Let’s start with a question. Why do you think food companies need to add preservatives, flavours and colours to the processed food? To make them last longer? To make them look colourful, appetizing and fun? To improve their flavours and texture? A resounding ‘Yes’ to these questions. And is this a good thing? Well, it depends. It depends on how much you value your health, as these ‘little extras’ come at the expense of our health.
Artificial flavourings, sweeteners and food colours are just that; artificial. They are not natural and are created in labs. Did you know that the artificial strawberry flavour is actually created by mixing 50 different chemical ingredients? And why on earth would we want to consume something that is synthesised in a laboratory?
What is common between these additives? They are all key ingredients in the majority of the processed food out there, and which has lost its nutritional value, colour and sheen. These added ingredients contribute nothing to their nutritional value. In fact, all processed food products, even those advertised wholesome, are full of some highly toxic additives that only work to wreak havoc on your health.
How? Let’s find out. And yes, one more thing. All the following ingredients are labelled “generally accepted as safe” by the Food and Drugs Association (FDA) and by the equivalent bodies in many other countries. Fact! It’s up to you to decide who controls your health. Fact!
- High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a highly refined sugar extracted from corn starch. This liquid blend is made up of either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose while the remaining portion contains glucose and some other sugars. Sweeter and cheaper than table sugar, HFCS is used as an artificial sweetener in a wide array of packed and processed food items such as cereals, concentrated juices, soft drinks, baked goods, candies, jellies, jams, meats, cracker, salad dressings, sauces and meats.
HFCS is made by turning some of the glucose molecules in a regular corn syrup into fructose molecules with the help of enzymes. HFCS is not natural and can be quite detrimental to health. The problem with fructose is that our body doesn’t metabolise or processes this sugar in the same way as it does normal sugar. The liver converts fructose into fat and this can lead to lipogenesis – production and build of fats around the liver that eventually contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. HFCS is also known to inhibits the secretion of leptin, a hormone that tells our brain we are full.
- HFCS and Health Risks
- Weight gain, type-2 diabetes and metabolic disorders.
- Elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Liver damage and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Excessive mercury build-up
- HFCS and Health Risks
- Sodium Nitrate
Sodium nitrate is a salt added to bacon, ham, salami, hot dogs, smoked fish, corned beef and other processed meat. The process helps to preserve the cured meat, preventing growth of harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Adding sodium nitrate also gives processed meats a distinctive flavour and maintains the bright pink colour that makes the meat appear fresh and enhance its ‘pick-me’ appeal. Without this added preservative, the meat will look unappealing grey. So, what is wrong with sodium nitrate?
Sodium nitrate and nitrite are often used interchangeably. It is because nitrate is converted into nitrite form inside the body. Nitrites are especially dangerous for infants and pregnant women, and are known to cause cancer.
Sodium Nitrate and Health Risks
- Nitrite metabolism results in the production of methaemoglobin, abnormal haemoglobin that is not capable of carrying oxygen to the cells. High amounts of nitrites can lead to respiratory disorder called blue-baby syndrome in infants.
- When sodium nitrite interacts with certain foods, chemicals or drugs in the stomach, they are converted into nitrosamines – compounds that can cause cancer.
- Nitrite metabolism results in the production of methaemoglobin, abnormal haemoglobin that is not capable of carrying oxygen to the cells. High amounts of nitrites can lead to respiratory disorder called blue-baby syndrome in infants.
- Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar is bad. And artificial sweeteners, popular alternative to the table sugar with zero calories, are even more dangerous for our health. Artificial sweeteners are commonly found in processed foods such as soft drinks, sauces, jams, baked goods, candies, chocolates and canned foods.
Artificial sugars have no calories. Does that mean you can pamper your sweet tooth and devour as much sugary stuff you desire without any risk of gaining weight? On the contrary. Studies show that artificial sweeteners influence the chemical wiring of the brain and have a negative impact on the hormones responsible for regulating appetite and satiety. These non-calorific sweeteners fool the brain into thinking that calories are arriving when they in fact do not. The result is that body continues to signal that it needs energy, and so you crave for more sugars and carbohydrates to fulfil this need.
