SIDE EFFECTS OF PRESERVATIVES

It just astounds me what the world has come to with the chemicals we add to our food and how we expect our bodies to cope with it. Australia is one of the worst culprits. European countries have banned some additives and preservatives that we still allow in our foods. Products that do have additives must be labelled with a warning pif the side effects.  Blue food colouring is so toxic yet food standards happily allow it to be added to processed foods. Particularly our small children. Why are we not teaching them that it can cause so much harm to eat these foods?

Food manufacturing regulators argue that preservatives are essential to prolong the life of processed food to avoid food poisoning. So how do we avoid these nasty chemicals? Avoid the food surely? I know life is so busy that we want to have pre-made foods to give our children. But what are we setting them up for? Their detoxification pathways are so immature, their skin is sensitive and their brains are still developing. No wonder there are so many health conditions our children are dealing with. It blows my mind that people would rather allow their children to deal with such issues than give them some proper food. Make food in bulk and freeze it if you have to.

Not only are there preservatives in processed foods but loads of sugar and rancid, chemical fats and oils. There is also very little nutrients in most processed foods, this is why they don’t fill us up. You will notice after children eat processed foods they are generally still hungry. So we feed them more processed food. If they ate whole, nutritious foods, they will be more likely to be full. Therefore it is so much cheaper to not eat processed foods. I get very concerned when people tell me it’s cheaper to eat processed foods. If you actually looked at the price per 100g or per kg you will notice that something like a bag of chips can be up to $20/kg. Roll ups are on average $40/kg. Banana’s on the other hand can be at the most $5/kg and that’s expensive for banana’s.

Lets have a look at what goes into our foods and the side effects they have on us:

Numbers in the ingredients list:

100’s – these are the colours used to brighten the colour of the food. Heaven forbid we have dull colours in our foods. (FSANZ say exposure to added colours in food and beverages isn’t a public health and safety concern for children in Australia.)

200’s – are to help protect against food deterioration caused by micro-organisms.

300’s – help prevent oxidation caused by rancid fats and oils.

400’s and 900’s – artificial sweeteners.

600’s – flavour and aroma enhancers.

SIDE EFFECTS:

• Increased hyperactivity, mood swings, lowered attention span, learning difficulties.
• Skin conditions such as Eczema, Dermatitis, dry and itchy skin or skin breakouts like a red rash when consuming these foods.
• Stomach pains, constipation, diarrhea, bloating.
• Food allergies, gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance.
• Mild allergic reactions like breathing/respiratory issues.
• Headaches and migraines.
• Tooth decay.
• Obesity.
• Malnutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

LONG TERM EFFECTS:

• Liver issues. Prolonged consumption can have effects on the liver as it struggles to cope with the constant overload of toxins.
• Diabetes. The artificial sweeteners and added sugars can have an effect on the production of insulin in your body.
• Thyroid or hormone imbalance, blocking the adequate production of these hormones.
• Heart conditions due to weight gain, blocked arteries and poor nutrition.
• Inflammation, Arthritis.
• Gut issues: Our gut bacteria can be put out of balance lowering our immunity, and has an effect on our whole body system. Gut imbalance is related to all of the above issues. Yes, Asthma, Eczema, food allergies…. All of them come from the gut.

I’m not saying that your children should never eat processed food. But please consider what you put in your shopping trolley, especially if your children suffer any of the above conditions. Read the labels. You may think removing these foods is going to make your life harder, but surely it’s going to make it easier with happier, healthier children???

Check out my recipes. They are simple and taste amazing.