The Safety of the Food We Eat

Cindy Holt, RN, LMT


I read an article recently that listed common ingredients in commercial food and drugs that should be avoided for very good reasons. This is not an exhaustive list, but it's a good start. I found lots of information on the internet- you should be able to check these facts easily.

The first is Yellow Dye #5 and #6. They are grouped together because they cause the same problems. Yellow Dye #5 is also called Tartrazine and #6 is also called Annatto. Both dyes have been banned in several European countries. They are known to cause allergic reactions, indigestion, clinical depression, anxiety, vision disturbances, a feeling of not being able to breathe, migraines, and possibly ADHD symptoms. It is commonly found in skim milk, Tang, canned fruit, yogurt, shampoo, makeup, toothpaste, aspirin, lotions, and packaged macaroni and cheese. This is not an exhaustive list, but some of the more subtle places. Any food colored yellow, brown, or green is suspect. It may or may not be listed on the label, as many companies use ingredients that contain yellow dyes but do not have to list their small amounts. Unfortunately, once one has become sensitive to any of the substances I’m about to talk about, a minute amount is all that is needed to produce the untoward effect.

Second on the list is saccharin. It is derived from coal tar and has been known to be carcinogenic since 1977. Coal tar is a petroleum product, and if you want to ingest gasoline, go ahead. But at least say you knew what it was.

Third is Red dye #3. Several sources I found stated all red dyes should be avoided by women. Red dyes are found in many foods as well as lipsticks. Many are derived from coal tar as well. Red dye has been linked to abnormal thyroid function, migraines, and ADHD. Some feel it is also linked to cancer.

Fourth on this list are hydrogenated oils. Many of you are aware of the dangers of hydrogenated oils, but don’t know exactly what they are. Basically, they are fats that used to be liquids at room temperature but now are solids, such as margarine and shortening. They are made by heating the oils (what causes them to degrade and form free radicals) then hydrogen gas is passed through it so the fatty acids acquire a hydrogen molecule. They contain high levels of trans fat, which is far more deadly than any saturated fat on the market, like butter. Trans fats interfere with critical metabolic functions and are known to accelerate plaque formation in arteries, or heart disease.

Fifth is MSG, or monosodium glutamate. It used to be commonly found in Chinese food, causing what was referred to as “Chinese food syndrome”. Although it must be listed on the label if in a product, it is also found hidden in “texturized vegetable protein” or “other natural flavors”. Since the FDA allows this to happen, the average consumer is unaware of the hidden dangers. MSG is in a category of substances referred to as “excitotoxins”. Dr. Russell Blaylock, a neurosurgeon, has written several books on this subject, one of which is titled “Excitotoxins”. It is his belief that the presence of these substances in foods can trigger the genes for neurological diseases such as MS, ALS, Alzheimers’, Parkinson’s, and seizures among many others. The toxic substances include Aspartame (Nutrasweet) and many other food additives. The book is easy to read and quite an eye-opener. If you don’t like the idea of exciting the neurons in your brain to death, you should read it.

Sixth on our “hit parade” is intersterified fat. This is a new method of modifying fat that has health advocates up in arms. It’s known to raise blood sugar while suppressing insulin in healthy persons, much like the condition of adult onset diabetes. It also lowers the “good” cholesterol, HDL, while it raises the “bad” cholesterol, LDL. This is exactly the opposite of what you want. Of course, its ability to improve shelf life, much like hydrogenated oils, is what commercial food companies like about it. And, given the FDA’s overwhelming concern for our health (that was sarcasm), it looks like it may pass FDA approval. Watch out!

Seventh on the list is high fructose corn syrup. Now, the commercial food industry has been trying to comfort you with TV commercials assuring you HFCS is “just sugar”. Uh huh. Well, it is closely linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The research on its disadvantages far outweigh the advantages, namely it’s cheap. Avoid it like the plague if you want to avoid diabetes.

Eighth is another pairing of like substances, BHA and BHT. Both are used as preservatives in baked goods and many other things. They are listed on the label as they are common allergens. Additionally, they are linked to cancer, and are endocrine disruptors. They are also commonly found in commercial pet food. Another reason I make my dog’s food. They are associated with health and behavior problems in pets and humans.

Ninth is aspartame, although I have already mentioned it as an excitotoxin. I personally have known 2 people whose MS-like symptoms resolved when they stopped using diet sodas and artificial sweeteners in general. But, aspartame has been linked to leukemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, paralysis, and OBESITY. It is NOT a good weight loss food. Recently, the dairy industry has asked to allow it to be added to flavored milk for school lunch programs. It seems the chocolate and strawberry milk they were using is too high in calories for recent calls to reduce obesity rates in children. This is in light of the fact a study, done by a prestigious European research center, was published in 2005. This 3 year study on 1800 rats, known as the Ramazzini Study, found aspartame to cause lymphoma and leukemia, and called it a “multipotential” carcinogen. Is this what you want your children consuming?

