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Ice cream is refreshing and delicious, and adults and children love it.Fat, may increasediabetes, high blood lipid prevalence, but can not resist the delicious. There is always a fluke mentality, thinking that as long as you choose not so sweet, relatively low fat ice cream, you can "satisfy your cravings and be healthy."But a recent study published in the top academic journal The Lancet found thatIt's not just the added sugar in ice cream that increases the risk of diabetes, but also a class of substances called emulsifiers.food additives。

The study surveyed more than 100,000 people and found that:Various food emulsifiers andType 2 diabetesThere is a positive correlation between the increased risk, but the degree varies, ranging from about 3% to 15%.Among them, the one that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes the most is calledTripotassium phosphateEmulsifiers, if consumed 500 mg per day, can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 15%[1]。

Food additive emulsifiers and risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study. Image source: Reference [1]

Emulsifiers are a type of food additive that helps water and oil mix evenly.Water and oil are not miscible, but since the structure of the emulsifier has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends, the hydrophilic end facing the water phase and the hydrophobic end facing the oil phase can be used to change the surface tension between the water phase and the oil phase, allowing the water and oil in the food to "hold hands", helping the water and oil in the food to be finely and evenly dispersed to form a stable emulsion.

For example, when we cook fish soup for a long enough time, we can make a milky fish soup. This is actually because fish glue, a natural emulsifier, plays a role in the fish soup, allowing the fat in the fish meat to be distributed delicately and evenly in the soup.

For the modern food industry,Emulsifiers are "indispensable" in the production of many pre-packaged foods.It can improve the appearance and taste of food, as well as enhance its texture and extend its shelf life.

Friends who have made bread at home will have this experience: no matter how soft and fluffy the bread is when it comes out of the oven, as long as it cools down after a few hours, the volume will easily become smaller, it will also fall apart, and the taste will deteriorate. Adding emulsifiers can keep the bread soft and fluffy for a longer period of time, which is one of the reasons why we think the bread in the bakery is more tempting.

There are two types of emulsifiers commonly used in the food manufacturing industry:Natural emulsifiers extracted from natural foods and artificial synthetic emulsifiers.

In addition to the fish glue mentioned above, natural emulsifiers include pectin, which is widely found in fruits, and lecithin extracted from eggs, liver, and peanuts.There are more types of synthetic emulsifiers, such as the ones we often see in food ingredient lists.Polysorbate, monoglyceride, diglyceride, polyglycerol ester, tripotassium phosphate, carboxymethyl cellulose, etc. are all synthetic emulsifiers, on iceIt can be found in baked goods such as ice cream, margarine, candy, jelly, chocolate, bread, cakes, as well as processed meats and sauces such as mayonnaise.

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The impact of emulsifiers on health has always been a concern.

As mentioned above, the intake of emulsifiers may increase the risk of diabetes. Researchers believe that this may be related to the disruption of emulsifiers.Intestinal flora, aggravating the level of intestinal inflammation and causinginsulinAntibodyAdd relevant[3]。

In addition, a Spanish animal experiment study also found thatEating too much food containing emulsifiers during pregnancy or lactation may lead to cognitive and psychological impairment in offspring[2]Another prospective cohort study in France found, the intake of multiple emulsifiers and the increaseCardiovascular diseaseSignificantly related to risk[4]This may be related to the effect of emulsifierBlood circulation,rightblood sugarNegative effects on metabolism are inseparable.

Some readers may ask, does this mean that foods containing emulsifiers can no longer be eaten?

In fact, there is no need to worry too much.

It should be noted thatThe conclusions of scientific research need to be verified and do not represent consensus or standards., the above mentioned studies need further verification. The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also conducts safety evaluations on food emulsifiers used in countries around the world. The results show that most of these emulsifiers are safe.As long as the varieties, scope of use and dosage specified in the national standard "Food Additives Usage Standards" (2760-2014) are used strictly, there is no food safety risk.

However, foods such as cakes, snacks, candies, chocolates, processed meats, etc.High in oil, sugar, fat, nitrite, etc.Health hazards,Even if it is not because of emulsifiers, it is recommended to control daily intake and frequency for health reasons.

In home cooking, we can use some "natural emulsifiers" or other ingredients that can play an "emulsifying" role to improve the color, aroma and taste of food.

For example, when making mousse cake, you can addisinglass(Gelatine sheets) are used to make the liquid mixed with milk/yogurt/cream and other ingredients more evenly mixed, and solidify into shape after cooling.

For example, if you want to make milky white fish soup or pork rib soup,You can add pure milk or pure soy milk to the soup.Not only are they white in color themselves, but they also play a certain emulsifying role, allowing the oil and water in the soup to be stably combined, showing a milky white color.

If you want to make delicious ice cream without ice crystals, you can addEgg yolk(Only egg yolks, no egg whites), use the natural emulsifier - lecithin, to make the ice cream taste more delicate and residue-free; you can also add a small amount of light cream to get a dense and silky taste.