Dead Body Living Soul

We have all heard about Big Pharma, but what about Big Food. If you live in America this is a very real issue. A very big issue. The overall prevalence of obesity in adults in the U.S. is 40.3% (CDC). While 31.7% fall into the overweight category (CDC). In the study of children in the U.S. 21.1% were found obese and 15.1% were found overweight (CDC). Three in four American adults have at least one chronic health condition, and over half have two or more chronic conditions (CDC, “About Chronic Diseases”).

Its hard to fathom that majority of a first world countries population could be so unhealthy… so sick. But unfortunately it’s true, America is unwell. The most frustrating- outlandish part is that- America is killing America. This is no conspiracy theory, no political take, its just sad truth. We can look at other counties and the things they have banned. They ban food or things involving food production until proven safe. I would like to at least be able to say we eat food until proven unsafe, but these days it is allowed to get pumped into products even after proven unsafe. That’s the philosophy, safe until proven harmful. Is that the sort of ideology you want for your life? For your children’s lives?

Titanium Dioxide is an artificial white pigment commonly used in things like chewing gum, cake frostings, and dairy products. It was banned across the EU because scientific reviews could not rule out genotoxicity (Team). Genotoxicity is the ability of a substance to damage the DNA within a cell. Never thought that your Little Debby Zebra Cakes could give you cancer, huh? Researchers determined that titanium dioxide particles can cause breaks in strands of DNA and damage to chromosomes (Team). There were not enough studies available to deduce how often those processes could happen in people or how significant they could be (Team). Still legally used in America though, because… because it only causes genetic mutations rarely?

Potassium bromate is a chemical agent used to whiten and age flour. Potassium bromate is listed as a carcinogen by the state of California. While the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) lists it as “possibly carcinogenic” to humans, made to sound less conclusive than “probably carcinogenic” or “carcinogenic” (Team). To me that still indicates grave concern about links to cancer. Some animal studies have shown potassium bromate causes tumors and kidney damage in rats, and presents possible evidence of DNA damage (Team). EWG includes potassium bromate on its list of the 12 worst food additives to avoid (Team). Because of these risks, it is banned in the European Union, Canada, and Brazil.

Unfortunately those are only two examples of the disgusting profit over people attitude that’s been normalized and allowed. The problem really isn’t the food itself. The apples are innocent, the butter unindictable, a pork roast never hurt anybody. But the ractopamine, a growth promoting additive fed to the pig, which will mimic adrenaline, can cause increased heart rate, pounding hearts, and elevated blood pressure, known for its potential to cause cardiovascular effects, cancer, and cellular stress, can make you sick (Chen et al.). Or how about the pesticides and certain synthetic fungicides that absorbed directly into the plant tissues that cannot be washed off that are on said apple (Lily). In U.S. agriculture, these types of agricultural “solutions” include neonicotinoids, the deadly herbicide paraquat, and PFAS “forever chemicals” (Lily). Peeling produce is deemed the most effective way to reduce exposure (Lily). What, are we supposed to peel lettuce now?

Do you know what an Obesogen is? Obesogens are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that alter your metabolism and promote fat storage. The US Environmental Protection Agency defines an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDCs) as an external factor that interferes with synthesis, secretion, transport, metabolism, binding action, or elimination of natural blood-borne hormones that are present in the body and allow the body to successfully preform homeostasis, reproduction, and developmental process (Mahapatra et al.). Almost 1000 man-made chemicals may have endocrine-disrupting properties (Mahapatra et al.).

Phytoestrogens, plant-derived compounds (like genistein in soy, lentils, and chickpeas), fructose, arsenic, and nicotine are naturally occurring endocrine disrupting chemicals. You wanna hear just a few of the completely optional to use EDC’s that have detrimental affects to human health?

Bisphenols: Used in plastics, linings of food/beverage cans, and thermal paper (e.g., BPA, BPS).

Phthalates: Used to increase the pliability of plastics in food processing equipment and plastic packaging. They are documented by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences as endocrine disruptors.

Pesticides & Herbicides (e.g., Atrazine): Agricultural chemicals that can leave trace residues on produce, acting as metabolism disruptors. (You can review EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce below to see what was labeled best and worst in produce in 2026.)

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): “Forever chemicals” found in fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, and non-stick cookware.

There was a study done on tributyltin, a chemical and well known Obesogen. When a pregnant mouse was exposed to the chemical it pre-programed their offspring. The offspring’s fat cells where rapidly expanded, dramatically increasing body weight (Egusquiza and Blumberg).

So the big question is why? Why do we need all of these toxic additives, preservatives, dyes, and pesticides? The overwhelmingly logical and short answer is, we don’t. As the consumer we don’t. The producers don’t need them either. They choose to use what is going to make them the biggest dollar while stretching their dollar the farthest. Why do they continue to do it? Because they are allowed to.

