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Food additives have been used for centuries to enhance the appearance and flavour of food and to also prolong shelf life. However, do the food additives really ‘add’ any value to your food?Food additives find their way into our foods to help ease the processing, packaging and storage.The four main artificial food additives I am going to discuss are artificial sweeteners, trans fat, sodium sulfite and food dyes.
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Artificial sweeteners are found in foods labelled ‘diet’ or ‘sugar free’. The sweetener accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other food additives combined. It is known to erode intelligence and short-term memory. The toxic sweetener may lead to diabetes, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, parkinson's, headaches, nausea and so much more.
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Sucrose is one type of artificial sweeteners otherwise known as ‘table sugar’. Sucrose offers energy but no nutritional benefits and is found in baked goods, jams, marinades and salad dressings. Another artificial sweetener is Stevia leaf extract. This artificial sweetener is found in diet drinks and yogurt. From the stevia plant this product is deemed the natural alternative to artificial sweeteners.
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Stevia is the sweetener I think everyone gets a little confused with, many people think iced tea is healthy, however, many iced teas contain stevia, and because this is extracted from a plant people automatically think the drink is good for you.
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Human beings have long sought sugars, but aside from wild honey and fruits, have not had access to the large quantities that characterize the modern diet. Studies have indicated potential links between consumption of free sugars including sucrose and health hazards. These include obesity and tooth decay.
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Trans fat is used to enhance and extend shelf life. Found in deep fried foods and certain processed foods made with margarine or particularly hydrogenated vegetable oils. Studies show that trans fat increases low cholesterol levels while decreasing HDL the good cholesterol. This increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease, strokes, diabetes and other heart issues.
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A quick list of foods to watch out for that contain trans fat are: fries, anything battered, pies and tarts, margarine, cake mixtures and frosting, pancakes and waffles, fried chicken and ice cream. Trans Fat links to Cardiovascular disease. This is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the U.S. Therefore, you should keep your intake of trans fat as low as possible.
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Sodium Sulfite is a preservative used in winemaking and other processed foods. It is a white crystal or powder with reducing property. Sodium sulfite exhibits bleaching, desulfurizing, and dechlorinating activities. This agent was used by the food industry to help maintain the fresh appearance of food products.
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According to the FDA, approximately one in 100 people is sensitive to sulfites in food. The majority of these individuals are asthmatic, suggesting a link between asthma and sulfites. Individuals who are sulfite sensitive may experience headaches, breathing problems, and rashes. In severe cases, sulfites can actually cause death by closing down the airway altogether, leading to cardiac arrest. It is found in Wine and most dried fruit.
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Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. The European Union has recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to inform consumers of the health risks.Food dyes that are found in fizzy drinks, juices and salad dressings may contribute to behavioural issues in children and lead to reduction in IQ.
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Blue #1 also known as brilliant blue and Blue #2 are banned in Norway, Finland and France because they may cause chromosomal damage and kidney tumors. These dyes are found in candy, cereal, soft drinks, sport drinks and pet food.Red #3 and Red #40 continue to be on the market until supplies run out. It has been proven to cause thyroid cancer and is found in fruit cocktails, ice cream, candy, bakery products and much more.
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Your healthiest items to consume are fruit and veges and also lean fresh meat. These items have no food additives colours or sugar. All processed food has things in it that are not good for the human body, most processed items contain a heap of sugar, plenty of additives and most likely food dyes too.
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In conclusion ‘We are what we eat’ the saying goes. The wide array of delicacies that have been made possible due to food additives have been widely misused by the modern world leading to an increase in ‘food junkies’ and added to the burden of lifestyle diseases. Next time you visit the supermarket I challenge you to read the backs of the products you are buying to see what’s really in your food.
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