Toxic Chemicals Commonly Found in Food

It's important to be aware of the ingredients in the beauty products you slather on your body and the ingredients in food products you happily ingest. While most people know that processed foods with added colors are a "no-no" for you health and your waistline there are a host of other ingredients hidden in common household foods.

• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Increases triglycerides
• Leads to plaque buildup and narrowing of blood vessels
• Speeds up the aging process
• Boosts fat storing hormones
• Drives people to over eat and gain weight
• Artificial Sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, sucralose)
• KNOWN CARCINOGENS
• May lead to: brain tumors, diseases like lymphoma, diabetes, MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, emotional disorders, depression, anxiety attacks, dizziness, headaches, and seizures

• Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Benzoate
• Added to soda to prevent mold from growing
• Linked with thyroid damage
• KNOWN CARCINOGENS
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydrozyttoluene (BHT)
• Potentially cancer-causing preservative that prevents spoilage and keeps food from changing color and flavor
• "Toluene" is found in nail polish and I definitely would not want to ingest nail polish

• Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow Artificial Colors
• Linked to thyroid, adrenal, bladder, kidney, and brain cancers in lab animals

• Sodium Sulfite
• Preservative used in wine-making and other processed foods
• 1 in 100 people are sensitive to sulfites in foods and a majority of these individuals are asthmatic which may suggest a link between asthma and sulfites. 
• Sodium Nitrates and Sodium Nitrites
• Found in processed meats, bacon, lunch meat, and hot dogs
• Linked to colon cancer and metabolic syndrome
• Can lead to diabetes
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Flavor enhancer than has proven to disrupt brain chemistry

• Potassium Bromate
• Additive used to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls
• Causes cancer in animals
• Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
• Emulsifier in soda and sports drinks which prevents the flavoring from separating and floating to the surface
• Banned in more than 100 countries because it contains bromine which is a chemical whose vapors can be corrosive or toxic
• Used as an additive for gasoline

• Azodicarbonamide
• "yoga-mat" chemical which Subway restaurants removed from their bread
• Chemical can be found in yoga-mats, shoe rubber, etc
• Linked to respiratory issues, allergies, and asthma
• Creates a carcinogen called urethane during the baking process

Image from: The Portland Intelligencer

Although small amounts probably won't kill you they add up over time. Hopefully this information sparks an interest to read food labels and live a healthier lifestyle.

*Ingredient info from "The Good, The Bad, The Edible" by Kristin Cavallari on the KristenCav app

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