Reading the labels on Food packages can be a bit of a chore and many of us don’t bother to. Sadly, some of us go by the moto: “If I don’t know about it, it can’t hurt me!”.
However, in the real world, ignoring a problem does not make it go away.
A major issue with the food industry is toxic Food Additives. These are chemicals, usually synthetic, that are added to foods to keep them fresh, enhance their flavour, improve their colour, and even make you want to eat more of the food they’re in.
The manufacturers claim that these chemical additives are safe and are only toxic if consumed in very large amounts. Contrary to this claim, research often shows that some food additives can be toxic even if consumed in very small amounts.
On top of that, studies done to assess a chemical’s toxicity to the human body rarely consider the cumulative effect of chronic exposure to the toxin or the additive effects of repeatedly consuming many different chemicals in food. Don’t forget the pesticides and other chemicals in consumer products too!
It pays to get in the habit of reading labels. In no time, you’ll know what those chemical names mean and how to spot the bad guys.
In my previous article, I discussed several “foods” that are anything but healthy. Today, I’d like to focus on various chemicals that are added to foods, even foods that are, otherwise, healthy.
Here are a few of the worst examples.
Dangerous Food Additives
1. Aspartame
An extremely common class of food additives are the “non-nutritive sweeteners”. That term refers to additives that sweeten the food but do not add calories to it. Aspartame is one of the most common examples of these.
Sold under the brand names NutraSweet and Equal, aspartame is found in many “junk” foods like soda, candy, chewing gum, and ice cream. However, it is also present in some “healthy” options, including:
- Low-sugar fruit juice
- No sugar energy bars
- Sugar-free salad dressing
- Low-fat yogurt
Aspartame is a synthetic product that includes the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The main problem with this sweetener is what the body breaks it down into. The primary break-down product of aspartame is methanol, a substance known to be toxic to humans1. Furthermore, methanol is converted by the body’s detox pathways into formaldehyde, a human neurotoxin and carcinogen2.
Although the amounts of these toxins produced from a single serving of aspartame is likely to be low, chronic consumption has not been well-tested for toxic effects.
People with a rare metabolic disease known as phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot process phenylalanine and should definitely avoid aspartame.
It is true that some fruits also contain small amounts of methanol. But why add to the body’s overall burden with a product that offers no other health benefits?
This sweetener is best bound for the rubbish bin.
2. Sucralose
Another artificial sweetener that came into wide use in the late 1990s, sucralose is manufactured by adding chlorine to sucrose (table sugar). This process makes the sweetener such that it can’t be metabolized by the body, so it is considered non-nutritive and non-caloric.
The most common sucralose product is Splenda. Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar. So, consuming a small packet of 100% pure sucralose would pucker your mouth with massive over-sweetness.
To deal with this issue, Splenda is composed of only about 5% sucralose. The rest of it consists of maltodextrin filler and dextrose, a less-sweet sugar derived from corn. Because of these other components, each gram of Splenda (about the amount in a packet) contains approximately 3.4 calories. By comparison, a gram of table sugar contains 4 calories.
So, is a 15% reduction in calories worth it? Let’s consider some of the downsides of sucralose.
Ironically, sucralose may actually increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes, the very problem that artificial sweeteners are supposed to help prevent. A study in 2020 demonstrated that healthy human subjects given sucralose-sweetened beverages with carbohydrate (this is the combo in a packet of Splenda) showed reduced insulin sensitivity3. Reduced insulin sensitivity is a for-runner of type II diabetes.
Sucralose may also be bad for your gut. A 2018 study in mice showed altered gut bacteria and increased markers of inflammation in predisposed subjects4.
Other research suggests that sucralose may lead to weight gain and may be carcinogenic when heated.
To answer the question “is it worth it?”, I think not.
3. Monosodium Glutamate
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a flavour enhancer present in a wide variety packaged and processed foods. It is derived from the naturally occurring amino acid, glutamic acid. This sometimes leads to confusion about how a natural compound may be harmful to your health. However, the synthetic form that is used as a food additive is not found in nature.
MSG is considered an “excitotoxin”, short for “excitatory neurotoxin”, a chemical that can damage nerve cells in the brain5. Consuming products containing MSG can lead to muscle tension, fatigue, numbness and tingling, flushing, and headaches for some people6.
There is also evidence that regularly consuming monosodium glutamate may have long-term health consequences.
A study on newborn mice showed repeated administration of MSG led to obesity, lethargy, reduced appetite, and other hormonal imbalances7.
The good news is that whole foods don’t contain MSG, so you don’t have to worry about eating it if you’re just grabbing an apple to munch on. But be careful to check your labels on packaged foods and, if the food tastes a bit better that you think it should, double-check it for monosodium glutamate.
Food manufacturers can be sneaky and list MSG under the names “monopotassium glutamate” or “vegetable protein extract”.
For those not sensitive to MSG, small amounts consumed occasionally might not pose a major risk to health. However, repeated intake from several foods over months or years is not likely to end well.
