Sustainable: A Soapbox Moment

[Hinotori]

I was getting sick every time I ate bread. Going through a lot of Pepto.

It wasn't the wheat, though. I can eat pasta fine as well as biscuits and home made bread. The only store bought stuff I can eat is the French bread from one store's bakery. All bagged breads get me. Some dough conditioner or such makes me very sick.

It would be very nice if they didn't add weird crap to our food.

 

[MoonShadows]

Weird crap to out food? Read this Hinotori. Just reading this will make you sick. I just learned this a few months ago.

Did you know that store bought bread...with it's perfect texture....never any big voids, contains azodicarbonamide. They use it to make the "perfect bread".

Do you know what azodicarbonamide is?

PLASTIC! It's the same stuff they use to make Yoga Mats! It plays a role in the formation of air bubbles by breaking down into gas at high temperature.

It is legal to use in the US, but banned in Europe and Australia. In fact, in some countries, if it is found you are using it in food, you can go to jail!

1. Azodicarbonamide is an Industrial Chemical
The primary function of azodicarbonamide is centered on the way it breaks down during processing — it creates tiny bubbles that make things “foamy.” Somewhere in the testing procedures, scientists discovered it whitened flour and acted as an oxidizing agent. Bakers, or rather “food scientists” soon concluded that it should be a standard inclusion in bread.

2. Azodicarbonamide Increases the Irritability of Gluten
Gluten has been linked to a host of gastro-intestinal, immunologic and neurologic diseases. If you take it a step further, gluten is irritating to gluten intolerant bodies because it contains two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, which those body’s struggle to process. When bread dough is treated with azodicarbonamide, it can break down the gluten and make glutenin and gliadin more immediately available.

3. Azodicarbonamide Can Cause Respiratory Problems
Research has established a direct link between exposure to azodicarbonamide and the onset of asthma. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) follow-up report, regular occupational exposure to azodicarbonamide can lead to asthma and allergies. The WHO report notes many of those who developed asthma and other respiratory complications experienced symptoms within just three months of exposure.

4. Azodicarbonamide is a Skin Irritant
The WHO report also noted physical exposure to azodicarbonamide caused recurring dermatitis. Fortunately for those suffering, eliminating exposure caused the indications of the dermatitis to go away. While this is good news, these results show how quickly industrial chemicals can initiate an autoimmune response. Unfortunately, skin irritation seems to be the least of concerns…

5. Azodicarbonamide Disrupts the Immune System
In 2001, lab tests found that direct exposure to azodicarbonamide inhibited human immune cell formation and function. Although “direct exposure” may be less of a common problem, the bigger problem happens when azodicarbonamide is heated up, as when it’s a bread ingredient…

6. Azodicarbonamide Creates Toxic By-Products When Heated
While azodicarbonamide is used to condition bread dough, when it’s baked, the heat causes it to break down. Two by-products can result: semicarbazide and ethyl carbamate. Semicarbazide belongs to a family of chemicals known as hydrazines that are especially carcinogenic. A 2003 study using animal models found that it caused free radical damage to DNA. Other studies have found that semicarbazide damages human immune cells and the DNA of animals.

The other half of the gruesome twosome is no better. The National Institute of Health’s Hazardous Substances Data Bank states that ethyl carbamate is a carcinogen to animals; in fact this is backed by over 200 studies. Research from 17 years ago confirmed that adding azodicarbonamide to bread increased ethyl carbamate levels. The awful truth is that industry has known for nearly two decades that this is toxic trash and fed it to us anyway.

7. Harmful to Hormone Function
Exposure to semicarbazide can present another health risk. Animal studies have found it has a toxic impact on hormone function and the hormone-regulating organs, including the thyroid, thymus, spleen, testes, ovaries, and uterus. As is the case with all endocrine disrupting compounds, this stuff is poison!

8. Europe and Australia Have Banned It
While US Officials continue to claim the amount of azodicarbonamide found in most baked products poses no serious health threat, European and Australian officials have banned its use in bread. Baby food jars were another source of exposure and officials were left without answers concerning the “safe levels” for infants. Consequently, European officials disallowed its use in sealing glass jars.

9. Subway is Not the Only Violator
An NBC news piece released shortly after Subway’s bread revelation identified several other restaurants whose food contained azodicarbonamide. These include McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Arby’s, Jack in the Box, and Chick-fil-A. Although not all bread from these restaurants may contain azodicarbonamide, is it worth the risk? Bottom line — if you want to avoid it, get in contact with the corporate big wigs who control restaurants from afar and verify they’ve made a pledge not to use any azodicarbonamide.

A Final Thought…
“Health officials” may claim this trash is safe in low doses, but who’s monitoring exposure? And let’s face, at any level a toxin is a toxin. If it doesn’t contribute to health, it’s taking away from it. As I’ve said for years, disease happens when toxic buildup in the body becomes too great. The best approach for encouraging good health continues to be eating a diet of natural, organic foods from trusted sources and regularly detoxifying your body.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ewwww. That is disturbing. Is it safe to assume it is not used in organic breads? Or no?

I guess I better start making bread again...

 

[MoonShadows]

Since this is chemical, it should not be present in organic bread. It is also not used in most "fresh baked" breads you would but at the store....mostly mass produced and fast food breads.

 

[Mini Horses]

Wow, that's disturbing! Let me add to the issue --- those "fresh baked" at store breads are shipped as frozen dough. So you can consider that it is most likely present. I'd have to see a label to know for sure, as that is not always on the loaf package.

Thankfully, I rarely eat much of the "common" loaf breads but do like the organic, whole grain types...with lots of seeds! ... costs a lot more but, tastes great & I use a loaf maybe over a month. Yep, freeze & take out a couple slices at a time. Bread machine works fine, especially with smaller loaf size.

I've said for years that our purchased food is killing us!!! Now this --- makes you want to challenge yourself to eating "only what you can raise yourself". Then we have to consider any feeds we use for those animals. I swear, it gets very complicated. Guess it will never be perfect, just try to do as much as we can to minimize these problems.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yes when I overthink it I get stressed out. So I take one thing at a time and know that I'm always working towards self sufficiency. A little at a time!

 

[MoonShadows]

....just try to do as much as we can to minimize these problems.

That's the best we can do.

Yes when I overthink it I get stressed out. So I take one thing at a time and know that I'm always working towards self sufficiency. A little at a time!

Good way to take it. You can make yourself crazy.

 

[lcertuche]

Yet another reason to make your own bread. I am even thinking about moving on to sandwich rolls for burger and such. Big Family Homestead did a blog on making some nice soft sandwich rolls. I was interested before but now doubly so.

I know I can eat home grown free range eggs but most store bought make me sick. I kind of figured it was what they feed those critters.

 

[Hinotori]

Mom can't eat store eggs. Nor can another friend if ours. We had a discussion I think on BYC a few years ago about it. Egg shells are porous and can soak up stuff after the bloom is washes off. The commercial egg wash or the mineral oil they apply after to reseal the eggs is the most likely cause.

Want a ringing endorsement for home raised eggs?

I take lots of eggs down to my parents when I visit since Mom can't eat store eggs. Mom cooks eggs every day for Dad and the parrot no matter what eggs she has. Well she had just ran out after several weeks and got some store eggs. Dad didn't know that. So after he ate breakfast he told Mom to tell me that there was something wrong with this last batch because they tasted odd.

The Parrot took one bite of her scrambled eggs, spit it out, and refused to try eggs for a few weeks. She had to forget how my eggs tasted. This happens with the parrot each time Mom runs out of my eggs.

 

[lcertuche]