Food Babe's Most Controversial:

Are Baby Carrots Soaked in Chlorine?

...by Food Babe

If you’ve been following along on Facebook, you know that I was in NYC earlier this week to film an investigative report… well, now it is out! Inside Edition interviewed me as a food expert, regarding the “baby carrot controversy“ sweeping the web.

Watch the full story here:



For the record: I love carrots, I eat them or juice them almost everyday, but personally I do not buy baby carrots, because I prefer the taste of larger, non-ready to eat carrots better.

Also, if you know me, you know this – I want the least amount of environmental chemicals to enter my body. I filter my water at home (to remove chlorine and other chemicals) and wash my vegetables with filtered water before consuming them.

The most important decision you can make at the grocery store regarding carrots is not whether they come in a bag or not but rather if they are organic or conventional.

According to the USDA Pesticide Data Program, conventional carrots can have up to 26 different pesticides on them (16 of them are hormone disruptors, 8 are carcinogens, 7 are reproductive toxins, and 3 are neurotoxins). My recommendation for everyone is to choose organic carrots for this reason. 

Here are some behind the scenes photos from the shoot. I had an absolute blast chatting with Paul Boyd from Inside Edition – he’s quite the comic! We even taste tested the carrots. Baby carrots are grown from a sweeter variety and you can definitely tell the difference in taste!

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Stevia: Good or Bad?

...by Food Babe

Sugar is one of the most dangerous ingredients on the market. It’s addictive, added to almost every processed food, and will make you overweight, depressed and sick if you eat too much. In fact, Americans eat close to 130 pounds of the stuff per person per year (4 times more than the recommended daily allowance), likely because it is so addictive. That’s why it’s exciting to know there are alternative sweeteners made in nature, like “stevia,” that don’t wreak havoc on your health – or do they? That’s what I went on a quest to find out. Here’s what happened…

Stevia

What Is Stevia? Stevia Plant

For those of you that are hearing about stevia for the first time, it is a plant that is typically grown in South America, and while it’s extract is 200 times sweeter than sugar, it does not raise blood insulin levels. That’s what makes it so popular. However in 1991 the FDA refused to approve this substance for use due to pressure from makers of artificial sweeteners like Sweet n’ Low and Equal (a one billion dollar industry). But in 2008, the FDA approved the use of rebaudioside compounds that were derived from the stevia plant by Coca-Cola (Cargill) and PepsiCo – hmmm doesn’t that sound suspicious? Not until a major food company got involved did stevia become legal, and only after it had been highly processed using a patentable chemical-laden process…so processed that Truvia (Coca-Cola’s branded product) goes through about 40 steps to process the extract from the leaf, relying on chemicals like acetone, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, and isopropanol. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens (substances that cause cancer), and none of those ingredients sound like real food, do they?

The whole leaf stevia that you can grow in your backyard (and has been used for centuries in countries like Brazil and Paraguay) remains a non-approved food additive by the FDA. However, rebaudioside A (the stevia extract) that was approved by the FDA has not been used for centuries and long term human health impacts have not been studied and are still unknown. The sweetener/sugar industry wields powerful influence over what is ultimately approved at the FDA, and this is just another example where they are influencing decisions that don’t make sense. How can a chemically derived extract be deemed safe in processed food and a plant from mother nature not?

What Kind Of  Stevia To Avoid

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From One Babe To Another: #DumpKraft

...by Food Babe

I want to share a letter I sent today to the man behind the newest Kraft Commercial. Kraft is using this new campaign to distract people’s attention away from the petroleum based artificial dyes they use in Mac & Cheese to hot sexy abs. Let’s not let them detract from the real issue at hand.

kraftfinal

Watch the the latest Kraft Commercial Video HERE

Dear Anderson Davis, aka “The Zesty Guy”,

Hi, it’s Vani Hari aka the Food Babe here! From one babe to another, I’ve got something really important to ask you. I saw the recent Kraft commercial you are starring in, and boy was it hot! So it got me thinking. Kraft is one of the largest food companies here in the US, and it makes total sense why they would want your face on their brand especially after all the negative publicity they have experienced as of late with another babe, me.  The reason why they want to change the conversation to your face and abs is because they don’t want Americans to know they are being exploited. Let me explain.

