by Wendy

In this day and age, we’re always curious at what we’re putting on and into our bodies and looking for ways to eat better, feel younger, and stay healthier. Whether it’s the food we eat or the shampoo we use, we scan through aisles of products and see words like, organic, all natural, gluten free, and fat free being used.

And since we’re also trying to be more eco-friendly and more aware of what we give our families, taking a peek at the ingredients label has become more and more important. But what happens when we come across ingredients like Butylated Hydroxyanisole? What’s that? I wasn’t quite sure until I looked it up and found that it’s commonly used as an antioxidant and preservative in food, food packaging, animal feed, cosmetics, rubber, and petroleum products.

Here are 2 must have books for your home that can help you figure out what those labels are telling you:

A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives – This book will tell you all you need to know about more than 12,000 different ingredients that go into the food we eat. From preservatives, pesticides, and even growth hormones, you’ll learn about the items you’re purchasing from your supermarket shelves and what to avoid.

A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients – Cosmetics always have ingredients you’re not too sure about that promises to help you become “wrinkle free” or “get healthier skin”. Find out what they’re really putting into that bottle before you put it on your skin.

Be aware of what you’re putting into your body as well as your family. Making a few changes to what you put into your shopping cart can make a big difference.

What are your must have reference books for your home?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.