Food Additives

Health Revolution Petition

2009-02-25T00:02:00.001-08:00

February 24 was the launch of the much-anticipated Health Revolution Petition.

This petition is a groundbreaking new petition that calls for real, revolutionary health freedom reforms in America! If its provisions are enacted, it would:

End FDA tyranny and oppression of natural product companies
End the persecution of alternative medicine and healing arts practitioners
Ban GMOs in the food supply and require honest labeling of irradiated foods
Protect America from CODEX "harmonization"
Allow full income tax deductions for ALL health-related expenditures (herbs, supplements, gym memberships, etc.)
Provide $350 a month in health care credits to each U.S. resident, allowing them to spend it on the health-enhancing products and services of their choice
End mandatory vaccination policies across America
Restore honest science to the FDA's review of drugs
Require the open publication of all drug trials
End Big Pharma's bribery of doctors
Hold drug company CEO's criminally liable for the harm caused by drugs they advertise to consumers
Restrict the advertising of junk foods and soda pop to children
Ban man-made, non-natural chemicals in personal care products
Invest in disease prevention and consumer education about nutrition
Protect the environment from dangerous drugs that pollute the water supply

... and more. If you believe in these things, and you are a resident or citizen of the USA, then please ...

Sign the Health Revolution Petition now!

High Fructose Corn Syrup Propaganda

2008-09-17T15:11:00.001-07:00

Have you seen the industry ads about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) being just like sugar and fine when used in moderation?

Take a look:

Ad for HFCS

Another ad for HFCS

Don't be fooled. They're probably seeing a drop in sales for some or many of their products that contain HFCS because people are becoming more aware that it's not a healthy ingredient.

The truth is HFCS is a synthetic chemical made through a complex chemical process, derived from corn starch using genetically engineered enzymes and most likely genetically engineered corn.

Studies show that HFCS is related to numerous diseases. Obesity is at an all time high since it's introduction. Children are now being diagnosed with type II diabetes, previously called "adult onset diabetes."

Forget the ads you see on TV, hear on the radio or read in newspapers and magazines. They're all paid for by the food industry because they want you to buy their products. Get your nutrition information from a reliable unbiased source that does NOT receive any money from the food or drug industries.

Learn more about food additives.

Food Additives and Hyperactivity in Kids

2008-09-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

The growing concern of parents about food additives causing hyperactivity in kids is leading the food industry to develop new food and drink products for kids that can claim to be free of artificial colors and flavors. The focus is on natural and organic.

Manufacturers are targeting more and more of their advertising directly to kids and at younger and younger ages. They are very conscious of making the packaging very appealing to kids.

Research shows that kids have more spending money and the food and drink manufacturers want to influence the kids to

spend it on their products
get their parents to spend it on their products.

What to watch out for here...

Even though these products claim to be natural and organic doesn't mean that the ingredients are all healthy. In fact, natural is not legally defined, so manufacturers can use it even if a product has no natural ingredients at all.

Anything produced in a laboratory is processed to some degree. It's not going to be as healthy as something picked from a tree or from your garden, or made from fresh produce from your grocery store, no matter how natural and organic it is.

If you must buy packaged products, it's vitally important that you read the ingredients list. Nothing else on the package has any meaning if the ingredients are not healthy.

If you don't understand every ingredient on the ingredients list, you can get help from the book, Food Additives: A Shopper's Guide To What's Safe & What's Not. It classifies the additives according to safety and you'll know, you won't have to guess, if the product inside the package is healthy or not. The book is even simple enough for your kids to use when they're choosing products they want to buy or want you to buy.

So, parents beware! The food manufacturers are targeting your kids with their advertising more than ever. Arm yourself with the tools that will help you and your kids to make informed choices.

Learn more about food additives.

Sweet Ingredients

2008-08-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

You've already seen that xylitol isn't as healthy as it's claimed to be. Neither are the other sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, mannitol and the rest of the "-tol's".

Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, splenda, acesulfame-K and saccharin are across the board even worse.

You've been warned that genetically engineered sugar is on it's way to the grocery store shelves.

So what do you do when you want something sweet?

Look for these ingredients:

Stevia. You won't find this as an ingredient in a food item in the U.S., but you may find it in a tea or other product classified as a nutritional supplement. You can buy it in a dark liquid, clear liquid or powder. Make sure it's the Paraguayan variety, not the Chinese.

Pure maple syrup. This is one of the healthiest sweeteners. Organic grade B is recommended.

Raw honey. Just remember it should not be given to young children. If you're buying honey, buy the local variety.

Rapadura. Unrefined, unbleached organic dehydrated sugarcane juice.

Always remember that sweets, even natural ones should be eaten in small amounts.

Learn more about the healthfulness of ingredients in your foods.

