High Blood Pressure due to HFCS, a Commonly-found Food Additive

A University of Colorado study found that even people who eat a healthy, low-sodium diet may be at risk of high blood pressure due to a commonly-found food additive. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is found in almost all processed, prepared, or packaged foods, was shown to increase blood pressure by up to 32%.

According to the study, HFCS causes inflammation in the bloodstream which causes the blood vessel walls to tighten, resulting in blood pressure increases. Even people who ate a healthy diet with periodic ingestion of HFCS experienced the blood pressure increase.

While HFCS can be listed as corn syrup, fructose, high fructose sweetener, natural sweetener, or other type of sweetener on the label of foods, it is still the same health-damaging sweetener. Even foods that claim to be “natural” can include HFCS. Only fresh whole foods or foods that are labeled “100% organic” are devoid of HFCS.

It can be found in almost any foods but is common in most types of soda, and processed foods labeled “low-fat” or “non-fat”. Most food manufacturers add high-fructose corn syrup to add flavor when they make fat-reduced foods and HFCS happens to be extremely cheap.

Some surprising sources of HFCS include:

- Yogurt

- Baby Food

- Granola and Granola Bars

- Cereal (even so-called healthy cereals or cereals intended for children)

- Salad dressing

- Condiments

- Crackers

There’s another problem with HFCS: most corn and corn-derived foods on the market are made with genetically-modified (GM) corn. While there still isn’t much testing on the effects of consuming GM-foods (and certainly no long-term tests), early tests show many negative health consequences.

While high-fructose corn-syrup contains fructose, there’s no reason to be concerned about eating fructose as it is found in fresh fruits. Research shows that consuming fruit does not negatively impact blood pressure, and may even improve it.

Originally Posted: About Additive

UK Food Safety Authority Called for More Studies on The Safety of Food Additives

Recently, the British Food Safety Authority appealed to the food industry, called for studies on food additives, E. coli O157 and consumer attitudes toward this, and to take relevant measures to arouse people’s concern on the food safety, thus to ensure food safety.

The first study was aimed to promote the public's attitude to food safety and related activities. Through the analysis of existing data to find and make sure the deficiency of the available evidence, to promote understanding and development of food and social awareness.

The second project of the authority is to develop a new method of detecting additives contained in foods, which include saccharin, aspartic acid phenylalanine methyl ester, chloral saccharose and other food additives. The method will be applied with analysis of the general level of food additive using, thus to ensure its safe use.

The last project is commissioned by the Scottish Food Standards Agency, jointly by the FSA and Defra. The aim is to use the existing methods to control the transmission of E. coli O157, which will help to reduce the spread of cattle pathogens to other animals, thereby reducing the risk of people infection.

Originally Posted: About Additive

Drink Beverages Contained Additives often may Induce Asthma in Children

The experts found that the incidence of bronchial asthma in children has increased, in many areas the rate is up to about 5%. According to the research, the increased incidence of asthma was partly caused by environmental pollution of the outside, it is inseparable to excessive consumption of various synthetic drinks and beverages.

At present drinks and beverages sold in the market is various. Generally, all of them are contain a variety of additives made of chemical substances. To prevent deterioration, preservatives were added generally. When children drink too many beverages contained additives, which will make many chemicals stored in the tissues and organs, then become allergens, directly affect the physiological functions and activities of many enzymes in the body, and results in declination of the immune function, thus causing asthma or other allergies disease.

U.S. Professor Fan Geer who has engaged in scientific research for many years confirmed that the synthetic pigments, such as fragrances can cause a variety of allergies, for example asthma, urticaria, skin itching and so on. He had encountered some children with allergic asthma, and tried all ways to treat them but failed, but when they stopped drinking foods and beverages contained additives, the diseased children become recovered soon.

Therefore, young parents, you’d best to lead your children drink few beverages contained a variety of chemical additives, and let them drink more natural fruit juice or eat fresh fruits.

Originally Posted: About Additive

Does Flavoring Agent also Obesity Agent?

According to report by "Science Daily" recently, a research issued by the U.S. North Carolina University - Chapel Hill branch and published on the” Obese” magazine showed that with same physical activity and total calorie intake, people using sodium glutamate (namely MSG) as a flavoring agent added to daily diet were more likely to become overweight or obese than people who do not eat MSG.

The researchers said that in recent years, there are many animal experiments have shown that MSG maybe related to weight gain, and this is the first study show that the human body weight has relations with of MSG.



Originally Posted: About Additive