Food Additives Are Put Into Foods To Make Them Last Longer On The Shelf.

Additives and preservatives are used to make foods last longer on the shelf. Without preservatives our bread would go stale, tinned fruit and vegetables would lose their firmness and colour, and fatty foods would go rancid.

I try to avoid all processed foods as this is where food additives and preservatives are mainly found, but if you get into the habit of reading labels, you will start to get the idea of what is in the food you are eating. Then you can decide on how far you are prepared to go to cut them out.

A product always contains more of the ingredient mentioned first than of that mentioned last.

For instance you probably eat store made bread every day. Well I also used to until I discovered that all commercial bread in South Africa, and many other countries, contains a food additive called Calcium Propionate. I now bake my own bread using a “bread machine”.

Calcium Propionate can cause migraines as well as gastrointestinal problems. It also destroys the enzyme that enables us to assimilate calcium, so next time you pick up a loaf in your supermarket think carefully, especially if you are concerned about osteoporosis. Calcium Propionate can also be found in some processed cheeses. The use of it has been banned in Australia.

So now we all believe that it would be very healthy to eat dried fruit and raisins. The truth is that you still have to look at the labels! Most dried fruits are treated with Sulphur Dioxide. This preservative can cause bronchial spasms in asthmatics.

It is also known to reduce levels of calcium in the body, making bones and teeth brittle. It may also cause eczema, headaches, nausea and ulcers and hypertension. Sulphur dioxide is also found in wine, beer, biltong, sausage meat, sauces soups and dehydrated vegetables.

Antioxidants, not to be confused with dietary antioxidants (see free radicals), are often added to oils and fats to avoid rancidity and also to fruit juices, jams and tinned fruit to avoid discoloration.

BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated hydroxyloluene) are food additives that can be found in some oils and margarine. They can trigger hyperactive symptoms and can be carcinogenic. They can also result in skin rashes. They are not permitted in baby foods and have been banned from foods in Japan.

Artificial sweeteners (or non nutritive sweeteners) are used to sweeten more than 125 different products in South Africa. They are mainly confined to soft drinks, low calorie yoghurts, chewing gum and as an additive in drugs. They are prohibited from use in any baby food but can be found in children’s medications. They destroy vitamin c and can cause liver damage.

Avoid any forms of colourants as they can cause asthma, rhinitis (runny nose), migraine and skin rashes.

AZO dyes can appear on labels as “certified colour” or “artificial colour” or by a specific name e.g.tartrazine.

Tartrazine is a bright yellow coal tar dye used to colour soft drink, jellies, smoked fish canned vegetables and brown sauces. It is prohibited in Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Annatto is a natural yellow colouring extracted from the Annatto tree. It is used to give cheese and butter their bright yellow colour. The dairy board claims that it is entirely harmless but there is evidence that it can cause intolerance in people that suffer with skin problems and angio neurotic oedema (fluid around the heart). The dairy board feels that we prefer dairy products that are bright yellow but it is far healthier for you to buy the uncoloured variety.

Sodium nitrates are a preservative/antimicrobial found in vienna sausages, ham, processed meats and smoked fish and frozen pizza. They may increase the risk of cancer, can cause deoxygenation of the blood. They can also cause gastroenteritis, irregular pulse, vertigo (dizziness), muscular weakness, asthma and skin rashes. They may interact with some drugs.

Sodium sulphites are food additives found in fruit juices, wine, beer, shellfish and frozen fried potato products. Ingestion may cause gastric irritation, nausea, diarrhoea and asthma attacks. People with impaired kidneys or liver should avoid all foods containing Sulphites.

Sodium chloride, (salt) is used as a preservative and flavourant in cheese, processed meats, canned vegetables, ketchup, and snacks. High salt intake contributes to kidney problems, water retention, hypertention, cardiovascular disease (heart failure), stomach cancer and migraines.

It also interferes with the body’s ability to clear fats from the blood stream. Try and cut down on the amount of salt you add when cooking as well as the processed foods containing salt. You will be amazed at how quickly you get used to a lower salt intake.

So as you can see there are a lot of food additives in your food and if you add up everything that you consume, it probably comes out at a pretty staggering total! I think you will agree that this just has to affect your health and age you prematurely.

In addition to the sugar, caffeine and nicotine that you are consuming, you also need to think about your homocystein levels. as they play a large role in your health.