THE DANGERS OF FOOD ADDITIVES
by Dr. William Rice DC, DACBN, CCN, FACCN

A food additive is a substance other than basic foodstuffs, present in a food as a result of any aspect of processing, production or storage. This does not include chance contaminants. Some additives are beneficial, some are harmless, some are even poisonous. Although sometimes enriching, additives have little or nothing to do with the nutritional value of the food.

Manufacturers are required by law to list the ingredients on the package in descending order of predominance of the amount used. (Review "Understanding Food Labels".) There are certain "standard" foods, however, for which no ingredients need be listed, such as mayonnaise, ketchup and ice cream. For example, 93 additives may go unlabeled in bakery products, 76 in soft drinks, 58 in frozen desserts and 31 in cheese.

While additives are subject to a variety of tests for their potential or immediate toxicity, many additives have not been tested long enough to determine their safety. The list of damaging effects from long- or short-term consumption of food additives includes genetic damage, birth defects, brain damage, retardation, paralysis, cancers of all kinds, miscellaneous tumors, kidney and liver damage, heart damage, poisoning, allergic reactions, hyperactivity, migraine headaches and death. There is evidence to suggest that the allergenic properties of many additives may cause hyperactivity in children.

The question for the individual then becomes one of common sense. Consumers should read the package label and then decide, "Is this what I want to put into my body?"

The following information was designed to make you a more knowledgeable consumer as well as to encourage you to think more carefully about the value and content of the food you eat. In this way you can answer the above question from a more objective perspective.

The most common food additives:

Sodium/Potassium Nitrate and Nitrite -- chemical preservatives used in meats, cold cuts, frankfurters, sausage, smoked meats and cured fish as a color fixative. These are extremely toxic substances that destroy nutrients and vitamins. When combined with protein (amino acids), they form powerful cancer-causing substances: nitrosamines.

BHA/BHT -- chemical preservatives and antioxidants used in beverages, gum, ice cream, ices, candy, baked goods, gelatin desserts, soup bases, potatoes, dry breakfast cereals, dry yeast and shortening. They can cause stress, liver and kidney disorders and allergic reactions. They are possibly carcinogenic.

MSG (Monosodium glutamate) -- use as a flavor enhancer in almost all processed foods. "Accent" is pure MSG. This is the substance believed responsible for the "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" consisting of chest pain, headache, dizziness or numbness after a Chinese meal. It causes brain damage in young rodents and other laboratory animals. It can also cause effects in the reproductive systems and may be carcinogenic.

EDTA -- a sequestrant (a substance that renders metal ions inactive by absorbing them) in carbonated beverages, canned seafood and salad dressings. It is used to retard crystal formation and promote color retention. It can cause muscle cramps and kidney and gastrointestinal disorders.

Sodium/Calcium Propionate -- a mold and fungus inhibitor in bread and rolls, also used in poultry stuffing, chocolate products, processed cheeses, cakes, cupcakes and artificially sweetened fruit jelly and preserves. It has been used as an antifungal medication for the skin. It can cause allergic reactions.

Sodium Benzoate -- used as a flavoring and as a preservative in margarine, codfish, bottled soft drinks, mince meat, fruit juices, pickles, confections, fruit jelly, preserves and jams. It is also used in the ice used to keep fish cold. It can cause intestinal upset and allergic reactions.

Mono- and diglycerides -- emulsifying and defoaming agents used in bakery products to maintain softness, in beverages, ice cream, ices, ice milk, milk, chewing gum base, shortening, oleomargarine, confections, chocolate and whipped toppings. The diglycerides are being studied for possible mutagenic (causing genetic changes) and teratogenic (causing changes in the developing embryo) effects.

Food colors -- some are coal tar derivatives used in soft drinks, ice cream, candy, baked goods, snack foods, cereals and cosmetics. They can cause allergic reactions, hives and asthmatic symptoms and are possibly carcinogenic.

Sulfur Dioxide -- used to bleach vegetable colors and to preserve fruits and vegetables, as a disinfectant in breweries and food factories, a bleaching agent in gelatin and beet sugar, an antioxidant, and as a preservative and anti-browning agent in wine, corn syrup, table syrup, jelly and dried fruits, beverages, dehydrated potatoes, soup and condiments. It destroys Vitamin A and is very poisonous and highly irritating. Inhalation of the gas produces respiratory irritation and death when sufficiently concentrated.

Aspartame – aka Nutrasweet is the most recent low-calorie sweetner to be perpetrated on the American consumer seeking to lose weight. This substance is a combination of two amino acids. Together, they may alter nerve tissue function and cause memory loss, panic attacks and many other nervous disorders. In addition, it may mimic several chronic degenerative disorders or aggravate them; multiple sclerosis, alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, arthritis, parkinson's disease, lupus , multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), diabetes, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, lyme disease, attention deficit disorder (ADD and ADHD), panic disorder, depression and other psychological disorders

For more information, read A Consumer’s Dictionary of Additives by Ruth Winter (Crown Publishing Co., NY).

Or click on this website: http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/