What we don’t know CAN hurt us: the case for keeping an eye on additives and sticking to whole foods

A new study reveals that estrogen-mimicking compounds – impostors that can bind to estrogen receptors in our bodies and influence hormone activity – are present in two widely used food additives. Which raises the question, how many more harmful compounds are hiding in the more than 3,000 preservatives, flavorings, colors and other additives found in processed foods, and what happens when they build up over time in our bodies? Until the FDA requires testing for estrogenic activity in these chemicals, we may be in the dark about what’s on our plates.

And then there’s the synergy of combined hormonal effects to watch out for. “We need to be mindful of these food additives because they could be adding to the total effect of other estrogen mimicking compounds we're coming into contact with,” warned Clair Hicks, a professor of food science at the University of Kentucky. Full story: Environmental Health News