Common Food Preservatives Linked to Cancer and Type 2 Diabetes
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Common food preservatives linked to cancer and type 2 diabetes
New research is raising alarms about everyday items in your pantry. Two large French cohort studies have found that higher intake of common food preservatives, especially those used in processed meats, snacks, and ready-made meals, is associated with increased risks of type 2 diabetes and several cancers. While these additives help extend shelf life and maintain color or flavor, scientists suggest they may also damage cells, disrupt metabolism, and promote chronic inflammation over time. Regulators still classify many of these substances as safe, but the emerging data is prompting calls for re-evaluation.
What this means for your weekly grocery shop
These findings do not prove that preservatives directly cause disease, yet they highlight how cumulative exposure from multiple products could matter. To reduce potential risk, focus on minimally processed foods, shorter ingredient lists, and home-cooked meals built around fresh produce, whole grains, and unprocessed proteins.
