I was walking in a huge warehouse store recently and I saw this box of Kraft “Easy” Mac & Cheese madness and just had to write about it. I forgot how disgusting this list of ingredients was, it’s a shame that stores are even allowed to carry this garbage.
The ingredient list on a little cup of Kraft’s “Easy” Mac & Cheese is a long one, and to think that so many kids around the nation are popping these suckers into microwaves is so sad. Please inform your friends and family – Just because it’s “easy” doesn’t mean that you should eat it.
Let’s begin with the 22 ingredient cheese sauce… Yes 22!
Doesn’t it really just take cheese and a bit of butter and milk to make a cheese sauce? Not if it’s Kraft’s recipe. This is the craziest ingredient list for cheese sauce that I’ve ever seen:
“Easy” Mac Cheese Sauce Mix: Whey, Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup Solids, Palm Oil, Modified Food Starch, Milkfat, Salt, Milk Protein Concentrate, Medium Chain Triglyceride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Lactic Acid, Calcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Monosodium Glutamate, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Artificial Flavor, Cheese Culture, Enzymes.
Monosodium Glutamate – Kraft adds straight up Monosodium Glutamate, aka “MSG”, to create an addiction to processed food early in a child’s life – they don’t even try to hide it under the name “yeast extract” like some food companies do. The additive MSG is not the same thing that occurs naturally in cheese, because the additive isn’t bound to other amino acids, so it’s easily digested and rapidly absorbed by your body. We are inundated with MSG and hidden MSG additives in modern processed foods, and they are totally unnecessary and not good for our bodies.
Palm Oil – It’s disgusting that Big Food keeps using cheap palm oil in their products just so they can save a few bucks at the expense of our environment. Palm oil production is causing large-scale deforestation and killing animals and destroying the habitat for orangutans and Sumatran tigers – which may both become extinct soon. Besides the fact that it’s not even good for you, palm oil is super cheap, so you’ll find it in lots of cheap processed food at the store. When I see this ingredient on a label I always put it right back on the shelf and don’t look back. Don’t ever support a company that puts palm oil in their products, and Kraft is one of the worst. Note: This oil is nothing like Nutiva’s organic red palm oil, which is grown sustainably, and is super high in Vitamin A & E with more beta-carotene and lycopene than carrots and tomatoes.
Artificial Colors Yellow No. 5 & Yellow No. 6 – I petitioned Kraft to remove these dyes from ALL of their products, but it’s still in this “Easy” Mac version. These dyes require a big fat warning label in Europe that says “May Have An Adverse Affect On Activity and Attention in Children” – so they reformulated their products over there and serve a much cleaner version with natural colors. Why won’t they do that here?
I want to commend Kraft for taking out artificial dyes in boxes that have cartoon characters and the deluxe versions, but they still have a lot more work to do.
Natural Flavors – There are thousands of chemicals that are allowed by the FDA with little to no review under the category “natural flavors.” These can come from anything that is from nature, including beaver anal glands and other mysterious “proprietary” sources. This is an ingredient I avoid, because what it’s really made from is never fully disclosed – and I like to know what I’m eating.
Sodium Tripolyphosphate (aka STPP) – This preservative (also used as the main cleaning agent in detergents and soaps) is a suspected neurotoxin.
Sodium Phosphate and Calcium Phosphate – These ingredients recently made the top dirty dozen food additives by the Environmental Working Group for a reason. These preservatives are added to number of processed foods, and the typical American diet is full of phosphate additives – which are effectively absorbed by the body. It’s been shown that if you eat a lot of processed foods, like Easy Mac, you likely have higher than normal phosphate levels in your blood. High phosphate levels are associated with increased mortality (even in healthy people), kidney disorders, heart disease and accelerated aging.
A Plethora of Genetically Modified Ingredients:
Kraft has donated over 3.9 million to fight GMO labeling in the U.S. and this is because virtually all of their products would need to be labeled as containing GMOs. “Easy” Mac contains a lot of ingredients that are made from the top GMO crops in the U.S.:
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- Corn Syrup Solids – At least 88% of the corn crops are now GMO, according to recent stats.
- Maltodextrin – This additive is usually derived from GMO corn.
- Lactic Acid – Known to be made from corn, as a fermentation of dextrose derived from cornstarch.
- Acetylated Monoglycerides – Typically derived from GMO soybean or canola oil, and can be a hidden form of trans fat.
- Citric Acid – This doesn’t come from citrus fruit like it sounds, but really comes from a GMO black mold fed with GMO corn.
