"...If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book " Revelation 22:18
Weekly Quote:
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." Thomas A. Edison
Sulfites
In many of the health and nutrition books I have read, they often mention that eating dried fruits is good, especially if they are soaked overnight in water first and also if they have not been preserved with sulfites. They never explained exactly why sulfites are bad and so I decided to do a little internet research on the subject. I learned a lot more about them, but my curiosity has not been completely satisfied yet.
What are Sulfites Used for?
Sulfites are used mainly as antioxidants to prevent light-colored fruits and vegetables from discoloring, such as apricots, apples, and potatoes. But they are also used in wine-making to inhibit bacterial growth, in bleaching food starches, as preventives against rust and scale in boiler water used in making steam that will come in contact with food, and some are even used in the production of cellophane for food packaging. Sulfites are found in almost everything including baked goods, dairy products, luncheon meats,concentrated fruit juices (including lemon juice), dried fruits, prepackaged foods, molasses, wine and beer. (http://www.nettally.com/prusty/foodpres.htm).Forms of Sulfites
I was astonished to find this out because I had no idea how rampantly they were used! I felt like producing all my own foods and never going to the grocery store again!. Sulfites are used in several different forms and their names will appear on food labels as:
Sulfur dioxide
Sodium sulfite
Sodium & Potassium bisulfite
Sodium & Potassium metabisulfites
Effects of Sulfites on the Body
In searching for the effects sulfites have on the human body, I discovered several things. First of all, sulfites destroy Vitamin B1 (thiamine). Whether this happens in the body or just in the foods they are preserving, I don't know. I do know that they have been banned from foods that are sources of this vitamin. I'm not sure exactly what foods this ban includes, but I do know that sources of B1 are meats, beans, peas, peanuts, fish, whole wheat, wheat germ, and enriched flour, so I assume sulfites have been banned in foods such as these.
Another thing I discovered is that some people may have violent, allergic reactions to sulfites, especially those who already have asthma. Sulfites may be associated with hayfever, trigger an asthma attack, anaphylactic shock, or even death. In 1985, sulfites were banned from being used on fresh fruits and vegies because of these problems. However, they may still be used on potatoes, so beware of any potatoes (especially french fries) that come from a restaurant.
Most of the information about sulfites focused on these allergic reactions to sulfites, but since I don't have those problems, I wanted to know what they do to someone without allergies? What happens in the long run? Do they build up in the body eventually causing problems or are they broken down or what? As my research continued I found out several more things. In an article on sulfites in wine, it was noted that sulfur dioxide is produced by the human body at about 1 gram/day, although nothing was said about where or how or for what purpose it produced. It was also mentioned that some people are deficient in the natural enzyme to break this down, so I assume most people can break it down in their bodies. I really need to review my biology!.(http://www.waterhouse.ucdavis.edu/winecomp/so2.htm.)
Several other interesting things this article mentioned are that all wines contain sulfites because yeasts naturally produce them in the fermenting process; sulfites can be removed, in theory, by hydrogen peroxide (although little is known about this procedure); and that sulfites do not cause headaches.
Nutritional Help for Detoxifying Sulfites
Two nutritional factors that help the body in breaking down sulfites are Vitamin B12 and a trace mineral called molybdenum. B12 seems to help detox sulfites from the body, and molybdenum is a component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which also helps detoxify sulfites from the body. Sources of B12 (which I listed in my last article) are mainly meats, dairy products, and supplemented foods like cold cereals. Sources of molybdenum include beans, whole grains, cereals, milk, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Conclusion on Sulfites
Sulfites seem to not be as great a health threat as I first thought they were, although I still do not know anything about their long-term effects and do not want to find out the hard way. I am still suspicious of them and feel it is best to avoid them as much as possible. This may be difficult because they are in so many, many foods, (especially processed foods), but by reading labels I can avoid these foods and by including in my diet as many whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegies as I can, I will be protecting my health and not leaving it in the hands of those commercial producers who don't care much about anything but my money.
Other articles you may want to read:
http://www.whfoods.com
http://www.vitalearth.org/nutrient_robbers.htm
http://www.healthychristianliving.com/asthma.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment