Who doesn’t like grabbing a bite of their favorite snack in the middle of their chaotic schedule? We often find ourselves mindlessly munching on Doritos and soft drinks but have you ever wondered if these bright red-colored snacks might be doing you some internal damage? The coloring used in making these snacks look appealing and eye-catching can harm your health.
An article published in the Daily Mail, UK, shows that the red food dye, RED-40, used in several packed snacks and carbonated drinks, can corrode your gut walls and lowers its ability to absorb nutrients and minerals essential for your body.
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What Does The Study say?
Researchers have found that this Red-40 dye, also known as Allura Red, degrades one’s ability to fight foreign substances by lowering the immune response. Researchers from McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, conducted this research in mice, but the outcomes are similar to those found in humans in western countries. Allura Red is said to be inflammatory in nature and is causing erratic bowel movements in humans and bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis. Dr. Waliul Khan said that these findings can help us avoid gut inflammation and can come up with better medications. You can try gentle medication for relief. Dr. Khan also said that around three million Americans are suffering from gut inflammatory diseases which is an alarming number.
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As a part of studies, mice were fed with the dye for 12 weeks and severe ulcers and sores were found in their digestive tract. Your gut health is crucial for overall body development as this is where all the essential minerals, nutrients, and water are absorbed. We often take supplements for improved gut health, but these minor ingredients in our diet can leave all our efforts wasted.
How is This Affecting You?
We often eat a snack and other delicacies because they make us happy and satisfied. This is due to a hormone called Serotonin that evokes emotions in our bodies. But 95 percent of this hormone is released by our gut, and consuming food dyes harms us in many ways. In the past few years, the use of food colorings has increased exponentially. This is causing health problems related to the colon and rectum and also is related to causing hyperactivity in children. If you are observing abdominal pain, blood in your fecal discharge, bloating, and any such problems, this can be related to your increased intake of food colorings.
We love our families and children and often treat ourselves with snacks on minor achievements to appreciate ourselves, but you can take a healthier approach to this. Be sure you are aware of the ingredients used in making your favorite snacks and help your loved ones maintain a healthy gut.
The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.
