“Our artificial civilization is encouraging evils destructive of sound principles. . . . The practices they enjoin, and the indulgences they foster, are steadily lessening both physical and mental strength, and bringing upon the race an intolerable burden. .

“Many transgress the laws of health through ignorance, and they need instruction. But the greater number know better than they do. They need to be impressed with the importance of making their knowledge a guide of life.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 441

“If ever there was a time when the diet should be of the most simple kind, it is now. . . . Grains and fruits prepared free from grease, and in as natural a condition as possible, should be the food for the tables of all who claim to be preparing for translation to heaven.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 64

When one looks at an ingredient list on a package of processed food, there are many items on the list that do not appear to be a food. Many chemicals are added for many different reasons. They are added to enhance the technical value of the food but do not add any nutritional value. They are typically added to improve the texture, flavour, colour (to make it look more appetizing), consistency, and length of shelf life (preservation—delaying spoilage). They are also used for anti-caking, glazing, bleaching., and to maintain nutritional value through preservation.   When combining raw foods to create a processed food product, often the means of processing creates a final product that is of a distasteful colour or odour, or clumps together; it may feel unpleasant when placed in one’s mouth. Many additives are chemicals that taste like food, so that when they are added to a food product, the product tastes like the food it is claimed to be. Other additives improve the “mouthfeel” of a product.

Most additives are chemical in nature, and have names that we as consumers do not recognize. Some additives have been taken from plants and animals, but have been highly processed before they are added to food products. How do we know what exactly is contained in an additive? The other question that we should ask ourselves is whether the additive is from a vegetarian or vegan food source. Some additives are clearly from non-vegetarian sources such as rennet and glycerin. Others like mono- and diglycerides can be from plants or animals, while others are clearly from plant sources. To ensure that an additive is vegetarian, look for a label on the food product that indicates the products is “suitable for vegetarian diets” or specifically says either “vegetarian” or “vegan.” Even bread, which we would consider a vegetarian product, often may contain an animal source of monoglycerides. Unless the product is labelled as such, the only way to know if the additive is vegetarian or vegan would be to contact the manufacturer directly.

This month we will discuss two types of food additives that we find in processed foods—artificial colours and artificial sweeteners—and whether they are healthy for human consumption. It is the responsibility of the food manufacturers to test any food additive to determine its safety for human consumption. The government does not do any independent testing of additives. However, many groups who have concerns about the impact of food additives have done independent studies, some of which have shown alarming results.

Some additives that have been used in processed foods have now been determined as unsafe, and have been banned. The question arises about the safety of current additives, and whether any of them will be removed at a later date due to safety concerns. In the meantime, people are consuming these additives which could have negative implications to their health.

Many of these additives are in foods that we consider healthy, vegetarian, or vegan. Even certain “non-organic” substances are allowed as ingredients in or on processed products labelled as “organic”. Often these substances are additives that are questionable in terms of their effects on human health. In the United States, Europe and Canada, an organic label can be affixed to a food that has been certified as 95% organic. The reason for this is that some non-organic ingredients, including additives, are so “essential” that they are permitted in organic food. Additives to organic food must be on the government’s “approved” list in order to be used. Often the amount allowed in any food product is also dictated by the government. However, this oversight does not guarantee the safety of the additive in terms of our health.

Artificial Food Colouring

In Canada, the List of Permitted Colouring Agents put out by Health Canada contains food additives that are used to add or restore colour to a food. Often in processing, colour is removed or changed, and in order for the food to look appealing, artificial colours are added. Artificial food colouring is used to brighten and improve the appearance of a large variety of processed foods. They can be found on the ingredient list in their various colour names, such as Allura Red, Brilliant Blue, and Sunset Yellow. Some colours are not identified with a colour name, such as annatto and tartrazine to hide the fact that an artificial food colour has been added. Artificial food colourings were originally manufactured from coal tar, which comes from coal. Today, most synthetic food dyes are derived from petroleum, or crude oil. To avoid artificial colours derived from petroleum, people try to consume foods whose colours are obtained from animals or plants, such as caramel, carotene, paprika, cochineal (from insects), and turmeric. 30-40% of processed foods contain naturally-derived food dyes.

Vegetarians should research any colour additives to determine if they are plant or animal based. Often the ingredient list will only state “natural colouring”, “artificial colouring” or just “colour”; in these cases the source of the colour is not identified, nor which specific chemical-based colour is being used. Unless the package states “no artificial colouring”, the word “colour” indicates a chemical colour. However, even with the words “natural colouring” the colour can potentially be from an animal source. The only way to know if the product is vegetarian is if the food claims to be vegetarian, or by contacting the manufacturer. Many foods do have labeling that indicates that “this food can be part of a vegetarian diet.” This will ensure that the product does not contain animal sources of colour.

