Someone recently asked me what I think the worst ingredients are at McDonald’s and my first thought was… “Um, where do I start?!” The 37-page ingredient list for McDonald’s reads like an encyclopedia of nutrition-less, additive-filled, processed food. It should be pretty obvious that I don’t eat at McDonald’s (and many of you may not either) but I still have family members and friends that eat there on a regular basis (and I can guess you probably do too!).
According to a recent Morgan Stanley report, young adults eat at McDonald’s more than any other restaurant. What I found funny about their report is that while they eat there, they won’t admit it to their friends because they consider the food there so low quality.
Although most of us realize their food isn’t healthy and McDonald’s reports that their sales are struggling – they continue to feed thousands of Americans, day in and day out and that’s why it’s so important for you to share this information with all your friends and family members.
Do the people that eat at McDonald’s realize how many questionable chemicals they are eating in one meal?
McDonald’s announced recently that they are going through some major menu changes, and will be nixing some unnecessary ingredients. They also are finally listening to us, and will stop using chickens that are injected with growth-promoting antibiotics, along with dairy products raised with the growth hormone rbST but they still are using a lot of factory farmed meat and the beef is still raised with antibiotics.
McDonald’s even said they might add kale to their menu, by putting it in salads or in a smoothie. I LOVE kale, and I hope they don’t find a way to ruin it. You know the saying, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”. So, they need to do a lot more than just add kale to their menu before I’d ever eat there. The problem is that millions are still eating there and consuming several questionable food additives that McDonald’s could remove entirely if they really wanted to.
I know this because McDonald’s is already doing it for our friends overseas.
If you compare their ingredients with what they serve in London, you’ll see that many of the food additives used in the U.S. aren’t used over there at all, such as TBHQ, BHA, propyl gallate, azodicarbonamide, sodium phosphate and artificial colors. Instead of frying their food in partially hydrogenated oils laced with dimethylpolysiloxane like they do in the U.S., they use a non-hydrogenated vegetable oil blend instead. They also serve organic milk and don’t use GMO ingredients overseas – all while serving us GMOs here in the States. What they’re serving in other countries isn’t perfect, but it’s better.
When you eat just ONE single menu item at McDonald’s, even a “healthy” item like their Premium Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad, you’re really eating ingredients like powdered cellulose, soybean oil, autolyzed yeast extract, and high fructose corn syrup – and that doesn’t even include the dressing that’s loaded with more soybean oil and refined sugars. It’s no wonder that America is struggling as a nation with obesity, diabetes and heart disease. What would happen if McDonald’s took the lead here and finally ditched the worst ingredients on their menu? How much would the health of our nation improve?
My “Hit List” of the WORST 12 ingredients at McDonald’s No One Should Be Eating (8 of them aren’t even used in the UK at all)!
I compiled a little hit list of the biggest offenders on McDonald’s menu. If they got rid of these ingredients, dozens of menu items would be transformed for the better. Inform your friends!
1. Partially Hydrogenated Oils (19 menu items): These oils have no place in our food, as the main source of trans fats in our diet that has been unequivocally linked to heart disease and death. Until the FDA finally bans it, this ingredient should be voluntarily removed. Why should they wait for the FDA to force them to take it out when they already don’t use it in other countries? McDonald’s uses partially hydrogenated oil in their “liquid margarine” that’s used to cook their eggs – and even their “egg whites” that are advertised as a healthier option. You’ll find it in virtually all of their breakfast items with either an egg or biscuit, like Egg McMuffins, Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel, and even in their low-calorie “Egg White Delight”.
2. Artificial Colors or Caramel Color (31 menu items): Artificial colors are an easy ingredient to ditch, since they don’t serve a purpose other than making “food” look better. These ingredients are on EWG’s Dirty Dozen Food Additives list, because caramel coloring is associated with cancer and there’s ongoing debate about the effects of artificial colors on children’s behavior. I’m a sucker for good ice cream, but McDonald’s doesn’t have it. McDonald’s chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry shakes are all artificially colored with either Red 40 or Yellow 5. Their “McCafe” mochas and chocolate chip frappes are tainted with artificial color Red 40 and caramel coloring. They also add caramel color to their “healthy” items like oatmeal and 8-Grain English Muffin (that’s used in the Egg White Delight), probably to make them look darker and more healthful.
3. Azodicarbonamide (aka The Yoga Mat Chemical) (30 menu items): This ingredient has been dropping like flies ever since I petitioned Subway to remove it from their bread. Pizza Hut, Bimbo Bakeries, Martin’s Potato Bread, Nature’s Own, Olive Garden, Starbucks, and Publix Grocery Store have announced they also have plans to remove the chemical from their products – and I think McDonald’s should be next. The EWG supported my petition because, “It is an industrial chemical added to bread for the convenience of industrial bakers,” and “EWG recommends that consumers take steps to avoid the industrial additive ADA in their food. It is an unnecessary ingredient, its use has raised concerns about occupational exposure, and questions remain about its potential risk to consumers. EWG also calls on all manufacturers to immediately end its use in food”. Nearly every sandwich at McDonald’s is still made with a bun that contains azodicarbonamide, from their most basic hamburger to the classic Big Mac.
