Advantages And Disadvantages Of Food Additives

Food additives are substances that are used in different foods in order to preserve them, keep their taste, or alter their texture. They are intentionally added to food in safe amounts so that people can consume their food while it is fresh and delicious. Since these additives are mostly colorless and odorless, people do not notice their presence in food. In other words, additives are used in different food items to keep them from being contaminated when they are stored. Some additives are used to prevent bacterial growth in food, to help maintain food quality, or to enhance its characteristics and textures.

Food additives are primarily used to improve the taste, appearance, and preservation of many consumer products. However, there are some disadvantages or downsides associated with it as well. This article will focus on some of the advantages as well as disadvantages of using food additives. Just go through this comprehensive piece of writing to the last word and you will know it all.

Advantages of Food Additives

Additives Enhance Food's Nutritive Value

There are different types of food additives that help in the improvement or maintenance of food's nutritive value. Food additives may be broadly classified as nutritional or non-nutritional. The nutritional additives improve the nutritive value, or the value of food for growth, or for maintaining life, or for promoting the health and vigor of humans and animals, and also increase their usefulness in the production of food and feedstuffs.

They Make Food Last Longer

Food additives are basically a requirement when it comes to keeping food safe and healthy for consumption for a long time and making sure that it tastes fresh and delicious. Food is nothing but the most basic necessity for every living creature. Having safe food that is unsullied and does not fail to serve its purpose is something we all expect. This is where food additives and preservatives come into the picture.

Enhance the Taste and Aroma of Food

Food additives are primarily used to enhance the taste and aroma of food, preserve it, extend its shelf life, and add color to it. These additives are either artificial or natural and are essentially added to the food to improve or enhance its taste, texture, or, sometimes, appearance. Moreover, there are certain additives that are good for your health. These additives have no harmful effects. But there are also additives that are not good for your health. They may have adverse effects or take a toll on the consumer's body. It must be noted that most of the food additives are classified according to their uses and are kept in different categories.

Food Additives May Help Lose Weight

Food additives are also known as food enhancers. They are used to improve or modify the taste or texture of a food. Some of the food additives are also helpful in losing weight. You must know that a number of expert dieticians approve them and prescribe them to their patients who are trying to lose weight and also keep fit at the same time. These additives help to burn the extra fat in the body like nothing else. The food additives that are helpful in losing weight do not have extra calories and are claimed to act as fat blockers.

Disadvantages of Food Additives

Food Additives May Cause Hyperactivity in Kids

Parents have long suspected that food additives like artificial food colors can cause hyperactivity in their children. They have been advocating for a ban on the use of these food additives since their introduction in the 1970s. However, their voices have largely been drowned out by the food industry, which has been telling them that there is no evidence to support their claims. Apart from that, a recent study conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest brought this issue to light again by reporting that artificial food colors can cause hyperactivity in sensitive children.

May Cause Allergic Reactions

Many processed foods contain food additives, flavor enhancers, or growth enhancers to improve the taste or preserve the food for longer periods. Food additives are necessary for most food production processes to maintain safety, quality, and improve the taste of the food. They are also needed to ensure that we have steady or uninterrupted food supply and food availability in the world. These additives, such as sweeteners, flavors, colors, preservatives, etc., make our diet rich and tasty to a certain extent. However, they have some adverse effects on health as well, especially some allergic reactions. It must be mentioned that some people are highly allergic to some of the food additives that are quite popular.

Additives Can Contribute to High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is nowadays a very common condition. In hypertension, the pressure of the blood in the arteries becomes higher than normal. It usually has no symptoms, but it can lead to a number of serious health problems, such as heart attacks and strokes. This happens when your body requires the heart to work harder than normal in order to circulate blood. It must be brought to your notice that some people are more susceptible to hypertension than others. Furthermore, if you are at an increased risk of hypertension, it is a good idea to stay away from food additives that can contribute to high blood pressure issues. It has been observed by experts that there are some food additives that can contribute to high blood pressure issues.

Food Additives Can Make You Obese

Food additives have long been a source of contention. While they may be necessary to make a product taste or look right, some food additives may be higher in calories than you would expect and can lead to issues like obesity. You must know that there are certain food additives that might significantly increase the calorie content and might cause weight gain.

Conclusion

Food additives are chemical substances added to food to preserve its flavor or enhance its taste. The advantage of using food additives is related to cost, since they make food cheaper and more affordable for the general public. The disadvantage of food additives is their potential to cause harm to your body when they are ingested. Some of them are there purely for adding taste, but other food additives are there to ensure that the food doesn't spoil and stays fresh for longer. Furthermore, we hope you enjoyed reading this blog and learned more about food additives and how they are used to keep food fresh and safe to eat.