There are four ingredients hiding in almost all junk foods that are wrecking your health. And the worst part? Most people don’t even realise they’re there because the labels are so confusing they might as well be in another language.
I’ve worked with countless people trying to help people clean up their diets. It’s not easy, eating healthy can feel expensive and overwhelming. But the moment I started helping clients, showing them how to actually read labels, it hit me: most people don’t even recognise the toxic ingredients they’re eating every day.
So, let’s talk about the four biggest offenders hiding in your food.
Why Food Labels Are a Joke
Have you ever looked at the ingredients list on packaged food? It’s ridiculous. Words like maltodextrin, interesterified soybean oil, and hydrolysed corn oil—what do those even mean? You’re not alone if your eyes glaze over halfway through.
These complicated names are no accident. They’re there to confuse you. Food companies don’t want you to know what you’re really eating. And they’ve done an amazing job normalising junk food and downplaying the damage it does to your health.
One of their biggest tricks? Convincing us that “all calories are the same.” Nope. A calorie from processed sugar isn’t the same as one from fruit, and starches in vegetables aren’t remotely the same as synthetic starches in packaged foods.
The 4 Ingredients Destroying Your Health
Synthetic Sugars: Let’s be clear: this isn’t the natural sugar you’d get from sugarcane. Junk food is packed with synthetic, highly processed sugars. These sugars hit your system differently, causing all kinds of issues.
Highly Processed Starches: Starch is just another form of sugar, and the processed kind you find in junk food is stripped of everything useful. It’s basically a filler that adds calories without nutrition.
Refined Seed Oils: Seed oils like canola or soybean oil are in almost every processed food. They’re cheap, they’re highly processed, and they’re not doing your body any favours. These oils go through crazy levels of refinement, often involving chemical solvents including Hexane.
Refined Proteins: This one’s sneaky. Junk food often contains heavily processed proteins like soy protein isolate or casein. They’re cheap, they’re unnatural, and they can cause everything from bloating to inflammation. For example, A1 beta casein (common in processed milk products) is linked to digestive problems, while the better A2 casein? Nowhere to be found.
Consuming foods loaded with synthetic sugars, processed starches, refined seed oils, and artificial proteins can wreak havoc on your health in ways many people don’t immediately connect. These ingredients contribute to chronic inflammation, digestive issues, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances—symptoms that are often misdiagnosed or masked with medications. For example, joint pain may lead to anti-inflammatory prescriptions, bloating and gas might result in unnecessary antacids, and skin issues like acne or eczema could push you toward harmful steroid creams. Worse yet, the long-term damage includes higher risks of diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders, which are often treated with a cocktail of drugs instead of addressing the root cause: your diet. Making simple changes by avoiding these harmful ingredients could save you from years of unnecessary medical treatments.
So, What Can You Do?
I get it—changing your diet feels overwhelming. But avoiding these four ingredients is one of the easiest ways to improve your health. You don’t need to memorise every chemical name, either. I’ve got you covered.
I’ve put together a list below of all the different names these ingredients go by. You can make a note of these, and keep it with you. Next time you’re shopping, just whip it out and compare it to the labels.
Take Back Control of Your Diet
You don’t need to be a nutritionist to figure out what’s good for you. Start by avoiding these four ingredients, and you’ll already be ahead of the game.
And here’s the thing: once you know what to look for, it gets easier. You’ll see through the marketing, ignore the front of the package, and go straight to the ingredients list.
It’s a small step that can make a huge difference.
Once you know what to look for, it gets easier. You’ll see through the marketing, ignore the front of the package, and go straight to the ingredients list.
Don’t forget to book your free discovery call. It’s a small step that can make a huge difference.
Your Cheat Sheet for Spotting Harmful Ingredients in Junk Foods:
1. Synthetic Sugars: These highly processed sweeteners are everywhere and hidden under confusing names:
High fructose corn syrup
Maltodextrin
Dextrose
Glucose syrup
Fructose
2. Processed Starches: These aren’t the natural starches in veggies—they’re factory-made and strip your body of nutrients:
Modified food starch
Hydroxypropyl starch
Corn starch
Potato starch
3. Refined Seed Oils: These oils are highly processed and inflammatory:
Soybean oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Cottonseed oil
Safflower oil
4. Processed Proteins: These refined proteins often come with hidden chemicals and contaminants:
Soy protein isolate
Casein (often A1 type, linked to bloating and inflammation)
Hydrolysed wheat protein
Whey protein concentrate
Schedule a free discovery call to discuss a healthier You!