Are you getting hungry just looking at this?
This week I posted a picture of the ingredients in a Chick-Fil-A sandwich on my personal and Food Babe Facebook Page– I was curious to see the reaction from my family, friends and Food Babe readers. I found that some people were shocked and some people downright didn’t care and even celebrated the deliciousness in Chick-fil-A’s signature sandwich. You see – The number (close to 100) and type of ingredients are typical for fast food and for many chain restaurants. If you eat out and eat at these type of places, you are feeling the effects of these ingredients, whether you realize it or not.
Ever wonder why you have to dose yourself with caffeine after lunch to stay awake?
Or have uncontrollable cravings?
Or why no matter how hard you work in the gym, you still carry around 10 extra pounds?
Or experience depressed moods?
Or have joint pain? Or headaches?
Or can’t clear up your skin?
Or have asthma and/or allergies?
There are close to 100 ingredients in a typical Chick-fil-A sandwhich, majority of them with serious health consequences
I’ve already talked about some of the ingredients found in a Chick-fil-A sandwich – food coloring, refined grains, MSG, GMO Corn in past posts. I want to talk about some of the other preservatives here today. I honestly can’t believe that there are 18 (if I counted right and didn’t miss one) added chemical preservatives to this sandwich. The FDA allows food companies to add these preservatives in limited quantities, however, they do not prohibit companies from adding different preservatives all together by letting them combine different food items that make one big whopping dose.
For example, let’s take TBHQ which stands for “Tertiary Butylhydroquinone” – an ingredient that is listed twice, once in the chicken and once in the bun. TBHQ is a chemical made from butane (a very toxic gas) and can only be used at a rate of 0.02 percent of the total oil in a product. Why is there a limit to this? Maybe because eating only 1 gram of this toxic preservative has been shown to cause all sorts of issues, from ADHD in children, to asthma, allergies and dermatitis to dizziness and even has caused stomach cancer in laboratory animals. Limiting TBHQ to a certain percentage, is the same logic the FDA made when allowing a product to still contain 0.5 grams of transfat and be labeled “transfat free.” If you are consuming processed foods, eating at fast food restaurants or chains that use processed foods you are consuming an overload of preservatives and other chemicals. The high dosage is a huge factor contributing to increased auto immune disorders, rising health care and cancer in America.
I don’t eat out very often, it’s been about 11 days since I ate out. The reason for this is because when you make your own food, you see what goes in it, making me enjoy it ten times more. I want to feel the best I possibly can in life, with abundant energy and radiating vibrancy. I don’t want to feel sick, always with some aliment or some health issue to complain about. God forbid, if I ever got sick, I want to know I did everything I could to prevent it. When I grow old, I don’t want to burden my family to take care of me because I didn’t care of myself.
I didn’t write this post because I was angry or mad at the people that celebrated eating Chick-fil-A after seeing how many ingredients there are. It’s the opposite. It saddens me that people choose to continue to harm themselves and their families by ingesting these chemicals after acquiring this knowledge. IMO, they are walking around half dead. I am, however, hopeful that my blog and leading by example, will turn the lights on in someone new and they won’t ever look at a Chick-Fil-A sandwich ever again.
Wishing you a healthy, long and joyful life!
UPDATES:
If you really like Chick-fil-A and loathed me for writing this – Check out my organic homemade version. You have no excuses now. Click Here for the Recipe – Chick-fil-A Now Open on Sunday
For a even more comprehensive look into this controversial fast food chain – check out my investigation called “Why Chick-fil-a?” on 100 days of Real Food.
Thanks Food Babe! I appreciate all the research you do & great information you post! I can’t wait to make your version of the Chic-fil-a chicken sandwich! : )
Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work researching these things and sharing your knowledge with us. I for one will never look at the sandwich the same way. Honestly, I loved there food only to get sick with a belly ache within 15 minutes
Cant imagine why 
Can you tell us if there are any restaurants out there that we can enjoy that don’t load their products with chemicals? I love the social aspect of eating out.
Yes – I enjoy eating out when it’s a social thing – I just make sure to choose a restaurant I know I can eat something clean. Check out some articles I wrote about eating out here – http://foodbabe.com/travel – I think you will find them helpful!
