BETTER DYING THROUGH CHEMISTRY--FOODS WITH HARMFUL CHEMICALS

Gerald Goldhaber • Oct 05, 2023

The phrase “better things for better living through chemistry” began in 1935 as a DuPont advertising slogan, an enthusiastic expression of optimism about science and it's potential to solve virtually any human problem.


No argument from me on the many important discoveries in chemistry that have had a material impact on our lives ranging from the discovery of oxygen, electrons, catalysts, polymers, refrigerants to plastics and the entire discipline of nuclear chemistry.  


However, at the same time chemistry may have had a positive impact on our lives, there have been far too many examples of chemicals that have been proven to cause noticeable harm both to our bodies and our overall health, including a variety of chemicals used in the food industry as flavor enhancers and/or preservatives which also increase our risk of diabetes, heart and kidney disease, cancer and other potentially fatal outcomes.  In this newsletter, I will discuss just a small sample of such foods, including several that, while they are legally marketed and sold in the U.S., are totally banned in other Western Countries, including Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.


Among the most common food flavorings and preservatives are Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) which are used to prevent oils from oxidizing.  Processed foods most likely to contain BHT include chewing gum, active dry yeast, frozen convenience foods, prepared cereal products, including popular brands such as Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies prepared snacks, dried and processed meat, potato flakes, enriched rice products and shortening. While acting as an antioxidant may be a good thing, BHA is known to cause cancer in rats and is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.  Both BHA and BHT have been linked to impaired blood clotting and promoted tumor growth. These chemicals are also linked to other health concerns including endocrine disruption and organ-system toxicity.  As an endocrine disruptor, it can impact testosterone levels as well as affect sperm quality. Another reason why BHT isn't good for you is that it might cause enlargements in the liver, inflammatory effects in the lungs, renal dysfunction, and a decrease in potassium levels.


What is highly disturbing is that while doing research for this newsletter, I discovered that several of our foods that many Americans may consider as staples on their shopping lists and freely buy throughout the United States, are actually banned throughout Europe and  most of the Western World.  Here are just a few of these products, some of which may shock you, hopefully into reconsidering their use in your homes.

1.  Skittles. Mars Co, manufacturer of Skittles, was named in a class action lawsuit filed in California last year claiming that Skittles contains titanium dioxide, used by Mars to make its Skittles look brighter and more colorful, while at the same time causing irritation to the eyes, nose and throat and, more seriously, having the potential for causing reproductive damage in humans.  The European Union, which has banned Skittles, claims that titanium dioxide may also be a human carcinogen.

2.  Mountain Dew & Fresca.  Americans who “do the Dew” might be surprised to learn the product contains brominated vegetable oil. BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union because it contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, which can build up in the body and potentially lead to memory loss, as well as skin and nerve problems. The grapefruit-flavored soda, Fresca, also contains the ingredient.

3.  Kraft Stove Top Stuffing.  Kraft Stove Top stuffing might make weeknight dinners easier, but it also contains the same BHT discussed earlier and found in American breakfast cereals, including Honey Bunches of Oats and even the popular Wheat Thins, as well as BHA, which as we have already seen, at high doses causes cancer in rats, mice and hamsters, thus resulting in bans in the EU, Japan and elsewhere.

4.  Little Debbie Swiss Rolls.  Products in the European Union containing Yellow 5 and Red 40 carry warnings that they cause adverse effects in children, but you won’t find that warning on a box of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls in the U.S. Norway and Austria have banned the snack cakes outright. Some cereals, such as Lucky Charms, also use Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40, despite being known to cause itching and hives for some.

5.  Ritz Crackers and Coffee-mate.  Trans fats were officially banned in the U.S. in 2018; however, some trans fats such as partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils can still be found in popular products such as Ritz Crackers, Coffee-mate creamers and even those buttery Pillsbury Biscuits. These ingredients are also banned in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway and Denmark.

I could go on but you get the picture. As the Warnings Doctor, my advice to you is the same advice I got from my Jewish grandmother: "If it's from the farm, it's probably great for you, but if it's from a factory, not so great!"

 

Check out my latest podcast "EXPOSED! An Exclusive Look Behind the Curtain of Corporate Greed"

Check out my book "Murder, Inc.: How Unregulated Industry Kills or Injures Thousands of Americans Every Year...And What You Can Do About It". Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle & Audiobook on Amazon now.

FOREVER MAY NOT BE FOREVER WITH EPA’S NEW PFA LIMITS

By Gerald Goldhaber • 07 May, 2024
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized strict limits on PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals”, in drinking water that will require utilities to reduce them to the lowest level they can be reliably measured. Officials say this will reduce exposure for 100 million people and help prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancers.

WARNING: IS SPRING CLEANING A TIME OF RENEWAL OR DANGER?

By Gerald Goldhaber • 16 Apr, 2024
Could that colorful stash of cleaning supplies under your kitchen sink, in your broom closets and around the washer and dryer contain toxic compounds that might significantly affect your health and the environment? Unfortunately, for many common household cleaning products, the answer is too often “yes.”

