Food Additives To Avoid

Written by Diet Bites

Why Substances are Added to Foods

Without certain additives, due to the population of the world it would be virtually impossible to feed everyone.

The substances which are added to the food chain accomplish the following:

* Some add nutritional values to the food.

* Others serve to add color.

* Some work to create a more desirable texture.

* Most importantly, they keep foods from succumbing to spoilage and turning rancid - extending their shelf life at times for years on end. Many a pioneer lost their life due to food spoilage or at minimum, suffered the consequences of what happens to the gut when one eats tainted food.

Food Additives That Effect Health

Some individuals are at higher risk for health issues when the following additives are consumed.

Aspartame Make Worsen Epileptic Seizures

Has been shown to exacerbate epileptic seizures as well as create serious issues for those who suffer from phenylketonuria, a rare metabolic disorder. Some individuals are allergic to aspartame which can trigger life-threatening reactions.

Monosodium Glutamate Related to Headache, Hives, Celiac Disease

This flavor enhancer is also commonly known as MSG. It works to add a lightly salty and bitter taste to foods as it hits the sensory areas of the tongue and is generally associated with Asian cooking. It occurs naturally in dried seaweed or can be made from corn or wheat gluten - or from sugar beets.

It has been associated with the following side effects in susceptible individuals: headache, allergic reaction such as hives and rash and it may trigger or enhance the symptoms associated with Celiac Disease.

Cow's Milk & Hives

If the milk cow has been treated with an antibiotic such as penicillin, if the milk is consumed by someone who is allergic to the antibiotic, they can experience a reaction. Generally, the result is rash and itching.

Pesticides & Increased Risk for Cancer

PCBs, mercury generally found in fish and seafood, lead - and other environmental pollutants found in the food chain can set the stage for numerous health issues - from cancer to exacerbating a current health issue.

In Summary

For the most part, the substances added to our foods is safe, but even so - many remain questionable. For years iron was added to almost every food on the planet.

Now we find that for men over the age of 40, too much iron in the diet can increase heart risk issues. In the current world, calcium is the new iron.

Fact is, if you are consuming a healthy diet - that should suffice for the nutritional needs of the body.

And on that note, we recommend that you consume foods that have not been through a commercial process and that are as close to their natural state as possible.

You'll not only feel better, you'll apt to be healthier - and you're weight should be more manageable.

To read more about specific preservatives as well as the foods they can be found in - and their function, this is discussed on this page of Diet Bites.