These Foods Contain What??? That’s It, I’m Never Eating Again

 

No matter how much you want to eat an all-natural, organic lifestyle, sometimes the stress of life just makes you want some greasy, sugary processed food. That’s fine once in while, but our culture takes it a bit too far sometimes (“Mountain Dew Cheetos,” anyone?). The cost of easy, feel-good foods is higher than you think.

Processed food items made on a huge scale are full of icky, damaging chemicals, preservatives, and ingredients that can do a number on our general health. Once in a while you can get away with it, but if you’re go-to snack is full of chemicals you’re going to have to pay for it at some point.

Here are some common (and majorly gross) ingredients that are popular in your favorite processed snacks.

 

1.) High-fructose corn syrup: it tastes as good as sugar, it’s super cheap, and you can find it in almost anything. Take a gander at your favorite sweet treat, like cereal, soda, or ice cream, and you’re sure to see it on the ingredient list. The companies say it’s no more harmful than regular sugar, but leading researchers claim otherwise.

2.) Phosphoric acid has a home in your favorite carbonated beverage; it also has a home at junkyards and metal plants, where it’s used to remove rust from metal. Cheers!

3.) Xanthan gum, which is used for many sauces as a thickening agent (you’re sure to find it in your salad dressing), has bacterial components that are very similar to rotting vegetables. Appetizing!

4.) Polydimethylsiloxane can be found in many of your favorite fast foods. It can also be found in silly puddy and breast implants.

5.) Carmine (or cochineal) is a natural food dye that gives fruity drinks and yogurts their red coloring. All natural is good, right? Except that carmine is mostly made of crushed beetles. Yeah…not so much…

6.) Carrageenan is made from seaweed and is a popular ingredient for beer (yay beer!). It’s also a popular ingredient in sexy lubricants, because it helps prevent STDs from spreading (boo STDs!)

7.) Sorbitol is one of the things that gives sugar-free gum its sweetness, and it can even be found in toothpaste. But beware, too much sorbitol could have you running for the restroom: it’s a laxative at high doses.

8.) Gelatin is what makes Jell-o so fun and jiggly, and it’s also a main ingredient in gummy snacks. What’s gelatin made of? Goat bones. Seriously.