Food Label
As with many of you out there, you will have been on the many diet fads, listened to your friends and work colleagues as to the method of losing weight. The tireless trek to the gym, tried yoga, step classes, aerobics, spinning, swimming, running, personal trainer in a gym and it goes on.
Everyone knows that it is important to keep our bodies clean. We wash, shower and bathe daily to remove the build up of filth and dirt from the outside of our bodies. We also brush and clean the plaque from our teeth; we even pamper our bodies, nails, and face scrubs, feet soaking in oils and herbs. But we never make that effort with our insides; we tend to follow the trait that this is done by drinking lots of water.
What works I don’t know, I just know that I have been suffering for some time with countless of
varying illness, nausea, tiredness, feeling sick, heartburn, and pains in the stomach and many more you could add to the listing.
At some point I have lost weight by the method of calorie reduction, small meals, exercising, eating certain times, but for some reason I have slowly started to put weight back, why? So what can you do?
Go to the doctor and be told the change your lifestyle is wrong, they always conduct an ad- hock survey on you, how much do you drink, how many units a week? Do you smoke; and if so how many a week? Then comes the grim reaper revelation, you are overweight and your blood pressure is too high!
Ok if you are masochist then go to your dietician and they will convince you to try various food groups and you are at fault for consuming too much. All this self punishment is fine to a point, but has anyone stopped to think why am I not succeeding?
If I do nothing I gain weight, I change my lifestyle, diet, exercise and sweat like profusely and for what to get a slap in my face, by the digital numbers that rotate like a fruit slot machine. Why? Associated with all this is a problem that some people are suffering from but your doctor cannot answer.
The illness associated with your lifestyle, heartburn, stomach pains, Irritable bowel syndrome, a form of diabetes, palpitations, body twitching, it goes on.
Strange as it maybe, i have found little if any information in the UK or lobbyist raising these concerns.
I have found the usual propaganda of articles news clips from the government raising the profile of the need for people to address obesity by getting fit and addressing the amount of food that we eat. I have had to research the United States to learn what exactly we as a nation are consuming in terms of the contents and food properties.
Nothing mentioned about the need of concern that the rising use of additives is having a profound effect on people in differing ways. I am so mad that you the public are being brainwashed into thinking that you are entirely to blame. The use of the blame game is rife in the UK.
The fact that food manufacturers and some farmers that produce a great mass of food produce are using certain additives above the recommended amount and in some cases have been advised by professional bodies not to use them at all are ignoring the advice and pocketing profits on the back of our ill health. Below i have compiled some good sound information that you should be more familiar about.
12 Dangerous Food Additives
In the United States, more than 3,000 substances can be added to foods for the purpose of preservation, colouring, texture, increasing flavour and more.
While each of these substances is legal to use (at least here in the States), whether or not they are all something you want to be consuming is another story all together.
With any processed food you run the risk of coming across additives, and reading through ingredient labels you need a science degree.
Of course, eating largely fresh, whole foods is the best way to stay away from unsavoury additives, but, assuming you do include some processed foods in your diet, the following additives are ones you surely want to stay away from. Look for them on ingredient labels and if one turns up, take a pass.
Propyl Gallate
This preservative, used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling, might cause cancer. It's used in vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base and chewing gum, and is often used with BHA and BHT (see below).
BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used similarly to propyl gallate -- to keep fats and oils from going rancid. Used commonly in cereals, chewing gum, vegetable oil and potato chips (and also in some food packaging to preserve freshness), these additives have been found by some studies to cause cancer in rats. If a brand you commonly buy uses these additives, look for a different variety, as not all manufacturers use these preservatives.
Potassium Bromate
This additive is used in breads and rolls to increase the volume and produce a fine crumb structure. Although most bromate breaks down into bromide, which is harmless, the bromate that does remain causes cancer in animals. Bromate has been banned throughout the world, except for in the United States and Japan. In California, a cancer warning would likely be required if it were used, which is why it is rarely used in that state.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
MSG is used as a flavour enhancer in many packaged foods, including soups, salad dressings, sausages, hot dogs, canned tuna, potato chips and many more.
According to Dr.Russell Blaylock, an author and neurosurgeon, there is a link between sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes, and excitotoxic damage caused by food additives like MSG and artificial sweeteners.
Excitotoxins are, according to Dr. Blaylock, "A group of excitatory amino acids that can cause sensitive neurons to die."
Many consumers have also personally experienced the ill effects of MSG, which leave them with a headache, nausea or vomiting after eating MSG-containing foods. To find out more about the side effects associated with MSG, as well as a complete list of which foods contain it, see our past article
MSG: If it's Safe: Why do They Disguise it on the Labels?Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)This artificial sweetener is found in Equal and NutraSweet, along with products that contain them (diet sodas and other low-cal and diet foods). This sweetener has been found to cause brain tumours in rats as far back as the 1970s; however a more recent study in 2005 found that even small doses increase the incidence of lymphomas and leukaemia in rats, along with brain tumours.
People who are sensitive to aspartame may also suffer from headaches, dizziness and hallucinations after consuming it.
Acesulfame-K
Acesulfame-K is an artificial sweetener that's about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It's used in baked goods, chewing gum, gelatine desserts and soft drinks. Two rat studies have found that this substance may cause cancer, and other studies to reliably prove this additive's safety have not been conducted. Acesulfame-K also breaks down into acetoacetamide, which has been found to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits and dogs.
Olestra
Olestra is a fat substitute used in crackers and potato chips, marketed under the brand name Olean. This synthetic fat is not absorbed by the body (instead it goes right through it), so it can cause diarrhoea, loose stools, abdominal cramps and flatulence, along with other effects. Further, olestra reduces the body's ability to absorb beneficial fat-soluble nutrients, including lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene.
Sodium Nitrite (Sodium Nitrate)
Sodium nitrite (or sodium nitrate) is used as a preservative, colouring and flavouring in bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, corned beef, smoked fish and other processed meats. These additives can lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines. Some studies have found a link between consuming cured meats and nitrite and cancer in humans.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
The process used to make hydrogenated vegetable oil (or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) creates Trans fats (a type of un-saturated fat), which promote heart disease and diabetes. The Institute of Medicine has advised that consumers should eat as little Tran’s fat as possible.
You should avoid anything with these ingredients on the label, which includes some margarine, vegetable shortening, crackers, cookies, baked goods, salad dressings, bread and more. It's used because it reduces cost and increases the shelf life and flavour stability of foods.
Blue 1 and Blue 2
Blue 1, used to colour candy, beverages and baked goods, may cause cancer.
Blue 2, found in pet food, candy and beverages, have caused brain tumours in mice.
Red 3
This food colouring is used in cherries (in fruit cocktails), baked goods and candy. It causes thyroid tumours in rats, and may cause them in humans as well.
Yellow 6
As the third most often used food colouring, yellow 6 is found in many products, including backed goods, candy, gelatine and sausages. It has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumours, and contains small amounts of many carcinogens.
Information to gain knowledge please read and find out for yourself!
