New study showing that emulsifiers promote colitis, obesity

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medicalxpress said...

Emulsifiers, which are added to most processed foods to aid texture and extend shelf life, can alter the gut microbiota composition and localization to induce intestinal inflammation that promotes the development of inflammatory bowel disease

medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-widely-food-additive-colitis-obesity.html

Following emulsifiers are generally used in the food processing industry:
E number Short name Long name

E 322 Lecithins Lecithins
E 432 – 436 Polysorbates Polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters
E 471 MDG / Monoglycerides Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
E 472 a ACETEM Acetic acid esters of MDG
E 472 b LACTEM Lactic acid esters of MDG
E 472 c CITREM Citric acid esters of MDG
E 472 e DATEM Mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of MDG
E 473 Sucrose esters Sucrose esters of fatty acids
E 475 Polyglycerol esters Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids
E 476 PGPR Polyglycerol polyricinoleate
E 477 Propylene glycol esters Propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids
E 481 SSL Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate
E 482 CSL Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate
E 491 – 495 Sorbitan fatty acid esters

Heard something a long time ago about polysorbate shrinking testicles in mice studies. Not sure if it is in my best interest to eat it.

lol good one.

Reminds me of that funny dinner table scene in American Beauty where Kevin Spacey says his wife treats him like a prisoner and keeps his "junk" in a mason jar under the sink.

Art imitating life for sure.

about food preservatives and emulsifiers, many people already knew that they are hazardous to your health. But, the food industry(McDon, Kentucky,Burger etc. ) are too powerful and rich and could successfully fool and confuse people about this issue. Don't forget, Cigarette companies were able to fool people for decades even after knowing that cigarettes cause emphysema, bronchitis and lung cancer.
Natural, healthy, plant based diet is the best but companies can not make billions of dollars promoting them.
Farmers do not have the economic clout to promote them.

I have noticed that emulsifiers are common in two kinds of food:

1. Gluten-free breads.
2. Dairy-free products (e.g, non-dairy creamers, ice cream, milk substitutes).

I assume that the emulsifiers are used to get the right consistency, "mouth-feel" to products that don't quite taste right when the original ingredients (wheat, milk) are eliminated.

So IBD patients like me may be avoiding perceived "problem foods" and consuming instead something that promotes the problem we are trying to solve.

These are also common in fat-free or reduced fat processed foods, but I don't eat those.

So now I am checking ingredients on all the gluten-free products I buy, but eliminating emulsifiers will definitely cut down on the available gluten-free breads, cookies, crackers, et cetera. Interested if others find gluten-free AND emulsifier free products that taste good.

Udi's White Sandwich Bread contains xanthum gum, sodium alginate, guar gum. The last two are emulsifiers and the first stabilizes emulsion. No idea if these have similar effects to the emulsifiers studied (CMC and polysorbate 80), but it makes me concerned.

Similar story with Udi's cookies (which are really good). I wish I had data that xanthum gum does not have similar effects to the two emulsifiers studied.

"Against the Grain" gluten-free breads seem to avoid all the emulsifiers. I eat their plain baguettes. No, they are not like real baguettes, but they taste good in their own way. Not dairy free, though.