I recently discovered that several American brands are using harmful additives that are not used – and in some cases banned – in other countries. One of those products is an iconic staple that almost every American has had at one time or another: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the US contains the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 made from petroleum, however Kraft reformulated this product in the U.K. using natural dyes, paprika and beta carotene when they found out these dyes were going to require a warning label.

These unnecessary – yet potentially harmful dyes are linked to hyperactivity in children, asthma, allergies, migraines and are contaminated with carcinogens (substances that cause cancer!).

The worst part, all of Kraft’s Mac & Cheese products marketed towards children contain these artificial dyes. I noticed you are a family man and have children. Would you let your child be pumped up with questionable petroleum-based ingredients and support a company that uses them here but not in other countries?  How can we trust Kraft with our children? It is completely unfair to us that Kraft has reformulated the exact same product in other countries without petroleum. Don’t we deserve the same safer version our friends get overseas?

Well, you are not alone, actually over 280,000 people thought it was unfair too and last month signed a petition to ask Kraft to remove these dyes.  Many of the people who signed the petition have either been affected by these dyes themselves or have had children who have experienced negative consequences. The letters I have personally received are heartbreaking.

After basically no response from Kraft (other than this letter to their fans), I decided to go to Chicago and deliver the signatures to their front door step on the same day they launched your new commercial (coincidence, I think not). Because of social media pressure, they eventually caved and let me in for a discussion, however all they did was just reiterate their position, and asked me to “agree to disagree” with them.  Kraft does not put the safety of their consumers  as their highest priority, rather it is their bottom line, and they confirmed this during my meeting with them.

Kraft obviously missed a huge opportunity to do the right thing, and now many concerned consumers are boycotting not only Mac & Cheese, but their entire line of products – including the dressing you are so famously known for now. So let’s talk about this dressing. Kraft Zesty Italian contains a couple of ingredients you should know about ASAP.

Vinegar, Water, Soybean Oil, Canola Oil, Sugar, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% of Garlic*, Garlic, Red Bell Peppers*, Onions*, Xanthan Gum, Spice, Oleoresin Paprika, Potassium Sorbate And Calcium Disodium Edta (to Protect Freshness). *Dried.

The ingredients in red above are likely all GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms). Oh you don’t know what GMOs are? Let me fill you in on that too.
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The Latest Kraft Petition TV Coverage: Dr. Oz, CNN, Fox News, NBC, and Good Morning America

...by Food Babe

Since Kraft did not show up to The Dr. Oz Show, we’ve contacted Kraft directly via email (now twice) and left a voicemail. We received an automatic reply that the head of the Mac & Cheese division is out of the office. This probably isn’t the best time for her to be out, don’t you think?

We are patiently awaiting a response… until then, we plan to get this message out as much as possible.

I hope you enjoy the media clips below – 3 of them are from the last 24 hours. All of these interviews with Lisa and me are so different – I’d love to know which one you liked the best. See you in the comments!

XOXO,
Food Babe

The Dr. Oz Show – Food Dyes: Are they Safe?


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Our Response to Kraft’s Letter: It’s Time To Surrender Your Artificial Dyes

...by Food Babe

Today I am appearing on the Dr. Oz Show with Lisa from 100daysofRealFood - be sure to tune in!

It’s been a little over one week since we started a petition to remove artificial food dyes from Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. We have over 228,000 signatures and, while we heard from Kraft right after the petition launched, it was not the response we were hoping for.

We thought it would be important to share their response and exact letter with you, so you can understand exactly what we are up against.

Below you’ll see Kraft’s letter to us along with our specific response and reaction in bold.

