Are Food Additives Harmful to Your Health?

allulose butylated hydroxyanisole butylated hydroxytoluene celery coconut sugar food additives food allergies food sensitivities fruit extracts high-fructose corn syrup honey hyperactivity maple syrup monk fruit monosodium glutamate mushrooms natural food additives nutritional additives preservatives processing agents red no. 40 rosemary extract seaweed sensory agents sodium nitrate sodium nitrite stevia synthetic food additves umami vegetable extracts yeast extract yellow no. 5 yellow no. 6 Apr 05, 2025

Close-up of a vitamin bottle label, detailing ingredients and food additives for nutritional information.

That colorful candy, fizzy drink, or crispy chip you just had might taste delicious — but have you ever stopped to think about what’s really in it?

According to a study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, six out of 10 foods Americans buy contain food additives. That’s a 10-percent jump since 2001. And that’s not all: The average number of additives in foods and beverages has gone up from 3.7 in 2001 to 4.5 in 2019.¹

So, should we be worried about these additives? Could they be messing with our health? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Let’s take a closer look at these ingredients and see if we should be concerned:

What are food additives?
Synthetic additives: The ones to watch out for
Natural alternatives: A better choice?

Let’s start by looking at some of the different types of additives.

What are food additives?

A food additive is a chemical substance added to processed foods to change one or more properties of the product.²

Over 10,000 additives are approved for use in foods and beverages sold in the U.S. These substances can be classified into nutritional additives, processing agents, preservatives, and sensory agents. The categories aren’t strict, though — many additives fall into more than one group.^3,4

Nutritional additives are used to replace nutrients lost during processing and perhaps make the food more nutritious overall. For instance, iodine is added to refined salt to help prevent goiter. Vitamins A and D are added to dairy products, and cereals are often fortified with B vitamins. Other nutritional additives include fiber, minerals such as calcium and iron, and various essential fatty acids.⁴

Processing agents are added to make food easier to manufacture and to keep its quality consistent. For example, lecithin is added to mayonnaise and ice cream to prevent their ingredients from separating. Yeast helps baked goods rise, while citric acid and lactic acid control acidity in foods like cheese, jam, and jelly.⁴

Preservatives delay or stop food spoilage. One example is sodium bisulfite, which helps food keep its color and flavor when exposed to oxygen. Another is acetic acid — a substance that prevents bacteria and mold from growing in dressings, sauces, and pickles.^4,5

Sensory agents improve food color or flavor. For instance, brilliant blue FCF — officially called Blue No. 1 in the U.S. — adds color to icings, syrups, and confections. Meanwhile, hydrolyzed vegetable protein enhances the taste of foods like soups, gravies, stews, and meat products. Sweeteners fall into this category as well.^4,6

Now, food additives come in both synthetic and natural varieties — and that’s where things can get tricky for your health.

Synthetic additives: The ones to watch out for

Synthetic (or artificial) additives are made in a lab. Big food manufacturers use synthetic additives because it’s easier to control their quantity and consistency. This makes it easier to produce the same product over and over again. Synthetic additives often result in products with a longer shelf life, meaning the end product has a greater chance of being sold before it expires.^7,8

The trouble is, many synthetic additives have been linked to health problems, especially when you eat a lot of them over time. Symptoms can include headaches, nausea, and even behavioral issues.⁹

Even worse, some additives — especially those that contain sodium and sugar — can override your brain’s natural signals. The result is overconsumption, leading to health problems including high blood pressure and diabetes.¹⁰

Some of the most common — and most concerning — synthetic additives include sodium nitrite and nitrate, BHA and BHT, MSG, artificial food dyes, and high-fructose corn syrup.^3,11

Sodium nitrite and nitrate are found in processed meats like bacon, ham, hotdogs, and corned beef. These preservatives stop bacteria from growing and give the meats their salty taste and reddish-pink color. But when these meats are cooked at high temperatures, such as by grilling, the additives can turn into nitrosamine. This compound has been linked to a higher risk of stomach, colon, breast, and bladder cancer.^11,12

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are used to stop fats and oils from going rancid when exposed to oxygen. That’s why you’ll find them in products like butter, cereal, desserts, potato chips, and many other processed foods — they help these items stay fresh longer. But studies suggest that BHA and BHT can disrupt your hormones, especially your testosterone levels. They may also affect the development of sex organs, which makes them especially bad for pregnant women and children. BHA and BHT have also been linked to cancer and damage to your skin, lungs, kidneys, and liver.¹³

