“When it comes to your health, are artificial sweeteners worth their weight in saving calories? Eating healthy is more than counting calories – it’s knowing what’s in your food.”

–Rose Caiola

---

Additives are everywhere.  But which are helpful, and which are harmful?

Giving your body a break from heavy chemicals and irritants in many of the foods we eat and products we use, will help get you feeling vibrant and energetic again.

Whether you choose to do a detox program, water fast, juice diet, eat more vegetables or you just want to clean out the pantry – washing your produce thoroughly and limiting non-nutritious pre-packaged foods will help decrease your toxic load.

What foods should make me the most mindful?

Washing your produce helps to remove dirt and surface pesticides from your produce. It’s especially important to use more than just water on the fruits and veggies we like to call the dirty dozen.

When considering buying local, organic and seasonal produce, keep this list in mind. These produce have a higher percentage of pesticide residues; see the EWG listing for the top produce and pesticide residue data.

The Dirty Dozen

The least offending foods, or Clean Fifteen, include:

1. avocados
2. sweet corn
3. pineapples
4. cabbage
5. frozen sweet peas
6. onions
7. asparagus
8. mangoes
9. papayas
10. kiwis
11. eggplant
12. grapefruit
13. cantaloupe
14. cauliflower
15. sweet potatoes

It’s All In The Peel – Don’t cut it off

Even the cleanest produce should be washed thoroughly to limit residues from dirt, multiple handlings, preservatives, waxes and pesticides. Many of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables are in their skin, including vitamins and fiber. Don’t cut it off. Rather, start cleaning your vegetables properly.

You don’t need to spend money on ready made cleaners; you can easily do it yourself (DIY) with some simple recipes.

DIY Natural Produce Cleaning Products

1. Spray Bottle: For produce with a smooth skin surface, such as apples and  peppers:

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon (T) lemon juice
• 1 T baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) grapefruit seed extract

Directions: Spray your produce thoroughly, and let sit for five minutes before washing off with clean water.

2. Soaking Solution: For produce with a high surface area, such as grapes and raspberries

• 2 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp grapefruit seed extract

Directions: Put your produce in a bowl, and cover with the Soaking Solution. Let sit for 10-30 minutes before thoroughly rinsing off with clean water.

Five of the Most Feared Food and Product Additives

Additives can be hidden in many prepackaged food items and products. The top offending food choices and ingredients are often feared but not understood.

1. Artificial sweeteners – such as aspartame, acesulfame-K and  saccharin
2. High fructose corn syrup
3. Trans fats
4. Sodium chloride
5. Parabens

1. Artificial Sweeteners

In addition to their widespread use in sodas, artificial sweeteners are added to nearly 6,000 other products sold in the United States, including baby foods, frozen dinners and even yogurts [59]. It has been suggested that the use of non-nutritive sweeteners can lead to body weight gain and an altered metabolic profile. Although most research is controversial and extrapolated from animal studies, new human studies are emerging.

Non-caloric and non-nutritive artificial sweeteners (NAS) have not shown to increase blood glucose levels – except slightly with acesulfame-K – [15]. However, recent studies show NAS alter gut microbial communities, leading to glucose intolerance, dysbiosis and metabolic disease in both mice and humans [9, 57].

Neurobehavioral tests show high-aspartame diets – more than 25 milograms (mg) per kilogram of body weight per day – lead to increased irritable mood, more depression and worse performance on spatial orientation tests [38].

NOTE: A 12-ounce can of Diet Coke contains 187mg of aspartame. To see the average amount of artificial sweeteners in the most common diet soda, refer to this PDF.

In general, soda pop is harmful, especially to children, because of its acidic nature that can decrease the amount of calcium absorption into healthy bone formation and growth [40]. It also increases the risk of calcium-based kidney stones [46] and dental cavities [30].

For healthier options when it comes to sweeteners, see HERE.

2. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Fructose makes up more than ten percent of the average Western daily caloric intake [1]. The average American consumes 50 grams of fructose per day [63]. High fructose corn syrups (HFCS) are one and a half times more sweet than sucrose and two times more than glucose [13]. They are also more soluble in water, making them ideal as a sweetener for drinks and canned fruit [25, 26]. Especially notable in the United States, fructose is added to more than 40 percent of Western foods and beverages [13].

High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both comprised of glucose and fructose subunits. They have a similar effect on the body,  and evidence has linked HFCS to metabolic syndrome and associated comorbidities, implicating fructose as a potential factor in the obesity epidemic [31, 52]. Obesity is a predisposing factor in chronic disease and is associated with a loss in life expectancy. In Canada, having diabetes at 55 years old creates a loss of approximately five years in life expectancy [19].

