I found is information on a website and thought it was interesting what these additives are actually known to cause. IMO some of these sound really drastic?? What do you think?


Check your food labels for these 12 most dangerous additives:


Propyl Gallate - found in vegetable oil, meat products, chewing gum and more. May cause cancer.

BHA and BHT - found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and more. Have been found to cause cancer in rats.

Potassium Bromate - found in breads and rolls. Has been shown to cause cancer.

MSG - found in soups, salad dressings, sausages, canned tuna, and more. May be linked to sudden cardiac death.

Aspartame - found in Equal and NutraSweet, along with products that contain them. Has been found to cause lymphomas, leukemia, and brain tumors in rats.

Acesulfame-K - found in baked goods, gelatin desserts, sodas, and more. Has been found to cause thyroid problems and cancer in rats.

Olestra - found in crackers and potato chips marketed under the brand name Olean. Can cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps as well as reduce the body's ability to absorb certain key nutrients.

Sodium Nitrate - found in bacon, ham, hot dogs, smoked fish, and more. Can lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines.

Hydrogenated vegetable oil - the process used to make this type of oil create trans fats, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes.

Blue 1 and Blue 2 - Found in candy, beverage, and more. Have been found to cause cancer in mice.

Red 3 - found in sweetened cherries and baked goods. Causes thyroid tumors in rats.

Yellow 6 - found in baked goods, gelatin, sausages, and more. Has been found to cause kidney tumors.

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~SONJA~

I would agree that we're all better off staying away from most of these ingredients (I'm trying to make a point of staying away from as much aspartame and acesulfame potassium as I can and for me it's a no brainer that Olestra and MSG are bad luck).

The last I heard, though, scientists have only been successful in causing cancer in lab rats using massive doses of aspartame - far more than most Americans could or would get in their diet (I'm not sure if it's the same story with some of the other things on the list). That's why these additives are still legal.

I would definitely love to see food manufacturer's move away from a dependence on most of these ingredients. If you shop in a regular grocery store, it's nearly impossible to avoid everything on this list. Yet another reason that cooking from scratch is the better way to eat (as most of these things are standard in prepackaged foods).

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Stephanie
Mom to: Caleb (8/03), Ian (9/05), & Lucas (11/08)

I'm allergic to yellow dye #5. It is very hard to detect unless you read the label and it is used almost everywhere. It isn't as simple as avoiding anything 'yellow'. It is used to make white items look creamier. It is used to make green items brighter and red items a more appealling red. The worst news is it is one of the leading causes of food allergies! It is right up there with nuts / peanuts.

Yet the FDA won't ban it. That makes no sense to me.

As far as causing cancer in rats / mice claims ... the required cancer test is often 100's of time the normal daily dose. And some of the mice they test will acquire cancer anyway - no matter what they consume. We really do have to be careful about how we interpret some of that data.

I avoid Olestra because I get the stomach cramps from it. I also avoid hydrogenated oils because I have trouble with cholesterol and I believe there is a definate link between the two.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

Another reason to stay away from convienience foods, not only do you save money cooking from scratch, it's healthier.

Exactly! I am a major label reader and because of what I read, I tend to make most everyhing from scratch. It's cheaper and healthier. My son is affected by yellow dye too. And I get awful headaches from msg. It's very frustrating that they manufacturers fill their food with all this junk!

This is exactly why I posted this! I am trying to be more simple with what we eat and consume. I am trying more from scratch recipes and avoiding the processed stuff. This was an eye opener to me since I never really knew what all of this stuff was. It gives me a whole new perspective on food.
And with the mice and rat tests even though it is minimal amounts it still, to me, is kind of scary. I may have to rethink my whole menu for February!!

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~SONJA~