🧨 7 Harmful Ingredients Hiding in Your Pantry (and What to Use Instead)
They’re in your almond milk, popcorn, and “healthy” drinks — and they’re quietly wrecking your gut, hormones, and energy.
Let’s be real: most people think they’re eating pretty clean. You drink almond milk instead of dairy, eat popcorn instead of chips, and even reach for sparkling water instead of soda.
But even the most “wellness-y” products can be loaded with ingredients that are inflammatory, hormone-disruptive, and addictive — and the worst part? You won’t hear about it from the brands.
Here are 7 sneaky pantry staples I found in everyday homes (and yes, some of them were once in mine):
🚫 Diet Coke – Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener linked to gut imbalance, headaches, anxiety, and even possible neurotoxicity. The FDA claims it’s safe — but real humans aren’t lab rats.
💡 SWAP: Sparkling water with monkfruit or real fruit – see my favorite brands below (Shared inside my subscriber guide below)
or
DIY Option (FAV OPTION):
Sparkling mineral water + fresh lemon or lime
Add a few drops of monk fruit drops
Optional: tiny splash of apple cider vinegar for a tangy “cola” vibe
Did you know sparkling water can contribute to candida? Many people don’t realize that sparkling water—especially the flavored kind—can contribute to candida overgrowth. The acidity, natural flavors, and carbonation can disrupt gut balance, creating a more favorable environment for yeast to thrive. Candida is more common than you think; bloating, brain fog, sugar cravings, and fatigue are often signs. You can test for candida with a GI-MAP stool test or even try a simple at-home spit test (not diagnostic, but eye-opening). A great supplement I recommend is Candidastat, which supports yeast balance—but always check with your doctor first, because I’m not one!
🚫 Skinny Pop – Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil sounds clean... but it’s a highly processed seed oil loaded with omega-6s that fuel gut inflammation and hormonal chaos.
💡 SWAP: Organic popcorn popped in coconut or avocado oil (paid subscribers get my exact brands + DIY recipe). Spoiler alert - Lesser Evil is one but there are more!
🚫 Silk Almond Milk – Synthetic Vitamins + Additives
The front says “plant-based,” but the label tells a different story: carrageenan, gums, and synthetic D2 that can trigger inflammation and mess with digestion.
💡 SWAP: 3-ingredient almond milk brands or an easy make-at-home recipe (shared below for paid members)
🚫 LaCroix – PFAS (Forever Chemicals)
It’s bubbly and trendy — but some sparkling waters are contaminated with PFAS, toxic “forever chemicals” linked to thyroid issues, immune dysfunction, and hormone disruption.
💡 SWAP: My fav is Mountain Valley Sparkling Water but I have the rest of them that test for zero PFAS listed below inside for subscribers. Again, make sure you are not bloated!
🚫 Ritz Crackers – Hydrogenated Oils
Ritz uses industrial oils that are linked to oxidative stress, weight gain, and an increased risk of heart disease. They’re banned in some countries — but not here.
💡 SWAP: Hu Crackers, Artisan Tropic, Simple Mills or Sunnie
🚫 Hershey’s Chocolate – Refined Sugar
Loaded with refined sugar, milk solids, and emulsifiers — it’s not a treat, it’s a blood sugar bomb.
💡 SWAP: Clean dark chocolate brands that don’t taste like cardboard - Evolved Chocolate (more brands inside of paid version)
🚫 Hidden Valley Ranch – Vegetable, Soybean, Canola Oils
This “American classic” is basically a bottle of omega-6 oils, MSG, and preservatives that do nothing for your hormones or skin.
💡 SWAP: My go-to creamy, clean ranch recipe (plus the BEST store-bought option if you’re busy – for insiders only)
🥄 Want the SWAPS?
These are the exact products I keep in my home and recommend to clients. You don’t have to go without — you just need to swap smart.
Unlock all 7 swaps + recipes when you become a paid subscriber 👇
💥 Upgrade for $2.92/month or $35/year and start cleaning out your pantry today.
🛒 Or just grab the Read the Labels app for a full pantry scan with thousands of clean products you can trust.
➡️ Download the app here
P.S. Already swapping? Comment and let me know which ingredient surprised you the most. I might turn it into a Reel next.
xoxo,
Jen Smiley