Many of the foods we eat every day—like cakes, ice cream, and ready-to-eat meals—contain added ingredients that help them last longer, look more appealing, and taste better. These ingredients are called food additives.
One group of additives is known as emulsifiers. Emulsifiers help keep food smooth and stable, stopping ingredients like oil and water from separating. While these additives are approved for use and are found in thousands of products, scientists are starting to question how safe they really are.
A new study from France suggests that some emulsifiers might be linked to heart problems. The researchers tracked the eating habits and health of over 95,000 adults for about seven years. Most of the people in the study were women, and none of them had heart disease when the research began.
During the study, the researchers kept detailed records of what the participants ate, including how much of each food additive was in their meals. They also monitored which participants developed heart problems like heart attacks or strokes.
The results showed that people who ate more foods with certain emulsifiers had a higher risk of heart disease. Some of the additives linked to this increased risk included types of celluloses and fatty acids—these are often used to give food a better texture.
Another additive, called trisodium phosphate, was connected to a greater chance of developing coronary heart disease, which affects the blood vessels that supply the heart.
This study doesn’t prove that these additives directly cause heart disease, but it does show a possible connection. It’s what scientists call an “association.” That means the people who consumed more of these additives also had more heart problems, but there could be other reasons behind it.
For example, the study had more women and highly educated participants than the general population, so the findings might not apply to everyone.
Even so, these findings add to growing concerns. Earlier research has suggested that some emulsifiers might disrupt the balance of bacteria in our guts or cause inflammation. Both of these effects are known to increase the risk of heart disease over time.
Currently, food safety agencies around the world consider these emulsifiers to be safe. They are approved for use based on the evidence available at the time of review. But this new study suggests we might need to look at these additives more closely.
So, what should you do? You don’t need to panic or throw out every item in your kitchen. But it’s a good idea to be more aware of what’s in the foods you eat.
Try to limit ultra-processed foods, which are often full of additives, and choose more whole or homemade foods when you can. Health experts have long advised people to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins—and this advice still stands.
More research is needed to confirm the findings of this study. But in the meantime, being mindful of how much processed food you consume is a smart step toward better heart health. The study was published in The BMJ, a respected medical journal, and adds to a growing body of research exploring how our modern diets may affect our long-term health.
If you care about heart health, please read studies that yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease, and coconut sugar could help reduce artery stiffness.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that Vitamin D deficiency can increase heart disease risk, and results showing vitamin B6 linked to lower death risk in heart disease.
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