The 5 Grossest Things You're Eating

Gross Food #2: Jelly beans

Why it's gross: Many artificial food dyes—found in hundreds of everyday foods—are made from petroleum-derived materials. Food producers use these chemical dyes in cereals and candy to make them more “fun” for kids, in pickles to make them appear fresher, and in place of real ingredients in a variety of other packaged foods. Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix, for example, is actually a carrot-free product, with “carrot flavored pieces” cooked up from corn syrup and artificial colors Yellow 6 and Red 40. (We reveal more insidious ingredients hiding on supermarket shelves in the 15 Scariest Food Additives.)
Why it’s bad: Orange and purple food dyes have been shown to impair brain function, and other dyes have been linked to ADHD and behavioral problems in kids, as well as brain-cell toxicity. And not only are these additives potentially hazardous, but they’re also a rip-off! It’s cheaper for food companies to use fake dyes in place of real ingredients, so you end up with food frauds like Tropicana Twister Cherry Berry Blast, a “juice” product without a trace of cherry or berry juice (check out our full list of the 20 Worst Drinks in America). Get your brightly colored foods from the produce aisle only!

Gross Food #1: Mushrooms

Why it’s gross: The FDA legally allows 19 maggots—tiny, rice-shaped fly larvae that feast on rotting foods—and 74 mites in every 3.5-ounce can of mushrooms. Bon appetit!
Why it’s bad: While maggots do have their place in the medical world—they can help heal ulcers and other wounds—most of us would agree that they don’t have a place in our mouths. Opt for fresh mushrooms instead, and if you need another reason to ditch canned goods, consider this: Most are lined with bisphenol A (or BPA), a plastic chemical that causes unnatural hormonal changes linked to heart attacks, obesity, and certain cancers.

And for the full list of dangerous and disgusting ingredients lurking on your grocery store’s shelves, check out The 15 Grossest Things You’re Eating.  

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