Do you read the labels on food packages? Well it may be time to start, because we found that certain ingredients that are illegal in other countries are still allowed and widely used here in the United States. The List’s Teresa Strasser uncovered a list of additives to watch for in your food on the To Do List.
Potassium Bromate
It’s found in breads and pastries and while it does make them whiter and fluffier, the International Agency for Research on Cancer deemed it a possible carcinogen. It is thought to displace iodine from the body and in some studies has been shown to cause DNA damage.
rBGH
This growth hormone is given to cows to increase milk production but it’s use is banned in the European Union, Canada, and Japan. Some research has shown it increases IGF1 and IGF1 has been linked to an increased cancer risk in humans.
Brominated Vegetable Oil
Otherwise known as a flame retardant, it is also an ingredient used in sodas and sports beverages to keep the flavor from rising to the surface. It has been linked to cause inflammation, and both Pepsi and Coke hearing customer concerns have vowed to remove this additive from their products.
Azodicarbonamide
It’s used in the plastic for yoga mats and also in your food because it bleaches flour rapidly. Some studies show it is disrupter to the immune system and causes damage to the DNA. This additive got a lot of press recently when Subway removed it from their bread, but it can still be found in some frozen dinners and pasta mixes.
Special thanks to Dr. Suneil Jain of Rejuvena Health and Aesthetics.
