Additives

I noticed that the previous article I posted also had a glossary of food additives and explained what all of them did and how they affected our bodies.  I've compiled a list of the worst ones that I will IMMEDIATELY be eliminating from my house.  I actually went through my cupboards and removed 2 garbage bags of food from 2 cupboards and the freezer of food that I refuse to feed my family because they HAVE one or more of these particular additives.  We're making room for nutritious, unadditive laden foods!  Time to make this lifestyle a family affair!

Acesulfame Potassium (Acesulfame-K) A calorie-free artificial sweetener often used with other artificial sweeteners to mask bitterness.Found in: More than 5,000 food products worldwide, including diet soft drinks and no-sugar-added ice creamExample: Edy's Slow Churned No Sugar Added Vanilla Light Ice CreamWhat You Need to Know: The FDA has approved it for use in most foods, but some health groups claim that the decision was based on flawed tests. Animal studies have linked it to lung and breast tumors.

Aspartame A near-zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by combining two amino acids with methanol. Most commonly used in diet soda, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar.Found in: More than 6,000 grocery items, including diet sodas, yogurts, and the tabletop sweeteners NutraSweet and EqualExample: Diet PepsiWhat You Need to Know: Over the past 30 years, the FDA has received thousands of consumer complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and, in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Many studies have shown aspartame to be completely harmless, while others indicate that the additive might be responsible for a range of cancers.

BHA & BHT (Butylated Hyroxyanisole & Butylated Hydroxytoluene) Petroleum-derived antioxidants used to preserve fats and oils.Found in: Beer, crackers, cereals, butter, and foods with added fatsExample: Quaker Chewy Granola Bar Chocolate ChipWhat You Need to Know: Of the two, BHA is considered the more dangerous. Studies have shown it to cause cancer in the forestomachs of rats, mice, and hamsters. The Department of Health and Human Services classifies the preservative as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."

Blue #1 & Blue #2 Synthetic dyes that can be used alone or combined with other dyes to make different colors.Found in: Blue, purple, and green foods such as beverages, cereals, candy, and icingExample: Skittles OriginalWhat You Need to Know: Both dyes have been loosely linked to cancers in animal studies, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends that they be avoided.

Carrageenan A thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier extracted from red seaweed.Found in: Jellies and jams, ice cream, yogurt, and whipped toppingExample: Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Ice CreamWhat You Need to Know: In animal studies, carrageenan has been shown to cause ulcers, colon inflammation, and digestive cancers. While these results seem limited to degraded carrageenan - a class that has been treated with heat and chemicals - a University of Iowa study concluded that even undegraded carrageenan could become degraded in the human digestive system.

Cochineal Extract or Carmine (this one is actually MADE of 90% insect parts) A pigment extracted from the dried eggs and bodies of the female Dactylopius coccus, a beetlelike insect that preys on cactus plants. It is added to food for its dark-crimson color.Found in: Artificial crabmeat, fruit juices, frozen-fruit snacks, candy, and yogurtExample: Tropicana Orange Strawberry BananaWhat You Need to Know: Cochineal extract is comprised of about 90 percent insect-body fragments. Although the FDA receives very few complaints, some organizations are asking for a mandatory warning label to accompany cochineal-colored foods.

High Fructose Corn Syrup A corn-derived sweetener representing more than 40 percent of all caloric sweeteners in the supermarket. In 2005, there were 59 pounds produced per person. Found in: Nearly everything: ice cream, chips, cereal, bread, ketchup, canned fruits, yogurt, and two-thirds of all sweetened beverages Example: Wonder Bread  Whole Grain WheatWhat You Need to Know:  Since 1980, the US obesity rate has risen proportionately to the increase in HFCS, and Americans are now consuming at least 200 calories of the sweetener each day. Still, research shows that the body metabolizes HFCS no differently than sugar.

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein A flavor enhancer created when heat and chemicals are used to break down vegetables - most often soy - into their component amino acids. HVP allows food processors to achieve stronger flavors from fewer ingredients.Found in: Canned soups and chili, frozen dinners, beef- and chicken-flavored productsExample: Slim Jim Meat SticksWhat You Need to Know: One effect of hydrolyzing proteins is the creation of MSG, or mono- sodium glutamate. When MSG in food is the result of hydrolyzed protein, the FDA does not require it to be listed on the packaging.

