12 Dangerous Food Additives:
The
"Dirty Dozen" Food Additives You Really Need to be Aware Of
In the United States, more than 3,000 substances can be
added to foods for the purpose of preservation, coloring, texture, increasing
flavor and more. While each of these substances is legal to use (at least here
in the States), whether or not they are all something you want to be consuming
is another story all together.
The food colorings that make candy pretty colors have
been linked to cancer and tumors of the brain, thyroid, adrenal gland and
kidney in animal studies.
With any processed food
you run the risk of coming across additives, and reading through ingredient
labels can be like trying to decode a puzzle.
Of course, eating largely fresh, whole foods is the best
way to stay away from unsavory additives, but, assuming you do include some
processed foods in your diet, the following additives are ones you surely want
to stay away from. Look for them on ingredient labels and if one turns up, take
a pass.
Propyl Gallate
This preservative, used to prevent fats and oils from
spoiling, might cause cancer. It's used in vegetable oil, meat products, potato
sticks, chicken soup base and chewing gum, and is often used with BHA and BHT
(see below).
BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated
hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used similarly to propyl gallate -- to keep fats and
oils from going rancid. Used commonly in cereals, chewing gum, vegetable oil
and potato chips (and also in some food packaging to preserve freshness), these
additives have been found by some studies to cause cancer in rats. If a brand
you commonly buy uses these additives, look for a different variety, as not all
manufacturers use these preservatives.
Food Additives and Your Brain:
Free e-Book
If you want to know more about the effects of food
additives on your brain, check out this FREE 300+-page e-book "Neurotoxicity:
Identifying and Controlling Poisons of the Nervous System."
Some food additives are neurotoxic, which means they're
capable of altering the normal activity of the nervous system -- and even
killing neurons. Symptoms include:
¥ Limb
weakness or numbness
¥ Loss of
memory, vision, and intellect
¥ Headache
¥ Cognitive
and behavioral problems
¥ Sexual
dysfunction
See and Download "Neurotoxicity: Identifying and
Controlling Poisons of the Nervous System." Now
Potassium Bromate
This additive is used in breads and rolls to increase
the volume and produce a fine crumb structure. Although most bromate breaks
down into bromide, which is harmless, the bromate that does remain causes
cancer in animals. Bromate has been banned throughout the world, except for in
the United States and Japan. In California, a cancer warning would likely be
required if it were used, which is why it is rarely used in that state.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
MSG is used as a flavor enhancer in many packaged foods,
including soups, salad dressings, sausages, hot dogs, canned tuna, potato chips
and many more. According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, an author and neurosurgeon,
there is a link between sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes, and
excitotoxic damage caused by food additives like MSG and artificial sweeteners.
Excitotoxins are, according to Dr. Blaylock, "A group of excitatory amino
acids that can cause sensitive neurons to die."
Many consumers have also personally experienced the ill
effects of MSG, which leave them with a headache, nausea or vomiting after
eating MSG-containing foods. To find out more about the side effects associated
with MSG, as well as a complete list of which foods contain it, see our past
article MSG: If it's
Safe: Why do They Disguise it on the Labels?
Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
This artificial sweetener is found in Equal and
NutraSweet, along with products that contain them (diet sodas and other low-cal
and diet foods). This sweetener has been found to cause brain tumors in rats as
far back as the 1970s, however a more recent study in 2005 found that even
small doses increase the incidence of lymphomas and leukemia in rats, along
with brain tumors.
People who are sensitive to aspartame may also suffer
from headaches, dizziness and hallucinations after consuming it.
Acesulfame-K
Acesulfame-K is an artificial sweetener that's about 200
times sweeter than sugar. It's used in baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin
desserts and soft drinks. Two rat studies have found that this substance may
cause cancer, and other studies to reliably prove this additive's safety have
not been conducted. Acesulfame-K also breaks down into acetoacetamide, which
has been found to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits and dogs.
Olestra
Olestra is a fat substitute used in crackers and potato
chips, marketed under the brand name Olean. This synthetic fat is not absorbed
by the body (instead it goes right through it), so it can cause diarrhea, loose
stools, abdominal cramps and flatulence,
along with other effects. Further, olestra reduces the body's ability to absorb
beneficial fat-soluble nutrients, including lycopene, lutein
and beta-carotene.
Sodium Nitrite (Sodium Nitrate)
Like diet soda? The aspartame that's used to sweeten it
increases lymphomas, leukemia and brain tumors in rats -- even in small doses.
Sodium nitrite (or sodium nitrate) is used as a
preservative, coloring and flavoring in bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats,
corned beef, smoked fish and other processed meats. These additives can lead to
the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines.
Some studies have found a link between consuming cured
meats and nitrite and cancer in humans.
The process used to make hydrogenated vegetable oil (or
partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) creates trans fats,
which promote heart disease and diabetes. The Institute of Medicine has advised
that consumers should eat as little trans fat as possible. You should avoid
anything with these ingredients on the label, which includes some margarine,
vegetable shortening, crackers, cookies, baked goods, salad dressings, bread
and more. It's used because it reduces cost and increases the shelf life and
flavor stability of foods.
Blue 1 and Blue 2
Blue 1, used to color candy, beverages and baked goods,
may cause cancer. Blue 2, found in pet food, candy and beverages, has caused
brain tumors in mice.
Red 3
This food coloring is used in cherries (in fruit
cocktails), baked goods and candy. It causes thyroid tumors in rats, and may
cause them in humans as well.
Yellow 6
As the third most often used food coloring, yellow 6 is found in many products, including baked goods, candy, gelatin and sausages. It has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumors, and contains small amounts of many carcinogens.