Paracelsus, a famous doctor of the 16th century, said: “Poison is in everything, and nothing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy.”

Regarding the food we eat nowadays, there are lots of specialized studies that prove it contains higher or lower doses of poisons which we ingest every day and which are harmful to our health.

The first type of poison consists of pesticides with which fruit and vegetables are treated, to keep them safe from pests. They are sometimes used in illegal quantities and end up being banned. The European Union is trying to set limits on the concentration of pesticides allowed, to stop their uncontrolled use in a virulently expanding agriculture, seeking to make big profits in short periods of time.

Another poison nowadays is sugar, also called the "sweet bomb". This food is increasingly used nowadays, being introduced in sausages and low fat yogurts, to make them tastier. This food is full of pure carbohydrates and you can develop different types of diseases such as diabetes.

White flour and husked rice, used in large quantities, can be just as poisonous. The juices sold in stores are fake, a sweet poison that is full of sugar, artificial flavors and preservatives.

Salt is the one that gives flavor to food, but which slowly poisons our heart and blood vessels because it is also used in too large quantities.

Animal fats overload the liver, causing heart disease and obesity. Products full of fatty acids, such as cakes and fast food, cause heart disease and affect the pancreas. Sodium glutamate was conceived in a laboratory in 1908 and is used in present in almost every fast food product. It is one flavor enhancer that can have adverse effects on health. It adds flavor to the food, the cause of this phenomenon, however, remains an unsolved mystery. Although it was discovered that this flavor enhancer can cause symptoms like drowsiness, headaches or accelerated heartbeat, it is considered harmless.

Corn syrup is rich in fructose and is frequently used in soft drinks. It is a sweetener that is repeatedly used in many of trade’s salads and even in children’s vitamins. Some studies demonstrated that foods that contain corn syrup make us fatter than those which contain sugar. One study made by the researchers at Princeton University on mice showed that every single mouse who was fed with corn syrup became obese. This phenomenon occurs because this sweetener does not satisfy hunger, making people eat more than they need.

Although, the majority of the foods that we find in supermarkets contain an endless string of food additives, which have the role of keeping the food fresh for as long as possible. Those food additives become very toxic, in big quantities, and modern people’s meals gather significant amounts of poison.

In large quantities, every type of food, even if it is organic, can be a poison for our body. Because of it, it is necessary for us to have nutrition knowledge, to read the labels of the food we buy, to not overeat and to do a lot of sport.

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editorial: Ana Vucicu,

Alexandra Zanef

graphic design: Alexandra Zanef

translation: Ana Vucicu,

Alexandra Zanef

DP (desktop publishing): Alexandra Zanef