4. Carrageenan (44 menu items): The Cornucopia Institute, has completed an in-depth analysis regarding the safety of this ingredient and subsequently petitioned the FDA to remove carrageenan from the “Generally Regarded As Safe” or GRAS determination. According to Cornucopia, animal studies show that “food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors”. McDonald’s adds carrageenan to “crispy chicken” items like the Crispy Chicken Classic Sandwich and the Crispy Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap. You’ll also find carrageenan in their vanilla ice cream, McFlurries, Shakes, and in some breakfast sandwiches like the Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles.
5. High Fructose Corn Syrup (30 menu items): This type of sweetener has been shown to contribute more to obesity and diabetes than regular cane sugar (sucrose). Even if you don’t drink a Coke at McDonald’s, you’ll likely eat something with High Fructose Corn Syrup. It’s in most of the sauces that are slathered on their burgers, the Southwest Chicken wrap, and it’s mixed into their shakes and frappes. Not included in my count, but it’s also found in some of the dipping sauces that come with Chicken McNuggets such as the Sweet n’ Sour, BBQ, and ketchup.
6. Soybean Oil (65 menu items): Soybean oil is processed to death (usually with toxic hexane) and is very high in omega-6 fatty acids that are associated with an increased the risk of inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. I was downright shocked at the number of items that contain soybean oil at McDonald’s, and it would be a shorter list if I just summarized where you won’t find it! That’s because soybean oil is used in their fried items, buns, eggs, tortillas, and sauces – it’s pretty much impossible to avoid at McDonald’s.
7. TBHQ & Dimethylpolysiloxane (27 menu items): They use both of these ingredients in the oil in their fryers – but only in North America! TBHQ is a synthetic preservative that McDonald’s competitor Chick-fil-A is finally dumping, as it’s truly unnecessary. TBHQ is derived from petroleum and eating only 1 gram has been shown to cause all sorts of issues, from asthma to allergies, dermatitis, dizziness and it has even been linked to cancer. Dimethylpolysiloxane, the “silly putty” ingredient, simply doesn’t belong in food, and McDonald’s doesn’t use it in their fryers in other countries. So, why use it here? You’ve probably heard about its use in McDonald’s french fries and McNuggets, but you may not realize that it’s in other fried items like the Filet-O-Fish, Crispy Chicken Salads and Crispy Chicken McWraps.
8. BHA & Propyl Gallate (10 menu items): You’re not starting your day off right with these risky preservatives found in many breakfast items at McDonald’s. These preservatives are used together by McDonald’s and are both on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen List of Food Additives to avoid. BHA has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor and is believed to be a carcinogen, as BHA has caused tumors in animal studies. Propyl gallate has also been associated with tumors and endocrine disruption. You’ll find both of these ingredients in their Sausage Egg McMuffins, Sausage McGriddles, and Big Breakfasts.
9. Hidden MSG, Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Protein (23 menu items): Instead of adding straight-up monosodium glutamate (MSG) to their food, they sneak in other additives (yeast extract and hydrolyzed proteins) that contain free glutamic acid, the main component of MSG. These ingredients are purely used to make you crave their food and eat more than you should, and are excitotoxins that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. McDonald’s adds these to Chicken McNuggets and Chicken Selects chicken strips, along with some burger sauces like the Big Mac sauce and Buttermilk Ranch sauce. You’ll even find it in salads with crispy chicken.
10. Sodium Phosphate (56 menu items): This preservative is so commonly used that if you eat processed food, you likely eat it daily. That doesn’t mean it’s safe. When you eat phosphate additives often, it can lead to excessive levels of phosphate in the blood and puts you at risk of chronic kidney disease, increased mortality, heart disease, and accelerated aging. The EWG also warns that sodium phosphate is an additive to avoid. This preservative is used in all of their cheese slices and in their ice cream, so all burgers with cheese and shakes contain it. It also preserves the crispy chicken used in McWraps and salads.
11. Cellulose (30 menu items): Ground breaking research links this additive to weight gain, inflammation and digestive problems. As reported by CBS News, “A new study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, finds evidence that these chemicals in food can alter the gut bacteria, or microbiome, potentially causing intestinal inflammation which makes a person more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome and significant weight gain”. McDonald’s adds cellulose to the shredded cheese in their McWraps, their Sausage Breakfast Burrito, biscuits, shakes, smoothies and ice cream.