Your response to this article about the product was great. With that being said, why are you assuming people that are sick are eating crapy food. I have RA and was HIGHLY offended by your rant. I did take very good care of myself prior to becoming ill. I was also raised on whole good foods. Maybe you should research environmental poision and illness. Ie: cancer autoimmune diseases. You made the comment about being a burden to your family. I try not to be one to mine. I work and have a 2.5 year old to raise. She’s had the same organic whole diet I was raised on. Illness isn’t always preventable. So, I will official stop following your blog. Just for the record I try not to complain about my ailment. Peace
Keep up the good work Food Babe!
Just found your website today after a friend posted this on Facebook. I think I will be spending a ton of time here! It is frustrating trying to feed my family healthy food but with help like the info on your site I feel more confident in making the right choices.
Great work Vani,..so glad someone points out without holding back the dire results of eating such garbage. Keep it up,..I am appalled at how I watch day after day the long line of parents that cruise through the drive-thru next to my office, cars loaded with kids and they heave bags full of this stuff into their vehicles and the kids happily consume this crap with undeniable glee. It so very sad.
And to Robyn,..who was “HIGHLY” offended by your article,..please Robyn,..I’m sorry you have RA. But to profess to being HIGHLY offended is rather pathetic on your part. Millions of people fall ill and even die each and every year due to exposure to environmental toxins that they digest in poor diets. So Food Babe doesn’t have to assume people are getting sick because of what they eat,…THEY ARE. It’s an indisputable FACT. Obesity, Diabetes, Colon Cancer, and numerous other potentially deadly diseases are indeed caused by bad diets. Are you really going say that is not the case? Because that is exactly what you implied. You have an autoimmune disorder and you likely have a genetic predisposition for it. That has very little, if anything, to do with your diet,…so Food Babe was not referring to you. That kind of arrogance is just silly. Open your mind and you might get some benefit instead of woryring about how OFFENDED you are by something. That all being said,.. I do wish you all the best in your battle with RA.
.Nicely put, Lee! Thank you.
And thank you Vani for all you do to make people aware of the toxins we are faced with almost everywhere we turn.
I LOVE your blog and this year the SOLUTION to my life has been to eat less chemicals (as well as use less with beauty products, etc…) and cook more at home.
the paragraph where you say:
“I don’t eat out very often, it’s been about 11 days since I ate out. The reason for this is because when you make your own food, you see what goes in it, making me enjoy it ten times more. I want to feel the best I possibly can in life, with abundant energy and radiating vibrancy. I don’t want to feel sick, always with some aliment or some health issue to complain about. God forbid, if I ever got sick, I want to know I did everything I could to prevent it. When I grow old, I don’t want to burden my family to take care of me because I didn’t care of myself.”
I love everything about this paragraph. I’ve never been a fan of cooking, but now I’m loving it – knowing what I’m putting in my food and obviously body is SO important to me now! And that last line is my fave “I don’t want to burden my family to take care of me because I didn’t take care of myself.”
Meh. We soak thin cut chicken breasts in dill pickle juice we acquire from our local deli for free for about 6 hours and then drag it through some Egg Beaters + whole grain flour seasoned with fresh paprika, garlic and onion powder and a little salt and pepper. Serve on a whole grain bun. The chicken tastes exactly the same.
how about McDonald’s and/or burger king? I sometimes eat their veggie burgers. thanks
YOU MUST BE GAY,,TRY EATING MORE FURR BURGERS,,THEY IS GOOOOOD
Good information !! thank you , but I will also would like to see the good option to eat out =)
My boss used to tell me “whenever you are going to complain about something, do it, but next to a better suggestion “
I prefer to eat my own food, as I know what is in it. Even eating as healthily as possible, we are exposed to so many toxins, air, water, soil, foods, that it is impossible to eat a perfectly pure diet, because everything is exposed to contaminents. Now when we bow our heads to thank God for the food, we also ask Him to protect us from whatever is harmful in it. Our world is a toxic place to live, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, culturally, I don’t know how anyone lives without a vital, and living faith in God. Thanks for your good advice.
Interesting article. I’m not going to say that it’s wrong, or that it’s entirely correct either. If you don’t want to eat at Chick-fil-a then you certainly don’t have to, but blaming those problems simply on someone’s diet in the foods they eat is a bit narrow. I eat out frequently, at least once a week if not more, and I do eat fast food once every two or three weeks, some of that including Chick-fil-a.
