Exposing The Food Industry’s Dangerous Lies - Vani Hari

Vani’s Conflict With Kellogg’s (0s)

• Vani Hari went to Kellogg's headquarters with 400,000 signatures to ask them to remove artificial food dyes and BHT from their cereals produced in the United States, as these ingredients are not used in the same products sold in countries like Canada, Europe, Australia, and India (13s).
• Artificial food dyes are linked to hyperactivity, require warning labels in Europe, and contain carcinogens, while BHT is an endocrine-disrupting chemical used as a preservative in cereal bags in the US but not in other countries (42s).
• Hari has been demanding that Kellogg's sell the same safer versions of their cereals in the US as they do in other countries, a campaign she has been leading for over a decade (1m38s).
• In 2015, Kellogg's announced plans to make these changes, but instead created new cereals with the same ingredients, such as those featuring Baby Shark and Peeps, to appeal to modern children (2m1s).
• It is true that Kellogg's produces cereals with and without artificial food dyes in the same factories, and at one point, Canadian cereals were produced in US factories and shipped to Canada (2m33s).
• Brands use cheaper and more preservative artificial food dyes instead of natural ingredients like carrot juice and blueberry juice, which are used in other countries, due to cost and greed (3m25s).
• The FDA allows food companies to create and approve their own safety data for chemicals like BHT, without third-party regulation, and has not reviewed some chemicals, such as Red 40, since 1971 (4m29s).
• Studies have shown a dramatic increase in the consumption of artificial food dyes in the US, with a 500% increase since their introduction to the food supply, highlighting the need for accountability and regulation (5m1s).

Why is America’s Food System So Bad? (5m36s)

• The US has the worst food system in the world, with American food companies producing safer products for other countries while selling less safe products domestically (5m58s).
• Many American food companies, such as Kelloggs, McDonald's, PepsiCo, General Mills, and Kraft Heinz, are guilty of this practice, which is considered a moral and ethical obligation to change (7m42s).
• The Southampton study 20 years ago led European Regulatory Agencies to require warning labels on products containing certain dyes, prompting American food manufacturers to voluntarily remove these chemicals from their products for other countries, but not for the US (6m45s).
• This practice is considered sinister, as companies are aware that their products could cause harm, such as hyperactivity in children, but choose not to change their products for the US market (7m22s).
• The food industry has created a "toxic soup" over the last 50 years, with the majority of food chemicals being produced to improve the bottom line of food companies rather than improve public health (8m32s).
• Many ingredients in packaged foods are added to make the product more profitable, rather than to improve health, with an estimated 99% of ingredients serving this purpose (9m18s).
• The FDA does not rigorously test food chemicals, instead relying on data provided by food companies, which can lead to chemicals being labeled as "generally regarded as safe" without proper safety data (10m0s).
• The lack of accountability and safety testing in the food industry has led to a situation where many packaged foods are harming public health, particularly those with more than five ingredients (9m39s).
• The food industry has become highly manipulated with various additives, preservatives, and technologies that can make food very far removed from its natural state, yet it is still regulated under an outdated framework that assumes food is largely just food with a few amendments, (10m36s).
• The food industry has been influenced by the tobacco industry, which has used its knowledge of how to hook people on cigarettes to make processed foods more addictive, (11m43s).
• Food companies use laboratory experiments to measure the "Bliss point" in the brain, which is the point at which a food becomes irresistible, and they design their products to reach this point, (12m10s).
• Processed foods are manufactured to be consumed quickly, with textures and flavors that melt in the mouth and are digested rapidly, making it difficult for the body to catch up and feel full, (12m31s).
• This can lead to overeating, as the body's natural signals for fullness are not triggered, and the brain is tricked into craving more of the food, (12m44s).
• Even seemingly innocuous labels like "natural flavoring" can be misleading, as they can contain thousands of different chemicals that create a flavor in the brain that is remembered and craved, (13m36s).
• The use of these flavorings and additives is crucial to the food industry, as without them, people would likely eat less of their products, (14m6s).