12: DATEM (30 menu items): The acronym “DATEM” stands for “Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Monoglycerides”, and it’s a dough conditioner that is usually derived from soybean or canola oil (GMO crops). This ingredient can be a hidden form of deadly trans fat in our food that most people don’t know about. Just like partially hydrogenated oils, these artificial trans fats have been linked to heart disease and the CDC attributes them to up to “7,000 coronary heart disease deaths each year in the U.S”! This chemical invention is clearly not a necessary ingredient in bread, but you’ll find it in most of McDonald’s buns and in their english muffins.
If you’re like me and still have loved ones eating at McDonald’s, please share this post with them!
The more awareness we can bring to these chemicals that are being served up to thousands of Americans everyday as “food”, the faster these companies will change! I have something new and really exciting coming out next week that can transform your lunchtime eating habits. Make sure you’re subscribed to email updates so that you don’t miss out!
Xo,
Vani
P.S. Maybe this is why McDonald’s is advertising their bathrooms instead of their food now?
If you like investigations like this, you will love my books.
In my #1 best selling book The Food Babe Way – I teach you even more ways you can break free from the hidden toxins in your food, lose weight, look years younger and get healthy in just 21 days. In my 2nd book, Feeding You Lies, I blow the lid off of the lies we’ve been fed about the food we eat – lies about its nutrient value, effects on our health, label information, and even the very science we base our food choices on. And, my first cookbook, Food Babe Kitchen, contains over 100 mouthwatering recipes to show you how delicious and simple it is to eat healthy, easy, real food. Available anywhere books are sold.
And, this is why I don’t eat at MacDonald’s or any other fast food restaurant. I do not want to eat yoga mats(azodicarbimide), preservatives, partially hydrogenated oils and all of the other chemicals that are in <acDonald's foods. This is why our little children are having learning problems and getting sick.
This is Utterly Disgusting !! I haven’t eaten there in years, thank goodness !! And I will NEVER EVER EAT there again knowing this….Thanks Vani…And Let’s all Petition McDonalds NOW !!
Now I’m wondering about the coffee McDonald’s serves. I don’t eat at McD’s but have always enjoyed a fresh cup of Jo at McD’s, even better than Starbucks. Vani, do you have any info re: the coffee?
Lynne, I imagine the coffee doesn’t have a bunch of additives (maybe something to keep the grounds fresh) but I would be most worried about the pesticides used on coffee beans. Not only that but I doubt they get them fair trade. 🙁
Lynne,
Starbucks is not known for regular coffee. I think if you were to try something there other than an Americano ie regular black coffee you might find it more desirable. I would look for a small coffee shop near you or on your daily route instead of McDonalds. As the saying goes, fault in one fault in all.. Meaning if they’re that careless about their food they’re that careless about their coffee… It’s likely the cheapest nastiest junk they can purchase in bulk… I have a ton of little coffee shops all around me not franchise ones and they serve organic fair market trade. I changed over to organic a few years ago with my coffee and man what a difference. My household is nearly 100 percent organic now… My 5 year old will say things in the store like oh that’s gross it has chemicals and it’s not organic I don’t want that. Makes me proud to know she and my 3 year old son are learning so early about great food choices…
Is there any way we can start a petition to get this crap out of McDonald’s food in the US like it is in other countries? Let’s get millions of signatures n have Vani present it to the president of McDonald’s!
Best way to petition them is don’t give them your business, then share this post. Relying on the government to do something is a waste of time. It would take them years to do anything, and even then it wouldn’t be effective.
@No Mickey: Unfortunately experience shows thats not true. The reason why its not used in the UK is because its not allowed. Its the same in my country! In EU its recognised (since many countries have free healthcare) that its not ONLY the responsibility of the indiviual to protect yourself against harm (that alo why we have traffic rules etc). In Denamrk where i live we banned partially hydrogenated oils many years ago (beofr EU) and all the vendors that claimed that we would be killing them are still there! Laws can be made fast and its pretty effective (especially when all the alternatives already exists as is evident from fact that they are sed e.g. in the UK).
I agree. Boycott until their doors close. Anyone who chooses to do the wrong thing cannot be depended on to do an about turn and do the right thing just because of a law. They just look for loop holes; like BPA being banned so they use the exact same toxin called by a different name, BPS. The fact they are killing our children does not matter. Ban sodium nitrate, they then created a new Frankenadditive, ” cultured celery extract,” sounds healthy ??? but containing 11 X’s the amount of toxic nitrate. The Carpetbaggers would sweeten human poop and sell it if it’s not illegal.
Friends opened a healthy meals restaurant across from a death by dining court. Their food was incredible; nothing weird; Organic Fair Trade; very reasonable prices.
They kept it alive for 3 years and left, their life savings exhausted. I had a patient tell me she’d rather go back on her insulin injections and even , ” get Alzheimers than give up, wine, wheat and sugar.” Another chose to return to oxygen supplementation, towing a tank behind, than give up processed foods and the death trap eat outs permanently. There is no arguing with that mentality.
