E171, E621, E250 … what are these additives and what are their effects on health? These questions are answered in “The new additives guide” Anne-Laure Denans, pharmacy doctor and nutritionist, and the LaNutrition.fr collective. Published by Thierry Souccar and in bookstores since March 9, this book provides the keys to understanding what is behind food additives.
Found in most everyday foods, some are safe while others, on the contrary, are considered harmful. How to find it? The guide has classified the additives into four different categories, each with its color code. In red, the additives that are best avoided. In orange, those to avoid under specific circumstances. In gray, those for which there are doubts. Finally, in green, those that do not pose a problem. For each one, we also find the foods concerned, the doses not to be exceeded, the cases in which to avoid them (in children, people with allergies …) and the references of the studies consulted.
One in four additives is a problem
This guide is based on almost 200 scientific studies and combs through the 338 additives authorized in Europe. Result: 90 of them are identified as potentially dangerous to health. Studies have shown that some can cause behavioral disorders, this is the case of the dyes found in candies in particular. Others can disrupt the intestinal flora, such as emulsifiers present in prepared meals, industrial bread, etc.
Also to be avoided, glutamate (E621), a flavor enhancer, presenting risks of potential neurotoxicity and nitrites (E249 to E252) found in ham in particular, classified as potentially carcinogenic by the World Organization for Health. Also in the viewfinder, “light” products which fill up with additives (sometimes up to 8 in a single product).
The consumer invited to act
Anne-Laure Denans, guest of the 13h newspaper of France 2 on Friday March 10, invites consumers to act at their own level by looking at the composition of the food they buy and boycotting certain products, the best way to change things. His advice to avoid as many additives as possible? Eat “raw foods, the least processed foods possible.”
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