23 Food Additives to Avoid on Keto

  • 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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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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