Researchers find link between processed food and autoimmune disease

http://globalnews.ca/news/2431980/researchers-find-link-between-processed-food-and-autoimmune-disease/


Processed food is increasingly abundant and available. A research team examined the impact processed food can have on the intestines, and how that can potentially lead to an autoimmune disease – conditions in which the body attacks and damages its own tissues, including type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroiditis and Crohn’s disease.

I think it's likely along the lines of being a contributor (trigger) and remember everyone's triggers can vary...genetics still also play a role with IBD and other autoimmune diseases.

This is in line with the study from last year that showed that emulsifiers are associated with IBD (in people) and intestinal inflammation (in mouse models)

Carrageenan makes sense, it has been shown to be associated with ulcerative colitis. What percentage of processed food contain GMO ingredients?


Corn is the No. 1 crop grown in the U.S. and nearly all of it -- 88 percent -- is genetically modified. In addition to being added to innumerable processed foods, genetically modified corn is a staple of animal feed. And 93 percent of soy is genetically modified. Soy is a staple of processed foods under various names including hydrogenated oils, lecithin, emulsifiers, tocopherol (a vitamin E supplement) and proteins.


GMO's themselves may or may not be a danger but they have been continuously sprayed with Roundup to kill weeds. That is why those crops are genetically modified, so they can be immune to the herbicide. However the active ingredient in Roundup is glyphosate which was originally patented as an antibiotic. Studies have shown that glyphosate preferentially destroys beneficial bacteria in the gut such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Enterococcus faecalis, while leaving the bad gut bacteria intact.


Maybe that is why processed food seems to encourage autoimmune disease, and maybe why some people like Elpis have trouble with corn even though corn doesn't have any gluten. You can try eating organic corn which wasn't grown with glyphosate but my guess is that she will have problems with any/all corn.

Canada Mark said...
I've been stumped trying to find an organic salad dressing that does not have carrageenan in it. Its driving me nutz. Eeeeeeeevery thing seems to have it added.

Try non-organic?

There's loads of commercial dressings which don't have carageenan in them, at least in the UK. Though tbh home-made ones really are much better. And piss-easy to make, except if you're as lazy and reluctant to make even the simplest of dishes as I am.

Canada Mark said...
I remember Marauder saying once that it used to be used to induce colitis in mice.

That's mice, not humans.

Also, I'd want to know how much carageenan was used. All you need to do is feed the luckless rodents their bodyweight in x or y substance, and you're bound to get negative results. Bit like those fructose studies where they fed the rats 75% of their bodyweight in fructose, or whatever, and then extrapolated from that that fructose syrup is mad bad for humans.

As far as salad dressing goes, what is wrong with organic olive oil and vinegar? And olive oil helps with colitis.

BTW Scientists have induced ulcerative colitis by feeding lab rats carrageenan but they have also induced UC in other animals including primates.

Nobody has said how much carageenan was used in these various studies. To me, it's pointless doing studies where an abnormally high amount of x substance is used, if the only purpose is to see what effect x substance has on humans. Because the results are almost bound to be skewed; negatively, of course.

For example, I suspect - nay, know - that carageenan does not induce GI bleeds at the amounts that are put into our food. Everyone would be getting GI bleeds if it did.

Fact is, millions of substances are harmless at lower doses and lethal at higher ones. That carageenan induces colitis and GI bleeding at some unspecified dose in a different species of animal says nothing very significant at all. Researchers need to come up with some better tests for a much more selective population (those with IBD), instead of doing all these pointless tests which don't really tell us anything.

@Mark - A garlic press makes short work of a garlic clove. (Or else simply putting it under a piece of clingfilm and bashing it with a meat tenderiser thingy. It's strangely satisfying :p) I don't usually bother with spices in a salad dressing. Oil, vinegar, lemon, garlic, honey, mustard, salt and pepper covers all the simpler dressings.

NCOT said...
I suspect - nay, know - that carageenan does not induce GI bleeds at the amounts that are put into our food. Everyone would be getting GI bleeds if it did.

From the Cornucopia Institute:
Carrageenan is a common food additive extracted from red seaweed. For the past four decades, scientists have warned that the use of carrageenan in food is not safe. Animal studies have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors.
Despite the evidence showing the risks in eating carrageenan, it’s still approved for use in organic food where it’s most often used as a stabilizer. It’s an ingredient in many dairy products including ice cream, cheese, yogurt , sour cream, whipping cream and chocolate milk. You’ll also find it in nondairy milks including soy, almond, coconut and rice milk. Processed lunchmeats like chicken and turkey can contain carrageenan, and it’s often also found in canned soups, frozen dinners and frozen pizzas.

Huh - I didn't know Brags made that as well. From time to time I do olive oil and brags cider. Thanks soy.

I like the idea of smashing stuff as well. Far easier and ummm funner.

NiceCupOfTea said...

Coffeemate said...
Animal studies have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors.

I don't care about rats and mice. I'm not a rat or a mouse.

Prove the same thing happens in humans. It wouldn't be at all hard to grab a sample population of carageenan-consuming humans and run a few colonoscopies/MRI scans/pill cams on them.

But nobody ever seems to think of doing amazingly simple tests like this. Funny, that.

juststud said...
my question always is, if your goal is to be "healthy" , why would you even consider consuming something that can possibly cause damage on your body ?

My only goal is to get through from one end of life to the other end. I couldn't care less whether I do that "healthily" or not. My body isn't a temple which will last 1000 years.

well tea girl, i doubt that the folks who built them temples knew they'd survive 10 years, let alone a thousand - they just built them to the best of their abilities -

juststud said...
well tea girl, i doubt that the folks who built them temples knew they'd survive 10 years, let alone a thousand - they just built them to the best of their abilities -

All I know is, some of these old temples are in better shape after 1000 years than my body is after 40.

iPoop said...
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
-Hunter S. Thompson

That is how half my family will end their life, and I can tell you their lives will have been happier and healthier ones than mine, despite all their drinking, eating of takeaways, etc. None of the really unhealthy living ones have come down with Crohn's either, despite a fairly pronounced family history of it.

Some people enjoy eating processed food. Other people prefer to avoid it. OK. Now can we please move on?

LouiseLuck: this IS a discussion forum. Please refrain from telling our community to "move on". Thank you.