I went to my doctor last month for a physical, and I’m in great shape. I’m a 33 year old male, but I stay active and work out. Ill health can come from a number of factors, or none at all. We aren’t even sure what causes some of the cancers that exist. I know people that have contracted lung cancer that didn’t smoke a day in their lives. Some problems can be blamed on diet, but there are many other mitigating factors. Waking up each day, driving to work, or going to the store is a hazard to your health. There are trace amounts of chemicals in our water system, but you aren’t going to stop drinking water. You aren’t going to stop getting on an airplane to fly somewhere simply because you are exposed to a minute amount of celestial radiation. You are going to continue to live your life the best you can, and enjoy it. Some things we have no control over.
But we do have some control over the types of foods we eat.
If you have the access and the money to eat better, you have control over what you eat. I think our diet has a bigger impact on our health than people realize. It’s great you work out and you’re in great health but over time the food we eat adds up. Exercise and a very healthy diet is better than exercise and a crappy diet.
Thank the Lord for someone who has done the research and has the courage to share with others. I too have been trying to share what God allowed me to discover after much searching. I was so excited at the thought of being able to share this with others . . . the thing I had to realize is, some people aren’t going to make adjustments in their lives or the lives of their children because “convenience” is the focus! While it is true . . . illness can come from many factors. However, if the research has been done regarding our food supply, why wouldn’t you eliminate the health risk in that one area? I would also have to say it is not just fast food, it can be food from some of the most pricey restaurants you can name. . . if the food is processed, it contains one or many toxins. The choice is ours but I believe it is time for all of us to take responsibility for our lives and the lives of our children and do everything in our power to make sure “known” toxins are not part of their diet. Consequently, we don’t eat out a lot . . . our lives have changed immensely, BUT for the better. Want to view something shocking . . pick up a loaf of bread, any brand, any type and read the ingredients ( 20 or more, most of which you cannot pronounce) . . . I started baking my own bread (bread machine – amazing) and to make a loaf of rye, I use 8 ingredients (I can pronounce them and know what they are). That is just an example . . . think about it, how much bread do we consume? Again, thank you for sharing this information with all and hopefully, many of us will reflect on our lifestyles and implement a plan to make it the best it can be!
Yeah you don’t sound like a pretentious bitch or anything
I just want to point out that the statement that TBHQ may be harmful because it’s made from “butane (a very toxic gas)” is a little misleading since by that token, the important asthma medicine salbutamol (Ventolin) is also made from butane (both contain the chemical structure of butane in their own structure). But both salbutamol and TBHQ do not share the properties of butane (neither of them is a toxic gas). One of the fundamental facts of chemistry is that the properties of a product made from a certain raw material are usually very different from those of the raw material itself.
Yes, but CW how could uninformed people over react if they didn’t make such assumptions. Haven’t you heard of all the people dying from eating whole grain, grass fed, cage free food while camping?
Hmm a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a isn’t good for you, oh it must be the chemicals in it and not all the natural fat and grease.
This is nothing compared to the other food chains. Actually chick-fil-A is one of the least concerns of all the food chains. Don’t understand Why no research was done on the other food chains than chick-fil-A. It would a lot more shocking then chick-fil- A!!!!!! If you would have done your real research you would have a better article of shocking most shocking ingredients in fast chain foods.
If you was to see all the ingredients in deli meat, you would never eat deli meat again or at least not give it to your children. (I have done years of research after having a child with health issues. And he is on a strict diet)
But the most shocking of all would be the GMF/GMO (Genetically Modified Food) that almost all our tomatoes, apples, grapes, squash, zucchini, corn and potatoes sold in the grocery store all around the United States. (England is the only country that has band GMF/GMO Foods)
Here’s a great website on harmful ingredients in our foods. It will really shock you!!!!!
