Check the label for the hidden ingredient in your favorite foods that could put you at risk for fatal heart disease. Some of the hidden ingredients in your favorite foods could put you at risk for fatal heart disease.
Emulsifiers, also known as e-numbers, are used to improve the flavor and shelf life of snacks, ready-to-eat meals, and ice cream.
Dr. Bernard Srour, the study’s author, urged people to “reduce” their intake of highly processed foods to maintain their health.
Over 160,000 people in the UK die each year from heart disease, which includes heart attacks and heart failure.
Over 100,000 adults participated in the French study, which found that different e-numbers can cause various heart problems like stroke and coronary heart disease, which damages the arteries.
According to previous studies, the additives may increase inflammation and disrupt “good” gut bacteria; possibly making individuals more powerless to heart issues.
Adults who consumed more foods high in additives found in fatty foods like margarine and sausages had a higher risk of stroke, according to the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal.
Croissants, on the other hand, increased the risk of coronary heart disease.
They were questioned about their diet, had their vitals measured, and asked to report any heart problems.
After that, participants were followed up on seven years later.
Dr. Srour acknowledged that the study only discovered a small link between e-numbers and cardiovascular disease.
However, given that these food additives are utilized “ubiquitously in thousands” of widely consumed ultra-processed food products, he stated that the findings remained significant.
“The results will contribute to the re-evaluation of regulations around food additive usage in the food industry to protect consumers,” he added.
In the meantime he suggested people should “reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods to avoid exposure to emulsifiers and other food additives.”