3. Trans Fats

Most people know to avoid trans fats on packaged goods. It’s plastered all over bags of chips and crackers, but what does it really mean?

Trans fat stands for transaturated fats. There are several forms of fat, such as saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The saturation describes the chemical formation of the fat molecule with respect to the hydrogen (H)- bonds attached to a carbon backbone. A saturated fat has all it’s H-bonds, no double bonds and creates a linear molecule.

Trans double bonds are uncommon in nature. Most are synthetic forms of fats that undergo hydrogenation, which benefits the commercial food industry for its long shelf-life [14, 32]. It has been well researched that trans fats increase the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes, due to their deleterious effect of raising low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and lowering protective levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels [14].

The FDA is trying to mandate labeling of trans fatty acids and is even contemplating banning it completely in all goods [32]. Learn more about healthy fat options and their cooking temperatures HERE.

4. Sodium Chloride

It is commonly believed that chronic excessive use of table salt – Sodium chloride (NaCl) – leads to high blood pressure and heart disease. It is now evident that this is specific to a population with salt-sensitive hypertension, which makes up two-thirds of essential hypertensive patients over 60 years old [7, 48].

However, chloride has actually been shown to have protective cardiovascular effects [21]. So, what’s so bad about salt?

Well, NaCl does cause a redistribution of fluid from within the cells to its extracellular matrix – an increase fluid volume and resistance in the blood – due to osmolarity. It also increases arterial constriction and peripheral vascular resistance [7]. So, someone currently exhibiting high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, salt-sensitive hypertension or a deficiency in the ability to excrete sodium via the kidneys is at high risk of suffering a stroke and heart condition [7, 64]. In general, Western diets consist of excessive amounts of salt in our foods – especially processed foods – and should be used in moderation [24].

Also, renal calcium reabsorption – calcium being reabsorbed back into the body via the kidneys –  is directly proportional to sodium reabsorption. Which means that with an increase in NaCl consumption, there is less reabsorption of sodium, leading to a parallel reduction in calcium reabsorption [49]. Children and post-menopausal women are most affected by a decrease in calcium reabsorption for bone density health [49]. Along a similar pathway, people with calcium-based kidney stones will be exasperated with high sodium intake [21].

Finally, iodine from iodized salt is important to regulate the thyroid hormone levels. However, chronic iodine excess can lead to autoimmune thyroid conditions, such as hypothyroidism, thyroiditis and iodine-induced hyperthyroidism [16].

5. Parabens

Parabens are everywhere. Most commonly, they are used as antimicrobial preservatives – mainly in personal care products, pharmaceuticals and food [8, 34]. Processes of preserving confectioneries, foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates, and dried meat contain higher levels of parabens [8].

Parabens are found in deodorants, toothpastes, mouth washes, and shower gels; they are also common in consumer products, such as cleaning products, plastics and toys [34]. In addition, paper sources are a major contributor for dermal absorption of parabens – paper currencies, tickets, business cards, food cartons, flyers and newspapers; but the most notable amounts were from sanitary napkins [36].

A Swedish study finds parabens are higher among the children in urban areas compared to rural, and are associated with use of cosmetics and personal care products [34].

Parabens are easily absorbed orally, and to a lesser extent dermally, through the skin [34]. After absorption, parabens can be hydrolyzed, conjugated and excreted within hours [34]. Despite their short half-life, spot urine samples can indicate paraben exposure over several months [34].

Parabens are weak xenoestrogen, and scientific reports are concerned with the potential endocrine – or hormone – disrupting effects and link with breast cancer [8, 33]. More studies are still needed to find the long-term effects of frequent paraben exposure.

If you learned something new about additives, how will it change your behavior? Are you more mindful of risky foods, and how will you manage them differently? Let us know in the comments!

---

This article originally appeared on DrAlisonChen.com and is republished here with permission.

