John Myers
Sulfur-containing foods such as dried fruit and wine are viewed critically and avoided by some. But is sulfur really unhealthy or, on the contrary, important for our health?
Does the body need sulfur?
Magnesium and potassium are well known, but sulfur leads a shadowy existence as a mineral. It is essential for us and after calcium and phosphorus, it is even the third most common element in the body. Hair and nails in particular contain a lot of sulphur, but muscles, tendons, connective tissue, cartilage, and bones also consist of sulphur-containing amino acids. The mineral is involved in a number of metabolic processes in the body and in its detoxification. Despite its important role, there are no official intake recommendations, since sulfur is sufficiently absorbed through the amino acids in food.
There is sulfur in these foods
Sulfur is found naturally in many foods, especially in protein sources such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. In plant-based foods, for example in garlic and onions. Sulfur is also used as a preservative in winemaking, among other things. Last but not least, this fact has contributed to the bad reputation of the mineral, since headaches after drinking wine were attributed to sulfuric acid. In fact, sensitive people can react with intolerance symptoms, but this is very rarely the case. As a potential allergen, the mineral must be specified in the ingredients, and the wine bottle will then say “contains sulphites”. Dried fruits preserved with sulfur are also marked. If you are one of the few affected, you should prefer unsulphured fruit products and organic wine: In organic viticulture, the limit values for the addition of sulfur are lower.
Sulfur as a dietary supplement
Sulfur, in the form of the organic compound methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), is touted as an anti-arthritis remedy. The consumer center advises caution with such dietary supplements. Health-related advertising statements such as “promotes collagen formation” lack any scientific basis and are therefore prohibited by law. Since you usually already ingest a lot of sulfur through food, an overdose can also occur: allergy symptoms and digestive disorders are possible consequences.
