7 Food Chemicals You Should Know About

There was some real shock value behind the whole azodicarbonamide-in-Subway's-bread thing. In case you missed it, that chemical's also used in the manufacturing of yoga mats and sneaker soles. Turns out, it's also available in Hearty Italian. Yum. Now that Subway has agreed to remove the chemical from its breads, we're wondering what other chemicals could be lurking in foods we eat every day.

A cursory glance at Subway's other bread ingredients, for example, reveals a wealth of words we straight up cannot pronounce. You'll see things like ammonium sulfate, DATEM, sodium stearoyl lactylate, potassium iodate, and calcium sulfate. Okay, we can pronounce that last one, but it still seems kind of ominous. So, are these chemicals as strange as they sound?

They sure are. And, Subway isn't the only food chain carrying 'em. In fact, there's an entire collection of chemicals in many restaurants' food that can do you more harm than good (if good means deliciousness). How about butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)? BHA is a preservative found in some cereals, chewing gum, and potato chips. But, it's also used in rubber and petroleum products. And, though there is not yet definitive proof that it causes cancer growth in humans, the National Institute of Health says it's "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."

Review the full list of chemicals over at CNN, and double-check your snacks to see what they contain. Apologies in advance for ruining all your favorite lunch spots. (CNN)