Common Products With Dangerous Chemicals

OMG...certain things are a risk to our health without us knowing!...

Apart from the various cleaning products containing caustic and harsh ingredients, there's a few more unexpected products to avoid:

1. Popcorn flavourings.
Why? Diacetyl. This is used to flavour some of the butter toppings but is so dangerous to the respiratory system when inhaled it causes a condition named 'popcorn lung'.

2. Plastic containers
Why? Phthalates. Found in plastics from children's toys to food containers to cling film, these can be hard to avoid but they are feared to put the male reproductive system at risk, raise the risk of testicular cancer and disrupt the thyroid.

The non-stick on your pans is chemical-based (REX)

3. Non-stick pans
Why? Perfluorinated Chemicals. Though the jury's out on this one, some chemicals associated with the non-stick coating on cooking pans have been linked to thyroid and kidney problems. In most cases they're probably totally safe but if you have any concerns in those areas it might be worth going for cast iron or stainless steel pans instead.

4. Artificial Sweeteners
Why? Aspartame. Despite being a controversial ingredient, artificial sweetener aspartame is found in everything from low calorie drinks to chewing gum. It's been linked to a string of health problems including depression, cancer, Parkinsons and asthma. Experts have also claimed that other artificial sweeteners, used as low-calorie alternatives to sugar trick the body into craving more calories and can actually cause weight gain.

5. Antiperspirants
Why? Imidazolindinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin and aluminium. The first two of these chemicals are involved in making formaldehyde and are linked to joined pain, asthma and cancer, while aluminium has been linked to brain conditions such as Alzheimer's

Naphtalene moth balls (REX)

6. Mothballs
Why? Either p-dichlorobenzene or naphthalene, depending on the type. These are both toxic and can cause dizziness and skin reactions. Prolonged exposure can cause liver damage. There are green alternatives out there, though, so do your research to keep your clothes hole-free.

7. McDonald's Fries
Why? Sodium acid pyrophosphate. Just one of the ingredients listed in the fries, this is used for keeping that lovely yellow colour and is listed as hazardous for ingestion by the chemical industry. Not great for lunch, then.

8. Antibacterial Handsoap
Why? Triclosan. This is feared to disrupt our hormones and has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.

9. Unsustainable fish
Why? Mercury. There are plenty of reasons not to eat unsustainable fish but one of them is your health. Some fish store mercury in their bodies from polluted waters and it's very toxic to humans.The Natural Resources Defense Council has an excellent list of fish by their mercury levels

culled