Top 10 Worst Ingredients in Processed Food
Nowadays, processed foods have been ubiquitous in most of our daily eating habits—hotdogs, bacon, packed cookies and puddings, cereals—mostly found in the groceries. There are always added ingredients in processed foods to keep unspoiled over time, fresh, colorful and even tasty. Reading the label is very significant in order to avoid eating unhealthy processed foods. The best way to have a healthy lifestyle is to eat healthy foods—natural and organic foods that do not have any suspicious ingredients.
Here are the top ten worst ingredients that are mostly found in processed foods:
1. Artificial Flavors
In most candies, cereals, jellies and packed pastries, artificial flavors are the top ingredients that seem to improve the taste of these foods. But are you not curious what these artificial flavors really are and are they really necessary in the food? For example, artificial-flavored strawberry contains almost 50 chemical ingredients—it is the manufacturer’s way to reduce cost from using real strawberries. There are researches made that consuming processed food with artificial flavors may lead to Alzheimer’s disease and can affect brain health.
2. Partially Hydrogenated Oil
Processed foods with partially hydrogenated oil have long shelf life and are very cheap in the market. Manufacturers make use of such unhealthy ingredients to reduce cost in the oil and to improve the taste and flavor. Partially hydrogenated oil is very unhealthy for the heart because it triggers bad cholesterol and it leads to the deterioration of the cells. It is also a very high source for trans fat that is known to degrade one’s healthy, especially the heart.
3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Almost all processed foods contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that is said to be an alternative to salt. MSG has the capability to gradually damage our health, and it is a known excitotoxin, a toxin that overstimulates the cells. It also causes damage to the brain if over consumed, and it can trigger Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Most processed meat, frozen dinners, chips and salad dressings contain MSG.
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup
Processed foods such as fruit jam and peanut butter contain high fructose corn syrup, which is a low-cost alternative to sugars for the manufacturers. This ingredient is a high form of glucose that has a chemical known as leptin—a hormone that is responsible for brain damage tissue. High fructose corn syrup is claimed to have toxic mercury level. Although, the latter does not any scientific basis, the bottom line is that high intake of sugar is unhealthy for your body. Too much sugar can damage your liver because the liver is the only organ that can filter out excess sugar. It is the same thing as too much alcohol consumption.
5. Potassium Bromate
Most white breads have potassium bromate, an unhealthy ingredient that can cause cancer. It is used to produce a finely crumbed bread and to make it even fluffier. Some manufacturers hide this harmful ingredient by labeling it as other names such as malted barley or simply bromate. Double-check the labels in the bread to avoid potassium bromate.
6. Artificial Sweeteners
A cheap alternative to sugar is the artificial sweetener, most especially the aspartame. It is said to have zero caloric content compared to sugar, and most processed foods that are labeled as zero-free, have artificial sweeteners. This ingredient is neurotoxin that destroys the natural structure of processing amino acid in the body, as it can destroy the cells in your body, producing the same toxic cellular excitement with MSG. Artificial sweeteners are unhealthy to the normal bowel movement because the amino acids hinder the digestive enzymes.
7. Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate
Most packed fruit juices, pickles, mayonnaise and carbonated drinks have common unhealthy ingredients that obstruct growth of microorganisms—sodium benzoate and benzoic acid. These ingredients when combined with Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid, can lead to cancer and leukemia. It is better to avoid drinking acidic beverages and food that contain sodium benzoate in order to reduce the risk of cancer.
8. Artificial Colors/Food Coloring
Candies, fruit juices, ice cream, cereals, packed pastries usually have artificial coloring in the label. It is used to enhance the color of the food, making it brighter to attract the attention of children. This ingredient is found to have an adverse effect on children—hyperactivity and attention deficit. Too much food colorings in the body can trigger tumors in the immune system. Avoid sweets and packed pastries containing artificial coloring.
9. Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite
Most packed luncheon meats, hotdogs and bacon have sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrite to prolong shelf life. These ingredients are leading cause of cancers in the brain, stomach, esophagus and bladder. Adverse effects of eating foods with such harmful ingredients are headache, vomiting, nausea and dizziness. Deli meats are usually the main culprits of containing sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite.
10. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Antioxidant preservatives such as the BHA and BHT are used by manufacturers to keep the potato chips, cereals and chewing gums fresh and unspoiled. This is a way for the manufacturers to gain more profit by putting low-cost ingredients that can lengthen shelf life. These ingredients are very harmful when consumed over five grams and they can lead to certain cancers in the stomach, colon, kidney, liver and pancreas. Avoid processed or packed foods containing BHA and BHT to lessen the risk of cancer, growth retardation among children and behavioral problems.