More recently, there have been concerns about the potential health effects of these colours. Specific synthetic dyes such as Blue 1 have been shown to affect health by damaging chromosomes. Some countries have banned this colour. Some other examples are: Citrus red 2—bladder cancer—banned in the US. Fast green—bladder cancer; Blue 2—brain tumours; Red 40—chromosome damage, hyperactivity, and lymphomas. Red 40 is the most commonly used artificial food colouring in the United States.

Yellow 5 (tartrazine) is implicated in many adverse health effects—asthma, insomnia, allergies, behavioural effects, aggression, hyperactivity, lymphomas, thyroid tumours, and chromosome damage. Yellow 6 (sunset yellow)—eczema, hives, allergies, asthma, hyperactivity, thyroid tumours, and chromosome damage. Again, these are additives that were once considered safe, and now there is the recognition that these colours may not be healthy.

Some studies have shown that artificial food colours result in an increased risk of cancer. In the past, Red 3 was widely used, but was shown to increase the risk of thyroid tumours in animal studies; it has been replaced in foods by Red 40. In the US, the FDA tried to ban Red 3 but was unsuccessful; foods and products containing Red 3 can still be found. Although derived from plants, some types of caramel artificial colouring contain a potentially carcinogenic chemical called 4-methylimidazole.

Americans are consuming five times more food dyes now than in 1955. The problem with artificial colours is that not enough is known about the effects on human health; and as research continues, colours that were considered safe are no longer determined to be safe. More research is needed. However, we are consuming these colours in our foods while the testing for their safety continues.

In the end, food dyes are found primarily in processed foods, which should be limited in a healthy diet. Always opt for whole foods, which are higher in important nutrients and naturally free of artificial food coloring.

Artificial Sweeteners

As the negative aspects of sugar have become more widely known, people are trying to restrict their consumption of sugar. The dietary guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture recommend a maximum of 10 teaspoons of sugar a day for the average person. Most Americans eat much more sugar than that—more like 30 to 40 teaspoons a day. Consuming high amounts of sugar is now linked to a host of health issues: obesity, chronic inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.

The obesity epidemic now encompasses two-thirds of the American population, including a third of children. In response to the consumer’s wish to reduce sugar consumption, the food manufacturers developed artificial sweeteners, which taste like sugar but do not contain any calories. Artificial sweeteners are chemicals, created to sweeten food. They are used in many diet foods and beverages to enhance sweetness while reducing calorie content and so are popular among people who are trying to lose weight. They are also a cheaper alternative to real sugar. Very small amounts are needed as they contain the same level of sweetness as sugar in minute amounts. The different types of artificial sweeteners are anywhere from 200-20,000 times sweeter than table sugar. Some artificial sweeteners do contain calories, but because they are needed in such small amounts to sweeten food, they do not add significant calories to a food product.

The molecules of artificial sweeteners register the same way that sugar does in our mouth; our taste buds recognize the sweet taste. This alerts the brain that calories are on the way. The brain then sends signals to our pancreas to prepare for the release of insulin, which is needed for the cells to absorb the sugar. If the body is activated by the artificial sweeter, and there is no actual calories in the form of sugar the body gets confused as the pancreas still releases insulin. Continued over-production of insulin can lead to insulin resistance. The body no longer responds appropriately to glucose. This affects the body’s metabolism, leading to diabetes and weight gain.

Common types of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame, and acesulfame potassium. They are usually at the end of a food’s ingredient list as very small amounts are needed to add sweetness to food products. These sweeteners are also found in individual packets, sold at restaurants or in grocery stores. The colour of the package typically indicates which sweetener is contained in the package. Aspartame—blue; saccharine/cyclamate—pink; sucralose—yellow/purple; stevia and monk fruit—green.

Some sweeteners have been banned since their introduction into our food. Cyclamate has been banned in the United States since 1970, however 130 countries approve its use, including Canada. In the past, saccharine was banned as it caused cancer in mice. Now it is allowed as researchers do not feel that the amount of saccharine consumed by any one person will cause cancer. Will currently allowed sweeteners be banned in the future because of negative health effects?

Neotame is newer synthetic sweetener developed by Monsanto as its patent for aspartame was running out.  Aspartame contains a substance that people with a certain medical condition cannot metabolize (phenyalanine); aspartame and neotame are made up of substances which metabolize into formaldehyde, which is a highly toxic poison. They also contain an excitotoxin that damages nerves. Neotame is made by adding 3, 3-dimethylbutyl (a chemical that the EPA lists on its most hazardous chemical list) to aspartame. Because it is used in such small amounts in food, it is considered safe to use.  It is the cheapest sweetener on the market, 1% the cost of sugar and 3% the cost of HFCS (High fructose corn syrup). It has been approved for use in the US since 2002, and in the EU since 2010.  Neotame is 7000-13,000 times sweeter than table sugar, and 30 times sweeter than aspartame.  Neotame is also used as a substitute for molasses in livestock feed to encourage the animals to consume more food and thus increase their weight; people to who consume animal products are potentially also consuming neotame.

