Food Additives To Be Aware Of
In the day and age we are living in, it’s not as clear-cut what actually goes in the food we are consuming. Do you ever wish you could go back to the time when what we ate was simply grown and raised, not altered or processed by man? Sadly, I can’t take you back in time, but I can help better equip you with knowledge of the present-day food additives we Americans are faced with on a daily basis. I encourage you not to let this knowledge make you paranoid, for that worry only adds to a decline in health. Instead, let it produce wisdom as you apply what you learn.
Additives to stay away from:
Modified Starch: This is highly processed with less nutritional value. It is treated with sulfuric acid, chlorine, and chemicals to modify it to improve the texture of food. It doesn’t matter if the product looks healthy overall, this additive can still cause GI distress over time.
Maltodextrin: (Corn/wheat starch) is enzymatically broken down into shorter chains of glucose making it a thickener, sweetener, and filler for food. It has a high glycemic value, meaning it can spike your blood sugar as well as disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut. *There is an additive called resistant maltodextrin. This reacts in the gut as a fiber because of the chemical composition that resists digestion. This kind can be beneficial to your gut and might be found in a packaged protein bar.
Palm oil: This is vegetable oil from a palm tree. This oil has a high melting point and contains a high content of saturated fat. It is often highly processed and has a higher ratio of omega-six fatty acids instead of omega-three fatty acids which can lead to inflammation in the body. *When we consume a lot of omega six/n-6 (peanut butter, almonds, avocado oil, cashews, sunflower seeds), and not enough of omega three/n-3 (salmon, mackerel, flax seeds, chia seeds, oysters), it can off-set the right balance our body needs which is a 4:1 ratio ( 4 grams of n-6 for one gram of n-3).
Look for cold-pressed oils to gain nutrition and limit your processed oils in packaged foods.
BHA/BHT: This is a synthetic antioxidant that preserves freshness and inhibits the oxidation of fats and oils in processed food, cereals, and chewing gum. Large amounts have been shown to be negative in studies. Stay away from this preservative.
It is also found in a lot of personal care products.
Guar Gum: This is a plant-based carb from the beans of the plant that functions as a fat replacer/ stabilizer. It is not necessarily bad for you, but you should be aware of how your body responds to it. It is fat-mimetic, meaning it gives the mouth the feeling of fat in low-carb food. Because of this, the body expects to have calories with these types of mouth-feel foods and when it is not provided, hunger can kick in, causing you to eat more than you need. *Be aware of this for those who are trying to lose weight.
Carrageenan: This is taken from seaweed and is found in plant-based milk functioning as a stabilizer. Some evidence links it to GI distress, but more research is needed. It is recommended to avoid products with carrageenan when possible.
Sodium benzoate: This is a salt in the benzoate acid found naturally in some fruits and seasonings. However, this additive is synthetically produced by mixing benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide. It functions as an antifungal preservative found in acidic foods. The amount in weight that is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) is .1% by the FDA. When it is mixed with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), it turns into benzene which is a known carcinogen. It has also been linked to ADHD symptoms, allergies, and inflammation, so it is clearly not even worth the .1% that might be hiding in a product.
Excitotoxins: Are defined as agents that cause neurons in the brain to excite themselves to death. Evidence suggests they promote cancer growth and its propensity to spread. These are found in many processed foods.
MSG (also known as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extract, autolyzed yeast, and sodium caseinate): Some symptoms of MSG poisoning can be but are not limited to “headaches, sterility, cancer, mood swings, depression, hyperactivity, asthma, heart irregularities, and endocrine disruptions.”
The chemical composition of MSG is made up of the sodium salt of amino acids found in protein-rich foods. It is found naturally in many foods, but the unnatural version is added to many foods by taking the carbs from corn or sugar cane and fermenting it into glutamate. Research shows that your body treats the glutamic acid naturally sourced the same way it does the unnatural additive. What makes it harmful then? There is a lot of different research claiming different stories, but the main reason for concern is that MSG can overstimulate the nerve cells in the brain resulting in cell death.
