Not all food additives are the same – but two categories have been shown to be particularly effective in terms of gut health: Emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners.
Emulgatoren: Die „Spülmittel“ in Ihrem Salatdressing
Emulsifiers prevent oil and water from separating. They ensure that plant milk remains creamy, the salad dressing does not separate and the ice cream has a smooth consistency. They can also be found in foods marketed as „healthy", such as protein bars.
The problem is that emulsifiers are basically surfactants – the kind of molecules that remove fat from a pan. The intestinal mucosa relies on a thin layer of mucus as a barrier that prevents the trillions of bacteria in the intestine from entering the bloodstream. This barrier plays a central role in what is often referred to as „leaky gut syndrome" or increased intestinal permeability – a condition in which the protective mucosa thins out or weakens. Human studies have shown that one of the most commonly used emulsifiers causes intestinal bacteria to move closer to this barrier than they should, thinning out the protective mucus layer.1 Once the intestine becomes permeable in this way, bacterial fragments called endotoxins can enter the bloodstream and trigger an inflammatory immune response. While the research is still in its infancy, the evidence is powerful enough to be taken seriously.
The solution is simple: When looking at the ingredients list, look for emulsifiers such as cellulose gum / carboxymethylcellulose (E466) and polysorbate 80 (E433). A good rule of thumb is: If it is a food that could easily be prepared in your own kitchen (e.g. B. simple dairy products, soy milk, a classic dressing), it is usually safe. For foods that require a long list of additives to retain their shape –such as frozen desserts or vegan meat alternatives–, it's worth taking a closer look.
Artificial sweeteners: No sugar, but not neutral either
Calorie-free sweeteners are often marketed as a „healthier" alternative to the usual suspects: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sucrose, and the many other sugar sources hidden on processed food labels.
But the abandonment of sugar does not mean that the effect on the body is also lost. In a randomized controlled trial, two of the most commonly used sweeteners – sucralose and saccharin– altered the composition of intestinal bacteria in participants and negatively affected blood sugar levels, even though they contained no calories.2-3
Das bedeutet jedoch nicht, dass künstliche Süßstoffe schlechter sind als Zucker. Für Menschen, die mit Zuckersucht oder Übergewicht zu kämpfen haben, sind sie in der Regel dennoch die bessere Wahl. Sie sind jedoch kein Freibrief für unbegrenzten Konsum. Da sie die Darmflora negativ beeinflussen, eignen sie sich am besten als Zwischenschritt zur Reduzierung von Zucker, nicht als täglicher Ersatz dafür.
The bottom line is: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods remain your gut's best friends. If you do pick up a processed product, it's worth taking a quick look at the ingredients list. Download a free shopping list of wholesome, natural, and prebiotic foods from JANISER® to start the journey to better gut health today. For great and healthy recipe ideas, you can download the free app from our partners at SevenCooks, available on the App Store and the Google Play Store.
- https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085%2821%2903728-8/fulltext
- https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2021.11.006
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35987213/
Image: Irma Sjachlan
