If you look at a food label, chances are you might feel bamboozled! I checked the nutrition on a snack I was eating recently and happened to glance down at the ingredients. Who makes up all these words anyway? It seemed like a foreign language! Many of these foreign words were probably food additives.
A food additive is anything that is added to food during processing. Food additives are used for three specific reasons: to improve the taste or appearance of a processed food, to improve the quality or stability of a food, and to preserve food to extend its storage life. Food additives are supposedly regulated by the FDA, however many people and groups are skeptical of the thoroughness of their research. Many countries in Europe have banned multiple food additives due to health risks, when people in America are likely consuming these additives on a daily basis.
In general, it’s best to stay away from the following additives:
- Sodium nitrite
- Nitrites and nitrates are used as a preservative and add color and flavor to processed meats. Processed meats are those meats that are commonly eaten cold and are pink or red in color, such as deli meats. The International Agency for the Research of Cancer (IARC) has reviewed ingested nitrites and nitrates, and has classified them as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’.
- Aspartame, Saccharin, Acesulfame-K
- Side effects of aspartame include headaches, migraines, gastric distress, abdominal pains, vision problems, anxiety attacks, depression, fatigue and sleep issues.
- Cut out or decrease consumption of any beverages or foods that include artificial sweeteners such as diet pop, popcorn, chewing gum, candy, fruit juice, and ice cream.
- Olestra
- Olestra isn't just capable of causing gastrointestinal distress (such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and gas); the fat substitute prevents your body from absorbing essential nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as carotenoids, nutrients that may protect you from cancer and other diseases. Dr. Walter Willett and Dr. Meir Stampfer, representing the Harvard School of Public Health, indicated that they had good reason to believe that olestra's ill effects "will include increases in cancer, heart disease, stroke and blindness."
- Food Dyes
- Food dyes have been found to increase hyperactivity and other disturbed behavior in children. Synthetic food dyes are unnecessary and provide no health benefits upon consumption.
- Red No. 40, also known as Allura Red is the most widely used food dye.
- Yellow No. 5, also known as Tartrazine has been linked to hyperactivity in children.
Looking for more information? If you click here and continue to scroll down, you will find a safety ratings chart and a complete list of food additives. The list describes in detail where the additives are typically found and risk factors that may be harmful to your health.
Interested in the health benefits of eating sustainable foods, click here.
Do you ever think about the food additives that may be in your food? How has learning about food additives changed your perspective about our government?
Sources:
Cancer Council Western Australia
LiveStrong.com
Health.com
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
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