Five food additives to stop eating right now

In order to keep up with up with the high supply and demand of food in America, food additives became part of our diet for almost a century. From adding color dyes to enhance appearance, preservatives to extend shelf life and additional chemicals to enhance taste, we have food readily available 24/7. Not to mention, our food processing, packaging and storage is relatively cheap, however we are actually paying a hefty price with our health on the line due to these additives. Some food additives are much worse than others; here is a quick list of top food additives to avoid:

Artificial Sweeteners-

Aspartame (Equal), Sucralose (Splenda) and Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low) are found in foods and beverages and labeled “sugar-free”, “diet” and “natural” because it’s made from sugar. You will find these sweeteners in diet/sugar free sodas, desserts, powered drinks, cereal and much more. Aspartame is actually neurotoxic and is believed to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and have more reports of adverse consequences than all food additives combined. This will erode intelligence and buffer short term memory. Other sweeteners, such as saccharin is made from petroleum. Ailments caused by artificial sweeteners include: “brain tumor, diseases like lymphoma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue, emotional disorders like depression and anxiety attacks, dizziness, headaches, nausea, mental confusion, migraines and seizures.” We recommend drinking water at least half your body weight in ounces.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)-

This is a highly refined artificial sweetener that is found in almost all processed foods. A cheaper form of glucose and chemically similar to sucrose (table sugar), HFCS packs on weight faster than any other ingredient, contributes immensely to diabetes, obesity, LDL (bad cholesterol) and other harmful effects. Even worse that “the case against HFCS ranges from claims that it inhibits leptin—the hormone responsible for telling your brain that you’re full—damages tissue and can contain toxic levels of mercury.

MSG-

Monosodium glutamate is a food additive with many names including maltodextrin, sodium caseinate, yeast extract, hydrolyzed/autolyzed vegetable protein and even citric acid. With over 40 forms of this addictive found in grocery stores, MSG tends to duck and cover its name in order to produce adverse effects, no matter what name it reads. Found in Chinese food, chips, seasonings (especially cheap), most Campbell soups products, ramen noodles, frozen dinners, packaged meats, cookies, and salad dressings, MSG is known as an excitotoxin, a substance which overexcites cells to the point of severe damage or death. Regularly consuming MSG may result in adverse side effects including depression, eye damage, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, and obesity.

BHA/BHT

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives found in potato chips, chewing gum, cereals, enriched rice, shortening and vegetable oils to keep them from expiring fast and changing color/taste. Although the FDA allows them, the Department of Health and Human Services warned that they are known as carcinogens. They are known to: “negatively impact sleep and appetite, and have been associated with liver and kidney damage, hair loss, behavioral problems, cancer, fetal abnormalities and growth retardation.”

Sodium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrite-

Sodium nitrate (or sodium nitrite) is used as a preservative for coloring, and flavoring in processed meats including ham, hot dogs, bacon, deli meats, corned beef and hamburger meat. The name might sound harmless, but sodium nitrate is very carcinogenic once it enters the human digestive system. From there, it forms a variety of nitrosamine compounds (potent cancer-causing cells associated with brain, esophageal, stomach, oral and bladder cancers) that enters the bloodstream and wreaks havoc to several internal organs including the liver and pancreas. This causes dizziness, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. History wise, sodium nitrite is widely regarded as a toxic ingredient and the USDA did try to ban this additive in the 1970’s but food manufacturers vetoed it. Why? “Simple: this chemical just happens to turn meats bright red. It’s actually a color fixer, and it makes old, dead meats appear fresh and vibrant.” Not to mention, there was no alternative for preserving packaged meat products. Talk about silent, but deadly.