Xylitol: Is It Really As Healthy As It's Claimed To Be?

2008-08-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

Xylitol has been put on a pedestal. It is claimed to prevent tooth decay. It is said to be safe for diabetics. It is in everything from sugar-free chewing gum, candy and jams to breath sprays and toothpaste.

Touted as being natural, from birch bark, the xylitol on the market is really an industrial product, manufactured through a chemical process.

As an additive, xylitol has been shown to cause gastrointestinal distress, including gas, bloating and diarrhea. It has caused cancer in lab animals in high doses. It can cause weakness and seizures in pets.

Furthermore, no safety testing has been with children. The levels that can cause adverse effects with children are UNKNOWN!

This is just one additive of the many thousands of chemicals added to our food. Learn more about food additives and how they can affect your health.

Is Your Child Reacting to Artificial Food Colors?

2008-08-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

If you think your child is adversely affected by the artificial colors found in most of the processed foods on the market today, you can voice your opinion now!

Artificial colors appear on food labels as FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, or Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 6. These and other synthetic food dyes are being phased out in European countries because of the evidence showing their connection to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children. The U. S. FDA denies that they cause any problems at all.

However, now you have the opportunity to file a report online and make your voice heard.

Read more...

Find out more about the additives in your food, the effects they can have on your health and how your can protect your family.

Genetically Engineered Sugar on the way to the Grocery Store Shelves

2008-08-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

GE Sugar from GE sugar beets is scheduled to hit the market this year. One company that plans to use the GE sugar is Kellogg. When asked to not use the GE sugar, Kellogg replied that consumer's don't care if their food is genetically engineered. They obviously haven't been listening to consumer opinion lately.

While it's best to avoid processed foods altogether, if you do eat them, avoid the Kellogg brand.

It's also important to know that there are already genetically engineered ingredients in processed food on the grocery store shelves. In fact about 70% of the processed foods on the market contain GE ingredients.

The ingredients most commonly genetically engineered in processed foods are derived from corn, canola, soy and cotton. If you see any ingredients like corn starch, corn gluten, corn oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or any ingredient that contains corn in the name, there is a high probablity that it's genetically engineered. It's also highly likely that the canola oil, soy oil and cottonseed oil on the package are GE as well. All soy ingredients are suspect too. Additives like hydrolyzed soy protein, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, soy lecithin, soy sauce may all be genetically engineered.

Genetically engineered ingredients are not labeled in the U.S. The only way to be sure that any of these ingredients are not GE is if they are organic.

For help checking the safety of ingredients in your packaged foods, get a copy of FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Are You Checking the Ingredients List Before You Buy?

2008-08-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

How do you decide what box, bag bottle or can to put in your grocery cart?

Do you look at the label? The front, the Nutrition Facts or the ingredients list?

Manufacturers are very aware that consumers are becoming more conscious about eating healthier foods. But instead of making healthier foods, they make the packaging more deceptive so it's harder for the consumer to determine how healthy the food item really is.

When you're choosing items from the grocery store shelf, the first choice should be fresh whole foods. However, if you do buy prepackaged foods, skip the front of the label. That's what the manufacturer want you to think about the product. What's on the front of the label is not necessarily true about the product inside the package.

As shocking as that statement may sound, it's true. The reason it's true is that there are terms that are not defined in the industry, like natural and healthy, so manufacturers can use them to mean anything they want - and they do.

Next, skip the Nutrition Facts. The first thing you should look at when you pick up a package is the ingredients list. If the products has harmful ingredients, and most processed foods do, the Nutrition Facts are meaningless. If the ingredients are healthy, then look at the Nutrition Facts if you like.

If you have a hard time reading the ingredients list because it's so tiny, carry a magnifying glass with you when you shop. If you don't know if the ingredients in the product are healthy or not, get the book FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shoppers' Guide To What's Safe & What's Not and take it with you every time you shop. You'll become an expert label-reader in no time. It's simple to use, even kids can do it.

FREE Food Additives Tips

2008-07-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

A new tip will be delivered to your e-mail box every day.

Help Get MSG Banned!

2008-05-23T22:08:00.000-07:00

John Erb, author of The Slow Poisoning of America has petitioned the FDA to get MSG banned. That petition is now open for public comment at

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=FDA-2007-P-0178

You can read John's petition at the above link. All his points are supported by research studies. I've posted my comments as well.

MSG is a neurotoxin. It causes obesity, diabetes, excites nerve cells to death and more. It's in almost all processed food, even organic. It's in virtually all fast food. Even if you don't eat fast food, you probably know and care about a lot of people who do.

If you buy anything in a package - box, bottle, jar or can - you're probably eating MSG without even knowing it, if you don't know all the names it hides under.

