Reactions to Food Additives
Food additives are chemicals that are added to food to help preserve it or enhance colour, appearance, texture or taste. Though they can be found naturally, chemical additives are mostly synthetic and can be copies of natural chemicals.
Types of food additives
Food additives come in many forms, but the five most common are:
- Artificial flavours – commonly added to processed foods when the processing destroys the natural flavour
- Artificial sweeteners – added as sugar substitutes to sweeten food and beverages
- Preservatives – added to food to extend its shelf life
- Artificial colours – added to food or drink to change the colour, mask variations in colour (e.g. salmon) or enhance appearance
- Flavour enhancers – added to improve the existing flavour and make foods taste more ‘savoury’
Reactions to food additives
Food chemicals can cause or exacerbate many health conditions including behavioural issues in children, migraines, insomnia, allergies and intolerances.
Watch out for the following symptoms:
Skin
- Eczema, hives, psoriasis or rashes
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Itching
- Acne
Digestive
- Bloating, gas, reflux or nausea
- Loose stools or constipation
- Digestive conditions such as IBS, Leaky Gut, Chrones disease, Ulcerative colitis or colic
- Arthritis
- Mouth ulcers
Nervous system
- Depression or irritability
- Headaches or migraines
- Ringing in the ears
- Fatigue
- ADHD
- Autism
- Dizziness
- Restlessness
Respiratory system
- Runny nose or postnasal drip
- Mucus congestion
- Asthma
- Itchy eyes
- Wheezing
How to spot food additives
In Australia and New Zealand, the food additives found in most packaged food must be listed on the label as numbers or names.
Click here for a full list of food additives.
If you’re buying European produce, you’ll see an E in front of the same numbering system unless the chemical hasn’t been formally approved by the by the European Commission.
Generally speaking, the more numbers listed on the label, the more processed the food or beverage is.
Food additives and hyperactivity in children
Most of us know that certain sweets or cordials are associated with hyperactivity in children. Aside from the fact that they’re jam-packed with sugar, this is because they may also contain preservatives and artificial colours that are said to adversely influence the behaviour of children.
Cancer Controversy
The most controversial additive would have to be aspartame, a low-calorie artificial sweetener that is said to be a whopping 200 times sweeter than sugar!
Since it’s approval in Australia, there has been ongoing controversy surrounding its safety. Many consumer groups claim that it sparks a number of health problems from headaches and memory loss, to Alzheimer’s and MS.
One study has even linked it to cancer!
Managing Reactions to Food Additives
At Health & Wellness Australia & Auckland (HWA), our Naturopaths use a form of muscle testing (kinesiology) to help pinpoint the substances triggering your allergy symptoms. Following this, we perform a natural allergy treatment called Positive Association Technique (PAT), which aims to reduce your reactions and symptoms to food additives and other food and environmental substances.
PAT is a non-invasive holistic therapy, which:
- draws on acupressure and kinesiology techniques
- aims to re-train your body
- may reduce your reactions to food and environmental substances that may be causing or exacerbating your symptoms.
Some cases can be complex, so our Naturopaths may also recommend supplements and herbs, and provide lifestyle advice to help you achieve the best long-term results.
Get in touch
- Call us on 1300 853 023 / 09 479 5997 (NZ) to chat to our friendly staff
- Send our PAT Naturopaths a question HERE
- Request a Free PAT Information E-PACK HERE
Please note that this blog contains general information only. Always consult your health care professional before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
