Many of us strive to live a healthy lifestyle, exercising often and eating well. But some of these ‘health conscious’ choices could actually be more harmful than we think.
Additives have been used to enhance food for centuries, they can improve flavor and make them stay fresh for longer. However, some additives could actually be bad for you, and can be found in some unlikely places.
A diet which is high in sugar can lead to obesity and other health problems, therefore cutting out sugar is a popular choice for health conscious dieters. Drinks branded as ‘sugar free’ like Diet Coke, Coke Zero and 7up free are all sugar free, but the additive used to replace the sugar could be altogether more harmful.
Aspartame is an intense artificial sweetener, approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar, and has been used in low calorie/sugar free food and drink for more than 25 years.
A study published in July 2005 claimed to have shown that rats given dosages of Aspartame equivalent to the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) may develop tumours. Aspartame has also been linked to lymphoma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraines and seizures.
However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have approved the additive and given it it’s ‘E number’ equivalent: E951 (which means it has been tested and is safe for consumption) But with all of this contrasting information, it’s hard to know what to believe.
Regular exercise and an “everything in moderation” attitude to eating is the best way to live, and an awareness of what goes into our food can also help us to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
