How to Avoid Harmful Food Additives

Avoid foods with tartrazine or Yellow #5. Tartrazine is commonly known as Yellow #5 (which its commonly listed as on the ingredient list). It's a coloring that's added to many different types of foods and has been associated with some adverse reactions (especially in children).

·         Some studies have shown that Yellow #5 has been associated with behavior problems in children. It usually affects children with ADHD and a confirmed food allergy. Typically, they will show increased hyperactivity and difficulty paying attention.

·         Yellow #5 is found in a wide variety of foods including Mountain Dew soda, yellow colored vitamins or medications, macaroni and cheese made with powdered cheese, yellow colored candies, and yellow colored cereals.

Cut out items containing diacetyl. Unlike Yellow #5, diacetyl is a flavoring, not a color. It's used in a wide variety of processed foods and has been associated with a few adverse health effects.

·         Diacetyl is typically found in foods like microwave buttered popcorn, "brown" flavorings like butterscotch or maple, some yogurts, and cheeses.

·         One side effect that has been linked with consumption of foods containing diacetyl is dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Studies have shown that consumption of this chemical can lead to plaque build up in the brain.

·         In addition to dementia, people who breathe in a lot of diacetyl (like sniffing the popcorn they just popped) or those who work in factories that make food containing diacetyl have developed a serious respiratory illness (frequently named "popcorn lung"

Ditch foods containing nitrates or nitrites. Both nitrates and nitrites are a fairly common preservative found in many foods. Many studies have shown that both of these additives can cause a variety of health issues, especially when eaten in large quantities.

·         Both nitrates and nitrites act as preservatives and help foods from going rancid. They're typically found in foods like cheese, deli meats, bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, and other smoked or processed meats.

·         If you have a diet high in processed meat, your intake of nitrates and nitrites will be significantly higher. Studies have shown that this increases your risk for cancer (especially esophageal cancer) and heart disease.

·         The reasoning behind this may be that both nitrates and nitrites may have a carcinogenic factor to them which means they may support the growth of cancer cells.

 
Avoid foods with propyl paraben. Propyl paraben is a preservative found in processed foods and helps to keep foods fresher. This particular preservative is widespread and found in a large quantity of processed foods.

·         Since propyl paraben is so widely used, it is difficult to list every food that it's found in. However, the most common foods include tortillas, breads, muffins, food dyes, and even cosmetics and shampoos.

·         Consumption of propyl parabens has been associated with breast cancer. Studies have been controversial, but propyl parabens act similarly to estrogen in the body. Increased estrogen activity has been linked to breast cancer.

·         Studies have also shown that consumption of propyl parabens has been associated with decreased sperm count and testosterone levels in men.

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Cut out all foods containing olestra. You might recognize the name olestra as an additive. It was very popular when the low-fat and diet foods hit the market. It's a fat substitute and can cause some unpleasant side effects when consumed.

·         Olestra or Olean is typically found in low-fat diet foods. It's used to replace natural sources of fat in favor of a lower calorie and lower fat product. It's commonly found in foods like potato chips, cheese puffs, tortilla chips, crackers, popcorn, and other savory snack foods.

·         One of the issues with olestra is that it interferes with vitamin and mineral absorption in the body. Specifically, it inhibits the absorption of Vitamins A, D, E and K.

·         In addition, one of the most well-known side effects of consuming foods with olestra is the potential to have very loose stools, anal leakage, and general GI distress.