Additives: Beyond the Calories
When we think about nutrition, words like calories, proteins, fats, carbs, or portions almost immediately come to mind. But when it comes to ingredients, it's almost a given that we'll skip over the complicated words, like Azodicarbonamide. We instinctively ignore that name for one simple reason: we have no idea what it means. But it's there, and worse, we think that if that ingredient is in our food, it must be approved for consumption, and nothing bad will happen from eating it.
WRONG.
Today, based on scientific studies, we will analyze how this way of thinking can lead us to unknowingly harm our bodies and test them with chemicals that are, to a certain extent, "safe to consume."
To begin, let's define what additives are and what they are used for. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a food additive is "any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result (directly or indirectly) in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food."
Starting with the industrialization of food in the 18th and 19th centuries, manufacturers (whom I will call "Big Food" from now on) found it necessary to add chemicals that improved the appearance and consistency of food, such as emulsifiers, and others, like sodium benzoate, to make our food last much longer. It's worth clarifying that these additives can be both natural and artificial.
In the beginning, the addition of these additives was not reviewed. However, it was with the Food Additives Amendment of 1958 that the FDA was positioned as the "supervisor" or the approval filter. After this, additives were classified as follows:
Direct Additives: These are substances added to food for a specific purpose. There are over 3,000 direct additives approved by the FDA. They require premarket approval by the FDA.
GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) Substances: These are substances that are considered safe by experts and are exempt from the premarket approval process. There are over 1,000 GRAS substances, and companies can determine on their own that an additive is GRAS without notifying the FDA.
Flavoring Agents: These are substances used to add or enhance the flavor of foods. There are thousands of flavoring agents, both natural and artificial. They do not require premarket approval by the FDA.
Color Additives: These are substances used to impart color to food. There are 9 certified color additives that require FDA approval for each batch.
Indirect Additives: These are substances that become part of the food in trace amounts due to packaging, storage, or other handling. Food packaging manufacturers must prove to the FDA that all materials coming in contact with food are safe.
At this point, the first red flag should jump out. Not everything that is on that ingredient list as an additive was approved by the FDA and has gone through the same process to be used in a food. Many times, it is Big Food (an interested party in selling) that determines that an additive is suitable for consumption.
But all this inevitably leads us to the question of whether additives are really harmful. And the answer to this is yes and no. You see, to determine if something can harm us is not only based on whether it is harmful per se, but on the quantities. That is, everything is based on the principle of "the dose makes the poison"... and a set of critical reasons that obviously would not let cyanide pass as an additive, even if it were a very, very small amount.
But there are amounts of certain additives that, if exceeded, can cause certain problems, as we see below:
Nitrates and Nitrites (E249 - E252): Used as preservatives in processed meats. When they combine with amines in the stomach, they can form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.
Sulfites (E220 - E228): Used as preservatives in wine, dried fruits, and some medications. In sensitive individuals, they can cause allergic reactions, including asthma attacks.
Artificial Colorings (e.g., Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6): Used to add color to food. Some studies have linked them to hyperactivity in children.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG or E621): A flavor enhancer. Some people report symptoms like headaches, flushing, and sweating after consuming MSG.
Artificial Sweeteners (e.g., Aspartame, Sucralose, Acesulfame-K): Used as sugar substitutes. Some studies suggest they may alter the gut microbiome and have been linked to an increased risk of certain diseases.
BHA and BHT (E320 and E321): Preservatives used in cereals, chewing gum, and other products. They are considered possible human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Multiple organizations outside of the FDA and Big Food, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), have investigated and warned about the effects that certain additives can have with an excellent scientific basis. Therefore, it is reasonable to especially avoid those that have been categorized as high-risk, such as:
Potassium bromate
Propylparaben
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Propyl gallate
Conclusion and Recommendations
From my point of view:
From a health and scientific evidence perspective, a diet based on whole foods (unprocessed) leads to a reduction in the probability of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and some types of cancer.
Being realistic and understanding, it is very difficult to avoid "all additives," but it is very realistic to avoid those that, through independent research and good evidence, have been categorized with moderate to high risks. My recommendations for daily living would be:
It is not necessary to know all the additives. Today, there are many applications that read the QR code of foods and give us the data of the additives, or we can use AI to take a picture of the nutritional label and analyze if there are high-risk additives.
Never trust the labels. Eliminate the quick thought that everything on a label that is approved is healthy.
Look for foods with short labels. The shorter the ingredient list, the purer and less likely you are to find dangerous additives. This is because a shorter list usually means the food is less processed.
