Excitotoxins What Are They?
Ever wonder why, “No one can eat just one?” If you’ve ever experienced feeling compelled to take another bite of a processed food, even though you are beyond full, the problem may not be a lack of self-control but it is more than likely that an excitotoxin is the culprit. An excito what? Let me explain.
An excite-toxin is a substance, usually a non-essential amino acids stimulate or “excite” the savory taste receptors on your taste buds making food seem way more flavorful than it really is. They are not preservatives and they have no nutritional value at all. Excitotoxins are nothing more than “chemicals added to foods to make them ‘tastier.” These compounds are added in abundance to most processed foods and restaurant meals, and many people are unknowingly consuming them in large amounts on a daily basis.
Processed foods are loaded with excitotoxins, all of which have been linked to brain cell death, infertility, problems with sexual development, violent behaviors, and hormonal disorders, and Alzheimers disease. Read what is in your food. Here are some exicito-toxins that you need to look for and avoid
MSG — monosodium glutamate an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, MSG is more than just a seasoning like salt and pepper, it actually enhances the flavor of foods, making processed meats and frozen dinners taste fresher and smell better, salad dressings more tasty, and canned foods less tinny. MSG may affect hormone production in the body.
This salt form of glutamate, or glutamic acid, has been known to trigger headaches. Glutamate easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and stimulates cell receptors which in turn makes cells die. [1] The body will naturally produce glutamate when it is needed to trigger cell death, however, flooding the body with glutamate can mess up normal cellular function, especially in the brain. Avoid foods with MSG, but please don’t think food is MSG-free just because you don’t see it in the ingredients list. [2] MSG also appears under the names:
- Natural flavor(s)
- Flavoring
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
- Autolyzed protein
- Plant Protein
- Textured Protein
- Yeast extract
- Nutritional yeast
- Carrageenan
- Anything with glutamate
Aspartate
Aspartate, or aspartic acid, is also a non-essentional amino which acts very similarly to glutamate also triggering cell death. [3] Most people consume aspartate in the form of the artificial sweetner aspartame. One of the most widely studied sweeteners, but CSPI advises steering clear — citing data suggests slightly increased cancer risk in men, and rat studies linking it to leukemia and lymphoma, neurological effects such as headaches, sleep disorders, and seizures. [4] Splenda• Nutra-Sweet • Equal • SugarTwin
Domic Acid
Domoic acid occurs naturally in shellfish and is another non-essential amino acid, domoic. Excessive overconsumption has shown to lead to the development of epilepsy, especially in the elderly. [5] If you’re a seafood eater, always choose wild-caught varieties of fish rather that farm raised who are often fed genetically modified food and swim in their own feces. Choose fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and without any excitotoxins added.
L-BOAA
This protein is another excitotoxin, also known as ODAP, that acts similar to glutamate. Although L-BOAA naturally occurs in the grass pea and similar plant species, overexposure leads to neurolathyrism, a disorder that affects motor skills and movement and can lead to paralysis. [6]
Cysteine
Cysteine is an industrially created excitotoxin made by hydrolysis of human hair and poultry feathers. It is extremely important for artificial flavor creation reacting with sugars in a process known as the Maillard reaction, it produces meaty and savory flavors. High cysteine levels are associated with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. [7]
Casein
Any cheese lovers out there? This protein compound is found in cheese at naturally high levels. In fact, 20% of casein is glutamic acid even though it makes a tasty treat;, it also increases glutamate overload. It is often used by food producers to improve flavor, and frequently used to increase protein levels in fitness products. So if you are thinking it is healthy it is not.
Excito-toxins such as MSG, aspartame, and cysteine have been linked to damaging effects in one’s health and nervous system. Reported allergic reactions like hives, shortness of breath, and rashes along with headaches, cramping stomach and rapid heartbeat, and even more seriously depression or paranoia are taking a toll on the health of many people. Become a label reader and protect yourself from poor health. The only one that can take care of you is you.
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Its good that people talking about this. I thintk that those substances should be prohiblited. For example many countries on the world has aalredy prohibited other addictive substances but thoes are still in use. Why? Because big companies have profit on that people ar sick and addicted to this kind of food. It's sick