As a further concern, not all sweeteners are approved for use in all countries. Each country does its own studies into food additives, and based on their own research, they choose either to allow or ban a substance. There is clearly not a world-wide consensus on the potential effects on our health with artificial sweeteners. Thus, for these reasons, artificial sweeteners are the cause of heated debate. Another concern is that, although the FDA sets limits for what it considers safe amounts of artificial sweeteners in any one food, given the amount of foods that contain them, can we pass the limit on the amount that is safe?

Although products containing artificial sweeteners are often “calorie-free” and thus inviting to those who want to reduce their caloric intake, there is debate as to whether they actually help people lose weight. Some studies show that they might actually increase a person’s appetite, leading to weight gain Since, the pathways in our brain that tell us that we are full are not triggered by artificial sweeteners due to their lack of calories,  people consume more food as they still feel hungry; the body craves calories to satisfy hunger. Also, people who consume “zero-calorie” foods often feel that they then can compensate by indulging in sugary foods, often eating just as many calories if not more. This is true even with natural, low-calorie sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit.

Artificial sweeteners can also cause people to crave all sweet sugary foods. The body gets used to a certain food, and then develops a preference for it. This is the addictive component of artificial sweeteners that people are cautioned about. On the other hand, some studies show that some people feel less hunger and consume less calories when they substitute foods containing sugar with foods that contain artificial sweeteners. The debate continues. . . .

The concern about artificial sweeteners is when it comes to children. As more of these chemicals are included in more and more products, it is important to study how they affect the human body, especially over a lifetime of consumption. It has been found that mothers who use artificial sweeteners can pass them on in their breast milk, so children can be exposed to these sugar substitutes from their very first meal. If sweets can be used as a once-in-a-while treat, rather than a staple, this teaches children that the expectation of sugary foods is not a given at each meal. Then the amount of natural sugar given to children does not lead to weight gain, and artificial sweeteners can be avoided.

There are studies that indicate that artificial sweeteners increase a person’s risk of cancer; however, the National Cancer Institute states that they have found no connection between artificial sweeteners and cancer. It is known that the proper balance of bacteria in your intestine—your gut flora, also known as the microbiome—is incredibly important for health. An altered gut flora can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. There is evidence that artificial sweeteners may disrupt the gut flora, therefore more research needs to be done. However, it appears that there is evidence that this is a cause for concern.

New Canadian research published in 2017 suggests that artificial sweeteners may be doing more harm than good. Scientists are warning that they may be tied to long-term weight gain, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. The study also showed that there is a 14% increase risk of diabetes in people who consume artificial sweeteners on a daily basis compared to those who do not.

Another study shows that aspartame and acesulfame potassium increase lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) in the bloodstream and decreases a molecule that is involved in clearing lipids from the bloodstream. They cause dysfunction in the lining of blood vessels, and have been linked to potential cardiovascular problems. The interesting finding was that these changes did not happen in the presence of natural sugars. This suggests that artificial sweeteners can contribute to diabetes and obesity by an entirely different mechanism in the body than natural sugars. The cause of these changes in the body is that artificial sweeteners appear to alter the activity of the genes responsible for the breakdown of fats and proteins. This is different from normal sugars, which contribute to cardiovascular disease through insulin resistance and by damaging the cells lining the body’s blood vessels.

The concern arises because many people are increasingly consuming no-calorie sweeteners as a healthy option; and there is increasing use of artificial sweeteners in food products. According to researchers, over 40% of adult Americans consume no-calorie sweeteners on a daily basis. Often consumers try to avoid artificial sweeteners, so a food manufacturer will be careful not to openly disclose the addition of an artificial sweetener. People need to go to the ingredients list to determine if the product contains any of the artificial sweeteners. Because they are so prevalent in our food products, many people who would choose to avoid using them are not aware they are consuming them. A Canadian researcher, Meghan Azad states that “there might be adverse effects of these sweeteners and there certainly isn’t strong evidence they’re beneficial. It might be a good idea to avoid [artificial sweeteners]. Caution is warranted until the long-term health effects of artificial sweeteners are fully characterized.”

Most health authorities consider artificial sweeteners safe when consumed in moderation, and so people use them to eat less sugar and lose weight.

Although there is a lack of consensus as to whether or not artificial sweeteners affect our health in negative ways, there is enough evidence to indicate that they do have negative effects and so the prudent thing would be to avoid foods that contain them altogether. Because there can be many different names for artificial sweeteners, it is hard to know whether a food contains them or not. To avoid artificial sweeteners, look for foods that are organic or ones that state that they are sweetened only with natural sugars. It is very difficult to find processed foods that do not contain some form of sugar, therefore, it is best to avoid processed foods as much as possible.

“There is great need of instruction in regard to dietetic reform. Wrong habits of eating and the use of unhealthful food are in no small degree responsible for the intemperance and crime and wretchedness that curse the world.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 441