By Kirsten Serrano
A few issues ago, I explained why your number one mission in the grocery store needs to be reading ingredient labels. Front of the box labels and misleading packaging is about marketing and profits, but the ingredient list is where the rubber meets the road. Most of us purchase mayonnaise so it is my favorite way to explain why label reading (and the knowledge needed to back it up) is so important.
It may seem a bit strange, but mayonnaise is really a convenience food. You may not have made homemade mayo, but it is not hard. I have made it with just egg yolk, salt, vinegar and oil. Even though I can make it from scratch, I generally buy my mayo for the added convenience. Rest assured; you can grab mayo at the supermarket. Eating better does not mean you have to make it all from scratch, but you need information to make wise choices. Use the chart and tips below to become a savvy shopper of mayo (and more.)
As you work your way from the BAD to the BEST mayonnaise, here are the key takeaways from these ingredient lists.
- Length: The BAD mayo (a popular major brand) has 15 ingredients listed. The “natural flavors” listed contain many more. The BEST one has only 6 ingredients. It is widely available as well.
- Whole ingredients: Ingredients should be recognizable food – just like the stuff you have in your kitchen. When is the last time you restocked your Calcium Disodium EDTA? The BETTER and BEST mayonnaises have real food ingredients.
- Fillers: See water in the BAD and BETTER choices? Mayo does not usually contain water. That’s filler and makes it cheaper to produce. Water is the top ingredient in the BAD choice meaning it is mostly water. Salt, honey and water are the three top ingredients in the BETTER mayo. You are buying sweet and salty water.
- Oils: This is a big one. Inflammatory Omega 6 oils are a huge contributor to the epic inflammation pandemic in the United States. We need Omega 6 fats, but in a healthy balance with Omega 3 fats. Our Standard American Diet is way too rich in Omega 6 seed oils like soy, canola and corn. These oils drive inflammation. Inflammation is a root cause of most disease – from asthma, to arthritis, and even cancer and depression. We can help tamper down the inflammation by consuming fewer Omega 6 fats. Avoiding inflammatory seed oils is a major way to make that change. Choosing healthier fats is a powerful tool we have to make better food choices. The BEST mayo is made with avocado oil which is a great choice.
- GMO: I avoid GMO ingredients when I can. GMO crops like corn, canola and soy are genetically engineered to withstand being sprayed with glyphosate to kill weeds. What is the effect of glyphosate on humans?
A 2019 meta-analysis concludes that glyphosate increases the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41 percent.1
In 2019, researchers at Purdue University helped discover that the most aggressive form of breast cancer can be caused by glyphosate.2
The World Health Organization declared glyphosate a probable human carcinogen in 2015. California followed suit.
I hope I have empowered you to make impactful choices for your and your loved one’s health. The BEST mayo is also the one with the best flavor in my opinion. Real whole foods taste great.
Kirsten Serrano is a nutrition consultant, chef, farmer, food literacy educator and the best-selling author of “Eat to Your Advantage.” You can find out more about her work at SmallWonderFood.com.
1 Zhang, Luoping, et al. “Exposure to Glyphosate-Based Herbicides and Risk for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Meta-Analysis and Supporting Evidence.” Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research, vol. 781, no. July-September 2019, Feb. 2019, pp. 186–206, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383574218300887, 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.001.
2 Purdue News Service. “Can Herbicides Cause Breast Cancer? Purdue and INSERM Scientists Discover a Piece to the Puzzle.” Purdue.edu, 2019, www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2019/Q3/can-herbicides-cause-breast-cancer-purdue-and-inserm-scientists-discover-a-piece-to-the-puzzle..html. Accessed 7 Dec. 2019.
