America’s processed foods problem exposed: Chips and TV dinners that have up to 120 ADDITIVES

At this point, most people know that junk food is loaded with added sugars, saturated fat, and salt, all of which are bad for us.

But many may be surprised to discover that some of their favorite indulgent treats contain as many as 120 ingredients.

DailyMail.com found that chips, snack mixes, frozen pizzas and microwaveable meals were among the worst offenders. But even some salad kits contain up to 50 additives, which mainly include preservatives and added flavors.

Mountains of studies show that eating too much ultra-processed food dramatically increases the risk of premature death, dementia and heart disease. Experts say a good rule of thumb is to aim for foods with no more than five ingredients.

Of the hundreds of articles analyzed by DailyMail.com, Munchies Flamin’ Hot Flavored Snack Mix came out worst for additives.

An 8-ounce bag — which contains Doritos, Cheetos, Sun Chips, and pretzels — contains about 120 ingredients, including a slew of dyes like red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, and blue 1, some of which contain known carcinogenic compounds.

Additives like these are put into many processed foods to improve their taste or appearance or to 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 permitted in low doses.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, intake of free benzidine raises the risk of cancer to just below the “concern” threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people.

Some states, such as California, have pushed to ban such additives, although they are largely allowed in the US.

While some of the ingredients in Munchies are recognizable, many sound like scientific elements rather than food ingredients, such as maltodextrin, ammonium bicarbonate, and disodium guanylate.

Although individual additives have not been extensively studied, overeating has long been linked to chronic health problems.

A 2022 study published in the journal Neurology found that a 10 percent increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods could increase the risk of dementia.

In addition, a large cohort study in France, the same increase in ultra-processed foods would lead to an increased risk of breast cancer.

A global comparison study published in Obesity Reviews showed that an increase in per capita sales of ultra-processed foods and drinks was linked to a higher body mass index (BMI).

And a few studies by researchers in Spain And France found a link between consuming ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of premature death.

The Munchies weren’t the only food to score 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, chewing gum, fast foods and snack foods to prolong freshness and help prevent spoilage from bacteria, mold or other problems.

It is also possibly carcinogenic to humans, meaning it can increase the risk of cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Widely regarded as a light and healthy quick meal brand, Lean Cuisine also includes dozens of ingredients in some meals.

The brand’s Frozen Chicken Club Panini has 85 items on its ingredient 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 into nitrites and then into nitrosamines. Have these carcinogenic characteristics.

a 2022 study from Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute estimated that 73 percent of the food supply in the United States is ultra-processed.

And a study published in Limits in nutrition found that more than 60 percent of American calorie intake comes from these foods.

Processing involves adding or modifying raw ingredients, such as keeping them in oil or adding sugar or salt.

Foods like apples are usually exactly as they occur 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 usually packed with extra hard-to-pronounce fats, dyes, and preservatives.

“At the basic level, depending on what some of those ingredients are, it’s possible that those foods contain protein, fat, and carbohydrate. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the sources of those nutrients are really optimal for supporting health,” Jessica Cording, New York City-based registered dietitian 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,” said Ms. Cording.

Microwave meals, snack mixes, and ice cream are common examples.

But even a Caesar salad package from Wal-Mart contains about 50 additions. These can largely come from the 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 then it’s what you put in that salad that counts,” Mrs. Cording said.

Ms Cording said that to reduce these risks, choose foods that contain only a handful of ingredients.

“It’s really best to choose foods that contain little or none of these additives,” said Ms. Cording. “I think ideally it’s best to recognize what the ingredients are in your food.”