The state of health in this country is abysmal. Removing this one toxic ingredient from our food supply would be one giant step in the direction of improving the health of the people in this country.

Please share any comment you have with the FDA, and if you could, pass this on to your network, the more comments we have the better!

Thanks for helping make our food supply safer.

Study Links Food Additives to Hyperactivity

2007-09-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

A study published in The Lancet Medical Journal, September 6, 2007, has shown a link between food additives and hyperactivity in children.

Although the connection between additives and hyperactivity has long been suspected by those in the alternative health arena, it has long been rejected by mainstream medicine because there was no scientific study to back it up.

The study was done on two groups of children, 3-year olds and 8- and 9-year olds. They were given drinks with various commonly used food colors and sodium benzoate. The control group received drinks with no additives.

The study took place over six weeks. The children receiving the drinks with the additives showed "significantly more hyperactive behavior" and "had shorter attention spans."

As a result of the study, the British Government has advised parents of hyperactive children that cutting out certain additives may benefit their children.

The study reported that sodium benzoate, the only preservative used in the study, "has been linked to cell damage in a previous study and to an increased risk for cancer."

Sodium benzoate is not itself a carcinogen. When sodium benzoate and vitamin C are in the same product, it has been shown previously that benzene may form. Benzene is a known human carcinogen.

Sodium benzoate and artificial colors are not only in fruit drinks frequently given to children and sodas, but they are also often in nutritional beverages promoted as healthy and a source of vitamins and minerals.

If you're giving fruit drinks to your kids, are they getting a little cancer-causing benzene in every sip? If you're taking liquid nutritional supplements are you possibly getting a little cancer-causing benzene in your daily dose?

Go check all of the beverages and liquid nutritional formulas in your home and office and see how many of them contain vitamin C and sodium benzoate. If they do they may contain benzene and you may be drinking a beverage that possibly contains a cancer-causing ingredient.

Healthy beverages for you and your kids include:

good quality water
1 part fruit juice with 2-5 parts water (more water is better)
herbal tea
sparkling water, if you have to have that fizz; add a little fruit juice if you want some flavor

The healthiest nutritional supplements are those which are customized to your specific needs.

Find out more about the safety of food additives.

2007 Edition FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide to What's Safe & What's Not

2007-08-23T16:27:00.000-07:00

The best-selling, pocket-sized, food additives dictionary, FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide to What's Safe & What's Not, has just been released in it's updated, expanded and revised 2007 edition. Be among the first to benefit from all the new information added to this edition.

There have been over 200 new ingredients added, including biotech and nanotech ingredients. There is new information on genetically engineered food, irradiated food and cancer ratings by the International Agency for Research on Cancer for cancer-causing ingredients.

Get your copy now!

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #60

2007-06-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

S       Ergocalciferol - vitamin D2; see nutrient additives.
* S A       Erythorbic acid – 7, 16; may be corn based.
C       Erythritol – 26, 32, 44, 46, 49, 50, 51; better tolerated than other sugar alcohols; see sugar alcohols.
X A       Erythrosine - may cause overactive thyroid, sensitivity to light; see coal tar dyes.
C       Ester gum - 19, 27, 45; inadequate data on safety available.

Note: The codes *, S, C, A and X are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #59

2007-05-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

C A    EDTA - 7, 44; may cause skin irritation, gastrointestinal upset, liver and kidney damage, mineral imbalances; may cause errors in results of medical lab tests; not adequately tested.

C    Enzyme of aspergillus oryzae - 31; may be carcinogenic.

* C    Enzyme-modified fats - 27; may contain free glutamates; see MSG.

C    Epsom salts - see magnesium sulfate.

X    Equal - 11; see aspartame.

Note: The codes *, C, A and X are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #58

2007-05-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* C    Disodium pyrophosphate - see disodium phosphate.

S    Disodium riboflavin phosphate - vitamin B2; see nutrient additives.

C    Dough conditioners - reduce mineral availability.

C    DSS - see dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate.

C A    Durkex oil - 24, 29; refined, bleached, deodorized, partially hydrogenated oil. See hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Note: The codes *, S, C and A are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #57

2007-05-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

C     Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) - 19, 46; laxative effect; may cause gastrointestinal irritation, birth defects; not adequately tested.

C    Diphenyl - may cause nausea, vomiting, eye, nose irritation.

* C    Dipotassium phosphate - 14, 44; may reduce mineral absorption; may cause kidney damage.

C A    Disodium guanylate - 26; can aggravate gout; may be soy or yeast based; used in products containing MSG; not adequately tested.

C A    Disodium inosinate - 26; can aggravate gout; may be soy or yeast based; used in products containing MSG; not thoroughly tested.

Note: The codes *, C and A are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #56

2007-02-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* C A    Diglycerides - see mono- & diglycerides.

