The Truth About Scary Food Additives | Harmful Ingredients Exposed!

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGqQV6ObFCQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k60xr0HtyqA Food Inc: Corn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xThSnJb8miQ

2. 15 Scariest Food Additives Eat This, Not That Mrs. Bigham

3. 15 Scariest Food Additives • There was a time when "fruit flavored" and "cheese flavored" meant "made with real fruit" and "made with real cheese." Today? It's artificial everything. Most of the food at your local supermarket is no more authentic than Snooki's tan. Our fruit comes packaged in Loops, our cheese delivered via Whiz. Sure, it's edible, but there's no way your great grandparents would recognize this junk as food. • The problem with additives runs deep. The FDA currently maintains a list of ingredients called Everything Added to Food in the United States (EAFUS), which features more than 3,000 items and counting. Thankfully, most EAFUS ingredients are benign, but a few of them do have potentially harmful effects. Why they're legal is a mystery to us. Some of them might be backed by powerful lobby groups, while others probably survive simply because some guy at the FDA has too much paperwork on his desk and hasn't made time to adequately review the data. • Click ahead to see 15 of the most dubious ingredients hiding in your food. Even if you're not convinced of their danger, you have to admit this: The more filler ingredients you cut from your diet, the more space you have for wholesome, nutritious foods.

4. Scary Ingredient #1: Olestra • A fat substitute synthesized by Procter & Gamble. Because human digestive enzymes can't break down the big molecules, Olestra contributes 0 calories to your diet.Why it’s scary: In the late ’90s, Frito-Lay released Olestra-enhanced WOW chips and Procter & Gamble introduced Fat Free Pringles. Both products were required to carry warning labels to notify customers about the risk of "loose stools." Within 4 years, some 15,000 people had dialed in to a hotline set up specifically to handle adverse-reaction complaints. Apparently the complaints didn't move the FDA, because in 2003, the administration revoked the warning-label mandate. If you want to take your chances with diarrhea, go ahead, but first consider this: Olestra also appears to interfere with the body's ability to absorb some crucial nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene. To counteract the effect, processers add some nutrients back, but it's unlikely that all the blocked nutrients are adequetly replaced.Where you’ll find it: Lay’s Light chips, Pringles Light chips

5. Scary Ingredient #2: Caramel Coloring • An artificial pigment created by heating sugars. Frequently, this process includes ammonia.Why it’s scary: Caramel coloring shows up in everything from soft drinks and sauces to breads and pastries. When made from straight sugar, it's relatively benign. But when produced with ammonia it puts off 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, chemicals that have been linked to cancer in mice. The risk is strong enough that the California government, a bellwether for better food regulation, categorized 4-methylimidazole as “known to cause cancer” earlier this year. Unfortunately, companies aren't required to disclose whether their coloring is made with ammonia, so you'd be wise to avoid it as much as you can.Where you'll find it: Colas and other soft drinks, La Choy soy sauce, Stove Top stuffing mix

6. Scary Ingredient #3: Saccharin • An artificial sweetener discovered by accident in the 1870s.Why it’s scary: Studies have linked saccharin to bladder tumors in rats, and in 1977, the FDA required warning labels on all saccharin-containing foods. In 2000, the agency changed its stance and allowed saccharin to be sold without warning labels. But that doesn't make it entirely safe. A 2008 Purdue study found that replacing sugar with saccharin in rats’ diets made them gain more weight, proving once again that you should be aware of these faux fat foes.Where you'll find it: Sweet ‘N Low, TaB cola

7. Scary Ingredient #4: Potassium Bromate • A compound that conditions flour and helps bread puff up during baking.Why it’s scary: Potassium bromatecauses thyroid and kidney tumors in rats, and it's banned from food use in many countries. In California, products containing potassium bromate are required to carry a cancer warning. Fortunately, negative publicity has made the additive relatively rare, but until the FDA banishes it, you should remain on the lookout.Where you'll find it: Johnny Rockets Hoagie Roll

8. Scary Ingredient #5: ButylatedHydroxyanisole (BHA) and ButylatedHydroxytoluene (BHT) • Petroleum-derived antioxidants and preservatives.Why they're scary: The Department of Health and Human Services says BHA is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," yet the FDA allows it to be used anyway. BHT is considered less dangerous, but in animal research, it too has resulted in cancer. Oddly, the chemicals aren’t even always necessary; in most cases they can be replaced with vitamin E.Where you'll find it: Goya lard, Golden Grahams, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Orbit gum

