Most food products today contain various additives. The article will tell you how to distinguish useful components from harmful ones in order to maintain health. Nowadays, many different products can be found on supermarket shelves. But, before you buy something, you first need to look at the label so that spoiled products do not harm you. Indeed, in products you can find many different additives and in large quantities. But, unfortunately, not all people read what is written on the label, at best, they can only check the expiration date of the product.
Every year people start to get sick with gastritis, hepatitis, food allergies more often, and this happens because they are not very attentive to the food they eat every day. Recently, consumers have begun to pay great attention to the letter "E". What does it mean and why does it only harm?
The meaning of the letter "E" in the composition of products
Almost all goods in their composition have the designation "E", which is abbreviated as "Europe". Several years ago, the European Food Additive Labeling System was adopted. These additives are used to ensure that products acquire the best color, taste, and smell. They also helped to ensure that the products retain their quality longer.
Classification of food additives
In fact, the classification of such additives is very large and it is difficult to remember them all. But the most basic ones are distinguished:
- Additive E 1.. This group includes dyes, with the help of which products acquire a more impressive color. They are designated E 1 if the dye is citrus red, when bright red, it is written E 123, and if you see E 128, then it just means red.
- The additive E 2.. denotes preservatives, with their help they increase the shelf life of the goods. They also slow down the growth of fungi and mold. These include E 240 - formaldehyde.
- Supplements such as antioxidants E 3.. - take care of the preservation of food for as long as possible.
- E 4.. indicate stabilizers. With their help, you can maintain the consistency of any product. These include starch and gelatin.
- To keep the good structure of the product longer, use E 5.. - these are emulsifiers. It makes the chocolate bars look very beautiful and appetizing.
- To enhance the smell and taste of the product, E 6 is added.. This is a very beneficial additive, because buyers are led by a good smell and then buy it.
Reading the designation of the letter E, many people think that all the additives that have this letter are very harmful to health, but this turns out to be not entirely true. There are also E supplements that are beneficial. Very often it is denoted by natural substances, they include: E 160 - paprika, E 140 - chlorophyll and others of this kind. They are based on spices, herbs, vegetables.
Recently, new names have appeared on the shelves of supermarkets, which have attracted special attention. These are products with such names as: "cheese product", "kefir product", "milk-containing product" They are cheaper than natural products, but they have a natural taste. This happens because the products are made from cheap ingredients, and with the help of chemical additives, they make it attractive and affordable. The label says what it contains, but the font is very small and not every customer wants to read.
Scientists have conducted several studies on nutritional supplements and have concluded that the supplements themselves are not harmful to the body. But, they react with other substances already directly inside us. And the saddest thing is that you cannot completely eliminate these additives from the diet. Because, at the present time, it is almost impossible to do it.
Dangerous food additives that lead to serious illness
- Additives that cause malignant tumors: E103, E105, E121, E123, E130, E152, E330, E447;
- Provoke an allergic reaction: E230, E231, E239, E311, E313;
- Diseases of the liver and kidneys: E171, E173, E330, E22;
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: E221, E226, E338, E341, E462, E66.
How to limit yourself from using harmful food additives?
- You should try to avoid those products that have a very bright color.
- We must not forget to pay attention to the shelf life, if they are too long, then the product must contain additives.
- It is advisable to completely exclude chips, breakfast cereals, hot dogs and other foods of this kind from the diet.
- Avoid products with the words "sugar-free", "light", low-fat ", etc. In fact, this is for advertising, and the product is not at all as safe as it is written on. For example, if the label states that the product is sugar-free, then most likely it is there and in small letters you can find “sweetener”. Indeed, most often such products are produced for people with diabetes mellitus, so that they allow themselves a little sugar. But using such an inscription does not mean that the product has become useful, it remains dangerous and high in calories.
- The same applies to other components, for example, pay attention to the quality and quantity of fats, carbohydrates, etc. It is not uncommon for foods to contain so-called "trans fats", which not only cause obesity, but also other serious diseases.
Why are baby products dangerous?
More recently, three large letters could be seen on the labels: GMO, if deciphered, it means genetically modified organisms. Manufacturers of domestic products must indicate whether this product contains GMOs or not. Very often, the inscription "GMO" can be seen on chips, sauces, tomatoes, canned corn, on products that contain soy. You can also often find this inscription on the products of an American manufacturer. It is used by well-known companies such as Coca-Cola, Nestle and others.
The saddest thing is that it is generally not recommended to add any additives to baby food. But, GMOs can even be found in some baby foods. There were such unpleasant cases in the world that children died from food with various additives. Baby food manufacturers use a variety of additives and dyes. After all, if the product is colorful and tasty (using flavor enhancers), children will like it and attract their attention. Be extremely careful about these products, because they can be dangerous to your children:
- Jelly candies, especially chewing gums, which negatively affect the child's body and the digestion process.
- Various dry mixes for the preparation of jelly and jelly.
- Candied fruits, which can be counterfeited by coloring obscure products with dyes in bright colors.
- Sweets that are made as homemade, for example, cockerels on sticks, etc. They contain not only harmful dyes, but also carcinogenic substances.
- Sweet carbonated drinks that have an unnatural coloration.
- Various cookies with colored filling.
Doctors have found that additives that are added to foods are not only harmful to your body, but they can cause various diseases. These additives include sodium nitrate, it is added in order to keep food longer. When eating foods that contain monosodium glutamate, a person can cause migraines. Potassium acesulfate is added for the preparation of soft drinks, and is also added to some bread products.
You must take care of your health. Therefore, before buying any product, you must carefully read the label. The correct label contains not only the name of the product and the manufacturer, but also should indicate how much fat, protein, and calories it contains per hundred grams of the product.
Also pay attention to what language is written on the label, if there is a foreign language, but the supplier is your country, then this may mean that the goods got here illegally and it is most likely of poor quality. It is very important that the label is new and readable, but if it has already been erased, re-glued or reprinted on the old text, then it is not recommended to buy such a product.
And still we must not forget to pay attention to the expiration dates of the goods and the conditions in which they were stored. And only then, if everything is in order with the product, you can buy it. Be attentive to the choice of products, perhaps it will not only save your health, but also your life.
For information on how to remember food additives and isolate harmful ones from them, see this video:
