I owe a huge thanks to my Mom for inspiring me to investigate Panera Bread back in April of 2012. Every single one of my investigations into certain food products and restaurant chains has been personal or inspired by one of my close friends or relatives.
When I see the people I love eating questionable additives that have no business being in our food, I can’t help but want to educate them to what’s happening in the food supply. That’s exactly why I started this blog – to help as many people as I can get healthy and break free from the toxins in our food.
As soon as my Mom heard the news that Panera was removing 150 additives from their food, she called me and said “The fruits of your labor have paid off, I am proud of you and the Food Babe Army.”
These types of changes from major food chains are the result of the increased awareness we have been able to gain with our movement. Once you know this information you can’t unlearn it and that’s why sharing what you find out about what’s in our food with your loved ones is so valuable and changes the world.
Creating Awareness Is Our Biggest Weapon As Consumers
What seemed like a simple blog post back in 2012 was actually read and seen by thousands of people because you shared it. It is that small act of sharing that can move mountains and create awareness.
And yes, another mountain of the chemical foolishness in our food is being removed thankfully by a company that cares to take a stand for better ingredients and better health.
We will soon be able to kiss these ingredients goodbye at Panera:
*Note: Orange text indicated ingredients are still in Panera Bread’s food and will be removed in future.
Granted, some of the additives that Panera’s removing are not believed to be harmful, but they are simply unnecessary and not ingredients that you would cook with at home. However, several of them are linked to known health risks and for that reason….
The CEO of Panera Bread is a hero for removing these chemicals and standing up for safer ingredients!
I’ve read a significant number of media reports on this recent announcement and I can tell you – some people are not happy about these changes.
I don’t know anyone in their right mind that wants to eat a long list of chemical additives vs. real food.
That is, unless they are making money off of them or advertising for them. Some are saying that the removal of these chemicals is just a “PR move” that isn’t based on “science”, in order to minimize the message Panera Bread is sending to the marketplace.
This is what Panera Bread’s CEO Ron Shaich told reporters:
“How do I want to feed my daughter?’ That’s the gold standard question and when I answer that, it tells me what I want to do for my customers. Because my customers are no different than my daughter.”
If food industry executives would put themselves in the shoes of real people they would make totally different decisions and that’s why we need to keep on the pressure and make our voice loud and clear.
I love how Panera Bread reached out to consumer protection organizations like the respected Environmental Working Group and NRDC to implement these changes. I wish more companies would work with these science-based consumer focused organizations to evaluate the impact of their ingredients.
Some of the ingredients Panera Bread is removing have very important risks that the media should be covering, like these:
Artificial colors: Fake colors like Yellow #5, Red #40 and caramel coloring are on EWG’s list of top 12 food additives to avoid. The Scientific American recently reported that evidence has revealed that artificial food dyes do have capacity to harm and for that reason they should be banned by the FDA. Also caramel coloring is associated with cancer – reason enough to leave this unnecessary ingredient out of our food.
Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): This controversial synthetic preservative is considered by the FDA to be safe in small amounts, but it’s added to an insurmountable number of products. Not only will you find it in cereals, chewing gum, and crackers, but it’s widely used in animal feed, plastics, pesticides, paints and cosmetics. Due to its prevalence, BHT has been shown to contaminate our environment (including meat & dairy products) and no one knows exactly how much of it we are really ingesting. BHT is linked to cancer in animal studies and believed to be an endocrine disruptor that interferes with hormones. Our petition to get BHT out of the most popular cereals in this country has received over 50,000 signatures, and is continuing to inspire change.
Partially hydrogenated oils: One of the worst ingredients in our food that the FDA still hasn’t banned. The CDC links these artificial trans fats to up to 20,000 heart attacks every year!
Hidden MSG: Ingredients like hydrolyzed proteins and yeast extracts are used as flavor enhancers by the food industry, because they have the same active ingredient as Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) but look “cleaner” on the label. These unnecessary additives are used to make processed food taste better, can cause you to overeat, and are linked to neurological disorders according to Dr. Russell Blaylock in his book, “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills”.
Sodium Phosphate: This popular preservative is in a ton of processed food, and when you eat too much it can elevate the phosphate level in your blood. High phosphate levels are associated with increased mortality (even in healthy people), kidney disorders, heart disease and accelerated aging.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: This type of sweetener has been shown to contribute more to obesity and diabetes than regular cane sugar (sucrose).
So how did The Food Babe Army inspire these incredible changes?
In 2012, I first exposed what’s really in Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Salad, which sounds healthy but is heavily processed and loaded with genetically modified (GMO) ingredients like corn syrup and canola oil. The Greek Salad Dressing has propylene glycol in it, which is also sometimes used in antifreeze, can be toxic in large doses, and it is simply “less toxic” than traditional antifreeze (ethylene glycol) according to the EPA. I wrote about Panera’s ham sandwiches (including the one on their kids menu), which comes with a dose of nitrates, linked to Alzheimer’s and stomach cancer. I also divulged the dirty details about the hidden MSG in several of their menu items including their Broccoli & Cheese Soup and Low Fat Black Bean Soup. None of these artificial additives are necessary, and there’s safer alternatives available. After this investigation it was clear that Panera Bread didn’t deserve the title of the “#1 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurant in America” and these aren’t ingredients that I wanted my Mom to be eating!
In June of 2014, after thousands of people read the initial blog post and shared it with their loved ones, Panera Bread finally announced that they would commit to removing all artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives and flavors by 2016. I was interviewed by CNBC at the time, and called on other major restaurants like McDonald’s to do the same (which I hear they are working on).
Now, almost exactly 3 years since my initial investigation, Panera Bread is finally doing what needed to be done a long time ago!
But, don’t eat there just yet! A word of caution before you eat at Panera.
While I’m so thrilled to see Panera take such a huge step, I realize it’s only a start and we have a long way to go. Many of the ingredients listed above are not slated to be removed from their food until the end of 2016. That’s over a year and a half away!
What will still be in Panera’s food that I’m concerned about?
It’s important to note that Panera Bread still plans to use some genetically modified (GMO) ingredients. Several of their menu items likely contain GMOs, and it’s not labeled on their menu. The good news is that they list their complete ingredients online, so you can always check there and avoid items that contain ingredients that are usually GMO, such as:
- Soybean oil
- Canola oil
- Sugar – if it’s not listed as “cane sugar” it likely comes from GMO sugar beets
- Dextrose
- Corn syrup – Panera is removing “high fructose corn syrup”, but corn syrup may be found in some items
- Animal products – all of the dairy and meat used at Panera is likely raised on GMO feed
- Sodas & drinks – they will continue to serve soda products, which are usually sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners
There’s a complete list of common GMO ingredients here, for you to use as a reference. Ideally, Panera Bread should go organic, because there’s a huge difference between non-GMO and organic food (and organic food is always the best choice).
Panera also didn’t announce that they are removing carrageenan from their food. According to Cornucopia Institute and several doctors, this ingredient causes gastrointestinal inflammation and causes real problems for many people. I would definitely avoid menu items that include carrageenan as well.
Who’s Next? This wave of change can’t be stopped.
Chemical additives are dropping from food faster than I ever thought was possible. Let’s keep the momentum going. Share this blog post with everyone you know, including restaurants that you want to see make positive changes like these. It was just reported last week that Wendy’s is going to start serving organic iced tea. Wouldn’t it be amazing if they also cleaned up their food like Panera is doing, offered some more organic options and went antibiotic-free? Let me know in the comments below which restaurant you want to see change. I can’t wait to see who’s next.
Xo,
Vani
What is wrong with astaxanthin? Mercola sells it?
Nothing is wrong with non synthetically produced astaxanthin. It is very good for you. It belongs to the carotene family, but you do need it to be of organic origin.
Yes, the MAD “scientists” want to synthesize EVERYTHING that is good for us and turn it into toxic poisons that cause “mysterious” illnesses that confound allopathic drs. and give boon to the pharmaceutical industry who produces drugs that, if taken, can cause further serious health problems and even death !
What I do not understand is some of us do not care what additives are in it because we enjoy the way it tastes as is. If you do not like it with the additives then do not eat it. It is people like you who do not truly know the harms of all the additives and sometimes if you eat in moderation you will not have any long term affect and because like you what you are doing it will make the product cost a lot more in the long run. Another thing is I would be willing to bet that most individuals who eat the products do not even read what is in it or even care.I can only imagine how it will taste now. It is like telling someone the additives in cigarettes thinking they will stop smoking because of knowing what is in it. You are probably a liberal who thinks we should tell everybody what they can think and do. So why do not we have two menus, one for those who think they care what is in the foods they eat and another for those who do not.
In a perfect world everyone would have a choice, but because some manufacturers of foods want the cheapest and nastiest foods they can get hold of so that people who do not care what they feed their families as long as it is cheap can do so, we do not get that choice. It is all about taste as you say, but taste alone is not everything. The food needs to be nutritious too. You know this, so why I am explaining this is beyond me. I just feel sorry for the kids that will grow up with GOD knows what illnesses because some people can not afford to eat well.
Fridays.
Keep up the good work. Getting chemicals and junk out of our food makes you my hero. I live in Raleigh, NC. If I can support you in any way, please advise.
How about Papa Ginos? I love their pizza, but I moved to CA two years ago, so I haven’t had it in a while. I am moving back in about four years. Can we get them to clean up their act before then??!!!
Hi Vani, I am one of the Orginzers for the March Against Monsanto Ventura. I am reaching out to ask that if Chipotle can donate food to this event. We expect up to about 300+ people. If perhaps you can help with that or if you can please direct me to the person I need to speak with.
Thank you for all that you do and all that you have done. You rock!! #HellNoGMOs!!
Katrina Castillo
(Please email me ASAP)
Hi Kattina,
Reach out to your local Chipotle to see if they would be interested in working with you. Thanks!
Does anyone realize that toxin doesn’t define a certain food or additive but a dosage? Everything has a toxic level, even water. If this is the only site you are getting your information from you have been grossly misinformed and the actual science behind many of these claims show that many of these supposed toxins are actually perfectly safe.
Kevin, if you think these toxins are perfectly safe, then eat as much as you want, no one is stopping you. This site is providing information to educate people about how to eat safe and healthy after Vani’s very hard work of investigations. Please don’t sabotage the hard work done by Food Babe. Have you done anything to help people like she does? If so, share with us.
My question for all you people is how many of you have an actual scientific degree?
I am not disputing your claims but your following a woman who is here to only make money destroying companies that she blames for her health problems as a child. Truth be told her family fed her that garbage growing up and possibly she should go after there unhealthy food habits.
What actual good does this woman do with her money? Does she go to third world countries and help them grow food? Put clothing on them? She is an uneducated person who spends her time destroying big companies. Look around the world you uneducated idiots and instead of worrying about food additives you should try help g the guy who lives in a box in your back alley or the kids being murdered by soldiers fromm all over the world.
It seems you weren’t paying attention. There is no food or ingredient that you can eat “as much as you want” of and be safe. What there is is a level of consumption that its safe.
There is formaldehyde in apples, naturally. Now what? It’s natural, but a shot of it could kill you… But I eat 2 – 4 apples most days.
Absolutely everything has a toxicity level, even oxygen. So, there is no such thing as a harmful ingredient, only a harmful quantity.
If there is no health benefit, why add it? Maybe you would still like to use leaded gasoline, lacquer, rBHT milk, and lead base paint. For me, I’ll take my toxins with fresh, unadulterated foods.
Kevin, you make a good point, without even realizing it. If you only ate one meal in your life, that contained GMO’s additives, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides, that wouldn’t be much to worry about.
However, most people eat such foods on a daily basis and rarely eat anything organic.
NO ONE knows the effects of all of these alterations to our foods, over time and in combination. Which, if any of the things done to our food, in the name of Corporate Profit, are co-carcinogens. How long can we be exposed to these various combinations of chemicals and GMO’s, before they build up in our bodies and become a pernicious, toxic, disease causing soup? When, if ever, is someone going to study all of these factors and come to a definitive conclusion, and IF they do, would we be able to believe the results?
The best way to assure everyone, whether they care or not, is just to leave things the way God made them and if they need some sort of modification, for preparation before being boxed, canned, frozen or bagged, use only minimally processed and things derived from whole, clean foods and well tested, prior to it’s use for the enhancement of a processed food.
Why is this too much to ask of our food industry? If they want long lived customers and if they really care, then they should explore ways to keep people healthy and nourished, not turn them into cancer patients and diabetics that, if they die, will no longer be around to buy their products.
They’re cutting off their noses to spite their faces!
C. Wayne: why add it? Adding an ingredient to a food to keep it from spoiling and to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria is a good reason to add a preservative. Do you disagree?
Kevin,
A toxin is anything that produces a toxic reaction. It does not have to cause damage to be a toxin. Water is not toxic per se but will cause the same kind of damage if taken to excess. The very dangerous dose of a toxin is the LD50 dose but many toxins build up in the body slowly and even at lower doses can cause very bad side effects. If you take it to the extreme, you could say that oxygen is toxic which is very true but need a very precise set of circumstances to cause a real problem like using it for scuba diving instead of compressed air. Your comment about a toxin which I have copied here in parenthesis (Does anyone realize that toxin doesn’t define a certain food or additive but a dosage?) is incorrect.
Kevin is not sabotaging anyone’s investigation. Actual science – as practiced by scientists and experts in the food field – is not what is discussed openly on this site.
publix store there bakery check them out,they got over 1000 store.
My question is one why are they waiting until 2016? I have heard that it is due to contracts with suppliers. But, if they want customers to come back you would think they would start right away. Because I am not sure I will ever go back.
I have found out about food processors plan to create process aids to replace ingredients. Processor aids do not have to be labelled as an ingredient. These will be man made chemicals to replace flavors of the product.
I read an article about the Paris food processors convention where they were selling this process aids to the food processors industry.
So is the way they are saying that they are removing bad chemicals from their products, but, are actually replacing them with other bad chemicals that do not have to be listed because they got them reclassified as process aids?
Do you have any knowledge of this? I do not trust industry for they lie like crazy to keep customers. This why I wonder why Panera Bread is waiting until 2016. It just seems fishing to me. This could be when all this process is legalized!
Could you please check this out.
Thank You
Lance E Harrison
Great Wash Post article on this today. A lot of work goes into replacing a single menu item with a new source that is made differently but with the same/similar taste. A single supplier (salad dressing) may receive ingredients from numerous subs. All told, working through the supply chain and experimentation/taste testing take time.
Well, I have completely stayed away from Panera since 2012 so if they wish to take another year and a half to clean up their food ingredients then I will wait another year and 9 months to verify they have walked their talk. If a business truly cares about their image, customers, and providing healthy offerings then they should buckle down and get it done immediately, not postpone the inevitible. Delaying proper action tells me in this day and age that they may not be overly serious about cleaning up their act
Fred: It might not be possible to “get it done immediately.” Sourcing that amount of supplies and food is extremely difficult. If they raise their prices to high and too quickly they will lose a lot of customers. I don’t think their food has ever been proven to be unsafe. How many wrongful death suits have been filed against Panarea? Does their act really need cleaning up? Where are all the victims of the bad deeds?
How about Jason’s Deli? Love to eat there but not sure if it’s the right thing to do?
Congratulations on Panera Bread ,it’s a start but why does it take them that long to remove all the chemicals? As you continue to watch Panera would you check ouy Carrabba’s / Bonefish foods for hidden chemicals . I’m also interest in the qualityof Bio Trust protein.
Thanks Food Babe
Marilyn: Please understand that Panera Bread, Bonefish and Chipotle will never be able to remove all of the chemicals from their foods. No matter what the food babe army tells you, you will always be eating and breathing chemicals.
I love what you doing with your blog and movement. I hope there are more large names that will follow Panera. So one day we can eat healthy with a lot less effort. Congrats! And Thank you!
I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “So one day we can eat healthy with a lot less effort.” If you live in the United States and have access to a Panarea restaurant you are eating “healthy” with hardly any effort.
When you can look back past 86 years then you may make statements about
what is or isn’t healthy… And you could use a name instead of Seriously? !!!
You may even be able to write an intelligent statement !!!
Richard: Are you saying the food supply (in the U.S.) was safer 86 years ago?
The food babe army “investigates” places like Panera Bread and Subway but doesn’t even mention what is going on at Blue Bell and Jeni’s Ice Cream. Wouldn’t people who have medical issues want to know about immediate dangers? I’m just not sure why situations with higher risk aren’t discussed or even mentioned here. I guess Panera Bread and Subway are easier targets which offer more publicity? Maybe complaining about “big ag” is easier than trying to understand how the system actually works?
I know this is going to sound critical, but I mean it as an honest question as I try to educate myself as much as possible. What is the best way to distinguish between an “ingredient” and an “additive”?
I regularly bake my own food, and one of my favorites is chocolate chip cookies. While the ingredients I add never are called anything along the lines of “azodicarbonamide” or “titanium dioxide”, a number of the things on the list above are constituents of the ingredients I use. Ammonium chloride, for example, is a natural component of all living cells and therefore is in natural products, and flour is a natural source of cystein. Perhaps the most (potentially) alarming ingredient I use in vanilla, which is an ethanolic extract of the vanilla bean specifically intended to contain high concentrations of vanillin.
How should I go about drawing the line about what ingredients to use in order to avoid these chemicals?
Vani, As with cereals, I am VERY concerned about the practice of treating anything that is harvested with a combine, with Glyphosate, to dry the crops out, at the end of the growing season. Even if the plants needed no pesticides during the growing season, Glyphosate is being used as a desiccant, right before being sent into the food supply. There is little hope that even some of it might be washed by rain, and even if it is, it just pollutes the soil, for the next crop that is planted there to be grown in toxic chemicals, that weren’t even necessary.
Since becoming aware of this practice, (which I wish I’d known about sooner) I have switched, what little grain products I consume, to organics. We’ve been sold a bill of goods on the Non-GMO thing, because GMO’s are not exempt, from being grown without toxic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, nor are the soils that they are grown in, anything special. Most soils are not fertilized with good composted material or sterilized manure, that replenishes the soil and restores it, from years of neglect, due to the use of Nitrogen-based fertilizers, that do not, restore the natural vitamins and minerals that the plants absorb and in turn, nourish us and our pets.
If producers are going to dupe consumers, that want to avoid GMO’s and sell their products to health-minded people, then concern for the fact that most of those people, would also like some care, given to those foods, while they are growing, by shunning the use of cancerous chemicals. What good does it do me to go to Trader Joe’s for Non-GMO foods, only to be sold a bunch of Glyphosate, anyway?
I now include all of the products, harvested by combine, in the list of organic foods, that I eat. I’m no longer buying into the Non-GMO project label, because If I am going to be just as Worried about how the rest of my food is grown, I will stick with organics and be sure that I am avoiding GMO’s and ag chemicals.
I guess I won’t be eating at Panera, just yet, and that goes for Chipotle, as well. Non-Gmo, is just not enough assurance for me.
I am sure that there are many Non-GMO growers, that are not dowsing their crops with harmful chemicals, but if so, they should make it a practice of saying so.
Things can be grown organically, without having the USDA organic certification on the label. I understand that many farmers must wait a certain number of years, before their produce can be given organic certification, while their soil is brought up to Organic Standards.
However, if there are already, Non-GMO farmers, growing their plants without chemicals or artificial fertilization, why are we, as consumers, not told which ones they are, so we can consume organically produced, non-GMO foods at lower cost, or safer non-GMO’s, without the worry of not knowing whether or not the farmers, growing Non-GMO foods, are not just getting in on the backlash against GMO’s, while continuing to poison us, anyway?
Farmers that go the extra mile and bring clean foods to the people that use their products as ingredients in their products, should seek out food manufacturers that will not only appreciate what they’re doing for people and the environment, but proudly display the name of the farms where clean Non-GMO ingredients are raised, but also encourage other farmers to clean up their acts, so they too, can be a force for good, in the food industry and reap a larger market share, from us health aficionados.
I highly recommend you talk to a farmer who grows both GMO and non-GMO crops, not organically, to find out what really goes on and why. You are reading things on the internet and this website that just aren’t true.
I grew up in Farm Country. I lived among Farmers and played on farms as a child.
I also know that farmers stand around at the Grain Elevators and laugh about us stupid people, that complain about GMO corn and intentionally mix, non-GMO and GMO corn together, on purpose, and they think it’s hysterical.
The Farmer should respect the land that provides his living and should be custodians of the land and do everything they can to avoid polluting it and the food grown on it.
If the first line of defense against being poisoned, is the very farmers that cause the poisoning, they are not being respectful to the land or to the people that consume what they grow. But darn straight, they have their own, organic gardens that they eat from and can and freeze fruits and vegetables from, while they poison us, but not their own families. How RUDE!!!
Between Hall and Kevin spewing their ignorance about how GMOs and chemicals are good for you,you wouldnt think they would follow the Big Ag crushing,Big Pharma punishing,Big Corporate exposing Mrs.Vani.Again lost in their own negative messages they forget the efforts and gains that Vani has made for the health and safety of all and many generations to come.Keep fighting.Congrats Vani
I am in my 32nd year of farming and 20th year of growing GMO crops. I didn’t do a google search to learn about agriculture and GMOs. I am not ignorant at all.
Glyphosate rapidly degrades in soil and water. So, next year’s crop would not take it up. And, even if it did, Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide which means it would kill the plant before it even had a chance to grow.
To another point, most GMO plants (which by the way, everything has been genetically manipulated at some time during their evolution), were bred to decrease the use of pesticides and herbicides. For example, Roundup Ready corn and soybeans allow the farmer to use a broad spectrum herbicide in one or two applications a season vs multiple chemicals multiple times before harvest.
A third point, if it wasn’t Glyphosate, it would be another chemical desiccant used. This is important for farmers (many of which are not part of Big Ag) to get their crops harvested before it is too late. Funny thing about nature is it can be unpredictable, and farming (which is very necessary for those of us who live in cities and like to eat) must work with the elements to efficiently feed an ever expanding population.
Since you grew up in farm country and played on farms as a child then surely you are aware that farmers who grow certain GMO crops, corn and cotton being two of them, that there has to be a non-GMO crop grown as a refuge crop according to our license agreement with whatever company we purchase the seed from. This is to combat insect resistance. So we do grow both GMO and non-GMO but it isn’t so we can pull one over on somebody. It’s because it’s the law. I am a custodian of the land. If I abuse it then my family and I are out of business and will lose everything we’ve worked for over the years. I eat what I grow. It’s not organic. Your statement saying that “darn straight they grow their own organic gardens while poisoning us is an internet myth. Glyphosate is not a very good desiccant either. There are far better choices out there for that if necessary, but only if necessary. Pesticides cost money and if we don’t need to apply, we don’t. The law of economics keeps us from being the demons you make us out to be.
None of you can tell me that selective breeding, and taking genes from one species and inserting them into another species, are even the slightest bit alike. Sorry, that isn’t going to fly! I looked up pluots, purple carrots and blood oranges, two are heirloom varieties that go back to ancient Rome and one is a cross between an apricot and a plum that is a couple centuries old.
As for fertilizer, we can’t burn leaves and grass clippings anymore and they make wonderful compost, but the whiney-assed, ignorant masses don’t want them composted in THEIR backyards. Oooh! It Smells! I bet there is enough tree debris in the upper right quadrant of this country, alone, to fertilize a lot of crops. No one rotates crops anymore, either, which isn’t helping with soil depletion. Synthetic fertilizer may be a great convenience to farmers, but the food grown in it is not nearly as nutritious as foods used to be a hundred years ago, before farmers started using it. Would it be too much to ask, for farmers to at least throw some compost into their fields once in awhile? Not everyone has a backyard that they can plant a year’s worth of food in and not everyone has enough money to buy clean foods.
I just think that there are a lot of people, like me, with health issues and aversions to un-natural foods, that, if things got cleaned up some, would spend their money elsewhere. Why does it always have to be some cancerous chemical? Are we not, as humans, smart enough to find things to help with farming problems, without destroying the soil and peoples’ health? We are so stupid, as a race, that we can’t see what all these chemicals and food additives are doing to people? No, it’s so much easier to cook something toxic to everyone and everything, up in a factory and spread the stuff on the crops and cook it into foods, then fudge the data on safety studies, if there are any at all, and the FDA just lets it all slide. Yep, move along folks, nothing to see here, go back to your homes……..
That is just stupid. I’m sorry, but for all the money that goes into finding new ways to kill people and bees, inadvertently, to target weeds and bugs, you’d think there would be enough money out there to do it safely.
Initially, there was supposed to be safeguards in place to keep GMO’s from cross-pollinating with Non-GMO’s. Well we’ve found out that isn’t true. Mexico is kicking Monsanto and GMO’s out, because GMO corn has contaminated over 15 different cultivars of corn. More than half of the wheat in the U.S. and Canada is now contaminated with GMO’s from a Monsanto field trial, that was not supposed to get loose.
It’s not even the need for chemicals and food additives that help farmers and Corporations save or make money that is so objectionable. It’s the LIES about it that is so infuriating! The bio-tech industry is blackening it’s own eyes, with bribes and lobbyists that work for them to make laws to pull the wool over people’s eyes about safety and prevent us from knowing exactly what we’re eating. It’s underhanded, wrong and destructive on so many levels, it isn’t funny.
I can’t go out to eat, because of potassium meta-bisulfate, High fructose corn syrup, euythrobate, MSG, Glutamates, soy, corn, beet sugar, crookneck squash, beef, fed on nothing but garbage, and you name it. I’d be in the hospital. The more of it there is, the more people become sensitive to it and that’s just that many more people that have to spend their money on organics, because the rest of the food makes them feel crappy all the time. Making laws that make it harder for Organic farmers to exist and limiting food choices for people, by
giving people no other alternatives, and hoping to kill us all off, isn’t the answer. Being sensitive to our concerns and the ability to find ways to do things safer and healthier, is supposedly what makes us the superior species on this planet. So do it! Be smarter, be safer and leave future generations a better world!!!
Anne: It takes more than burned leaves and grass clippings to make safe, effective compost. There are also many regulations (from EPA, Dept. of Health, etc) regarding the use of compost. Most farmers are rotating their crops. To say no one is rotating their crops is simply not true. Synthetic fertilizer helps everyone. People can eat because of synthetic fertilizer. Food is more plentiful and nutritious today than it was hundreds of years ago. When was the last time you saw someone walking around with goiter or pellagra? Cancerous chemicals exist in nature. If you drink tap water (or even well water) it probably has at least one cancer causing chemical in it (chlorine). Food safety and production are complicated matters. Health is a complicated matter. Throwing leaves on crops and burning grass isn’t going to solve any food issue. Also please note that Certified Organic doesn’t mean the food is safer or better than conventional. Farmers do not need to pay the government to produce foods using an organic method. They do have to pay the costs associated with participating in the organic marketing program (NOPS). To say that today’s foods are “unclean” is a slap in the face to farmers who are doing their best to provide safe and clean food at a reasonable cost. Is our (US) food system perfect? No, of course not. Is it 100% safe? No, nothing is 100% safe. But considering world standards it is pretty darn good at providing safe, affordable food.
“Most soils are not fertilized with good composted material or sterilized manure, that replenishes the soil and restores it, from years of neglect, due to the use of Nitrogen-based fertilizers, that do not, restore the natural vitamins and minerals that the plants absorb and in turn, nourish us and our pets.”
Anne you aren’t wrong but you might be missing some information here. There is not enough composted material available to produce the amount of food this world needs. In the late 1800s people were literally starving to death. They were using bat manure shipped from Peru and other places as fertilizer. There simply wasn’t enough fertilizer available. I think I’m fairly safe in saying that food can’t grow without Nitrogen. If we did not have synthetic fertilizer the earth wouldn’t be able to support the amount of people that we have now. Believe or not synthetic fertilizer has saved many lives. You might not like the idea of synthetic fertilizer but it does provide the population with food.
Way to go! I applaud your success and mission. I had no idea about any of this. Definitely following you.
Ellen, Few people actually know what has and is happening
to our soil and our food, that’s why you have a few ignorant
souls on here snipping at Vani and those of us who do know
what’s going on !!!
What is going on is that our water and soils are healthier than they were 30 or 40 years ago. Are they perfect? No. But things are improving.
So happy that you do what you do. I love the Panera atmosphere, but won’t eat there because of their food additives.
Yes, please elaborate on the astaxanthin. It is a strong antioxidant said to improve strength and stamina. Dr. Oz, Dr. Mercola, etc, etc all tout it’s benefits and say that it’s non-toxic and safe. Here is a link.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzy-cohen-rph/astaxanthin_b_2750910.html
It is a smart move by Panera to remove those food additives.
If Panera products now become available elsewhere in Canada, I’ll definitely give them a try.
The Food Babe’s efforts have been meaningful, but Panera has a long way to go. Nearly every one of their soups, salads, and sandwiches contains ingredients derived from soy, corn, or canola, which are almost certainly GMO. At the very least that should be clearly disclosed, and Panera could take a much bigger step by going non-GMO or at least by coming up with a few items that are non-GMO.
Panera hypes its “clean ingredients” and trumpets its “food you can trust” slogan, but to date, the Company has put a lot more effort into marketing than into making food safe.
People need to follow the Food Babe’s lead and express their feelings about this issue to Panera.
Panera has been fairly upfront about their ingredients. They have several web pages on their ingredients. To say they have been anything less than “upfront” is disingenuous.
Panera proclaims it uses “clean ingredients” and serves food “you can trust” while offering a menu of GMO-laden selections. That’s not only “not upfront,” it’s deceitful.
Deceitful and and marketing fluff are two different things. “Super Detox Juice” sounds deceitful to me but in all fairness it is probably considered marketing fluff.
Thanks for all you do, Food Babe. Panera used to be my go-to place to dine out without guilt, but I see it wasn’t the best option. Really good options, sadly, are few and far between. I tend to eat at home most often, rather than guessing what I’m really being served. Still, I like the social aspect of dining out, so I do indulge on occasion. You can’t be perfect, all the time! Your efforts are setting a standard that didn’t exist but should have in so many venues. Luv that!
I know you’re a foodie- cleaner- upper.
But please consider insisting that our American vaccines get their clean act together. Parents are refusing to vaccinate their kids due to toxins and I don’t blame them,… and I’m a nurse who guiltily gives flu shots every year! Ugh!!! We could use your help!!!
So very true. I am not anti-vaccinations. I’m for safer vaccinations. Check out ginatylershomeopathicblog, and also Mercola both of whom have great articles.
Vani’s got her hands full with the food industry.
Having been in nursing and forced to get the hepatitis vaccs, flu vaccs, etc. I also saw elderly have negative reactions. It’s an uphill battle against big pharma.
Not to be cheeky but looking for safe man made chemical vaccines is like waiting for a safe way to ingest arsenic.
We have the choices of safe food, safe water, safe air, natural herbs, non toxic Homeopathic Remedies, Osteopathy, Chiropractic, TCM, Acupuncture. Which Big Pharma and the AMA are aligning the stars / lobbying politicians to rob us of those choices. Time to Protect our rights people. Start lobbying your federal and State politicians, frequently and hard. Be Clear !!! “You want my vote you guarantee my right to making my own choices in health and medicine !!!”
My medical colleagues are scared to death to come out on this disaster for fear the AMA will release Black Op and Quackbuster on them the way they just hit the WHO Scientists who classed Monsanto’sGMO RoundUP packageand ruin their reputation and practice.
Their main martiallng cattle prod is that the unvaccinated are dangerous to the vaccinated. That’s like saying the sober driver is a risk to the drunk driver.
The premise is that vaccination confers immunity on the vaccinees. How can they then be at risk ?? Mind games.
What is the real reason(s). Profit, that’s clearly understood. Check which pension funds own the Big Pharma stocks, control the Junk Food Production and the Artificially Inflated Healthy Food Prices. But Profits cannot be the total reason.
Access the documentary, ” FOOD INC,” for an eye opener.
Long run FOOD BABE !!!!
Eryl,
Really, I couldn’t agree more. Truly, RIGHT ON! I saw FOOD INC. several years ago. Also King Corn. is an eye opener. Corn is in everything processed in one way or another.
You will really appreciate homeopathginatyler.com. America is being led down a dark, dark road and is ending in disease and death for so many people. Advocating for safer vacs? Well, yes, I was in contradiction with my true beliefs. Vaccines have harmed far more people than anyone knows because the cases are hidden. As has the food industry. These “people” that want to get on here and say “you don’t understand what food science is trying to do”…… well I say to that, YES WE DO and STOP PLAYING WITH OUR FOOD!
Can you please ask your Web designer to add a PRINT version that does not include ads? Mike Adams,the Health Ranger, has such a feature.
Click the “ShareThis” button at the bottom of the article and then find and click the “Print” option.
Good work Food Babe. Keep up the good work..
Seem ingredients one certainly would not feed their children are deemed OK by the medical community to inject into children’s and adults blood stream, such as: mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum and other toxic chemicals and metals via vaccinations.
As Mahatma Gandhi observed, ‘First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.’
While the FB has used this quote herself, it’s probably worth recognizing that there’s probably no record of Gandhi actually having said this. It’s similar to a quote from labor leader Nicholas Klein in 1918. CSMonitor, Wikiquote, and various other sites indicate this misattribution.
Actuallly Dr. Ab Raj , a respected political history documentor attributes such a saying to Gandhi; with the modification, “… they laugh at you.”
We have a saying in medicine, too, ” The deniers never become convinced of new truths, but if you wait long enough they do die.”
Whatever,there is no evidence that Ganhi sat on his hands or played, ” Halo,” while thy poor starved.
I’m disappointed that Yeast extract isn’t on the list. I would love to have one of their broth bowls but alas it will give me a horrible migraine:(
Yeast extract is not a villain, it is autolysed yeast that is the villain, made made by introducing bacteria to the pools of mixed animal blood at abbatoirs. Yeast extract/Marmite is a healthful protein source. It should be used sparingly as it is a concentrated food,. 1/16th of a tsp stirred into 1 Tbl olive oil or nut butter makes a great spread or dip.
.
Also , ” cultured celery extract,” a franken fooler that contains 10 X the amount of nitrate as the sodium form which is actually well tolerated by folks with Type O Blood.
Hi Vanni, I am so proud of you as well. You know what I worry about, (it literally keeps me awake at night) these companies say they will stop using these horrid chemicals, but how do we know? These companies are all corrupt. It’s all about the money! BTW, love your yoga mat advisement, especially the outtake. You should think about doing just an outtake reel. Keep going girl!! Cheers, V
As far as I am concerned, its just talk. No different than political promises. Because if these products in our food are so dangerous to our health, why do we have to wait until next year, over a year from now, before they are removed. Most of us wouldn’t be hear by then. I say, “Clean our food, and you will cure cancer.”
Maybe the products in our food are not as dangerous to our health? Cancer is extremely complicated. I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “clean our food” but I don’t think it is going to cure cancer. Cancer and food isn’t that simple.
As far as I am concerned, its just talk. No different than political promises. Because if these products in our food are so dangerous to our health, why do we have to wait until next year, over a year from now, before they are removed. Most of us wouldn’t be hear by then. I say, “Clean our food, and you will cure cancer.”
Thank you Food Babe. I’m with you.
CANCER IS MAN MADE! Therefore,…if we are what we eat…………………Our food is full of unhealthy ingredients. i.e. unecessary things like, colouring, bleach, taste enhansers etc. etc. etc. Why cant we just get food the way nature gave it to us?
We can not all just get food the way nature gave to us. “Nature” did not give us enough food to survive on. Nature can’t produce enough food to feed millions of people. If you seriously wanted the world to go all natural a lot more people would starve to death and suffer from diseases caused by malnutrition. What would your idea be of an all natural diet?
Oh. You are one of those people who actually believe Monsanto’s stuff?
John: I don’t know what “Monsanto’s stuff” is. I don’t subscribe to any particular dogma. Are GMOs all sunshine and roses? Of course not. I do believe GM technology is more predictable than mutagenesis (which is allowed under organic rules). I also notice that crops that use GM technology to become drought resistant are pretty helpful.
I have to wonder why so many people from the food babe army talk about evil Monsanto but there is no mention of Whole Foods selling Listeria tainted ice cream. When there was an E. coli outbreak that sickened 5 children in California where was the food babe army? Why didn’t the food babe tell her followers that Organic Pastures pleaded guilty to shipping misbranded food across state lines.
The food babe army didn’t attack Missions Organics Farm when they failed to compost their manure correctly and 200 people ended up seriously ill and three died. When was the last (or first?) time food safety issues directly linked to illness and death have shown up on this site?
CANCER IS MAN MADE! Therefore,…if we are what we eat…………………Our food is full of unhealthy ingredients. i.e. unecessary things like, colouring, bleach, taste enhansers etc. etc. etc. Why cant we just get food the way nature gave it to us?
It would then be much cheaper too.
Cancer is man made? If you do a little research you will find that cancer was actually first described somewhere between 2500 and 1600 BC. I think most food was all natural then.
It MAY have been. But it would have been very, very rare indeed.
Please add palm oil to the list of ingredients we should eliminate from our diet. in an effort to remove all artificial trans fat Panera added palm oil. Unfortunately, the production of palm oil comes at the cost of deforestation and habitat destruction. As a society we should care not only for ourselves, but the health of the planet and other species. Panera hopes to use only palm oil that’s sustainably produced, however, they aren’t there yet. So, I agree, don’t eat there just yet.
I can’t believe all that stuff was in their food to start with. It seems like such a healthy home-style bakery with soup and salad. I would never have realized all those chemicals were in there. Thank you.
Don’t get to happy with Wendy’s selling organic ice tea. The brand they will sell is tea from honest tea company that was taken over by the coca cola corp. If you buy honest tea brand you will be supporting coca cola corp who us a strong opponent against GMO Labeling. Also honest tea contains “natural flavors” which in the past their teas didn’t contain this mystery ingredient. Natural flavors can be almost anything under the sun. Please don’tbuy honest tea as they are in reality dishonest tea.
Peggy, thank you for that information! Good to know!
Biologsts, of all people, should best know where the data gaps exist, and that within the data gaps is where adverse effects could be hiding. We may be subject to varying degrees of anthropomorphism and ego that tend to claim all knowing intelligence… but skepticism is a hallmark of a good scientist, and there are many ways for the very educated to get it wrong. Questioning the scientific data about the ultimate safety of pesticide resistant GMOs is only intelligent, all scientists should be concerned to be trying to use as much effort to demonstrate possible adverse effects as in doing the corporate line if research that has the bias of funding supportive research more than corporate unsupportive research. I think that GE offers a world of good food innovation for us to explore, but so far the science is too stuck in the pesticide resistant corporate profit mode of product development than in finding GE applications with better science overall. Food labeling, and extensive food biochemical monitoring, as much as we can manage to do, IS intelligent and ultimately necessary. Avoidance of such monitoring is not really very intelligent, in this way I think that corporations tend to make us all less intelligent.
I sure hope some of you people that are so critical of Panera are only eating at home. If you are upset because they are taking so long to change, think of all the restaurants that don’t even try. It does take quite a while to change the recipes and find replacement ingredients. I think before the changes they have or are going to make, they were considerably better than a majority of other eating establishments. If you don’t like Panera then you shouldn’t like eating anywhere else since they have made more changes already than most places will ever make. Realistically, you will never find any place besides your own home that will be able to be totally organic or clean when they have to have product and ingredients that will stay fresh for a period of time.
Why remove Lard .nothing wrong with it !
depending on what it is made from polluted cotton seed.; diseased medicated , hormone drenched animals fats, not good; pigs not good;
animal saturated fats not good in general. Coconut Oil, great sat fat source, raw nuts and seeds like Almonds, Peanuts great fat source. Ghee made from organic grass fed animal sourced butter is marvelous.
Blueberry juice is good for health; add a touch of arsenic, not good.
This man should be arrested for attempted murder on 150 counts. This man is no hero . This is no different than someone walking into a police station to turn himself in. This man needs to be in jail along with all the corporate fascist that are all making money off the american people. This is sick and evil what all these food companies are getting away with. If you can’t see the revolving door between the food and hospitals, we’re sooooo screwed. Everyone needs to stop buying into this propaganda with fast food. It’s genocide what there doing to everyone. It’s like the jews walking into the gas chamber.
“like the jews walking into the gas chamber”??? What an insult to those Jews who actually had to do that….You are an Idiot.
Lol… trolls….
You ought to read and understand Godwin’s law — which states that a baseless comparison to Nazis, Hitler, etc. renders your entire position invalid. Your comparison might even be fractally wrong — wrong on every possible level of consideration.
I hope no one is listening or paying any attention to the paid government troll SERIOUSLY?….. this is sick and evil what they are doing to our food supply. There is no need for all this crap to be in the air, food, and water. Anyone that is defending this genecide, is part of it all, LIKE SERIOUSLY?… it is more than likely a monsanto troll….
Wow, “genecide.” I see what you did there — do you? Hint, look up either sensational or satiric misspelling. Or, maybe you were referring to the senseless destruction of Levi’s products.
And being able to “double dip” for posting rational responses — sounds like a great gig. I’ll be sure to invoice both the government AND Monsatan (see above) for this post.
Y’know, I’d be willing to bet that you own products, which, even if not made by Monsanto, are based on technology originally mass-produced by Monsanto. Or, do you live in a household that has absolutely zero LED’s. MONSANTO!!!! There’s no escaping them. I’ve even heard that chemtrails might be a byproduct of LED’s.
Lol..Grammer trolls…. I love it….ha ha ha….. keep eating your poisonous monsatan food. If all you have on me is misspelling, I can live with that.
Hi Vani! Let’s get Papa Johns, Panda Express, and Chick-Fil-A on board!!! 🙂
Disappointing to see that constructive arguments are deleted on this website. Not progressive at all and shows poor character. Yesterday I posted a lengthy comment featuring several rebuttals to the arguments listed in this article only for it to have been removed, likely out of fear for logical construction.
Don’t know, Stefan. Didn’t see your composition. Food Babe tolerates my challenging comments. Of course they recognize then as science based not some negative diatribe. And If I was Vani any hate mail would be taken down, and the writer reported. I have recommended that she prosecute some of the filth sicvk minds and paid trolls have written.
A good place for me to once more proclaim: FACT; If Vani Hari or her professional personna, FOOD Babe posted any thing that was not truthful these Financial Giants would bull doze her out of the business. So all of those detractors GO AWAY !!!
