For good gut health, we know we need a healthy diet of veggies, fruit, high quality protein, and healthy fats. But did you know that many sauces, dressings, condiments, breads, and convenience foods are packed with an ingredient that can work against your gut health? Emulsifiers.
Emulsifiers are the additives that prevent separation in your foods. You know, like water and oil. Plus, the food industry also uses emulsifiers to prolong the shelf-life of a product. Even in the beauty industry. Having emulsifiers in non-food products like lotion can affect skin health.
But are all emulsifiers dangerous? No. There are natural ones like eggs and sunflower oil. What we need to watch for are the synthetic (chemical) emulsifiers.
What is the harm? Synthetic emulsifiers can decrease the diversity of the gut microbiome, which in turn can increase propensity for obesity, inflammation, and chronic illness). The synthetic emulsifiers can also increase your risk for metabolic syndrome which is a coupling of common obesity-related disorders including Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease.
What can we do? Read your labels!!! Be very careful looking at packaged food, convenience food, even things like unsweetened almond milk. Here are some of the words you want to look for.
- Polysorbate 80 (P80)
- Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)
- Carrageenan
- Polyglycerols
- Xanthan Gum
- Any “Gum”s
- Soy Lecithin
Where to look? Certain foods tend to have more emulsifiers than others. Be sure to check these.
- Condiments
- Salad Dressing
- Chocolate Milk
- Almond, Rice, or Soy Milk
- Pickles
- Whipped toppings
- Deli Meats
- Store bought baked goods
It is likely impossible to eliminate all emulsifiers from your diet but slowly switching over to more natural ones or ones that you make yourself can make a huge difference.
If you want to check out my notes for a less toxic lifestyle, just click here and I will send them to you.
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