In the last 50 years our diet has changed considerably, along with lifestyle changes, both men and women are now working longer hours due to making bigger financial commitments in an attempt to provide the best homes and lifestyles for themselves and their families.
One of the biggest changes comes in society is the rise of the “fast food and convenience foods” market, introducing foods packed with chemicals , fats , sugars and salts, in order to make them more appealing to customers and have a longer shelf life.
As a child I remember having home cooked foods and enjoying a simple diet of protein, vegetables and fruit with a few treats thrown in here and there, generally children were healthier and they enjoyed a more active life style. Treats were brought singularly and not in multi-buy packets like today and treats came infrequently and not part of the everyday diet.
Today, although the country is considered better educated, we are steadily poisoning ourselves and our children with these chemical additives. Our livestock are fed with hormones to fatten them up, so they gain a better price and animal feed that is unnatural for them, no wonder we have a fatter society, we eat the livestock!
The specialized organic foods of today were the only available foods of yesterday. We survived healthily then, why genetically alter our food now? Nobody wants it, but the manufacturers insist on it? Why?
When my family travelled from UK to Thailand on a holiday, [where they still enjoy natural organic foods] all the females of the group noticed a change in their bodies on the third day, we experienced a hormone drop which effected our menstrual cycle.
This shocked me to think what effect the constant digesting of hormones must have on our men, and the inevitable sterility that will be encountered in generations to come. It doesn’t take a genius to know chemicals are potentially poisons that cause side effects, our medical doctors see the side effects all the time.
The E Numbers!
E102 Tartrazine [colouring]
E123Amaranth [colouring]
E128 Red 2G [colouring]
E155 Brown HT [colouring]
Found in children’s sweets, jams, soft drinks and icing decorations, canned peas, canned fruit, canned fish, crisps and other products.
Linked to; Asthma, Skin rashes, rhinitis, blurred vision, and purple patches on the skin. Behavioural problems and hyperactivity in young children. Thought to be carcinogenic by some experts.
E102, E123, E128 linked to chromosomal damage. All banned in many countries.
E173 Aluminium [colouring]
Found in; cake decorations Constituent of some cooking utensils
Linked to; Aluminium is absorbed by the digestive system and should be eliminated from the body via kidneys. People with damaged kidneys may find it more difficult to eliminate and should avoid it. Banned in some countries. Aluminium is also linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
E200 Sorbic acid [preservative]
Found in; Huge range of foods containing flour. Also cheese, dried fruit, fruit juices, pickles, wine.
Linked to; Skin irritations and numb mouth. May cause asthma and hyperactivity.
E210 Benzoic Acid [preservative]
E212 Potassium Benzoate [preservative]
E213 Calcium Benzoate [preservative]
E214 Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate [preservative]
E215 Sodium ethyl p- hydroxybenzoate [preservative]
Found in; soft drinks, condiments, baked goods, cheese, ice creams, alcoholic drinks, relishes, margarine, salad dressings, medicine and other products.
Linked to; Asthma and Urticaria[hives]
E216 Propyl p-hydrobenzoate [preservative]
E217 Sodium propyl p-hydroxybenzoate [preservative]
E218 Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate [preservative]
E219 Sodium methyl p-hydroxybenzoate [preservative]
Found in; soft drinks, condiments, baked goods, cheese, ice creams, alcoholic drinks, relishes, margarine, salad dressings, medicine and other products.
Linked to skin irritations and a numb mouth.
E220 –E228 Sulphites; e.g. sodium sulphite, sodium hydrogemn sulphite, calcium sulphite, potassium sulphite. [preservatives]
Found in; smoked or processed meat, dried fruit, salad. Used on many products to prevent discolouration and to preserve cold drinks and fruit concentrates.
Linked to ; can trigger breathing problems in people with asthma by causing the airways to become constricted; can irritate the stomach lining because they release sulphurous acid; can destroy vitamin B1, needed for energy production and heart and nerve health.
E52 Potassium nitrate –saltpetre [preservative]
Found in preserved meats
Linked to; stomach pains and vomiting. Potential carcinogen, [restricted use in many countries]
E310 Propyl gallate [preservative]
Used to prevent rancidity in products such as oils, margarine, lard and salad dressings, sometimes used in packaging.
Linked to; may cause gastric or skin irritation. Not permitted in foods for infants because of known tendency to cause the blood disorder methaemoglobinemia.
E320 Butylated hydroxyl-anisole [BHA] [preservative]
E321 Butylated hydroxyl- toluene [BHT] [preservative]
Found in; edible oils, chewing gum, fats, margarine, nuts, baked goods, meats, cereals, snack foods, instant potato products, polyethylene wrap foods.
It is a petroleum derivative. It can provoke allergic reactions such as skin rashes in some people; may trigger hyperactivity and other intolerances; serious concerns over cancer- in large doses causes tumours in lab animals.
E412 Guar gum [thickener and stabilizer]
Found in; Mayonnaise, soups, sauces, yoghurts, condiments, sweets.
Linked with; Nausea, flatulence and cramps, but may reduce cholesterol levels.
E420 Sorbitol [sweetener]
Found in; “diet “ and “low sugar” products.
Flatuence, diarrhoea and bloating may be caused by digesting large quantities.
E421 Mannitol [sweetener]
Found in; “diet” and “low sugar” products.
Linked to Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
E422 Glycerol [sweetener]
Found in; sausages, cheese, dried fruit, liqueurs, diet products.
Linked to; large quantities can cause headaches, thirst, nausea and high blood sugar levels. But has been shown to protect against cancer.
E 635 Disodium 5’-ribonuceotides [flavour enhancer]
Found in; crisps, noodles and pies.
Linked to skin rashes of varying severity.
2006-01-07