
Mailbag! Food Additive DESTROYING Your Gut
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
You’ve got questions…
We’ve got answers!
If you like candy, you could be putting yourself at risk for some serious health issues — and I’m not just talking about diabetes. Instead, a common FDA-approved food additive could be ruining your digestive health.
Let’s dive in…
Hey Natalie,
My grandkids love gum and candy. I try to limit what I give them so they don’t get too much sugar. But I recently heard that another ingredient in chewing gum and candy can hurt your intestines. If this is true, what is the ingredient and how can I avoid it?
Thanks,
Betsy W.
Excellent question, Betsy.
Yes, unfortunately this is true.
Titanium dioxide a common food additive in candy, gum, breads and even toothpastes, can alter cells in your small intestine.
In recent study from Binghamton University, scientists exposed small intestinal cells to a three meals worth of titanium dioxide over a five-day period.
And what they found was disturbing…
The titanium dioxide reduced the amount of microvilli, special cell parts that help the small intestine absorb nutrients. Having fewer microvilli can greatly affect your health and lead to a weakened intestinal barrier, a slower metabolism and difficulty absorbing vital nutrients like fatty acids, iron and zinc.
Even worse, the titanium dioxide also decreased digestive enzyme functions and increased inflammation — the key driver of all disease.
Unfortunately, the FDA generally recognizes titanium dioxide as safe for you to eat (even though it’s used in papers, paints and plastics).
And it’s practically unavoidable, since it’s used in thousands of foods (everything from skim milk to Twinkies) and personal care and household items to improve color and texture.
However, according to the researchers, you can reduce your exposure by avoiding processed foods. This is especially true for candy, which is loaded with nanoparticles.
Additionally, be sure to check hygiene and household product labels to see if they contain this menacing metal.
Do you have health questions you want answered? Drop me a line: feedback@livingwelldaily.com
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.
Sources
[1] Food additive found in candy, gum could alter digestive cell structure and function

Written By Natalie Moore
Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.
View More Free Articles
Mailbag! 10 Tips to Conquer Spinal Arthritis
I have arthritis in my spine. What would you suggest to help manage it? –George from Cedar Rapids, IA George, Believe it or not, many people learn that they have spinal arthritis as they age. It’s very common. There’s a lot you can do to help keep it from advancing or even reverse some of...
Calm Anxiety WITHOUT Drugs (Easy!)
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, There is a plague of anxiety sweeping the nation. And who could blame us? Anyone with half a brain SHOULD feel anxious about the state of the world. But like any other epidemic, just because something is going around doesn’t mean you should accept it. More importantly, having anxiety does...
“Food Reboot” HALTS Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, If you or someone you love suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), you already know how the disease can turn your life upside down. The stiffness and mobility problems slowly strip away your independence… and leave you in pain. Talk to your mainstream doc and he’ll just shrug their shoulders –...
[Men] Do You Have the Breast Cancer Gene?
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, If you’re a woman, chances are you have heard about the BRCA gene (BReast CAncer gene). Scientists have known for a long time that a mutation in one of two breast cancer genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2, increases the risk of getting breast cancer. But, men, listen up – just because...
Greek Plant Extract SOOTHES Joint Pain
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, Some people might shrug when you tell them you have knee pain… but that’s only if they haven’t experienced firsthand. Chronic pain from osteoarthritis is no joke— it can destroy your life. Joint pain makes moving incredibly difficult and can keep you from doing the things you love. Before you know it,...
Deadly Disease 8 TIMES More Likely for Crohn’s Patients
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, Inflammation is supposed to be a normal response for your body. It’s one of the key defenses protecting you. Inflammation can sometimes be our friend… when it helps fight off infections and clears away debris, that is. The problems start when inflammation blazes out of control or lasts longer than...
Mailbag! 5 Ways to Soothe Your Psoriasis
I have psoriasis, and I was wondering what supplements or natural treatments there are out there. –Bill from Riverside, CA Bill, As you probably know, psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body attacks the skin as if it were a foreign invader. Psoriasis affects about two percent of the U.S. population. Normal, healthy...
Coffee Compound LOWERS Cholesterol
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, I’m on a personal mission to rescue coffee from the hands of the nutritional puritans who think that anything fun is not good for you. Despite what the mainstream would have you believe, the news on coffee has improved in recent years. Researchers have pinpointed many powerful plant nutrients, like...
“Citric Element” Whips Your Brain into Shape!
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, Some suggest pretty complicated ways to keep your brain healthy as you age. Going back to college… doing complicated puzzles… taking what feels like 30 bottles of pills a day… It can make you feel like giving up before you’ve even started! But what if there was something MUCH easier...
100-Year-Old Trick STOPS Arthritis Pain
Dear Living Well Daily Reader, If you’re tired constantly refilling pain prescriptions, you’re not alone. And if you’re even MORE tired of the side effects that come with them, who could blame you? For far too long, Big Pharma has held arthritis patients hostage… promising relief while they rob you blind. It’s time for something...