Food additives that are approved for human consumption require safety analysis and regulatory approval. However, GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) substances are considered safe for consumption based on a history of common use in food or scientific evidence, or consensus among experts. Also, they are only tested on animals and not humans. Does this process perhaps need revising?

Amino acids are an important part of a balanced diet. However, can eating too much of a good thing be bad? In this article we look at the health risks and side-effects of consuming more than the recommended amount of amino acids.

Some of the food additives that we can still find in New Zealand manufactured foods, have already been banned in other countries. This includes certain food colours and dyes, artificial sweeteners and flavouring agents. With a recent study saying that 69% of food products in our supermarkets are ultra-processed, there is a high probability that we are consuming these potentially harmful additives on a regular basis.

Ginkgo has been used in traditional natural medicine for thousands of years, but its real medicinal value has only been recognised in the last fifty years. Today, in Germany, Ginkgo is approved for the use in treatment for dementia.

Food is not always “just food” since we all might react differently to certain nutrients. This is most evidently seen when we talk about coffee and caffeine, since some of us absorb caffeine much slower, which has a negative effect on our health. The reason for this is our unique genetics.