Preservatives are used to keep food from going bad. They prevent bacterial, mold, and yeast growth, preserve color and flavor, and keep foods fresh. They may be used to fortify foods or prevent rancidity by preventing oxidation. But while this seems like a great idea they can also be very harmful to your health. Most of the preservatives in our foods are synthetic whicha can be toxic and also cause tumors, while most of them attack the nervous system. Most of the preservatives are mane made and known to be "safe" but, what we dont know is that they can also be carcinogenic and toxic.
Some of the chemicals in preservatives are: Sulphur Dioxide and Sulfites- these are bleaches and antioxidants used to stop browning. Sulfites destroy vitamin B1, and are linked to hyperactivity, and can cause severe reactions, especially in asthmatics.Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate are found to cause skin and eye irritation, and eczema. Sodium Citrate large amounts can cause bladder tumors.Nitrates- add flavor, maintain color in meats, and prevent botulism in canned foods. Infants are very susceptible to nitrate toxicity.They can develop methemoglobinemia or "blue baby syndrome." Nitrates may convert to nitrites in the digestive tract, combine with hemoglobin to form a substance that makes it harder for blood to carry oxygen. To reduce the risk of nitrate toxicity, drinking filtered or purified water and avoid any foods that contain it. These Ingrediants i just mentioned are only some from a list i found. Many of them can be dangerous. Although most of them need a lot of consumption, its still a good idea to avoid foods with a lot of preservatives in them.
2 comments:
I knew food preservatives were bad for you, but I didn't think that bad. Just another reason to eat fresh.
This was a good topic to place emphasis on. In a society where everyone wants the fastest (and perhaps cheapest) food source, preservatives seem to be the perfect alternative for preserving shelf life. People typically fail to realize the long term harm that can come from the added chemicals and excessive processing of a wide array of foods. Personally, I try to make sure that the majority of the food I eat is natural, including basic items such as peanut butter. Although these all-natural, organic alternatives are oftentimes much more costly, there is no price that one can place on increased life span due to limiting chemical-ridden, preservative filled foods.
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