Some Food Preservatives Linked to Type 2 Diabetes and Cancer, Studies Find

You may want to think twice before reaching for processed meals and snacks.

In the American market, deli meats and cheeses are among the most common sources of the preservatives examined in both studies, along with cured meats like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage, as well as sauces, pickled foods, wine, beer, dried fruits, salad dressings, and yogurt. Andrej Hicil/shutterstock

Those who eat more food with preservatives—the chemical and plant-based ingredients that keep processed food from becoming rancid and making us sick—are at a 40 percent to 49 percent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

The diabetes finding and a separate cancer risk study conducted by researchers in Paris add to a growing body of evidence that the more preservative-rich foods you eat, the more your body is prone to unfavorable metabolic and inflammatory states that lead to chronic disease.