Decoding the long list of codes hiding in your kitchen cupboard.
Food additives: just one more gem modern technology has afforded the human race. Literally meaning “to add” to food, additives is the collective name for everything from flavourants, colourants, stabilisers and emulsifiers. These additives all have unique codes or E-numbers which you can check on labels in your kitchen right now. Some additives are natural (like vinegar, salt and sugar) while others are synthetic (or should I say “sin”thetic). These are added to food to preserve it or “improve” taste, texture, colour and flavour. Honestly, how do you want to improve on nature? The problem is we have grown so
far apart from nature that we don’t know what actual food tastes like any more. We have become so used to “plastic” food that our palettes now crave what has been dished up for us by scientists in labs, not cooks in kitchens.
“Education, patience, diligence, and faith – some additives worth adding to your life and next clean meal.”
As the editors at www.eatthis.com put it so well: “See, once upon a time, our food was created by cooks. Some of those cooks were highly paid fancy-pants types, but most of them were modest moms and grandmothers who combined naturally grown grains and bits of meat and vegetables and spices and turned them into everything from spaghetti and meatballs to pad Thai. They took what nature handed them and made something miraculous from it. But today, it’s not cooks who are creating our packaged and fast foods anymore—it’s teams of scientists. And as they continue to discover emulsifiers to make ice cream taste smoother or strange dyes that make Greek yoghurt more vibrantly coloured, we get
further and further away from real food—at least as our ancestors would recognize it. In fact, these days, it takes a degree in chemistry to fully understand what we’re putting into our bodies.” Today we are bombarded with stuff so far removed from food that we can call it alien. It masquerades as food but is deadly in some cases. In fact, it is nothing less than slow poisoning. The love of money being the root of all evil is so accurately portrayed when one looks at the food industry. Modern living with all of its pressure and time constraints has forced most people to become dependent on supermarkets, restaurants and anything or anyone who promises a quick, convenient fix with minimal effort on their part.
The effects on the human body, especially on hormones and the gut, are everything but convenient, however. Additives have the potential to cause digestive distress and impact the intestines in a way that promotes the development of autoimmune disease symptoms. Research has shown that processed foods also weaken the intestine’s resistance to bacteria, toxins and other pathogens.
The usual suspects
There are a couple of additives that are most commonly used and that one should be particularly aware of. These include:
1. Artificial Colouring
Artificial food colouring is found in sodas, fruit juices and salad dressings, amongst many others. Studies have shown these colourings to contribute to increased hyperactivity in children and may lead to a significant reduction in IQ.
Dye yellow No.5 has been linked to asthma symptoms. Yellow No.6 E110 and Yellow Tartrazine E102 (found in cheese, lemonade, candy, beverages, etc.) are banned in Norway and Sweden as it increases kidney and adrenal gland tumours in laboratory animals and may cause chromosomal damage.
Red dye No.3 and No.40 E124 (found in fruit cocktails, maraschino cherries, ice cream, candy and bakery products) has been proven to cause thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage in laboratory animals and may interfere with brain-nerve transmission. Nr.2 Red dye was banned in the 1970s after studies found that large doses could cause cancer in rats.
Blue No.1 and 2 E133 (found in candy, cereal, sports drinks and pet foods) are banned in Norway, Finland and France as it is believed to cause chromosomal damage.
Caramel colouring is most often used in sodas and candy (as well as flavoured syrups, baked goods, snack and protein bars) and is made by treating sugar with ammonia, which produces cancer-causing agents.
2. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) E621
MSG, referred to as an excitotoxin, is an amino acid that overexcites cells to the point of damage or death and is used as a flavour enhancer in soups, frozen dinners, cold meats, chips and many restaurant foods. Studies have linked regular consumption of MSG to depression, disorientation, eye damage, fatigue and headaches. It has also been linked to obesity as it makes food more appetizing, affects the neurological pathways of the brain and breaks the "I'm full" button. It also increases insulin, the fat-storage hormone. Soy sauce, seasonings, powdered milk, stock, malt, maltodextrin, pectin and anything protein often contain MSG.
MSG is often present in other ingredients while not mentioned on the label as MSG. Look for the following:
Autolyzed yeast
Hydrolyzed protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Sodium caseinate
Yeast nutrient/yeast extract/Torulo yeast
Natural flavouring
Glutamic acid
3. Trans Fat
Trans fat, hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated fats are made by forcing hydrogen gas into liquid oils at high pressure. They do this to extend the shelf life of oils. Yep, definitely not something your grandma used to whip up with dinner time. This process changes the molecular structure of the fats and results in an abnormal “trance” molecular shape. Generally, the more solid the oil is the more hydrogenated it is, like margarine. It is also typically found in deep-fried fast foods, processed foods made with margarine or
partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, chips, crackers and baked goods.
Common sense should tell us that something so far removed from nature cannot possibly be good to ingest – especially in large quantities. Trans fat is one of the most dangerous food substances. Numerous studies show that trans fat increases LDL cholesterol levels and decreases good HDL cholesterol and increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes. It also contributes to obesity, inflammation, diabetes and other health problems. Denmark has now effectively banned partially hydrogenated oils and fat if they contain more than 2% trans fatty acids.