Artificial sweeteners are also known to cause a swing in the composition and functions of the bacteria residing in the gut. A study showed that artificial sweeteners may increase the population of bacteria that can promote weight gain and glucose intolerance. [1]
Artificial Sweeteners and Health Risks
- Weight gain [2]
- Glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes [3]
- Increased risk of heart diseases
- Creates an imbalance in bacteria in the gut by destroying beneficial bacteria in the gut while boosting the growth of harmful bacteria
- Weight gain [2]
- Artificial Food Dyes
Artificial food colours are usually added to junk, processed food that has lost its nutrition, freshness as well as colour. Food dyes compensate this loss of colour and enhance the natural colour of the food, making it look fresh, appealing to the eye and even fun, particularly to the kids.
Our children are, in fact, most vulnerable to the health risks associated with artificial food dyes due to their small size and rapidly growing body. And we can’t deny that kids are getting the most exposure to these poisons in the form of candies, jams, jellies, ice creams, colourful cereals, flavoured yogurt, cheese and fruit juices. Yes, all these foods are full of artificial colours, not to mention other additivities. Artificial colours are also commonly used in soft drinks, sports drinks, baked goods, icing, pickles, sauces and restaurant food. These synthetic edible dyes are even found in paediatric medications, nutritional supplements and over the counter and prescription drugs.
Food manufacturers prefer artificial food colours over their natural variants (derived from plant sources like fruits and vegetables) as they are cheaper, more stable and lend more intense and bright colours. These dyes also integrate easily with food and other colours, thus creating a stunning range of shades to be used in a wide array of food items. The point is, yet again, that these fake colours are only added to junk food and not fresh. Food dyes are linked to several health risks [4] [5] [6].
Food Dyes and Health Risks
- Hyperactivity and behavioural disorders in children
- Allergies, asthma and skin rashes
- Headaches, migraines
- Increased risk of cancer and tumours
- Chromosomal abnormalities and birth defects
- Hyperactivity and behavioural disorders in children
- Artificial Flavourings
Most of the processed foods, especially ice creams, flavoured drinks, milk shakes and jellies, contain artificial flavours as one of the key ingredients. As the name suggests, these flavours are fake and are synthesised in a lab by mixing many chemicals. This chemical cocktail finally creates a flavour that mimics a natural flavour.
These synthetic flavours are added to the food products to improve or intensify their taste and flavours, not to mention that artificial flavours cost less to produce than their natural counterparts. Improved flavour means you are fooled into craving such foods. These flavours are adding absolutely no nutritional value to the food.
Artificial Flavourings and Health Risks
- Nervous system damage
- Seizures
- Allergies, food sensitivities, asthma, hives
- Nausea, fatigue, chest tightness, headaches and dizziness
- Tumours, many types of cancer and genetic defects
- Liver and kidney damage
- Hyperactivity and development issues in children
- Abdominal pain and diarrhoea
- Nervous system damage
- Trans Fats
Trans fat is possibly the worst kind of fat you can ever eat. While small amounts of trans fat is naturally present in foods like dairy products and meat, it is the artificial trans fats found in processed food that we are most concerned about. Artificial trans fats are formed through a process called hydrogenation, where vegetable oils are converted into solids. Margarine, shortening (used in baked goods), readymade frosting, chips, crackers, breads, salad dressings, microwave popcorn, French fries and other fried foods all contain artificial trans-fat (also called partially hydrogenated oil).
Trans fats increase the shelf life of processed foods while also improving their taste and texture. In addition, these fats are produced at a fraction of the cost of natural (healthy) oils. With serious health risks associated with the trans fats and people getting increasingly aware, most food companies have reduced their use. Until trans fats are not completely gone off the shelves or from the fast food business, be aware of the risks and avoid them as much as possible.
