Food Dyes and Additives

There are many toxic substances lurking in foods about which consumers are unaware. Many of those foods are the kinds eaten by children because manufacturers market items to be brightly colored and are engineered to taste good in order to appeal to a child's sense of aesthetic.

Important new research has shown that commonly used food dyes, such as Yellow 5, Red 40, and six others, are linked to hyperactivity, impulsivity, learning difficulties, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in many children. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of these dyes, many of which are already being phased out in Europe. For more information about this important subject on the Food Dyes and Children's Behavior web site.

There are also many additives in foods, known as excitotoxins, which are engineered to affect the taste of the food. Read more about this subject on AromaTherapy4U with supporting information from Dr. Russell L. Blaylock and Dr. Colleen Huber - both medical doctors. Another individual who has conducted research on these dangerous toxins is George E. Shambaugh, Jr. M.D. who explains how hidden taste enhancers included in foods actually over-excite neurons in the brain, overworking them and eventually killing them. Various animal tests done with these substances have repeatedly confirmed these findings. Why would you allow your child to eat them? For an informative article about excitotoxins, visit Agriculture Society. To investigate a startling book written by one of the experts on this subject, check out Dr. Russell L. Blaylock's book, Excitotoxins, The Taste that Kills.

Foods you can find these substances in are wide and vast, and would include a majority of processed foods, unless otherwise labeled. Your best bet is to avoid processed foods and eat only whole, real foods. Some organic processed foods do not contain these substances, but the health benefits of any processed food, organic or not, should always be questioned before consumption. Here is a brief list of ingredients that are excitotoxins which are found in many processed foods and should be avoided:

• Carrageenan
• Maltodextrin
• Malt extract
• Natural pork flavoring
• Citric acid
• Malt flavoring
• Bouillon and Broth
• Natural chicken flavoring
• Soy protein isolate
• Natural beef flavoring
• Ultra-pasteurized
• Soy sauce
• Stock
• Barley malt
• Soy sauce extract
• Whey protein concentrate
• Pectin
• Soy protein
• Whey protein
• Protease
• Soy protein concentrate
• Whey protein isolate
• Protease enzymes
• Anything protein fortified
• Flavors(s) & Flavoring(s)
• Anything enzyme modified
• Anything fermented
• Natural flavor(s)
• Enzymes anything
• Seasonings (the word “seasonings”)
  

Always be aware of anything that reads "hydrolyzed" in an ingredient list. These substances are more often than not full of excitotoxins or glutamates - which is the group of substances to which Monosodium Glutamate or MSG belongs. Check your labels! Don't just assume something you buy that is packaged, boxed, or canned is good for you to eat...it may in fact be deadly!