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Birmingham, United Kingdom
Welcome to my blog, and thank you for stopping by. I hope you find it informative, and if there is anything I have missed or you would like me to talk about please drop me a line of suggestion. After seeing a nutritional therapist I decided from the improvement of my own health that I would like to be there in the same way for others, therefore, I studied two degrees; one in Nutritional Therapy and another in Bioscience Nutrition so that i could be equipped to support a number of health conditions. I now work for a supplement company on a clinical team supporting practitioners and keeping upto date with all new scientific information and provide private consultations too aswel as keeping my blog going :)

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Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Food additives, do you know what you are putting in your mouth

What are the most popular food additives, could you explain why they are added to the food and their function?
There are many different types of food additives that cover colours, preservatives, antioxidants, sweeteners, emulsifiers. The ones mentioned below  have been approved and added to the European Directive. The additives can either be natural or synthetic.  
Common additives:
Colours:
E102  Tartrazine – yellow colouring (fizzy drinks, sweets)
E110    Sunset Yellow FCF -  Orange Yellow (orange juice, marmalade, marzipan)
E100 Curcumin – yellow colouring (added to mainly natural foods to add colouring)
E160d Lycopene/ E162 Beetroot  red – (red colouring for a natural colouring to mainly natural foods)
Antioxidants (added to prevent foods such as oils from oxidising/ going rancid)
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
Preservatives
E250    Sodium nitrite (added to meats ie bacon, salami to reduce risk of botulism)
E211    Sodium benzoate (added to soft drinks, margarine and burgers)
Flavouring
E621 monosodium glutamate MSG (commonly added to Chinese food to enhance flavour)  
Sweeteners
E951    Aspartame (artificial sweetener added to sugar free drinks)
E967    Xylitol (tree sugar added to toothpaste and sugar free foods)
Emulsifiers, Stabilisers, Thickeners and Gelling Agents
E322    Lecithins (added to chocolate for emulsification )
E464    Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (wood pulp commonly used as a capsule shell for supplements)
  
