Let me ask you a question…
Do you know what mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are when they appear on a food label?
Or what about polysorbate 80?
Or carboxymethylcellulose?
Chances are, you don’t…
But these are part of a group of ingredients called emulsifiers found in almost every ultra-processed food (UPF) on the shelf.
Emulsifiers are chemicals that keep oil and water from separating, which is handy if you’re a food manufacturer trying to make products that sit in warehouses for weeks without going claggy, splitting or going off.
As well as keeping them on the supermarket shelves for longer, emulsifiers are used to make foods feel creamy, moist, smooth or stable.
But there’s a dark side…
What emulsifiers do to your bowels
There’s a protective mucus layer that lines your bowel wall, keeping toxins, bacteria, and food particles from slipping into the bloodstream where they don’t belong.
But studies show that emulsifiers disrupt this mucus layer.
This means the lining of your gut becomes more exposed and vulnerable, leading to inflammation and immune overreactions.
To make matters worse, emulsifiers also change the balance of your gut microbiome, the bacterial community that regulate digestion, mood, metabolism and immunity.
So if you want to avoid emulsifiers, look out for:
• E433 – Polysorbate 80
• E466 – Carboxymethylcellulose (also called cellulose gum)
• E471 – Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
• E472 – Esters of mono- and diglycerides
• Soy lecithin (E322) – Common in chocolate and bakery goods
• Carrageenan (E407) – Found in plant milks and yoghurts
You’ll often see them in things like:
• A loaf of sliced bread
• A tub of ice cream
• A dairy-free alternative
• A ‘healthy’ low-fat yoghurt
• A ready-made curry sauce
• Even some supplements and protein powders
So either give them a swerve or make them nothing more than an occasional treat!
Yours as ever
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