- Whey & Milk Protein Concentrate – These dairy products could come from cows injected with a genetically engineered bovine growth hormone, which is banned from dairy in Europe (and several other countries) where it is believed to increase your risk of cancer.
What exactly is “Enriched Macaroni Product”?
This is the first ingredient in “Easy” Mac, and it has no redeeming qualities. Kraft’s pasta is mainly comprised of refined wheat flour with a little bit of glycerol monostearate added in for texture. Then, they “enrich” it with some synthetic vitamins. There are many problems with modern day refined wheat flour:
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- Has been heavily hybridized to make it easier for the food industry, yet it’s believed to be contributing to an increase in celiac disease.
- Stripped of fiber and nutrients
- Usually chemically bleached
- Is easy to get addicted to, adding pounds to your waistline
- Could be pre-harvested with Monsanto’s Round Up!
Don’t feed this to your children or yourself. There are better choices.
This is one of the most unethical products I’ve ever seen – especially since Kraft uses safer ingredients in their Mac & Cheese products overseas. If you want Mac & Cheese that’s safer (and still “easy”) – choose homemade! I have a fantastic homemade recipe here with a bonus ingredient that adds a ton of good fiber and nutrition. And, for my healthy pasta recommendations, check out this post.
Please spread the word and ask your grocery stores to stop carrying this nasty stuff ASAP. Kraft is working so hard against our right to know, our family’s health and it’s time for them to pay the price with a hit to their bottom line. They do not deserve our money.
Xo,
Vani
This is disgusting and so sad that it’s marketed directly to children. Not to mention that those toxic ingredients are in a plastic container, which is then microwaved!! I’m a teacher and was overjoyed to hear that the microwavable cups were banned from our school this year. It was due to the inconvenience of making them at school, but still, I consider it a small win for now 🙂
just thanks for the info
Buying food from a box is the first hint NOT TO…. COOK your own food. If you have to read ingredients it poses a danger to your health. I know its hard to do that these days!
I agree with you about nothing from a box, bottle or can. I call it ‘one ingredient’ meals. Everything comes from fresh, organic sources in our house. If we want a cheat meal, we make ourselves go out and get it, but we would never ‘stock’ up on these kinds of meals. I work at a school and I can’t believe all the garbage these kids eat, so I wrote a blog post:
http://greengirlsdontgetfat.com/2014/11/12/school-snack-time-not-a-fruit-or-veggie-in-sight/
People don’t want the truth they just want easy and think if they ate it growing up and lived it’s ok but they can make a difference in there kids lives. Then they wonder why so many people are unhappy!
Thanks for the info….keep it coming g
even if these companies labeled their products as GMO, people would still buy and eat them! The people who actually care what they are putting in their bodies are usually the same smart people who cook at home from scratch, from food that comes from trusted sources such as their farmers market and organic food stores. You can also tell these same people that smoking cigarettes is bad for them and causes cancer… Do stupid people stop making bad decisions?
Why should it matter if it’s GMO? There has NEVER been one piece of evidence that GMO is harmful. All reliable scientific studies have shown no difference between conventional and GMO. In 20 years of GMO crops, there has never been a single illness or death linked to GMO. 20 years and millions and millions of meals served.
As far as the Kraft Mac and cheese, come on, think about it, kids have eaten millions of servings of it. If it were that bad, there would be dead kids all over the place. For Pete’s sake people, use a little common sense.
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/04/08/10-scientific-studies-proving-gmos-can-be-harmful-to-human-health/
that link goes to an article stating how GMO’s are harmful. And it’s just not harmful for humans, but all animal and plant life… have you not heard of the effect this is having on Bee cultures?
geesh!
GMOs tend to be heavily sprayed with weed killer and pesticides that end up on the food and water… so, no thank you.
Poor Tom. The inability to see the larger picture and the willingness to trust the corporations with his health will limit every aspect of his life. If the amount of money spent in Oregon defeating the GMO labelling proposal isn’t indicative of their manipulation of people like Tom, what is? See ya, Tom. Enjoy your health.
I think you need to research our medicals stats, we are the ONLY country that allows this . Just rent Food Inc. It’s a whole 10 minutes . Then talk about it. Leaky gut syndrome, cancers, Auto-immune diseases. PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELF from sources not from GMO productions. PLEASE just research . The truth will always ultimately prevail. Young males with breast ( hormones to speed meat growth….faster faster, bigger bigger ) antibiotics. Food that comes from a company that made Agent Orange and Round-up. : ((( Bless you on your road to truth.
