Food Additives and Flavorings - Is This Extra Stuff Bad For You?
Did you know that we each eat about ten lbs.
of food additives each year? Not very surprising, considering that about 3,500 various food additives exist! Some countries consume more additives than others, with the United States being one of the main culprits.
Some of these additives are natural, though the vast majority are artificially made with the intent of adding color and flavor, as well as for purposes of preserving the food.
Research suggests that high consumption of food additives may actually cause developmental problems with children.
In fact, some doctors believe that artificial colors and preservatives cause problems such as hyperactivity, irritability, a low attention span, and restlessness, among other things.
Additional research has shown that artificial coloring specifically may be linked with digestion problems.
Additives have a somewhat bad reputation as they are often blamed for various food allergies.
Surprisingly however, most additives in fact, do not cause any type of allergy, although a few are known to and are banned in a few countries.
Some additives have been linked with triggering asthma symptoms in people, such as insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which are all used to coat certain foods.
Some more specific additives thought to trigger asthma include ethylene gas (the additive used to help speed up the ripening process in bananas) and paraffin wax (used for making fruits and vegetables extra shiny).
Monosodium glutamate, a common flavor enhancer in Chinese food and also used in meat tenderizer, is another culprit that is tied to asthma.
of food additives each year? Not very surprising, considering that about 3,500 various food additives exist! Some countries consume more additives than others, with the United States being one of the main culprits.
Some of these additives are natural, though the vast majority are artificially made with the intent of adding color and flavor, as well as for purposes of preserving the food.
Research suggests that high consumption of food additives may actually cause developmental problems with children.
In fact, some doctors believe that artificial colors and preservatives cause problems such as hyperactivity, irritability, a low attention span, and restlessness, among other things.
Additional research has shown that artificial coloring specifically may be linked with digestion problems.
Additives have a somewhat bad reputation as they are often blamed for various food allergies.
Surprisingly however, most additives in fact, do not cause any type of allergy, although a few are known to and are banned in a few countries.
Some additives have been linked with triggering asthma symptoms in people, such as insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which are all used to coat certain foods.
Some more specific additives thought to trigger asthma include ethylene gas (the additive used to help speed up the ripening process in bananas) and paraffin wax (used for making fruits and vegetables extra shiny).
Monosodium glutamate, a common flavor enhancer in Chinese food and also used in meat tenderizer, is another culprit that is tied to asthma.
