Do you know what you ate for dinner last night? The detailed answer may surprise you. Many of the foods we eat are filled with additives—substances added to improve their appearance, enhance taste, or preserve quality. And while many additives serve a good purpose, some could be harmful to your health.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are more than 3,000 additives in our food supply. And Americans eat about 12 to 60 different types at any one meal, mostly through processed foods.

The use of additives is strictly regulated by the FDA. Only those tested as generally safe are allowed in foods. But many studies suggest that these additives aren’t tolerated well by everyone. Those of greatest concern include the following:

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG): MSG, often used in Chinese cuisine, enhances flavor in many restaurant dishes and processed foods. But it also can cause reactions such as headache, nausea, and allergy-like symptoms in some people. Some research also suggests MSG can lead to flare-ups in people prone to hives.
• Sulfites: These substances are often used to preserve color and crispness in processed fruits and vegetables, such as raisins, sundried tomatoes, and instant potatoes. Most people tolerate sulfites. However, they can trigger attacks in some asthma sufferers.
• Tartrazine (Yellow No. 5): This additive is used to enhance the color of many foods. It may lead to hives in some people, though. And one study showed that as little as 50 milligrams—the amount contained in a few soft drinks—can trigger weakness, blurred vision, itchiness, and other reactions in allergy sufferers.
• Benzoates: These preservatives are found in fruit-based fillings, soft drinks, jam, and other foods. A recent study suggests that some people believed to have hay fever may really be intolerant to benzoates. When this additive was eliminated from participants’ diets, their symptoms disappeared.

If you suspect that additives might be causing you problems, be sure to talk to your doctor.

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Holiday Health Extravaganza
Learn how to make healthy food choices for your family by visiting the Food and Nutrition booth at Western Baptist Hospital’s annual Holiday Health Extravaganza. The event takes place Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the Atrium of Western Baptist Hospital’s Doctors Office Building 2.