What’s Actually Wrong With What They’re Doing? (14m16s)

• Food manufacturers are making foods less palatable and less enjoyable, which is contradictory to their primary goal of creating tasty and enjoyable products, and this shift may be due to their ability to "hack" human physiology, particularly the olfactory system and texture detection, to make people consume more (14m18s).
• The food industry has "weaponized" the food system against the human body, leading to high rates of chronic diseases, and this can be attributed to ultra-processed, calorie-dense, and hyperpalatable foods that are easy to consume and overconsume (15m41s).
• The main arguments against these foods come from two areas: overconsumption leading to higher BMIs and health problems, and the constituent parts of these foods, including specific ingredients and endocrine-disrupting effects (16m17s).
• Metabolic syndrome is a condition caused by consuming non-nutritious foods, leading to metabolic problems, insulin sensitivity, and increased risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, as discussed by Dr. Casey Means and CI Means in their book "Good Energy" (16m59s).
• The food industry's use of chemicals in their products, such as 50-60 different chemicals in a Subway sandwich, raises questions about whether these products can be considered "food" and highlights the need to examine how these chemicals interact with each other and the human body (17m50s).
• The key to making informed food choices lies in understanding the ingredients used in food products and their potential health impacts (18m20s).
• By educating people about the chemicals used in food products, they can decide for themselves whether they want to consume those chemicals, especially if they are linked to health issues such as hyperactivity, cancer, or endocrine disruption (18m36s).
• A crucial step in making better food choices is reading the ingredients list and researching any unfamiliar ingredients to understand their purpose and potential health effects (19m2s).
• A three-part question can be used to evaluate food choices: what are the ingredients, are they nutritious, and where do they come from (19m15s).
• By asking these questions, individuals can make more informed decisions about their diet and food choices without needing to be a nutritionist or food scientist (19m40s).
• The ingredient monodiglycerides, commonly found in processed foods, is a manufactured product used to replace trans fats and still contains trace amounts of trans fats, making it a chemical to be aware of when making food choices (19m57s).
• Recognizing and avoiding products with certain chemicals, such as monodiglycerides, can lead to eliminating thousands of products from grocery store shelves and making healthier choices (20m57s).

The Most Damaging Ingredients (21m9s)

• Processed seed oils, such as cottonseed oil, canola oil, corn oil, and soy oil, are major concerns due to their link to genetically engineered seeds and the use of glyphosate, a chemical linked to cancer in various court cases (21m29s).
• These oils are often extracted using hexane and other chemicals, deodorizers, and bleach agents, and the FDA does not monitor the residues of these chemicals in the oils (22m3s).
• Cottonseed oil is particularly problematic, as it is produced from the textile industry and is not regulated as a food, allowing for the use of worse pesticides and chemicals (22m24s).
• High fructose corn syrup is another ingredient of concern, as it is made from genetically engineered corn and can disrupt the body's metabolic function, leading to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (23m27s).
• Artificial ingredients, such as Red Number 3, are also a concern, as they have been linked to cancer and are still allowed in food despite being banned in cosmetics (24m12s).
• The FDA's funding structure, which includes industry funding, is seen as a conflict of interest and a reason for the agency's failure to effectively regulate the food industry (25m6s).
• To address these issues, it is recommended to look for products made with olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and grass-fed butter, and to eliminate seed oils from one's diet (23m9s).

