8 Harmful Food Additives

health risks of food additives like sugar, msg, BHT

Subtract These 8 Additives

Here’s a list of 8 food additives that are major health minuses and why:

  • Sodium nitrite – found in processed meats like bacon, deli style sandwich meats and ham.   Nitrite additives have been linked to cancer, specifically bladder and gastric cancer because they are converted into cancer causing nitrosamines in the body.
  • BHA & BHT – found in cereals, gum, chips and oils.  These have also been linked to promotion of lung cancer.
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)- is used as a meat tenderizer and flavour enhancer in many processed and packaged foods, and is notorious for being added to Chinese food. MSG has been linked to migraines and other neurological effects.
  • Trans fats – trans fats are found in prepared foods and are used to extend the shelf life of the product. Intake of trans fats has been linked to heart attack, stroke and kidney problems.
  • Aspartame and Acesulfame-K – These artificial sweeteners are found in many low calorie and/or diet products, like diet soda.  They have been linked to weight gain, insulin resistance and neurological effects.
  • Food colorings/dyes (Blue, Red, Green, Yellow) – Dyes are found as additives in a variety of prepared foods and candy and even in a prenatal multivitamin known as PregVit.  There are surprisingly few published studies on the safety of food dyes. Some food dyes have been banned because of the adverse effects, while others are still allowed. Studies have linked certain dyes to cancer and allergic reactions in animal models.
  • Potassium bromate – Potassium bromate is found as a food additive in flour and barley treatment. It induces oxidative stress and may promote cancer in the hormone producing (endocrine) glands.
  • White sugar – By now we all know how unhealthy sugar is.  You’ll find sugar as an additive in completely unrelated foods like canned peas, so read labels. We know sugar intake is linked to obesity, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

For the complete list of food additives allowed in Canada, click here.

References:

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Holzhammer J, Wöber C. Alimentary trigger factors that provoke migraine and tension-type headache.  Schmerz. 2006 Apr;20(2):151-9.

Rubinstein A1, Elorriaga N1, Garay OU1, Poggio R1, Caporale J1, Matta MG1, Augustovski F1, Pichon-Riviere A1, Mozaffarian D2. Eliminating artificial trans fatty acids in Argentina: estimated effects on the burden of coronary heart disease and costs. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):614-22. doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.150516. Epub 2015 Jun 23.

Suez J, Korem T, Zeevi D, Zilberman-Schapira G, Thaiss CA, Maza O, Israeli D, Zmora N, Gilad S, Weinberger A, Kuperman Y, Harmelin A, Kolodkin-Gal I, Shapiro H, Halpern Z, Segal E, Elinav E. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6. doi: 10.1038/nature13793. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/dyes-problem-table.pdf