We tell cancer patients that restaurant foods and processed foods can kill them. It’s as SIMPLE as that.
You forgot to mention 90% chance that the soybean oil they use at USA Mc D’s is GMO.
Mc D probably isn’t as bad here in Thailand, same as UK, but still I hold my breath just walking by one so as not to breath the fumes! Just joking.
Just wondering why you think genetically modified soybean oil is a bad thing?
Well, in general it’s just the result of 37 years of reading about nutrition, especially now in retirement with so much free time. I would recommend you spend some time reading about GMO’s and not just from corporate propaganda sources. Dr. Mercola among many others has some good articles that will inform you about the dangers of GMO foods. Aside from the GMO problem I don’t use heat processed vegetable oils at all anyway. The only oil I consume is raw coconut oil in my morning veggie juice or cold processed olive oil on salads if I can get the real stuff which is far more difficult that you might think. Have a healthy good day.
Don’t be lazy, do your own research, Nicosteyn. If you read any credible scientific independent research you will answer your very primary question. Hint; it has to do with a fatty acid that damages
epithelial tissue. That word can be found in medical dictionaries.
Ya see, ” Old Bob,” has educated himself and is trying to serve others by sharing. What do you do for others, nic Not much I’d wager.
Food Babe is right. I moved here from England 10 years. One day I felt for a milkshake from MacDonalds as I was use to having it in England (not very often though) I was totally disgusted by the taste. It tasted very very sweet and very different to what I was use to. Had that issue with the breads as well.
Isn’t that the tragic truth; forced by LAW in the UK, with SERIOUS PENALTIES, to follow healthier standards producers of food stuffs and fast food outlets comply.
They will do whatever they are permitted to do and we follow blindly, lawdy da, that’s ok; probably exaggerated, ho hum… No !! Its a Pandemic Of Fatal Dangers.
Starve then out with our money control. They’ll heel,to. But then we’l, “..l have to watch the buggers, ” as a medical colleague stresses, ” Cause ya canna trust tha buggers !!!”
Ugg, I stopped in for the bathroom the other day and it was filthy!! Water all over the floor in the stall; the sink was disgusting, no paper towels, only a hand blower. So, even IF employees are washing their hands after using the bathroom, I can assure you they are still contaminated. If that doesn’t stop you from eating there, I don’t know what will!
My wake up call was from a friend who was an assistant manager at Arbys. He told me once “If you saw the way the food is prepared here you would never eat here again.” I can only assume the other fast food chains aren’t any better.
You’re right, Michael. My niece worked at KFC and since she quit she’s never been back again. She wouldn’t go into detail about why, but by the look on her face, it told me enough.
Just bought “The food Babe Way” I love you Vani Hari. Love your book and all that you have done to fight the Food supply system here in the good ole USA. Sent this MC Donalds story to all my friends and relatives. And I will send they something every week until they get the message. UNITE AMERICA TO WAKE PEOPLE UP TO THE FACT THAT THESE PROCESSED FOODS ARE KILLING US.
God bless you Babe and keep up the good work.
Me and my family don’t eat mc.donald .
Marie, that’s good mate but it’s a bit of a pointless post isn’t it? All the best x
Do you have to dis someone? Really?
I regret every time I fed my son food from McDonalds. We are now into year 3 of our little boycott. My son used to like McNuggets until we saw a special in England where Jamie Oliver showed school children what they were made of! Gross! We are also realizing that most restaurants will gladly serve you garbage. Thankfully he now likes salads from Panara when we (rarely) eat out. Thanks for your information!
When I worked at Mcdonald’s in 1992, the owners decided to start an “All you can eat” promotion for $5 if I remember correctly… It was PACKED twice a week when they did it, to the point that the sign on the wall about maximum occupancy was probably in play…
Everybody was ticked off, because believe it or not, if you haven’t worked fast food, it isn’t as easy as it looks… I got a chance to partake on an off night, and I thought I was going to love it, because I loved hogging on the Kings Table buffet growing up…
I am VERY thankful that happened because I ate so much, drowned it all in soda, and was truthfully sicker than my first incident with too much alcohol… Ever since then, I sparingly eat fast food, only when I have to on trips etc…
I Love McDonalds. Who cares what UK eats. There burgers are first rate. They have the best French Fries and the MCFLURRIES are the best dessert.
I have to wonder, what is your definition of “first rate”? More fitting words that come to mind when discussing McDonalds: inedible, toxic, garbage. I cringe whenever I see anyone ingesting their disgusting products.
Then look away. If you have a problem with something stop whining about it and either look away or get off your computer and deal with the problem. I feel like I’m parenting a child here.
