Or…. You Don’t want to Eat these.
TBHQ
This is an artificial antioxidant that gets used in frozen foods to keep them tasting fresher. However, you will recognize it as “butane.” Yes, the fuel for many lighters is also used in our food.
Natural Flavors
Most of what falls into this category is, actually natural. Unfortunately, not all of it is. Also, many of the things that fall into this category are common or potent allergens. If you have allergy issues, check into this.
Artificial Colorings
There are studies showing that mots of the (Colour) (#) ingredients that we see in … well… almost everything… exacerbate or potentially cause a wide range of health issues. Cancer, hyperactivity, thyroid issues, and allergic sensitivity. Also, these artificial colorings lend no nutritional value.
Chemical Cocktails
Unfortunately, you can’t really watch for these, as they are unlisted. Non-organic produce is sprayed with a wide array of creepy stuff – chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides… Residues remain on the plants, and they don’t exactly wash off easily. With more porous produce, or the produce that has no “peel” to remove, they will also absorb some of these chemicals. These chemical cocktails have been long known to cause issues, ranging from cancer to birth defects. Buy organic if you can, and if you can’t – make sure to wash down produce thoroughly before using it.
Sodium Nitrite
This preservative can mix with chemicals in the stomach to produce things that greatly increase your risk of certain forms of cancer. In fact, two of the nastier forms of cancer (pancreatic and brain) are directly linked to nitrosamines. You will find this in so many different foods, including some of the most “traditionally American” – hot dogs, lunchmeats, bacon…. It is possible to avoid it, but it isn’t easy.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Shows up as high fructose corn syrup, corn sweetener, corn syrup, and corn syrup solids. It is found everywhere – from frozen foods to sweets, soda to hot dogs, and almost every sauce you can imagine. It also turns up in a lot of bread and bakery products. This ingredient increases your risk for diabetes. However, more importantly, it encourages over-eating because it tricks your body into thinking it is not full. This is an effect that will continue for a bit after you have “gone clean” from the syrup. It also increases triglyceride levels in the bloodstream, which ups a number of risks, including that of heart disease. There is also research that shows that enough of this in your diet causes your brain to slow down, affecting memory and learning.
RBGH
This is found in so much dairy it is actually sort of annoying. It is genetically modified growth hormone, which is injected to stimulate milk production. Unfortunately, this means it ends up in the milk you drink. Research has linked it to prostate, colon, and breast cancer.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
This hides under a number of names: yeast extract, textured and hydrolyzed proteins, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, and sadly quite a few more. It is also, unfortunately, something that appears in a lot of foods – specifically preserved foods, snacks, fast food, and frozen dinners. MSG is another “hunger modifier” – it can trick you into feeling hungrier than you actually are, and cause you to eat more than your body actually needs. It is also a common trigger for migraines.