Researchers from INSERM and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord followed more than 112,000 French adults for up to eight years as part of the NutriNet-Santé project. The findings were published in the European Heart Journal and cited by Medical Daily.
The study is among the largest of its kind. At the same time, the researchers emphasize that it is an observational study.
Therefore, the results cannot prove that the preservatives directly cause disease.
The researchers examined 58 different preservatives and focused particularly on those consumed by a large proportion of participants.
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Focus on food additives
An important aspect of the study concerns the difference between naturally occurring substances in foods and additives used in food production.
According to the researchers, a substance may affect the body differently depending on how it is consumed.
A nutrient found in fruit is not necessarily equivalent to the same substance used as an additive in an industrially manufactured food product.
This is particularly relevant because food manufacturers are increasingly using ingredients of natural origin in their products.
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The preservatives
The researchers found that eight common preservatives were associated with a 29 percent higher risk of high blood pressure among individuals with the highest intake compared with those with the lowest intake.
In addition, one additive was linked to a 16 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Among the preservatives associated with high blood pressure were citric acid and ascorbic acid, which are often marketed as natural ingredients.
Among individuals with the highest intake, these substances were associated with a 22 percent higher risk of high blood pressure.
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