 

References

1. Abdelmalek MF, Lazo M, Horska A, et al. Higher dietary fructose is associated with impaired hepatic adenosine triphosphate homeostasis in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Hepatology. 2012;56(3):952–960.
2. Ahmad MK, Amani S, Mahmood R. Potassium bromate causes cell lysis and induces oxidative stress in human erythrocytes. Environ Toxicol. 2014 Feb;29(2):138-45.
3. Ahmad MK, Khan AA, Mahmood R. Taurine ameliorates potassium bromate-induced kidney damage in rats. Amino Acids. 2013 Nov;45(5):1109-21.
4. Baad-Hansen L, Cairns B, Ernberg M, Svensson P. Effect of systemic monosodium glutamate (MSG) on headache and pericranial muscle sensitivity. Cephalalgia. 2010 Jan;30(1):68-76.
5. Bellisle F, Dalix AM, Chapppuis AS, Rossi F, Fiquet P, Gaudin V, Assoun M, Slama G. Monosodium glutamate affects mealtime food selection in diabetic patients. Appetite. 1996 Jun;26(3):267-75.
6. Blaustein MP, Leenen FH, Chen L, Golovina VA, Hamlyn JM, Pallone TL, Van Huysse JW, Zhang J, Wier WG. How NaCl raises blood pressure: a new paradigm for the pathogenesis of salt-dependent hypertension. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2012 Mar 1;302(5):H1031-49.
7. Blaustein MP, Leenen FH, Chen L, Golovina VA, Hamlyn JM, Pallone TL, Van Huysse JW, Zhang J, Wier WG. How NaCl raises blood pressure: a new paradigm for the pathogenesis of salt-dependent hypertension. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2012 Mar 1;302(5):H1031-49
8. Błędzka D, Gromadzińska J, Wąsowicz W. Parabens. From environmental studies to human health. Environ Int. 2014 Jun;67:27-42.
9. Bokulich NA, Blaser MJ. A bitter aftertaste: unintended effects of artificial sweeteners on the gut microbiome. Cell Metab. 2014 Nov 4;20(5):701-3.
10. Bondonno CP, Croft KD, Puddey IB, Considine MJ, Yang X, Ward NC, Hodgson JM. Nitrate causes a dose-dependent augmentation of nitric oxide status in healthy women. Food Funct. 2012 May;3(5):522-7.
11. Botterweck AA, Verhagen H, Goldbohm RA, Kleinjans J, van den Brandt PA. Intake of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene and stomach cancer risk: results from analyses in the Netherlands Cohort Study. Food Chem Toxicol. 2000 Jul;38(7):599-605.
12. Branen AL. Toxicology and biochemistry of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene. J Am Oil Chem Soc. 1975 Feb;52(2):59-63.
13. Bray GA, Nielsen SJ, Popkin BM. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004;79(4):537–543.
14. Brownell KD, Pomeranz JL. The trans-fat ban–food regulation and long-term health. N Engl J Med. 2014 May 8;370(19):1773-5.
15. Bryant CE, Wasse LK, Astbury N, Nandra G, McLaughlin JT. Non-nutritive sweeteners: no class effect on the glycaemic or appetite responses to ingested glucose. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 May;68(5):629-31.
16. Bürgi H. Iodine excess. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Feb;24(1):107-15.
17. Carter BE, Monsivais P, Perrigue MM, Drewnowski A. Supplementing chicken broth with monosodium glutamate reduces hunger and desire to snack but does not affect energy intake in women. Br J Nutr. 2011 Nov;106(9):1441-8.
18. Chan TY. Vegetable-borne nitrate and nitrite and the risk of methaemoglobinaemia. Toxicol Lett. 2011 Jan 15;200(1-2):107-8.
19. Committee PHAoCS, “Health-adjusted life expectancy in Canada,” Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 2012, http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publications-eng.php.
20. Feskens EJ, Sluik D, van Woudenbergh GJ. Meat consumption, diabetes, and its complications. Curr Diab Rep. 2013 Apr;13(2):298-306.
21. Gasowski J, Cwynar M. There is more to salt than just a pinch of sodium.
    Hypertension. 2013 Nov;62(5):829-30.
22. Geha RS, Beiser A, Ren C, Patterson R, Greenberger PA, Grammer LC, Ditto AM, Harris KE, Shaughnessy MA, Yarnold PR, Corren J, Saxon A. Multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-challenge evaluation of reported reactions to monosodium glutamate. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000 Nov;106(5):973-80.
23. Gunnison AF, Jacobsen DW. Sulfite hypersensitivity. A critical review. CRC Crit Rev Toxicol. 1987;17(3):185-214.
