Are Food Additives Killing Us?

I recently needed a new bottle of psyllium husk. My local health food store did not have any in stock so I went to the local discount store and was told by the clerk that Metamucil was the same thing. Since I always read labels I found that the clerk was correct, psyllium husks was listed as the first ingredient.

Then, I noticed a "peel here" tab instruction to read the entire label and drug facts. The additional ingredients were, Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, and Yellow 6 Lake. These food dyes are in reality aluminum. Why would this fiber need aluminum, and food dyes added? The answer is, it does not.

In addition to the question why do we need food dyes with aluminum in our vitamins and supplements, I also question why artificial ingredients are added to everything. It isn't just food dyes that are problematic, there is also the problem of unnecessary artificial sweeteners added to almost every product these days.

For instance, I have always enjoyed chewing gum. I noticed recently that my favorite chewing gum flavors have artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and others besides traditional sugar.

These sweeteners serve no real purpose, particularly when they are combined with sugar, yet they have been added to nearly all chewing gum products in recent years without the companies providing a warning to consumers.

These products are also listed as Splenda, NutraSweet (Aspartame), and Sweet'n' Low which is saccharine. Many of these artificial sweeteners are disguised under other names. If a product is listed as "less sugar," "no sugar," "lite," "dietetic," etc, it's a sure bet that the product will have some sort of artificial sweetener added.

Next time you're at the grocery store, look at the shelf near the sugar and you will see at least a half-dozen different names for these questionable products. Educate yourself on the names of these sweeteners. Not only are they mind altering drugs, they are also more expensive than common sugar.

Some product labels will list sugar near the top of the ingredient list, and Splenda will be nearly the last ingredient. Some products will post a statement, this product contains Splenda, or just the Splenda logo will appear on the package. Aspartame, also know as NutraSweet, is in a wide variety of food products labeled "low calorie." Foods containing Aspartame are required to post a warning on the label for Phenylketonuria (PKU), stating that the product contains Phenylalanine.

The fact that many common food products on the grocery shelf have unnecessary and potentially dangerous additives is appalling. My opinion is that they are the hidden cause of many common health problems.

Although these added products could very well be the cause of a broad spectrum of illnesses, we seem to accept these additives without question. We need to demand that the FDA change their regulation on our food products. These additives should be banned.

I love sweets as much as anybody, cookies, cake, pie and candy. I am just a normal person with normal taste, however, I do not like to be bombarded with these poisons added to my food.

If you are trying to cut down on the use of sugar, honey and agave syrup can be used to sweeten your foods. These products are natural and delicious, do not leave an after taste, and do no harm to your vital organs.

As if aluminum-laced food dyes and artificial sweeteners weren't enough, there is also the fact that so many of the foods available on the grocery shelf are loaded with monosodium glutamate (MSG).

MSG is an addictive flavor enhancer. It gives us that feeling of being hungry for more because it excites the brain and produces the illusion of good flavor. The old, "You can't eat just one" phrase is true, because MSG makes us want more.

MSG is hidden in food products under various names such as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein," "sodium caseinate" and "natural flavoring." This sneaky food additive is in almost every pre-prepared food product available. You'll also likely get a dose of it every time you eat out.

Products such as, dry and canned soups, crackers, frozen meals, and the all time favorite snack of kid's, potato chips, especially flavored chips, contain MSG. Seasoning mixes, gravy mix, bouillon, and salad dressings almost all contain MSG. Foods labeled, low calorie, are also loaded with MSG.

We all want our children to grow up healthy and strong. This can be accomplished by keeping track of the contents of the food products that we allow them to eat. Snacks for kids is a good thing. Snacks can fill in the blanks of nutrition that so many parents fear their child is not getting. Finicky eating habits and allergies can be the cause of some children not getting all the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy growth.

In the world we live in today, it is nearly impossible to produce all of your own food. My husband is a grain farmer in Missouri and we can provide ourselves with some of the products for home cooking. We have a summer garden, but even with our home-grown foods we still need to purchase other cooking ingredients at the local grocer. In our area there are many organic products available, but they are more expensive and not always in season.

I have found the best way to ensure that meals for my family can be free from the additives is to prepare them myself. You can too, experiment with new recipes that are quick and easy to prepare and are much healthier. Make more careful selections of the products you use. Healthier food choices are available. I have noticed that some products will state,"no MSG added" and other products will state, "all natural." This makes me believe that I am not the only one aware of unhealthy additives to our food.