Food Additives to Avoid

While FDA generally recognizes most additives on this list as ‘safe,’ there are growing concerns about the safety of many common food additives, if consumed in large quantities.

Aluminum: A preservative in some packaged foods that can cause cancer.
Azodicarbonamide: Used in bagels and buns. Can cause asthma.
BHA/BHT: A fat preservative, used in foods to extend shelf life. Linked to cancerous tumor growth.
Brominated vegetable oil: Keeps flavor oils in soft drinks suspended. Bromate is a poison and can cause organ damage and birth defects. Not required to be listed on food labels.
Butane: Butilated Anything is bad. Put in chicken nuggets to keep them tasting fresh. A known carcinogen.
Carrageenan: Stabilizer and thickening agent used in many prepared foods. Can cause ulcers and cancer.
Camauba wax: Used in chewing gums and to glaze certain foods. Can cause cancer and tumors.
Chlorine dioxide: Used in bleaching flour. Can cause tumors and hyperactivity in children.
Disodium inosinate: In snack foods. Contains MSG.
Disodium guanylate: Also used in snack foods, and contains MSG.
Enriched flour: Used in many snack foods. A refined starch that is made from toxic ingredients.
Magnesium sulphate: Used in tofu, and can cause cancer in laboratory animals.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG): Flavor enhancer that can cause headaches. Linked in animal studies to nerve damage, heart problems and seizures.
Olestra: Fat-like substance that is unabsorbed by the body. Used in place of natural fats in some snack foods. Can cause digestive problems, and also not healthy for the heart.
Paraben: Used to stop mold and yeast forming in foods. Can disrupt hormones in the body, and could be linked to breast cancer.
Polysorbate 60: A thickener that is used in baked goods. Can cause cancer in laboratory animals.
Potassium bromate: Added to breads to increase volume. Linked to cancer in humans.
Propyl gallate: Found in meats, popcorn, soup mixes and frozen dinners. Shown to cause cancer in rats. Banned in some countries. Deemed safe by FDA.
Propylene glycol: Better known as antifreeze. Thickens dairy products and salad dressing. Deemed ‘generally’ safe by FDA.
Propyl gallate: Added to fat-containing products. Linked to cancer in humans
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH): Geneticially-engineered version of natural growth hormone in cows. Boosts milk production in cows. Contains high levels of IGF-1, which is thought cause various types of cancer.
Refined vegetable oil: Includes soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. High in omega-6 fats, which are thought to cause heart disease and cancer.
Sodium nitrate: Added to processed meats to stop bacterial growth. Linked to cancer in humans. (Worst Offender)
Sodium benzoate: Used as a preservative in salad dressing and carbonated beverages. A known carcinogen and may cause damage our DNA.
Sulfites: Used to keep prepared foods fresh. Can cause breathing difficulties in those sensitive to the ingredient.
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose: Used as a thickener in salad dressings. Could cause cancer in high quantities.

Artificial Sweeteners to Avoid

Artificial sweeteners are regulated by FDA, just as food additives are, but this does not apply to products ‘generally recognized as safe.

Aspartame S: An excitotoxin and thought to be a carcinogen. Can cause dizziness, headaches, blurred vision and stomach problems.
Acesulfame potassium: Used with other artificial sweeteners in diet sodas and ice cream. Linked to lung and breast tumors in rats.
Agave nectar: Sweetener derived from a cactus. Contains high levels of fructose, which causes insulin resistance, liver disease and inflammation of body tissues.
Bleached starch: Can be used in many dairy products. Thought to be related to asthma and skin irritations.
High fructose corn syrup: Sweetener made from corn starch. Made from genetically-modified corn. Causes obesity, diabetes, heart problems, arthritis and insulin resistance.
Saccharin: Carcinogen found to cause bladder cancer in rats. (Worst Offender)
Sucralose: Splenda. Can cause swelling of liver and kidneys and a shrinkage of the thymus gland.
Tert butylhydroquinone: Used to preserve fish products. Could cause stomach tumors at high doses.

Artificial Food Colorings to Avoid

Food colorings are used to give foods a more attractive appearance, but some experts believe they cause serious health problems, including asthma and hyperactivity in children.

Annatto: Food coloring that can cause hyperactivity in children and asthma.
Bixin: Food coloring that can cause hyperactivity in children and asthma.
Blue Dye #1: Used in bakery products, candy and soft drinks. Can damage chromosomes and lead to cancer.
Blue Dye #2: Used in candy and pet food beverages. Can cause brain tumors
Brown HT: Used in many packaged foods. Can cause hyperactivity in children, asthma and cancer.
Caramel coloring: In soft drinks, sauces, pastries and breads. When made with ammonia, it can cause cancer in mice. Food companies not required to disclose if this ingredient is made with ammonia.
Citrus Red Dye #1: Sprayed on oranges to make them look ripe. Can damage chromosomes and lead to cancer.
Citrus Red Dye #2: Used to color oranges. Can cause cancer if you eat the peel.
Green Dye #3: Used in candy and beverages. May cause bladder tumors.
Norbixin: Food coloring that can cause hyperactivity in children and asthma.
Orange B: A food dye that is used in hot dog and sausage casings. High doses are bad for the liver and bile duct.
Red Dye #40: Found in many foods to alter color. All modern food dyes are derived from petroleum. A carcinogen that is linked to cancer in some studies. Also can cause hyperactivity in children. Banned in some European countries. (Worst Offender)
Red Dye #2: A food coloring that may cause both asthma and cancer.
Red Dye #3: A carcinogen. that is added to cherry pie filling, ice cream and baked goods. May cause nerve damage and thyroid cancer.
Yellow Dye #5: Used in desserts, candy and baked goods.Thought to cause kidney tumors, according to some studies.
Yellow Dye #6: A carcinogen used in sausage, beverages and baked goods. Thought to cause kidney tumors, according to some studies.

Additives That are OK to Eat

Ascorbic Acid P
Ascrobyl Palmitate P
Cellulose – Shredded cheese T
Corn syrup (in moderation) S
Cyclamate S
Guar Gum M
Inulin T
Lecithin T
Natamycin P
Palmitic acid P
Phenylalanine F
Potassium sorbate
Riboflavin – digestion
Xantham Gum – T – small doses
Yeast Extract – F – small doses

B – Increases Bulk without affecting flavor
C – Coloring
F – Flavor enhancer
M – Keeps food moist
P – Preservative
S – Sweetener
T – Texture / thickener / keeps moist

Conclusion

Avoid fast foods
Avoid soda and sugary drinks & juice
Eat more fruits, vegetables and grains
Eat hormone free meat
Drink hormone free milk
Know what you’re eating!