So much momentum in the MAHA movement right now. Bobby Jr and Jay Bhattacharya are really stirring sh*! up. Big Food, Big Pharma and so many large corporations control our food supply and the healthcare sectors. These conglomerates are about to get the plug pulled on their piggy banks! It is exciting to see the exposure, the layers upon layers, being pulled back. So much of the information surfacing, so much of what’s happening, we’ve known about for years. Generations before us had an unwavering trust in government. Trust that they’re doing what’s best for us. Unfortunately, money talks. Soon a dollar became more important than the health of the American people. I’ve been subject to ridicule, called crazy. Like any “conspiracy theories” it’s only a conspiracy until it’s true. I feel like the flood gates are open and the arena lights are on. In this post I want to talk about some of the additives these shady characters have been oozing into our food supply and the detrimental impacts they have on our health.
Let’s start with a little background. The Big Food companies, think General Mills, Nestle, Kellog’s, Blackrock etc. have their hand in most food you’ll see in the grocery store, your kids’ schools and most institutions in America. Don’t we have anti-trust laws against this kind of monopoly…? They control what goes in, how much they make, create intentional shortages, drive prices up while the amount you receive, goes down. These giant corporations employ more than just factory workers for food production. They are some of the largest employers of scientists, engineers and psychologists. Think about that-why a food company would need any of those disciplines on staff? Not only do they develop food that is appealing, doesn’t spoil, tastes amazing, is even addictive: but they also pay them to generate chemical and molecular modifications to food to maximize profitability and reduce costs. I should probably mention chemical companies lobbied our government to spray all of our grain supply (wheat, corn, rice, etc.) with folic acid starting in 1992. Now I’m going to sound like a conspiracy theorist again but hang with me. They told the government the reason for this was to prevent a deficiency in vitamin B9, more seriously neural tube defects in unborn fetuses. Anyone remember when they started adding Iodine in salt to prevent…? More on this later. Big Food also “sponsors” its own scientific studies performed on the foods they produce to demonstrate how “safe” they are. Casey Means referenced this issue recently stating “82% of industry studies show processed foods as harmful to your health” but on the other hand “93% of sponsored studies demonstrate processed food is safe to consume.” Get the picture?
Another buzz word is GRAS, Generally Reported as Safe. Which is basically how the FDA allows companies to put toxic additives into our food. Use common sense here, if you eat something that kills a tiny little mouse (who’s biology is strikingly similar to ours) what do you think is happening inside us when we consume the same thing, year after year? RFK Jr is actively trying to get the removal “GRAS” additives from our food supply. Vaya con Dios my friend.
Here’s the trouble with all this bull butter they’re putting in our food and what it means for your health-
When chemical companies lobbied our government in the early 90’s to spray a man-made synthetic folic acid (calling it B9) on our grain supply, they did it under the mask of “preventing defects of children in utero.” Any women out there been pregnant and told by their doctor they need to take folic acid? Folic acid is a man-made form of the vitamin, you won’t find it anywhere in nature. Folate (the real B9) however is, but they’re not spraying folate, they’re spraying folic acid. The problem is that roughly 50% of humans have a gene mutation which prevents them from breaking down this vitamin into a usable form. So, it’s doing nada for our health, but our bodies have to work double time to break it down and dispose of it. Great call guys. If you aren’t reading labels yet, you should be. When you see “enriched” or “fortified” you’re eating the caca form of Vitamin B9. Another tidbit is that folate itself is unstable so when grains come in for harvest, and they don’t make it to your table until weeks later, folate is pretty much non-existent at that point. Hense their rationale for saving the babies. They forgot to mention folic acid in excess (most of you are getting excess btw) studies are linking this to colorectal cancer. Yikes. Last thing, if you buy organic, you won’t see enriched or fortified grains. Other countries don’t do this. Ever been to Europe, ate all the bread and pasta you wanted and not felt like crap afterwards? Now you know.
Synthetic dyes were banned in the state of West Virgina this last week! Hopefully we can get all 50 on board. Maybe you’ve heard how bad Red 40 is for kids and how it contributes to ADHD. While this is very true, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Yack fact-synthetic dyes are mostly derived from petroleum. They have been linked to cancer, autoimmune disease, chromosomal damage to DNA, kidney and adrenal disease, bladder cancer and brain tumors. That’s what happens when you eat chemicals. American food manufactures make a safer version of the same “foods” here and ship a different version to other countries where use of these chemicals is banned for health hazards. Take the childhood favorite Kraft Macaroni and cheese. Our version contains yellow 5, the Euro version uses beta-carotene for coloring. A recent study found yellow 5 transformed the skin on the stomach in rats…translucent! Red 3 was banned by the FDA for use in cosmetics because it was a known carcinogen but continues to be considered safe in our food supply?! GRAS my ass.
The longer food lasts, the more money they make. Preservatives are just as nasty. Sodium benzoate has also shown to cause ADHD, decrease leptin (tells you when to stop eating), and reduces brain development.
Polysorbate (also used in vaccines) is known to cause weight gain, chronic inflammation, GI upset, allergies and cancer.
MSG or monosodium glutamate is a common flavor enhancer found in Doritos and Chik-fil-A is a neurotoxin, is also a hormone disruptor and known carcinogen. Side effects of consumption include depression, allergies, asthma, eczema, heart palpitations, headaches, indigestion, Alzheimer’s and anxiety.
Aspartame was recently rebranded to Aminosugar, I guess that makes it sound more…healthy?! This has long been linked to depression, weight gain, aggression, triggers inflammation in blood vessels and increases arterial plaques. Most artificial sweeteners actually lead to increased calorie consumption overall because they trick the brain into thinking it got the “sugar” it was looking for but cannot find it in that thing you just ate.
BHA, BHT, TBHQ-CANCER, CANCER, CANCER!
Carrageenan is really common in health foods and found in most alternative milks. Here’s the thing, when exposed to hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) it becomes carcinogenic. Starting to see a pattern here? New data shows 1:2 Americans will get cancer in their lifetime.
Also look out for “natural flavors.” They’re anything but and that label can literally mean anything. Last Yack Fact-imitation vanilla is literally made from beaver butt. Seriously, they express glands in beavers for that flavor. If that’s not bad enough they’ll just make vanillin from recycled plastic. Pick your poison. Or don’t, just buy the real stuff.
This list is not exhaustive. My rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t find something in your kitchen, don’t put it in your mouth. Food should be simple with maybe one ingredient, not sound like a chemistry paper. Think about what might happen to your health if you literally started eating only the things you can identify. How many medications would you no longer need? How much better will your body feel when you stop confusing it with sh*! it can’t recognize as ‘food?’ Challenge accepted.
As always if you want to look at the research, here are the links. Happy label reading my friends, keep it Haute.
Extensive use of monosodium glutamate: A threat to public health? – PubMed
Synthetic food dyes: Health risks, history, and policy | Center for Science in the Public Interest