Sneaky Common Food Additives You Should Be Avoiding

The following article is written by Katrina Evans.  She is a follower of Healthy You Nutrition Blog and was interested in being a guest blogger.   See what Katrina has to say regarding common food additives and the possible health risks they possess.  Katrina brings up some good points regarding some of the foods below and she even included links to studies she found.  Don’t be afraid to eat these foods but rather use this information to decide how often you want to include them in your diet.  For example, since I am a vegetarian I eat soy quite often so I should take the time to find out how my soy products are processed and the source of their origin.

Katrina Evans is a recent college graduate and major foodie aspiring to write with a purpose. In the name of health and wellness, she especially enjoys making a difference in the lives of others seeing how devastating cancer can be for people and their families. Katrina also reads all the time, works to stay fit, and listens to cool podcasts.

Sneaky Common Food Additives You Should Be Avoiding

Healthy living can be a difficult pursuit if you don't know what kind of things you should avoid. It's too simple to say that healthy living is about exercising and eating right. There are facts you should be aware of regarding food additives.

Soy

Long exalted as a health food, soy is beginning to reveal its true colors. It’s not the soy itself that is harmful, but it’s all in how soy is processed. New science is finding that soy is toxically estrogenic, particularly to related tissues, and dramatically increases your cancer risk. Soy's isoflavones, thought to be their main beneficial constituent, even prevent the thyroid from producing its respective hormones. These things make soy an endocrine disruptor. Also, more than 90 percent of non-organic soybeans are genetically modified. The process has been associated with cancer, genetic damage, hormonal disorders and other problems.

Sugar

Sugar is the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing. It tastes good, but is so bad for you. One thing it does is inhibit vitamin C absorption. It also contributes to weight gain and insulin resistance. Sugar even hinders your immune system, which is particularly serious for cancer. Studies found that it promoted systemic inflammation which immune cells would then attack. Meanwhile, bacteria, viruses and tumors proliferate while the immune system is distracted.

Chemical Sweeteners

From Time Health, popular among dieters and diabetics, these imposters aren't as harmless as they seem. People who consume them frequently complain of side effects like headache, nausea, gas, bloating, diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Studies have also linked them to problems like cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, premature birth, neurodegenerative disorders and kidney disease. They also cause elevated blood sugar and damage the brain's appetite control system.

Vegetable Oils

Polyunsaturated fats like canola, sunflower, soy and corn are highly susceptible to oxidation and are rancid long before you ever buy them. Rancidity promotes inflammation and increases your body's antioxidant requirements. Bad news if you're eating sugar, too. They are especially damaging to the lungs and reproductive system and also cause chromosomal damage, gout, liver disease, mental problems and immune suppression.

Salt

Salt isn't inherently bad for you. It's the form of the salt that is causes problems. Table salt and even some "sea salt" is highly processed until nothing remains but sodium chloride. Salt in its natural form contains essential trace minerals that buffer the effects of sodium, even if large amounts are eaten. Sodium chloride is associated with high blood pressure, nutrient deficiencies and increases cardiovascular strain.

Yes, some harmful additives are sneaky indeed, however, a little of your own research can go a long way to help you look out for these. It’s not a bad idea to find out specifics like, what is mesothelioma, thyroid cancer, or the cause of kidney cancer what exactly are “processed foods” that have harmful additives that I should look out for? Try this quick and dirty tip for reading food labels: Whatever you don’t understand…look it up! It might be harmful to your health.