Cudos, Kay. ” Look the other way,” Sam. Now that’s courageous and grown up. Do you have a problem with strong women expressing themselves, ” … get off your computer,”. where do you get off addressing Kay with that tone of disrespect?? dog forbid you are a parent.. Pity the child, pity the spouse.
You sound like a plant. Both use ages of the word – someone deliberately put somewhere to create good feedback or disinformation and also that green thing near your window which is dying for some water! I’m in London and no one goes to MDs anymore and their burgers look like something you find in the toilet.
Some people love mainlining dope, and drinking themselves blind drunk ? That isn’t healthy either !!
I just love reading attack comments from people who cannot spell Grade 1 words; because I love to laugh after a day of serious work attending sick people, victims of what they eat and drink.
Oh, genius, UK doesn’t eat; it’s a country. Like Rocks don’t eat,
The only way to stop this madness with fast food companies getting the upper hand in the market place is to get the word out there that their food is poisonous and not fit for human consumption. Not only get the word out and stop buying the stuff, but plain and simple economics is the key for them to change what they market to us. If the masses will stop buying it they’ll have to change the menu items. This will take time and much effort to change the minds of the general public who follow the advertisements and convenience of fast food dining.
Thanks for the information and your efforts in informing us of these horrific poisonous foods.
Has anybody watched the canned “info” production commercials??? The ones I am talking about are the burger patty and mcnuggets ones… They are hilarious, because
1) The floors are clean enough to eat off… Not happening in ANY real factory
2) The nuggets video shows people in lines cutting chicken with… wait for it… knives!!! People standing there cutting up chickens for nuggets… Not machines…
3) If that were true, maybe it’s a factory for Dave’s cafe down in Texas… Not for Millions of nugget eaters…
4) Maybe they do have one of those factories in EVERY single mid size city in the world, to meet the demand… Oops, maybe not
5) Simply canned production BS videos that… well, if people believe them, they deserve to eat there
I dumped McD’s a long time ago, and can truly see that it was much better for my health’s sake. Lovin’ it. NO, lovin’ that I stayed away from their den of poisons.
I bought three copies of your book, one for me, the other two for my sons.
We have all started on your plan. Love it. Fast food for me is a slice of good Italian Pizza once a month. We all quit soda years ago in favor of home made lemonade with just a touch of sugar. Thank you, thank you…
Just had mcdonalds tonight yum
I wonder how New Zealand McD’s stacks up against the USA ?
If only McD’s and all the other major corps weren’t owned by the evilest people on Earth!! Look up who owns all these poison pushers!! The same people are taking the USA over right in front of your eyes! Wake up people!!
I dont/won’t eat McDonald’s, I do not agree with the cruel method of killing animals in the halal way, McDonald’s use halal meat!
What about McDonalds in Australia? Does anyone know which of these chemicals they use here?
I think it’s kangaroo.
Ha ha very funny… but seriously, any idea about the chemicals?
I believe its kangaroo 🙂
https://mcdonalds.com.au/sites/mcdonalds.com.au/files/mccafe_beverages_aust_menu_info_11_december_2013.pdf
https://mcdonalds.com.au/maccas-food/nutrition
< "Franky" stein; you can spell , I'll give you that. If your mission is to convince MacDoanalds or any mega franchise fast food outlet, except Chiplotle, serves safe food, you're wrong. How wrong, we tell cancer patients that to eat in those places is to risk dying from infections and toxin challenges. FACT !!
Hi Vani,
I love you and what you are doing. You are such a breath of fresh air!
I live in South Australia, the only state here to have stopped the farming GMO’s. – but it doesn’t stop the GMO’s coming in through food products – which come from all over the world. Most people here seem completely unaware of toxins or GMO’s in their food.
I first heard you speak with the food revolution group & was encouraged that a young person can take the bull by the horns, so to speak.
I have read your book. It says everything that I would like to share with Australians – albeit it would required adaptation to Australian products.
In my mid-30’s I had major health challenges. My awareness of food & health and many others aspects of my life have radically changed particularly in the last 15 years.
I’ve worked in agriculture all my life (now in my 60’s). Let me just say thatI am appalled (increasingly horrified) at our virtually indiscriminate use of toxic chemicals, not only in farming, but in all commercial activities (manufacturing, medical & processing industries) – with little or no regard (or research) into long term implications to human, animal, plant or environmental health.
Is there a way we can collaborate to help sleepy Australians?
Kind regards
Russell
5’10” 130lbs reading this made me excited for McDonald’s breakfast. I now know exactly what I’m putting I’m my body and I don’t care. It tastes good, it’s cheap, that’s the point, I’ve been eating there semi regularly all my life, no health problems. At least happy.
Because of your website and everything that I have read about McDonald’s from their food preparations and including their ingredients that had a profound destruction to my irritable bowel syndrome I would never ever eat at McDonald’s again thank you for your valuable information.
