Everyday Foods with Neurotoxins
Neurotoxins can be found all around us. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find popular processed foods with Neurotoxins in them. So what is a neurotoxin and why should this concern us?
By definition, Neurotoxin is “a poison which acts on the nervous system.” But let’s break this down a bit, so we can fully understand what that means on an individual level.
“Neurotoxins are toxins that are destructive to nerve tissue (causing neurotoxicity). Neurotoxins are an extensive class of exogenous chemical neurological insults that can adversely affect function in both developing and mature nervous tissue.” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotoxin
In simpler terms, Neurotoxins inhibit the ability of neurons to function internally and block their ability to communicate with other neurons. This can cause systemic nervous system arrest (abrupt loss of function) or even tissue death, leading to a whole host of issues. In particular circumstances, neurotoxins can be useful, for example in the field of neuroscience where physicians and researchers utilize them to isolate certain channel activities inside the nervous system. But for the most part, we want to be extremely cautious when it comes to Neurotoxin exposure.
Neurotoxins are also not new. Humans have been exposed to naturally produced Neurotoxins for tens of thousands of years. So what’s the “everyday” concern?
Well, there are many common foods with Neurotoxins that are linked to some serious health issues. Below are 3 commonly used ones, but please note, that there are many more to be aware of. There are an estimated 1,000+ chemicals, both synthetic (human-made) and natural, thought to be neurotoxic. Many of them are used in food, beauty, and personal care products.
MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG)
Monosodium glutamate is a pure or free form of glutamate, used as a flavor enhancer in many foods. Glutamate is an extremely important neurotransmitter and naturally occurs in some foods, but can be dangerous. The key is what kind of glutamate you are dealing with. Bound glutamate is attached to other amino acids which allows for slow absorption in the body (the good kind). Free glutamate is not bound and has a very quick absorption rate (the bad kind). When free glutamate, which MSG is, is absorbed rapidly. In high doses, it overstimulates brain cells and sometimes it can even kill them. This is one reason why a lot of people get headaches after eating MSG-laced food. Many products like fast food, packaged soups, condiments, and processed meats contain MSG. Some restaurants also use it while cooking, so you’ll want to ask the waitstaff before ordering.
Outside of Neurotoxins MSG has recently been found to be an Obesogen, which is a compound that increases weight gain or can hinder weight loss.
Click here to learn more about Glutamate and brain health.
DIACETYL
Diacetyl is a flavor additive commonly found in microwave popcorn. Especially the buttery or movie theater butter flavors. Microwave popcorn manufacturer workers have been known to get what’s called “popcorn lungs” after inhaling large amounts of this toxic chemical. Popcorn lung causes “a scarring of the tiny air sacs in the lungs resulting in the thickening and narrowing of the airways” according to the American Lung Association.
The scariest part of Diacetyl is that it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and causes beta-amyloid clumping, a significant indicator of Alzheimer’s disease. Common places Diacetyl is found are popcorn,
potato and corn chips, and even crackers. Diacetyl is also sometimes used as a brown-flavor sweetening additive. You may find it in products like chocolate, cookies, cocoa-flavor products, candy, syrup, ice cream, sauces, and of course soft drinks. You’ll want to read the ingredient lists on processed food products before purchasing them.
Click here to read the research article on Diacetyl.
ASPARTAME
Aspartame is a popular artificial sweetener used in many zero-calorie, or diet soft drinks, “sugar-free” processed foods, and sugar packets under the names Equal or NutraSweet. It is made up of 3 highly concerning chemicals: phenylalanine (50%), aspartic acid (40%), and methanol (10%).
There are believed to be 90+ symptoms associated with the ingestion of Aspartame, including but not limited to memory loss, anxiety, joint pain, and fatigue. There is also mounting evidence that Aspartame may impact diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
Click here to learn more about the effect Aspartame may have on you and your family.
How To Avoid Foods with Neurotoxins?
So how can we avoid foods with Neurotoxins?
The best option we have is to avoid highly processed foods with potentially hazardous chemical ingredients. Either choose real, whole, or organic foods. When buying things that come in a box or package, look for ones that only have a few ingredients you can read and identify. Avoid anything that has natural and artificial flavors listed, as that is a sneaky place a manufacturer can hide chemicals like those listed without having to tell you about them.
Be your own health advocate, and demand better for your families by using your wallet to shop smarter. Stores are watching and will change the products they carry to match your buying habits.
Still have questions? Comment below or message us on Instagram.
References:
1- https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
2- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotoxin
3- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4133642/
5- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/tx3001016
6- https://birthdefects.org/aspartame-2/
Nika is passionate about biohacking, holistic wellness, sustainable living, and uplifting others through acts of kindness. She is also the host of the Inspired with Nika Lawrie Podcast. 🌿🖤🎙️ Connect with Nika: https://mtr.bio/nika-lawrie
