Are Food Additives Damaging Your Body?

Are Food Additives Damaging Your Body?

It is no secret we are eating more and more pre-packaged food. Food is big business, you just need to wander through your supermarket and see the over-whelming range of products on the shelves and freezer. These products are commonly referred to as convenience foods. Little or no preparation is required for these foods and therefore it makes the purchase of these products more appealing.

What many people do not consider when purchasing convenience foods is what is in them and what all the strange names and numbers mean. Further to this allergies from these food additives can cause a lifetime of discomfort and even death. It could even be cancers, diseases and other illnesses can be either attributed to the food we eat. It is a time thing. Additives in food really came into vogue in the 1970's when they discovered that food could keep longer by adding preservatives and other "things". The development of these additives has developed in leaps and bounds over the years to make it the "norm" in pre-packaged food.

Are Food Additives Damaging Your Body?

In recent times there have been a number of buzz phrases. One being "no preservatives" - mmm sure but what about all those other non-recognisable ingredients listed? Some are fillers, some are to make the product look more appealing, other ingredients are used to ensure consistency when heated or defrosted whilst others are just pointless and in combination create longevity in the product.

Another couple of buzz phrases are "nothing artificial" "no artificial colours or flavours". Well this really is a truth stretcher. Those extra useless ingredients listed by number or strange names are simply extractions from naturally grown plants or animals that on their own can increase allergies or provide other adverse reactions. In fact some of these additives do not come from edible plants and can actually poison you!

MSG has become an additive that is regularly discussed and put on the "No MSG" list and a buzz phrase used on convenience food packaging. But you are likely to still be eating MSG without even knowing it. Here is a scary example of how you could be intaking MSG without even knowing. Each of the additives listed below will likely contain MSG (Monosodum Glutamate):

-Hydrolyzed vegetable protein

-Hydrolyzed protein

-Hydrolyzed plant protein

-Plant protein extract

-Sodium caseinate

-Calcium caseinate

-Yeast extract

-Textured protein

-Autolyzed yeast

-Hydrolyzed oat flour

Recently I purchased a bread stick from the fresh bread section of my local supermarket. For many people this bread section gives the feeling of fresh bread, baked today, to be eaten today that is healthy and nutricius. Wrong! I read the label for this simple bread stick. It contained no less than 20 ingredients! Now that is totally bizarre since I make my fresh bread using 7 ingredients! But here is the really scary bit, I put the bread into my worm farm and when I checked it 4 days later it still had not started growing any mould. What is it doing in your stomach?

Every time you purchase a convenience food you are paying for processing, packaging and a heap of non-nutritious empty calories. Many of the convenience foods can be prepared in your kitchen for less time it takes to go to the supermarket to purchase them and are cheaper!

For example cakes, muffins or biscuits are tasty treats for the family. However, these yummy treats are full of salt, artificial sugars and a heap of reconstituted ingredients, not to mention the ingredients you cannot pronounce. This is regardless of whether you have purchased from your supermarket bakery or the mainstream grocery section.

While preparing the evening meal you could mix up a batch of muffins and pop them in the oven. The kids can join in and you can enjoy a glass of wine while you do it (preferably additive free). It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare the mix for 1 dozen muffins, it would take you longer to drive to the supermarket, purchase the muffins and drive home. The bonus is you get better tasting, higher nutrient muffins than what you will ever get from the supermarket.

Cooking food at home from scratch ensures you are additive free but the bonus is contrary to what the advertisements tell you, you will save time and money.

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