Why You Can’t Trust Studies & Food Scientists (25m23s)

• The food industry uses groups that appear reputable to defend their chemicals and policies, but these groups often have ties to corporations and may have ulterior motives (25m36s).
• The American Council of Science and Health is an example of such a group, which has taken funding from various corporations, including Kellogg's, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's, and aims to do character assassination on individuals who speak out against their products (25m58s).
• The American Council of Science and Health also aims to confuse the public into thinking that consuming certain chemicals and foods is safe, and has released hit pieces on individuals who speak out against the food industry (26m35s).
• The food industry has used paid organizations to take down individuals who speak out against them, including the author, who was targeted after her campaign against Subway's use of azodicarbonamide (27m9s).
• Azodicarbonamide is a chemical used in yoga mats and shoe rubber, and was also used in Subway's bread to make it look and feel uniform (27m32s).
• The use of azodicarbonamide in food is not allowed in some countries, and the author petitioned Subway to remove it from their bread, which they eventually did, along with other bread manufacturers in America (28m1s).
• The removal of azodicarbonamide from Subway's bread led to a significant reformulation effort, including changes to ingredient lists and packaging, which cost the food industry a lot of money (28m49s).
• As a result of her campaign, the author was targeted by front groups and paid experts who aimed to discredit her and her work (29m7s).
• These paid experts would often appear in articles about the author's work, praising her efforts but also dismissing her as unscientific and unqualified (29m20s).
• A lobbyist against food activists, nicknamed "Dr. Evil," wrote an article calling a food activist a "food bimbo" in the Washington Post, and another article by a professor at Migel University in Canada stated that the activist was featured on programs because she was "easier to look at," which was later found to be funded by Monsanto through a Freedom of Information request (30m13s).
• The food industry and chemical corporations used front groups to fund attacks on food activists, making it difficult to discover the source of the funding until Freedom of Information documentation was obtained (31m31s).
• The activist received death threats, rape threats, and had security at public talks due to attempts to shut down the conversation, which was presumably funded by the chemical and food industry (30m56s).
• A private social network was discovered to be funded and directed by the communications director at Monsanto, which held personal data and information on critics of the chemical and food industries, including the activist's address, parents' phone numbers, and spouse's name (32m2s).
• The government was found to be funding this private social network through a program called USAID, indicating that the government and chemical corporations were working together against activists (32m56s).
• Notable activists, including Michael Pollan and Vandana Shiva, were also targeted by the private social network and had their personal information collected (33m11s).

What Drives Vani’s Activism? (33m20s)

• The New York Times referred to Vani Hari as the "Public Enemy Number One of the food industry", a title she takes with pride due to her activism (33m28s).
• Becoming an activist has been challenging for Hari, with the food industry's attacks being distracting and making her consider stopping about 10 years ago (34m0s).
• Hari found the strength to continue her activism by realizing that her work was bigger than herself and was about the health of the world and people's right to know the truth about the food industry (34m17s).
• Hari's personal health struggles, including being on nine prescription drugs and hitting rock bottom, motivated her to make changes and eventually discover the truth about the food industry (34m41s).
• Removing processed foods from her diet and switching to real food greatly improved Hari's health, making her realize that she might not be alive today if she had continued her previous lifestyle (35m8s).
• Many people are unknowingly affected by food chemicals and ingredients, and Hari believes that the food industry has taken advantage of people's trust (35m21s).
• Hari's parents, who immigrated to the United States in the 1960s, were unaware of the issues with the food supply and were initially excited about the convenience of fast food (35m34s).
• The widespread availability of information on the internet and social media has created a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the food industry and its impact on health (36m10s).
• The current political landscape, with both Democrats and Republicans discussing environmental and health issues related to chemicals, presents a chance for real change to occur (36m32s).
• Hari is excited about the growing awareness and the potential for enacting real change, citing recent national news coverage of political candidates discussing chemicals in the food industry (36m57s).

Most Concerning Food Establishments (37m34s)