This additive contains the fifth basic taste that carries a meaty flavor called umami. It is a tasty flavor but dangerous to the body and should be avoided. Some studies suggest that the chemical glutamate is completely digested and used for energy in the gut, therefore not even making it to the brain. However, we know this can’t be true because biology tells us that one role of the vagus nerve is to receive microbiota signals in the gut and relay them to the central nervous system. What goes into the gut most definitely affects our brains. (-Healthline.com) (-Kerry Glassman)
Aspartame (also known as a non-nutritive sweetener and under the brand name Nutra Sweet and Equal): This NNS is made up of two naturally occurring amino acids found in the body called aspartic acid and phenylalanine. During the breakdown of aspartame, part of it becomes methanol which is toxic in large amounts. However, even when small amounts of methanol combine with free methanol (meaning aspartame was heated) produces the breakdown of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Some researchers claim that naturally acidic foods like fruits and certain veggies like tomato juice produce methanol as well; however, the way the body processes the natural form is different from how it processes aspartame. “Consumption of aspartame in sodas, for instance, appears to cause a flooding of the amino acids in the bloodstream- a prompt rise that does not occur after the ingestion of dietary protein.”
Also keep in mind that since this NNS is low in calories, it can make your hunger hormone, ghrelin, increase. This is because your brain is searching for the calories that usually come along with that sweet taste.
Better options for your health:
Sunflower oil: This vegetable oil is from the seeds of the sunflower plant. Higher in omega six acid, but is a good source of linoleic acid and vitamin E.
*Choose organic seed oil when possible for the higher omega-three content.
Sunflower lecithin: This is found in plant-based foods, containing a mixture of fats. It is used as an emulsifier* and stabilizer in processed foods. This additive can lower your cholesterol and benefit your skin health.
Sunflower lecithin is better than soy lecithin or egg lecithin, which are extracted with solvents. Once again choose cold-pressed sunflower lecithin.
*emulsion: a fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible. *An emulsifier is an additive used to stabilize the emulsion.
Xanthan Gum: This is a natural sugar, formed by mixing fermented sugars with the bacteria from a plant (most commonly corn, soy, or wheat). It is a fat replacer and thickener and is safe when used in small amounts.
Agar-agar: This is a gelatinous substance from seaweed that is then processed into flakes or powders and is found in cell walls of algae, it acts as a veggie alternative to gelatin from the bones of animals. This additive may reduce the absorption of glucose, decreasing blood sugar, so too much of it could impair nutrient absorption. It is not harmful to your body in a limited amount.
Carob Bean/ Locust Bean Gum: This is probably the best ‘gum’ option out there. It comes from the fiber in the seeds of the carob tree (similar to the cocoa plant), making it high in soluble fiber. It is a thickener in dressings, ice cream, infant formula, etc. It can aid in constipation relief and lower your blood sugar levels.
Pea Protein: This is a plant-based protein from the yellow split pea, functioning as a meat alternative. This can be a fine option as long as it is an organic pea protein and the product’s entire ingredient label looks like it’s naturally sourced.
Munk Fruit: This is derived from the luu han guo fruit in southeast Asia. It is a natural sweetener that is 150x sweeter than table sugar with zero calories. It contains antioxidants, supports the immune system, and may have anti-inflammatory properties like good quality honey,
Inulin: This is a prebiotic fiber found in chicory root, onion, garlic, and artichokes. It will increase your fiber content which will benefit your gut health and can help you lose weight; However, some people’s guts may be irritated by this additive if their GI tract is already distressed.
–Dr. Livinggood
–https://msgfacts.com/ten-facts-about-msg/
-farmersfreshco.com
-(Bailey, D. (2023, February 9). The Truth About Aspartame Side Effects. Retrieved on July 30, 2023, from: https://www.healthline.com/health/aspartame-side-effects.
(Dr. Group, DC. (2014, June 19th). Harmful Effects of Monosodium Glutamate. Retrieved on July 30, 2023, from: https://explore.globalhealing.com/harmful-effects-of-monosodium-glutamate-msg.
