12 Poisons We Eat

It is already a known fact that food supplements give food a pleasant taste but are harmful to health. Numerous studies have shown that they can cause cancer and other diseases. Here are a few that are used in the food industry and which it is still desirable to avoid. Their content must be indicated on the packaging of the products.

Sodium nitrite

In the list of the most dangerous food additives in the first place is sodium nitrite, which is used in the manufacture of meat products - bacon, smoked meats, sausages, dried sausages and provides a natural red color and pleasant taste. Sodium nitrite stops the growth of bacteria. However, under high temperature conditions, for example when grilling, it becomes a chemically active compound that can cause a tumor.

Butyloxyanisole

Butyloxyanisole is an antioxidant that is added to prevent oxidation of products, rancidity of fats and oils. This substance can be found in a diverse range of products - from vegetable oil to chewing gum and chips. Butyloxyanisole is unstable and can become another cancer-causing substance in the body.

Propyl gallate

Also an antioxidant that is similar to butyloxyanisole and is used with it in products. Although its link to cancer risk has not been proven, experts recommend avoiding the products it contains.

Sodium glutamate

This is an amino acid that has the property of enhancing the taste of the product by affecting the sensitivity of the receptors on the tongue. It is used as an additive in salad dressings, soups, chips, frozen semi-finished products and in restaurants.
In some people, this supplement can cause headaches and nausea, and research has shown that it damages nerve cells.
After consuming foods flavored with sodium glutamate, ordinary food looks tasteless.

 

Trans fats

Excessive consumption of trans fats (eg margarine, deep fryer fat) can lead to heart disease. They create conditions for an increased risk of heart attack, renal failure, vascular diseases. The daily "dose" should not exceed 2 years. Food manufacturers are increasingly abandoning the use of trans fats, but they are still used in large quantities in the network of fast food restaurants.

Aspartame

Aspartame is a substance used in the preparation of dietary products such as low-calorie desserts, mixed and carbonated beverages. Used as a sweetener instead of regular sugar. It is a combination of two amino acids and methanol. Hundreds of scientific studies prove that aspartame is not harmful. But some experts have relied on two studies on experimental animals in 1970 and 2007 that found a link between it and cancer. Aspartame may be harmful for some groups of people, especially those with phenylketonuria, as it contains the substance phenylalanine.

Potassium acesulfame

Potassium acesulfame is a relatively new sweetener that has been used in carbonated beverages since 1998. It is also used in gelatin desserts, chewing gum and some others. This substance is 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. Some studies show that it can cause cancer, but the data are not clear.

Dyes

Harmful food dyes have long been banned, but there are at least five more that prove the likelihood of cancer in animal tests. Therefore, experts generally advise to avoid choosing products with colorants.
Most dyes are actually harmless and are made from natural ingredients. Harmful colorants are usually found in candies, sweets, drinks, sauces, gelatin products.

Olestra

It is a substance that replaces fat and does not contain calories. It passes through the digestive tract without being digested. Its negative side is due to the fact that it suppresses in addition to the absorption of fats and other trans fats and nutrients that have the ability to reduce the risk of heart disease.

 

Potassium bromate is
now rarely used, but still found in the preparation of bakery and other white flour pasta. Once in the body, it immediately becomes another substance that increases the risk of tumors.
In the state of California, for example, the label must indicate its contents and a warning that the product may be dangerous.

 

White sugar

White sugar in pasta, sauces and other foodstuffs should be avoided. Large amounts of white sugar are harmful to health and can impair digestion, in addition to harming dental health and leading to weight problems. Sugar should not exceed more than 10% of the total daily calorie intake. Unfortunately, the portion of sugar often amounts to 20-40%.

 

Sodium chloridee

A common salt that is added to almost any product. It is true that a small amount of sodium chloride is needed by the body, but any excess can upset the cardiovascular system, impair kidney function, increase blood pressure and the risk of heart attack.