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All substances found in foodstuffs must be permitted for such use. The problem, however, is that most people have an acceptable daily intake, but how many people control how much of a given substance? Therefore, you should read product labels and try to choose those with as few additives as possible and the composition is as simple as possible. Importantly, read the etiquette every time, even if you are familiar with the article. The composition may be variable. Let’s take a look at a few products.
The salt of the salt is unequal
Unfortunately, salt, i.e. sodium chloride, is widely used in our country, which translates into numerous cases of hypertension. Do you wonder which salt to choose? Do you know what the difference is between the available products? First of all there is the share of minerals. The less ground and purified salt, the higher the mineral content it has. That is why it is better to choose e.g. rock, sea or Himalayan salt. Another important thing is the addition of an anti-caking agent, which is to prevent salt grains from sticking together into one lump. Potassium ferrocyanide, because this is the name of the substance under the symbol E536, is in the form of a yellow powder (hence the name yellow salt). It is by no means indifferent to our body. In large amounts, it can irritate the mucosa of the digestive system, but also cause flatulence and even affect the amount of oxygen carried by the blood. So it is better to choose salt without this additive and put its lump in the grinder than to load the system with gmeline. Also remember that according to the dietary recommendations the supply of salt should be limited to a teaspoon per day, due to the high sodium content in it. You can try diet salt, which, in addition to sodium chloride, also contains potassium chloride, which reduces the proportion of sodium in it.
Spices are not always good for your health
Therefore, if I am to reduce salt intake, it is worth reaching for spices. Yes, but also here you should carefully watch what ends up in the basket. In the case of spice blends, salt or monosodium glutamate can often be found in them. So you can fall from the rain under the gutter. All products such as ‘vegetables’, ‘maggi’, ‘stock cubes’, meat seasoning, fish, fixes and the like usually have both of these additives. So what if you limit the salt in the salt shaker, but still add it with another article? Remember that the presence of monosodium glutamate (E621) is another threat to the body. Hypersensitivity to it may cause migraine headaches, nausea or weakness. In addition, it is a significant source of sodium, the excess of which in the diet affects the increase in blood pressure or the appearance of edema. An anti-caking agent can also be found in spice blends. They often contain sodium ferrocyanide (E535), which is considered a safe substance and is added in very small amounts due to its intense yellow color. Always read the labels and it’s best to prepare the spice mixes yourself. Also use fresh herbs. They are more aromatic and have more biologically active substances.
Cheese with additives
Yellow cheese should consist of milk, lactic acid bacteria, rennet and salt. Nothing else is needed in it to make a delicious yellow treat. Often, however, for
improving the composition, color or preservation of the cheese, adding substances that do not have to be there. You should list those that are safe for us, such as:
- carotenes (E160a), which are supposed to give color,
- calcium chloride (E509), which improves the consistency of the cheese and enriches it with calcium,
- lysozyme (E1105), which is a preservative, which, however, may cause allergic reactions in sensitive people,
- polyphosphates (E452), which are a binding and stabilizing substance, but their excess hinders the absorption of calcium, magnesium and iron,
and those that are better not to enter your body:
- annato (E160b), a yellow pigment that may cause allergies and can cause headaches in children
- sodium nitrate (E251), a preservative that, in high doses, may cause nausea, but also hinder the transport of oxygen through the blood,
- potassium nitrate (E252), which is harmful to the thyroid gland,
- sodium phosphates (E339) which promote the loss of calcium from bones.
Still not sure which cheese to choose? Check out our article ‘Yellow cheese ranking’.
Flavored water with chemicals
You hear encouragement from everywhere to drink water. So what did the producers come up with, following the consumers’ needs? Flavored water, because it is difficult to swallow the ordinary one, and you have to drink it. However, the composition of such water is more like an artificial drink, but without dyes. You can find in it sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, citric acid (E330), sodium benzoate (E211), artificial flavors or a minimal amount of concentrated juices. The lower calorie versions contain sweeteners such as saccharin (E954), cyclamates (E952), aspartame (E951), acesulfame K (E950), and steviol glycosides in a slightly healthier version. However, these are still unnecessary additives that water does not have to and should not have. Especially such products should not be given to children. If you do not like the taste of mineral water (it’s best to choose spring and medium mineralized water), you can add lemon, lime or cucumber slices or herbal leaves such as mint, sage, basil, lemon balm. You can also simply drink tea in its place, whether it is regular, fruit or herbal tea.
Thickened cream
Of course, while losing weight, cream is rather ruled out. However, if you are already buying it, it is worth to make it really a product that you want to add to your soup or salad. Of course, it’s supposed to be thick, so you choose the one with the description ‘super thick’, but do you realize that many of them, unfortunately, owe their consistency to additives? In creams we can find modified corn starch (E1422), gelatin, guar gum (E412), pectin (E440), locust bean gum (E410) or citric acid (E330). All these extras are really redundant. A good thick and sour cream can be obtained thanks to the action of lactic acid bacteria. Therefore, it is best if its composition is milk and bacteria.