From Kraft: Hi Lisa and Vani,

Thanks for contacting us. The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority and we take consumer concerns very seriously. We carefully follow the laws and regulations in the countries where our products are sold. So in the U.S., we only use colors that are approved and deemed safe for food use by the Food and Drug Administration.

Our Response: When Kraft found out the safety of artificial food dyes was in question in Europe – why didn’t they make the “safety” of U.S. citizens their highest priority, too? Food is food – whether in our country or someone else’s – why not make all Kraft products standardized to the highest safety regulation across the board? Kraft was able to reformulate their products without artificial dyes in the U.K. without noticeably changing the color or taste – we even taste tested it ourselves just to prove this point. We know it can be done; Kraft doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel.

To further prove this point – Kraft stated this fact themselves by reformulating Lunchables in the UK without “compromising quality, taste and food safety.”

“Kraft Foods UK has no products aimed at children that contain the ingredients highlighted in the FSA [Southampton] study. . . . [W]ith our recent Lunchables reformulation in the UK, we reduced fat and salt, as well as removed artificial colours and flavours. Without compromising quality, taste and food safety, we will continue to see where we can make changes and still meet consumer expectations.”—Kraft Foods UK (Quote Taken from AllergyKids Foundation)

Because Kraft has not willingly and proactively reformulated their products in the US, it’s obvious to us that Kraft’s highest priority is their bottom line. We are asking Kraft, a multi-billion dollar company, to be the leader in the US Food Industry by voluntarily removing artificial dyes and owning up to the statements they make about safety and quality of their products. 

From Kraft: We expanded our line of KRAFT Mac & Cheese (KMC) offerings. We know some people prefer foods without certain ingredients — we now offer a multitude of products without added colors, as well as products with natural food colors including:

  • KMC Organic White Cheddar
  • KMC Organic Cheddar
  • KMC White Cheddar
  • KMC Alfredo
  • KMC Deluxe Original Cheddar
  • KMC Deluxe Four Cheese
  • KMC Deluxe Sharp Cheddar
  • KMC Homestyle Creamy Parmesan Alfredo
  • KMC Homestyle Sharp Cheddar and Bacon
  • KMC Homestyle Classic Cheddar
  • KMC Homestyle Hearty Four Cheese
  • KMC Homestyle Bowl Southwest Tortilla
  • KMC Homestyle Bowl Creamy Broccoli with White Cheddar
  • KMC Cup Alfredo

Our Response: Who prefers food with artificial color? We are not sure many consumers do since it adds no benefit or nutritional value to the foods it’s in and is simply a cheap, cosmetic additive. And what about all the kids that reach for the boxes with cartoon characters? Do you really think they are going to pick out the Organic/Homestyle version over Spongebob? The above options of Macaroni and Cheese without artificial dyes are not targeted towards children, and the versions that are specifically designed for children do contain Yellow #5 and Yellow #6. Children are the ones that are most at risk for complications when consuming artificial dyes. In Europe, a food company is required to use a warning label when using artificial food dyes stating, “May cause adverse effects in activity and attention in children” on the package.

But meanwhile back in the US, Kraft features children regularly in commercials and goes as far as holding essay contests specifically for children to promote the introduction and creation of new product lines containing artificial food dyes – products like “Cheddar Explosion,” “Extreme Cheese Explosion,” and “Grilled Cheese Explosion.”

Since artificial dyes provide no value but do pose risks, we believe it is up to Kraft to voluntarily change their product and stop exploiting the FDA laws to their financial advantage. The 30 or so Kraft varieties that do still contain artificial dyes in the US are unfair to the children lured by these products, unfair to the less fortunate who buy these products because they are cheaper, and unfair to the uneducated consumer that is unaware of these potentially harmful ingredients.

Kraft Kids

Even the FDA admits we should be concerned, stating the following on their website:

“Exposure to food and food components, including AFC [Artificial Food Colors] and preservatives, may be associated with behavioral changes, not necessarily related to hyperactivity, in certain susceptible children with ADHD and other problem behaviors, and possibly in susceptible children from the general population.”

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