The food we eat has a direct impact on our health, yet many products on the grocery store shelves contain damaging chemicals that have been linked to serious diseases. Despite being banned in other countries, these toxins remain in the food supply thanks to the FDA. From artificial additives and preservatives to pesticide residues and industrial chemicals, these substances can contribute to cancer, metabolic disorders, hormonal imbalances, respiratory issues, psychiatric disturbances, neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, and other chronic diseases. In this article, we’ll uncover the reasons why the FDA allows toxic ingredients harmful to your health in the food supply, expose the chemicals that you should avoid which have been restricted or banned in other nations but remain legal in the U.S., and provide practical steps for safer, healthier food choices to help you safeguard your well-being. Let’s take a closer look at what’s really on your plate.
The FDA and Chemicals in the Food Supply
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a regulatory agency created to protect public health. The FDA’s role is to regulate consumer products (food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, tobacco and blood products, vaccines, and biologics) while ensuring they are safe, effective, and properly labeled before they reach consumers.
The FDA is responsible for regulating food safety. However, toxic ingredients harmful to your health continue to be allowed in the food supply and are easily available to every man, woman, and child. Shockingly, some of these chemicals have been prohibited in other countries due to their potential risks to human health.
You may wonder how this is possible in one of the most advanced nations on Earth. Let’s look at some of the factors involved in this travesty:
Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Loophole
The FDA’s approval process has a significant loophole known as the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) rule. This allows food manufacturers to introduce new additives without undergoing rigorous FDA testing, as long as they self-declare them as safe based on their own research. As a result, chemicals can enter the food supply without independent, long-term studies verifying their safety. Since these companies are focused on getting their products on store shelves and maximizing profits, they have little incentive to flag potentially harmful ingredients. It’s like letting rowdy teenagers set and enforce their own curfew.
Regulatory Capture & Corporate Influence
FDA corruption and corporate influence are nothing new, as they have shaped regulations for decades. Each year, major food and chemical companies spend millions lobbying policymakers, influencing decisions, and loosening restrictions on certain ingredients. This financial influence has led to a system prioritizing market growth over long-term public health.
At the same time, the FDA and major corporations operate as a revolving door. Many FDA officials have previously worked for these industries or later on, take high-paying jobs in the same corporations they were supposed to regulate. This creates conflicts of interest and a bias toward corporate interests at the expense of public health.
Industry-Funded Science
As previously noted, the corporations requiring regulation conduct or fund their own safety studies and submit them to the FDA for approval. This creates a conflict of interest in what should be a scientifically unbiased process, often resulting in conclusions that favor those corporations.
FDA’s Reactive Approach
Instead of taking a precautionary approach and being proactive to protect consumers, the FDA chooses to be reactive and take a “wait-and-see” approach. They allow all types of substances in the food supply and wait until there is strong evidence of harm before banning them.
Chemicals Allowed in the U.S. that Have Been Banned Elsewhere
The European Union (EU), China, and even Canada have banned many chemicals that are present in American foods. The following are some of the toxic ingredients harmful to your health that have been prohibited in other countries:
- Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO): BVO is used in citrus-flavored sodas to keep ingredients from separating and has been banned in Europe and Japan due to links to neurological issues and hormone disruption.
- Potassium Bromate: This flour additive strengthens dough and increases bread volume. It is prohibited in the EU, UK, and Canada due to potential carcinogenic effects.
- Azodicarbonamide (ADA): ADA is a chemical used in bread-making to improve texture and is also found in yoga mats. ADA has been banned in Australia and Europe due to its links to respiratory issues and cancer.
- Artificial Food Dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5 & 6, Blue 1 & 2): These dyes, derived from petroleum, have been linked to hyperactivity in children, allergies, and possible carcinogenic effects. The EU has placed warning labels on foods containing these dyes, while some countries have banned them altogether.
- Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH): rBGH is a synthetic hormone used to increase milk production in cows, which has been banned in the EU, Canada, and Japan due to concerns over increased cancer risk and antibiotic resistance.
- Titanium Dioxide: This whitening agent used in processed foods has been banned in the EU due to potential DNA damage, inflammation, and gut microbiome disruption.
Where Do You Find These Chemicals?