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) can be found in many foods, including breakfast cereals, packaged desserts, salad dressings, and sweet syrups. Unlike the sweeteners covered above, this food additive is not considered “non-nutritive” since it does contain calories.
It is sometimes marketed as being diabetic-friendly, though, because it has a low glycemic index (GI).
The glycemic index of a food represents the rate at which that food raises the blood level of the sugar glucose, compared to eating pure glucose itself. Foods that have a low glycemic index raise the blood sugar slowly, having a less destabilizing effect on sugar levels.
HFCS consists of 55% fructose sugar, which is considered a low glycemic sugar. This is because it requires processing by the liver before being converted into glucose which then goes on to raise blood sugar levels. The processing time slows down the rise of glucose in the blood, making fructose a low glycemic index sugar.
However, having a low GI does not make a food healthy. In fact, fructose has been associated with a number of health problems.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is an increasingly common health condition related to fructose intake. A study in overweight and obese adults showed that fructose consumption increased fat production by the liver, reduced insulin sensitivity, and increased fatty deposits around the organs8.
Multiple studies have demonstrated that fructose consumption lowers insulin sensitivity9. Reduced insulin sensitivity is the hallmark of Type II diabetes (but can also occur in Type 1). This means that the insulin that the pancreas produces does not work as well as normal and the body has a harder time keeping blood sugar within the normal range.
HFCS also seems to be a general promoter of inflammation, making it a potential risk factor for the development of obesity, heart disease, and even cancer.
Lately, HFCS is sometimes disguised under the name “corn sugar”, which sounds natural. Don’t be fooled!
5. Gellan Gum
A relatively lesser-known actor when it comes to food additives, Gellan gum is showing up in more and more foods. As a synthetic thickening and gelling agent, it is commonly found in dairy-free milk alternatives, like almond, coconut, and soy beverages, and in sauces, spreads, candies, and many creamy desserts. It is popular in vegan products since it is considered a plant-based alternative to gelatin.
Although this additive is found in certain natural environments, it is not naturally found in food consumed by humans. Gellan gum is produced commercially by the fermentation of lactose sugar by a laboratory strain of the bacterium, Sphingomonas paucimobilis10. Lab conditions can be controlled to allow for mass production of this food additive.
The main issue with gellan gum is the potential impact on the digestive tract and the gut bacteria. Emulsifiers, like gellan gum, are agents that help to mix fat and water together in foods. A study in mice, showed that emulsifying agents may have a negative impact on the bacterial profile of the intestinal tract and may promote inflammation there11.
Although some research in humans suggests that the acute toxicity of gellan gum is likely to be low, long-term use is not well studied. It’s probably wise to keep the consumption of this additive to a minimum or avoid it altogether.
6. Dishonourable Mentions
Sodium Nitrite – found in cured and other processed meats, this preservative and colour enhancer is classified as a human carcinogen12.
Hydrogenated Oils – found in many processed foods, like shortening and margarine, this source of unhealthy trans fat may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease13.
What to Consider with Food Additives
The common thread with all of these food additives is that they are either heavily processed or completely synthetic. As such, the body recognizes them as toxins and immediately gets to work trying to detoxify them. The body is resilient and can handle a lot, but years of exposure to toxic substances in the food will eventually take its toll.
The simplest way to not overload your body’s detoxification pathways is to minimize exposure to toxins. When it comes to food additives, that means to not eat them.
How do we know that these chemicals are in the foods in the first place? Simple: Read labels!
You may be surprised that the food you always thought was healthy contains one or more of the culprits I mentioned above.
If you must sweeten a food or beverage, use natural, unrefined stevia leaf or even a small amount of maple syrup or honey. As for flavour, herbs and spices are the key to a tasty meal. And there is nothing more tasty than whole, fresh foods.
If you need extra fibre, ground flax seed and chia seeds can be good options. To thicken a dessert or smoothie, consider avocado.
Sometimes, you may need to use something in a package. In that case, stick to items with as few ingredients as possible.
That way, it’s easier to spot the bad guys!
- https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Methanol#section=Toxicity-Summary
- https://www.nature.com/articles/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32130881/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29554272/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7854587/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7854587/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3785512/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19381015/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15723702/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC91366/)
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25731162/
- https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/31/Supplement_3/ckab165.244/6406211?login=false
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1314072
Book An Appointment With Nardini Naturopathic
Are you interested in detoxifying your body and wonder if naturopathic medicine can help?
Or perhaps you’d like a review of your overall diet to see where you could be doing better.
Maybe you have food allergies or intolerances and worry you aren’t getting enough nutrients because of your restricted diet.
I’m Dr. Pat Nardini, a naturopathic doctor who offers nutritional counseling services to help ensure all of those gaps in your diet are filled, and that you’re getting enough of all the important nutrients which your body needs to function at its best.
Contact me today for more information, or book a free 15-minute consultation where I will help you understand how naturopathic medicine can help you.
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