The word ‘additive’ sounds harmless enough. It makes you think that it was just some extra and important ingredient thrown into your food at the last minute to enrich it. These days it seems that there are so many additives appearing in foods, but what do they really do? Although benign sounding, additives are often bad news. Here are some of the most important food additives to avoid the next time you go grocery shopping.
1. Artificial Sweeteners
You might think they’re better for you than sugar, but they can be just as bad for you or worse. An example: aspartame. It can cause brain neurons to fire too much, leading to nervous system problems or even cell death.
As for healthy natural sugars, go easy on these too. An example is honey. You might think it’s healthier but it has the same chemical structure as table sugar. It’s a myth to think that a natural sweetener is safe to consume in large amounts, so be wary when seeing artificial sweeteners or natural ones on product ingredients. Too much sugar consumption can lead to a variety of health problems, such as lowering your immune system function, risking diabetes, and cancer.
2. Colourants
They give your food a beautiful bright colour but colourants aren’t all pretty. They have been linked to various health problems, from allergies to cancer. Some colourants have been banned, but others are under investigation. Yellow #5, for instance, has been linked to a variety of issues, from anxiety and migraines to cancer. Keep a look out for colours listed on products and avoid artificially bright foods even though they look so appealing.
3. Nitrates
Nitrates and nitrites are found in processed meats such as bacon, ham and salami, giving such meats their fresh pink hues long after they’ve been living in a refrigerator. But they’re both linked to a variety of cancers as studies continuously get done into these chemicals. It’s best to avoid them by giving cured meats a skip. If they look too good, they probably are.
4. Potassium Bromate
If you love foods like bread and pastries, watch out for potassium bromate. This chemical aids in the rising of baked goods and also bleaches it. Potassium bromate has been banned in the European Union and other regions, while being listed as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Although it might be safe in small amounts, you never know just how much was used during the baking process or if it was baked properly, which are both concerns that can make it unsafe. Your best bet is to avoid it.
5. Aluminum
You might wonder why this metal is appearing as an additive in your food, but that’s because it sneaks in without you realising it. It can be found in various additives, such as sodium aluminium phosphate or sodium aluminium sulfate (both being stabilisers). The problem with it is that it accumulates in the body and is possibly linked to neurotoxicity and brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It’s worth avoiding foods containing this additive, such as processed cheese, pickles, cake mixes, non-dairy creamers, baking powders and salt, as well as foods listing these codes on their ingredients lists: E173, E520, E521, E523 E541, E545, E554, E555 E556, E559.
Image credit: Monika Wisniewska / Dollar Photo Club
