What are Food Additives?
Natural food additives have been used for centuries to preserve food, like: salt, sugar, vinegar and yeast.
However, new substances (mostly chemical) have been introduced and added to food to maintain freshness, to prevent deterioration, to improve appearance, taste, texture, others.
Food Additives are added to food for commercial purposes and commercial interests. Mainly to make the products more appealing to the customer, to addict the customer with crazy amounts of sugar and salt, and to extend the shelf life of the product.
Additives add little or no nutritional value to the foods.
However, new substances (mostly chemical) have been introduced and added to food to maintain freshness, to prevent deterioration, to improve appearance, taste, texture, others.
Food Additives are added to food for commercial purposes and commercial interests. Mainly to make the products more appealing to the customer, to addict the customer with crazy amounts of sugar and salt, and to extend the shelf life of the product.
Additives add little or no nutritional value to the foods.
Most Common Food Additives
- Colour Additives: Enhances or adds artificial colour
- Flavouring: Enhancers or adds artificial flavour
- Artificial Sweeteners: Adds artificial sweetness with less calories
- Antioxidants: Prevents the growth of bacteria through oxidation (contact with oxygen of air)
- Emulsifiers: Prevents the separation of the ingredients
- Thickeners: Adds texture
- Stabilisers: Maintains the texture
- Preservatives: Prevents the growth of microorganism
Some of the most Dangerous Additives for Health
Colour Additives:
Preservatives:
Antioxidants and Acids:
Emulsifiers, Stabilisers, Thickeners and Gelling Agents:
Artificial Sweeteners:
- E102 (Tartrazine)
- E104 (Quinoline yellow)
- E110 ( Sunset yellow)
- E120 ( Cochineal, red colour)
- E123 (Amaranth)
- E124 (Ponceau 4R)
- E127 (Erythrosine)
- E128 (Red 2G)
- E129 (Allura, red AC)
- E131 (Patent blue V)
- E142 (Green S)
- E151 (Brilliant black BN)
- E154 (Brown FK)
- E155 (Brown HT)
- E171 (Titanium dioxide)
- E173 (Aluminium)
- E174 (Silver)
- E175 (Gold)
- E180 (Lithol Rubine BK)
- E210 to E224 (Benzoates and Sulphites)
- E226 to E228 (Sulphites)
- E230 to E232 (Phenols)
- E233 (Thiabendazole)
- E235 (Natamycin)
- E236 (Formic acid)
- E237 (Sodium formate)
- E238 (Calcium formate)
- E239 (Hexamethylene tetramine)
- E249 to E252 (Nitrites)
- E280 to E283 (Propionates)
- E284 (Boric acid)
- E285 (Sodium tetraborate borax)
Antioxidants and Acids:
- E310 to E312 (Gallates)
- E320 (BHA)
- E321 (BHT)
- E385 (Calcium disodium EDTA)
Emulsifiers, Stabilisers, Thickeners and Gelling Agents:
- E407 (Carrageenan)
- E431 to 436 (Polysorbates)
- E512 (Stannous chloride)
- E520 to E523 (Aluminiums)
- E541 (Sodium aluminium phosphate)
- E442 (Ammonium phosphatides)
- E450 (Diphosphates)
- E553b (Talc)
- E554 to E559 (Aluminiums)
- E900 (Dimethylpolysiloxane)
- E912 (Montan acid esters)
- E905 (Microcrystalline wax)
- E950 (Acesulfame K)
- E951 (Aspartame)
- E952 (Cyclamic acid)
- E954 (Saccharin)
Flavour Enhancers:
- E620 to E625 (Glutamates)
Harmful Food Additives and Effects upon Health
Additives are associated with:
- Cancer,
- Tumours,
- Depression,
- Asthma,
- Blood disorders,
- Fungal infections,
- Fatigue,
- Headaches,
- Malnutrition,
- Obesity,
- Diabetes,
- Respiratory problems,
- Heart diseases,
- Allergies,
- others.
What does the letter E followed by a number stands for?
"E" stands for European Union and E numbers are the names given by European Union to identify the additives that are authorised. EU also obligates the food industry to label all the additives added to the product. With these shorter names, there's no excuse for not including all the additives.
The E numbers, makes it easier, for the customer, to differentiate food ingredients from food additives, in food labels.
It is, also, an efficient form of avoiding the food industry to use different names for one additive. The specific E numbers allows the customer to easier identify the food additive.
E100s are, generally, colour additives
E200s are mainly preservatives
E300s are mostly antioxidants
E400s include emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents
Others additives, like sweeteners, acidity regulators, etc, are, normally, listed in the remaining E numbers.
Food additives are listed, in labels, normally, from the highest quantity content to the smallest quantity, at the end.
Harmful Food Additives and Effects upon Health
Additives are associated with:
- Cancer,
- Tumours,
- Depression,
- Asthma,
- Blood disorders,
- Fungal infections,
- Fatigue,
- Headaches,
- Malnutrition,
- Obesity,
- Diabetes,
- Respiratory problems,
- Heart diseases,
- Allergies,
- others.
What does the letter E followed by a number stands for?
"E" stands for European Union and E numbers are the names given by European Union to identify the additives that are authorised. EU also obligates the food industry to label all the additives added to the product. With these shorter names, there's no excuse for not including all the additives.