9. Scary Ingredient #6: Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil • A semi-solid fat created when food processors force hydrogen into unsaturated fatty acids.Why it's scary: Partially hydrogenated fats are the principle sources of trans fat in the American diet, and a Harvard study estimated that trans fat causes 70,000 heart attacks every year. The good news: Partially hydrogenated oils are beginning to slowly retreat from our food. Progressive jurisdictions like New York City are starting to restrict the allowable amounts in restaurants, and many chains are switching to healthier frying oil. Still, the battle isn’t over. At Long John Silver’s, for example, there are still 17 menu items with more than 2 grams of the stuff. Where you'll find it: McDonald’s McChicken, Long John Silver’s Broccoli Cheese Soup

10. Scary Ingredient #7: Sulfites • Preservatives that maintain the color of food, and by releasing sulfur dioxide, prevent bacterial growth.Why it's scary: Humans have used sulfites to keep food fresh for thousands of years, but some people—especially asthma sufferers—experience breathing difficulties when exposed. In the 1980s, unregulated use resulted in at least a dozen deaths, prompting the FDA to slap warning labels on wine bottles and develop new guidelines for proper use. Now restaurants can no longer soak fresh ingredients in sulfites. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, there have been no known deaths since the new legislation took hold. The bottom line: If you're among the majority of people not sensitive to sulfites, consumption won’t hurt you. If you're not sure, ask your doctor for a test.Where you'll find it: Wine, Sun-Maid Mixed Fruit, Jolly Ranchers, Fig Newtons

11. Scary Ingredient #8: Azodicarbonamide • A synthetic yellow-orange dough conditioner.Why it's scary: This chemical is used most frequently in the production of industrial foam plastic, and although the FDA has approved its use for food in the States, the United Kingdom has labeled it a potential cause of asthma. In a review of 47 studies on azodicarbonamide, the World Health Organization concluded that it probably does trigger asthmatic symptoms. The WHO concluded, “exposure levels should be reduced as much as possible.” I’ll put it more concisely: Avoid it.Where you'll find it: Dunkin’ Donuts bagels, McDonald’s burger buns

12. Scary Ingredient #9: Carrageenan • A thickener and emulsifier extracted from seaweed.Why it's scary: Seaweed is actually good for you, but carrageenan is a mere seaweed byproduct. Through animal studies, it has been linked to cancer, colon trouble, and ulcers. It isn’t certain that carrageenan harms humans, but avoiding it is clearly the safer option. Most studies examined degraded forms of the additive, and research from the University of Iowa found that carrageenan could be degraded through the normal digestive process.Where you'll find it: Weight Watchers Giant Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Bars, Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches, Creamsicles

13. Scary Ingredient #10: Ammonium Sulfate • An inorganic salt that occurs naturally near active volcanoes and is used commercially to nourish yeast and help bread rise.Why it's scary: This nitrogen-rich compound is most often used as fertilizer, and also appears commonly in flame retardants. Thankfully, the ingredient only sounds scary—a 2006 Japanese rat study found the additive to be non-carcinogenic. Both the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the FDA deem it safe.Where you'll find it: Nature’s Own bread, Subway rolls

14. Scary Ingredient #11: Aspartame • A zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by combing two amino acids with methanol. Most commonly used in diet soda, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar.Why it’s scary: 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 the sweetener to be completely harmless, while other have linked the additive to cancer. A 2006 Italian study found that rats fed high daily doses of aspartame—the equivalent of nearly 3 liters for a 150-pound human—experienced higher levels of lymphomas, leukemia, and other types of cancer. Still, after reviewing the study, the FDA concluded that the results weren’t strong enough to warrant the confectionary chemical’s removal from the market.Where you’ll find it:Nutra-Sweet, Equal, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi

15. Scary Ingredient #12: 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.Why it’s scary: After forty years of scrutiny, research has yet to reach a definitive verdict on MSG. Studies have shown that injecting the amino acid into mice causes brain-cell damage, but the FDA believes these results are not typical for humans. Still, the administration fields complaints every year for nausea, headaches, chest pains, and weakness. It could be that the results are limited to people with acute MSG sensitivity, so the FDA continues to allow manufacturers to use it.Where you’ll find it: Hormel Chili, Hamburger Helper, Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing

