This hidden ingredient causes diabetes in sugary and processed products (and it's not sugar)

Could food emulsifiers be hidden accomplices in type 2 diabetes? A recent French study raises this question by revealing an alarming correlation between these common additives and an increased risk of this metabolic disease. An alimentary mystery to be unraveled.


In Europe and North America, adults derive 30 to 60% of their calories from ultra-processed foods. Increasing epidemiological research shows that this high consumption is associated with increased risks of diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

Emulsifiers, used to improve the appearance, taste, texture, and extend the shelf life of processed foods, are among the most common additives. They are found in products such as cakes, cookies, industrial desserts, yogurts, ice creams, chocolate bars, industrial breads, margarines, and ready meals.

Although their safety has been assessed by health agencies, recent studies suggest that emulsifiers can disrupt gut microbiota, increase inflammation and metabolic disturbances, and potentially lead to insulin resistance and the development of diabetes.

A team of French researchers has, for the first time, studied the relationships between emulsifier consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes, over a follow-up period of up to 14 years on the general population. The results are based on data from 104,139 adults in France, who participated in the NutriNet-Santé web cohort study between 2009 and 2023.

After an average follow-up of seven years, the researchers observed an association between chronic exposure to certain emulsifiers and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes: carrageenans, tripotassium phosphate, tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, sodium citrate, guar gum, gum arabic, and xanthan gum. These results, although requiring confirmation by other studies, raise the question of reevaluating food additive regulations to better protect consumers.

The next steps will include studying variations in certain blood markers and gut microbiota related to the consumption of these additives, as well as in vitro and in vivo experiments to establish stronger causal links.