Tenth on this list is “Artificial Flavoring”, as found on ubiquitous labels in the grocery store. A quick internet search yielded far more information than I could relate here, but here’s a brief synopsis. This was an alphabetized list of individual substances, and I only got to the beginning of the “C’s”. Here’s what we KNOW to be true about those substances the FDA allows to be added to food and listed only as “artificial flavoring”. They may cause: liver damage, lung problems, DEATH, vertigo, coma, weakness, stomach upset, skin irritation, chest pain, headache, fatigue, poisoning, cancer, kidney failure, fetal death, loss of night vision, and did I mention DEATH??

Last, but certainly not least, is Acesulfame-K. This lovely little food additive is frequently added to Splenda to improve the sweetness of both. It is marketed as “Sweet One” and “Sunett”. Kraft adds sodium ferulate to mask the bitter taste of Acesulfame-K. Health advocates feel it is by far the most toxic of all the artificial sweeteners on the market, and when you read about the others, you know how bad it must be. It was released to the market by the FDA even though it was shown in multiple tests to be a carcinogen. It affects thyroid function in rats, rabbits, and dogs- so what do you think it might do to you? It is also linked to leukemia, chronic respiratory disease, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

I feel I need to add a note about Splenda. I found much of this information on the following website: http://www.truthaboutsplenda.com/. Splenda is a chlorinated artificial sweetener not found it nature. It is completely manufactured. A 2008 study at Duke University found it suppresses the normal bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to helping digest and absorb nutrients from food, these bacteria are essential to the health of your immune system. These adverse affects were found using the same dosages approved by the FDA, not some mega quantities that no one would ever consume. The manufacturer claims Splenda is not absorbed, but apparently up to 35% of it is, and stays in the body for up to 46 hours. This study is in question as the design is felt to be flawed. Neways, a company with high standards for safety, feels the very small amount they use is safe, based on current knowledge.

Statistics of Disease Related to Diet

Health News You Can Use
Most of us have busy lives- hectic schedules, jobs at home and away from home, stressful living and working conditions. This factor plus others such as soil depletion, toxins and environmental pollutants, and our general ignorance or laziness all contribute to a very clear deterioration of health in the American public. It is no coincidence that the facts below indicate a significant problem for holistic health issues over the past 20 years.

Recent governmental studies (U.S.D.A.) indicate that the fruits and vegetables grown today have 25-50% less nutritional value than those grown only 20 years ago. Our farming methods include replacing only 3 nutrients into the soil, and this combined with food processing and further loss of nutrients leads to food that is not as nutritious as it once was, even as recent as 20 years ago. When I was a kid, fast food restaurants were rare and we ate at one maybe twice a year. Today, 90% of adults and 98% of children do not eat a balanced diet.

The American Cancer society states that 30% of all cancer is related to diet, and another 30% are related to tobacco and alcohol.. This means we could prevent 60% of all cancers! They recommend 9-11 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. How many do you eat?
Consider these chilling facts:
q Prostate cancer kills one man every 13 minutes (US Center for disease control)
q 60% of Americans are overweight making it the # 2 preventable cause of death (US Health 2000)
q Free radical damage is linked to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, & arthritis (US Center for Disease Control)
q Cancer rates have increased by over 25% in the last 20 years (US Health 2000)
q Diabetes related deaths have doubled in the last 20 years (US Health 2000)
q The number of children considered overweight has more than doubled since 1980 (US Health 2000)
q Nearly 300 people a day die of adverse reactions from properly prescribed medications, making drug therapy the 4th leading cause of death (American Medical Journal and US Health 2000)
q Arthritis is the nation’s leading cause of disability as it affects 43 million people and is responsible for 1 out of 7 doctor visits (US Center for Disease Control)
q Prescription drug costs were expected to rise another 43% in 2002, bringing the average cost of a single prescription to over $90 (WI Health Fund)
q Osteoporosis is 100% preventable and difficult to treat
q Taking a combination of natural phytoestrogens (NOT synthetic HRT) reduces the risk of stroke by 60% and the risk of female breast cancer by 90% with no side effects (John R. Lee, M.D.)
q People who consistently consume adequate antioxidants can expect:
Cancer rates: Down 13% (National Cancer institute)
Cancer survival Up 50% (West Virginia University)
Heart attacks and strokes Down 50% (Harvard University)
Skin cancer: Down 70% (John Hopkins University)
Infections Down 55% (New Jersey Medical School)
Cataracts Down 35% (Harvard University)