For people like you that think that package food is safe because you don’t die at the moment to eat it. That is the reason that people are blind. We are talking the increase of chronic illnes from
Mental illness to severe auto immune diseases like MS . Do you know how hard is to take care of a kid with severe autism that can’t sleep at night day after day? Have you talk to some of people that have been getting better by changing them diet ? Wellness is quality of life not being sick with a bag full of drugs while you have a Soda in one hand and a fast food in the other .
If you want to eat GMO foods fine, but as an american I believe I have a right to know what is in my food, where it came from, and how it was grown.
The opposite is true. There is not one peer reviewed study showing the safety of GMOs. according to Dr Huber, professor emeritus at Purdue university.
You know what Tom, I read comments like yours all the time in most of the comment sections of articles like this and all I have to say about it is this. Your right, not one singe death or disease has been blamed on eating GMO’S and I believe there is a very reasonable explanation for this. Up until about a year ago, I didn’t even know what GMO’S were, let alone the fact that I was eating them everyday of my life, I bet if you asked people, most of them wouldn’t even know about them either. How can we blame GMO’s for death or disease when we didn’t even know that we were eating them in the first place. If you do some research online about cancer rates, autoimmune diseases, hyperactivity in children, etc., autism, you might be surprised how all of these have increased over the past years, then maybe you will think twice about the safety of GMO’s.
TOM: PUT DOWN THE MONSANTO PAYCHECK!!!!!! We know you are a paid employee so you can shut up now. There is more proof from 10-20 year studies of the effects of GMOs than there ar4e 6 month sutdies by Monsanto showing nothing happens. and 6 month studies mean nothing. Ford F150s are the best selling trucks for first 6 months of ownership, and are also the most resold trucks after 6 months. So those studies mean absolutely nothing. AGAIN, PUT DOWN THE PAYCHECK.
Recently on the island of Maui, a film was shown on children on the island of Kauai, with all sorts of illnesses linked to GMO farms and products. It made many viewers physically ill. As you know, Monsanto is running ( ruining) the soil on Kauai and are snaking their way into the other islands. The islanders on certain islands voted to have all non GMO products labeled as such, on one island the Mayor signed an ordinance but Monsanto is now bringing a law suit.
Yes, we all have a choice to eat whatever we want but I feel responsible in keeping our earth healthy for our future generations. We owe them this much.
Go to a children’s hospital and find the oncology ward. There’s a huge surge in childhood cancer. This isn’t normal and its no longer rare. I had a 17 year old patient with a brain tumor. Your telling me that food with unnatural hormones ( tumors feed off hormones) cannot cause cancer?
Tom,
There is ample evidence that GMO food is not good for you. Youy just don’t want to believe it. Maybe you work for the GMO industry or a chemical company that produces them. Stop lying and being an absolute idiot. I will not give links showing GMO food is bad for you, there are already some that do that on earlier posts and if you are half way competent to comment, just because something has not been proved to be bad for you, it does not mean that it is good for you either. Most of the time it takes many years for adverse effects to show to new drugs and chemicals as with Monsanto’s Round Up. It is not bad for your body, but it destroys and interferes with the biome of the gut, and that is very bad for you.
Try watching the movie Genetic Roulette as well as Food Inc. GMO’s are not listed as the cause of death because they cause diseases and cancers in our organs. The diseased organs are then listed as the cause of death.
TOM – Your argument about 20 years of no harm is so vane and ridiculous!!! This is why the GMO idiots don’t want us to label them!!!
My question is, how do you know there has not been any harm in that long time if NOBODY KNOWS which foods are GMO and which aren’t??
There are plenty of studies that show GMO foods have harmed tested animals, and they do NOT enhance yields as shown in studies.
Indian crops have shown a decrease in yields after the first crop, and you come to present INACCURATE statements.
GMO’s are an attempt by the CABAL to control the planet’s food production and lower the population’s numbers.
I really enjoy Tom’s reasoning. 😉 One cigarette never killed anyone. But a lifetime of smoking can. One box of processed food will not put anyone in the hospital, but a lifetime of eating garbage can. Everyone has their own choice and everyone plays Russian roulette with their health in their own way. I do have a problem with deception, marketing unhealthy food to children, and intentionally using harmful ingredients. People who wish for GMO labeling do not lack common sense, they merely want transparency. And with your reasoning, if there is no harm at all to these foods then what is the issue? It’s not the cost of labeling despite what these multi-billion dollar conglomerates say. They are beholden to make money for their shareholders. THAT is their job. Their job is not providing nourishing food to the masses. If you think that they will stop at nothing to thwart the work of anyone or anything that gets in the way of them making cheap, slick and essentially denatured food, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you.
