At this point, most people know that junk food is full of added sugar, saturated fat and salt, all of which are bad for us.
But many may be surprised to learn that some of their favorite indulgent treats have up to 120 ingredients.
DailyMail.com found that chips, snack mix, frozen pizza and microwave meals were among the worst offenders. But even some salad kits have up to 50 additives, including most preservatives and added flavors.
Mountains of studies show that eating too much ultra-processed food dramatically increases the risk of early death, dementia, and heart disease. Experts say a good rule of thumb is to aim to eat foods with no more than five ingredients.
DailyMail.com found that snacks, fast food, and even salad kits can have up to 120 hard-to-pronounce ingredients, making them highly processed.
Of the hundreds of items tested by DailyMail.com, Munchies Flamin’ Hot Flavored Snack Mix came out worst in terms of additives.
An eight-ounce bag — containing Doritos, Cheetos, Sun Chips, and pretzels — has about 120 ingredients, including different dyes like red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, and blue 1, some of which contain known cancer-causing agents. compounds.
Additives like these are added to many processed foods to enhance their taste, appearance or help keep them fresh.
Red 40 and the two Yellows have both been banned from food products in the UK because they contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen which is permitted in low doses.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, ingestion of free benzidine increases the risk of cancer to just under the ‘concern’ threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people.
Some states, such as California, have pushed to ban additives like these, even though they are largely permitted in the US.
While some of the ingredients in Munchies are recognizable, many look more like scientific elements than food ingredients, such as maltodextrin, ammonium bicarbonate, and disodium guanylate.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, ultra-processed foods increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
While individual additives have not been studied extensively, eating too much has long been linked to serious health conditions.
A 2022 study published in the journal Neurology found that a 10 percent increase in ultra-processed food consumption can increase the risk of dementia.
Additionally, a large cohort study in France that same increase in ultra-processed foods led to a higher risk of breast cancer.
A global comparison study published in Obesity Reviews showed that increased per capita sales of ultra-processed foods and beverages were associated with higher body mass index (BMI).
And a couple of studies from researchers at Spain and France found an association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of premature death.
Munchies isn’t the only food scoring in the triple digits.
A single-serve Totino’s Party Pizza has about 100 ingredients, including the preservative BHA.
This common additive is often found in processed foods such as cereals, gum, fast food, and snacks to extend freshness and help prevent spoilage caused by bacteria, mold or other issues.
It’s also a possible human carcinogen, meaning it can increase the risk of cancer, according to International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Lean Cuisine, generally considered a light and healthy fast food brand, also has dozens of ingredients in some of its meals.
The brand’s Frozen Chicken Club Panini has 85 items on its ingredients list, including forms of nitrates.
By themselves, nitrates are harmless. However, bacteria already living in the mouth and enzymes in the body can convert them to nitrites and then to nitrosamines. They have carcinogenic property.
A 2022 A study from Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute estimates that 73 percent of the food supply in the United States is ultra-processed.
And a study published in Nutritional Limits found that more than 60 percent of US caloric intake comes from these foods.
Processing involves adding or changing raw ingredients, such as storing them in oil or adding sugar or salt to them.
Foods like apples are often exactly as they appear in nature, and are classified as minimally processed.
Processed foods, such as applesauce, have gone through at least one level of processing that has changed their original form.
Ultra-processed foods have gone through multiple levels of processing and are often loaded with super hard-to-pronounce fats, colors and preservatives.
‘At the simplest level, depending on what some of those ingredients are, it’s possible that those foods have protein, maybe fat, and carbohydrates. That doesn’t mean those sources of nutrients are actually the best for supporting health,’ Jessica Cording, registered dietitian in New York City and author of The Farewell Tour, told DailyMail.com.
‘[Ultra-processed foods] tend to be very high in sodium, things like sodium, sugar, refined carbohydrates in general, and unhealthy fats, as well as preservatives,’ says Ms Cording.
Microwave foods, snack mixes, and ice cream are common examples.
But even a Caesar salad kit from Wal-Mart has about 50 additives in it. These can range from dressing and certain add-ons, such as croutons.
‘People think they’re doing something good for themselves because it’s salad. They always hear that they should eat more vegetables. But the issue is what you put in that salad,’ Ms Cording said.
Ms Cording says to lower these risks, try to choose foods with fewer ingredients.
‘It’s really best to choose foods that have few, if any, of these additives,’ says Ms Cording. ‘I think it’s best to know what the ingredients are in your food.’
