Expert Article - Final

 Anastazja Ball

Sept. 2024

The Sweet Taste of Plastic

The food you're eating is actually filled with chemicals and synthetic ingredients: Here is a breakdown of some of the chemicals, and why it is important to start paying attention. 

You finally decided it's time to start taking care of your body; eating better and maybe even cooking more meals at home. You made it all the way to the grocery store and are ready to shop. You start at the produce section grabbing everything organic from watermelon to strawberries. You decide to skip the bacon this time, instead grabbing the steak labeled “all natural” and putting it in the cart. You pass by the ice cream aisle and try a new favorite dairy free dessert. But none of those things you grabbed were remotely organic; the watermelon practically engineered down to the texture and color, the steak pumped with antibiotics and hormones, and the dairy free ice cream you grabbed? It's got plenty of dairy in it. 

You might find yourself with a million questions. What’s the purpose of food labels then? What can we even consider real food anymore? And why isn't this information common knowledge about the food we consume daily? There are many factors driving the food production industry, and unfortunately, the reality isn't very appetizing.

Since the day many of us were born, we’ve been eating all types of things from pure sugar candies to hotdogs, rainbow cereals, frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, lunchables, and more. We didn’t take a second thought about what we ate until we grew older realizing how much these addicting foods may affect our bodies. Remember those crumbly sugar cookies you and your friends would demolish at birthday parties? They were actually made with heavy amounts of processed sugar, preservatives, and dyes. In other words, those cookies could probably outlive you and still have the same vibrant colors they do today.

The United States loves its money, oftentimes more than its own people. Our favorite addictive snacks are cheaper to produce with lower quality ingredients; swap the natural flavors and sweeteners for synthetic, or fake, sugars and fibers and you’ve saved yourself a few dollars. This means that your favorite grocery store brownie might be closer to being made of clothing fibers than flour and eggs. Add some Red40 and those gummy bears you grabbed at the checkout register have got the perfect (unnatural) color. 

Furthermore, many of these harmful additives and preservatives that are in our foods here in the U.S., are actually banned in other places around the world. In the CBS news article, “U.S. food additives banned in Europe: Expert says what Americans eat is "almost certainly" making them sick”, CBS lists the top 5 food additives banned around the world that are in many of our easily accessible foods. The list states, “Titanium dioxide (also known as E171); Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) (E443); Potassium bromate (E924); Azodicarbonamide (E927a) and Propylparaben (E217).” Sounds scary, right? 

Here’s the list so you can take a better look at those chemicals:

• Titanium Dioxide: “Used for a century in a range of industrial and consumer products, including paints, coatings, adhesives, paper, plastics and rubber, printing inks, coated fabrics and textiles, as well as ceramics, floor coverings, roofing materials, cosmetics, toothpaste, soap, water treatment agents…” from Titanium Dioxide, Chemical Safety Facts

• Brominated Vegetable Oil: Used in small amounts to keep citrus flavoring from floating to the top in beverages. This product has recently been banned in the United States for being linked to nervous system damage, headaches, skin and mucous membrane irritation, fatigue and loss of muscle coordination and memory.

• Potassium Bromate: Oxidizing (gives dough more oxygen) agent that improves the quality of dough in breads, bagels, cakes etc. It is a carcinogenic, or cancer causing, chemical. 

• Azodicarbonamide: Used to strengthen or condition dough in breads, buns, cakes etc. Also used in foamed plastics. Contact can cause skin irritation, dermatitis, or asthma. 

• Propylparaben: Antimicrobacterial preservative in foods and cosmetics (items such as lotions, makeup, soaps). Is a paraben, which can disrupt the endocrine system (effect hormones, lead to illness such as cancer).

You may be looking back at the breakfast you ate earlier today, every bite of that savory cinnamon bun you had sprinkled with Potassium Bromate and Azodicarbonamide. I would be feeling uneasy too. 

But the food tastes so good! Why does it matter?

You are right, that ramen that you’ve thought about all day is probably the best tasting thing on earth after a long day. But, at the same time you can’t seem to figure out why your asthma is triggered after, or your skin starts to feel patchy and dry. You can’t seem to figure out why those fries you had for lunch made you feel groggy and bloated. The food you put in your body matters, your gut health dictates your mental and bodily function, and in the long run, the overall health of your life. You wouldn’t touch titanium dioxide with your bare hands, or rub propylparaben on your skin, right? So why eat it everyday? 

The Bigger Picture

Obviously it is easier said than done. Completely natural and organic foods are not accessible, and in this economy, it is simply easier and faster to eat what is easily available. We also live in a heavily consumerism based society; we are also constantly fed advertisements about the new extra chocolatey cereal and brighter than blue sports drink. It’s hard to see past the neon lights and into the real truth about what we put in our bodies. Instead of worrying about what you can control, try to be more mindful instead. Start small! 

Here are some tips and tricks on how to start being more attentive to what you eat:

• Avoid eating anything where the ingredients are hard to read; if it looks like a bunch of junk, it probably is. 

• Just because a food is advertised as healthy, does not mean it is. Make sure to read the labels! 

• Start small, try to swap out those toaster waffles for a greek yogurt instead. 

• Limit those extra sugary desserts for special occasions only, work on your cravings. 

• Stay educated and aware! Majority of this information is online, but not public knowledge. Staying aware can keep you and your community healthier!

Sources:

Xenos, C. (2022, November 1). Common US foods that are banned in other countries. Stacker. https://stacker.com/food-drink/common-us-foods-are-banned-other-countries 

Grover, E. (2024, September 11). The overconsumption of ultra-processed foods in the United States. Ballard Brief. https://ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/the-overconsumption-of-ultra-processed-foods-in-the-united-states#:~:text=Seventy%2Dthree%20percent%20of%20the,the%20world%2C%20alongside%20the%20UK.&text=The%20American%20population%20consumes%20over,sources%20on%20a%20daily%20basis. 

CBS Interactive. (n.d.). U.S. food additives banned in Europe: Expert says what Americans eat is “almost certainly” making them sick. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-food-additives-banned-europe-making-americans-sick-expert-says/ 

Titanium dioxide. Chemical Safety Facts. (2024, March 12). https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/chemicals/titanium-dioxide/#:~:text=Titanium%20dioxide%20has%20been%20used,%2C%20soap%2C%20water%20treatment%20agents%2C 

Potassium bromate hazard summary ... (n.d.-c). https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1559.pdf 

Proodian, Dr. J. (2018, March 6). Learn the sneaky way food labels can deceive you. Asbury Park Press. https://www.app.com/story/life/wellness/2018/03/06/deciphering-food-labels-sneaky-way-deceive-you/1069459001/