Very well said! I agree.
Right one won’t hurt, but unfortunately, these products are a staple in a little one’s diet! One or once in awhile is not an option for them. A mom buy the 12 pack and many lunches/dinners are taken care of for awhile. Sad!
Very well said Susan!!
I have facts and figures to back up my statements. Do you? How can you call something harmful without any research to back it up. Every scientific test you can find will show that there is no nutritional difference in GMO or non GMO. Thus no need to label. the majority of voters have voted against it as a useless and costly regulation.
People often wonder why cancer hits so many young people now compared to years ago when cancer was considered something your grandparents may have had….maybe because fifty years ago people wouldn’t dream of eating the way Americans do now….food was healthier to begin with as far as meat n veggies go but all of these quick n easy meals didn’t exist….It’s not just cancer that now plagues our generation it’s tons of diseases that were barely heard of fifty plus years ago…gerd…ibs…celiac…crohns…colitis ..diverticulitis….so many gastrointestinal diseases…If you think about what we put into it bodies now compared to what we did years ago it’s blatantly obvious that we poison ourselves!!!! Thanks for the info…unfortunately everything in that isle of the grocery store is most likely harmful in some way!!!
Thanks for mentioning this. I have Crohn’s and when I was diagnosed the doctor put me on medication about 6 times per day and I still had some symptoms + all the side effects from the medicine. Well that didn’t last long- I started eating only whole, organic food and supplements and with change in diet alone I am off of all medication and only experience symptoms of Crohn’s if I slip up and eat processed food!!! You don’t even need scientific proof that processed food is causing disease and death when the proof is in the death and disease statistics of Americans, along with my story and everyone else like me who has conquered disease through organic food alone!
Actually that is scientific proof, although not an official study. If you have a disease and it goes away with better diet, that is proof that the disease was diet-related.
Great information, very informative and well written. Thanks for your help and time providing this information so we can make healthier choices in the food we eat and give our children. Its just disgusting our food market has gotten this bad
always love your informations and keep my eyes on your topics 🙂 thank you for sharing updates.
I don’t understand why America allows all this unhealthy and 7nsafe food and Europe and many other countries don’t allow it??
It’s because of money!!
The reason is very simple: Powerful lobbyists.
I feel like we’re living in a third world country compared to Europe and other countries. For one thing I think the corporations in this country have a very powerful grip on our political system. That’s what needs to change. The other thing is the mentality of our population. It appears that many people lack good critical thinking skills and to make good dece
You are so right. Well said. It really needs to change. I wonder if we can do anything about it?
The other thing is we have weak regulating agencies. Look when you buy supplements thay are very safe you see the FDA warning stating that these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and this product and basically useless according to them. But like food babe says…companies can sell food with all these health recking ingredients and even the personal care product, many of which have neurotoxins, endocrin disruptors, carcinogens etc….Where is the FDA disclaimers here? It should be at least a warning like…this product is not regulated by any government agency (personal care products are not regulated) The ingredients in this product could be damaging to your health. You use this product at your own risk. Because most people think because it is sold in a store that some government agency (with honest intentions) has regulated that product for safety.
Governments have been thoroughly taken over by the Corporate Money power, starting by the Banking sector that uses Fractional Reserve System to produce the MONEY as-debt in the process of offering loans.
What most people don’t understand is that the Money Supply is NOT produced by the government but IN FACT it is produced EVERY DAY by regular BANKS while they give out loans to individuals, businesses and governments themselves. This is the worst SCAM in the history of humanity, and it’s taking place in front of our eyes, every day, and we don’t see it because most people don’t truly know how Money is Created.
The money we use is called Debt-Based Money because every single dollar, Euro or Peso, etc., is owed to a bank to exist, and if everyone paid their debts to banks we would run out of money in the economy and it would come to a halt, as it is partly happening in Greece, Spain, Ireland and all countries forced to do “austerity”.
WE WERE WARNED
“It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.”
Henry Ford
“History records that the money changers (bankers) have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit and violent means possible to maintain their control over government by controlling Money and its issuance.”
