Top Five Additives to Avoid in Your Diet

In order to stay healthy and active, it's as important to see a physician regularly as it is to have a balanced and health-promoting diet. However, with health concerns rising, consumers are becoming more aware of what's in their food, including potentially harmful additives. Here are five top additives that shouldn't be part of a healthy diet.

High Fructose Corn Syrup 

In recent years, high fructose corn syrup has made a name for itself for all the wrong reasons. This highly refined sweetener is one of the number one sources of calories in an American diet. Unfortunately, this syrup is essentially just another form of sugar, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, tissue damage, and an increase in cholesterol.

Artificial Sweeteners

Although artificial sweeteners are calorie-free, they may be damaging in other ways. Aspartame has been linked to depression and anxiety and can have negative effects on one's gut flora. These sweeteners have also been attributed to weight gain, which should be addressed by qualified caregivers.

Trans Fat

In recent years, trans fat has been added to many processed food products to extend shelf life. Sadly, what is traded off for long shelf life is consumers' health. Trans fat is found in deep-fried fast foods and has been shown to increase LDL ("bad" cholesterol) while decreasing HDL ("good" cholesterol). In fact, many nations, such as Denmark, have forbidden products from their shelves if they contain trans fatty exceeding 2 percent.

Sodium Nitrate

For those who consume many highly processed types of meat, sodium nitrate may be what's for dinner. This preservative adds coloring and flavoring to meats such as bacon, ham, hot dogs, and even smoked fish. Sodium nitrate has been found to be carcinogenic in the human digestive system. The USDA attempted to ban this additive in the 1970s, but the effort was vetoed by food manufacturers.

Potassium Bromate

This additive is used to increase the volume of many types of bread, rolls, or even white flour itself. Unfortunately, potassium bromate is known to cause cancer in several animals, and small amounts can have negative effects on humans, as well.

Dietary factors may be overwhelming and alarming, but proper guidance can help. If you want help getting started, contact Razi Medical Group online today or call us at (760) 245-6106.