E-Bikes and Their Lithium-Ion Batteries Are Leading Cause of NYC Fires

By Gerald Goldhaber • 13 Mar, 2024
Since the pandemic, when E-Bikes first became a big deal in NYC, with almost everyone demanding that food, toilet paper and other products be brought to their doorsteps, E-Bikes have become one of the leading causes of fires in NYC. What are E-Bikes and why are they so dangerous. First of all, an E-Bike is an electric bicycle, typically powered by a lithium-ion battery, known mostly for its longevity, lasting typically ten times longer than lead-acid batteries, often exceeding 5 years. Lithium-ion batteries are generally safe. If you follow proper storage, charging, and discarding procedures, they are unlikely to fail or catch fire. However, at least in NYC, where there are over 65,000 E-Bikes, mostly driven by food-delivery personnel working for companies such as Uber Eats or Grubhub, and even work commuters, that is not always the case.

WARNING: IF YOU ARE HEADING TO THE CARIBBEAN THIS WINTER, IS YOUR BOEING AIRCRAFT SAFE?

By Gerald Goldhaber • 05 Feb, 2024
If you are like most Americans suffering through this nasty, snow and ice-driven extremely cold winter, you probably have dreams of flying somewhere warm to lounge on the beach while sipping margaritas (that's my tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett ). If you can afford the time and money to fly away to your dream winter holiday in the sun, you may still be worrying if your flight to paradise is safe. And worry you should, especially if you are booked on a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft.

WARNING: THESE TOYS R NOT FOR US!

By Gerald Goldhaber • 29 Nov, 2023
Imagine a group of 10-year olds sitting in a darkened room, with a bunch of their "friends" engaged in a discussion about whom to kill while playing a game of Russian Roulette. This is NOT a pretend game. Virtual reality goggles are marketed to children as young as ten years old. These goggles and other smart toys are listed in the 38th edition of Trouble in Toyland, the annual listing of holiday toys that pose hazards for children, released by the Massachusetts chapter of the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) If you have doubts about the safety of such "hi-tech" toys, last month, an 11-year-old girl was kidnapped by a man she encountered while playing a game online. Fortunately, she was found safe a short time later, about 135 miles away from her home. The game, Roblox, is one of the most popular mobile games this year.

BETTER DYING THROUGH CHEMISTRY-PART TWO: THE FDA ACTS (FINALLY)

By Gerald Goldhaber • 08 Nov, 2023
Last month in this newsletter, I wrote about several of our favorite foods that, while they are legally sold in the U.S., despite known health issues associated with them, have been banned throughout Europe, Canada and other developed nations, including Australia, Japan and New Zealand. One of the chemicals I wrote about was Brominated Vegetable Oil or BVO whose main ingredient, Bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, can build up in the body and potentially lead to memory loss, as well as skin and nerve problems. BVO is most commonly found in smaller grocery store brands and regional beverages, including some Food Lion-brand sodas, some Walmart branded Great Value-brand sodas, and Sun Drop citrus soda, manufactured by the makers of Dr. Pepper. It keeps the citrus flavoring in fruit-flavored beverages from floating to the top of the drink.

NOTHING SAYS FOREVER LIKE DIAMONDS AND PFAS

By Gerald Goldhaber • 05 Sep, 2023
What are PFAS? PFAS are a group of manmade chemicals used in a vast number of consumer and industrial products. They’re often referred to as “forever chemicals,” because most don’t break down. PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which contain a strong carbon-fluorine bond that allows them to accumulate over time in the environment and in the bodies of animals and people, posing health risks. PFAS chemicals might also be thought of as “everywhere chemicals,” since they’ve become so common in the products we use every day.

WARNING: IT’S PRIME TIME FOR ENERGY DRINKS

By Gerald Goldhaber • 03 Aug, 2023
A new energy drink has taken the market for such beverages by storm and have achieved a cult like status thanks in no small part to the fame of the beverage's creators, YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, who together have over 40 million subscribers. The drink is branded Prime Energy and is a highly caffeinated beverage in brightly colored cans with flavors such as Ice Pop and Tropical Punch.

ARE CANADA'S WILDFIRES WARNING US ABOUT OUR CLIMATE FUTURE?

By Gerald Goldhaber • 06 Jul, 2023
A month ago, I had no idea what AirNow was or what its ratings indicated. Today, it is an App on my IPhone that tells me the air quality rating for a given city at a given time. AirNow's scale ranges from 0-500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value under 50 represents good air quality, a rating between 50-100 is moderately acceptable, a rating between 100 and 150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups (e.g., elderly or very young people, folks with lung or heart conditions, etc.), a rating of 150-200 is unhealthy for most people (and is typically called the Red Zone), 200-300 is very unhealthy and over 300 is hazardous for everyone. Let me repeat: the rating in Buffalo was 179, clearly in the danger zone of unhealthy for most people.

McDONALD’S HASN’T LEARNED ITS LESSON: HOW HOT IS TOO HOT?

By Gerald Goldhaber • 06 Jun, 2023
Thirty years ago in 1992, 81-year old Stella Liebeck of Albuquerque, New Mexico bought a cup of coffee through the drive-thru window at her local McDonald’s. Her grandson was driving the pickup truck while Liebeck rode in the front passenger seat. After pulling out of the drive-thru, she asked her grandson to pull over to the side of the parking lot so that she could put creamer in the coffee. It was during that process that the coffee spilled into her lap and scalded her. In fact, she suffered third-degree burns over her pelvic area that put her in the hospital for 8 days. She underwent skin grafting followed by two years of continuous medical treatment. Her injuries were real, excruciatingly painful, and--perhaps most importantly--they were debilitating.
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