extracted from : https://sureketo.com/food-additives
- We have listed the most common food additives that should be avoided on keto.
- Food products containing these additives will have a lower keto rating.
- Use this as a reference when checking the ingredients of your food.
1. Sodium Nitrate
Commonly Used As:
Preservative and color fixative in cured meats and poultry.
Health Hazards:
Linked to increased deaths from Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, stomach cancer, and Parkinson's disease.
Source:
2. Sodium Nitrite
Commonly Used As:
Pink shade coloring for processed meats.
Health Hazards:
Classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Source:
3. Sulfites
Commonly Used As:
Preservative in dried potato, preserved radish, and dried fruits.
Also known as Sulfur Dioxide, Potassium Metabisulfite, Potassium Bisulfate, Potassium Sulfite, Sodium Bisulfate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite
Health Hazards:
Common allergen for asthmatics.
Could be fatal for people allergic to sulfites.
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4. Azodicarbonamide
Commonly Used As:
Flour bleaching agent and dough conditioner.
Health Hazards:
Identified as a possible asthma agent.
Banned in the European Union as a food additive.
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5. Potassium Bromate
Commonly Used As:
Flour improver in baked goods.
Health Hazards:
Classified as category 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Banned from use in food products in European Union, Brazil, Canada, and Argentina.
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6. BHA/BHT
Commonly Used As:
Antioxidant used to preserve fats and oils.
Commonly seen in lard, potato chips, preserved meat, baked goods, and many foods with added fats.
Health Hazards:
Classified as 'reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen' by the Department of Health and Human Services.
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7. Propyl Gallate
Commonly Used As:
An antioxidant often used with BHT and BHAT to slow down the spoilage of fats.
Health Hazards:
Linked to brain cancer in rat studies.
Source:
8. Propylene Glycol
Commonly Used As:
Thickener in coffee-based drinks, ice cream, liquid sweeteners, soda, and whipped dairy products.
Health Hazards:
Identified as a contact allergen.
Was named as the 'Allergen of the Year' for 2018 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.
Source:
9. Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)
Commonly Used As:
Preservative for edible animal fats and unsaturated vegetable oils.
Health Hazards:
Prolonged exposure and high doses may be carcinogenic, especially for stomach tumors.
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10. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)
Commonly Used As:
A synthetic hormone injected to cows to increase milk production.
Health Hazards:
Linked to increase production of IGF-1 and development of colorectal, prostate, breast, and other cancers.
Banned in Canada and Europe
Source:
11. Sodium Benzoate / Potassium Benzoate
Commonly Used As:
Preservative in carbonated drinks, salad dressings, fruit juices, condiments, and jams.
Health Hazards:
May form into benzene when combined with ascorbic acid. Benzene is classified as a carcinogen.
Source:
12. Carrageenan
Commonly Used As:
Emulsifier in desserts, cream, milkshakes, yogurts, salad dressings, and other food products.
Health Hazards:
Linked to gut inflammation, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn Disease.
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13. Enriched Flour
Commonly Used As:
Flour used in most procesed cakes, cookies, bread, cereal, and pasta.
Health Hazards:
Can spike blood sugar and insulin levels quickly since it has a high glycemic index.
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14. Modified Starch
Commonly Used As:
Emulsifier and stabilizer for baked goods, candies, yogurt, ice creams, and meats.
Health Hazards:
Provokes inflammatory response in the body; Linked to increased stroke risk.
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15. Blue #1
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in baked goods, candies, drugs, and other food products.
Health Hazards:
Linked to kidney tumors in rat studies.
Potentially neurotoxic. Not recommended for pregnant women or babies under the age of 6 months.
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16. Blue #2
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in beverages, candies, drugs and other food products.
Health Hazards:
Linked to brain tumors in rat studies.
Does not have a convincing evidence for safe human consumption.
Source:
17. Citrus Red #2
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in fruits.
Health Hazards:
Classified as a bladder carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Source:
18. Green #3
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in candies, beverages, dessert, ice cream and other food products.
Health Hazards:
Linked to testes tumor in rat studies.
Further testing is required for its safe use.
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19. Orange B
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in frankfurter and sausage casings.
Health Hazards:
Linked to chronic nephritis in rat studies.
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20. Red #3
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in maraschino cherries, sausage casings, oral drugs, baked goods, and candies.
Health Hazards:
Linked to cancer in rat studies.
Source:
21. Red #40
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs.
Most used food coloring.
Health Hazards:
Linked to accelerated appearance of tumors in rat studies.
Linked to hyperactivity in children.
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22. Yellow #5
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in beverages, bakery goods, gelatin desserts, and other food products.
Health Hazards:
Might cause mild to severe hypersensitivity reactions.
Source:
23. Yellow #6
Commonly Used As:
Food coloring used in beverages, bakery goods, gelatin desserts, and other food products.
Health Hazards:
Might cause mild to severe hypersensitivity reactions especially on children.
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