Name
BHA and BHT
butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
What they are and what they do
BHA and BHT are preservative compounds added to foods to preserve fats and oils from going rancid. They are the reason you can open up a package of crackers a month after buying them, leave them open for another month, and find that they still haven’t gone bad. This U.S. National Library of Medicine study identifies BHA and BHT as carcinogens. Both BHA and BHT are antioxidants, not to be confused with healthy ones. This article from a German University helps explain the carcinogenic effects of these compounds, as opposed to the antioxidant Vitamin E, which is anticarcinogenic.
What they’re typically in
BHA: butter, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, beer, pet food, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products
BHT: shortening, cereals, foods containing oils
Again, just read the ingredients label and avoid the product if it contains either of these additives.
