Dangerous Ingredients In Food

Dangerous ingredients in food are plentiful. This is just a small list of what you should avoid when you read labels. And it is important that you read labels.

Propylene Glycol Alginate
This ingredient is found in many different types of food as an emulsifier (thickening agent). You may find it in certain salad dressings, beverages, and yogurts. The source it is derived from, the kelp plant, may be natural but this particular ingredient can have some seriously negative side effects. High amounts of such a chemical ingredient can cause seizures in children. It is also suspected of causing liver or kidney disease.

POLYSORBATE 60
Polysorbates are also emulsifiers (thickening agents) and are commonly employed in food preparation. They have also been used in skin care products and various pharmaceuticals. Commonly, this ingredient will be found in a wide range of different cakes and sweets. Most would realize that many of the junk food selections which contain this ingredient are less than healthy but they might not realize the extent of the problems associated with it. Namely, high levels of Polysorbate 60 can contribute to the onset of cancer. It is also believed that it can cause organ toxicity and problematic reproductive issues.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene: Butylated Hydroxytoluene and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) is often used in foods for the prime purpose of preventing fats from becoming rancid. Most would not be overly concerned about such an ingredient entering their body until they discover that it is also commonly found in jet fuels and embalming fluid!!! Needless to say, many will think twice before ingesting any food item that contains this ingredient. Then again, it might be difficult to avoid since it is found in so many products.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene is another in a long line of dangerous ingredients in food that have been linked to problems with the liver. At the very least, it has been linked to stomach distress and nausea. Dizziness has even been reported as a symptom after ingestion.

Yellow #5:
As the name would suggest, this is a colorant found in many different food items. The proper name for this coloring is Tartrazine and it has been established to possess a number of problematic health issues. Asthmatics and those with a low tolerance to aspirin have experienced allergic reactions to this coloring. Even those in reasonably good health have reported migraines, purple patches on the skin, insomnia, and even clinical depression after exposure to this cheap coloring product.

I recommended staying away from all artificial colors/dyes including but not limited to erythosine (red 3), Red 40, Blue 1, orange B, etc. Artificial dyes/colorants have been linked to hyperactivity in children. Food colors are made from petroleum - not exactly what people should have in their system. It is very hard to find processed foods that don't contain artificial dyes. But then again you should be drastically reducing your processed foods to a minimum.

Artificial sweeteners
Our bodies weren't designed to metabolize artificial ingredients. Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, saccharine, neotame, acesulfame, and sucrolose. Diet soft drinks, breath mints, jams, jellies, gelatins, frozen desserts, candies, cough drops, chewing gum, frosting, processed fruit and juices, puddings and baked goods can all contain artificial sweeteners and should be avoided.

Long term aspartame consumption has been shown to contribute to memory loss, insomnia, heart palpitations, epilepsy, asthma, vision loss, weight gain, etc

An increased risk of bladder cancer has been linked to a high consumption of saccharine.

Some studies have linked the consumption of Acesulfame K to the lung and breast tumors, leukemia, and chronic respiratory disease.

People should also avoid refined sugar. It's not good for you. It is stripped of all the good nutrients and the result is a cheaper, harmful product. Instead use natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup, raw cane or beet sugar, stevia, molasses and raw honey. The ill effects of refined sugar are enormous.

MSG
Monosodium glutamate is a neurotoxic food additive that is commonly used as a flavor enhancer.. While MSG does not have its own flavor, it produces a savory taste when added to foods. Despite being approved to be used as a food additive, MSG is associated with a long list of dangerous health risks including brain damage, allergies, eye inflammation, diabetes, nausea, and memory loss.

There are many dangerous ingredients in food and also cosmetics and household cleaners. The best way to avoid them is to buy organic products that are all natural and free of chemicals.