5 Food Additives and Preservatives to Avoid

Check these ingredients before you buy groceries and try to avoid them as much as possible. Food additives that may cause health issues for some people include:

• Soy containing products: are linked to hormonal imbalance. Because soy can have estrogenic properties, its effects can vary depending on the existing level of hormones in the body.

• Nitrates and Nitrites which are a preservative, carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines can form during cooking meat with high heat. Look for E249

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) E621 and other flavour enhancers MSG consumption has also been associated with weight gain and metabolic syndrome.

• Artificial sweetener - Aspartame: foods containing aspartame and aspartame-acesulfame salt E951

• TransFats: Cutting processed foods out of your diet is the easiest and most effective way to decrease your trans-fat intake. consuming trans fats has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.

Finally, verify the Expiry Date to ensure that you are purchasing fresh, and valid food products.

Takeout Message

When you go grocery shopping, start reading the ingredient labels to take charge of your nutrition and learn what's truly in your favourite goods. Additionally, to limit your intake of food additives, try eliminating processed and packaged meals from your diet and replacing them with fresh foods.

References: 1, 2, 3