Aspartame:

This chemical sweetener has the longest list of complaints the FDA has ever received – over 3,000. Aspartame also goes under such brands as NutraSweet and Equal. Symptoms associated with aspartame sensitivity can range from rashes, mild depression, headaches, nausea, ringing ears, vertigo and insomnia to loss of motor control, loss or change of taste, slurred speech, memory loss, blurred vision, blindness, suicidal depression and seizures.

Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO):

A potentially dangerous additive for some people, BVO is used as an emulsifier in some foods and as a clouding agent in many popular soft drinks. Bromate, the main ingredient of BVO, is a poison. Just two to four ounces of a 2 percent solution of BVO can severely poison a child.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT):

Used to prevent fats, oils and fat-containing foods from becoming rancid, BHA or BHT is often added to food packaging materials. Researchers report BHA in the diet of pregnant mice results in brain enzyme changes in their offspring including a 50% decrease in brain cholinesterase, which is responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses. BHA and BHT also affect the animals sleep, levels of aggression, and weight. The authors of the study speculate that BHA and BHT can affect the normal sequence of neurological development in young animals too. Many consumers eat nearly 20 milligrams or more of BHA or BHT daily. Babies who are beginning to eat solid foods are estimated to ingest as much as eight milligrams per day.

Citrus Red Dye No. 2:

Used to color orange skins, Citrus Red Dye No. 2 is a probable carcinogen and may cause chromosomal damage. Some experts content that this compound does not migrate from the orange skin onto the pulp but the FDA has recommended a ban. Its continued use should be one more reason to seek organically grown foods.

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Food Dyes

• Blue #1 – has been known to cause chromosomal damage and death from tube feedings
• Red #3 – has been known to cause cancerous thyroid tumors
• Yellow #5 – has most reports on serious damage including asthma and anaphylactic shock
• Red #40 – has been known to cause DNA damage to the colon, developmental toxicity and behavioral toxicity in animals, and damage to the reproductive system.

For more information on Food Dyes

Monosodium glutamate:

Also known as MSG monosodium glutamate is a “flavor enhancer” often found in fast food, processed food, and package food. Sensitivity symptoms include headaches, flushing of the skin, tightness of the chest, heart palpitations, and nausea. MSG masquerades under many other names. A good resource is www.MSGtruth.org.

Nitrates:

Nitrates are used as preservatives in cured meats such as bacon, ham, and smoked fish to prevent spoilage. Nitrates form cancer causing compounds known as nitrosamines in the gastrointestinal tract. They have been associated with human cancer and birth defects.

Saccharin:

Still widely used as an artificial sweetener in soft drinks , this additive is a possible human carcinogen. Every packet of Sweet ‘n Low has forty milligrams of saccharin.

Sulfur Dioxide, Sodium Bisulfite, and Sulfites:

These are used to preserve foods such as dried fruits to prevent them from drying and stiffening, and are also used on shrimp and frozen potatoes. The FDA has received hundreds of letters reporting adverse reaction in asthma sufferers who have consumed food with sulfating agents. At least four deaths caused by acute reaction to sulfates have been reported to the FDA.

Tertiary Butyhydroquinone (TBHQ):

This chemical is often used along with BHA or BHT to spray the insides of cereal and cheese packages. TBHQ, which is toxic at extremely low doses, has been implicated in childhood behavioral problems. It is mainly found in candy bars, baking sprays, and fast foods. It is a preservative used in the frying oils in most restaurants.

Yellow Dye No. 6:

Used in mac & cheese mixes, candy and carbonated beverages, Yellow Dye No. 6 increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in rats. It may also cause chromosomal damage as well as allergic reactions. It has been banned in Norway and Sweden.

Allan D Leiberman, MD, FAAEM, Diplomate, American Board of Environmental Medicine Member, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Food Additives Are A Dangerous Business.

One of the greatest long term problems health conscious individuals face is the pervasive contamination of American’s food supply, not to mention the pollution of the air and water. For decades, the FDA and other government agencies have allowed the food industry to process its products with hundreds of questionably safe chemicals such as pesticides, industrial pollutants, dyes, stabilizers, and preservatives as well as antibiotics, hormones and other drugs given to animals. The long term consequences of ingesting these chemicals are still a gloomy issue. Many experts believe that a life time ingestion of these chemicals can play a major role in causing cancer, neurotoxicity, birth defects, decreased immune function, food allergies, behavior and learning problems, chemical sensitivity and pre-mature aging.

Pesticides:

Over 400 pesticides are currently licensed for use on America’s food every year over 2.5 billion pounds are dumped on crop lands, forest, lawns and fields. In a single meal a person would easily consume resides of a dozen different neurotoxic or carcinogenic chemicals.

Additives:

Approximately 2,000 food additive-artificial colors, artificial flavors, stabilizing agents, textures, sweeteners, antimicrobials, and antioxidants are currently permitted in America’s food supply by the FDA. Studies show that many additives may be carcinogenic. The average American eats about 14 pounds of additives each year. Between 1979 and 1983, the New York City public schools banned all synthetic colorings, flavorings, and the preservatives BHA and BHT in food in their schools. Students scholastic achievement test scores rose by nearly 20%. Previously, student performance never varied more than 1%.

Summary:

We are exposed to more chemicals in far greater concentrations from every source imaginable, than any previous generation. Everyday products such as gasoline, paint, household cleansers, cosmetics, pesticides, and dry cleaning fluid also pose a serious threat because the body cannot easily break them down. People now carry within their bodies a modern-day chemical cocktail. As the earth becomes more and more populated, the body inadvertently becomes a filter that “traps” more and more of these pollutants. As these toxins “bio-accumulate” you are at higher and higher risk.

Excerpts for “Alternative Medicine”, The Definitive Guide. Future Medicine Publishing.