by law to list the trans fat content (that’s why Frito-Lay can say “0 grams trans fat” on the packaging. However, if you eat 2,3,4 servings of Cheetos, you are consuming trans fats. Want to know more about the dangers hydrogenated oils and trans fats? Visit http://bantransfats.com/

Finally, monosodium glutamate (MSG) is something to avoid at all costs. For me, someone who suffers from migraine headaches*, MSG is like a wicked witch – someone who wants to destroy you. MSG is part of a group of compounds referred to as “excitotoxins” and guess what MSG does – it excites brain cells to the point of poisoning and damaging them, causing headaches, neurological diseases and obesity. Here is a resource to check out about foods containing MSG: http://www.msgtruth.org/avoid.htm

*Fortunately, my incidence of migraine headaches has reduced dramatically since I started eating nutritious, whole foods and take care of myself with regular physical activity, including yoga.

I understand this information may be confusing. You might be thinking, “What am I supposed to eat?” Remember, I don’t want you to get overwhelmed. Contact me for a complimentary wellness profile and you will reduce your stress and anxiety about the best lifestyle choices for YOU.

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