10 food ingredients that you should avoid - and why!
Channel: Jonas Kuehne MD
Date: 2023-08-19

1. Artificial sweeteners.
We are talking about aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, acesulfame-K, neotame and in Europe, cyclamate.
They massively disrupt the gut Microbiome, causing weight gain and obesity, and are suspected carcinogens, as well as known to increase mortality in general.
 2. Artificial food colors.
We are talking about colors followed by numbers on the label, for example blue 1, red 40, etc. They contain petroleum and are manufactured in a chemical process that includes formaldehyde, aniline, hydroxide and sulfuric acid. Impurities, like lead, arsenic, and mercury may be present as well. 
We have known that they exacerbate symptoms of ADHD and autism in children since the 1970s and the neurotoxic effect of artificial food colors is known since 2011. 
Yet, to date, the FDA still allows them as they have not yet had time to study their effects on children. Artificial food colors are banned in several countries, or must include warning labels in the European Union, for example.
 3. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and its evil cousin butylated hydroxytoluene are frequently added to cereals, gum, baked goods, butter, potato chips etc. to prevent fats from oxidizing. 
And while the FDA - no surprise – considers them safe, the NIH recognizes them as possible carcinogens, and California lists BHA as a carcinogen on prop 65. 
They are also endocrine disruptors. 
A reasonable alternative is vitamin E.
Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have banned BHA and BHT, recognizing their link to cancer, hormone disruption, and impaired black clotting.
 4. Potassium Bromate
This is added frequently to flour to strengthen the dough and make it rise higher. Unfortunately, it’s classified as a possible human carcinogen and is banned in Europe and Canada. 
In the US it is often listed as “bromated flour”.
 5. Titanium Dioxide 
This is a white pigment used to make colors brighter in foods and in paint. 
The European Union labels titanium dioxide as “not safe for human consumption” and the WHO classifies it as a “possible carcinogen”. California is currently suing the makers of Skittles(R) for containing titanium dioxide. 
The industry claims that the amounts used in foods and cosmetics are small, and the type of titanium dioxide particles used is too big to be absorbed. 
 6. Seed Oils
We are talking here about soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, etc. They are also called vegetable oils. These oils are made in chemical plants often using extractants like hexane to extract the oils. The sludge is then chemically deodorize and clarified. These oils are very high in omega-6 linoleic acid and are linked to inflammation and heart disease, as well as mitochondrial damage. There is a strong correlation to cancer, obesity, and autoimmune disorders since the widespread introduction of these oils. The American Heart Association continues to promote the use of these oils as they have shown to lower LDL cholesterol. This is very misguided in my opinion.
 7. MSG
Monosodium Glutamate, a flavor enhancer, is linked to CNS disorders, obesity and liver damage, although the data are not completely consistent here. 
Compared to other problematic ingredients, MSG is lower on my list, however, since it is mostly present in ultra-processed foods that I am trying to avoid, I usually don’t consume much of it.
 8. Hydrogenated Oils
Margarine, vegetable shortening, fried foods, coffee creamers, and other processed foods can contain hydrogenated oils, also known as trans fats. 
They are so bad that even the FDA has banned them to some extent. They are linked to heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disease.
 9. High Fructose Corn Syrup 
High fructose corn syrup is extremely high in calories and made artificially from corn starch. In a chemical process, glucose is partially converted to fructose. 
As 90% of corn in the United States is GMO and sprayed with glyphosate, you may expect some chemicals in there as well. 
It is mostly used in sodas, candies and fast foods, so in my opinion, fairly easy to avoid.
 10. Bleached Flour
The flour is first refined, so the wheat grain is stripped of its bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm, which is then milled and bleached with chlorine gas or benzoyl peroxide. So the flour has less nutrients and may contain some chemicals from the beaching process. Also, if it’s not labeled organic, it likely has some glyphosate in it.

#ArtificialSweeteners
#FoodColorAdditives
#BHAandBHT
#PotassiumBromate
#TitaniumDioxide
#SeedOils
#MSGDangers
#HydrogenatedOils
#HighFructoseCornSyrup
#BleachedFlour
#FoodToxicity
#HiddenIngredients
#FoodIndustryTruths
#HealthAwareness
#EatingClean