Emulsifiers: Like detergent to your intestines

If you have been following the Undoctored and Wheat Belly concepts, you are cultivating healthy bowel flora, efforts that include “seeding” your intestines with a high-potency, multi-species probiotic and fermented foods, and nourishing bowel flora with prebiotic fibers. But there are other issues to consider. Today, I discuss the emerging wisdom on emulsifying agents and why we should avoid them to regain healthy bowel flora and overall health. The capacity for a compound to emulsify a solution varies from minimal to dramatic. Even some natural compounds in whole, unprocessed foods can exert modest emulsifying effects, such as acacia (acacia seeds), pectin (apples, peaches), and lecithin (egg yolks), and mustard. The most powerful emulsification effects occur with synthetic or semi-synthetic emulsifying agents, such as polysorbate-80, carboxymethylcellulose, and methylcellulose, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and carrageenan. In one study, polysorbate-80 increased intestinal permeability 59-fold. The human intestinal tract is covered by a protective mucous layer made of mucopolysaccharides that keeps undesirable organisms and other factors away from the intestinal lining itself. The mucous barrier is continually being regenerated, but is susceptible to emulsification, like adding soap or detergent to oil, resulting in its breakup. Emerging data suggest that synthetic emulsifiers, polysorbate-80 and methylcellulose, disrupt the mucous lining, allowing microorganisms ...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Undoctored Wheat Belly Lifestyle bowel flora diabetes Dr. Davis emulsifiers Weight Loss Wheat Belly Total Health Source Type: blogs