These toxic chemicals are found in most processed foods. Here are some sources of these damaging substances:
- Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO): Citrus-flavored sodas (Mountain Dew, Sun Drop, Fanta Orange, Gatorade), sports drinks (some flavors of Powerade), fruit-flavored sodas (Fresca, Squirt).
- Potassium Bromate: Commercial bread and baked goods (Wonder Bread, some store-brand sandwich breads), pizza dough (some fast-food and frozen pizza brands), commercial bagels and rolls.
- Azodicarbonamide (ADA): Packaged bread (Subway removed in 2014 after public outcry, McDonald’s, Burger King buns), fast-food sandwich rolls (Wendy’s, Arby’s), commercially made tortillas and wraps.
- Artificial Food Dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5 & 6, Blue 1 & 2): Candy (Skittles, M&Ms, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers), cereals (Froot Loops, Trix, Lucky Charms, Cap’n Crunch), drinks (Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Fanta, Hawaiian Punch), snacks (Cheetos, Doritos, Takis, Kraft Mac & Cheese), baked goods (Frosted Pop-Tarts, Hostess snacks).
- Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH): Conventional milk (non-organic dairy brands), cheese and yogurt (brands that don’t specify “rBGH-free” or “organic”), ice cream (conventional brands (e.g., Breyers, Baskin-Robbins).
- Titanium Dioxide: Candy (Skittles, Starburst, Mentos, M&Ms (coatings), Takis), processed snacks (chewing gum, some salad dressings), coffee creamers, commercial baked goods with frostings and powdered sugar coatings.
The Impact on Public Health
Ingesting toxic ingredients harmful to your health can affect numerous bodily systems. Many food additives have been identified as potential carcinogens, increasing the risk of cancer with prolonged exposure. Additionally, some chemicals, particularly artificial food dyes, have been associated with allergic reactions, headaches, neurological effects such as hyperactivity, ADHD, and cognitive decline. Endocrine disruption is another major concern, as certain additives interfere with hormone regulation, leading to imbalances that can affect metabolism and overall health. Furthermore, these harmful substances can disrupt your gut health, alter neurotransmitter balance and your mood, and trigger inflammation in the body, contributing to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Practical Steps for Safer, Healthier Choices
As you may suspect, regulatory changes are slow, but you can take action by following these practical steps for safer, healthier food choices:
- Read ingredient labels and avoid artificial dyes, preservatives, additives, and the banned chemicals listed above.
- Stay away from refined sugars (sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup) and artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharin, Acesulfame K) since these disrupt your microbiome, spike and drop your blood sugar, overload your liver, increase inflammation, and accelerate aging.
- Sweeten with natural options like raw honey, maple syrup, monk fruit, and/or Stevia.
- Opt for natural food coloring alternatives (beet juice, turmeric, spirulina).
- Avoid trans fats (found in processed foods, fast food, and hydrogenated oils) and vegetable oils (soybean, canola, corn oils). These unhealthy fats increase inflammation in the body and brain, disrupt neurotransmitter function, and negatively impact mental health.
- Choose organic, non-GMO verified, and “rBGH-free” products.
- Eat minimally processed foods whenever possible.
- Support organizations that fight for safer food, clean ingredients, and transparency, such as Moms Across America, Food Babe, Children’s Health Defense, The Environmental Working Group (EWG), The Cornucopia Institute, Organic Consumers Association (OCA), Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT), Center for Food Safety (CFS), and Food Revolution Network, Beyond Perticides.
- Advocate for stronger food safety regulations in the U.S.
Conclusion
The food we consume is the building block of our health, which is why the presence of injurious substances in the food supply is concerning. While other countries have taken steps to ban or restrict toxic additives, preservatives, and industrial chemicals linked to serious diseases, the FDA continues to allow many of these substances. This regulatory gap puts consumers at risk for conditions ranging from cancer and metabolic disorders to neurological, hormonal imbalances, and more. However, by staying informed and making conscious food choices, you can reduce your exposure to these ingredients. Opting for organic and minimally processed foods, reading labels carefully, and advocating for stronger food safety regulations and the removal of toxic ingredients harmful to your health are key steps in protecting your well-being. The ideal toxin-free food system starts with you.
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