Trans Fats and Health Risks
- High cholesterol levels (with elevated bad cholesterol and reduced good cholesterol)
- High risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke
- Inflammation, which is behind premature aging and most chronic diseases
- Increased risk of Type 2 diabetes
- High cholesterol levels (with elevated bad cholesterol and reduced good cholesterol)
- Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is a sodium salt of benzoic acid. It is a common food preservative used in acidic foods – for example salad dressings, soft drinks, pickles, condiments, jams, vinegar, fruit juices, salsa etc. – to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mould and yeast. In fact, this toxic preservative is also added to several health and beauty products such as mouth wash, toothpaste, shampoo, cough syrups and other over the counter and prescription drugs.
Sodium benzoate is naturally found in extremely small quantities in some fruits and spices, where it is not harmful. But the lab created synthetic version is what can be health damaging.
Sodium Benzoate and Health Risks
- Sodium benzoate reacts with vitamin C to produce benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen and causes leukaemia and other forms of blood cancer.
- Deprives cells in the mitochondria of oxygen, damage mitochondrial DNA
- Trigger allergic reactions in some people; asthma attacks, hives
- Linked to hyperactive behaviour in children
- Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is a food additive commonly found in flour-based products such as bread, sandwich buns, frozen pizzas, baked goods, readymade pizza bases and other such processed foods.
It is an oxidiser that strengthens dough, improves its elasticity and helps it to rise better – resulting in uniformly baked end-product that is soft and fluffy.
Usually, only infinitesimally small quantities are added. And high temperature also renders bromate harmless by changing its chemical structure. During baking, potassium bromate is converted into potassium bromide, which is non-carcinogenic. However, the additive poses a health risk when too much of it is added or when the bread made with bromated flour is not baked at a sufficiently high temperature.
Animal studies show that long-term exposure to potassium bromate increased the risk of tumours, thyroid and kidney cancer, and damage to genetic material. In 1999, the International Agency on Research for Cancer declared that potassium bromate was a possible human carcinogen [7]. Did you know potassium bromate has been banned in some countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, The European Union, China, Japan and very recently in India? And in California, the bakeries and other food manufacturers are required to carry a warning label if the food contains potassium bromate.
Potassium Bromate and Health Risks
- Linked to cancer [8]
- Destroys genetic material, trigger DNA strands break and resulting chromosomal damage
How to avoid these toxic ingredients?
Fortunately, you can avoid consuming these harmful food ingredients.
- Read labels carefully and watch out for artificial ingredients
- Avoid junk food and processed food as much as you can
- Incorporate whole fresh foods in your diet
- Go for organic food items that are free from any additives like preservative, colours and flavours
- Drink plenty of water, fresh clear soups and other fluids to flush out these toxins
Don’t put your health at risk. Be smart with your food choices. There is no time like today to start. Are you ready? - Linked to cancer [8]
References:
- Suez et al. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature International weekly journal of science.
- Artificial sweeteners tied to obesity, Type 2 diabetes. CBC News health.
- Davidson TL, Martin AA, Clark K, Swithers SE. Intake of high-intensity sweeteners alters the ability of sweet taste to signal caloric consequences: implications for the learned control of energy and body weight regulation. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006). 2011 Jul;64(7):1430-41. doi: 10.1080/17470218.2011.552729.
- 2010. Food Dyes – A rainbow of Risks. CSIP.
- Arnold LE, Lofthouse N, Hurt E. Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for. Neurotherapeutics. 2012 Jul; 9(3):599-609.
- Laura J Stevens, Thomas Kuczek, John R Burgess, Mateusz A Stochelski, L Eugene Arnold, Leo Galland. Mechanisms of behavioral, atopic, and other reactions to artificial food colors in children. Department of Nutrition Science. Nutrition Reviews (Impact Factor: 5.54). 05/2013; 71(5):268-281.
- IARC. 1999. Potassium Bromate – Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation. Vol 73: p. 481
- Jose Aguayo and Nneka Leiba. Potassium Bromate. Environmental Working Group.
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