James Madison
“If you want to remain slaves of the bankers and pay for the costs of your own slavery, let them continue to create money and control the nation’s credit”
Sir Josiah Stamp
Former Director Bank of England
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous than standing armies…
If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, the banks and corporations that will grow around them, will deprive the people of their property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered”
Thomas Jefferson
That is so scary. I thought there was some level of regulation. It’s just so illogical to me that the government would allow all these products to be sold here. They should just set standards upon which companies are supposed to adhere to and then these products will never be even created.
Follow one rule and you will eat healthfully; don’t (or at least try to) buy any food/ products that have ingredients.
Thanks Vani and the Food Babe team… keep on keeping on! You are doing tremendous work that I appreciate.
The people at Kraft, do they feed their own families these foods? Are they conscious of what they are doing? This is what really gets to me…these are human beings making food for other human beings. I have worked in corporate America so I understand the conflicting issues that arise for someone needing to provide for their own family while meeting bottom line results. But all any one person at Kraft has to do, is make a different choice. That could lead to other choices being made to support the creation of food that nourishes our bodies instead of depleting them. Come on, Kraft? Where is your sense of humanity?
YOU GOTTA WATCH THE FILM – “THE CORPORATION” – So you understand who are the PSYCHOPATHS that are controlling our world.
And now OBAMA wants to sign the TPP? Is he crazy to ask for Congress to accept “FAST TRACK” no-discussion of an agreement whose discussion with 11 other countries has been going on for YEARS IN SECRET!!! and if it has not been signed is because it is so BAD none wants to sign it except THE CORPORATE SERVANT….. BARACK OBAMA.
The agreement calls for corporations to suit governments who want protect their citizens with laws that would “cost” the corporations, like Thailand is being sued by Tobacco corporaqtions because it passed a law to label a warning in every cigarettes package about the dangers of smoking.
And to top it all off… plastic should NOT be microwaved!! So you’re also giving your kids a healthy dose of endocrine-disrupting plasticizers, to boot 🙁
Share this bad news! More people need to know. Thank you food babe for your work and investigating like you do.
I will be selling my position in Kraft stock
Oh Canada
I still wonder, with all the true science that is out there and the number of CREDIBLE scientists and health researchers joining forces now in telling it like it truly is, why does Canada appear to remain in lockstep with the USA and for the most part ignore the eminently more credible European countries and Australia which value the health of their peoples and establish the rules of nutrition and health commerce accordingly. As a Canadian, I know Canada can be so much better than it is.
Canada’s problem now is STEVEN HARPER!!
This IDIOT is worse than BUSH and also comes from a place where there are CowBoys, and TARSANDS OIL= ALBERTA, Canada.
Singlehandedly Harper is destroying not only Canada’s reputation, but Canada’s well being by destroying the EXCELLENT former MEDICAL SYSTEM, allowing US insurance corporations to ENTER CANADA’S market by CUTTING OFF SERVICES that formerly were given by the STATE INSURANCE SYSTEM, and that now are being “insured” by US Medical Insurance Corporations like Blue Shield etc.
The US has the most expensive and the WORST medical system in the WORLD and this is what this idiot decided to COPY??!!
That list is disgusting, from top to bottom for more reasons than I can count. Cheapskates!
Coincidence that yesterday at work this was an option to eat, real quick ,since I forgot my lunch.
I turned it around to read the ingredients and there was no listing on the cup itself. The package was already trashed and there was only the single cups left.
I was asking a Co worker if they knew what was in it. The response, “Powdered cheese and noodles. What else,duh!”
Oh my face at his response. It was the same look I gave another Co worker who stated there was no such thing as Organic tomatoes.
I work with ignorant people who think I’m the crazy hippie that eats healthy.
Needless to say, I thought it was awesome to see this post and get an answer to my question.
Thanks Food Babe!
Hey Bebe,
You have to remember that u r not the crazy food freak, u r the normal one and it is the other people who eat all this unnatural food that r the crazy ones. Eating healthy and really watching what is in your food and where it comes from and eating REAL food is normal and the way people eat today is NOT normal. Our bodies r not created to eat anything that is not organic and natural. We r not able to handle processed food and chemicals and that is in a lot of the food today. I’m proud of u that u healed yourself. U should check out and start fermenting your own food. That is amazing for the gut and colon. Do some research on Dr. Mercola.com and search for fermenting. It is so simple and cheap and is extremely high in good bacteria that we need in the colon. Go on you tube also and get some ideas. U go girl!
Tete
Sorry Bebe,
Half of my comment was for someone else, but check out the fermenting and take some of that to work w/ u. That will get people talking! ; )
Yuk! If you only offered a description of the ingredients without mentioning that it is actually Mac & Cheese, one would swear that they are being served rat poison! Keep up the great work Food Babe.
