Sulfited Products

Sulfites are sulfur-based preservatives used to prevent or reduce discoloration of light-colored fruits and vegetables, prevent black spots on shrimp and lobster, inhibit the growth of microorganisms in fermented foods such as wine, condition dough, and maintain the stability and potency of certain medications.

Sulfites can also be used to bleach food starches, to prevent rust and scale in boiler water that is used to steam food and even in the production of cellophane for food packaging.

Symptoms of Sulfite Sensitivity: Sulfites can be toxic and harmful to about 5% of the population with symptoms such as:        

• Nausea

• Diarrhea

• Asthma and Broncospasm

• Racing heart

• Chest tightness

• Nausea

• Hives

• Nasal and sinus congestion (this can be immediate)

• Runny nose (rhinitis) and postnasal drip

• Frontal headaches

• Seizures

• Anaphylactic shock (rare)

Anaphylactic symptoms include: flushing, fast heartbeat, wheezing, hives, dizziness, stomach upset and diarrhea, collapse, tingling or difficulty swallowing.

Sulfites give off the gas sulfur dioxide, which can cause irritation in the lungs and cause a severe asthma attack for those who suffer from asthma.

“Salad Bar Syndrome” (I just hate this!) is caused by sulfite sprays used on vegetables and lettuce at the salad bar. . When I see salad that glistens, I pass on the bar. Often the glistening is from dipping the lettuce in a Metabisulfite preservative to keep it looking fresher, longer. I know what’s in store for me if I don’t catch that glistening—nausea, increased stomach gurgling (borborygmous) and a slight asthma attack.

Sulfite Sensitivity: A person can develop sulfite sensitivity (allergy) at any point in their life and may be caused by a relative deficiency of the enzyme sulfite oxidase (therefore a metabolic problem) which breaks down sulfites and requires molybdenum as a cofactor.

So, if you have a molybdenum deficiency you may also be experiencing tendon and ligament challenges, gout, cancer, anemia, and dental caries. This is one reason why I ask so many questions during my consult. I’m trying to put all the pieces to the puzzle together. Each sign and symptom is just another piece of the puzzle to me.

I’m allergic to all kinds of sulfites including sulfa drugs. I once was treated with trimethoprim sulfa for a bladder infection. The second day my entire body broke out in hives. And once I had two puffs of Advair and also broke out into hives. Apparently they put sulfites in that product as a preservative (who thought that up to put sulfites in an asthma inhaler?!)

I actually have one client that orders my Food Additive Detox drops to take so that he can take his inhaler. Bizarre, but he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and would die without the inhaler he thinks. Oh, and did you know that people also react to Advair because it contains lactose? Blah!

The FDA estimates that 1% of people are sulfite-sensitive and 5% of those also suffer from asthma.

Note: molybdenum is best taken as whole food supplements and can easily toxify the body if overdone. See my molybdenum handout for foods high in molybdenum. Interestingly enough eggs, beans, peas and wheat germ are both high in molybdenum AND natural sulfur. It seems that many people allergic to sulfites can eat foods naturally high in sulfur. I suppose they are digested differently and use different enzymes and cofactors to make the sulfur available to the body:  http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/Diet_Nutrition/molybdenum.htm

Diagnosis of suspected sulfite sensitivity:

• Challenge: Symptoms upon sulfite exposure (See above)

• Urine Tests: Sulfites can be measured in the urine.

• Allergy tests: Most sulfite sensitive people will not have a positive allergy test. There is currently no reliable blood or skin allergy test for these patients.

Names to look for on food labels that indicate sulfites:

·        Sulfite

·        Sulphur Dioxide

·        Sodium Sulfite

·        Sodium Bisulfite

·        Sodium Metabisulfite

·        Potassium Metabisulfite

·        Calcium Sulfite

·        Calcium and Bisulfite

·        Potassium Bisulfite

Low /no sulfite wines
As a rule, sulfites are found in wines as part of the fermentation process and are at higher levels in the cask wine than bottled wine, and are at much higher concentrations in white wine than red wine, because red wine is preserved in part by natural tannins.

Management of sulfite sensitivity

• Time: There is no evidence that sulfites sensitivity reduces with time.

• Avoidance: This is the mainstay of management for many people who don't know about homeopathics.

• Homeopathics: I carry Food Additive Detox Drops with me wherever I go as I experience heart arrhythmias, nausea, upset bowels, and asthma after ingesting sulfites and MSG. If you have similar problems, email me and I will set you up with your own bottle of this awesome, life-saving homeopathic. It costs $15 plus postage and appropriate tax. Note: If you've never used homeopathics before you'll need to read the handout. Homeopathics include the vibration of the substance you are trying to remove from the body. So, Food Additive Detox drops actually contain the vibration of sulfites, NutraSweet, MSG and other food additives and these items are listed on the label which often confuses and alarms people.

Note: I’ve heard that commercial test strips to test food for the presence of sulfites are available in some other countries but that they may be unreliable.

Many consumers of the standard American diet experience severe allergy symptoms, including headaches, asthma, and even seizures from sulfites. These have been added to foods by major food processing companies because they have preservative effects and are very inexpensive. Sulfites are used in many different kinds of foods. If you or your loved ones have severe food reactions, check labels and suspect the inclusion of sulfites in the following types of foods and beverages:

Bread with dough conditioners, cookies, crackers, crepes, mixes with dried fruits or vegetables, pie crust, pizza crust, quiche crust, soft pretzels, tortillas and tortilla shells, and waffles.

Horseradish, onion and pickle relishes, pickles, olives, salad dressing mixes, and wine vinegar.

All processed "cheese foods" containing filled milk (skim milk enriched in fat content by addition of vegetable oils).

Chives, parsley, herbs, and spices, processed fruits, and all dried fruit, including raisins, prunes, canned, bottled or frozen fruit, maraschino cherries, and glazed fruit. Shredded coconut.

Fresh and frozen shrimp, scallops, clams, lobster, crab, dried cod, and salmon.

Cornstarch, modified food starch, spinach pasta, gravies, hominy, breading, batters, noodle rice mixes.

All dried fruits, grapes, fresh-cut potatoes (as delivered to restaurants). Sulfur dioxide is used as fungicide on fresh grapes. Used in processing some nuts.

All (in the pectin)

Soy protein products such as tofu, textured vegetable protein, and infant formulas.

Soaps, perfumes, pickling compounds, cosmetic creams, mouthwashes, bleach, hair dyes, wart removing compounds.

Dr. Moffat's Bio            FAQ's About My Practice             Policies

Phone Consultation Appt. Requests/Costs            What I Do & Costs             Disclaimer

© 2006 by Dr. Denice M. Moffat

Contact Us:

Home Page       Basics of Health      Phone Consultations      Exam Forms      Specific Diseases    

 Healing Techniques       Veterinary Stuff        Recipes        Inspiration        Tithing Projects      

Media Reviews        Prosperity & Abundance      Coaching Corner       Client Testimonies      

Links by Category       My Favorite Products        Newsletter Archives       

Index to Newsletter Topics        Newsletter Sign-Up        Site Map