Why I do NOT use the below ingredients

No Irish Moss

Irish Moss became a popular trend among vegans and non-vegans, but not all trends are truly that healthy. Irish moss, like the carrageenan it contains, can lead to inflammation in the body. Irish Moss can also cause bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, glucose intolerance, colon cancer, and food allergies. From Healthline Website “Carrageenan is a common food additive but it may cause digestive side effects and has a potential link to colon cancer. While more research is needed, you may want to remove it from your diet.

No Aquafaba

Aquafaba is another slimy liquid compound found in canned chickpeas. It is a relatively new ingredient in the vegan world. Aquafaba's toxicity comes from the saponins that create this foam-like consistency. These saponins can disrupt red blood cells, stimulate uterine blood flow, and contribute to a leaky gut. It is a very common ingredient in making vegan desserts and serves as an emulsifier. Always drain your canned chickpeas and rinse well. To further avoid any potential harm, for any canned products, buy cans that have BPA-free lining.

No Psyllium Husk

Psyllium also gained popularity among vegans at some point. As a stand-alone supplement in capsules, it can be somewhat beneficial. However, “it can also irritate the mucosal lining and cause bleeding at a microscopic level. It can lodge itself behind or in the folds of colon polyps and cause inflammation,” as per HMI Nutrition School.

No Preservatives

I do not use any preservatives of any kind.

No Citric Acid

Manufactured citric acid is not the same as naturally found in all citrus fruits, which is good for you. All citric acid you see in jams and other packaged foods as a preservative is synthetic. It “is made from Aspergillus niger (aka black mold) which is a known and prevalent allergen that comes from sugar sourced from genetically modified corn or beets.”

No Guar Gum and Xanthan Gum

Even though it is made from a bean called guar, guar gum can also cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, such as gas.

Xanthan gum is derived from sugar. This type of sugar can come from many sources, including wheat, corn, soy, and dairy. Xanthan gum is not found in nature and is artificially manufactured. According to the USDA, it's made by taking carbohydrates such as glucose or sucrose and fermenting them with bacteria. I try to avoid it unless it’s for the homemade marshmallows once in a blue moon or until I find another recipe without any “gum”.

Ingredients I use Minimally

Vinegars: Apple Cider, Rice Vinegar, Red Wine, or Balsamic Vinegar

All kinds of vinegar contain yeast. All yeast promotes candida overgrowth, the root cause of almost every disease. In addition, all vinegars, also including Kombucha, are a group of acidic products. Over-acidic products, in turn, lead to an acidic environment in the body where Candida can quickly get out of control. Once in a while, I will occasionally use one of the vinegars to bring the authentic flavor of certain dishes. However, most of the time, I use a simple substitute - lemon or lime juice.

Organic Agave Nectar

“This is the most controversial sweetener because, on the one hand, it contains fructans, a form of non-digestible carbohydrates that help the body absorb magnesium and calcium. On the other hand, agave nectar has a high fructose content. It is the same sugar as in fruits, and that’s OK. But when Agave nectar (since it is a concentrate) is used in large amounts, it can burden our liver because that’s where fructose is being processed. Fructose can become excess if your river is not functioning well” - HMI Nutrition School. That’s why I use it in moderation when we need to sweeten things but don’t want to have the distinct taste of maple or coconut sugar.

A word on Oils

The best is to avoid all oils altogether! A little coconut oil here and there is good, as it has antifungal and antimicrobial properties and has MCFAs (see more below). Use cold-pressed and unrefined coconut oil. Do not use a Refined one. Look for the “centrifugally extracted” for the best coconut oil. All oils are just extra fat that we do not need. Fat is stored as fat in our body.

Avocado oil is the leading oil I use for cooking and baking. It withstands high heat temperatures without turning it into harmful compounds. Still, try to cook with just water whenever possible.

Hemp, Sesame, and Flax Seed Oil - I use it rarely, and if so, it is a tiny amount, primarily in salad dressings. I’d use some sesame oil if it will help enhance the authentic flavor of some Asian dishes.

Coconut oil

It's the healthiest oil to use, but also in smaller quantities. I use it for raw and baked desserts and light frying.

Coconut oil is not harmful if used in its pure raw form, especially if you get your hands on the most premium and pricey one - a centrifugal extracted organic coconut oil. The key word is “centrifugal”. It means that coconut “meat” was spun faster to extract the oil. No heating is involved, unlike in all others, even “extra virgin oils (which is second best after centrifugal). Centrifugal oil usually comes in small batches and rarely reaches mainstream store chains.

