Get Healthy...Get Smart

Get Healthy

Get Smart

Things Used in Food that May Eat You Up

By Milton G. Crane, M.D. and Barbara G. Crane, R.D. of Weimar Institute

A. Some General Principles:

Some seasonings are harmless while others are very irritating and may be the cause of bleeding stomach ulcers and other severe health problems. Certain spices and vinegar eventually destroy our body tissues and organs.

Concerning condiments and spices Ellen G. White wrote: "In their ignorance or carelessness, parents give their children the first lesson in intemperance. At the table, loaded with injurious condiments, rich food, and spiced knickknacks, the child acquires a taste for that which is hurtful to him, which tends to irritate the tender coats of the stomach, inflame the blood, and strengthen the animal passions. The appetite soon craves something stronger,…[The use of tobacco and alcohol follows]" 1

"...Do not eat largely of salt, avoid the use of pickles and spiced foods, eat an abundance of fruit, and the irritation that calls for so much drink at meals will largely disappear."2

Chili Peppers: Chili powder, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika are all taken from pods of capsicum plants. 3

Chili peppers are a pure blend that comes in many different grades or types that vary in color, flavor, and degree of hotness.

Chili powder, on the other hand, is a blend of capsicums with salt and other spices (usually cumin, oregano, and garlic) added. Some blends have allspices, cloves, and/or onions.

Cayenne (meaning "hot") pepper is pure ground chili pepper, from extremely pungent varieties. It is generally lighter red and "hotter."

Paprika is produced from bright red, sweet flavored capsicums although many grades of paprika are noticeably a little "hot."

Vinegar: Vinegar is naturally or artificially flavored acetic acid, commonly ranging between 4%-6%, enough to cause mild inflammation of the stomach and small intestines. This lengthens the time vegetables remain in the stomach. In addition to the 4% acetic acid which by lay, vinegar must have, it contains a variety of other substances such as lactic or malic acids, alcohol, gylcine, sugars, esters such as ethyl acetate, pentosans, artificial coloring, and inorganic salt. 5 Vinegar destroys vitamin C, and its acidity hinders digestion. 6 Studies have shown that either fruit vinegar or distilled vinegar may significantly irritate and damage the stomach. It damages the stomach mucosal lining, causes gross destruction of blood capillaries, and increases capillary permeability. This results in loss of plasma proteins and other components from the blood; actual bleeding into the stomach may result. 7 The acetic acid of vinegar may contribute to renal tubular necrosis, or destruction and hardening of kidney tubules. 8

Replace harmful spices with:

  • Sweet herbs
  • Lemon juice
  • Cooked onion
  • Sweet (not hot) peppers

B. Know Your Condiments

Irritating, stimulating, harmful: Sweet herbs, not irritating:

Cayenne pepper Bay leaf
Chili powder Caraway seed
Horseradish Celery seed (and salt)
Mustard Chives
Pepper (black or white) Dill seed
  Fennel
Strongly aromatic, irritating: Kitchen Bouquet

Marjoram
Cloves Mint
Ginger Onion salt
Paprika (Hungarian) Paprika (Spanish type, highly colored)
  Parsley
Slightly irritating: Peppermint

Wintergreen
Allspice Saffron
Anise Sage
Cassia Savory
Cinnamon Spearmint
Cumin Thyme
Mace Turmeric
Nutmeg  

Ingredients of mixed spices:

Poultry Seasoning: Allspice, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Sage, Savory, Thyme

Curry (Foreign type): Black pepper, Cayenne pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg

Curry (American type): Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, ginger, Mace, Nutmeg, Pepper, Turmeric

C. Things that Spices Can Cause

Systemic Cancers:

Liver adenoma:

  • Safrol
  • Sassafras
  • Camphor
  • Mace
  • Nutmeg
  • Ginger
  • Anise

Stomach:

  • Vinegar
  • Soy sauce


Skin, lung and liver:

  • Black pepper
  • Very salty food

Cell (Chromosome) Altering:

  • Turmeric
  • Ginger
  • Asafetida
  • Cyclamates
  • Saccharines
  • Turpentine
  • Eucalyptus
  • Citrus Oils (in large amounts)
  • BHT or BHA (in foods or packaging)

Hypertension:

  • Peppers
  • Mustard
  • Ginger
  • Licorice

Necrosis or Hemorrhage of Stomach:

  • Cayenne pepper
  • White pepper
  • Black pepper
  • Vinegar

Damage Kidney Tubules:

  • Curry
  • Hot spices
  • Vinegar
  • Allspice
  • Garlic
  • Black pepper
  • Ginger
  • Mace
  • Cinnamon
  • Worcestershire Sauce

Nerve Stimulants:

  • Cayenne pepper
  • Tea
  • Coffee

Mental Depression:

  • Nutmeg

Skin Flushing:

  • Cayenne & other hot peppers

Other Serious Problems:

Monosodium glutamate (flavoring): headaches, sweating, chest pain, etc.

Nitrites (meat preservation, etc.): cancers and even toxic deaths

See reference number 4 (below) for a list of the 20 worst food additives, some of which are questionably dangerous and whose safety has not been established. For example, Carrageenan, Modified food starch, Mono- or Di- glycerides, Tannin, and several colorings and thickenings.

1. Ellen White: Temperance, page 182-183.
2. Ellen White: Ministry of Healing, page 308.
3. J.A.D.A. June, 1968, page 503.
4. AM and CL Thrash: Nutrition for Vegetarians, 1982, Thrash Publications, Yuchi Pines Institute, Seale, AL.
5. Bronson: Nutrition and Food Chemistry.
6. United States Department of Agriculture pamphlet.
7. LR Johnson and B Overhall: Gastroenterology 52:1967.
8. S Locket: Clinical Toxicology, London, 1952.

Copyright © 1995-2002 Milton G. Crane, M.D. and Barbara G. Crane, R.D., Weimar Institute, Weimar, CA 95736. All rights Reserved.