The 6 most worrying types of additives

Although it seems incredible, additives have defenders. There is no shortage of nutritionists – close to the industry – who praise them for their usefulness, especially for improving the conservation of products, and then they usually ensure that they are safe because they are consumed in minimal quantities and have passed legal health controls.

But they should add “as of today…”, because we don’t know if any of them will be banned tomorrow when new ones appear. studies on its toxicity.

An example of the above is what happened in 2006 with the preservatives E-216 and E-217 upon discovering its detrimental effect on the endocrine system. Another indicator of questionable safety is that currently authorized additives in Europe are prohibited in other countries. But the problem of additives goes much further.

Processed foods loaded with suspected additives

there is a direct relationship between additives and processed foods: the more additives, the more processed the product is and the less healthy it is. The effects of additives are lethal. This is denounced by the report “Give me poison: a trip to the center of the food that makes us sick”, carried out by the organization VSF Global Food Justice.

According to this report, 90,000 people lose their lives each year in Spain due to following a poor diet, with excess processed foods, which represent up to 70% of the shopping basket of an average family. These products are responsible for at least half of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stomach and colon cancer.

For the sake of everyone’s health, it is necessary that real and natural foods regain ground against the accused.

Eating real food, the best way to avoid it

A historic defender of real food is the journalist and food expert michael pollan. His three criteria for nourishing himself with real food are known:

Avoid products that contain unknown ingredients or whose name is unpronounceable, which at a stroke leaves out thousands of “foods” that crowd the shelves of supermarkets. Reject those that contain more than five ingredients.Do not buy those that contain high fructose corn syrup.

The application of these recommendations means giving up practically all foods that contain some additive. But it’s true that not all additives are the same. Some are completely natural and harmless. It therefore makes sense to ask what are the most worrying additives.

The most questioned food additives

We can divide them into six groups, according to the purpose for which they are usually used in food.

1. Dyes

Color additives give a attractive and appetizing image to products, especially for children, who are precisely the ones who can suffer the most from their consumption.

Colorants such as:

E-102, E-104, E-110, E-122, E-124, E-127: They are under suspicion of promoting child hyperactivity. Since 2010, the food that carries these dyes must indicate on the label that “it can affect activity and attention in children.”E-133: It is used in ice creams, sweets and drinks and is banned in Switzerland because it can promote asthma attacks.

2. Preservatives

They lengthen the natural period in which rot or mold appear, but do not fully protect against mycotoxinsbut paradoxically they can favor their formation when the preservative effect loses strength.

Among the preservatives under suspicion we find:

E-211: It is related to childhood hyperactivity, although studies are not conclusive.Hydroxybenzoates E-214 to E-219: They are related to harmful effects on the endocrine system (estrogenic action) and trigger allergies with relative frequency. E-216 and E-217 are already banned and the rest should be too, according to Udo Pöllmer, director of the European Institute for Food Sciences and Nutrition.Sulfites E-220 to E-228: They can inhibit the use of vitamin B1 and in sensitive people they can cause headaches, dizziness or asthma attacks. Products that contain them are required to highlight their presence on the label due to their allergenic potential.Nitrates and nitrites E-249 to E-252: They are generally used to give meat products a deep red color and to prevent the development of botulinum toxin. They can be toxic when bound to human hemoglobin because they produce methemoglobinemia.

3. Antioxidants

Because they don’t work directly against germs, antioxidants are not legally considered preservatives, although the industry uses them as such because extend the shelf life of food. They slow down chemical decomposition, the rancidity of fats or the generation of brown spots on the fruit.

Pay attention to:

Gallates E-310 to E-312: They are credited with the risk of causing dangerous cyanosis (insufficient oxygenation of the blood) in babies. They can affect the immune system.Butylated hydroxyanisole (E-320 or BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (E-321 or BHT): Allergens, it is suspected that they can favor the development of cancer, immune, liver and hormonal alterations. They are probably the most questioned food additives currently and their ban in the short or medium term is likely.Sodium orthophosphate E-339: Used in soft drinks, it decreases the absorption of calcium, iron and magnesium.

4. Thickeners and emulsifiers

The thickeners and emulsifiers (from E-400 to E-500) are used to achieve a certain “mouthfeel”, such as csmoothness or consistency. They are considered safe, but there are doubts.

E-480 and E-466: A study from Georgia State University (United States) discovered three years ago that these two additives alter the composition of the intestinal microbiota and can promote metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. The study was carried out with laboratory animals but the results can probably be extrapolated to people.

5. Flavorings or flavor enhancers

Flavor enhancers are used to make up for quality deficiencies in industrial products and to increase their addictive capacity. Among the most questioned are:

Glutamates E-620 to E-625: They intensify the flavor and can cause “Chinese restaurant syndrome” in sensitive people, with symptoms such as pressure in the temples, headache and stiffness. In laboratory animals there have been fertility and learning problems, hunger attacks and obesity.

6. Sweeteners

Its objective is to reduce the calories of processed products so that they do not promote obesity, but its real effect may be the opposite, because it isstimulate the appetite and habituate the sweet taste. In addition, some have other negative effects.

Acesulfame K E-950: It causes alterations of the genetic material, according to studies done with animals.Aspartame E-951: Suspected of promoting a variety of diseases, including cancer, but studies are conflicting. Chemically it resembles peptides and hormones, so it could be a confounding factor in the body. According to the chemist Udo Pöllmer, it should be banned until the controversies are clarified.Saccharin E-944 and sucralose E-955: They are controversial sweeteners that should be avoided.

What is hidden behind some food additives

Many vegetarians and vegans they do not know that a good number of additives that they may consume are of animal origin. There are many additives, they can be of animal or vegetable origin, which makes it necessary to inquire with each manufacturer.

The additives that are exclusively of animal origin are the following:

E-120: red dye obtained from cochinealE-441: gelatin, obtained from skin, bone and cartilageE-542: of bonesE-901: of beeswaxE-904: shell wormE-910, E-920 and E-921: usually obtained from hairsE-913: of sheep’s woolE-966: of milk

From an additive is not easy either know if it is transgenic or in the form of nanoparticles. Both characteristics are related to suspicions about its safety for health.

When an additive contains nanoparticles smaller than 100 nanometers, it is mandatory to declare their presence on the labels. Contains nanoparticles E-551 or titanium dioxiderelated to disorders such as Crohn’s disease.

There are also additives obtained by transgenics, directly or indirectly, such as lecithin or E-322which may come from genetically modified soybeans.

Another possibility is that for the manufacture of the additive, transgenic Microorganisms, as in the preparation of vitamins C, biotin, B2 or B12, aspartame (E-951), xanthan gum (E-415) or flavor enhancers (from E-620 to E-625).

Finally, remember that it is difficult to find food prepared without additives and that quality food does not need to improve its flavor or color. Therefore, it is best always opt for natural and fresh food from a trusted supplier.