MSG — which stands for monosodium glutamate — is used to enhance the flavor of savory foods. It’s found in many processed products, such as salty snacks, canned soups, and frozen dinners. Plus, it’s often added to dishes at restaurants and fast-food places. Some people experience symptoms after eating foods with MSG, though. These reactions — known as MSG symptom complex — include headaches, flushing, nausea, tingling, a fast heartbeat, chest pain, and muscle aches. Consuming large amounts of MSG has been associated with weight gain, and it can even affect your memory.^11,14,15

Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine), and Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) make up about 90 percent of all artificial food dyes used in the U.S. Allura Red is a deep-red dye found in gelatin, puddings, and sports drinks. Tartrazine, a lemon-yellow dye, shows up in chips, popcorn, and cereals. Sunset Yellow is used in sauces, baked goods, and preserved fruits. All three dyes are also commonly added to candy. But these colorful additives come with health concerns. Studies have linked them to hyperactivity in children and allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. What’s more, Allura Red has been tied to inflammation, gut imbalance, and even DNA damage.^4,11,16,17

Lastly, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a cheap liquid sweetener made from corn. It’s found in almost all processed foods, from cereals and snacks to sodas and fruit juices. HFCS makes up more than 40 percent of the added sugar in foods and drinks — a big reason why many people consume too much sugar today. But research shows that HFCS causes more inflammation in the body than regular sugar (glucose) does. This kind of inflammation increases your risk of chronic health problems like obesity, heart disease, fatty liver disease, and type-2 diabetes.^11,18

Natural alternatives: A better choice?

With growing concerns about artificial additives, more and more people are looking for safer, more natural options in their food. This rising demand is pushing food companies to rethink their ingredients and switch to natural additives. These alternative ingredients are derived from herbs, spices, real fruit extracts, animal-based ingredients, or even microbial fermentation.^4,19

But going natural isn’t always simple. Natural ingredients can vary a lot in quality and concentration, making mass production more difficult. To deal with this, some food companies are resigning themselves to shorter shelf lives and adding disclaimers like “color and texture may vary” to let people know that natural ingredients can change from batch to batch.^7,20

An example of a natural additive is celery, which is high in nitrates. When celery juice is treated with a certain bacterial culture, it produces nitrite, which can be used instead of sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate in foods like corned beef and other cured meats. When using celery, the quantity of nitrates/nitrites is often reduced, but some sensitive people may still experience a reaction.^21,22

Some food manufacturers are now using rosemary extract instead of BHA and BHT in cereals and other packaged foods. That’s because rosemary extract is rich in carnosic acid and carnosol — natural antioxidant compounds that help protect food from oxygen-caused damage.²³

Instead of MSG, many food companies have switched to yeast extract, mushroom powder, or seaweed. Yeast extract contains high levels of naturally occurring glutamic acid, which gives food a rich, savory taste — the same “umami” flavor MSG provides. However, it can cause many of the same symptoms. Mushrooms (such as shiitake and enoki) and seaweed (like kombu) are better options. They also contain natural glutamates, but in smaller quantities, making them a better choice for boosting flavor.^24,25,26

When it comes to food coloring, fruit and vegetable extracts are great natural alternatives. For instance, paprika, beet juice, pomegranate juice, and hibiscus powder can be used instead of Red No. 40. Meanwhile, turmeric, annatto, saffron, and beta-carotene (a pigment found in carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes) are popular substitutes for Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6.^17,27,28

To replace high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), many products today use natural sweeteners like honey, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. These alternatives do still contain a lot of fructose, the same type of sugar found in HFCS. So while they may seem healthier, they should still be used in moderation. If you’re trying to cut back on sugar, look for products that use natural, noncaloric sweeteners, such as allulose, stevia, and monk fruit.^29,30,31,32

Conclusion

So, are food additives harmful to your health? The short answer is — maybe. It depends on what kind you’re eating, how much, and how often. Some artificial additives have been linked to serious health issues, especially when consumed in large amounts over long periods. The good news is there are natural alternatives that can do the same job — often with fewer risks.

But remember that even natural additives aren’t perfect. Some people are still sensitive to these substances, which means that “natural” doesn’t always mean “harmless.”

That’s why it’s important to know your body, read food labels, and minimize the use of additives — whether natural or synthetic — in your food. This is especially important if you have allergies or chronic health conditions.

Everyone’s body is different. Want to learn more about which foods and additives might be sabotaging YOUR health? Get personalized insights by signing up for Maximize Your Performance — and take control of what really fuels you.

References

Are Food Additives Harmful to Your Health?

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