Chapter 2.3 The Most Common and Harmful Food Additives to Avoid

In this section we will discuss the identification of different additives in our food supply. It goes without saying that ‘identification’ will never be sufficient, you will also have to move beyond that to actually finding alternatives to the food sources that contain the harmful additives.

If we take a long hard look at our food supply it quickly becomes clear that there are certain types of food that are far more likely to contain harmful additives. The list presented below is certainly not the last word on the subject but it should give you a good starting point from which to begin your investigations. 

Very brightly colored food: Harmful coloring is added to a variety of foods (not just fast food and candy!) to make it look more appealing.

Fruit juice: This may come as a bit of a shock since many people regard fruit juices as the healthy option when it comes to selecting beverages. The fact is that many juices contain some powerful preservatives to extend their shelf life.

Bread: Another nasty surprise! Many types of bread (especially highly processed white bread varieties) contain a host of preservatives as well as additives designed to ‘bulk out’ the flour.

Heavily flavored foods: A great deal of the food that we eat on a daily basis contains artificial flavor enhancers. Some of these have been linked to very negative health outcomes.

Artificially sweetened food/beverages: Some of the sweeteners used in the ‘diet’ varieties of popular products should actually be avoided at all costs. 

The list presented above gives a general picture of areas where you should exercise the greatest care. But what are the specific things that you should be looking out for? Well, you could start by cutting the ‘Top 10 Additive Baddies’ from your diet:

Sodium Nitrite: This chemical is commonly added to meat products to preserve color and flavor. It has unfortunately also been linked to cancer, especially if it has been subjected to high temperatures (Something which is obviously quite likely when you are preparing meat!)

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): MSG is perhaps the most common type of flavor enhancer and is widely used in soups, salad dressings and restaurant foods (especially prevalent in Asian foods and flavorings). Studies have linked it to headaches and nausea. It has also been shown to cause damage to the brain cells of mice. Definitely one to avoid at all costs!

BHA and BHT: Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are antioxidants used in many foods to keep them from spoiling. It is commonly found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips and vegetable oils. Studies have shown that they pose a cancer risk. 

Propyl Gallate: This chemical is often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT and can have the same adverse effects on the body.

Trans Fatty Acids: A lot has been written about the negative effects of trans-fatty acids but it is worth repeating here that elevated amounts (and you will have an elevated amount in your system after virtually any fast food meal) can, over time, lead to serious cardiovascular problems. Trans-fats can also have a significant negative effect on proper brain function. 

Aspartame: Aspartame is the chemical composition behind many well known artificial sweeteners. It is, to say the least, a hugely controversial substance that has been linked to many different health problems. 

Acesulfame K: This is widely touted as the ‘successor to Aspartame and is already widely found in a variety of artificially sweetened products. As with so many relatively new products the long term health outcomes are uncertain, which is all the more reason to treat it with caution.

Food colorings: Not all colorings are dangerous but the inverse is also true: Not all colorings are totally safe. While it is true that the FDA is trying to keep the worst offenders off the market it is also the case that it is forever playing catch-up with the food manufacturers. It is, in our opinion, best to attempt to avoid artificial coloring altogether.

Olestra: Olestra was touted as the miracle that all dieters were waiting for when it was first released. This is because it prevents fat absorption. The only problem is that it is also remarkably effective in blocking the absorption of good substances, especially vitamins! This can be disastrous if you are dealing with ADD/ADHD.
Potassium bromate: This is a product that used to be widely used to increase the volume of white flour. It is fortunately much rarer today but can still be found here and there. You need to be especially vigilant in avoiding this if you are traveling abroad since it can still be widely found in the food supply of many foreign countries.