Would you believe that the average American family spends a staggering 90 percent of its food budget on processed foods? And if you check the label of most processed foods you’ll find an array of preservatives, artificial food additives, flavor enhancers, and food colorings. Now instead of farm-fresh foods, chemical additives from processed foods have become a significant part of the American diet.
Food manufactures include these additives to make their products taste and look more appealing and to increase the product’s shelf life. After all, when you buy strawberry yogurt or ice cream, you expect it to have a reddish color and not a bland color. What we are not told is that some of the common food additives in everyday products can have long-term negative consequences on our health.
Below is a list of thirteen food additives that should be avoided whenever possible:
> Acesulfame K (potassium) – This artificial sweetener (200 times sweeter than sugar) is typically found in gelatin deserts, chewing gum, diet sodas, and baked goods. The testing for this relatively new additive has not been very extensive, but early indications are that it may cause cancer in laboratory rats.
> Artificial Food Colorings: Blue 1,2; Green 3; Red 3; Yellow 6 – These food coloring are commonly found in many of the foods on the supermarket shelves. Blue 1 and 2 have been linked to a small risk of cancer in mice. These are found in baked goods, candy, beverages, and even pet food. Green 3 has been linked to bladder cancer. It can be found in beverages and candy. Red 3 has been found to promote growth of thyroid tumors in rats. It is generally found in baked goods, candy, and fruit cocktail. Yellow 6 has been linked to tumors in the kidneys and adrenal glands. It is found in baked goods, candy, beverages, gelatin, and sausage.
> Aspartame – This sweetener is typically found in no sugar diet foods such as diet sodas, drink mixes, gelatins, and low-calorie desserts. It is also sold under the brand names of Nutrasweet and Equal. The compounds in aspartame can break down into a highly reactive chemical that damages cells. Some possible side effects include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and breathing problems.
> BHA and BHT (butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene) – These are preservatives typically found in everyday household foods such as vegetable oils, potato chips, cereals, and chewing gum. They help retard fats and oils from becoming rancid. They have an oxidizing affect, which can produce potentially cancer causing reactions in the cells.
> Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – MSG is an amino acid used to enhance the flavor in such items as chips, salad dressings, frozen entrees, and soups. MSG allows manufacturers to reduce the amount of real ingredients they put in their products. It has been found to cause brain nerve cell damage in animal studies. In humans, nausea and headaches are possible side effects.
> Olestra – This synthetic fat can be found in some brands of potato chips. It is not absorbed by the digestive system, so it has no calories. Possible side effects include abdominal cramps, gas, and diarrhea and loose bowels. Olestra has been shown to inhibit the body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble carotenoids from vegetable and fruits.
> Potassium Bromate – This additive is used to increase the volume in breads and rolls. Animal studies have linked it to cancer and it may pose a potential risk for humans.
> Propyl Gallate – This preservative is sometimes found in chewing gum, meat products, vegetable oils, potato sticks, and chicken soup base. It helps slow down spoilage in oils and fats. Results from animal studies suggest that it may cause cancer.
> Saccharin – This artificial sweetener is 350 times sweeter than sugar and is found in sweetener packs, soft drinks, diet and “no sugar added” products. Animal studies have shown that it is linked to urinary bladder cancer. The diet-food industry acknowledges that saccharin may be linked to cancer in rats, but believes that the same results would not occur in humans.
> Sodium Chloride – Commonly know as salt, this additive is used to enhance the flavor of food. But excessive use of salt or consuming foods high in sodium can lead to high blood pressure, kidney problems, heart attack and stroke.
> Sodium Nitrate (or Sodium Nitrite) – This additive is used to preserve, enhance color, and improve the flavor of ham, lunch meat, hotdogs, corn beef, and smoked fish. Meat processors use nitrate and nitrite because they stabilize the red color in meat (otherwise it would look gray) and help prevent the growth of botulism causing bacteria. Studies have suggested these additives may cause certain types of cancer.
> Trans Fat – This additive is typically found in food served at fast food restaurants and certain crackers, icing, and microwave popcorn. Trans fats may cause heart problems.
> White Sugar – Sugar is a common ingredient in baked goods, crackers, cereals, desserts, sauces, and many other processed foods. The average person consumes about 65 pounds of sugar per year. Excessive sugar can lead to obesity and other harmful health conditions.
Unfortunately, these food additives are present in many of the foods on the supermarket shelves. Check the labels and if you see one or more of these are present. If so, a health-conscious shopper should consider other alternative products. If you see other additives that concern you, do a search for them on the internet and you likely find a description of the additive along with any possible harmful side effects.