Sugar Rush: The Truth About E Numbers and Hyperactivity
Last month, news of a new class action lawsuit against Mars Corporation over claims that it uses titanium dioxide – which is used to create those rainbow colors in Skittles – left many in bad taste and caused quite a stir online.
A resident of San Leandro, California, claims that people who consume Skittles are “at increased risk of a variety of health effects they were unaware of that are due to genotoxicity — the ability of a chemical to damage DNA.” change”. According to a Mars spokesman, the additive has not been used in the EU version of the candy, nor in other EU products, since 2020.
While the additive, which is used as a food coloring, is not illegal to use in the United States, the European Union has strict regulations about what can and cannot be added when it comes to additives. And in 2021, titanium dioxide was banned by the European Food Safety Authority because it “can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.”
As a result, many parents are wondering which additives are safe and what could be harmful: what exactly is titanium dioxide, also known as E171? And what about all those other E numbers and sugars floating around in our food? Nutritionist Orla Walsh gives us a breakdown of E numbers and why we should be careful about what we consume.
In the European Union, a number is used to identify approved food additives. An E number means that an additive has passed official safety tests and is approved for use in food. But if you look at the list of additives (or E-numbers), you might be surprised to see many ingredients that have been touted as superfoods.
For example, E100 is curcumin, the miracle ingredient in turmeric. Silver and gold have E numbers, as do vitamins and minerals. Food additives are grouped according to their effect, whether they are antioxidants, colors, preservatives or sweeteners.
But that doesn’t mean that all E numbers in every single body are perfectly healthy.
For example, the Food Standards Agency in the UK funded research into possible links between food colors and hyperactivity – finding that consumption of six artificial food colors in particular could lead to increased hyperactivity in some children. These artificial colors are: Sunset Yellow FCF (E110); Quinoline Yellow (E104; Carmoisine (E122); Allura Red (E129; Tartrazine (E102); and Ponceau 4R (E124).
However, food coloring likely only plays a small role and removing certain colorings may not result in a noticeable improvement. Currently, the connection isn’t rock solid, so more research is certainly needed.
Research clearly shows that Irish children eat too much sugar. But as a mom, I understand that. There are many reasons unhealthy things creep into their diet on a regular basis.
They know it will instantly (but only briefly) lift them out of a fouler. It tastes good, so they almost always want it – but some kids have trouble finding their off switch.
“There are many reasons to be concerned. If a child eats foods high in free sugar regularly during childhood, they are likely to consume them even more frequently than adults. One parent influences future generations
In order to really reduce the amount of sugar in our children, we as parents have to eat less. It’s a challenge to avoid because it’s everywhere, but you’re trying to find the balance between your family enjoying treats the healthy way and eating too much.
There are many reasons to be concerned about sugar consumption. If a child eats foods high in free sugar on a regular basis, they are likely to consume them even more frequently than adults. A parent influences future generations.
In recent years the prevalence of oral health problems has increased and it is not uncommon for children to require general anesthesia to resolve dental problems.
Children’s vitamin and mineral needs are also incredibly high. It’s difficult to meet these nutritional needs without overfeeding, and often this can only be accomplished by limiting treats to an “sometimes” basis.
New statistics show that one in four children by the age of seven is either overweight or obese. We know there’s a link between sugar-sweetened drinks and treats and excess body fat.
First, when I say sugar, I’m talking about free sugar. Free sugars do not include natural sugars found when eating whole fruit or when consuming plain yogurt or milk. These foods are incredibly healthy and nutritious and should be consumed by children several times a day. Free sugars are those added to foods like cakes and cookies, as well as those found in honey and fruit juices.
The average three-year-old eats 10 teaspoons of free sugar daily. A whopping 75 percent of three-year-olds had free sugar intakes above the maximum recommendation of 4-5 teaspoons, while only 4 percent hit the lower threshold.
Overall, one in five school children in Ireland say they eat sweets more than once a day. But the more of it you have, the more you want it. For this reason and for other reasons such as B. increasing food independence, intake may increase with age. Therefore, the proportion of children who consume sweets more than once a day is higher among older children.
Close
Orla Walsh believes helping children find the right nutritional balance could impact future generations. Photo: Gerry Mooney
Free sugar is often added to breakfast. Some breakfast cereals are one-third sugar. Consumed with fruit juice, smoothies or sweetened yoghurts, the sugar quota can be reached before they go to school. Switching to oatmeal for breakfast, opting for fruit instead of fruit juice, and opting for plain yogurt or a lower-sugar variety will go a long way.
The more whole foods you eat, the less you need to read the label: there’s only oats in a bag of oats. An apple contains only apple. Nonetheless, some everyday groceries come in packages and have been processed. Therefore, it is helpful to know how to read the label.
A guideline is to choose a breakfast cereal with less than 5 grams of sugar per 100g and more than 6 grams of fiber per 100g. Cereals that meet these criteria include Lizi’s low-sugar granola, Shreddies (the plain ones), Weetabix, Ready Brek, no-sugar-added granola, Kellogg by Kids, and oatmeal.
After breakfast, it is chocolate, cakes, sweets, and cookies that make up the majority of free sugar intake. The ultimate goal is to eat these foods in moderation. Moderation doesn’t mean every day for most people. It may be helpful to describe these foods as “sometimes foods” around your kids, while healthier foods could be labeled “everyday foods.” When you have them is up to the parents when kids are young. Many will dictate frequency, including their height.
For the sake of the teeth, it is preferable to offer treats with meals. Portion needs to be considered, with around 100kcal per “sometimes food” being an easy target. For example: 4 chocolate squares; 1 chocolate chip cookie; 2 plain biscuits; 1 small cupcake (no frosting); ½ granola bar; 1 scoop of ice cream.
Remember, the more often they eat treats, the more they want it. Consumption can then increase with age. Because treats often come at snack time, this can make them less hungry for the nutrient-dense foods at mealtime, which can result in them not getting enough nutrients.
Ultimately, we want children to be nourished and fed, which doesn’t always leave much room for extras. As research progresses, we will know more about certain additives. But for now, it’s best to play it safe and opt for whole foods most of the time.
About titanium dioxide E171
- According to a bulletin from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, titanium dioxide is “an insoluble white powder” that is “used extensively in many commercial products, including paints, cosmetics, plastics, paper, and food, as an anticaking agent or as a bleach.”
- “After oral ingestion, absorption of titanium dioxide particles is low, but they can accumulate in the body,” said Maged Younes, chair of the European Food Safety Authority’s expert panel on food additives and flavorings, in a May 2021 statement.
- From August 7th, the use of titanium dioxide in food will be banned in the European Union.
- The European measures were based on an assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) from May 2021, which raised potential concerns about excessive accumulation of titanium dioxide particles in the body and possible genotoxicity. Genotoxicity is the ability of a substance to damage DNA, which can lead to cancer.
- Britain’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), after reviewing the evidence, said no safety concerns were identified, meaning there will be no change to the rules in England and Wales. This was also the conclusion reached by Food Standards Scotland (FSS).
This story was updated on August 1st
https://www.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/health-features/sugar-rush-the-truth-about-e-numbers-and-hyperactivity-41880632.html Sugar Rush: The Truth About E Numbers and Hyperactivity