| June
27, 2008
Dear
Friends,
As you
are well aware, here at the Cancer Survivor Center we place
much emphasis on the foods we are putting into our bodies.
Healthy eating is essential not only for cancer survivors,
but for others seeking ways to prevent the disease. This week,
we would like to make you aware of twelve common food additives
that may pose potential health risks.
Published
on June 4, 2008 by MSN Health and Fitness, author Jean Weiss
describes the following additives and their effects.
- Sodium
Nitrate, Sodium Nitrite
The list of the 12 most dangerous additives to red-flag—until
we know more—includes sodium nitrate, also called
sodium nitrite. A preservative, coloring, and flavoring
used with meat products, sodium nitrate is commonly added
to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and
corned beef to stabilize the red color and add flavor. Sodium
nitrate prevents growth of bacteria, but studies have linked
eating it to various types of cancer. “This would
be at the top of my list of additives to cut from my diet,”
says Christine Gerbstadt, a spokesperson for the American
Dietetic Association. “Under certain high-temperature
cooking conditions such as grilling, it transforms into
a reactive compound that has been shown to promote cancer.”
- BHA
and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are
additional additives to red flag. They are used to preserve
common household foods. Both keep fats and oils from going
rancid and are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips,
and vegetable oils. “These substances are oxidants,
and anything that oxidizes or reduces a substance, changes
the chemical structure,” says Gerbstadt. “Some
of them oxidize to form these compounds that react in the
body. They’re not just stable or inert. They’re
not just hanging out and being excreted by the body.”
Gerbstadt says that while they are obviously not added for
the purpose of giving people cancer, but for some people,
some of the time, there may be that risk.
- Propyl
Gallate
Propyl gallate is another preservative to avoid, used to
prevent fats and oils from spoiling and is often used in
conjunction with BHA and BHT. This additive is sometimes
found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum.
Propyl gallate has not been proven to cause cancer, but
studies done on animals have suggested that it could be
linked to cancer, so it is an additive to be concerned about.
“It’s important to read the label,” says
Gerbstadt. “You really have to carry a cheat sheet
around in the supermarket. I try to buy as few foods as
possible containing preservatives.”
- Monosodium
Glutamate
Monosodium glutamate is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer
in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant
food. It is commonly associated with Asian foods and flavorings.
MSG can cause headaches and nausea in some people, and animal
studies link it to damaging nerve cells in the brains of
infant mice. Gerbstadt recommends replacing MSG with a small
amount of salt when possible. “Why bother using MSG
when you can live without it,” she says. “MSG
can cause migraine-like headaches and create other adverse
affects for certain people. It is a flavor enhancer, but
you’d be better of putting in a few grains of salt.”
- Hydrogenated
Vegetable Oil
Hydrogenated vegetable oil, also called partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil and commonly known as trans fat, makes it
onto our dirty dozen list because eating too much of it
leads to heart disease. “Trans fats are proven to
cause heart disease, and make conditions perfect for stroke,
heart attack, kidney failure, and limb loss due to vascular
disease,” says Gerbstadt. “It would be wonderful
if they could be banned.” Manufacturers have modified
product ingredients lists to reduce the amount of trans
fats, and are required to label trans fats amounts, but
restaurant food, especially fast food chains such as Kentucky
Fried Chicken, still serve foods laden with trans fats.
Experts recommend we consume no more than 2 grams of trans
fat per day, an amount easily accounted for if you eat meat
and dairy.
- Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and
Equal, is an additive found in so-called diet foods such
as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft
drinks. It also comes in individual packages used in place
of sugar as a sweetener. Aspartame is a combination of two
amino acids and methanol that may cause cancer or neurological
problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations. Studies conducted
in the 1970s, and more recent studies from 2006 on, suggest
that lifelong consumption may increase a person’s
risk of cancer. Gerbstadt says that aspartame could be unhealthy
for some people—especially those with the disease
phenylketonuria, an enzyme disorder—because it contains
phenalalanine. “Some people may be sensitive to it
and it’s easy to avoid,” she says.
- Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener, approved
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1998 for use
in soft drinks. It is also found in baked goods, chewing
gum, and gelatin desserts. Acesulfame-K—the “K”
is the chemistry symbol for potassium—is considered
200 times sweeter than sugar. While Gerbstadt isn’t
specifically concerned about this sweetener when used in
moderation, there is a general concern that testing on this
product has been scant. Some studies showed the additive
may cause cancer in rats, but the substance makes top 12
lists of additives to avoid because further study is needed
to conclude whether or not acesulfame-K is harmful.
- Food
Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
You may think that all dangerous artificial food colorings
were banned by the FDA long ago, but there are five still
on the market that are linked with cancer in animal testing.
“Always opt for the product without the color, if
you have a choice,” says Gerbstadt. “I’m
not saying to avoid all coloring. Many are made from natural
sources. But some specific dye colors do promote tumor formation,
in the right combination and conditions.” Blue 1 and
2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food are
considered low risk but have been linked to cancer in mice.
Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and
baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats.
Green 3, added to candy and beverages, though rarely used,
has been linked to bladder cancer. Studies have linked the
widely used yellow 6—added to beverages, sausage,
gelatin, baked goods, and candy—to tumors of the adrenal
gland and kidney.
- Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat known as the brand name Olean and
found in some potato chip brands, prevents fat from getting
absorbed in your digestive system. This often leads to severe
diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. “If you eat fat
when taking Olestra, the fat is going to go right through
you,” says Gerbstadt. More significantly, though,
Olestra inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble
carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables and
thought to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
“It blocks fat absorption, but it also blocks vitamin
absorption,” says Gerbstadt.
- Potassium
Bromate
Potassium bromate is rare, but still legal in the U.S.,
and used as an additive to increase volume in white flour,
breads, and rolls. Most bromate rapidly breaks down to an
innocuous form, but it is known to cause cancer in animals—and
even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.
California requires a cancer warning on the product label
if Potassium bromate is an ingredient.
- White
Sugar
Some foods, such as fruits and carrots, naturally contain
sugar, but watch out for foods with added sugars, such as
baked goods, cereals, crackers, even sauces and many other
processed foods. Gerbstadt includes white sugar on the list
of 12 because although it is non-toxic, large amounts are
unsafe for our health and promote bad nutrition. “Simple
sugars shouldn’t take up more than about 10 percent
of the total calories you consume daily,” says Gerbstadt.
Yet most Americans already are eating way over that amount,
consuming 20, 30, or 40 percent of their calories from simple
sugars, she says. Too much sugar not only leads to problems
with weight control, tooth decay and blood sugar levels
in diabetics; it also replaces good nutrition. “In
addition to providing unnecessary calories, your body needs
nutrients to metabolize sugar, so it robs your body of valuable
vitamins and minerals,” says Gerbstadt.
- Sodium
Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt,
can certainly bring flavor to your meal. But salt is another
hidden food additive that can lead to health issues. “Small
amounts of salt are needed by the body and are beneficial
in preserving food,” says Gerbstadt. “Excessive
amounts of salt can become dangerous for your health, affecting
cardiovascular function, leading to high blood pressure,
heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.”
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As usual,
we would like to provide you with this week’s training
tip. If you have any questions or comments regarding the tip,
please do not hesitate to contact one our Certified Cancer
Exercise Specialists here at the CSC.
THIS
WEEK’S TRAINING TIP:
Have
you started a fitness plan during your cancer treatment or
you are interested in beginning one after your treatment ends?
If so, you will need to continue making the workouts more
strenuous in order to keep seeing health benefits. How can
you make them progressively harder? There are two ways: 1)
increase the time you participate in the activity and/or 2)
increase the intensity. If you are just beginning a workout
plan, increase the duration of the workout in order to make
it a harder. If you have been active for at least 8 weeks,
then it is time to increase the intensity.
Intensity
is a difficult variable to manipulate on your own. If you
need assistance with your plan, please contact our center.
Our cancer exercise specialists can provide advice on the
proper progression and safe intensities appropriate for you.
In health,
Riggs
|