Don’t knock yoga mats until you’ve tried them. Just kidding! Enjoyed your book very much and learned a ton.
I avoid fast food – but push come to shove I could understand flavor enhancers…but they really go overboard with the chemicals…. a home made hamburger beats any fast food joint burger – DUH made with loving hands – not perfectly round but delicious . . .
The only thing I ever get at McD is the mocha frappe and then just in warm months. Does it have caramel coloring also? Only the chocolate chip frappe was mentioned. I’m really working to avoid caramel coloring.
On occasion my student athlete travels with her team out of town via bus. The bus will sometimes stop at McDonalds for them to buy food. I always send food from home with her but is there anything at all on the menu that isn’t disgusting?
Thanks Food Babe – I shared the post with my family that still eats McD’s occasionally. I love your posts and it’s interesting the reactions I get when I bring your website up in casual conversation. Definitely love/hate with you. For the people on this post who declare in defiance that you’re still eating McDs – you’re certainly not hurting the rest of us. You’re probably the best argument against universal health care here in the states. Why should I pay for your poor choices. Best of luck to you. You’ll need it.
Except for the fact that paying for their insurance is ultimately cheaper than paying for their treatment… not to mention the cost to our country in lost productivity. And who knows…. maybe if their routine health checkups were paid for, maybe their doctor/nutritionist might show them the light.
Even ignorant people don’t deserve to be sick.
I love McDonalds. I eat their food perhaps 3 times a year as a treat or out of convenience. I know what McDonalds food is and I’m okay with it. If you don’t like McDonalds then don’t go there. McDonalds is losing market share because they are trying to placate kale eating food kooks like most posting here. The fact is, even if McDonalds changed their menu entirely, very few of you would patronize them. McDonalds needs to embrace who they are, a burger joint, plain and simple. Yes their food is not healthy but it sure tastes good! I’m wondering how many of you chow down on Ben and Jerrys or Starbucks. Now that’s some healthy food! With regard to the Food Babe, I have some additives I ‘d love to share with her.
I wonder why there is a need to use sensational adjectives when describing McDonald’s, etc., like the word “evil.” Would someone please define what that means? I would reserve the use of that word for Hitler, Stalin, serial killers, a certain Germanwings pilot…..those directly responsible for the deaths of others. McDonald’s is not directly responsible for the deaths of others. You may disagree but I defy anyone to show proof to the contrary. There have been several cases in the last few years of organic produce being directly responsible for the deaths of many. I think if McDonald’s is evil then the organic food industry is also deserving of being described as evil.
Of course they contribute to the deaths of people – people who are addicted to their food and become overweight and then have heart attacks. Happens all the time. You can’t compare McDonalds to the organic food industry. McDonald’s is well aware that they’re food is fatty and unhealthy but the people who produce organic produce are providing people with healthy nutritious food. If the produce contains e.coli or such it is usually because animal feces has contaminated it but it’s not done intentionally whereas McDonalds provides their unhealthy food intentionally. They don’t care about our health, they only care about money which equals evil conglomerate!
I think you need to check your definition of “Organic”. organic products have nothing to do with healthy or unhealthy. You can still get greasy gross products that are considered organic. What organic deals with is the process that it is grown, no pesticides, herbicides, etc. If you were to compare a normal lollipop to an organic lollipop nutritionally there would be no difference. That is how even big food companies are able to label some of their products as organic.
Sadly I admit until recently I ate at McDonald’s but not anymore. Years ago when I lived in Germany, I always wondered why fast food from places like Burger King and McDonald’s didn’t taste the same as back home. Now I know why! Of course I didn’t eat it often there or here in the USA. I’m moving in June or July after my daughter graduates from college and moves out. Once I am on my own I will finally be able to start affording the live and eat the Food Babe Way!
It is wonderful to see people becoming more aware of what is wrong with the food we eat at MacDonalds and most fast food restaurants. The economics of food companies is to achieve growth for Wall Street at the expense and well being of the nation. 2% growth in population does not cut it when a 10% return is required.They do this by replacing good basic ingredients with cheaper additives that produce the “bliss “point for your palate. Sugar, Salt or Fat trigger reactions in your brain and the average North American does not have a chance against these “evil” tactics unless someone like Food Babe sticks her neck out, subjects herself to ridicule by average people who do not understand what is being done to them without their knowledge. That is why Macdonalds is a problem that has spread its wings from North America across the globe. Fortunately in Europe they have stopped some of the nonsense that they have been able to get away with in North America.
Has Subway taken the Azodicarbonamide out of the bread yet? Has Chick fil A taken the TBHQ out of the oil? I think people are under the impression that these things are taken out right when the company says they will take it out, but I haven’t heard anything official that they are out.
