Mailbag! Food Additive DESTROYING Your Gut

By Natalie Moore Posted February 23, 2017

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.

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