16. Scary Ingredient #13: Nitrates and nitrites • Nitrogen-based compounds that are essential for digestion in small amounts. They occur naturally but are synthetically produced for use in fertilizer and as food additives. They’re commonly used to cure processed meats.Why they’re scary: Nitrates and nitrites have a tendency to fuse with amino acids to become carcinogenicnitrosamines. Ironically, the processed meats into which nitrates are commonly added are rich with amino acids, making nitrosamine formation very likely. In addition to concerns about cancer, increased nitrate and nitrite intake has been linked to deaths in Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s patients. Despite the risks, the valuable use of nitrates and nitrites as inhibitors of botulism warrant their acceptance as food additives in the eyes of the FDA.Where you’ll find it: Oscar Meyer hot dogs, Hormel bacon, Hillshire Farm deli meat

17. Scary Ingredient #14: Blue #2 • An artificial dye used to color food. It can be used alone or mixed with other dyes, and the goal is typically to suggest the appearance of natural food.Why it’s scary: A study published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest showed that the ingestion of Blue #2 led to increases in tumor development in the brain and mammary glands in lab rats. The FDA dismissed these findings, citing a variety of nebulous weaknesses in the study’s methods. The bottom line: whether or not artificial dyes are harmful, the foods they appear in are the most heavily processed, nutritionally bankrupt foods in the supermarket.Where you’ll find it: Fruit Loops, Skittles, Betty Crocker Rainbow Chip frosting

18. Scary Ingredient #15: Paraben • Parabens are used to prevent mold and yeast formation in food, and they’re also used in cosmetics and toothpaste. Although they exist in nature, the parabens used in commercial products are created synthetically.Why it’s scary: It’s been documented that parabens act as mild estrogens, and according to the Environmental Working Group, they can disrupt the natural balance of hormones in your body. In a Japanese study, male rats fed propylparaben daily for four weeks suffered lower testosterone production, and other studies have found parabenspresent in breast cancer tissues.Where you’ll find it: Baskin Robbins sundaes

19. A Few Others…

20. Artificial Colorings in Food • These additives don't add nutrient value, and some research suggests that some colorings may pose health dangers, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The risk is admittedly small, however, and the evidence often inconclusive. • Artificial colorings are often found in cereals, candies, sodas, and snack foods, especially those marketed to children. They will be noted on the ingredients list by their color name, such as Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, Red 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, and Orange B.

21. High Fructose Corn-Syrup • Compared to traditional sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup costs less to make, is sweeter to the taste, and mixes more easily with other ingredients. Today, we consume nearly 63 pounds of it per person per year in drinks and sweets, as well as in other products. High-fructose corn syrup is in many frozen foods. It gives bread an inviting, brown color and soft texture, so it’s also in whole-wheat bread, hamburger buns, and English muffins. It is in beer, bacon, spaghetti sauce, soft drinks, and even ketchup. • Research is beginning to suggest that this liquid sweetener may upset the human metabolism, raising the risk for heart disease and diabetes. Researchers say that high-fructose corn syrup’s chemical structure encourages overeating. It also seems to force the liver to pump more heart-threatening triglycerides into the bloodstream. In addition, fructose may zap your body’s reserves of chromium, a mineral important for healthy levels of cholesterol, insulin, and blood sugar. • To spot fructose on a food label, look for the words “corn sweetener,” “corn syrup,” or “corn syrup solids” as well as “high-fructose corn syrup.”

22. Hidden Sugars, as in Fructose, Sucrose, Dextrose • More and more packaged foods are sweetened with a baffling array of sugars, which add calories without boosting nutritional value. Ingredients that end in the word "ose" are all forms of sugar, as are honey and corn sweeteners. • A recent study at the University of California, Davis showed that these sweeteners had a similar metabolic effect to other forms of sugar. Still, all sweeteners add calories but few nutrients, and they can contribute to weight problems. • To know exactly how many grams of total sugar a product contains, check out the nutrient facts label. Four grams of sugar is the equivalent of a level teaspoon.

23. Hidden Sugars: Other Names for Sugar • Fruit juice concentrates • Glucose • High-fructose corn syrup • Honey • Invert sugar • Lactose • Maltose • Malt syrup • Molasses • Raw sugar • Sucrose • Sugar • Syrup • Agave nectar • Brown sugar • Cane crystals • Cane sugar • Corn sweetener • Corn syrup • Crystalline fructose • Dextrose • Evaporated cane juice • Fructose