Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system attacks healthy cells in the body mistaking them for “invaders.” There are more than a hundred autoimmune diseases but some are more common than others: multiple sclerosis, the Crohn’s disease or the rheumatoid arthritis for example.
A recent study carried out on mice had already shown that a excess salt in the diet promoted the development of autoimmune diseases. A new study published on the Newswise website and led by Prof Aaron Lerner, of the Haifa Institute of Technology, Israel, this time suggests that consuming processed foods would promote the development of these diseases. Specifically, the researchers identified 7 food additives commonly used to improve texture, taste or shelf life, which weaken the immune response of the gut, which would lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. These additives are glucose, gluten, sodium (as already seen in the previous study) as well as organic acids and transglutaminase (an enzyme used as a food glue).
“We hope that this study will raise awareness of the dangers inherent in industrial food additives and the need to establish controls on their use” underlined Professor Lerner.
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