What are the possible risks of consuming them?
Not all food additives are bad, it is more about taking an informed decision on which you choose. As you can see from above I have tried to include some natural food additives as well as artificial, therefore I have put below a brief explanation of the popular food additives I have listed.
Looks can be deceiving
Colours (artificial)
Tartrazine (banned in Norway and Australia, not to be consumed by children) – has received a lot of bad press which is in a lot of colourful drinks and desserts. It is the colouring that appeals to a childs eye with its bright colouring which can turn your child from an angel into a hyperactive nightmare.
Its effect:
This is a nasty additive that has been linked to ADHD, antagonises asthma, allergies, migraines and blurred vision  
Sunset Yellow (banned in Norway and Finland, not to be consumed by children) Adding a pretty colour to orange squash and marmalade, cheese sause to make it look natural
Its effect:
tumours in animals, linked to ADHD, allergies, rhinitis (runny nose), kidney damage, genetic (chromosome) damage, nausea and vomiting, indigestion
Preservatives
E250    Sodium nitrite (banned in Norway, Sweden, Canada, Germany) -added to meats ie bacon, salami to reduce risk of botulism
Its effect:
Inconclusive but may cause stomach cancer. Causes a lack of oxygen in the body due to its effect on haemoglobin which can cause symptoms of poor mood, low energy, voming dizziness, blue tone of skin, headaches.  The side effects are so bad that it is recommended that children and pregnant women do not touch this food additive. The World Health Organisation have stated a maximum intake of 200ppm in products due to the damage it can cause in richer amounts
E211    Sodium benzoate (not to be consumed by children)  In lollipops etc… to disguise poor taste, can make allergies and asthma worse and should not be used if there is an aspirin sensitivity.
 (used to disguise poorly tasting foods and acts as a natural antibacterial)
Flavouring
E621 monosodium glutamate MSG (commonly added to Chinese food to enhance flavour and make food taste fresh, takes the tinny flavour out of tinned foods by tricking your taste buds) 
Its effect:
Blamed for an intolerance reaction that became known as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”. According to the FDA, MSG Symptom Complex can involve symptoms such as: Numbness, Burning sensation, Tingling, Facial pressure or tightness, Chest pain or difficulty breathing, Headache, Nausea, Rapid heartbeat, Drowsiness, Weakness.
Sweeteners
E951    Aspartame (artificial sweetener added to sugar free drinks)
Its effect:
This has so much negative press attached, it is related to cancer, muscle damage and diabetes. It has been shown to be a carcinogenic in rodents and caused brain tumours in 12 out of 320 rodents during a 2year trial (Dr Adrian Gross, an FDA toxicologist, testified to US Congress).  Can also cause MS symptoms such as muscle fatigue  
Nature knowing best
Curcumin – naturally used to yellow food
Its effect:
Supporting immune function by reducing allergic symptoms and asthma[i].  and involved in inhibiting cancer progression and supporting the anti-inflammatory pathway.[ii]
Beetroot Red – naturally used as a red colouring
Its effect:
Beetroot red also known as betanin inhibits tumour growth in the lungs[iii].   Supports gentle detoxification of the liver and is anti-inflammatory[iv]
Lycopene a red phytochemical in tomatoes that is released when heated
Its effect:
Encouraged to support prostate health, may support liver function and reduce adiposity in obese people.[v]
Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
These are natural vitamins that the body requires,  vitamin E and C naturally act as antioxidants to prevent cells from free radical damage.  
E967    Xylitol (tree sugar added to toothpaste and sugar free foods)
This is a natural sugar taken from trees that is supposed to be less disruptive on the blood sugar than sugar. Maguire A et al 2003 study found that xylitol was effective in reducing plaque and a superior form compared to sorbitol. By reducing plaques the levels of mutans Streptococcus also decreased. A study in Japan looked at maternal transfer of mutans Streptococcus (related to cavities) to children was reduced when women chose to chew xylitol gum from the 2nd trimester of their pregnancy till the 13th month.   The children aged 9-24 months had a less colonization of MS in comparison to the mothers that did not chew the gum (Nakai Y et al 2010).
Emulsifiers, Stabilisers, Thickeners and Gelling Agents
E322    Lecithins (added to chocolate for emulsification )
Effect:
Positively used with people that are unable to digest fats by helping breakdown fat, causing less digestive issues and better fat digestion
E464    Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (wood pulp commonly used as a capsule shell for supplements)
Effect:
A plant material that is used to encapsulated supplements, a natural material that is easily broken down by stomach acid making it easy to digest.
One final additive that I shall mention that is on the European directive as a safe additive but is not used enough:
E425    Konjac (can be used as a weightloss supplement, found in yoghurt, ice cream, cream cheese, non dairy creamers and confectionary)
Effect:
Glucomannan appears to beneficially affect total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, and Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), but not HDL cholesterol or BP[i]. taken orally, studies have shown a reduction in weight in both obese children  and adults[vi][vii][viii][ix][x]
What is your advice on how to avoid food additives in our everyday life?
Growing your own vegetable patch and locally sourcing your ingredients. Go for fresh produce that isn’t pre-packaged and check the ingredients. The best advice is if you don’t recognise the ingredient as natural then your body wont either.
Colours that are exempt from certification include pigments derived from natural sources such as vegetables, minerals or animals.
Nature derived colour additives are typically more expensive than certified colours and therefore tend to be used less frequently. Examples of exempt colours include annatto extract (yellow), beta-carotene (yellow to orange) and grape skin extract (red, green) These ingredients have health benefits  without the negative aspects attached that could be detrimental to health.









[i] Gallaher DD, Gallaher CM, Mahrt GJ, et al. A glucomannan and chitosan fiber supplement decreases plasma cholesterol and increases cholesterol excretion in overweight normocholesterolemic humans. J Am Coll Nutr 2002;21:428-33.
[vi] Gallaher DD, Gallaher CM, Mahrt GJ, et al. A glucomannan and chitosan fiber supplement decreases plasma cholesterol and increases cholesterol excretion in overweight normocholesterolemic humans. J Am Coll Nutr 2002;21:428-33
[vii] Vita PM, Restelli A, Caspani P, et al. [Chronic use of glucomannan in the dietary treatment of severe obesity]. Minerva Med 1992;83:135-9.
[viii] Walsh DE, Yaghoubian V, Behforooz A. Effect of glucomannan on obese patients: a clinical study. Int J Obes 1984;8:289-93.
[ix] Livieri C, Novazi F, Lorini R. [The use of highly purified glucomannan-based fibers in childhood obesity]. Pediatr Med Chir 1992;14:195-8.
[x] Cairella M, Marchini GAD. [Evaluation of the action of glucomannan on metabolic parameters and on the sensation of satiation in overweight and obese patients])

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