The food we buy off the shelves in the supermarket are filled with additives to prolong its shelf life, create more flavors, add vibrant colors and more. Healthy living is also not just eating whatever you find that’s low in calories, but it’s also important to take note of the various food additives commonly used and how they can affect your body in the long run. Here are some of the common additives found in everyday meals, and how the can affect your health.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners like saccharin and aspartame are commonly used sweeteners and can be found in your tabletop sweeteners, breakfast cereals, diet soda, yogurt, chewing gum and even canned fruit. Aspartame is said to be 200 times sweeter than sugar, and can lower the acidity in your urine, making your urinary tract susceptible to infection. Furthermore, artificial sweeteners have been linked to cause cancer of the uterus, skin, blood and more.
Food Dyes and Colorings
The most commonly used colorings and dyes in food are caramel coloring, found in colas, gravy mix, soy sauce, chocolate products, etc., is made of sugar that’s caramelized with ammonium compounds, acids or alkalis. The World Health Organization has even concluded that caramel coloring could even be ‘carcinogenic to humans’. Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are commonly found in candy and baked goods, and can often cause hyperactivity and hypersensitivity reactions, respectively.
Preservatives and Additives
If you’re looking to cut out all form of trans fats, look out for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil from the ingredients list. Trans fats are known to increase cholesterol levels in the body, causing heart-attacks and cardiac-related diseases.
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic antioxidant that’s found in butter, cereals, beer, potato chips, snack foods and meat products. It’s used to increase the shelf life, but it’s also been known to be carcinogenic too. Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate is also commonly found, especially in meat products as they give foods more flavor. Children and pregnant women should definitely avoid consuming foods that contain these preservatives.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
We’ve all heard about the dangers of MSG as a flavor enhancer, and the truth is, despite the fact that it can give you the praise from friends for being a ‘chef’, studies have shown that MSG can cause brain damage. MSG is used as a flavor enhancer in instant foods like noodles, soups, condiments and even meats. One of the most obvious symptoms as a sign that you’ve consumed MSG is if you notice how much hair drops from your head when you brush. Although it’s an old wives tale that having too much MSG can make your hair fall, it’s really something you want to avoid all together. (Source)
