The Truth About Citric Acid

If you want to prevent disease and age well, decreasing inflammation should be at the base of your food choices. This is why an anti-inflammatory diet is my top recommendation for an approach to nutrition.
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However, it is possible to “eat healthy” and to still consume ingredients that are linked to inflammation.
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Why?

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Many false advertising claims try to encourage us that we don’t need to read labels or to understand what the ingredients are in the foods we are consuming.
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However, the best way to advocate for your health and the health of those you love is to be an informed consumer. Read labels. Understand what ingredients are. And choose accordingly.
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One of the most misunderstood ingredients, in my opinion, is citric acid.
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At first glance, when you see citric acid in a food, if you’re like me, you might think, “Ok, cool! This has Vitamin C.” Afterall, citric acid comes from citrus fruits, right?
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While that is true, the citric acid listed as ingredients in foods we consume is not citric acid from citrus fruits. Nor is it vitamin C.
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The proper term for the citric acid listed under ingredients is Manufactured Citric Acid (MCA).
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MCA is one of the most common preservatives and additives used today. You will find it under the ingredients listed as “citric acid.”

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99% of citric acid comes from genetically modified Aspergillus niger. Aspergillus niger, a type of mold, is a potent allergen.(1.)

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In 1917, food chemist James Currie began experimenting with this process of making citric acid from mold. He discovered that strains of Aspergillus niger created large yields of citric acid with low cost materials. It was cost effective and highly productive. (2.)
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In 1919, Pfizer started to produce citric acid from Aspergillus niger, and the process is still used today. The greatest producer of manufactured citric acid today is China.
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Manufactured citric acid has not been studied by the FDA.
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In 1958, when the FDA adopted the Food Additive Amendment, congress excluded from the list of food additives those that had been in use prior to 1958 - such as: manufactured citric acid.
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Despite the fact that many food additives have been studied by the FDA to see if they are safe, additives like manufactured citric acid were given the status: Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).


GRAS ingredients are given that title due to lack of any demonstrated harm over a history of use. But who studied these ingredients? No one. (3.)
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Aspergillus niger is a known allergen. It has been linked to chronic inflammation, joint pain, lung and sinus infections, headaches, allergic reactions, and other health complications. (4.)

Mold is linked to a host of health issues, so why would we want to consume it? Especially genetically modified mold.

Where can you find the most manufactured citric acid?

In foods, drinks, sports drinks, processed dairy, snacks, vitamins, cosmetics, detergents, and cleansers, just to name a few.

The symptoms associated with consumption of citric acid include joint pain, swelling, stiffness, abdominal cramping, muscular pain, and dyspnea (shortness of breath).

Citric acid is also likely contributing to chronic inflammatory conditions such as asthma, arthritis, autistic spectrum disorder, and fibromyalgia.

You can know the truth and the truth can set you free.

Become an informed consumer. Read your labels. Decrease your intake of these highly inflammatory ingredients.

Your health and the health of those you love is worth it.