It’s well known that American food isn’t the healthiest food in the world, but what is certainly not as well known is what chemicals are going into that food. Different processed foods like cereal, microwave meals, savory snacks (like Cheetos or chips), snack cakes (like Twinkies or Swiss Rolls), and canned fruits and vegetables all contain additives and preservatives that make the food look prettier, and last longer in your pantry. The problem with these additives and preservatives is that they may be causing negative side effects to your body, both internally and externally.

There are many different types of chemicals that have been added into foods for years. The following are only a few examples of what can be found in processed foods, according to livehealthy.chron.com:

Sodium Benzoate:

This is a preservative used to prevent bacterial growth in foods. When combined with vitamin C, it creates ascorbic acid, which presents a small risk of causing cancer, including leukemia. Large doses of sodium benzoate, as seen in animal testing done by the World Health Organization, can cause internal organ damage, but human studies to prove this have been limited.

This is found in:  Vlasic pickles, Minute Maid Lemonade

Nitrates and Nitrites:

These are food preservatives found in meat products. They help prevent the oxidation of meats, keeping their red color and preventing bacteria from growing. The EPA notes that consuming nitrates may give you an increased risk of cancer, could cause diabetes and respiratory illnesses in children.

This is found in: hot dogs (Oscar Meyer brand), and other processed meats.

Antioxidant Preservatives:

Two example of these would be propyl gallate and tert-butylhydroquinone, which help prevent fats and oils from spoiling. These antioxidants (not the good kind) are found in processed foods, vegetable oil, and meat products. They also have been found to cause tumors and cancer in rats, but more research must be performed to make a conclusion about their effects in humans.

This is found in: Fruity Pebbles, Wheat Thins, and many different brands of gum.

Sulfites:

These are preservatives to prevent discoloration in food. Sulfites are usually found in fruit, wine, shrimp, and processed potato foods. People that are sensitive to sulfites may experience symptoms like hives, flushing, hypotension, and abdominal pain. At the moment, it is listed as “generally recognized as safe”.

This is found in: Fig Newtons, Sun Maid dried fruits.

Another type of food additive would be the different types of artificial food dyes. There is an approved list of food dyes allowed in American food from WebMD:

• FD&C Blue No. 1 (brilliant blue FCF)
• FD&C Blue No. 2 (indigotine)
• FD&C Green No. 3 (fast green FCF)
• FD&C Red No. 40 (allura red AC)
• FD&C Red No. 3 (erythrosine)
• FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine)
• FD&C Yellow No. 6 (sunset yellow)
• Orange B (restricted to use in hot dog and sausage casings)

The food dyes mentioned above must be placed on food labels as ingredients due to an increasing prevalence of food dye intolerance. Food dye intolerance is rather rare to find in people, but like gluten intolerance, it’s starting to show up more than expected.

These are found in: M&Ms, Fruit Loops, and basically anything unnaturally colored.

Aspartame:  

This chemical is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener most commonly used in soft drinks and different types of sweet food (like candy or snack cakes). It’s one of the most dangerous chemicals being put into food. According to articles.mercola.com, adverse effects from aspartame have accounted for seventy-five percent of adverse effects of preservatives in general. Some side effects of aspartame include: headaches/migraines, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, heart palpitations, joint pain, tinnitus (ringing in ears), and vertigo.

This is found in: Diet Coke (and many other diet sodas), Activia, Red Bull.

Everyone eats foods with additives and preservatives in them. It’s unavoidable in this country. However, if you can do your best to avoid the worst ones (like aspartame), and minimize your intake of these chemicals, you may just find yourself feeling less tired or sluggish the next day. There are many foods now gracing the market with no added dyes or preservatives. They may cost more, but they could save you from a stomachache or a headache.