In my line of work, peak physical condition is a non-negotiable. When I started my journey into health and MMA, I quickly realized one of the biggest parts of achieving that condition is diet – and a pretty strict one at that.

As many of you know, my partner and I created Flavor Republic: a line of completely natural seasonings that make strict dieting delicious. What you may not know is the story behind why it was created, and the disturbing reason you should be careful when choosing any type of seasoning.

 

Dangers and Limits of Commercial Seasonings

Most of us have been there: clean eating that consists of plain veggies and meat, with limited sauces or added flavors. You may think you’re making the right choice when you reach for a bottle of calorie-less seasoning, simply because it only consists of herbs … right?

Unfortunately, “standard” seasonings can be laced with all types of unhealthy ingredients that can limit your journey to health.

Contain MSG

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most popular additives added to packaged foods, despite the studies that show it is a neurotoxin, and has been linked to obesity, metabolic disorders, and detrimental effects on reproductive organs. [*]

Unfortunately, on many labels you won’t see MSG labeled as “MSG,” but instead will be under labels like “Natural flavors,” or “Seasonings.”

Irradiated.

Irradiation is a process used on many food products that consists of exposing food to ionized radiation to help with preservation. Unfortunately, putting food (even herbs) through the process of irradiation, we can damage and destroy delicate nutrients and enzymes, while also creating free radicals that can in turn damage our DNA. [*]

High Sodium.

Many seasonings contain pretty high levels of sodium to enhance their flavor. While a little salt is fine, too much can not only affect how much water weight you’re carrying (a problem if you’re in a position where you need to cut) and has also been linked to all kinds of health issues, such as high blood pressure.

Preservatives.

Adding preservatives is a pretty standard practice for most packaged foods. While the list of the types of preservatives of is lengthy, several popular ones, such as sodium nitrates, have been linked to certain cancers. [*] Sometimes food is even irradiated first, then packaged with these additional preservatives to extend shelf life – potentially giving you a double whammy of nasty.

GMOs.

If you’ve ever seen corn starch, wheat gluten, or soy ingredients in a seasoning that isn’t organic, chances are it’s made from genetically modified ingredients. No studies exist on the long-term effects of foods whose DNA has been altered, so consuming them could be a potential health risk.

 

Flavor Republic: The Why and the Taste Guide

As you can see from barely scratching the surface of additives in standard seasonings: they aren’t the best choice for overall health. This was the reason I partnered to create a 100% natural, low-sodium line of seasonings that actually tastes great and is free of harmful ingredients.

 

To give you a breakdown of what’s NOT in Flavor Republic:

• No MSG
• No GMOs
• Non-irradiated
• Low sodium

Another huge issue when it came to seasonings was lack of variety and creativity. It seemed some decent brands had a few great flavors, but we really wanted to create a space for every occasion. This is why Flavor Republic has variations like our completely Salt-Free Set, Honey Garlic, Espresso Blend, a Paleo/Keto Collection, and even a Chocolate Lover’s Set.

Long story short, you won’t be bored (and neither will your food). Watch the video above where I give you more of an inside peek into the brand and how I’m using the seasonings.

You can also check out Flavor Republic here: https://flavorrepublic.co/store/

Have you tried any of the Flavor Republic seasonings? What’s your favorite?