DON’T GET ME STARTED
I recently came across an article online about food additives that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (there are thousands of them). I decided to do a little research.
The first item returned from my ‘food additive’ search was from Healthline.com, titled “ Twelve Common Food Additives – Should You Avoid Them?”. Okay, I thought, this seems a good place to start. The article was written in 2018 by Rachael Ajmera.
Her simplified definition of ‘food additive’ is substances “used to enhance the flavor, appearance or texture of a product, or to extend its shelf life.” Now, just to be clear – I’m not a food scientist like Ms. Ajmera. What I am is a food consumer, and over my 70 plus years I’ve probably consumed WELL OVER my fair share of food. Just a wild guess.
And it seems to me that her definition of ‘food additive’ has nothing to do with adding nutritional value to foods. Rather it has to do with making foods more attractive to consumers so we’ll buy more. Okay. If I processed foods, I’d want to enhance my product, too, if it meant more profit. I get that. Let’s get on to the meat of her article… The first of the Big Twelve is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), “used to intensify and enhance the flavor of savory dishes.” The controversy around MSG started after a study in 1969 that found “harmful neurological effects and impaired growth and development in mice.” Some people are more sensitive to MSG than others, and MSG isn’t quite as dangerous to people as it is to mice because of something called the blood-brain barrier. Her ‘summary’ advice: “Some people may have a sensitivity to MSG, but it’s safe for most people when used in moderation.” Now this stuff is used in many processed foods, and as an additive to many foods served in restaurants. I, for one, have no clue whether I’m eating MSG in ‘moderation’. I don’t even know if my bloodbrain barrier is healthy. I hope my brain is getting blood, but I have to admit that sometimes I wonder...
The second group of additives on the list is Artificial Food Coloring, “used to brighten and improve the appearance of everything from candies to condiments.” There is evidence that some commonly used artificial colors can adversely affect health. For example, Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 have been associated with allergic reactions in some people. Some food dyes are suspected of causing hyperactivity in children. Red 3, aka erythrosine, might increase the risk of thyroid tumors. Ms. Ajmera summarizes this section by saying that we consumers should always opt for unprocessed foods, which are high in nutrients and free of artificial coloring. Good luck finding unprocessed foods in most food stores. Is there any wonder why Methuselah lived to be 969, Jared lived to be 962, and Noah lived to be 950 years old?
I know I only covered the first two of the twelve but I have to go now … time to make some tasty good-looking dinner.
Paul Trapp grew up in Houston, spent over four decades in New England where he and Elaine raised their three children, and retired to Colorado Springs in 2018. Paul spent most of his career working in corporate America as an IT training manager for several companies in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He is also a singer/songwriter and has put a number of his songs on his website, www.ptrapp.com, where you can also find his memoir, “Life Changing Decisions”.