Now here’s a little Science, not what great Aunt Maggie thought about her rheumatiz;
Blood Type Nutrition Science
Five Healthy Sugar Alternatives
Five Healthy Sugar Alternatives May 19, 2015Blood Type Diet, Diet Tips, Learning, Nutrition, Practical Advice0 Comments
Refined sugar is considered as addictive as a drug and potentially as detrimental to your health. Yet, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes anywhere between 150 to 170 pounds of refined sugars in one year! It is clear that collectively we have a serious habit to kick.Sure, there are plenty of sugar-free sweetener alternatives on the market but those chemically created artificial sweeteners are even more toxic than refined sugar. Ending your sugar addiction doesn’t mean that you have to stop enjoying a hint of sweetness – it just requires that you find healthier alternatives. Below are five all-natural, blood-type friendly options.
Sugar Sub – Agave Agave Syrup
This honey-like sweetener is made from the sap found in the core of the agave plant. It’s sweeter than table sugar, so you can use less to get the same results, while at the same time boosting your recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals: It has trace amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. Agave nectar also has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, so it won’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels.(Neutral for all blood types and secretor types)
Sugar Sub – Honey Raw Organic Local Honey
There is so much to buzz about! Honey contains trace amounts of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B6, free-radical fighting antioxidants and, some studies show, may help to alleviate seasonal allergies. If you’re trying to lose weight, there’s good news for you; honey’s low glycemic index helps keep sugar levels in check – and it’s 50% sweeter than refined sugar, so you’ll be satisfied with less.(Neutral for blood types A secretor & non-secretor, B secretor & non-secretor, O secretor and AB secretor, avoid for O non-secretor and AB non-secretor)
Sugar Sub – Maple Syrup Pure Maple Syrup
Most people only think about using maple syrup when enjoying pancakes. But this morning staple can also be used as a sugar substitute in baking. Research shows that maple syrup also has some health benefits including promoting cardiovascular health and boosting the immune system.(Neutral for blood types A secretor & non-secretor, B secretor & non-secretor, O secretor, and AB secretor; avoid for O non-secretor, and AB non-secretor)
Sugar Sub – Molasses Molasses
During the refining of sugar cane and sugar beets, the juice squeezed from these plants is boiled to a syrupy mixture from which sugar crystals are extracted. The remaining brownish-black liquid is molasses. Molasses is a popular sweetener in baking and can also be used as a syrup on pancakes and waffles. Its health benefits include a high iron content, as well as vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and more antioxidants than any other natural sweetener.(Beneficial for A secretor and neutral for all other blood types and secretor types)
Sugar Sub – Stevia Stevia
Stevia is the powdered extract of the plant, Stevia Rebaudiana, an herb indigenous to Paraguay and Brazil. While this zero-calorie sugar substitute tastes just like table sugar, it won’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels. When using stevia, consumers should note that it is 200-400 times sweeter than sugar and use far less when baking or stirring into coffee or tea. Health benefits include phytochemical compounds that help control blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.(Neutral for A secretor & non-secretor, B non-secretor, AB secretor & non-secretor, and O secretor; avoid for B secretors and O non-secretors)
FACT !!
I didn’t leave hate-mail I must say, my comments were pointing out that many of the ingredients that are listed above as up for removal have been labelled as bad ‘chemicals’ that harm consumers. Much of this labelling is unjustified and in some cases such as L-cysteine the opposite is true. I further pointed out that L-cysteine is an essential amino acid that our bodies cannot make. Along with some mention of the necessity of glycerides and fatty esters in our diets.
I added that as almost no one eats a fully recommended diet at 100% RDA guidelines all of the time most food manufacturers reinforce essential dietary components to ensure that if anything consumers do not become deficient in anything. I then pointed out that the bile acid system largely removes excess amounts of these components with no harm to the consumer unless the consumer received an incredible quantity of these components (>600%).
I ended on the general note that Vani (Food Babe) is in a unique position to genuinely scientifically inform people on food, but much of the content of this website and her book contain little of this information and performs more as a scaremongering service. I should add that my arguments are derived from by degree in biological chemistry and current PhD study.
Hmm; that might be the problem; especially if you presented academic credentials along with your initial post.
My comments are also professionally informed. If that is the academic information you received from your school you should you find another school because your information in INCORRECT. I won’t comment item for item, but for instance, L Cysteine is not an essential Amino Acid. It is semi essential meaning it can be biosynthesized in humans. I will not expound here on that process.
I prefer as a teacher to toss out enough information to lure readers to engage in learning by doing research.
The commercial form of L Cysteine is sourced from human hair, pig hair and duck feathers. All of those sources carry a protein signature from the donor. Those are also the sources for magnesium stearate, used in industry to lubricate mechanical
equipment and in pharmaceuticals and cheap drug store vitamins as a lubricating coating. The reason those sources are used is simply to increase producer profits.
If food manufacturers used proper whole food nurtrients in their products there would no need to fortify with sub standard and usually non assimilable synthetic chemicals.
Based on your advice I can understand why your misinformation was taken down.
You are also wrong when you say FOOD BABE engages in scare mongering. That’s the language of the paid trolls who prey on responsible consumer watchdogs.
FOOD BABE tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when she exposes the dangerous foodstuffs she investigates.
If she did not, meticulously adhere to the FACTS these multi-billion dollar companies that she catches selling pestilence disguised as food to unsuspecting consumesr would turn lose their stables of high paid lawyers and they would shut her down and extract every asset she will ever own in settlements.
@Eyrl…
I have a fancy set of degrees too… Most of what you’ve posted came straight from Wikipedia… Please explain, in detail, exactly what a “protein signature” associated with the source of L-Cysteine might be… As someone that has actually spent significant time designing and building high performance gene sequencing systems, I’ve never heard of such a thing, and I’m intensely curious about this… Please… Enlighten me…
There is a much larger picture involving food additives that is harmful to us. Whether we are protecting our personal bodies or not, these chemical additives (and pharmaceuticals) can harm our planet, ourselves as a global population, our economy….on and on. If we could reduce medical expenses by managing what we eat that could have more impact than having cheap food for people on a limited budget. In the larger picture if we are eating poorly, and we don’t feel good because of that is that leading to needing antidepressants, pain killers, anti diabetic medications, blood pressure and arthritis meds, not to mention joint replacement, cancer, bypass. . Now, which is more expensive. Taste and the cost of medical care or learning how to cook and garden as we did for eons. In my opinion, it is incredibly selfish to the larger community if you are not taking care of your personal self. We can be victims to the standards which are so substandard or we can empower ourselves by demanding foods for health and therefore thriving instead of merely surviving.