There are a ton of chemicals in the food we ingest everyday. They are all used to enhance flavor, change the appearance, or preserve the food we buy. While some of these chemicals are seemingly harmless, others may have an adverse affect on your health over time. Its important to know what goes into your food by reading the ingredients. However, some labels are way more complicated than others, unless you have a degree in food science. For starters, here are some chemicals contained in your food that you may want to avoid.




1. Artificial Sweeteners

Splenda, Sweet N Low, and Equal are advertised as healthy alternatives to regular sugar. However, these artificial sweeteners use all kinds of unhealthy chemicals to emulate the sweetness found in natural sugar. One of these chemicals, aspartame, is a carcinogen that can cause headaches, dizziness, migraines, and even siezures. Another chemical, saccharin, has been linked to bladder cancer, while Acesulfame-K is thought to promote tumor development in kidneys.

Artificial sweeteners are sold individually and can also be found in diet sodas, sugar-free baked goods, and even toothpaste. Natural sugar is much healthier than these sweeteners and will not have negative effects if eaten in moderation. Try eat all-natural cane sugar to be on the safe side.

2. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG is the most commonly used and widely known food additive, and is unfortunately the most difficult to avoid. It can be found in fast food, Chinese takeout, and other savory packaged goods. MSG goes by many different names on food labels, which makes it even more difficult to track down and avoid. MSG has been known to disrupt neurological pathways and can potentially destroy your brain cells over time.

3. Food Coloring

Many food distributors use food coloring to make their products look more appetizing and appeal to their customers. From candy to soda to cheese, food coloring is found in almost everything that kids enjoy eating. Several of the chemicals used in food coloring have been banned in other countries, and have even been linked to chromosomal and thyroid damage. Blue, red, and yellow seem to be the most harmful and most prominent, since those primary colors are mixed and used to create others.




4. Sodium Sulfites

Used to preserve foods, sulfites is a food allergen that can cause asthma, headaches, and skin rashes. Sulfite is commonly found in packaged and processed foods, including dried fruit. Those foods are often high in sodium and aren’t very healthy to begin with, so you’re better off avoiding those altogether.

5. Hydrogenated Oil

Also used to increase shelf life, hydrogenated oil is loaded with trans fat. Trans fat increases the amount of bad cholestorol, or LDL, in your bloodstream, and is twice as hard for your body to work off as saturated fats are.

6. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Although its chemically similar to table sugar, high fructose corn syrup is highly processed and is thought to contain high levels of mercury. Research is still being done to decide whether or not it causes tissue damage. The findings aren’t concrete, but you should still avoid high fructose corn syrup, or at the very least moderate your intake.

7. Potassium Bromate

Potassium bromate can be found in dozens of mass produced baked goods. This chemical has been known to cause cancer in lab rats, and as a result has been banned in several other industrialized countries. Potassium bromate is fairly simple to avoid, as long as you buy freshly baked bread.

8. Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate

These chemicals are commonly used in acidic products like pickles, juices, or sodas. Typically, it only effects people with existing allergies. However, when combined with anything already containing vitamin C, the chemicals form benzene, which has been found to cause leukemia.


Source: Fitness Republic