Food Sulfur is an essential component
Food sulfur is an ORGANIC component naturally present both in food and in the human body (about 140g). It is a PLASTIC element, as it is part of the sulfur amino acids: methionine, cysteine and cystine; it is therefore also present in glutathione, in coenzyme A, in thiamine (vit. B1), in biotin (vit H) and in insulin.
Chemical structure of cystine, a sulfur-containing amino acid
Furthermore, sulfur and the elements that contain it participate in the constitution of connective tissue, mucopolysaccharides and bile acids. An organic sulfur supplement, methylsulfonylmethane or MSM, is therefore proposed in the treatment of osteoarthritis.Food sulfur is absorbed in the small intestine while the main elimination routes are urine and faeces. The deficiency conditions are rare and the same is true for the excess, which probably causes disturbances in physical development and insufficient growth.
Sulfur food sources are to a greater extent protein foods (eggs, meat, fish and cheese), while in the form of sulfates they can be introduced with drinking water and fruit and vegetable products.
Sulfates: toxic compounds from the atmosphere and contaminated food
Sulphates are INORGANIC compounds NOT NATURALLY present in food and their excessive concentration can be extremely harmful to human health.
Sulphates become toxic if they reach excessive concentrations; often, these are the result of the sum of pollutants and sulphates regularly used for technological processing; the polluting sulphates can end up on foods from atmospheric air or through polluted rains (acid rain), while the application of sulphates useful for food processing is subject to specific regulations for their use. Unfortunately, although regulated, the latter do not take into account the overall sulphates introduced, therefore their dietary intake should however be limited.
Overall, sulphates mainly derive from:
- Carbon smoke (SO 2 H 2 S)
- Oil combustion (SO 2, H 2 S)
- Sulfuric acid of industrial smog (H 2 SO 4 ) and its lead salts (PbSO 4 )
- Food processing processes such as dehydration of fresh fruit (which uses sulfur to preserve color and some nutrients; manganese sulfate MnSO 4 )
- Foods, additives and drugs treated with sulfuric acid: saccharin, aspirin, alum (aluminum sulphate and potassium dodecahydrate KAl (SO 4 ) 2 · 12 H 2 O, also known as potassium alum, is used in the industrial preparation of pickles and cherries in spirit)
- Purification of water treated with copper sulphate (CuSO 4 )
- Use of tribasic copper sulfate insecticides
- Sulfa drugs (sulfonamides with a group characterized by a sulfur atom of valence 6; R-SO 2 -NH 2 )
- Salt purgatives: magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 )
- Leavening food additives (sulphates: sodium, potassium, calcium, aluminum, aluminum and sodium, aluminum and potassium, aluminum and ammonium)
NB. It is important not to confuse the sulfates (described so far) with the food additives based on SULFITES (SO 3 2-) and SULFUR DIOXIDE; the latter are preservatives generally contained in wine, beverages, fish, dried fruit, etc.
More information on sulphites is given in this article.
Sulfate toxicity
Excessive amounts of sulphates in food can cause a copper deficiency, otherwise sufficient to meet normal physiological needs.
Bibliography :
- Food chemistry - P. Cabras, A. Martelli - pag 83
- Levels of Recommended Intake of Nutrients for the Italian Population ( LARN ) - Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU)
- The complete book of minerals for health - JI Rodale - Dimetra - pag 140
