ALARMS ARE RAISED

While there isn't a clear consensus on some additives, others have received a resounding thumbs downs from nutrition experts when it comes to picking your “poison.” Here are a few additives that have raised the red flag time and time again.

1.  Partially Hydrogenated Oil - This generates trans fat, which is twice as difficult for the body to dissolve as saturated fats. It is added to food to stabilize flavor, increase shelf  life and reduce costs. But it also decreases good cholesterol, boosts bad cholesterol, and has been implicated in everything from increased risk of heart disease to the onset of diabetes. Partially hydrogenated oil is found in margarine, cookies, baked goods, salad dressing, breads and chips, among other foods.

2. Artificial Sweeteners - This is a sector that has raised the alarm for a long time. Whether it is sucralose  (known commercially as Splenda) or saccharin (sold commercially as Sweet 'N Low), aspartame (Equal) or others, there are debates about the safety of each one. Some of the sweeteners that were once considered safe were later suspected of being carcinogens. The Food and Drug Administration is keeping a wary eye on the sector, but as of now the FDA has still deemed them safe.

3) High Fructose Corn Syrup – It’s one of the most prevalent additives on the planet and also one of the most denounced. A cousin of table sugar (sucrose), this is a processed form of glucose that is converted into fructose, which is a normal sugar present in fruit. Some researchers claim it inhibits leptin production, the hormone that tells you when you are full. Others claim it contains high levels of mercury. But the most passionate denouncers claim it is contributing to the obesity epidemic in this country by adding sugar to virtually every product on the shelves.