Additives are placed in foods for a number of reasons: to lengthen shelf life; to make a food more appealing by enhancing color, texture, or taste; to facilitate food preparation; or to otherwise make the product more marketable. Certain additives, like aspertame (NutraSweet), are made synthetically.

Although many additives are used in very small amounts, it has been estimated that the average American consumes about 5 pounds of additives per year. If you include sugar - the food processing industry's most used additive - the number jumps to 135 pounds a year. Anyone whose diet is high in processed products clearly consumes a significant amount of additives and artificial ingredients.

At their best, additives and artificial ingredients simply add little or no nutritional value to a food product. At their worst, additives pose a threat to your health. The history of additive use includes a number of products that were once deemed safe but later were banned or allowed to be used only if accompanied by warnings. The artificial sweeteners cyclamate and saccharin are just two examples of such products. Other additives, like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame, are used without warnings, but have been known to cause problems ranging from headaches and diarrhea to confusion, memory loss, and seizures. See Is Aspartame A Safe Sugar Substitute for more information.

The number of food additives now in use is staggering. To learn more about these substances, you can obtain these books:

Safe Food: Eating Wisely in a Risky World
By Michael Jacobson

Eater's Digest: The Consumer's Factbook Of Food Additives
By Michael Jacobson

Unsafe At Any Meal
By Earl Mindell

Unsafe At Any Meal: How To Avoid Hidden Toxins In Your Food
By Earl Mindell

• Guidelines For Selecting & Preparing Foods
  
• Avoid Foods That Contain Additives & Artificial Ingredients
  
• Is Aspartame A Safe Sugar Substitute
  
• Increase Your Consumption of Raw Produce
  
• Avoid Overcooking Your Foods
  
• Use Proper Cooking Utensils
  
• Limit Your Use of Salt

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LINKS

KidSource.com: Hazards At The Plate? Children & Food Safety Risk

Food Additives Safety

FDA EAFUS: A Food Additive Database

Artificial Food Additives Linked To Attention Deficit Disorder

Food Constituents: Problem Additives