Chikfil-A was just in the news for abuse of chickens. Undercover footage shows extreme cruelty; just google it. I wouldn’t eat there ever.
I’ve not eaten at McDonalds in years. My biggest concern, however is the poverty stricken among us. Our government subsidizes things like HFCS and other nasty things that make up the McDonalds menu to the point that a poor family nearly has no other choice than to eat there to get their children’s bellies full. If they order from the dollar menu, they can fill their whole family for what 1 bag of carrots cost at the grocery store. This is such an injustice. This is why I fight for GMO labeling and eating organic food. Those of us who can, should, the more demanded, the more will be produced, eventually lowering prices. Also if there is no demand for GMOs, eventually they will (hopefully) stop being produced!
I don’t know hoe much of this article I trust. I stopped reading at the part about the salads. I decided to look up some of those ingridients. I found that powdered cellulose is actually fiber, which when eaten in proper portions isn’t unhealthy. Its necessary for digestive health. There are only a few oils with less saturated fat than soybean oil making it actually one of the healthier choices. The autolyzed yeast is used as a flavor in enhancer around the world. Its used in things such as vegemite and marmite which some of the older generations should be familiar with. The biggest reason that fast food is so unhealthy are the portion sizes. If you all would eat proper portions and work out regularly, you wouldn’t have any health problems from this food. Ignorance isn’t always bliss.
i haven’t eaten at McDonalds in years. There are too many better choices, but I do have an issue with the addition of cellulose to this list of bad chemicals. I’m a botanist, and cellulose is what I studied in graduate school. It is the most abundant organic compound on the planet and the primary component of plant cell walls, so it’s in every single fruit or vegetable you ever have or ever will eat. There is no ovoiding it. I don’t understand the need to add more, but can’t imagine how it could hurt you.
I stopped eating at fast-food outlets (an insult to refer to them as restaurants) a year ago, and I can tell the difference. I feel better overall, lost weight and body fat, and my diabetes is in control. All things I didn’t experience by fast-food eating. So glad that I made the change, especially just now learning all the food-facts from the FoodBabe. Everywhere I drive I notice there are so many fast-food outlets, more than any other businesses, sometimes next to each other for blocks. That is a huge attraction for someone who is hungry and passing by. It’s no wonder we have an obesity and diabetes epidemic in this country. Excuse my long post.
Don’t forget to mention that the ice cream is actually pig fat!! Since finding that out I never ate one again. YUCK !!!
The chips can sit there for 6 months and not go bad as they are covered with about 17 chemicals. Blah!!
I only eat at McDs for the free frys left in their disposal system. I feel awkward when people are looking at me but the reward of eating a discarded golden fry is worth the stares. Every once in awhile you get that golden fry laced with melted ice cream and fudge. Mmmmmm
This article is so mindblowingly ignorant. Consider that a lot of the problem comes from the US government subsidising cheap ingredients (like corn) and not healthy ingredients, like organic meat and vegetables. Also, a massive number of the people eating at McDonalds eat there because it’s what they can afford on their substandard minimum wage (which is controlled by, you guessed it, governments). Not everyone can just quit McDonalds and start eating kale and organic chicken because they want to. Educate yourself on the issues before you start trying to shame these people.
Thanks for this article as it makes me feel so much better about eating my beloved mcdoubles at McDonalds!! You read that right. Mcdonakds is awesome.
Why? Well. People are abandoning McDonalds in droves and sales are falling while at the same time obesity and diabetes continue to skyrocket. Its clear McDonalds is a far healthier choice than yoga mat subway or whole foods whose sales have skyrocketed right with obesity and diabetes. How people can’t see the correlation is beyond me.
Please get back to me when you have conclusive studies that the chemicals at McDonalds actually are directly linked to disease. My blood readings and health have never been better at age 52 and McDonalds is a very enjoyable part of my diet. Meanwhile all your followers can be busy dealing with the listeria caused by Amy’s delicious and healthy ORGANIC spinach.
Jon pearlstone
Founder. EET fitness
I’ve been trying to point out the dangers of eating organic foods for a while. Nobody ever responds.
Obviously, you’ve never watched Super Size Me. Didn’t take long for him to become unhealthy eating at Rotten Ronny’s.
Thanks for your fight against carrageenan. I can’t personally speak to the other things on the list, but I realized several years ago that this was the source of the severe digestive symptoms I was experiencing (funnily enough, soy milk was the culprit at the time!) It felt as though my entire digestive tract was inflamed…and I later discovered that was because it was! I was floored when I found out it was a red algae derivative…that sounds so healthy. But for me, and I suspect many others, it is poison. I suspect many people are just treating the symptoms and don’t ever get to the root cause. I also suspect their treatment is much harsher on the body than my simple one if avoiding carrageenan. My problem disappeared when I realized the cause, and now if I inadvertently consume it, I can identify the symptoms. I grab the Benadryl and immediately start researching what I have consumed. Can’t wait for the day when it is no longer used in our food….and I believe that day will come.