Even food labeled organic or made with organic ingredients aren’t safe. Products sold or represented as organic must have at least 95 percent certified organic content while products “made with” organic must have at least 70 percent certified organic content (USDA). What about the last 5%? Or the other 30% its made with? The FDA isn’t protecting us either thanks to their willful approval to lots of these harmful ingredients as well as the “GRAS loophole”. “GRAS” stands for- generally recognized as safe. The expansion of GRAS in 1997 allowed for the producers of the industry to regulate themselves from within (CSPI). For us this means that thousands of new chemicals, products, and processes related to food production have entered the U.S. food supply with out any mandatory outside federal testing. Even after these self-certifications company’s are not required to report their determinations to the FDA and the FDA can not mandate disclosure (CSPI).

All these additives are for the product to last longer, to look more appealing. I don’t know about you but I don’t care if my bread looks whiter and lasts for two months if its poisoning me. Food isn’t meant to be judged by how long it can last on a shelf. Its meant to be eaten, to nourish, to heal the body. If the orange soda isn’t neon orange but it tastes like a yummy orange well then I say its served its purpose.

Once your awake to this issue its impossible to look away. Impossible to trust anything you walk by at the grocery store. Impossible not to get a little nauseous not knowing exactly what’s in your meal or where it came from. What are we to do about this issue? Go back to growing our own gardens? Break the bank investing in finding the healthiest foods? No. That’s not plausible and it shouldn’t be the only solution either. We should be able to shop and eat food freely. Our government should be invested in making us the healthiest in the world, not the sickest.

What we can do is stop eating processed foods until a bigger solution can be solidified. This is the bigger solution I propose:

• Dissolve the FDA and USDA in turn for the creation of newer and better organizations responsible of food, drugs, and agricultural production and rules. These new organizations must maintain a “unsafe until proven safe” philosophy. These organization must oversee mandatory in house testing along with tandem third party testing for results to be compared before any food, drug, additive, chemical, or other is legal and available for consumption by the American people. These agencies must have full transparency with the public.

• Revoke GRAS and make companies have full transparency with these new agencies. The only allowed ingredient’s, additives, or others should be those deemed safe by these new agency’s.

• Make it illegal to dye or bleach sugars, flours, and other baking ingredients.

• The only approved food dyes should be those of 100% natural ingredients like beet powder or tea leaves.

• Prevent the production of ultra or heavily processed food.

• Prevent the use of food preservatives and release new public statements including the normal shelf life of items without such ingredients. The only allowed preservation techniques should be safe and natural like smoking, salting, or canning.

• Illegalize the use of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in food, food production, food containers, food storage containers, and agricultural use including vaccines.

• Any proposed or existing chemical, additive, dye, or other man-made substances that have more than a one in one million chance of causing bodily disfunction or harm to humans or livestock should be immediately banned.

This is a small start, but it is a start to getting back an America that is for the people. Alone we can do little but together we can do anything. If you agree we need this change please click the link below and sign my petition so we can step in the direction of change togeher.

https://c.org/QzY5cQwkKh

Works Cited

CDC. “About Chronic Diseases.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Oct. 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html. Accessed 11 July 2026.

—. “NCHS Releases Updates to Obesity Estimates | Blogs | CDC.” Cdc.Gov, 25 Feb. 2026, https://blogs.cdc.gov/nchs/2026/02/25/7876/. Accessed 11 July 2026.

Chen, Chia-Hui, et al. “Ractopamine at Legal Residue Dosage Accelerates Atherosclerosis by Inducing Endothelial Dysfunction and Promoting Macrophage Foam Cell Formation.” Environmental Pollution, vol. 313, 15 Nov. 2022, p. 120080, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749122012945?via%3Dihub, 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120080. Accessed 12 July 2026.

CSPI. “GRAS Loophole: How Do New Substances Enter the Food Supply?” Center for Science in the Public Interest, 13 Mar. 2026, https://www.cspi.org/GRAS-loophole. Accessed 13 July 2026.

Egusquiza, Riann Jenay, and Bruce Blumberg. “Environmental Obesogens and Their Impact on Susceptibility to Obesity: New Mechanisms and Chemicals.” Endocrinology, vol. 161, no. 3, 18 Feb. 2020, 10.1210/endocr/bqaa024.

Lily. “Does Washing Produce Remove Pesticides?” Lily Nichols RDN, 6 Oct. 2015, https://lilynicholsrdn.com/does-washing-produce-remove-pesticides/. Accessed 12 July 2026.

Mahapatra, Archisman, et al. Environmental Obesogens and Human Health. Www.Intechopen.Com, IntechOpen, 14 Mar. 2021, https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/75707. Accessed 11 July 2026.

Team, The Levels. “7 Additives in Our Processed Food That Are Banned Outside the U.S..” Levels, 11 Mar. 2022, https://www.levels.com/blog/seven-additives-in-our-processed-food-that-are-banned-in-other-countries. Accessed 12 July 2026.

USDA. “Organic Standards | Agricultural Marketing Service.” Usda.Gov, 2019, https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/organic-standards. Accessed 13 July 2026.