You Are Making Monsanto Proud. And This Is Why

By now, most of us are pretty knowledgeable about the foods we should and shouldn’t be buying.

Once we’ve stocked our kitchens with all the right, healthy foods, how do we store them? Or cook them?

These questions are the key to avoiding toxic household products that are leaking chemicals into your food without you even noticing. Use this guide to help keep your fresh foods healthy and push Monsanto out the door.

1. Lead

This toxic metal can be found in glazed ceramic dinnerware and pottery, as well as in drinking water through certain plumbing materials.

Lead is most toxic to young children, leading to lead poisoning which can cause developmental delays, learning disabilities, and lower IQ scores. This metal stays in your body for a long period of time and can cause memory loss, headaches, and high blood pressure in adults.

How to Avoid

Be careful with the type of ceramics you buy. Items that most likely contain lead are: antique, excessively word or damaged, handmade, yellow, orange, or red, or made in a different country.

Lead-testing kits are available at your local hardware store or online and can be used on your dinnerware and drinking water.

2. Aluminum

Aluminum can be found all over the kitchen, including foil, flatware, cookware, canned foods, metal water bottles, self-rising flours, and pickles and processed cheese.

This element can disrupt the central nervous system and is linked to neurological problems.

How to Avoid

Use stainless steel cookware and water bottles and glass baking dishes. Use glass to store your leftovers and avoid covering with foil.

3. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it, you just need to know this polymer is bad. Found in Teflon coating and non-stick cookware, this chemical belongs to the toxic class of perfluorochemicals (PFCs).

It can create flu-like symptoms into adults when used at high temperatures and is linked to high cholesterol, early menopause, and liver inflammation.

How to Avoid

Cast iron skillets are a great alternative to non-stick pans, but if you don’t have one of those, be sure to cook on the lowest temperature with your non-stick cookware. Use wooden or bamboo utensils that won’t scratch the surface and leak the chemical into your food.

4. Bisphenol-A (BPA)

BPA is a synthetic estrogen that is most commonly linked to plastics and the lining of canned foods.

Exposure to BPA has been linked to many disorders, including breast cancer, reproductive damage, and autism.

How to Avoid

Try to always use fresh or frozen to eliminate BPA found in package linings. When it comes to water bottles, there BPA-Free options or go for stainless steel. Use these handy tips to eliminate plastic and BPA in your home.

5. Triclosan

This antibacterial chemical is lurking in many kitchen products, including dish towels, cutting boards, and liquid hand soap.

Triclosan can lead to hormone disruption and the American Medical Association suggests avoiding triclosan as it may increase antibiotic-resistant bacteria.