La ciencia ha avanzado y hoy día los laboratorios están reemplazado a la cocina tradicional. La industria alimenticia recurre cada vez más a la química y a la ingeniería genética para producir alimentos con más sabor y que duren más tiempo en un estante de supermercado. Los defensores de estas innovaciones afirman que son beneficiosas para la salud y el medio ambiente. Sin embargo, no hay que perder de vista que la industria alimenticia es un negocio y, como tal, su principal meta es obtener ganancias. Aquí te presentamos algunos de los secretos y engaños que la industria alimenticia no quiere que sepas.
Plátanos clonados
¿Alguna vez te preguntaste por qué todos los plátanos son iguales? La especie de plátanos Cavendish actualmente es la más vendida a nivel mundial. Para lograr que todos los plátanos sean de la misma especie, los productores recurrieron a dos técnicas agrícolas: la clonación y el monocultivo. La transformación del plátano en una fruta estéril y la falta de rotación de cultivos hacen que esta especie pierda su diversidad genética, por lo cual es más vulnerable a las pestes. Tal fue el caso de la especie Gros Michael, variedad que comían tus abuelos y desapareció alrededor de los años 50 porque no pudo tolerar una epidemia de hongos.
Un sabor peligroso
Si cuando comes fideos instantáneos notas un sabor que no puedes clasificar, probablemente estés en contacto con el Glutamato de sodio (GMS), un realzador del sabor que activa los receptores de la lengua. Aunque es considerada una sustancia segura en Estados Unidos y Europa, hay investigaciones que han puesto una sombra de sospecha sobre su efecto en la salud del hombre. El Dr. Russell Blaylock sostiene que el GMS es tóxico para el sistema nervioso: estimula de manera excesiva a las neuronas hasta provocar su muerte. Este aditivo puede ser encontrado en alimentos congelados o deshidratados, aderezos y bebidas deportivas.
Mantequilla mortal
La posibilidad de hacer palomitas de maíz en pocos minutos es una de las mejores ideas de este último tiempo. Sin embargo, ese olor mantecoso que inunda tu casa luego de cocinarlas es resultado del uso de diacetil, un reemplazo químico de la mantequilla común. Al ser expuesta al calor, esta sustancia expide un vapor tóxico que causa bronqueolitis obliterante, una enfermedad pulmonar que puede resultar mortal. Wayne Watson, un fanático de este tentempié, fue diagnosticado con esta afección luego de comer todos los días durante 10 años dos bolsas de palomitas hechas con microondas.
Tan dulce que empalaga
Muchas personas se vuelcan a substitutos del azúcar que los creen más saludables. Tal es el caso del aspartamo, un edulcorante sintetizado de una bacteria clonada y reducido a un polvillo para su comercialización. Es muy utilizado en alimentos y bebidas de dieta – sobre todo en aquellos que tienen la leyenda “sin azúcar” – aunque también se encuentra en otro tipo de productos como gelatinas, polvos para preparar bebidas, yogures y chicles. Hay denuncias que indican que el aspartamo produce migrañas, pérdidas de visión, artritis, enfermedad de Parkinson, cáncer y transtorno de déficit de atención, entre otros.
Nada es lo que aparenta ser
Una chuleta de cerdo parece no tener ninguna relación culinaria con la gelatina pero… Esta sustancia viscosa es un derivado del colágeno, una proteína que se encuentra en la piel, los cartílagos y los huesos de puercos, vacas y peces. Después de extraer estos elementos de los animales, se los sumerge en agua muy caliente repetidas veces para reducir el colágeno a un polvo blanco muy popular, conocido bajo el nombre de gelatina.
¡He encontrado un pelo en mi comida!
Si lees las etiquetas de los productos de panadería, encontrarás un ingrediente llamado L-cisteína, un aminoácido que se utiliza para acelerar procesos industriales en el horneado de alimentos. A gran escala, esta sustancia es extraída de algunas de las fuentes de proteínas más abundantes en el mundo: plumas de pato y de gallina, cuernos de toros y… cabello humano. La cisteína es aislada y convertida en polvo para después incluirla en muchos alimentos de mesa como, por ejemplo, panes, galletas y bizcochos.
Alimentos mutantes
Desde hace dos décadas que se están comercializando productos con ingredientes transgénicos, es decir, provenientes de bacterias, plantas o animales modificados genéticamente en laboratorios. Según ciertas investigaciones, el cultivo de estas semillas aumentó la toxicidad de los suelos y redujo la biodiversidad. Algunos estudios sostienen que contribuyen a la resistencia a antibióticos y creación de alergias, además de ocasionar cáncer e infertilidad en animales de laboratorio. Más de 40 países han exigido que los productos que contengan OGM estén etiquetados, mientras que otros han prohibido su ingreso al mercado local.
Rojo encandilante
Si una expresión de asco inunda tu rostro cada vez que ves en tu televisor a alguien comiendo un insecto, no sabes que tú también los has saboreado… y más de una vez. El ácido carmínico es extraído de los huevos fertilizados de la cochinilla y es usado como colorante brillante en tonalidades rojas, rosadas y púrpuras. Estudios han determinado que algunas personas son alérgicas a este compuesto. Las carnes rojas, las salchichas, marinadas, bebidas alcohólicas, salsas, yogurt, quesos, mermeladas y jaleas son algunos de los productos que son coloreados con ácido carmínico.
Néctar sintético
El jarabe de maíz de alta fructosa (JMAF) surgió como respuesta a los grandes precios que la industria alimenticia debía pagar al comprar azúcar a países centroamericanos. Este edulcorante líquido de consistencia parecida a la miel es extraído del maíz y es 200 veces más dulce que el azúcar. Sin embargo, ningún truco de magia es gratuito: algunos nutricionistas lo señalan como causa de obesidad y diabetes. Actualmente, un gran abanico de productos contienen JMAF como, por ejemplo, panes,cereales de desayuno, gaseosas y condimentos como ketchup.
Regresar a la cocina
Gastar dinero y tiempo en lo que comes es una inversión a largo plazo. Para vivir una vida saludable es necesario cuidar lo que comes y saber qué estas comiendo. Es importante leer las etiquetas que vienen impresas en los envoltorios de los alimentos y averiguar qué significan aquellos que te llaman la atención. Por otra parte, debes pasar un poco más de tiempo en la cocina para elaborar recetas propias y más saludables que cualquier comida rápida. A pesar de que suelen ser un poco más caras, hoy existen alternativas orgánicas a los alimentos esenciales de una dieta nutritiva.
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