We see colorful and tasty food on display in the grocery store or delicious food sold in fast food restaurants that is flavorful. Little do we know that ultra-process food and food additives increase our chance of getting cancer. Certain process food are linked to cancer.
Although fast food can be tasty and quick, over time, it increases the risk of getting cancer. Some food additives, such as food dyes, make candies more appetizing to our children, but they are often harmful to our bodies.
This article will discuss ultra-processed foods and top food additives, such as artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, sodium benzoate, and synthetic food dyes, especially red and yellow, that are causing ovarian and column cancers.
Ultra-processed Foods and Food Additives
Ultra-processed food and artificial food additives are everywhere. Processed foods are modified raw food ingredients, adding seasoning, and ultra-processed food goes one step further by adding additives and preservatives to enhance the flavor and increase shelf life.
When I was in college, we rarely had time to prepare meals. After a long day of studying, I would rush to the only fast food place that opened at midnight and order a meal with fries, burgers, and a cup of orange juice. I would feel exhausted, which often led to me feeling greasy, but I got food so my body could continue to function.
The increased consumption of ultra-processed food will increase our chance of getting cancer. Artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame are associated with increased liver cancer risks. Emulsifiers, the moles that mix two liquids that generally do not combine well, such as oil and water, are also added to prolong product shelf life and enhance the mouthfeel of foods. Over-consuming emulsifiers are known to increase inflammation, gut health issues, and cancer risks. Other food additives that can cause cancer are sodium benzoate and food dyes.
Ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed food and artificial sweeteners increase the chances of getting cancer. A study in 2024 found that each 10% increase in ultra-processed food consumption was associated with a 2% increase in developing any cancer and an increased risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, head and neck cancer, and a type of cancer that grows in the glands that line insides of organs.
When I was a kid, my grandmother owned a convenience store where we sold packaged chips and snacks. I always get those packaged ultra-processed puff snacks or sweet strips covered with red artificial coloring. Although they were tasty, they caused me to gain weight and cellulose in my adolescent years.
The examples of ultra-processed foods are as follows:
Ice cream, ham, sausages, crisps, mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, carbonated drinks, fruit-flavored yogurts, instant soups, and some alcoholic drinks, including whisky, gin, and rum. Candy, packaged snacks like cookies, mass-produced packaged bread, sweetened yogurt, instant soup, instant sauce, fruit drinks, pre-prepared pasta dishes, and ready-to-heat pizzas.
Getting fresh ingredients and cooking at home is recommended to decrease our ultra-process food consumption.
Here is a chart explaining the same food types in ultra-processed, processed, and home versions.
| Ultra-processed | Processed | Home version |
| sweetened breakfast cereals | plain bran cereal | oatmeal made with rolled oats and sweetened with honey |
| soda | artificially flavored sparkling water | carbonated water with a splash of fruit juice or fruit slices |
| flavored potato chips | plain tortilla chips | DIY pita chips |
| white bread | whole wheat bread with minimal ingredients | homemade whole-wheat bread |
| fried chicken | deli rotisserie chicken | roast chicken from scratch |
| flavored candy bar with long ingredient list | simple candy bar with short ingredient list | dark chocolate squares |
| frozen, blended coffee drink | store-bought cold brew | drip coffee |
| mashed potato flakes | frozen potatoes | fresh, whole potatoes |
| energy drink | sweetened fruit juice | fresh-squeezed orange juice |
| flavored granola bars with added sugar and preservatives | granola bars with minimal additives | DIY granola |
| artificially flavored cheese crackers | naturally flavored crackers | whole grain crackers (check ingredients on label) and cheese slices |
Artificial Sweeteners
Some studies have suggested that artificial sweeteners are associated with obesity, linking to at least 13 types of cancer. Aspartame is one of the artificial sweeteners that could result in an increasing chance of getting liver cancer.
Some flavored water and sparkling water contain artificial sweeteners. Sometimes, my daughter would have those flavored water, but now that we learn about the harmful impact of artificial sweeteners, we have switched to pure filtered water.
Emulsifiers
Emulsifiers are molecules that bind two non-mixable liquids. They can be natural or synthetic ingredients. Consuming food with emulsifiers is linked to an increase in breast cancer and overall cancer risk.
Cream puffs in the grocery store’s frozen aisle were one of my favorite snacks in high school and college. However, since learning about emulsifiers, I am careful not to eat food that contains margarine.
