SILENT food KILLERS

You may not be aware that there are some devastating and silent killers that are lurking in your kitchen proven to be more detrimental to your health than alcohol, nicotine and many potent drugs.

Monosodium Glutamate(MSG):

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids, is a flavor enhancer or food additive commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats to balance, blend and round the total perception of other tastes. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is generally recognized as safe, the use of MSG remains controversial.

 

The chemical breakdown of MSG is approximately 78% free glutamic acid, 21% sodium and up to 1% contaminants. Umami is the taste of glutamate, which is a savory flavor found in many Japanese foods, bacon and MSG as well. It aids foods with MSG to taste heartier, more robust and generally better than without.

Monosodium glutamate was invented by a Japanese, Kikunae Ikeda in 1908, who identified the natural flavor enhancing substance of seaweed. Subsequently, together with a partner he went on to develop Ajinomoto, which is now the world’s largest producer of MSG.

Currently, most of the world production of MSG is by bacterial fermentation in a process similar to wine, vinegar, yogurt and chocolate. Sodium is first added for neutralization purpose. Then fermentation follows with selected bacteria cultured with ammonia and carbohydrates from sugar beets, sugar cane, tapioca or molasses, to enable excretion of amino acids into the culture broth from where L-glutamate is isolated.

A condition known as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” entered the medical literature, describing the numerous adverse reactions to foods containing MSG such as:

• Flushing
• Headache
• Sweating
• Facial pressure or tightness
• Numbness, burning sensation
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)
• Obesity
• Eye damage
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Fatigue and disorientation
• Depression

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills.” In it he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees — and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and more. This is partially explained by that free glutamic acid is the same neurotransmitter that your brain, nervous system, eyes, pancreas and other organs use to initiate certain processes in your body.

The next time you visit a restaurant, ask your server which menu items are MSG-free and request that no MSG be added to your meal.

Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:

Autolyzed Yeast	Calcium Caseinate	Gelatin
Free Glutamate	Glutamic Acid	Hydrolyzed Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate	Monosodium Glutamate	Sodium Caseinate
Textured Protein	Yeast Extract	Yeast Food
Yeast Nutrient	Hydrolyzed corn	Maltodextrin

Just because a product says “No MSG” does not mean it is not in there!

Sodium Nitrates (nitrosamines):

Sodium nitrate is a white solid compound which is very soluble in water. It may be used as a constituent of fertilizers, explosives, solvent in the dry cleaning industry and as a food preservative.

Nitrates are used in curing, which is a broad category of techniques for preserving foods, mainly processed meat and fish, like hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts and bacon for added shelf-life, color and flavor. Similar to the use of salt, sugar or some form of dehydration, the purpose is to make the food unattractive to the bacteria that cause food spoilage. This works because bacteria are tiny organisms that require moisture, oxygen and food to survive.

This ingredient, sodium nitrate is bad for the heart because it keeps hemoglobin molecules in your blood from carrying oxygen to your body tissue and makes your arteries more likely to harden and narrow. Not forgetting that the salt and saturated fat in these meats are unhealthy.

A small amount of the nitrate added to meat as a preservative breaks down into nitrite, on top of any nitrite that may also be added. The nitrite then reacts with protein-rich foods (such as meat) to produce NOCs – formed either when meat is cured or in the body as meat is digested. Problems may compound when microwaved.

Though sodium nitrate is used in foods sparingly, the accumulative effect can be carcinogenic destroying DNA and increasing cellular degeneration. This can lead to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s, and cancer such as gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer and colorectal cancer.

Margarine:

 

Not all margarines are created equal — and some are worse than butter. In recent times, some brands of margarine are found to contain hydrogenated oils or trans-fats.  Basically, the more solid a margarine is at room temperature, the more trans fat it contains, as much as 3 grams per tablespoon.

When selecting a spread, be sure to check and pay particular attention to the grams of saturated fat and trans-fat. Look for products that have the lowest combined amount and a low percent Daily Value for cholesterol.

 

Trans fat is formed when vegetable oils undergo hydrogenation, which is a commercial process to harden oil for production of fats like shortening and hard margarine. Trans fat raises LDL-cholesterol (‘bad’ cholesterol) and lowers HDL-cholesterol (‘good’ cholesterol) in the body. As a result, trans fat increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Though some margarine manufacturers claimed that their new margarines contain plant sterols and removed trans-fats from their spreads or lowered the concentration considerably, it is still far from safe. When reading the Nutrition Facts panel, check if there is any mention of partially hydrogenated oils or fractionated oils. Even a margarine lists zero grams of trans-fat can still have small amounts of these unhealthy fats.

Excess trans-fatty acids are harmful to our cell membranes and can cause deformed cellular structures, resulting in accelerate aging and degenerative changes in tissues. Hence, most heart doctors recommend butter over normal margarine but recommend trans fat free margarines over butter.

Artificial Sweeteners:

Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Sucralose, Sorbitol, Truvia and Saccharin are chemical sweeteners produced as sugar substitute. Aspartame is well-known as it is commonly found in all diet soft drinks such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi and artificial sweeteners such as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful.

Found in thousands of foods and beverages including chewing gum, candies, diet soft drinks, desserts, yogurt, and condiments.

Aspartame is the excrement of genetically modified E. coli bacteria. It comprises 40% aspartic acid, 50% phenylalanine and 10% methanol.

