Food Additives and Human Health
By Elson M. Haas, MD
Excerpted from Staying
Healthy Shopper’s Guide: Feed Your Family
Safely
Why Are Chemicals Added
To Our Food?
Originally, foods were grown and eaten directly
from a relatively unpolluted Earth. Wild foods
were sought and gathered. Cleaner oceans,
lakes and rivers fed us nutritious fish. Animals
in the wild provided protein foods to hunters
and their tribes. As the human population
multiplied, the world expanded, farming progressed,
trade specialties developed, and town markets
shared a variety of goods among a diversity
of people. Techniques for food preparation
and preservation, such as pickling, salting,
and smoking, were developed to deal with the
new problems of storage, waste, and food-borne
illnesses. With advanced technology, our modern
food industry’s reliance on processing and
additives continues to increase. Is this evolution,
or are we sacrificing our health for the sake
of technological “advances”?
For decades now, the food industry has continually
created new chemicals to manipulate, preserve,
and transform our food. With the use of chemicals,
scientists are able to mimic natural flavors,
color foods to make them look more “natural”
or “fresh,” preserve foods for longer and
longer periods of time, and create altered
versions of breads, crackers, fruits, vegetables,
meats, dairy products and many more commonly
used foods. Now there are even “foods” that
are made entirely from chemicals. Coffee creamers,
sugar substitutes, and candies consist almost
completely of artificial ingredients. Such
manipulation of our food can have a profound
effect on our body’s unique biochemical balance.
But there is a method to the food industry’s
madness. They generally provide five main
reasons for why chemicals must be added to
our foods:
1. To
improve shelf life or storage time.
2. To
make food convenient and easy to prepare.
3. To
increase the nutritional value.
4. To
improve the flavor of foods.
5. To
enhance the attractiveness of food products
and improve consumer acceptance.
Which Food Additives Should
You Avoid?
Avoiding toxins in your diet is an important
initial step toward enhancing your health
and lowering your risk of disease. Since foods
represent a source of these toxins, let’s
look at the key additives that may undermine
your health. Those with immediate effects
may cause headaches or alter your energy level,
or they may affect your mental concentration,
behavior, or immune response. Those with long-term
effects could increase your risk of cancer,
cardiovascular disease and other degenerative
conditions.
Begin by avoiding the most questionable additives,
no longer consuming them on any regular basis.
Make a decision to either cut down on or cut
out altogether those food additives that may
be hazardous to your health. Although it may
seem difficult to change habits and find substitutes
for foods you enjoy, remind yourself that
you will be adding to your diet some wholesome
new flavors and foods that you may come to
like even more. Avoidance and discrimination
are crucial proactive steps in most natural
health care programs.
12 Key Additives to Avoid
and Their Health Risks
1. Hydrogenated
Fats—cardiovascular disease, obesity
2. Artificial
Food Colors—allergies, asthma, hyperactivity;
possible carcinogen
3. Nitrites
and Nitrates—these substances can develop
into nitrosamines in body, which can be carcinogenic
4. Sulfites
(sulfur dioxide, metabisulfites, and others)—allergic
and asthmatic reactions
5. Sugar
and Sweeteners—obesity, dental cavities, diabetes
and hypoglycemia, increased triglycerides
(blood fats) or candida (yeast)
6. Artificial
Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K and Saccharin)—behavioral
problems, hyperactivity, allergies, and possibly
carcinogenic. The government cautions against
the use of any artificial sweetener by children
and pregnant women. Anyone with PKU (phenylketonuria—a
problem of phenylalanine, an amino acid, metabolism)
should not use aspartame (Nutrasweet).
7. MSG
(monosodium glutamate)—common allergic and
behavioral reactions, including headaches,
dizziness, chest pains, depression and mood
swings; also a possible neurotoxin
8. Preservatives
(BHA, BHT, EDTA, etc.)—allergic reactions,
hyperactivity, possibly cancer-causing; BHT
may be toxic to the nervous system and the
liver
9. Artificial
Flavors—allergic or behavioral reactions
10. Refined
Flour—low-nutrient calories, carbohydrate
imbalances, altered insulin production
11. Salt
(excessive)—fluid retention and blood pressure
increases
12. Olestra
(an artificial fat)—diarrhea and digestive
disturbances
Other Concerns:
Food Waxes (protective coating of produce,
as in cucumbers, peppers, and apples)—may
trigger allergies, can contain pesticides,
fungicide sprays or animal byproducts.
Plastic packaging—Carcinogenic (vinyl chloride);
immune reactions, lung shock
Is It Necessary to Give
Up All Processed Foods and Food Additives?
When you begin to realize the health risks
associated with processed foods and food additives,
it makes good sense to start eating less of
them. But this doesn’t mean you need to take
an alarmist approach. Here is a sensible rule
to start with: If there are special treats
that you just can’t imagine living without,
have them only on occasion. But be aware of
what those special treats contain. Think about
the possible wholesome alternatives that might
taste just as good and which don’t put your
health at risk. Also, consider changing your
consumer habits. Are there farmer’s markets
in your area where you could shop frequently?
Is there a natural foods market with organic
produce nearby that you’ve never bothered
to check out?
Changing your shopping and eating routines
isn’t something you can easily do overnight.
The first step is to sharpen your awareness
about what you’re currently eating. Then you
can take steps to make the changes you desire.
|
Use
the information provided on this site as an
educational resource for determining your
options and making your own informed choices.
It is not intended as medical advice or to
diagnose, prescribe, or treat any specific
illness.