When I was in my 20s, my friend and I loved baking. We would use margarine to make our favorite chocolate cookies or icy mooncakes. Little did we know margarine was harmful to our bodies.
Some common emulsifiers used in foods and beverages include:
- carrageenan
- gelatin
- egg protein
- whey protein
- soy lecithin
- guar gum
- xanthan gum
- polysorbates
- fatty acids from vegetable oil or animal fat
- ammonium phosphatides
To limit our consumption of products with emulsifiers, be mindful of the following products:
- mayonnaise
- margarine
- salad dressing
- packaged breads, and baked goods.
- packaged crackers and other snacks
- deli meats
- dairy products (like sliced cheese)
- dairy alternative products (like soy milk)
- candy
- frosting
- ice cream
- chocolate
- nut butter
- sauces
Limiting or avoiding consuming food with emulsifiers can help lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
Sodium Benzoate – a preservative used in processed foods
Sodium benzoate is a preservative in processed foods. When sodium benzoate mixes with vitamin C (ascorbic acid), it produces benzene, which is a chemical that causes leukemia and blood cancer.
They are often in the canned meat and soup. I remember our family used to love buying canned eels or sardines to go with rice as our dinner. Now that we know canned food containing sodium benzoate could cause cancer, we have switched to fresh meat ever since.
It is best not to avoid sodium benzoate-containing food with food that contains vitamin C or multivitamins to prevent the chemical product of benzene, which can cause cancer.
Synthetic Food Dyes
Studies have shown that artificial food dyes can bind to the DNA and proteins inside cells. Synthetic dyes can stimulate the body’s inflammatory machinery, pose problems for colon and rectal health, and potentially lead to colon cancer.
Since then, I have become more aware of colorful candies and additive synthetic dyes and how they can negatively impact children (increase inflammation, allergy reaction, neurobehavioral problems, and chances of colon cancer). Our family has avoided bright, colorful, tongue-dyeing lollipops or color-coated chocolates such as chocolate M&Ms.
Allura Red (Red 40), Erythrosine (Red 3), and Tartrazine (Yellow 5), and Sunset Yellow (Yellow 6)
Noteworthy synthetic dyes to avoid are Alluar Red or Red 40, Erythrosine or Red 3, Tartrazine or Yellow 5, and Sunset Yellow or Yellow 6. Research has shown that Allura Red (Red 40) and Tartrazine (Yellow 5) can cause DNA damage in colon cancer cells with increasing intake and for long periods. Yellow 5, 6, Red 40, and Red 3 contain benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl, which research has linked with cancer.
Eight primary artificial food dye colors appear in foods we eat:
- Blue 1, also known as Brilliant Blue
- Blue 2, also known as Indigotin and Indigo Carmine
- Citrus Red 2
- Green Three, also known as Fast Green FCF or Food Green
- Red Dye 3, also known as Erythrosine
- Red 40, also known as Allura Red
- Yellow Dye 5, also known as Tartrazine
- Yellow 6, also known as Sunset Yellow
According to a 2010 diet and nutrition study, three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) make up at least 90% of the dyes used in food in the United States.
A few examples of common foods that contain harmful dyes include:
- M&M’s
- Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
- Del Monte Fruit Cocktail
- Gatorade
- SunnyD
- Powerade
- Jell-O Instant Pudding, Jell-O Pudding Cups, Jell-O Gelatin Dessert
- Kool-Aid
- Skittles
- Arby’s Brioche Bun, Chocolate Shake, and Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Vlasic Sweet Relish
- Kellogg’s Apple Jacks and Froot Loops
- General Mills Trix
- Post Honeycomb
- Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch
It is wise to read the labels of products before we purchase them to see if they contain artificial food dyes or to choose products without bright colors that come from synthetic sources to avoid the consumption of synthetic food dyes in our food, which can increase our chance of colorectal cancer.
Final Thoughts
Ultra-processed foods and food additives such as artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, emulsifiers, food preservatives such as sodium benzoate, and synthetic food dyes are notably increasing our chance of getting cancer in various areas of our body (ovarian, liver, breast, colon, glands, and head and neck cancer).
To protect ourselves against increasing cancer risk, we can purchase primarily unprocessed food, limit or avoid consuming processed food, and avoid food with food additives.
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