Food Additives To Avoid

Be sure to check your labels as to avoid these commonly used food additives.

There are two main goals on the Kaufmann Diet; the first is to starve pathogenic yeasts and fungi in the body. In a nutshell, this is achieved by eliminating fungi’s food of choice: sugar. This includes simple carbohydrates and starchy foods among a long list of other foods that might potentially make an existing yeast infection worse. The second goal is to avoid foods that might be contaminated with mycotoxins, which are poisons made my by mold and fungi. 

Mycotoxins are secondary byproducts of fungi. They are among the most poisonous, naturally-occurring substances on earth. When molds infest foods––which is not uncommon in an agricultural setting––they can potentially leave behind these mycotoxins. Unfortunately, there is evidence that these molds regularly contaminate parts of our food supply, particularly grains, corn, soy, peanuts and other foods. 

There are certain mycotoxins, like aflatoxin, that regulatory agencies screen for in our food supply. Acceptable levels found in foods are supposedly set far below what would affect human health. The concern is that, if you are regularly eating food known to have some mycotoxin contamination, a little bit over a long time adds up. We know that these poisons can negatively affect our health; one would seemingly want to avoid them in any quantities whatsoever. 

While these are the main goals of The Kaufmann Diet, there are other things in our food supply that you might also wish to avoid. 

Our industrialized food supply is unfortunately rife with food additives that are not necessarily food, but do things like extend shelf life or preserve food for prolonged periods of time. Others are less necessary, like food colorings. This seems like it would be a positive thing––and no doubt these chemicals do serve some purpose––but with many of these food additives, there is some concern that these can negatively affect our health. Unlike mycotoxins, however, they are put there on purpose, and fortunately listed on the labels of food products!

Many advocate that these chemicals are perfectly safe at the levels they appear within food, but the same concern we have with mycotoxins still exists: Perhaps a single serving is not enough to set a cascade of negative health effects in motion, but what about steady, little amounts spaced out over a long time? 

Seemingly, if there is evidence that any additive might affect our health negatively, we’d wish to avoid it entirely. Particularly if it is not necessary that we consume it at all. 

Fortunately, on The Kaufmann Diet, you are avoiding many of the processed foods in which you will find food additives. The Kaufmann Diet focuses on whole foods, the kind of foods that don’t come with an ingredients list, because they came straight from the earth. However, if you do find yourself in a position that you are eating something prepackaged, this is a list of additives to avoid, compiled by The Environmental Working Group (EWG). 

Food Additives You Should Avoid:

Brominated Vegetable Oil – harmful to the nervous system 

Potassium Bromate –  increase risk of cancer

Nitrates and Nitrites – increase risk of cancer

Propyl Paraben – endocrine disruptor 

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), Propyl Gallate, Tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) – increase risk of cancer, effects on the immune system

FD&C Colors Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3 – neurobehavioral problems in children

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