If you are also a typical American, stoking up your pantry with all the processed and prepackaged foods, you might be worried about the safety factor of food additives.

1. Increase The Risk
Of Developing
Cancer

2. If you are also a typical American, stoking up your pantry
with all the processed and prepackaged foods, you might be
worried about the safety factor of food additives.
Quite obvious, it is!

3. Over the years, safety issues of food additives have become
a cause of concern. Starting from trans fats to food
dyes, there is a question raised over the use of these
additives – can any of these cause cancer?

4. While cancer specialists might not be able to give you a
conclusive response, it is true that most additives have
carcinogenic properties.
A scare over all these food additives has started lingering in
the kinds of people for long after doctors and researchers
determined that there is every reason to fear.
It may take years, or may be a few decades, to actually dig
out the truth. But, dubious thoughts and speculations have
led to a fear that does not subside.

5. Artificial food coloring, also called food dyes or chemical
dyes are used for coloring foods and beverages. There
are many variations of processed
foods, condiments, and beverages giving artificial colors
in them.
These foods are increasingly controversial because of
worsening symptoms like hyperactivity in kids and
asthma. Cancer specialists recommend that it would be
best to avoid food colors to the maximum, though it is
not possible to eliminate it completely.

6. Corn syrup containing high amount
of fructose is basically a sweetener
derived from corn. It is sweeper and
usually cheaper than regular
sucrose, which is sugar derived from
sugar cane.
It is used as an additive in many
processed foods, not only sweets.
Most of the non-diet beverages or
soft drinks are sweetened using high
fructose corn syrup.

7. Aspartame is also a commonly used artificial sweetener
that is known by several brand names, including
NutraSweet and Equal. It is mainly used as an additive
for sweetening diet drinks.
Various concerns are raised about this additive since the
time it was introduced in the market in 1981. Recently, it
is suspected to be a cause of cancer. There are reports
revealing that aspartame can cause
headaches, seizures, reduced mental awareness and
mood swings.

8. MSG looks like crystals of sugar or salt. It is a naturally
occurring chemical glutamate that does not have any
flavor, but is used to enhance tastes, having a savory flavor.
Soybeans, tomatoes, and seaweed are some of the common
examples of foods containing natural glutamate. MSG is
commonly used as an additive in various foods.
MSG is a controversial additive because it tends to have a
bad reaction leading to allergies and cancers of the
stomach.

9. Sodium benzoate is added to foods in the form of a
preservative. It is used in foods as well as drinks. Apart from
the fact that it adds artificial color to the food, it may also
increase hyperactivity in children. Sodium benzoate used in
soft drinks can react with vitamin C to create
benzene, which is a carcinogenic compound.
With so many researches and studies to prove the harmful
effects of food additives, cancer specialists hold that it is
best to avoid additives and go for all natural and whole
foods.