5 Most Dangerous Food Additives You Should Watch Out For
Many of the foods we eat regularly are made with additives, which can act as preservatives, as coloring agents, or to maintain the food’s consistency. Most of the additives are safe, but here are five you should watch out for.
By qualityhealth.com
1. Potassium Bromate
This dough conditioner and bleaching agent, which was once widely used in bread baking, is considered “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It has been banned in many countries but is still permitted in the United States and Japan.
2. Sodium Nitrite
Nearly all processed meats are made with sodium nitrite: breakfast sausage, hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat, and even meats in canned soup products. One study found that participants who consumed the most processed meats showed a 67 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed little or no meat products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tried to ban sodium nitrite in the 1970s, but was preempted by the meat processing industry, which relies on the ingredient to make foods look more visually appealing.
3. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
This preservative, used to prevent fats from going bad, can be found in butter, meats, chewing gum, dehydrated potatoes, and beer. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, it may act as a precursor to cancer.
4. Olestra
A fat substitute used in crackers and potato chips, olestra is marketed under the brand name Olean. This synthetic fat is not absorbed by the body and can contribute to abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Furthermore, olestra may inhibit the body’s ability to absorb beneficial fat-soluble nutrients, including lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene.
5. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Used as a flavor enhancer in many packaged foods including soups, salad dressings, sausages, hot dogs, canned tuna, and potato chips, MSG pay pose some serious health risks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified a condition dubbed “MSG Symptom Complex,” which can cause headaches, numbness, and drowsiness.
It’s difficult to keep off food additives (preservatives) at all, but most of them we can avoid and remove, for example by massage… April says:
Every part of the body holds in toxins and chemicals that it comes in contact with. These toxins could come from the food that you eat, such as pesticides from produce or preservatives that are found in ready-to-eat foods. The buildup of toxins can cause fatigue, sluggishness, poor digestion or even more serious ailments like cancer.
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