| Data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture | | | | amounts, it has been estimated that the average |
| indicate that at least 40 percent of the people in USA | | | | American consumes about 5 pounds of additives per |
| routinely consume a diet containing only 60 percent of | | | | year. If you include sugar the food processing |
| the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of each of | | | | industry's most used additive the number jumps to 135 |
| ten selected nutrients. This means that close to half of | | | | pounds a year. Anyone whose diet is high in |
| the population (and very likely more) suffer from a | | | | processed products clearly consumes a significant |
| deficiency of at least one important nutrient. A poll of | | | | amount of additives and artificial ingredients. |
| 37,000 Americans conducted by Food Technology | | | | At their best, additives and artificial ingredients simply |
| found that half of them were deficient in vitamin 65 | | | | add little or no nutritional value to a food product. At |
| (pyridoxine), 42 percent did not consume sufficient | | | | their worst, some additives could pose a threat to your |
| amounts of calcium, 39 percent had an insufficient iron | | | | health. The history of additive use includes a number of |
| intake, and 25 to 39 percent did not obtain enough | | | | products that were once deemed safe but later were |
| vitamin C. Additional research has shown that a | | | | banned or allowed only if accompanied by warnings. |
| vitamin deficiency may not affect the whole body, but | | | | The artificial sweeteners cyclamate and saccharin are |
| only specific cells. For example, those who smoke | | | | just two examples of such products. Other additives, |
| may suffer from a vitamin C deficiency, but only in the | | | | like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame, are |
| lung area. Whenever you seek to correct a vitamin or | | | | used without warnings per se, but packages of food |
| mineral deficiency, you must recognize that nutrients | | | | that contain them are now marked in the United |
| work synergistically. This means that there is a | | | | States with sometimes cryptic statements, such as |
| cooperative action between certain vitamins and | | | | "PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS |
| minerals, which work as catalysts, promoting the | | | | PHENYLALANINE," which appears on packets of |
| absorption and assimilation of other vitamins and | | | | Equal, NutraSweet, and other products containing |
| minerals. Correcting a deficiency in one vitamin or | | | | aspartame. These products may cause problems for |
| mineral requires the addition of others, not simply | | | | some sensitive people. The long term effects of most |
| replacement of the one in which you are deficient. This | | | | sugar substitute additives, including sucralose, are |
| is why taking a single vitamin or mineral may be | | | | unknown. A safer sugar substitute is an extract made |
| ineffective, or even dangerous, and why a balanced | | | | from the Keib Sleviu rebaudlana, vracri is available in |
| vitamin and mineral preparation should always be | | | | health food stores. |
| taken in addition to any single supplements. | | | | Increase Your Consumption of Raw Produce |
| Clearly, a healthy diet must provide a proper balance | | | | The most healthful fruits and vegetables are those |
| of the four essential nutrients, as well as a rich supply | | | | that have been grown organically without the use of |
| of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. | | | | insecticides, herbicides, artificial fertilizers, or growth |
| However, it is not enough simply to purchase foods | | | | stimulating chemicals. Organic produce can be found in |
| that are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and | | | | select health food stores, as well as in some |
| complementary proteins, and low in saturated fats. | | | | supermarkets and greenmarkets and through food |
| Food also must be free of harmful additives, and it | | | | co-ops. When choosing your produce, look for fruits |
| must be prepared in a way that preserves its nutrients | | | | and vegetables that are at the peak of ripeness. |
| and avoids the production of harmful substances. | | | | These contain more vitamins and enzymes than do |
| When nutritionists talk about diet, they are referring to | | | | foods that are under ripe or overripe, or that have |
| live whole foods, unprocessed food with nothing added | | | | been stored for any length of time. The longer a food |
| or taken away. Whole foods are more healthful | | | | is kept in storage, the more nutrients it loses. Once you |
| because they contain no potentially harmful ingredients. | | | | get your organic produce home, running water and a |
| In addition, plant foods are full of hundreds of | | | | vegetable brush are probably all that will be needed to |
| phytochemicals that can help prevent disease and | | | | get it ready for the table. If the produce is not organic, |
| keep the body healthy. These are our frontline | | | | however, you will want to wash it more thoroughly to |
| defenders against cancer and free radicals. Foods | | | | rid it of any chemical residues. Use a soft vegetable |
| known to supply important phytochemicals include | | | | brush to scrub the foods, and then let them soak in |
| soybeans and soy products, broccoli, citrus peels, flax, | | | | water for ten minutes. |
| garlic, green tea, grapes, and tomatoes. | | | | You can also clean produce with nontoxic rinsing |
| Avoid Foods That Contain Additives and Artificial | | | | preparations, which are available in reputable health |
| Ingredients | | | | food stores. If the products are waxed, peel them, |
| Additives are placed in foods for a number of reasons: | | | | because wax cannot be washed away. Remove as |
| to lengthen shelf life; to make a food more appealing | | | | thin a layer of peel as possible. |
| by enhancing color, texture, or taste; to facilitate food | | | | Most fruits and vegetables should be eaten in their |
| preparation; or to otherwise make the product more | | | | entirety, as all of the parts, including the skin, contain |
| marketable. | | | | valuable nutrients. When eating citrus fruits, remove the |
| Certain additives, like sugar, are derived from natural | | | | rinds, but eat the white part inside the skin for its |
| sources. Other additives, like aspartame (in | | | | vitamin C and bioflavonoid content. Although most |
| NutraSweet and Equal), are made synthetically. | | | | people usually cook their vegetables be-fore eating, |
| Sweeteners derived from natural sources include | | | | both fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw if |
| sucralose, the compound used in Splenda. Sucralose is | | | | possible. All enzymes and most vitamins are extremely |
| synthesized from sucrose (sugar) and appears to be | | | | sensitive to heat, and are usually destroyed in the |
| inert metabolically, which would make it ideal for people | | | | cooking process. If fresh produce is unavailable, use |
| with diabetes. However, sucralose might be stored in | | | | frozen foods instead. Do not use canned vegetables |
| the body simply because this synthetic molecule is | | | | or boxed vegetable dishes, because they usually |
| never found in nature and the body is not equipped to | | | | contain significant amounts of salt and other unhealthy |
| metabolize it. We would advise limiting the use of this | | | | additives. If raw produce does not agree with you, |
| additive/artificial sweetener. | | | | steam your vegetables lightly in a steamer, cooking |
| Although many additives are used in very small | | | | pan, or wok just until slightly tender. |