Salsa is a staple food at just about every party because everyone loves it. It is something that is really easy just to pick up at the grocery store without thinking twice. But have you ever looked at the ingredients to figure out exactly what is in that jar of spicy tomato goodness?
Let’s undress prepared salsa to see if it looks good naked!
Here are the ingredients from one of the Tostitos salsas I found at my grocery store.
Ingredients: Tomatoes (contain tomato juice, calcium chloride, citric acid), water, onions, tomato paste, green chilies, white vinegar, red bell peppers, salt, sugar, spices, dehydrated cilantro, garlic powder, citric acid, natural flavour, paprika extract (contains soybean oil).
Let’s break these ingredients down:
Calcium Chloride: This is a food additive that helps food taste salty without actually adding salt. It is very similar to the ‘salt’ we sprinkle on roads and walkways in the winter to melt the ice. When ingested in very large amounts it can cause intestinal problems and abdominal pain.
Citric Acid: This is a preservative that gives food a longer shelf life and a tart flavour. It occurs naturally in citrus like lemons and limes and is pretty much harmless when used to preserve food.
Salt: Your body needs roughly 1500mg sodium daily to regulate fluids and blood pressure and to keep muscles and nerves functioning. Unfortunately, most people consume double the required amount. A diet high in sodium can lead to increased risk of high blood pressure which can cause stroke, heart disease or kidney disease. Sodium is found naturally in foods, even fruits and vegetables, and we sprinkle table salt on just about everything we cook. We have developed such a taste for sodium in North America that it is heavily added to all processed foods to make them “taste good”. A 430ml jar of salsa contains roughly 1500mg of sodium, which is equal to your daily intake. Think about that next time you sit down and polish off half a jar of salsa with salty corn chips in one sitting!
Sugar: Sugar is another ingredient that is found in almost all processed food because again, we have developed a taste for it. Sugar depresses the immune system and causes obesity. It feeds cancer and Candida Albicans (yeast), increases cholesterol, weakens eyesight, contributes to osteoporosis and causes hyperactivity and anxiety.
Natural Flavour: What is Natural Flavour anyway? Well the FDA defines it as: “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” In short, Natural Flavour is any number of ingredients derived from a food source that gives a product flavour rather than nutrition. If you have food allergies (dairy, eggs, seafood, nightshades, citrus…), you have to be very careful with products containing Natural Flavour because they may contain allergens. Alternatively, if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, you should be aware that Natural Flavour could contain animal based flavoring. Remember, just because these ingredients are naturally derived from food doesn’t mean they are safe. They could include genetically modified, pesticide-laden food or MSG which can legally be hidden under the “natural flavoring” umbrella.
Soybean oil: Soybeans are one of the most prominent Genetically Modified crops in the US. Soybeans are genetically modified to be able to withstand pesticides, so farmers can douse their fields in pesticides to kill the weeds without killing the plant. Eating pesticide laden GM soy may lead to infertility and increases the risk of miscarriage. For more information check out this article by Dr.Mercola, this article in Natural News and this article in the Huffington Post.
Does prepared salsa look good naked?
There are worse condiments you could be eating (Cheez Wiz I’m looking at you!) but I wouldn’t consider prepared salsa health food. The salt content in prepared salsa is very high and the natural flavour is a little sketchy. Soybean oil is another ingredient that is a cause for concern because it is most likely derived from pesticide laden soybeans and I personally steer clear of anything that is genetically modified. Salsa is so quick and easy to make at home you will wonder why you ever bothered to buy it in the store. When you make it at home you also have the added bonus of controlling the amount of salt you use and knowing exactly what sexy ingredients are going into it!
Recipe: Sexy Mango Salsa
This sexy salsa is tangy, fresh and will transport you to the sunny tropics with every bite. It makes a perfect multicolor appetizer for parties and takes only 15min to chop up.
Prep time: 15min
Serving size: 4 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 mangoes, finely diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced *optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together and serve with organic corn chips.
*For a video showing you just how quick and easy it is to make this recipe check out my site.
Do you like your salsa spicy or mild? Let me know in the comments section and feel free to share your favorite salsa recipe!
If you liked this article or enjoyed my salsa recipe, please pass this article on and help me spread the word about what is hiding in your jar of salsa.
Souces:
Livestrong.com
Health Canada
Natural News
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dr.Mercola
