A new study just released in May 2024 paints an even more shocking picture. It illustrates how certain combinations of food additives in ultra-processed foods may dramatically increase the risk for type 2 diabetes. Researchers found seven emulsifiers in particular that raise this acute risk. This important new discovery around nutrition is key to our understanding of how dietary elements improve long-range health effects.
This pathbreaking study is the first to evaluate exposure to food additive mixtures in the largest population-based cohort. Its goal is to understand how these additives contribute to the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. The objective is clear: identify the main combinations of food additives and investigate their potential associations with diabetes risk.
The study design presents limitations. The authors acknowledge that they cannot accurately pinpoint the exact ingredients participants consumed years before observing any potential health changes. Because of this, they are limited to making educated guesses about how different recipes will ultimately affect health outcomes in the long term.
In addition to this new research, a study published in July 2023 had previously established a potential connection between artificial sweeteners and an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Taken together, these studies illustrate the intricate relationship between our dietary choices and their contribution to the risk of developing diabetes.
The newly discovered food additive mixtures split into two separate networks. The second mix has no emulsifiers. The second blend is made up of acidifiers, acid regulators, dyes and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose. Citric acid serves as an acidifier in the second mixture. Ammonia caramel is listed as one of the dyes.
Food groups that contributed most to the second mixture were broth, dairy desserts, and fats and sauces. This indicates that widely consumed products can serve as modifiable risk factors for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes.
“To our knowledge, this study is the first to estimate the exposure to food additive mixtures in a large population-based cohort and investigate their link with type 2 diabetes incidence,” – Marie Payen de la Garanderie, PhD student
It’s important to note that most of these food additives are simply indicators of ultra-processed foods. They note that similar emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and dyes are common in many other consumer products.
“Most of these food additives are markers of ultra-processed foods — emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, (and) dyes,” – Mathilde Touvier, PhD
Their results underscore the need to further study how these additives interact in mixtures. Given their opposing roles during development, these interactions may have far reaching effects on metabolic health. Until now, studies into the safety of food additives have mainly looked at their effects one-by-one and not considered the mixtures people eat every single day.
“Some experimental studies have raised concerns about potential interactions between additives within mixtures and their potential impact on health — including metabolic health — but human epidemiological data are lacking,” – Marie Payen de la Garanderie, PhD student
The study’s results are in keeping with the disturbing trend of increasing type 2 diabetes prevalence over the last thirty years. Mathilde Touvier, PhD, notes that this trend only highlights a dangerous lack of research. We need to study the combinations of foods and overall diets and their long-term impacts on health.
“In the past three decades the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has risen dramatically in most countries,” – Mathilde Touvier, PhD
The authors urge a reexamination of the regulations that govern food additives in order to better protect consumers. They contend that public health guidance should support policies to reduce and eliminate harmful non-essential food additives.
“They suggest that it may be of interest to consider potential interaction/synergistic/antagonist effects when assessing the safety of food additives and call for a re-evaluation of regulations governing their use by the food industry,” – Mathilde Touvier, PhD
Richard, an LGBTQ+ health advocate, advocates for allowing people to make informed dietary decisions. He encourages people to avoid hyper-processed foods that are high in the types of food additives he is trying to warn us about.
“Lean on Mother Nature and your local farmers to consume more whole foods and less ‘shelf-stable’ packaged items that don’t have a label,” – Richard
He advocates for building flavor with real food as opposed to industrial ingredients.
“Recipes call for whole, real food as ingredients and synthetic manufactured fillers, enhancers, thickeners and preservatives are typically not needed for palatability,” – Richard
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