Common food preservatives linked to high blood pressure and heart disease
Medical Xpress • • health
Key Points:
- A study published in the European Heart Journal found that consuming foods with common preservative additives may increase the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
- The research, led by Dr. Mathilde Touvier and Anaïs Hasenböhler from French institutions, analyzed data from 112,395 French volunteers over seven to eight years, tracking their intake of preservatives and health outcomes.
- Results showed that higher consumption of non-antioxidant preservatives was linked to a 29% increased risk of hypertension and 16% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, while antioxidant preservatives were associated with a 22% higher risk of hypertension.
- Eight specific preservatives, including potassium sorbate (E202), sodium nitrite (E250), and ascorbic acid (E300), were identified as particularly linked to high blood pressure, with ascorbic acid also associated with cardiovascular disease.
- Researchers recommend re-evaluating the safety of these additives by regulatory authorities and advise consumers to prefer non-processed or minimally processed foods to reduce exposure to potentially harmful preservatives.