Food Preservative Induced Allergy

Remember the "salad bar" syndrome of the 1980’s caused by sulfite sprays used on vegetables to keep them "fresh" longer? How many of us were caught unaware? I was. All of a sudden my throat and bronchial tubes were swelling, my head was throbbing, and my heart racing. Worst of all I didn’t know why.

I knew that I have a tendency to food and environmental sensitivities (allergies) and that drinking strong black coffee would open up my bronchial tubes—which it did.

The FDA banned the use of sulfites on raw fruits and vegetables in 1986. They also require manufacturers to list the sulfite and nitrate compounds used on product labels.

Sulfite and nitrate compounds are completely different compounds but both are still used in food processing as preservatives and to eliminate bacterial contamination. Manufacturers justify their use of sulfites and nitrates by saying these compounds are found naturally in plants. However, natural plants are synergistic and contain balancing components, such as vitamin C.

This allergy isn't actually an allergy to the natural element sulfur, or the nitrate salts. It is a reaction to preservatives in foods. When the body comes in contact with the allergen, it sends a strong inflammatory response known as an allergic reaction. A person can develop sulfite or nitrate sensitivity any time in life.

The FDA estimates that one out of 100 people is sensitive to sulfites compounds. Exposure to sulfites and nitrates creates an inflammatory response that causes an allergic reaction. They produce symptoms within minutes of ingestion in people with chemical sensitivities. Symptoms range from mildly discomforting to fatal.

Symptoms of Preservative Sensitivity/Allergy

Headaches--occur after the consumption of foods that contain nitrates or sulfites

Hives--outbreaks of red or pale bumps or welts on the skin which appear suddenly after consuming nitrates and may show up anywhere on the body, range in size from a pencil eraser to a dinner plate, and subside in a few hours to a day. 



Rhinitis--an inflammation or irritation of the nasal passages, sneezing, itching and a runny nose, or a feeling of blockage or congestion. 



Asthma--inflammation of the lungs or breathing passages due to an allergy. If you experience congestion in the chest with difficult breathing or coughing this points to a sulfite or nitrate allergy. 



Sulfites

Sulfites are counted among the top nine food allergens. Sulfites can be found in a variety of cooked and processed foods. They also occur naturally in the process of making wine and beer. They are also known to initiate migraine headaches.

Sulfite preservatives are used to prevent or reduce discoloration of processed fruits and vegetables, prevent black spots on shrimp and lobster, inhibit the growth of microorganisms in fermented foods such as wine, condition dough, and maintain the stability and potency of certain medications. 

Read labels and avoid foods that are likely to contain sulfites.

Avoid:
wine, baked goods, soup mixes, jams, canned vegetables, pickled foods, gravies, dried fruit, potato chips, trail mix, beer, wine, vegetable juices, bottled lemon juice, bottled lime juice, tea, condiments, molasses, fresh or frozen shrimp, guacamole, maraschino cherries, and dehydrated, pre-cut, or peeled potatoes.

U.S. labeling regulations require products to list the presence of sulfites in foods only when they are specifically added as a preservative. In food processing, added preservative are only required to be listed when there are more than 10 parts per million (ppm) in the finished product. Sulfities may be in processed foods and not listed in the label. Choose minimally processed or frozen foods.

Most beers no longer contain sulfites, although some alcoholic ciders contain them. Although shrimp are sometimes treated with sulfites on fishing vessels, the chemical may not appear on the label. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfite

Nitrates

Nitrate preservatives are used in food processing to prevent botulism, enhance flavor and to preserve and colorize foods. Nitrates are found in cured and processed meats such as hot dogs, bologna, sausage and bacon.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, individuals with nitrate allergies may experience itchy hives, swelling and redness, fatigue and headache, congestion and asthma complications. Allergy symptoms can be treated with topical and oral antihistamines and inhalers to reduce inflammation and irritation.


However, the best way to avoid allergic reactions is to eliminating nitrate containing and processed foods from the diet.

Nitrate additives are associated with a range of symptoms such as headaches, irritable bowel symptoms, itchy rashes, asthma, children’s behaviour problems, difficulty falling asleep and waking frequently at night according to the Food Intolerance Network.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), August 2009, issued a warning and suggestion to parents to limit children’s intake of preservatives to 70 grams of processed meat per week. The WCRF report Stopping cancer before it starts, states there is strong evidence that red and processed meats causes bowel cancer and there is no amount of processed meat that does not increase cancer risk. Nitrates levels are increasing in our food supply due to overuse of artificial fertilizers.

Nitrates are naturally occurring minerals and small amounts are needed for digestion. However, chemically it makes no difference whether these additives are natural or synthetic. Nitrates are not carcinogenic but can be converted to nitrites in the gut and saliva.

These nitrates and nitrites readily combine with naturally occurring food amines to form highly carcinogenic chemicals called nitrosamines. Processed meats that contain nitrate and nitrite additives are naturally very high in amines, which are formed by protein breakdown in foods such as processed meat, fish and aged cheese.

A recent study published by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital in the US reported a link between higher levels of nitrates and increased deaths from certain diseases including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's. “We have become a 'nitrosamine generation”, said lead researcher Professor Suzanne de la Monte. “In essence, we have moved to a diet that is rich in amines and nitrates, which lead to increased nitrosamine production.”