While I love your efforts and all I feel that I have to ask something here.
I see that 99% of our ‘food’ is being produced in unhealthy ways… could you please give us some positive light information.
I would LOVE to see a list of items that you approve.
I would be even More in love with you if you could provide a shopping list of products to be safer in this time of troubles.
Rachael
Hi Rachael! Check out some of the products that Vani stocks her pantry up with here:
https://foodbabe.com/2012/02/13/food-babes-pantry-staples/
Hi Pam. I can’t find the link to add this article to my Holistic, Pinterest page- to spread the word… Where the heck is it ?? : ( Thanks! -Leslie
I’m more than trying with diet , health living and teaching …Many family and friends are changing but it does seem to a very big battle I’m not winning . Were,fighting government , corporations ,and ignorance …..is a tough road ….seems like the only time people will listen is on there death bed …toooo late then .
It still boggles my mind that people debate about trivial stuff like GMO, MSG, preservatives. These have little to no effect on nutrition! Why not look at the big picture. Protein, Carbs (and glyccemic index), fats! Yes, this product sucks! But it doesn’t suck because it’s GMO, or has preservatives. It sucks because it has no real nutritional value. Empty calories. A plate of overcooked, organic pasta with organic cheese sauce is JUST AS BAD!! It’s ok to complain about kraft dinner, but I suspect that most that do, probably don’t eat enough protein and fibre, avoid simple carbs and sugar altogether, eat good fats, load up on veggies, train regularly, etc… if you’re not doing ALL of those things, then avoiding kraft dinner is like trying to empty the ocean with a bucket!!! Good luck 🙂
Thank you for this post. It is information like this that makes your blog so valuable. Because of you I am eating more healthier foods and eliminating processed foods.
I believe the beef-chicken and etc. sprinkle BHT and BHA on the meat to keep it looking fresh. Europe has banned both. I have a reaction to both.
Our food is making us sick.
Deane
“ENRICHED” means that metal has been added to the flour!!!! Look on You Tube for demonstrations how they add the metal….. it’s so disgusting that these products are even in the store…… We Love You Food Babe for all you do!!
So great you are getting this info out. Being an informed consumer is important. Know you have mentioned Dr. Blaylock’s info regarding MSG. Was wondering what you thought about his including Nutritional Yeast into the hidden names of MSG, very much like the pseudonym – yeast extract. It appears from the evidence he cites that Nutritional Yeast is also an additive that is not bound to other amino acids so it allows it to be rapidly absorbed not just by the body but directly into the brain in very large quantities, making it neurotoxin. So yummy and cheesy though – right? Thanks for shining a light on these issues.
It’s amazing they still get away with this type of propaganda, especially with children.
Can you please help me understand about Palm Oil? I thought it was so much better, doesn’t it come from the Palm tree? I have switched from regular Jiff PB to the “natural” one b/c they are using Palm oil in it. I am thinking red palm oil, coconut oil so it must be good right? You say NO that’s it cheap and bad. Please help me understand. I specifically look for soy oil and canola oil and do not buy products with that but was thinking Palm is a better option? Confused….
Hi Christie, per Dr. John McDougall, author of THE STARCH SOLUTION, ALL oils are bad! That includes Olive Oil, coconut oil and Palm Oil. The fat you eat is the fat you wear! I am living proof that olive oil and coconut oil are bad for you. I was experiencing daily angina attacks; I flew from Europe to spend ten days at a live-in medical clinic with Dr. John McDougall.. and amazing things started happening! ALL chest pain completely gone and has not returned in over two years, lost tons of weight immediately by doing nothing but eating complex starches, fruits, veggies and gave up ALL OILS! Arthritic pain completely gone; energy soaring… I could go on and on… you get the idea.. but, Palm Oil is truly killing those beautiful orangutang’s. Please read up on it.
Please refer to this link: https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2013other/news/oil.htm
Thank God I never touch this Mac&Cheese as I am vegan. The dilemma is that even if I wish for a world free of gmos or additives and that Monsanto/Syngenta collapses, at times I have had no choice but to get my vegan items from Taco Bell late at night with no other food around and to satisfy hunger rather than starve or get a headache.
For God’s sake, I wonder of the sensible and realistic solution to go by where I can take a herb, supplement, etc to fight off the additives/gmos that enter my body from the taco bell I have once in a blue moon while I still eat healthy, vegan whole foods usually and have ditched conventional sodas forever?
