Acesulfame potassium is a zero-calorie sweetener that is added to many sugar-free…
Bixin
Bixin
Bixin
What is it:
Bixin is a natural red-orange pigment and a carotenoid compound found in the seeds of the annatto tree (Bixa orellana). It is widely used as a food coloring agent to give products a vibrant red or orange hue. Bixin is known for its heat stability, making it suitable for a range of food applications, including cheese, butter, snacks, and processed meats.
Rating:
Bixin is considered a safe and natural alternative to synthetic food dyes, and it does not usually alter the taste or flavor of the food products it colors. As a carotenoid component in annatto, it is responsible for some of the antioxidant benefits of annatto. Annatto has been studied to have other potential health benefits, largely due to the carotenoid bixin.
Resources:
- Properties of brixa orellana (systematic review)
- Potential antioxidant properties of annatto (in vitro study)
- Antigenotoxic and antimutagenic potential of annatto (in vitro study)
- Antimicrobial properties of annatto (in vitro study)
- Potential anticancer properties of annatto (in vitro study)
- Norbixin may prevent macular degeneration (animal study)
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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