5 ADDITIVES THAT SILENTLY INFLAME AND SICK OUR ORGANISM

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Without us noticing, some additives used by the food industry have the potential to inflame our bodies and, therefore, trigger a series of diseases. Monosodium glutamate is one of them a common flavor enhancer in ready-made seasonings.
Another threat to our health is BPA, a plastic petroleum derivative that we end up consuming per table when we put food and beverages still hot inside plastic containers.

Monosodium glutamate: originating from glutamic acid, it enhances the flavor of food and, therefore, is a darling of the food industry. Glutamate has umami flavor ranked fifth flavor, it is neither sweet nor salty. In other words, it is a subjective, curious and excitatory taste, as it causes a discharge of the neurotransmitter dopamine and, therefore, makes us want to eat more of that food. Eating the whole bag of chips (and lots of extra calories) isn’t the only harm. In clinical practice, when the patient has chronic symptoms, such as a headache, we carry out a detailed food history and often detect the presence of glutamate in the food.

Irritability, facial redness and muscle stiffness are other symptoms triggered by glutamate that when grouped together. Studies show that 10 to 15% of this syndrome can be motivated by monosodium glutamate. The syndrome can also be associated with a diet rich in industrialized products.

Many people find that glutamate helps reduce the need for salt in food and, consequently, for sodium. But add herbs and spices to the preparations. Gradually, the palate adapts to the real taste of the food and not to the illusory taste of glutamate. Products that usually have glutamate: ready-made seasonings, soy sauce, prepared broths and biscuits.

Trans fat: Most brands have reduced or already excluded this fat from their products, but there are still some items on supermarket shelves that have not yet reached this point.

Therefore, the doctor suggests attention when reading the label: it appears as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable fat. It is a fat that chronically inflames the body and increases LDL (bad cholesterol), in addition to lowering HDL (good cholesterol) – that is, it causes damage in the medium term. Products that usually have trans fat: stuffed cookies, ice cream and chocolates.

Bisphenol A (BPA): Derived from petroleum plastic, this substance is not found in the composition of food, but it can be in our kitchen, in that small plastic container that you use to heat or store food in the refrigerator for days. Subjecting the plastic to heat causes the BPA to break loose and pass into the food. It is a type of xenoestrogen that, in our body, is deposited in adipose tissue (fat) and is associated with certain types of cancer. This doesn’t happen overnight, but over time. The same goes for tea and coffee (refuse plastic cups).

Glyphosate: the most sold pesticide in the world, glyphosate has a cumulative effect on our body, causing inflammatory processes, which, further ahead, can favor the appearance of cancer. One way out is to prioritize organics whenever possible or buy seasonal foods, generally grown with less chemical pesticides. But the consumption of fruits and vegetables is always better than any industrialized.

Benzopyrene: you know that toasted bread and butter on the grill?

It may have benzopyrene. But the risk of this toxic substance being present is greater in meat, fish, chicken (or other source of animal protein) prepared on the grill, next to charcoal. The heat causes the fat to melt and the chemical reaction responsible for the formation of benzopyrene occurs. Therefore, the more toasted the meat, the greater the presence of this harmful substance. The same is true for smoked products. Instead of the grill, the doctor advises you to roast the food in a clean oven, without the remains of other food, to avoid the burning process and the formation of benzopyrene.

AND THE USE OF MICROWAVES?

The studies are not conclusive, but there is a theory that microwave cooking causes the breakdown of food molecules, increasing the presence of free radicals – oxidative substances capable of accelerating the aging of our cells.

However, for this damage to occur, it is necessary to cook a lot in this appliance, according to Mariela. Just heat up food or cook it in the microwave with some moderation, there is no risk.

SOUPS AND DETOX JUICES

Many other substances around us, present in food, water, air, are harmful to health and, as far as possible, should be eliminated from our body. A good strategy for this is to consume, on a daily basis, foods and preparations with a detoxifying effect.