Q. I would like to eliminate food additives from my diet but that seems to be an impossible task. What are the worst ones that tend to cause the most problems?
A. Mankind has used natural food additives for centuries. For instance, vinegar, salt, and honey have long been used to preserve food, and the Egyptians used vegetable-derived food colorings. Most natural additives are assumed to be harmless, but even these cannot all be assumed safe. Carrageenan, a seaweed derivative often found in “health food” products, can be broken down into a substance that is a carcinogen for some animals.
In the past half-century there has been an explosion in the use of artificial food additives. A great many of these are used today merely to enhance the commercial appeal of the food product. Others are absolutely necessary if we want to maintain our current food distribution system. Some artificial additives are considered safe, some are known to be toxic, but most are simply not adequately tested.
There are several types of food additives, both natural and artificial. Grouped by what they do, the most common additives are emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelling agents, thickeners, colors, flavorings, flavor enhancers, preservatives, antioxidants, and sweeteners. There are usually natural products which could replace the artificial additives, albeit at higher cost. “Additive-free” labels are now found more frequently in supermarkets, indicating an increased interest in foods free of artificial additives.
Many artificial food additives generate little controversy, but others are veritable lightning rods of debate. Because of a possible connection between artificial colors and hyperactivity in children, Dr. Ben Feingold advocates removing such additives, as well as certain fruits and vegetables containing salicylates, from the diet of hyperactive children. Many parents find the diet highly beneficial, but it is uncertain whether the results are due to elimination of artificial additives or the improved nutrient intake that results when whole unprocessed food (with no artificial additives) replaces “convenience” foods that predominate in the American diet. In any case, since artificial colors are used strictly to make foods more attractive to the consumer, and eliminating them harms no one, his movement has many disciples.
Other “problem” additives include:
MSG, a flavor enhancer that induces headaches in some individuals,
BHT, a preservative linked to birth defects in animals,
sodium bisulfite, an anti-browning agent for fruit that provokes asthma attacks in some people,
sodium nitrite, used to keep cured meat red but combines with stomach acid to create carcinogenic nitrosamines,
sodium benzoate, a preservative that aggravates asthma.
Choosing fresh foods is the best way to reduce additive intake, but when this is impractical, read labels carefully to at least reduce your risk.
This article appears in November 21 • 2003.