Consuming small amounts of additives may be safe, but the health risks add up if you rely heavily on processed foods. A diet rich in processed foods is linked to chronic diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
Are food additives harmful to our health?
Most artificial food additives are not harmful to human health, and those that do pose health risks are banned or limited by the FDA. Instead of trying to completely eliminate artificial food additives from your diet, focus on consuming a diet of whole, minimally processed foods, which will naturally lower your intake.
What food additives should you avoid?
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a common food additive used to intensify and enhance the flavor of savory dishes.
- Artificial Food Coloring.
- Sodium Nitrite.
- Guar Gum.
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup.
- Artificial Sweeteners.
- Carrageenan.
- Sodium Benzoate.
Do additives have health benefits?
Food additives are often associated with negative health effects. But in fact, one of the health benefits of food additives is that they can add nutritional value to foods. For example, fortified and enriched foods use additives to add positive health effects to foods, such as more fiber or vitamins.
What are the most harmful food additives?
- Aspartame. The sweetener found in Equal and NutraSweet and thousands of other food products has many critics.
- Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil.
- Sodium Nitrite.
- Artificial Coloring.
- Olestra.
- Stevia.
- Saccharin.
- Sulfites.
What foods are toxic to your body?
- Refined vegetable and seed oils. Refined vegetable and seed oils include corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean, and cottonseed oils.
- Bisphenol A and similar compounds.
- Artificial trans fats.
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
- Coumarin in cinnamon.
- Added sugars.
- Mercury in fish.
Do organic foods contain food additives?
In order to be labelled organic, a food product must be free of artificial food additives. This includes artificial sweeteners, preservatives, coloring, flavoring, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Organically grown crops tend to use natural fertilizers like manure to improve plant growth.
Which foods have hidden toxins?
- Canned Tomato Sauce. Toxin: Bisphenol A (BPA) BPA is found in the coating of almost all food and drink cans.
- Grilled Meat. Toxin: Free Radicals.
- Peanut Butter. Toxin: Aflatoxin.
- Tuna. Toxin: Mercury.
- Butter-Flavoured Microwave Popcorn. Toxin: Diacetyl.
What is the most unnatural food?
According to Forbes, olive oil has been the most adulterated food for years, dating back to at least 1980. More recently, a 2011 study from the Olive Center found top brands weren’t up to snuff about 73 percent of the time.
How do chemicals in food affect the body?
Examples of toxic effects include gastrointestinal symptoms, kidney damage, liver disease, impairment of the nervous system, or DNA damage, which could cause cancer. Some toxic effects are transient, but the effect may sometimes be permanent.
What are the pros and cons of food additives?
- Food additive advantages.
- Food additive disadvantages.
- Colors are additives, too.
- Preserving food.
- Limiting foodborne illnesses.
- Potential adverse reactions.
- Increased cancer risk.
What should you avoid on a food label?
- Trans-Fat.
- Partially Hydrogenated Oils.
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
- Artificial Sweeteners such as Aspartame, Sucralose, and Saccharin.
- Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Benzoate.
- Sodium Nitrites and Sodium Nitrates.
- MSG (monosodium glutamate)
Do food additives cause weight gain?
Common Food Additive Could Lead to Obesity, Diabetes. Maybe it’s not how much you eat, but something that’s added to what you eat that’s making you gain weight. Researchers have found that a common food additive increases levels of hormones associated with an increased risk of both obesity and diabetes.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artificial-food
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-additives
- https://origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk/blog/food-additives
- https://www.forbes.com/2008/04/02/food-additives-preservatives-forbeslife-cz_ph_0402additives_slide.html
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-food-toxins-that-are-concerning
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-organic-food
- https://www.cbc.ca/stevenandchris/health/5-toxic-foods-to-avoid
- https://www.mashed.com/90086/foods-idea-natural/
- https://www.rivm.nl/en/food-safety/chemicals-in-food
- https://www.lybrate.com/topic/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-food-additives/b593be8a32d3a69824ee3f6ca45a55c5
- https://www.walkermethodist.org/blog/7-nutrition-label-ingredients-to-avoid
- https://www.healthline.com/health-news/food-additive-can-lead-to-obesity-diabetes