- Aspartic acid acts as a neurotransmitter, and when presents in excess amount actually over-excites the brain cells (known as an “excitotoxin”), thus stimulating them to death. This risk is enhanced for mental sufferers, infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems.
- While phenylalanine is an amino acid already exists in the brain, excess levels due to ingesting aspartame with carbohydrates can cause serotonin to decrease over time, which can lead to chemical imbalances that can cause depression, seizure and emotional disorders. Some findings reported high blood phenylalanine concentration in brain parts is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses.
- Methanol is an industrial solvent, used as fuel and antifreeze, and in many paints and varnish removers. This ingredient also known as wood alcohol is a deadly poison. When hit up to a temperature exceeding 86 deg F, it is converted to Formaldehyde, and then to formic acid. Formaldehyde belongs to the same class of potent poisons as Cyanide and Arsenic.
The only difference is – Formaldehyde kills gradually and quietly, causing neurological damage (eg. lupus, multiple sclerosis) and retinal damage leading to blurred or dimmed vision and even blindness. Accompanying symptoms include headaches, fatigue, chest tightness, nausea, lack of concentration, seizures and behavioral impairment. Over a prolonged period, it can even lead to coma and death. Being carcinogenic, it can interfere with DNA replication and cause birth defects.

Aspartame accounts for over 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA with serious cases of seizures and death. List of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.

Caution: These faked sugars trick the body into ingesting them and holding on to them for extended periods of time, turning rancid in the body fat resulting in cell-choking and mutating. Check on labels on any foods purchased, including vitamins and pharmaceuticals for trace of such “sugar-free” content.

Artificial colorings:

Color additive, is any dye, pigment or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink. They come in many forms consisting of liquids, powders, gels and pastes. Such applications are common in both commercial food production and domestic cooking. Also extension to non-food applications like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, home craft projects and medical devices.

Unknowingly, those bright and friendly colors that bring joy to a child slurping down a yogurt drink can turn out to be a dangerous poison. They have the potential to unleash various forms of damage in the body, starting from neurological issues to cancer formation.

Until the 20th century, food coloring was obtained from natural sources. Ancient Romans used saffron and other spices to put a rich yellow color into various foods. Other frequently used natural colors included paprika, turmeric, beet extract and flower petals. Subsequently, the addition of some natural colors were unappetizing and toxic. For instance, chalk was added to whiten bread and candy with vermilion (contains mercury). Apart from synthetic petrochemicals made from petroleum, antifreeze and ammonia, other substances such as lead, copper and arsenic are also utilised.

Manufacturers like to substitute color additives for real food ingredients to lower their costs and make their products more appealing. By so doing, profit can be maximised but at the expense of consumers’ health.

According to the FDA report, the three most-widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, are tainted with low levels of cancer-causing compounds that can cause cell mutations. They are known to cause allergic reactions in some people and hyperactivity in kids.
 

Some findings conducted mainly on animals are as follows:

Blue #1 causes kidney tumors in mice.

Red #2 and Blue #2 cause brain and bladder tumors in rats.
Red #3 causes thyroid cancer in animals, and is banned in cosmetics, but still allowed in food.

Red #40 debilitates the immune-system.

Green #3 causes bladder and testes tumors.

Yellow #5 and #6 cause adrenal tumors in animals.

Do yourself a favor by scanning the ingredient lists of cereals, yogurts, cakes, snacks, soups, meats and virtually any processed product for the colorings before putting in the shopping cart. Look out especially those too tempting if it is not a fresh fruit or veggie.
 

Anti-foaming agents:

An additive is used to prevent formation of foam or is added to break a foam already formed by reducing the surface tension of an industrial solution or emulsion. The first defoamers were aimed at breaking down visible foam at the surface. Kerosene, fuel oil and other light oil products were used to break down foam. Other vegetable oils also found some use. They are used in many industrial processes and products: wood pulp, paper, paint, industrial wastewater treatment, food processing, oil drilling, machine tool industry, oils cutting tools, hydraulics, etc.

 

In recent times, commonly used agents are insoluble oils, dimethyl polysiloxanes and other silicones, certain alcohols, stearates and glycols.

- Dimethylpolysiloxane is an industrial chemical used in caulks and sealants, and as a filler for breast implants. It is also applied in chicken nuggets and eggs.
- Silicone oil is added to cooking oil to prevent foaming in deep-frying.
- TBHQ, a petroleum derivative, used as a stabilizer in perfumes, resins, varnishes and oil field chemicals, is known to link to stomach tumors and DNA damage.
- Antifoaming agents are sold commercially to relieve bloating. A familiar example is the drug Simethicone, which is the active ingredient in drugs such as Maalox, Mylanta, and Gas-X.

For info: According to the McDonald’s Corporation, its famous Chicken McNuggets are made with ingredients including autolyzed yeast extract (which contain free glutamate), sodium phosphates and sodium aluminum phosphate. Also added are “hydrogenated (usually contains trans fat) soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness” and “Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.”
 

Other comments

According to Dr. Blaylock, taking in excess of the above components can cause numerous glutamate receptors to be found both within your heart’s electrical conduction system and the heart muscle itself. This can be damaging to your heart, and may even explain the sudden deaths occurrring among young athletes.
He says:

“When an excess of food-borne excitotoxins, such as MSG, hydrolyzed protein soy protein isolate and concentrate, natural flavoring, sodium caseinate and aspartate from aspartame, are consumed, these glutamate receptors are over-stimulated, producing cardiac arrhythmias.
When magnesium stores are low, as we see in athletes, the glutamate receptors are so sensitive that even low levels of these excitotoxins can result in cardiac arrhythmias and death.”

In general, if a food is processed you can assume it contains at least one of the above components. Be prudent by selecting only whole fresh foods in your own kitchen to avoid those toxins and ensure a healthy body. If you cannot avoid such foods, remember to detox as much as possible.