24. Haddy FJ. Mechanism, prevention and therapy of sodium-dependent hypertension. Am J Med. 1980 Nov;69(5):746-58.
25. Hallfrisch J. Metabolic effects of dietary fructose. The FASEB Journal. 1990;4(9):2652–2660.
26. Hanover LM, White JS. Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1993;58(5):724S–732S.
27. Hord NG, Tang Y, Bryan NS. Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jul;90(1):1-10.
28. Imaida K, Fukushima S, Shirai T, Ohtani M, Nakanishi K, Ito N. Promoting activities of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene on 2-stage urinary bladder carcinogenesis and inhibition of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-positive foci development in the liver of rats. Carcinogenesis. 1983;4(7):895-9.
29. Jandacek RJ. Review of the effects of dilution of dietary energy with olestra on energy intake. Physiol Behav. 2012 Mar 20;105(5):1124-31.
30. Kaplowitz GJ. An update on the dangers of soda pop. Dent Assist. 2011 Jul-Aug;80(4):14-6, 18-20, 22-3 passim; quiz 29-31.
31. Kelishadi R, Mansourian M, Heidari-Beni M. Association of fructose consumption and components of metabolic syndrome in human studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition. 2014 May;30(5):503-10.
32. Komaroff AL. Ask the doctor. I’ve heard that the FDA wants to ban trans fats from foods. Do you think it will happen, and will that be good for us? Harv Health Lett. 2014 Mar;39(5):2.
33. Kucińska M, Murias M. [Cosmetics as source of xenoestrogens exposure]. Przegl Lek. 2013;70(8):647-51
34. Larsson K, Ljung Björklund K, Palm B, Wennberg M, Kaj L, Lindh CH, Jönsson BA, Berglund M. Exposure determinants of phthalates, parabens, bisphenol A and triclosan in Swedish mothers and their children. Environ Int. 2014 Dec;73:323-33.
35. Lester MR. Sulfite sensitivity: significance in human health. J Am Coll Nutr. 1995 Jun;14(3):229-32.
36. Liao C, Kannan K. Concentrations and composition profiles of parabens in currency bills and paper products including sanitary wipes. Sci Total Environ. 2014 Mar 15;475:8-15.
37. Limonciel A, Wilmes A, Aschauer L, Radford R, Bloch KM, McMorrow T, Pfaller W, van Delft JH, Slattery C, Ryan MP, Lock EA, Jennings P. Oxidative stress induced by potassium bromate exposure results in altered tight junction protein expression in renal proximal tubule cells. Arch Toxicol. 2012 Nov;86(11):1741-51.
38. Lindseth GN, Coolahan SE, Petros TV, Lindseth PD. Neurobehavioral effects of aspartame consumption. Res Nurs Health. 2014 Jun;37(3):185-93.
39. Liu D, Huang Y, Bu D, Liu AD, Holmberg L, Jia Y, Tang C, Du J, Jin H. Sulfur dioxide inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation via suppressing the Erk/MAP kinase pathway mediated by cAMP/PKA signaling. Cell Death Dis. 2014 May 22;5:e1251.
40. Mahmood M, Saleh A, Al-Alawi F, Ahmed F. Health effects of soda drinking in adolescent girls in the United Arab Emirates. J Crit Care. 2008 Sep;23(3):434-40.
41. Marenco Arellano V, Reaño Martos M, Rodriguez Cabreros M, Bueso Fernández A, Garcia Loria J, Rodríguez Mosquera M. Sulfite sensitivity in a patient with allergic asthma. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2011 Sep-Oct;39(5):306-7.
42. McKnight GM, Duncan CW, Leifert C, Golden MH. Dietary nitrate in man: friend or foe? Br J Nutr. 1999 May;81(5):349-58.
43. Mohler ER 3rd, Hiatt WR, Gornik HL, Kevil CG, Quyyumi A, Haynes WG, Annex BH. Sodium nitrite in patients with peripheral artery disease and diabetes mellitus: safety, walking distance and endothelial function. Vasc Med. 2014 Feb;19(1):9-17.
44. Nair B, Elmore AR; Cosmetic Ingredients Review Expert Panel. Final report on the safety assessment of sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, ammonium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, ammonium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite and potassium metabisulfite. Int J Toxicol. 2003;22 Suppl 2:63-88.
45. Neuhouser ML, Rock CL, Kristal AR, Patterson RE, Neumark-Sztainer D, Cheskin LJ, Thornquist MD. Olestra is associated with slight reductions in serum carotenoids but does not markedly influence serum fat-soluble vitamin concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Mar;83(3):624-31.