If you have a sulfite or nitrate allergy be sure to read the ingredient label on processed foods. When taking a new medication pay attention for symptoms of allergic reaction. These potentially toxic and harmful substances can cause nausea or diarrhea and precipitate asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. 

http://fedup.com.au/factsheets/additive-and-natural-chemical-factsheets/249-252-nitrates-nitrites-and-nitrosamines

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5531531_dietary-nitrate-allergy.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_6101333_signs-symptoms-nitrate-allergy.html

http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/miscellaneous/articles/nitrites_bacon.html

http://www.diagnose-me.com/symptoms-of/sulfite-sensitivity.html

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/sulfite-sensitivity

The Versatile Beet

My favorite restaurant in St. Louis is the Cafe Osage. The Café Osage is part of an urban farm complex. This urban farm complex is associated with the local organic Bowood farm located in Clarksville, MO. My friends and I often enjoy a visit to the urban greenhouse and gift shop. The urban farm is an island of green, two city blocks of green houses, a vegetable garden and a roof top herb garden, in the middle of a transitional neighborhood of old Victorian homes.

Urban farming is a wonderful new trend. Many of the vegetables used in the dishes at Café Osage are grown in their 1/4 acre garden across the street. The café also receives many plants and vegetables from the 4th generation Clarksville family farm. You can take a tour of the rooftop herb garden where all the fresh herbs used at the café are grown.

I tried Café Osage’s fantastic beet salad. I gave myself the challenge of tying to replicate this pickled beet salad. After a quick check I find this beet salad is no longer on the menu. So if you are a beet lover like I am you will need to perfect your own version of this recipe.

West End Beet Salad

Ingredients

◦                2 cans of sliced pickled beets (if you use fresh beets, 8 medium-sized, the flavor will be milder and you will need to bake them first—beets are not meant to be hard) 

◦                1/4 cup celery

◦                1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots

◦                1/4 cup minced onions

        Mix together dressing in separate bowl

◦                1/2 cup sour cream/ or plain yogurt

◦                3 teaspoon prepared white horseradish  (use less horseradish for a milder flavor)

◦                2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1.               Use canned beets or, for fresh beets the best way to peel/cook beets is Baked Beets recipe (http://www.recipezaar.com/251586). Wrap each beet in a square of tin foil and bakes them at 400 degrees for a hour to an hour and a half. When beets are cool enough to handle, just slip the skins off.

2.              Slice, dice or chop the beets

3.              Place all the ingredients in a serving bowl, add the dressing and mix gently but thoroughly.

4. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to let the flavors marinate

BENEFITS OF BEETS

1. The ancient Romans used beets as an aphrodisiac
2. Beets are high in many vitamins and minerals
3. Beets cleanse the body
4. Beets help your mental health
5. Beets are a high source of energy
6. Nutritionists use beets and beet juice to test stomach acid levels—if you pee pink your stomach acid is too low
7. High in potassium
8. Helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, helps protect against heart disease
9. Have been used it to get rid of tumors, help blood diseases and leukemia.
10.  Used to treat and boils, abscesses and even acne
11.  Help cleanse the blood and the colon, and strengthen the gall bladder and liver

In my herbal studies program one of the first herbs I was introduced to was the beet top (beet greens.) But how can you discuss the beet top without discussing the beet itself. Beets are excellent blood cleansers. They cleanse the liver, work as a blood purifier, and demonstrate anti-cancer properties.

Beets contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones. They are very beneficial to pregnant women. The vitamin B, folic acid, and iron are beneficial to new growth cells and beets help replenishing iron in the woman’s body.

Beets contain betaine, which has been used for treatment of depression. They contain trytophan, which enhances a sense of well-being and calms the nervous system. Beets demonstrate properties that lower blood pressure. They are low in calories and high in a form of sugar, which is released into your system gradually making then very beneficial to the diabetic individual.

Beets are high in many vitamins and minerals including potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, thiamin, calcium, copper, phosphorous and zinc. Although beets are high in sodium, they're also high in potassium too and one cup contains over 14 percent of the recommended daily amount.

A study investigated animals with induced high cholesterol and colon cancer. Those that ate a diet consisting heavily of beet fiber displayed increased numbers of CD8 cells in their colons. CD8 cells help eliminate abnormal cells, such as cancer. The beet fiber group displayed a lower incidence of precancerous changes. It was discovered that the animals fed beets had a drop of 30 percent in total cholesterol with the triglycerides dropping a 40 percent while HDL levels, good cholesterol, increased.

A study of nitrosamines revealed beet juice inhibits their formation. Nitrosamines come from the ingestion and breakdown of nitrates found in preserved, processed meat Nitrosamines are known to induce the creation of cancerous cells. Beet juice is a powerful inhibitor of cell mutation caused by nitrosamines.

According to and article by Detopoulou P, Panagiotakos DB, et al. in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" people with a high intake of betaine, a substance found in beets, had lower inflammatory markers.

BEETS ARE VERSATILE

They are low calorie and all parts of the beet provide good nutrition. Add some of the leaves the next time you make stir-fry or drink a glass of beet juice for your health. Beets can be eaten raw or you can boil, steam roast or sauté them. Raw beets can be easily juiced. If you enjoy your beets cooked, wash the exterior thoroughly and put it in boiling water. Leave the top and skin, to preserve all the wonderful nutrient of the beet, and remove them later. If you want the benefits of beet juice but can not drinking it straight mix it with some carrot or apple juice for a milder taste. The raw beet leaves are a wonderful addition to salad. The leaves have been known to counter "garlic" breath.

http://healthfood-guide.com/HealthBenefitsOfBeets.aspx

http://beetsnutrition.com/health-benefits-of-beets.html

http://www.bowoodfarms.com/