There are probably more diet books on the market than any genre. But a healthy diet can be simple. If you did only two things and nothing else you would be well on your way to healthier eating.
The diet of most American contains all kinds of processed, unnatural ingredients—additives, chemicals, preservatives and other things never found in nature. But two additives in widespread use should probably be eliminated from everybody’s diet. If you do nothing else to improve your diet:
- Eliminate transfats
- Eliminate High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Eliminate Transfats
Public enemy number one 
on America’s Most Eaten List is transfats. Transfats have already been banned in New York City.
Read the label on the food you buy. If you see ingredients like hydrogenated vegetable oil or partially-hydrogenated vegeatable oil those are transfats. Transfats do not occur in nature but are manufactured in a factory. The food industry uses transfats in food like peanut butter so that it stays solid at room temperature. The oil in natural peanut butter separates out and floats on top unless it is refrigerated. Transfats are in packaged cookies and cakes to extend the shelflife and allow storage at room temperature. They are also found in french fries, fried chicken and just about all fast food.
Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
The second bad ingredient is HFCS. HFCS is a food additive made from corn. It is a highly concentrated sugar that is used in everything from soft drinks like Coca-cola to grape jelly. Coca-cola once was made with cane sugar but they switched to HFCS when it became available back in the 1980’s.
HFCS is highly controversial because research indicates that it effects your metabolism and is major reason behind the obesity epidemic in America over the past couple of decades. Basically it suppresses something that keeps you from feeling full so you keep eating.
However the food industry loves this additive because it has many desirable properties that make it easier to manufacture, store and ship many delicious foods that consumers like to eat. Also it is cheap. Who doesn’t like cheap, tasty food?
Simple Solution
Unfortunately if you live in a developed country like the U.S. or Great Britain eliminating transfats and HFCS from your diet is easier said than done. One of these food additives in is in nearly every packaged food on your grocer’s shelves. If it’s in a can, jar, bottle, bag or box it probably has transfats or HFCS as a key ingredient.
Try this experiment at your neighborhood supermarket. Walk down the aisle and randomly pull items from the shelf. See if you can find something that doesn’t have either transfats or HFCS. They are in nearly everything.
So here is one solution. When you go shopping for groceries only buy from the produce, meat and dairy departments. Skip the packaged, processed foods lining the shelves. The miles and miles of aisles of processed foods are off-limits. There are a few exceptions like natural peanut butter and 100% natural jelly and oatmeal but you have to check the label. Also do not eat out because you can’t examine the ingredients in restaurant food.
The solution is simple, yet how many would be willing to give up the variety of food in the supermarket or would forego give up eating at restaurants?
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