Vani got gmos in her body from before even with nothing now. I cannot see anybody who has been totally immune from GMOs in their body since birth and surely see how people able to forgo GMOs entirely bc of the environment or situation they are in such as different country with no GMOs tolerated.
It is proven on and on and said in many health articles and professionals how such rigidity as in always being 100% free from GMOs leads to neuroticism and dysfunctionalism especially when trying to live life as a human being and encountering different scenarios. Please know that I am not advocating GMOs or additivs at all, just emphasizing the importance of living life normally in different environments with flexibility, ease and anxiety free rather than ongoing anxiety, neuroticism and dyysfunctional behavior. Wonder how ‘pragmatism’ can be applied. Thanks!
Such a shame!!! I wonder if the company’s employees feed this to their kids!!!
Thanks for keeping this information out there. We need lots of people like you to help inform the public of the garbage we are eating and feeding to our family’s! You rock Food Babe!
Thank you so much vani for this useful information. I try to warn my family about the conventional processed foods their eating and all they do is ignore me, or ridicule me, and accuse me of being paranoid. My biggest concern is that they feed these foods to their kids.
I was thinking of doing a little experiment with my family by taking some of the processed food in our household and highlight or underline all the toxic ingredients in them. And maybe on a wall, post a big poster with a chart. Listing each ingredient, what it is, why it’s bad, & how it effects the body and environment. Do you have a list like that? Something that’s easy for these stubborn people to read and understand?
I think another good idea would be to make a list of foods that you could use instead of those toxic products. For example:
Conventional milk:
Better choice: grass-fed raw milk
Best choice: almond milk
What do you think?
Be careful Vani, these guys have earned their name ‘kraft’, German for ‘power’. Based on your excellent investigation I would add the adjective ‘crafty’, as in devious, malicious, and cunning. Indirectly you are also indicting the dairy industry, another factory farm industry with questionable deception practices.
How would you propose Vani is more “careful” than she is already? She does what she does in service, and to great effect. Read again: IN SERVICE AND TO GREAT EFFECT. If anything needs to be careful, it is the food industry. Industries do not prioritize being careful, careful of their customers health. Customers are dehumanized into “consumer units”. Therefore, industrial food manufacture will only be “careful” to stay within legal boundaries. As in every other location for a century, Monsanto was not/is not careful on Maui. A citizens’ initiative, a moratorium on any new production of GMOs, passed on Nov 4 ordering them to STOP, i.e., stop producing experimental mutations and their associated 80 or so experimental chemical combinations until a study proves them safe, which is utterly impossible. Should the leadership of this initiative and Maui’s Yes voters have been “more careful” in attempting to obstruct this toxic operation? “More careful” could have resulted in the moratorium not passing. You pick your battles, Vani Hari has chosen hers. What is your mission? Are you being careful? Are you being too careful?
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” ~ Winston Churchill
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” ~George Orwell
“Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being.” – Albert Schweitzer, theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician
Hippocratic update: “The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” ~Ann Wigmore
“At the end of times the merchants of the world will deceive the nations through their pharmacia.” ~Revelations 18:23
The expression “be careful” is meant as an expression of endearment like “stay safe”; not as a threat or a warning from an adversary. As a lifelong activist (and longtime vegan) I can see how my wish could have been interpreted as doublespeak for “or else”. Anytime I go out for a motorcycle ride my wife always wishes me safety with a ”be careful”. It’s an expression of her love, and hope for my safe return. But we cannot be to cavalier about the intentions of our adversaries either. If you don’t think that there are bad actors out there masquerading as benign corporations read “Sons of Wichita’ a biography by Schulman about the Koch clan and Koch Industries. Evidently they will stop at nothing to pursue their greed objectives. There are plenty of other examples of greedy American industries that have wittingly harmed consumers: like tobacco, lead paint, asbestos, fracking, nuclear energy, GMO, factory farming, sugar, chocolate ingredients, ‘modern’ medicine, dairy, gelatin, beverages, coal, oil, gas, pesticides/herbicides, etc. So again, I wish you good luck and safety; and take care. In solidarity.
John,
This is why the United States is in the mess they r in and other countries r not. They stand up and do not allow these things to be in their food but over here people have the wool pulled over their eyes and have no idea what is going on. This is why we have to be like Vani and expose and stand up for wanting better for ourselves and our families. They stand up for wanting the best in other parts of the world and they get it, so why should we expect less. NOT me and my family. I love them to much. I say go Vani go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was blogging about Russell Stover chocolate bonbons this morning, and how making your own candies for the holidays is so much more healthy. When I looked at the ingredients in just one candy of RS, I just about threw up.
http://www.peacefulfoodie.com/recipe/chocolate-coconut-truffles/
Thank you for doing all of the research for us. I stopped purchasing packaged food years ago. Make it from scratch. I don’t even eat out anymore since I don’t know what they are using.
