According to a recent study broadcast in the EclinicalMedicine journal, some food additives would harm more than others to your longevity. Julie Boët, dietician-nutritionist, teaches us to recognize them … and to avoid them.
The 10 additives to avoid absolutely to protect your health
In order to determine which additives could be linked to an increased risk of premature death, 180,000 participants, aged 57 on average, were recruited. All consumed, on various degrees, ultra-transformed foods rich in food additives (aromas, taste enhancers, coloring, sweeteners and sugars). These same participants then had to fulfill questionnaires on their eating habits.
Result ? After 11 years of follow -up, scientists found that 10,203 participants had died since the start of the study. And the processed foods weren’t for nothing! As soon as they represented more than 18% of the contributions, the risk of death increased.
In detail, 12 markers were precisely associated with a significant increase in the risk of death. Among them were some exhausors of taste such as glutamate and ribonucleotides, as well as sweeteners such as aceulfame, saccharin or sugarosum.
Other chemical additives (anti-agglomerating agents, firmness, gelling, thickening) have also been targeted, in the same way as fructose, inverted sugar, lactose and maltodextrin.
Results that do not surprise our dietician-nutritionist, Julie Boët.
A silent process that destroys health, day after day
Additives have a very specific role: to improve taste, give a more pleasant texture, extend the shelf life or make the colors more attractive.
“But if they make the lives of industrialists easier, they do not necessarily do service to our organization”, warns the nutritionist. “Take the example of tasteless exhausters, such as glutamate or ribonucleotides. They are very effective in stimulating our taste buds and giving a“ tasty ”side to the dishes. The problem? By acting as a taste trompe-l’oeil, they can promote food overconsumption and deregulate natural satiety signals. In the long term, this mechanism maintains a risk of weight and fatigue of weight our metabolism “, alerts the expert.
Artificial sweeteners are widely used in light products, “light” sodas or sugar -free yogurts. “They seem reassuring because they do not bring calories, but their action on the intestine is far from being neutral. Several research shows that they can unbalance the microbiota, disturb the regulation of blood sugar and even maintain strong appetite for sweet taste. Result: we eat differently, but not necessarily better”, indicates the specialist.
On the side of conservatives such as nitrites (present in many cold meats), the impact is even more worrying.
“If they prevent the development of dangerous bacteria, they are also accused of training, in our body, carcinogenic compounds. Public health organizations recommend that they highly limit their consumption”, Recalls Julie Boët.
Colors and texture are not to be outdone. The former aim to make a product more “appetizing” visually, but some of them, such as red 40 or yellow 5, are suspected of promoting attention problems in children or playing a role in allergic reactions.
“As for emulsifiers and thickening, their main effect is to disrupt the protective mucus of the intestine and accentuate chronic inflammation, which can have repercussions on immunity or digestive comfort. We are talking about a silent process here, but which, repeated every day, can influence our immune defenses, our energy and even our metabolism”, warns the practitioner.
How to finally recognize these additives?
The best clue is on the label.
“A list of simple, short ingredients, composed of words you may have in your own kitchen is reassuring. Conversely, when the technical terms appear, figures starting with” e “, or a succession of sweeteners and stabilizers, we can legitimately be wary”, says Julie Boët.
Another great and good news: avoiding these substances is not synonymous with deprivation. “It starts with simple choices: cooking more from raw products, favoring fruits, vegetables, legumes and full cereals, or even opt for homemade alternatives to prepared cookies or dishes. Even if everything is preparing is not always realistic, gradually reducing ultra-transformed foods already is enough to considerably decrease the exposure to additives”, recalls the expert.
Another reflex is to compare products: “Two tomato sauces may seem identical, but one will only contain “tomatoes, olive oil, onions, herbs”, when the other will display a series of thickening, added sugars and acidity correctors. This simple critical look allows, day after day, to regain control on his plate “, she concludes.