Carmine or Cochineal Extract

This additive is also known as Red #4. It's used to add a red color to foods. As red food coloring goes, this is one of the better choices, since it's natural and non-toxic. The additive is made from crushed bugs. While you may be able to get past the gross factor, some people are sensitive to the chemical. Also, it's not something a vegan or vegetarian wants to eat. It's commonly found in fruity drinks, yogurt, ice cream, and some fast food strawberry and raspberry shakes.

Dimethylpolysiloxane

Dimethylpolysiloxane is an anti-foaming agent derived from silicone found in a variety of foods, including cooking oil, vinegar, chewing gum, and chocolate. It's added to oil to prevent it from bubbling up when frozen ingredients are added, so it improves the safety and life of the product. While the risk of toxicity is considered low, it's not a chemical you'd ordinarily consider to be "food". It's also found in putty, shampoo, and caulk, which are products you certainly wouldn't want to eat.

Potassium Sorbate

Potassium sorbate is one of the most common food additives. It is used to inhibit the growth of mold and yeast in cakes, jellies, yogurt, jerky, bread, and salad dressing. For most products, any risk from the ingredient is considered to be lower than the health risk from ingesting mold. However, some companies are trying to phase out this additive from their product lines. If you find a product free of potassium sorbate, your best protection against yeast and mold is refrigeration, although refrigerating baked goods may change their texture.

Brominated Vegetable Oil

Brominated vegetable oil is used as a flavoring, to keep ingredients suspended evenly in a liquid, and to impart a cloudy appearance to some beverages. You'll find it in soft drinks and energy drinks, although it also found in non-food products, such as pesticide and hair coloring. Although considered relatively safe in small amounts, consuming multiple products (e.g., several sodas a day) can cause health problems. Elementalbromine is toxic and caustic.

BHA and BHT

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are two related chemicals used to preserve oils and fats. These phenolic compounds likely cause cancer, so they have been among the most reviled food additives for several years. They have been phased out of some foods, such as many potato chips, but are common in packaged baked foods and fatty frozen foods. BHA and BHT are sneaky additives because you'll still find them in packaging for cereal and candy, even if they aren't listed on the label as ingredients. Vitamin E is used as a safer substitute to preserve freshness.

The Danger of Food Additives and How They Affect Your Body

“ In general, the more food we eat in its natural state – without additives – and the less it is refined, the healthier it will be for us. Food can affect the mind, and deficiencies of certain elements in the body can promote mental depression. ” -Ezra Taft Benson

What is a food additive?

A substance added to food to enhance its flavor or appearance or to preserve it. Some old school additives are okay like salting or pickling, unfortunately these days most additives are artificial, chemical cocktails. Dangerous food additives can be found in most processed foods which make up the majority of American diets. The best ways to avoid food additives is to cut back on eating processed foods and instead focus your meals on whole, natural foods. If you decide to eat processed foods, choose organic varieties and make sure to read the label and avoid foods that contain additives.

The Danger of Food Additives

Research about the danger of food additives was published in the medical journal, The Lancet, in 2007 and revealed what anyone with a modicum of brain activity should have known already – there was a clear link between food and drink additives and hyperactive behavior in children. Scientists from the University of Southampton conducted the research on nearly 300 three-year old and eight year old children, none of whom suffered from hyperactivity disorder.

They drank a mixture of additives that reflected the average daily additive intake of a British child, and afterwards they were observed to become “ boisterous and lose concentration. ” They were not able to play with one toy or complete one task and they exhibited what was called “ impulsive behavior. ” The eight year olds were not able to complete a 15 minute computer exercise. Look at these findings in their entirety: the observed effects after drinking these chemical cocktails included hyperactive and compulsive behavior, making the children become boisterous and lose concentration, and not be able to play with one toy or complete one task.