Interesterified Fat Developed in response to demand for trans-fat alternatives, this semisoft fat is created by chemically blending fully hydrogenated and nonhydrogenated oils. Found in: Pastries, margarine, frozen dinners, and canned soupsExample: Pepperidge Farm Milano CookiesWhat You Need to Know:  Testing on these fats has not been extensive, but the early evidence doesn't look promising. A study by Malaysian researchers showed a 4-week diet of 12 percent interesterified fats in-creased the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol, not a good thing. This study also showed an increase in blood glucose levels and a decrease in insulin response.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) The salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, used to enhance the savory quality of foods. MSG alone has little flavor, and exactly how it enhances other foods is unknown.Found in: Chili, soup, and foods with chicken or beef flavoringExample: Hormel Chili No BeansWhat You Need to Know: Studies have shown that MSG injected into mice causes brain-cell damage, but the FDA believes these results are not typical for humans. The FDA receives dozens of reaction complaints each year for nausea, headaches, chest pains, and weakness.

Olestra/Olean A synthetic fat created by pharmaceutical company Procter & Gamble and sold under the name Olean. It has zero-calorie impact and is not absorbed as it passes through the digestive system.Found in: Light chips and crackersExample: Lay's Light Original Potato ChipsWhat You Need to Know: Olestra can cause diarrhea, intestinal cramps, and flatulence. Studies show that it impairs the body's ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and vital carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil  A manufactured fat created by forcing hydrogen gas into vegetable fats under extremely high pressure, an unintended effect of which is the creation of trans-fatty acids. Food processors like this fat because of its low cost and long shelf life.Found in: Margarine, pastries, frozen foods, cakes, cookies, crackers, soups, and nondairy creamersExample: Honey Maid Graham CrackersWhat You Need to Know: Trans fat has been shown to contribute to heart disease more so than saturated fat. While most health organizations recommend keeping trans-fat consumption as low as possible, a loophole in the FDA's labeling requirements allows processors to add as much as 0.49 gram per serving and still claim zero in their nutrition facts. Progressive jurisdictions such as New York City, California, and Boston have approved legislation to phase trans fat out of restaurants, and pressure from watchdog groups might eventually lead to a full ban on the dangerous oil.

Propyl Gallate An antioxidant used often in conjunction with BHA and BHT to retard the rancidity of fats.Found in: Mayonnaise, margarine, oils, dried meats, pork sausage, and other fatty foodsExample: Pop-Secret Kettle CornWhat You Need to Know:  Rat studies in the early '80s linked propyl gallate to brain cancer. Although these studies don't provide sound evidence, it is advisable to avoid this chemical when possible.

Red #3 & Red #40 Food dyes that are cherry red and orange red, respectively. 
Red #40 is the most widely used food dye in America.Found in: Fruit cocktail, candy, chocolate cake, cereal, beverages, pastries, maraschino cherries, and fruit snacksExample: Yoplait Light Fat Free StrawberryWhat You Need to Know: The FDA has proposed a ban on Red #3 in the past, but so far the agency has been unsuccessful in implementing it. After the dye was inextricably linked to thyroid tumors in rat studies, the FDA managed to have the liquid form of the dye removed from external drugs and cosmetics.

Saccharin An artificial sweetener 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar. Discovered in 1879, it's the oldest of the 5 FDA-approved artificial sweeteners.Found in: Diet foods, chewing gum, toothpaste, beverages, sugar-free candy, and Sweet 'N LowExample: IBC Diet Root BeerWhat You Need to Know: Rat studies in the early '70s showed saccharin to cause bladder cancer, and the FDA, reacting to these studies, enacted a mandatory warning label to be printed on every saccharin-containing product on the market. The mandate was removed after 20 years, but the question over saccharin's safety was never resolved. More recent studies show that rats on saccharin-rich diets gain more weight than those on high-sugar diets.

Yellow #5 & Yellow #6 - The second and third most common food colorings, respectively.Found in: Cereal, pudding, bread mix, beverages, chips, cookies, and condimentsExample: Sunny D OriginalWhat You Need to Know: Several studies have linked both dyes to learning and concentration disorders in children, and there are piles of animal studies demonstrating potential risks such as kidney and intestinal tumors. One study found that mice fed high doses of sunset yellow had trouble righting themselves in water. The FDA does not view these as serious risks to humans.