Food additives have received much attention in recent years. However these food additives may not be known to you, but may cause you some real health problems now and later on.
1.Sodium Nitrate: This is used as a preservative in many different meats such as bacon and hot dogs. The good news about it is that it helps to prevent bacteria from growing, but the bad news is that it can prevent cancer. There are more and more links being shown between the consumption of sodium nitrate and the occurrence of cancer later on in life. It is also believed to be unsafe for consumption during pregnancy.
2.BHA: When you hear that this is an antioxidant of sorts, it sounds like it should be perfectly healthy. This additive is used to prevent foods from oxidizing, that is from going rancid. Though the intent is good, when consumed after the food has been sitting for awhile, this chemical can have a less than favorable reaction in the body and may even cause cancer in some instances.
3.Propyl Gallate: Though you have likely never heard of this particular additive, you probably like what it does. This additive helps to prevent fats and oils from going bad and therefore has some pretty powerful properties. This too has the potential link to cancer if too high of quantities are consumed over time.
4.Monosodium Glutamate: This may be a bit more mainstream than other additives because it received quite a bit of attention in Chinese food specifically. Many restaurants have stopped using it due to the headaches and nausea that it can create. It is used to enhance flavors but it may actually cause brain cell damage over time.
5.Aspartame: This is one sweetener that has been found not to be so sweet. This has been used as an additive and sugar substitute for years, but there has been much evidence to suggest that it could cause cancer. Other additives have come in its place offering alternatives to those who may have an immediate reaction to aspartame.
6.Acesulfame-K: This is a relatively new additive on the scene and therefore many people don’t know much about it. This additive is a sweetener and many have used it in place of aspartame. The problem is that there have been very few studies behind this and therefore many people worry about the potential side effects it can have. One problem that many have with it is that it is considered to be over twenty times sweeter than sugar.
7.Red 3 Food Coloring: Though many food colorings are under intensive speculation right now, this one has some very real issues with it. In rats, this food coloring has been found to be linked with thyroid cancer and this is making many apprehensive about its usage.
8.Olestra: The name may sound somewhat familiar, but you may not remember where. This was used in “fat free food products” because it was found to block the absorption of fat. However it also happened to block the absorption of key vitamins and this was a big problem. It can also have major side effects on the gastrointestinal tract as well.
9.Potassium Bromate: Though its usage is rare, it is still legal and therefore may show up in some foods such as breads. Even small amounts has been found to create some potential harm and raise a risk of cancer in rats.
10.Sodium Chloride: This is commonly known as salt, but when used as an additive it is often lurking in foods that you wouldn’t think of it in. It can cause some adverse effects such as hypertension over time if consumed in large amounts.
Though we may not know much about the additives in our foods, it’s quite important to stay in tune to this. These additives can cause problems now and later on in life.
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07 30th, 2010| 
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