Scary!
I agree with everything except the general condemnation of Palm oil. I come from west Africa n we have been using palm oil long before the Europeans n amaricans brought in other vegetable oils. We also don’t endanger animals to get it grown. It is known as a second best to coconut oil, which we also have. If Kraft wants to use sinister means to produce low grade palm oil, they should be exposed but not that palm oil should be generally condemned.
Another important question is why they are allowed to call it Macaroni and Cheese when it is actually “cheese sauce mix.” That is NOT the equivalent of cheese and they should not be allowed to call it such.
Always make home made. All ingredients are one ingredient food including the one ingredient ww pasta. This is outrageous and worse soo many people especially those on lower incomes buy this convenient food. Thank you for getting the message out. It is making a difference.
These are the foods that people can afford. A single mom struggling to put food on the table can’t afford to purchase organic and even if she could, she most likely does not have access to high quality food. Why do we as tax payers allow these types of foods for people on welfare? This is much bigger than “making healthy choices” This is class warfare.
I’m so glad that you clarified that Nutiva’s organic red palm oil was different from the palm oil used by Kraft. I was wondering about this as I recently purchased the Nutiva product as a substitute for dairy for my vegan and gluten free baking. I research everything I buy and have become an obsessive label reader!!! Thanks Food Babe! You are amazing!!
It seems there’s a bigger issue here. Kraft is a massive, multinational Corporation. They are all about their bottom line, which depends on the ignorance of the masses. They don’t care about, nor will they change for, the small minority who are awake and aware. It just doesn’t fit their model.
To me, it’s kind of a no-brainer to boycott any Corporate entity that’s in the “food” business. The very nature of real food will never fit the corporate model, so why try to make them fit our agenda?
As Buckminster Fuller said – You can’t fight the existing paradigm, you have to create your own, one that makes the existing paradigm obsolete.
I get it… It has become a serious time drain to eat healthy – going to Farmer’s Markets, reading labels, doing research, creating meals (instead of opening a can or box), etc. Isn’t your health worth it?
Worth noting that for a “cheese sauce” Cheese is the last ingredient.
I work part-time in a grocery store. Just noting the “well being” of the people who have items like this in their grocery carts tells the story.
As someone with a gluten intolerance I can tell you that you are incorrect when you say that Maltodextrin is usually from corn, it is not. It’s usually from WHEAT unless the packaging says corn maltodextrin or maltodextrin (corn).
Anything in a box is suspect! What I would ask Tom or anyone else who thinks that GMO’s are safe is this: If GMO’s were safe, then why not label them? Whats the problem if they’re safe? If they aren’t safe however, then I expect that Monsanto and the GMA would be pouring tons of money into defeating GMO labeling initiatives.
Isn’t that exactly whats happening today? That’s only common sense people!
So I suspect and expect that they’re not safe for consumption. If I had my way, I’d sue the government for using WMDs against its own people!
Food Babe… Articles you publish with a savable pictures are effective.
They are seen by other people on a same computer more often and stuff.
I save pictures more often than I save web page articles.
Thank you so much for this helpful info! And to Tom who states that GMO’s arent harmful, think again. I am a critical care nurse and in my years of nursing I am in awe of the surge of rare cancers being diagnosed in people with no familial history or hazardous lifestyle (asbestos exposure, smoking, etc) . How can these be explained? I blame the processed food that Americans have grown to love. Hormones, pesticides, toxins, these all can contribute to tumor growths. People need to start thinking more and stop being sheep.
Vani, thanks for all you do, I am aware of all the junk put into foods. What shocked me the most:: I was in a hurry and did not pay too much attention to my purchase which was Gerbers baby bars. I thought oh good not much sugar and would be better then the high sugars content in other bars. Well at home I eat one while reading the 2 inch listing of ingredients, oh my gosh all those chemicals in our babies . I am sure these chemicals in processed foods and household items are killings us and causing so much illnesses in us, illness is striking younger people more then ever. My doctor told me years ago, no processed foods, salt or sugar.
my 22 year old son was just diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. He ate a lot of Kraft Mac and Cheese growing up. Coincidence??