* S    Dilauryl thiodipropionate – 7; antioxidant.

* S    Dill - 27; can cause sensitivity to light.

C    Dill oil - 27; potentially toxic in large amounts; use cautiously if epileptic.

S    Dillseed - 27.

C    Dimethylpolysiloxane - 5; possibility of asbestos contamination; may cause kidney problems.

Note: The codes *, C, A and S are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #55

2007-02-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* C A    Diacylglycerol – see mono- & diglycerides.

* C    Dibasic ammonium phosphate - see ammonium, phosphates.

* C    Dibasic calcium phosphate - see calcium phosphate.

* C    Dibasic potassium phosphate - see potassium phosphate.

* C    Dicalcium phosphate - see calcium phosphate.

X    Dichlorvos – pesticide used on produce, flea collars, food packaging; possible carcinogen, teratogen.

Note: The codes *, C, A and X are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #54

2007-02-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

S    Devan Sweet - 49; see rice syrup powder.

C    Dextrans - may be carcinogenic.

* C A    Dextrin - 17, 51; may be from wheat or corn.

* C A    Dextrose - 49; see corn syrup.

* C    Diacetyl - 9; not adequately tested.

* C A    Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- & diglycerides - 19; see mono- & diglycerides.

Note: The codes *, S, C and A are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #53

2007-02-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* S    D-Pantothenyl alcohol - see nutrient additives.

S    Date sugar - 49; 1 Tbsp. contains equivalent of 3 grams of sugars; all sweeteners best avoided.

* C A    Datem – see diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- & diglycerides.

S    7-Dehydrocholesterol - vitamin D3; see nutrient additives.

* C    Decanal – 9; moderately toxic if swallowed; eye and skin irritant.

Note: The codes *, S, C and A are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #52

2007-01-31T11:54:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* C1    Cream of tartar - 1, 4, 33; caution if kidney or heart problems.

C    Croscarmellose sodium – see sodium carboxymethylcellulose.

C    Crospovidone – ingredient found in drugs and nutritional supplements; low toxicity; not considered a health hazard by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Additives; safety testing data not available.

* C1A    Cuprous iodide - 17, 18; caution if thyroid problems.

S    Cyanocobalamin - vitamin B12; see nutrient additives.

X    Cyclamates - 11; banned; no longer believed to be carcinogenic, but increases the effect of other carcinogens; manufacturers petitioning FDA to rescind ban.

Note: The codes *, S, C, C1, X and A are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #51

2007-01-23T10:41:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* C    Copper sulfate - most highly irritating copper salt; see copper salts.

* S A    Corn gluten - 42, 50.

C    Corn protein – see free glutamates.

* C    Corn silk - 27; not adequately tested.

* C A    Corn starch - 51; may cause hay fever, eye, nose irritation.

* C A    Corn sugar - see corn syrup.

* C A    Corn syrup – 49, 51; associated with blood sugar problems, depression, fatigue, B-vitamin deficiency, hyperactivity, tooth decay, periodontal disease, indigestion.

Note: The codes *, S, C, A are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #50

2007-01-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

C    Copper carbonate - see copper salts.

C    Copper chloride - see copper salts.

* C    Copper gluconate - see copper salts.

C    Copper hydroxide - see copper salts.

C    Copper orthophosphate - see copper salts.

C    Copper oxide - see copper salts.

C    Copper pyrophosphate - see copper salts.

C    Copper salts - see nutrient additives; skin and
mucous membrane irritants; can cause vomiting.

Note: The codes *, C are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #49

2007-01-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

X A    Coal tar dyes - 10; may cause hay fever, skin rashes, nausea, itching, gastrointestinal distress, high blood pressure; see artificial color....

o C A    Cochineal - 38; see carmine.

* C    Cocoa - contains caffeine-like chemical; Dutch process cocoa processed with alkali; see caffeine.

* S    Coconut oil – helps the body metabolize fatty acids; substitute for butter; use for frying and baking; use only non-hydrogenated.

C    Coffee – possible carcinogen.

* C    Confectioner's glaze - 30; no studies evaluating safety in food use.

Note: The codes *, o, S, C, A, X are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...

Excerpts from FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide... #48

2007-01-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

FOOD ADDITIVES Continued...

* C A    Cloves - 9; see cassia oil.

C    Clove bud oil - 27; has caused gastrointestinal irritation in lab animals.

C    Clove leaf oil - 27; see clove bud oil.

C    Clove stem oil - 27; see clove bud oil.

* C    Clover - may cause sensitivity to light.

* C    CMC - see carboxymethylcellulose.

Note: The codes *, C, A, are defined in Excerpt #3

The numbers after the additive name are defined on page 8-11 in FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide...