Hidden Ingredients in Junk Food: Do You Know What You Are Really Eating?

posted on Aug 05, 2024

Gurukul The School, one of the top 10 CBSE schools in Ghaziabad, have a safe-food policy in place where children are always encouraged to carry only healthy food items in their tiffins.

Whether you take your kids to supermarkets or an evening walk near your house, you can easily spot junk food nearby. Its easy accessibility, cheap price, and addictive nature make it hard to resist, especially for children. While buying junk food for your kids occasionally doesn’t cause any harm. However, excessive consumption can certainly destroy their health. Numerous scientific journals confirm how junk food consumption is increasing obesity and inducing various diseases because of its harmful content.

Many parents are already aware that junk food is high in saturated fat, palm oils, sodium, and sugar, but are these the only concerning ingredients in your child’s favorite junk food items? We at Gurukul The School, ranked among the top 10 CBSE schools in Ghaziabad, dug deeper into what goes into the making of the most popular and widely selling junk items, such as fries, sodas, processed meat, burgers, pizzas, pastries, etc., and found shockingly harmful ingredients that most aren’t even aware of.

To help parents become more aware of what their kids are actually eating, we’ve created this blog post listing commonly used junk food ingredients that are incredibly toxic for your child’s health. So, let’s explore the ingredients shared below.

1. Potassium Bromate

Have you ever tried baking burger buns at home but failed to replicate the market-style texture and appearance? If yes, it’s because you tried baking with all the clean ingredients. Most bakeries use potassium bromate, an additive, to enhance the item’s texture. While using it in minimal quantity isn’t harmful, excessive quantity can result in a residue in the finished product. Consuming it can severely affect one’s health. This is why various countries have encouraged bakers to avoid using potassium bromate. However, it isn’t banned, so some continue using it in all baking items. Since this additive is classified as a possible human carcinogen, parents must supervise the consumption of items made using this ingredient.

2. Calcium Sulfate

The cakes and baking items we get from big baking stores always look great. While one reason behind those picture-perfect appearances can be the baker’s expertise, other contributing factors are anti-caking agents and dough strengtheners. These are commonly used ingredients in most baked items like pastries, puffs, pizzas, breads, etc. Calcium Sulfate is a colorless ingredient that is safe to use in minimal quantities. Baking items with high concentrations of calcium sulfate can contribute to numerous health challenges, especially gastrointestinal issues.

3. Propylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol is a colorless anti-caking agent that is used in junk food to preserve its texture. While this ingredient is FDA-approved, it doesn’t qualify it for excessive consumption. It is used mainly in soft drinks, frostings, dressings, seasonings, etc., and this is why we at Gurukul The School would like to recommend parents to limit the consumption of foods containing propylene glycol. While propylene glycol is considered a safe chemical, extreme consumption can affect body organs and lead to severe health challenges like kidney failure.

4. Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)

If your kids love eating fried food and snack items at fast-food chains, there is a high chance that they’re unknowingly consuming TBHQ. It is a preservative used to prevent spoilage in fats and oils. While it is an FDA-approved additive, excessive consumption can lead to numerous health complications. Research reveals that TBHQ can alter the positive effects of probiotics, subsequently influencing human health. Your child’s immune response to the flu can also be affected by excessive fried food consumption laced with TBHQ.

5. Phosphate Additives

Many junk food items have phosphate additives because they enhance flavor and act as emulsifiers. It is mostly used in processed cheese, flavored water, packaged meat, soda, chicken nuggets, etc. We at Gurukul The School advise parents to limit the consumption of items infused with this additive because it can make consumers less physically active. Individuals already diagnosed with health conditions like kidney diseases must avoid such items because they can worsen their situation. High intake of such additives can also become a leading contributor to bone diseases and poor cardiovascular health.

6. Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils

These are commonly known as trans fats and possibly the worst fat anyone can have. This ingredient is found in almost all processed packaged foods like chips, frozen pizzas, cookies, margarine, etc. This ingredient has no health benefits and is known for slowing down metabolism. If your kids eat junk food items made with this ingredient regularly, they will experience several health challenges, such as obesity, increased inflammation, diabetes, etc.

Conclusion

As parents, it is impossible to stop children from consuming junk food. Even if you restrict their consumption, they may get it from their friends. If you want to protect your kids from the harmful health effects of toxic ingredients hidden in junk food items, we recommend educating them about the ingredients used in their favorite items.

We at Gurukul The School, one of the top 10 CBSE schools in Ghaziabad, have a safe-food policy in place where children are always encouraged to carry only healthy food items in their tiffins. We also educate our students about the health risks associated with consuming junk food. We firmly believe that once they understand how damaging these ingredients are for their body, they’ll eventually become mindful about their food choices.