4. High-fructose Corn Syrup
This sweetener made from corn is sweeter and cheaper than sucrose made from sugar cane and is found in virtually everything you see on the shelves, from soft drinks, bread, flavoured yoghurt and cereals. This has become the biggest source of calories in America! Experts believe high-fructose corn syrup is metabolized differently than cane sugar and more significantly raises the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
5. Artificial Sweeteners
Anything "diet" or "sugar-free" should sound the alarm.
• Aspartame (E951) is a neurotoxin (toxins destructive to nerve tissue), affects short-term
memory and intelligence and may lead to a very long list of diseases, including chronic fatigue, depression and seizures. It is also a carcinogen.
• Acesulfame-K is also found in diet products and soft drinks, desserts, cereal, chewable vitamins, baking goods, gum and gelatin. It has not been thoroughly tested and has been linked to kidney tumors.
6. Emulsifiers
Typically added to most processed foods to improve food texture and extend shelf life. Polysorbate 80 and Carboxymethylcellulose (cellulose gum) are linked to colon cancer, metabolic dysfunction, obesity and inflammatory bowel disease. Messes with intestinal bacteria and promotes leaky gut as emulsifiers act like detergents and disrupt the mucous layer that lines the gut. Commonly found in non-organic dill pickles, frozen baked goods, non-dairy creamers and more.
Brominated Vegetable Oil, a flame retardant used in rocket fuel, is also used as a beverage emulsifier. This heavy chemical prevents flavouring in soft drinks from separating from other ingredients and floating to the top of the bottle. Most commonly found in citrus-flavoured soft drinks and sports drinks.
7. Preservatives
Preservatives are used to extend the shelf life of products. Some of the more nasty ones include:
Sodium Benzoate. May increase hyperactivity in children. When used in soft drinks may react with vitamin C to create benzene, a carcinogen.
Sodium Sulfite (E221). A preservative used in wine-making, dried fruit and other processed foods is known to cause asthmatic symptoms. In severe cases, it may cause death.
Sodium Nitrate. Widely regarded as a toxic ingredient, it is used in bacon, ham, lunch meats, corned beef, smoked fish and other processed meats. Becomes highly carcinogenic once it enters the digestive system. The USDA tried to ban it as an additive in the 1970s but food manufacturers got the upper hand. It also turns meat bright red, giving old meat a fresh appearance. How convenient.
BHA and BHT (E320). Found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips and vegetable oils. It affects the neurological system of the brain, alters behavior and may cause cancer.
Sulfur Dioxide (E220). A known toxic which has been prohibited in the USA from being used on raw fruit and vegetables. It is found in beer, soft drinks, dried fruit, juice, cordials, wine, vinegar and potato products. It destroys vitamins B1 and E, and may aggravate symptoms of asthma, hypotension and cardiovascular disease.
Potassium Bromate found in bread and white flour is known to cause cancer in animals and even small amounts can create problems for humans.
8. Additives and Hormones
Many food additives have an estrogen-mimicking effect which has been linked to reproductive problems in animals and potentially humans. The Environmental Working Group published a list of the worst hormone disruptors and stated: "There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones."
Some of the real nasties include:
Phthalates. These interfere with the creation of testosterone and have been linked to birth defects of male genitals, poor sperm quality and infertility. Found in dairy, meats, cheeses and non-organic produce.
Propylparaben. This endocrine disruptor is found in processed, packaged foods, cakes, tortillas, muffins, food dyes and more.
BHA. At higher doses, it can lower testosterone and the thyroid hormone thyroxine. Found in chips, preserved meats, high-fat packaged and processed foods. These adverse effects are amplified in children as their brains and bodies are still growing and developing. These additives can affect neurological development and the endocrine system which regulates hormones.
What you can do right now
More than ever before we need to be educated and learn to question the status quo. Don’t assume anything – investigate. Teach your children to do the same.
Cook your food from scratch, even if it takes a bit more effort and time. Get into the habit of preparing lunch boxes for school and work in advance. Healthy dinner leftovers are also great choices.
Stay away from the nasty list above as much as possible. Write down the key ingredients to look out for and take it with when you go grocery shopping.
One of the first things to cut is soft drinks. They contain almost all of the nasties and are thrown down the gullet so quickly and easily that tonnes of it can be consumed without even trying. Replace it with sparkling water and fresh lemon or fruit. Not you or your children will want to go back to the sickly sweet syrups after you’ve grown accustomed to this number one clean habit.
Stay away from plastics – in your food and in your containers. Avoid plastic containers with the recycling codes 3,6 and 7 (phthalates, styrene and BPA).
Cut out products with added sugar. When a sweet craving hits rather opt for sugars that have nutritional value, like honey, dates and fruit.
Eat meats that aren’t processed.
Avoid “dirty keto”, which doesn’t focus on health and doesn’t question where fats and protein consumed come from.
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