These food additives could be harming your heart
By naturopath Margaret Jasinska
New research found that common food preservatives are linked to higher risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Scientists tracked the eating habits and health outcomes of over 112,000 adults in France for nearly eight years. Participants, mostly women, with an average age of 43 had no history of high blood pressure or heart disease when the study began in 2009.
Throughout the study, participants kept detailed food diaries several times a year, logging every branded product they ate. Researchers used this data, along with laboratory testing and food composition databases, to calculate how much of 58 different preservatives each person was consuming daily.
The findings
Over the course of the study, 5,500 people developed high blood pressure, and 2,450 developed heart disease.
People with the highest consumption of preservatives overall were about 24% more likely to develop high blood pressure compared to those with the lowest consumption. When researchers looked specifically at non-antioxidant preservatives, a category that includes additives like sodium nitrite (found in processed meats) and potassium sorbate (used in baked goods and drinks), the risk was even higher: 29% for high blood pressure and 16% for heart disease.
Interestingly, even antioxidant preservatives, which are sometimes perceived as beneficial, were associated with a 22% higher risk of high blood pressure. One of the most commonly associated culprits was citric acid, a very widely used additive found in everything from soft drinks to canned goods.
The researchers also found that high blood pressure appeared to be one of the mechanisms through which preservatives contribute to heart disease, meaning some of the heart risk may come through the blood pressure effect.
Preservatives are in so many foods
Preservatives are obviously added to food to stop it from spoiling, but at what risk to health? The researchers say their findings should prompt regulators to reassess the safety of these additives.
This type of study can show an association between preservative intake and health risks, but cannot definitively prove that preservatives directly cause these conditions. Other lifestyle factors may also play a role.
How to protect your health
If you’re concerned, the simplest step is to eat more whole, minimally processed foods that you’ve prepared in your own kitchen. Also check ingredient labels for additives like sodium nitrite, potassium sorbate, and citric acid. Be mindful of how frequently they appear in your diet.
If you want to learn more about keeping your heart healthy, see our book Cholesterol: The real truth.
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