5 Foods That Have Sneaky Additives
Don’t you hate it when you think you are eating something healthy and then someone tells you it’s not so healthy?
That’s exactly how I felt when I found out about these five foods.
You really have to read labels, ask questions and educate yourself about what is in your food.
This is even more important if your family is having health issues, allergies or reactions to additives.
Here are five foods that would seem healthy, but unfortunately, they can all contain sneaky additives!
1. Prawns
Prawns can contain 223 or sodium metabisulphite. Sue Dengate at her website, Fed Up says ” Prawns always contain sulphites to preserve colour. The maximum permitted level is 30 ppm, but how well is it monitored? One seafood worker explained how they use ‘metta’ (sodium metabisulphite, 223). It is a white powder sprinkled over sackfuls of fresh prawns by people wearing rubber gloves. Some prawns must have higher readings than others.”
What’s better? Buy prawns that are packaged and labelled without the 223 or get to know your fish monger and ask the questions!
2. Grated Cheese
Check on the back of your grated cheese. Quite often it will contain anti-caking agent 460. It is also called ‘cellulose microcrystalline and powdered’ – it’s essentially wood pulp! Although Additive Alert tells us it is ‘generally regarded as safe’ it has been banned in UK baby food. “Cellulose is non soluble, but can be fermented in the large intestine. Large concentrations can cause intestinal problems, such as bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.” mbm.net Not something I really want to eat, thanks all the same!
What’s better? Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Use a food processor and freeze it if you want a quick option.
3. Vegemite
I can already hear you all saying, but it’s a health food! I found this one out many years ago and banished Vegemite from our house. Sue Dengate at Fed Up says that “yeast extracts contain free glutamates that are essentially the same as MSG”. Vegemite also contains natural colour (150d) which contains preservative 220. Remember I have talked about 220 before?
What’s better? You can buy alternative products like Everymite which are allergy friendly and preservative free.
4. Milk
Milk is milk is milk…..right? Not so! Read the label to make sure you are getting 100% milk! Choice Australia says “more than a third of branded “milk” products contain non-dairy additives, such as minerals, vitamins, or vegetable or fish oil. Under the Food Standards Code the manufacturers are not allowed to call these products “milk” on the label, yet they look like milk, are packaged like milk and are kept in the milk fridge in the supermarket.”
What’s better? Read labels, choose small independent milk brands, choose organic or raw milk.
5. Multi-Vitamins
Okay so not really a ‘food’, but still something we give to our kids to ingest.
The very things you buy to improve your health may actually be damaging it. Kid’s vitamins can contain artificial colours, flavours and additives. One brand for example, Flintstones, has a ridiculous amount of artificial additives and sugar in various forms.
What’s better? We love the superfood organic powders for that bit of extra nutrient insurance. Find them here.
Sooooo I don’t want to freak you all out! I just want you to know this information and be aware. It doesn’t mean you have to stop eating them. It means you now have the information to make a choice. You might like to change brands or grate your own cheese for example. Knowledge is power!
What foods have you found that contain sneaky additives?