While I totally agree with your campaigns to get additives out of our foods, all of us aren’t totally willing to avoid eating fast food from time to time. All of us aren’t into kale smoothies. We have to enjoy life a little, now and then. Fast food is like anything else. Do everything in moderation.
Babe,
Is there a McDonald’s phone number available so we can call to respectfully voice our disappoint / disapproval, as the Army did to Subway? Thanks!
J. R.
Serving notice by not attending and asking everyone you know to boycott and share info with them. The bottom line is all they understand. A couple of decades ago MacDonalds attempted to financially and mentally destroy a couple who questioned their use of Aspartame sweetened drinks. These behemoths don’t respond to civilized discussion. People who live like Royalty defend that lifestyle at any cost.
I have a supporting post on my blog:
“Why I stopped taking my kids to McDonalds’s” – http://www.spiritualcrossroads.org/2015/02/why-i-stopped-taking-my-kids-to.html
Mike, I checked your site. I agree about avoiding fast death food but your site seems to be advertising something else for people to swallow. I gave up attending any kind of ,” meetings,” when I became a free thinking adult… generally I avoid stock phrases, but, “I’m just saying…”
Not sure what your point is eryl….Blessings to you on your journey to health and happiness.
the journey and it’s, “fruits,” are the blessing. I apologize if I your site is not intended to be proselytizing. I would find that arrogant and offensive, IMHO, drivel.
Cudos, Kay. ” Look the other way,” Sam. Now that’s courageous and grown up. Do you have a problem with strong women expressing themselves, ” … get off your computer,”. where do you get off addressing Kay with that tone of disrespect?? dog forbid you are a parent.. Pity the child, pity the spouse.
McDonald’s does have processed food but it’s not like your gonna die from every thing they have some things are fine to eat so maby you are over thinking it a little foodbabe fyi I’m 10 yrs old
I doubt if a 10 yr old reads this site. But if you are 10, Gianna; as a nutrition specialist, and a loving parent, ” No Gianna, MacDonalds does not sell anything that’s fine to eat.” I could explain it to you but even a very, very smart 10 year old would not understand the scientific language.
I have stopped eating at MacDonald’s long time ago after watching the movie “supersize me” I did not eat there often, usually because what they call food worked like a laxative for me. Macdonald’s coffee may taste okay, and here people raving about the coffee from there. its a trap to get people to buy this crap
Actually, what WE ALL should be doing is FOREVER boycotting every fast-food restaurant, along with all of the food companies that produce toxic food!!
Anyone who has ever sold or produced junk food has demonstrated that THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO FUNCTION IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. DO YOU REALLY THINK WE ARE GOING TO REFORM A BUNCH OF CRIMINALS?????
THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE COURSE OF ACTION IS TO STOP PATRONIZING, OR OTHERWISE SUPPORTING, THESE CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES, FOREVER!!! Don’t ever buy anything from them ever again. They have proven to be untrustworthy.
These kinds of enterprises need to be totally eliminated!!!!
Thank you for post. I recently contacted Rita’s water ice inquiring about the ingredients in their frozen custard and they told me that it was propritary Information and if I had any allergies they would let me know if their products contained sow thing that would harm me. I responded by telling them I choose not to eat products containing high fructose corn syrups and hydrogenated oils and then I never heard anything further so I guess their silence answers my question. Have you reached out to Rita’s Water ice at all? Perhaps they are not even in your area.
I just want some yummy soft serve!
You want yummy soft serve Danielle ?? Freeze broke pieces of Organic Banana. A dozen bananas will serve 3-4 dedicated frozen desert lovers. Put well frozen pieces in a food processor or extrude with a Champion Juicer with the nut butter plate in place. Quickly buzz it up into soft serve with a processor. Organic Chocolate shavings, or Organic Unsweetened Chocolate Syrup, ( you can sweeten it with Organic Pure Stevia Extract.), coconut, nut butters, Organic Vanilla bean and or extract, Maple Syrup, your choice, can be added to the frozen pieces and a pinch of Pink Sea Salt, and pure Organic Stevia, for those with a sweeter tooth, before buzzing up quickly and serving immediately. Extruding with a Champion Juicer the frozen dairy free, toxic carageenan free, ” ice cream” can be piped into ice cream cones. Those are easily made, too, in your waffle maker.
Now this is what I like to read. That picture at the end “We stopped for the bathroom” summed it up beautifully. Thanks, Vani!!! That made me giggle. Please assure me it is a real advertisement!
Your newest subscriber,
Andrew 🙂
If you have gotten migraines from McDonalds food, now you know why. Even their coffee gives me a splitting headache!
Thanks Vani. We want to love them!