What was once a food additive made from Lemons and Limes, has like many other things, been replaced with a cheaper alternative. Unfortunately for us consumers, that cheaper alternative can have a detrimental effect.
The National Library of medicine states, "Citric acid naturally exists in fruits and vegetables. However, it is not the naturally occurring citric acid, but the manufactured citric acid (MCA) that is used extensively as a food and beverage additive. Approximately 99% of the world’s production of MCA is carried out using the fungus Aspergillus nigersince 1919. Aspergilus niger is a known allergen. The FDA placed MCA under the category of GRAS without any research to substantiate this claim. In 2016, 2.3 million tons of MCA were produced, predominantly in China, and approximately 70% is used as a food or beverage additive. There have been no scientific studies performed to evaluate the safety of MCA when ingested in substantial amounts and with chronic exposure. We present four case reports of patients with a history of significant and repetitive inflammatory reactions including respiratory symptoms, joint pain, irritable bowel symptoms, muscular pain and enervation following ingestion of foods, beverages or vitamins containing MCA. We believe that ingestion of the MCA may lead to a harmful inflammatory cascade which manifests differently in different individuals based on their genetic predisposition and susceptibility, and that the use of MCA as an additive in consumable products warrants further studies to document its safety."
Ever since I realized I had to avoid Citric Acid due to the reactions (joint PAIN), I was overwhelmed at how many products contain it! I mean EVERYTHING. Even healthy foods. But every time I say 'what the heck' and have that gatorade, I regret it for days.
I had to share this story, I really don't think people know what they are consuming. While researching this, I came across the FDA's GRAS list. GRAS is an acronym "Generally Regarded as Safe". These are food additives that we are consuming, and it's up to us to determine if they are safe, because our FDA is not doing that. Here are a few places to look those up. Let me know in the comments if you find other disturbing facts.
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Here I have downloaded the Gras Lists in case they change them later.
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