46. Passman CM, Holmes RP, Knight J, Easter L, Pais V, Assimos DG. Effect of soda consumption on urinary stone risk parameters. J Endourol. 2009 Mar;23(3):347-50.
47. Popolim WD, De V C Penteado M. Estimate of dietary exposure to sulphites using Brazilian students as a sample population. Food Addit Contam. 2005 Nov;22(11):1106-12.
48. Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Romero F, Johnson RJ. Pathophysiological mechanisms of salt-dependent hypertension. Am J Kidney Dis. 2007 Oct;50(4):655-72.
49. Sellmeyer DE, Schloetter M, Sebastian A. Potassium citrate prevents increased urine calcium excretion and bone resorption induced by a high sodium chloride diet. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 May;87(5):2008-12.
50. Simon RA. Adverse reactions to food additives. N Engl Reg Allergy Proc. 1986 Nov-Dec;7(6):533-42.
51. Sindler AL, Devan AE, Fleenor BS, Seals DR. Inorganic nitrite supplementation for healthy arterial aging. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2014 Mar 1;116(5):463-77.
52. Sloboda DM, Li M, Patel R, Clayton ZE, Yap C, Vickers MH. Early life exposure to fructose and offspring phenotype: implications for long term metabolic homeostasis. J Obes. 2014;2014:203474.
53. Sohn CH, Seo DW, Ryoo SM, Lee JH, Kim WY, Lim KS, Oh BJ. Life-threatening methemoglobinemia after unintentional ingestion of antifreeze admixtures containing sodium nitrite in the construction sites. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2014 Jan;52(1):44-7.
54. Steinman HA, Le Roux M, Potter PC. Sulphur dioxide sensitivity in South African asthmatic children. S Afr Med J. 1993 Jun;83(6):387-90.
55. Stevens LJ, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Kuczek T. Amounts of artificial food colors in commonly consumed beverages and potential behavioral implications for consumption in children. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2014 Feb;53(2):133-40.
56. Stevens LJ, Kuczek T, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Arnold LE, Galland L. Mechanisms of behavioral, atopic, and other reactions to artificial food colors in children. Nutr Rev. 2013 May;71(5):268-81.
57. Suez J, Korem T, Zeevi D, Zilberman-Schapira G, Thaiss CA, Maza O, Israeli D, Zmora N, Gilad S, Weinberger A, Kuperman Y, Harmelin A, Kolodkin-Gal I, Shapiro H, Halpern Z, Segal E, Elinav E. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6.
58. Taylor SL, Higley NA, Bush RK. Sulfites in foods: uses, analytical methods, residues, fate, exposure assessment, metabolism, toxicity, and hypersensitivity. Adv Food Res. 1986;30:1-76.
59. Toigo EV, Huffell AP, Mota CS, Bertolini D, Pettenuzzo LF, Dalmaz C. Metabolic and feeding behavior alterations provoked by prenatal exposure to aspartame. Appetite. 2014 Dec 24. pii: S0195-6663(14)00774-0.
60. Tulley RT, Vaidyanathan J, Wilson JB, Rood JC, Lovejoy JC, Most MM, Volaufova J, Peters JC, Bray GA. Daily intake of multivitamins during long-term intake of olestra in men prevents declines in serum vitamins A and E but not carotenoids. J Nutr. 2005 Jun;135(6):1456-61.
61. Vally H, Misso NL, Madan V. Clinical effects of sulphite additives. Clin Exp Allergy. 2009 Nov;39(11):1643-51.
62. Vandghanooni S, Forouharmehr A, Eskandani M, Barzegari A, Kafil V, Kashanian S, Ezzati Nazhad Dolatabadi J. Cytotoxicity and DNA fragmentation properties of butylated hydroxyanisole. DNA Cell Biol. 2013 Mar;32(3):98-103.
63. Vos MB, Kimmons JE, Gillespie C, Welsh J, Blank HM. Dietary fructose consumption among US children and adults: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey CME. The Medscape Journal of Medicine. 2008;10(7, article 160)
64. Webster J, Land MA, Christoforou A, Eastman CJ, Zimmerman M, Campbell NR, Neal BC. Reducing dietary salt intake and preventing iodine deficiency: towards a common public health agenda. Med J Aust. 2014 Nov 3;201(9):507-8.
65. Yang WH, et al. The monosodium glutamate symptom complex: assessment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. (1997)
66. Yang YF, Hsu JY, Fu LS, Weng YS, Chu JJ. Asthma drugs counter-regulate interleukin-8 release stimulated by sodium sulfite in an A549 cell line. J Asthma. 2009 Apr;46(3):238-43.