I use Organic Cold-Pressed Coconut oil for all my cooking. HMI Nutrition School says, “Coconut oil contains about 50% lauric, caprylic, and medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Lauric acid has anti-microbial properties. Coconut oil also helps to boost metabolism and immunity and assists in weight loss. Oil and weight loss? Yes! (but only if you do not have any other sources of other oil-rich products, which is highly impossible for an average person).”

Do not use Refined Coconut oil. It is made from almost rancid dry coconut meat shreds heated to over 400F and has zero nutritional value.

Sesame Oil

In Ayurveda (a science for healing the entire body), sesame oil is widely used. I use it occasionally in some Asian and Middle Eastern-inspired meals in very minimal quantities just for extra flavor.

Sweeteners I use

Organic Maple Syrup

Grade B maple syrup has some beneficial vitamins but is also high in glucose, which can negatively affect some people with insulin resistance.

Honey

Use honey from the local beekeepers. Some honey, like Manuka, has very effective healing benefits. But it’s best to use all honey in small amounts because it can raise insulin levels.

Organic Coconut Crystals and Coconut Palm Sugar - the best, healthiest sugars

“Both have a lower glycemic index than many sweeteners and are low in fructose. Coconut crystals are not the same as coconut palm sugar. Coconut sugar is harvested by tapping the flower sap of coconut trees. Coconut sugar is rich in mineral content. It included includes potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. It also contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6”. - as per HMI Nutrition School.

Palm sugar (often mistakenly labeled as Coconut Sugar) comes from the trunks of palm trees, not from a flower like true coconut sugar.

Organic Coconut Nectar

Coconut nectar is a great source of sweetness. But it has a distinct flavor, so I use it when it doesn’t overpower the taste of the meal. Coconut nectar contains 16 amino acids. Its production is also sustainable.

Stevia

Another healthy sweetener. But Only in its green color in a powder form. All the white stevia has been overprocessed and stripped of its nutritional value. It is rich in terpenes and flavonoids. Stevia can aid diabetes, high blood pressure, cavity prevention; and weight loss. I am not a big fan of Stevia’s taste, but during my Candida cleanse, I liked the taste of one particular brand of organic, powdered, green stevia. It has a very mild profile compared to all others.

A word on Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast. It is a by-product of molasses. This yeast is dried using heat processing to deactivate its active form.

From Health Mastery Institute:

“Nutritional yeast is a complete protein, with my favorite brand having 9 grams of protein per two tablespoons. It is also low in fat and sodium and is free of sugar and gluten.

Vegans often use nutritional yeast as an alternative to dairy products. It imparts a somewhat cheesy flavor to foods, which can help if you are trying to make a vegan meal with a cheesy flavor and don’t have time to make nut cheese (or don’t want the added fat).

Most nutritional yeast on the market, including brands like Braggs, are fortified with synthetic folic acid and B12. I highly discourage you from using those brands. Synthetic folic acid found in supplements chemically differs from natural folate in green vegetables, beans, and other plant foods. Folate is essential for women of childbearing age. A deficiency of folate in the first trimester is linked to neurological defects in the unborn child. However, synthetic folic acid (whether in multivitamins or nutritional yeast) increases the risk of breast cancer in women by 25-35% and also increases the risk of prostate and colorectal cancers. (See below).

Vegan bloggers will often cite nutritional yeast as a good source of B12. It’s not. It only contains B12 if it is fortified, and the B12 that it is fortified with is cyanocobalamin, which is not readily absorbed by the body. Cyanocobalamin is also bound to toxic cyanide molecules which over time can damage the liver.”

As of now, the best brand to use is Sari Foods.

I use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder and Baking Soda

I make sure that all of the baking soda and baking powder are free from aluminum. Aluminum is a toxic heavy metal we do not need in our bodies. From the Health Mastery Institute: “Aluminum has been linked to breast cancer in women and has also been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Source of Aluminum

Table Salt (aluminum is added to this mineral-deficient "food" as an anti-caking agent). Antiperspirants (including "natural crystal" and "deodorant stones"). Tap water (aluminum causes dirt to settle out of the water). A drying agent was added to cacao, table salt, and baking powder. Most cosmetics use aluminum as a base. All prepared foods are made with tap water. Uncoated aluminum cookware. Aluminum cans, Antacids (Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, and many others)

Early Symptoms

Headaches, dry skin, and mucous membranes. Tendencies for pain in the head are relieved by food, loss of memory and mental confusion, some dementia, and reduced sweating.

Later Symptoms

Alzheimer's diseases, other dementias, anemia, colitis, dental cavities, kidney and liver dysfunction, neuromuscular disorders, Parkinson's disease.”