Candy Used To Be My Weakness

I used to be an addict and would eat tons of candy, so you might be surprised that I no longer crave those foods at all. The other day, I walked down the candy aisle while trying to increase my steps for the day. I saw a bag of Skittles and thought to myself that the old me would have eaten the entire bag without even thinking about it.

I picked up the bag to look at the ingredients. As someone who follows a whole food plant-based diet, I wanted to see what kind of ingredients were used in foods I once consumed. The first ingredients listed are sugar and corn syrup. Other ingredients include modified corn starch, water, gelatin, and less than 2% of citric acid, malic acid, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower oil, colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1), and carnauba wax.

Are you wondering what Red 40, Yellow 5, and other dyes are? You should. Many plant-based doctors recommend avoiding foods with ingredients you can’t find on your kitchen shelf. I highly doubt anyone would have bottles of Yellow 5 or Blue 1 on their shelves.

Can you imagine what these “foods” can do to your body over time? I became whole food plant-based because health is my top priority. Just looking at the potential dangers of some of these ingredients is a good reminder of why you should avoid them.

Let's examine one of the ingredients as an example: Yellow 5. After a quick Google search, I found that "Tartrazine, also known as Yellow 5, has been associated with behavioral changes including irritability, restlessness, depression, and difficulty with sleeping. Moreover, a 2004 analysis of 15 studies concluded that artificial food dyes increase hyperactivity in children." Many Americans are already dealing with depression and sleep issues, and it can be especially concerning for children who are irritable and restless.

Heart disease and cancer are concerns we all have. I don't want to consume food that could contribute to these health problems. Whole plant foods are the healthiest options available, as they help protect your body from illness. This is why I never want to go back to candy and animal products. My lab work is optimal, my blood pressure is ideal, and I no longer worry about blood sugar levels. These reasons make it easy for me to resist the temptations of foods that can cause disease.