No matter how hard you try or how hard you look, preservatives are all around you. They are used in foods and beverages to increase shelf life and make things look more appetizing and eye catching. The problem is, these preservatives are artificial, and there are many people who have adverse effects when they consume them. Although it may be difficult, it is not impossible to avoid preservatives.
Step 1
Pay close attention to your labels. Read your product labels very carefully. There are a lot of hidden preservatives, often even in products that appear healthy. If you see anything with initials, numbers or colors in a label, leave it alone, as these are artificial preservatives. Some examples are green 3, yellow 6, blue 1, BHT and BHA.
Step 2
Ask questions. When you go to the grocery store to buy foods or go to a restaurant for dinner, always ask how the food is prepared and if there is anything added to it. If they want your business, they will gladly tell you. For examples, if MSG or nitrates are used or found in any product or meal, avoid it.
Step 3
Go organic. One of the safest and easiest ways to avoid preservatives is by going organic. Organic foods are raised without pesticides, hormones, chemicals and additives. Look for a local health food store in your home town or look for an organic section in your local supermarket, as they are becoming very popular.
Step 4
Cut out the meats. Sodium nitrate is a preservative that is used in conventional meats to give them flavor, color and preservation. Avoid processed meats such as bacon, ham, lunch meats, corned beef and hot dogs. If you are going to eat meats, go for farm-raised and free-range meats and make sure it says "no nitrites" and "no nitrates" somewhere on the package.
Step 5
Leave the fake sugars in the package. Avoid using any sugar-free products that have artificial sweeteners in them like aspartame and acesulfame potassium. These can also be found in powdered form by the common names Equal or NutraSweet.
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