Watch Out These Additives In Your Food
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Knowingly or unknowingly, additives are becoming a big part of our diet. With three young kids of different ages, it is a daily struggle to find something that is healthy, or safe for them and something that satisfies their âsnackâ cravings.
I don't mind my children indulging in some childish snacks, but the sort of additives that are present in todayâs snacks are anything but fit for children.
Additives are causing all sorts of behavioral and attention issues in young minds. Research has shown that most artificial food coloring's are linked to attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But these coloring's are found in almost all kid snacks, from cereal to cookies, to even childrenâs medicine!?
There are seven major additives found in foods today in the USA that are no good for those who consume them. Sure, they don't pose any immediate health risks, but there are several side effects to the body in the long run.
As consumers, we like to believe that food manufacturers have our best interests at heart with their products. But this could not be any further away from the truth. The more I read food labels and study about them, it has become clear to me that food manufacturers are only concerned about the taste and shelf life of a product and the profits they make. The health of consumers is probably not even on their list.
Food is made to taste better, last longer and look appealing by adding many chemicals. Most of these food additives are synthetic. More than 6000 food additives have been approved for use in our food industry, but there are 7 major additives that we will be discussing today.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup (how long does corn syrup last?) is a cheap substitute for real sugar (how long does sugar last?) and is used to sweeten beverages. it is made from yellow dent corn man has been proven to promote insulin resistance and increased belly fat. The fructose in HFCS goes straight to the liver where it converts to fat. The American Heart Association identifies sugar sweetened beverages to be the main source of added sugars in our diet.
Sugars of all kinds can cause health issues, but fructose is a kind of sugar that causes cancer cells to metastasize more actively than other sugars.
Other worrisome side effects caused by HFCS are:
Obesity
Insulin resistance
Belly fat
Always read labels for âhigh fructose corn syrupâ. You will not only find it on food labels, but some very common kidâs medications.
Monosodium Glutamate
Mono sodium glutamate is an artificial flavor that is very commonly found in processed foods. From chips to soup to fast food MSG has found its place in almost everything close up while the FDA has ârecognized MSG as safe â, there have been several complaints regarding adverse reactions to foods with MSG.
Glutamate is an amino acid that occurs naturally in many foods. When compounds called free glutamates are added to food, it makes food taste better. These compounds also act as excitatory neurotransmitters, which cause nerves in the brain to be over stimulated. This stimulation increases our sense of taste, but it can also cause a host of symptoms that include impaired cognition, impaired motor skills and impaired memory. Yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, vegetable powder, autolyzed yeast extract are all names of MSG.
MSG also causes heart palpitations, nausea, facial numbness and swelling.
Trans Fats
You will be surprised to know that the FDA allows food manufacturers to label their food products as â0 transfat â as long as the food contains less than .5 grams transfat per serving!
To increase the shelf life of foods, vegetable oils are hydrogenated to transform them into a solid fats. Trans fats increase your triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels which not only raises your chance of heart attack but has also been linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, Alzheimer's disease and obesity.
Read labels carefully for the following ingredients:
Shortening
Partially hydrogenated oils
Hydrogenated oils
DATEM
Mono and diglycerides
Artificial Flavors
Additives created to duplicate the taste of natural ingredients are called artificial flavors. They are used in processed food to make it taste better because processing removes much of the flavor. Artificial flavors are known to cause allergic and behavioral reactions.
A food labeled with âartificial flavorsâ as an ingredient could mean a single synthetic additive or a blend of several chemicals. Surprisingly, the FDA does not require food manufacturers today to divulge ingredient names as long as they fall under the âgenerally recognized as safe (GRAS) categoryâ. Needless to say, if the food product you pick says âartificial flavorsâ, put it back.
Artificial Sweeteners
So many of us use artificial sweeteners to replace sugar in order to cut our calorie intake. While I agree that sugar should be avoided as much as possible, replacing that sugar with an artificial sweetener is just as bad or probably even worse.
Acesulfame potassium also called as ace-K, is a calorie free sweetener. Another artificial sweetener, Aspartame, has been linked to numerous side effects including dizziness, mood swings, memory loss and headaches. The FDA has received more complaints regarding Aspartame, than any other additive. Saccharin, the 1st commercial artificial sweetener to be used is known to cause cancer in animals. Sucralose, or Splenda (how long does splenda last?) as we know it, is 600 times sweeter than sugar and studies show it may be causing leukemia in mice.
Artificial sweeteners are the worst kind of additives in my opinion because they are consumed mostly by children. From kids cough syrup to kids toothpastes, you will find artificial sweeteners of one or more kinds present. Next time when you buy over-the-counter medication or even prescription medication for your children, read the labels and best of luck in finding one without any additives in it!
Artificial Colors
Brightly colored products can be seen everywhere. From cereals to candy , from pharmaceutical drugs to cosmetics. As per the Center for science in the public interest, chemical food dyes are made from known carcinogens. Doctors and parents have long noted the effects of artificial dyes on their children's behavior especially in terms of ADHD and ADD.
They also effect the behavior of children who do not have any existing behavioral disorders. In the US , artificial colors are supposed to be listed on the label but in other countries you will simply see them listed as âcolorâ. Omit synthetic colors from your childrenâs snacks and observe any differences in behaviors.
Preservatives
Pre-packed foods and long life, shelf foods are added with preservatives, in order to extend their life. These preservatives are definitely not good for our health. The preservatives often are found to be allergenic or/and carcinogenic. The preservatives that have been found to be the most damaging effects on our bodies are:
BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene): Affects kidney and liver function.
Sodium Benzoate: Is a carcinogen.
Polysorbate: Affects the immune system and causes infertility.
Sulfites: Common allergens, and can lead to headaches, behavioral problems, rashes and bowel disturbance.
TBHQ (tertiary butylhyroquinone): TBHQ has been linked to tinnitus, nausea and cancer.
Potassium Sorbate: Known to cause DNA damage.
Nitrates: Used in curing meats, nitrates produce nitrosamines when mixed with stomach fluids.
There are always safer options you can pick over the conventional ones with additives. Learn about the sneaky nameâs chemicals hide behind, on the labels. Monitor your childrenâs behavior, or better, your own behavior and moods when you eat food with additives.
So, itâs not only about the fact that kids eat junk food, but the kind of junk food the eat is of far greater importance. Make it a habit to read labels, and if you canât find any junk food without additives, hop on here to find some healthier options for junk food your kids may like!
Want to know about healthy late-night snacks for you and your kids?