The E numbers, makes it easier, for the customer, to differentiate food ingredients from food additives, in food labels.
It is, also, an efficient form of avoiding the food industry to use different names for one additive. The specific E numbers allows the customer to easier identify the food additive.
E100s are, generally, colour additives
E200s are mainly preservatives
E300s are mostly antioxidants
E400s include emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents
Others additives, like sweeteners, acidity regulators, etc, are, normally, listed in the remaining E numbers.
Food additives are listed, in labels, normally, from the highest quantity content to the smallest quantity, at the end.
Other Harmful Food Ingredients
Artificial Trans Fats or partially hydrogenated oils - is unsaturated fat made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil, converting it into solid fat, at room temperature, like margarine.
Trans fats are used to preserve freshness and to extend the shelf life of food. It is proven to increase bad cholesterol(LDL), risk of heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, inflammation, others.
Other Harmful Food Ingredients
Artificial Trans Fats or partially hydrogenated oils - is unsaturated fat made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil, converting it into solid fat, at room temperature, like margarine.
Trans fats are used to preserve freshness and to extend the shelf life of food. It is proven to increase bad cholesterol(LDL), risk of heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, inflammation, others.
Olestra or Sucrose Polyester - is a fake fat substitute used in low fat foods to lower the calories content.
It prevents our body to absorb essential vitamins, causes anal leakage, gastrointestinal problems, others.
Potassium Bromate or Bromated Flour - is a oxidising agent added to white flour to bleach and increase the volume of the dough.
Studies published in Japan, prove that causes cancer.
High Fructose Corn Syrup - is a liquid sweetener made from corn starch that has been processed to convert some glucose into fructose.
It is associated with obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, liver failure, tooth decay, others.
Foods that have more Additives:
Ice Cream
Commercial Jams
Commercial Fruit juices
Confections
Chewing Gum
Fast-food
Delicatessen Products
Potato chips
Commercial Condiments
Salty Snacks
Breakfast Cereals
Frozen meals
Commercial Sauces
Margarines
Bakery
Products
Commercial
Peanut butter
Instant
Soups
Processed
meat
Soda and
sugary drinks
Low fat
food
Microwave Popcorn
Plastic Packaging
Unfortunately, the plastic packaging that contains our foods are also ingredients that we are eating and drinking. The chemicals of the plastics packaging contaminate the food and drinks, like: water.
Some of the chemicals in plastic: polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, phthalates, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyester,
These chemicals can cause: cancer, birth defects, genetic changes, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, skin diseases, deafness, vision failure, indigestion, liver dysfunction, endocrine disruption, asthma, reproductive effects, impaired immune function, allergies, irritation, others.
There are so many chemicals being absorbed daily to our body that is understandable that cancer is the major disease of the 21st century.
Chemicals are also in the hygiene products we use, cosmetics we wear,, the clothes we wear, the products we clean our house with, the air we breath..everywhere.. it's the price of our modern comfort.
Foods that have more Additives:
Ice Cream
|
Commercial Jams
|
Commercial Fruit juices
|
Confections
|
Chewing Gum
|
Fast-food
|
Delicatessen Products
|
Potato chips
|
Commercial Condiments
Salty Snacks
|
Breakfast Cereals
Frozen meals
|
Commercial Sauces
and Dressings
|
Margarines
|
Bakery
Products
|
Commercial
Peanut butter
|
Instant
Soups
|
Processed
meat
|
Soda and
sugary drinks
|
Low fat
food
Microwave Popcorn
|
Plastic Packaging
Unfortunately, the plastic packaging that contains our foods are also ingredients that we are eating and drinking. The chemicals of the plastics packaging contaminate the food and drinks, like: water.
Some of the chemicals in plastic: polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, phthalates, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyester,
These chemicals can cause: cancer, birth defects, genetic changes, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, skin diseases, deafness, vision failure, indigestion, liver dysfunction, endocrine disruption, asthma, reproductive effects, impaired immune function, allergies, irritation, others.
There are so many chemicals being absorbed daily to our body that is understandable that cancer is the major disease of the 21st century.
Chemicals are also in the hygiene products we use, cosmetics we wear,, the clothes we wear, the products we clean our house with, the air we breath..everywhere.. it's the price of our modern comfort.
If we don't understand the ingredients in the label of our food, we shouldn't buy it.
In food, the real nutrients are vitamins, natural sugar, minerals, proteins, water, calcium, iron, zinc, lipids, fibers, carbohydrates, others.
This is what feeds the body and grants good health.
This is what feeds the body and grants good health.
Avoid food that is canned, packaged, deep-fried and processed.
Yes, there are several non-nutritious foods and even harmful foods being produced and advertised, but we can choose to buy it or not!
Be careful with food in restaurants and fast foods restaurants that don't come with labels. You don't know the ingredients.
Help:
https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/food_improvement_agents_en
http://www.asae.gov.pt/legislacao1/saude-publica-e-seguranca-alimentar/aditivos-alimentares.aspx
https://e-aditivos.com/
http://naturecures.co.uk/foodadditives.htm
https://ecologycenter.org/factsheets/adverse-health-effects-of-plastics/
https://azchemistry.com/list-of-banned-food-ingredients-in-europe