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=ms-android-verizon&tbo=d&source=android-home&site=webhp&source=hp&q=genetically+modified+food&oq=genetica&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.1.0.0l5.2695.5743.0.8611.9.7.0.2.2.0.428.1351.0j4j1j0j1.6.0.les%3B..0.0…1ac.1.yb2_mXRPTqI
So I did a quick ingredient count and got around 80. And this was including those that said one or more of the following may be used ( indicating perhaps less). This 80 also includes the fact that many ingredients are listed more than once. For instance paprika is both on the chicken breast and in the coater. Flour is in the coater and the bun. If you count all those listed multiple times only once it cuts the number back even more. I could address your description of tbhq, but someone else has already done so in another comment. I will add this though using the word “chemical” seems to be a bit of a scare tactic. By scientific definition, water is a chemical. Table salt is a chemical. Both are good things, to an extent necessary in our diet. However drink too much water and you can die, eat to much salt and you will have health problems. Most anything eaten needs to be taken in moderation. You would never eat the volume of salt equal to the volume of water you take in. The same applies for something like tbhq. Just beacuse the amount a person can safely conaume is limited does not mean it is not safe within parameters. And just because it is a “chemical” doesn’t make it toxic. You mention that 1 gram of tbhq can cause harmful results. You also righly state that less than .02% is allowed in the oil of a particular product. This amount of tbhq in a particular sandwich is going so minuscule – exponentially lower than the gram you mentioned. You could not physically eat enough food to add up to anywhere near a gram of it. I think overall Chick-fil-A food is better quality than other fast food resaurants. And they do try to offer healthier options. Should you have it evey day? Probably not, but on the occasion we are out for a quick bite, I’ll pick them and not worry myself to death about it.
Could you please list what you are counting as the 18 preservatives listed?
Vani it was great meeting you today. Thanks for the insight, you learn something new every day and the Chick-Fil-A story is a great eye opener. I will be reading more and be more aware of what I take into my body; I will also pass the word along to others. Again thanks
You claim to be an expert, but have you taken any kind of chemistry class above a general chemistry? My guess is “no.” Anyone with any knowledge of organic chemistry would not claim that something is harmful because it is “made from butane (a very toxic gas).” That is illogical from a chemistry sense.
It would be nice if you used references from peer-reviewed scientific literature, instead of using fear-based tactics.
I find your website somewhat disturbing since it lacks any real evidence just vague references to “possible” effects certain ingredients may have. I also find you to be a hypocrite since it is obvious that you have a fake bake tan (if you try and tell me otherwise you’re a liar) and you have also undergone dangerous plastic surgery to have your cheek bones enhanced. Both are far more dangerous than a sandwich at a fast food restaurant. You will eventually be exposed as the fraud you truly are.
Way to spread information and ignorance around! I strongly urge your readers – and yourself – to learn a little about chemistry first. To talk about how a particular ingredient is made is about as underhanded tactic as saying “the water you drink? It’s drunk by terrorists all around the world!”
Let’s take the same example with water – it can be made with hydrogen gas – a highly flammable gas – and oxygen – a highly corrosive gas that causes rust! Or sodium chloride (table salt) – it can be made from sodium, a very reactive metal that violently reacts when in contact with water, and chlorine, a deadly and poisonous gas. Saying all these things blatantly ignore the fact that chemical and physical properties change during synthesis – unless, of course, you want to claim that water is corrosive and flammable, or table salt will violently react with water in your saliva.
Basically, you’re appealing to emotional scare tactics, as the chemical names of the most mundane, harmless, everyday objects can be scary to a chemophobe, such as yourself. If you want to raise awareness about the effects of these ingredients, do so citing peer-reviewed sources. Do NOT resort to playing on people’s (and your own) fear and ignorance. Stop it, and learn chemistry.
Ugh, SCIENCE???? But that won’t scare anyone into following my blog!
People with ADD/ADHD have *physically different brains*. It is not a sickness caused by a chemical – it’s something they’re born with. Genetic inheritance is the ONLY scientifically proven cause of ADD/ADHD. Yes there are other conditions/illnesses that can mimic the traits, but that’s not the same thing.
It saddens me that people choose to continue to harm themselves and their families by spreading misinformation after acquiring this knowledge.
(Was that condescending enough for you? It should be, since I quoted you directly.)
Btw, spray tans are toxic
Your “holier-than-thou” attitude is not getting the message across. (Nor, I don’t think, is referring to yourself as a “babe.”)
I get that food these days is made in some disturbing ways, and with some disturbing ingredients. But you appear to lack an understanding of basic chemistry when you cherry-pick certain chemicals within a compound to point out their deadly qualities.
You do realize that EVERYTHING is made of a chemical, right?
Just tired of people treating chemistry like it’s a dirty word.