• Chick-fil-A is a popular fast-food chain that uses engineered ingredients to make their food taste good, with the second ingredient in their chicken sandwich being mono sodium glutamate (MSG), which is added to make customers remember the flavor and crave more (38m14s).
• MSG is an additive that has been used in studies on obesity-related diseases to make rats fat by increasing their appetite and cravings (38m37s).
• The discovery of MSG as the second ingredient in Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich led to an article titled "Chemical Filet" that went viral and prompted the company to invite the author to their headquarters to discuss changes (39m2s).
• The author's meeting with Chick-fil-A led to changes in their ingredients and convinced the author to quit their job as a banker to focus on changing the food industry full-time (40m16s).
• McDonald's fries in the UK have only three ingredients, while in the US, they have over 14 ingredients, including the chemical dimethyl polysiloxane, which is also found in Silly Putty and has no safety data (40m54s).
• Dimethyl polysiloxane is combined with TBHQ, a preservative that can trigger allergic reactions and is found in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the US but not in Japan (41m16s).
• TBHQ is a preservative that turns on the immune response, making people more allergenic to their surroundings and triggering existing allergies (41m27s).
• TBHQ is a preservative used in food, specifically for oil, while dimethyl polysiloxane serves as an anti-foaming agent to reduce the frequency of oil changes at fast food establishments (41m44s).
• Dimethyl polysiloxane is commonly found in fast food French fries, not just at McDonald's, and is also added to fountain Diet Coke, but not bottled Diet Coke (42m0s).
• Some recommended alternatives for eating out include True Food Kitchen, Chipotle, and Sweetgreen, as they have made efforts to remove GMOs and seed oils from their food (42m55s).
• Chipotle is noted for having one of the least amounts of chemicals in their food among fast food options, thanks in part to the removal of GMOs as a result of a campaign (43m2s).
• Flower Child is another option, with many organic ingredients and the removal of most seed oils (43m23s).
• Preparing one's own food is also suggested as a way to avoid unwanted additives and preservatives (43m31s).

How to Shop for Food Better (43m38s)

• Convenience is a significant barrier to adopting a healthier diet, as many people prioritize saving time over eating well, but this can lead to negative health consequences in the long run (44m1s).
• To shop better in supermarkets, it's essential to focus on the perimeter, where whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains are typically located (46m33s).
• Choosing organic options can be beneficial, as they tend to have lower levels of arsenic, and opting for pasture-raised or grass-fed products, such as eggs and cheese, is also recommended (46m51s).
• Goat cheese is easier to digest and can be a good alternative to traditional cheese, while grass-fed yogurts, including coconut-based options like Coco June, are also good choices (47m0s).
• When looking for packaged foods, it's crucial to be aware of labels and regulatory bodies, such as the USDA, and to be cautious of terms like "organic" and "non-GMO," which may not always guarantee the quality of the product (44m52s).
• A simple and nutritious fast food option is a smoothie made with real food ingredients, such as protein powder, greens, fruits, and healthy fats, which can be prepared in under 10 minutes (46m14s).
• A healthy diet consists of eating chia seeds, different nuts, and grass-fed, pasture-raised meats that can be ordered online and shipped to the door, frozen and ready to be stocked and defrosted as needed (47m20s).
• To maintain a healthy diet, it is essential to plan meals ahead of time to avoid relying on fast food, and having five or six meals that can be repeated at home is helpful (47m46s).
• Cooking at home allows individuals to choose their ingredients and know what they are eating, making it the best solution to the current food system (48m35s).
• Many recipes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, making it possible to maintain a healthy diet without spending all day in the kitchen (48m31s).
• Living a real food lifestyle can be challenging due to the prevalence of processed foods in public places, such as grocery stores, fast food establishments, airports, and events (48m57s).
• To overcome this challenge, it is necessary to make a conscious decision to bring one's own food to these places, such as taking food on an airplane or to a show, as the available options are often unhealthy (49m22s).
• Having a set of go-to meals that the whole family can enjoy together can help simplify meal planning and preparation, and cookbooks like "Food Babe Kitchen" and "Food Babe Family" can provide helpful recipes (48m7s).

Making Changes Without Having Health Anxiety (49m36s)

• Health anxiety is a growing concern, with people becoming increasingly vigilant about the food they eat, constantly checking ingredients and labels for unhealthy additives (49m45s).
• Transitioning to a healthier diet can be challenging, and it's unrealistic to expect people to completely eliminate processed foods from their lives immediately (50m2s).
• To advise people on making this transition, it's essential to acknowledge that it's a process and that it's okay to make exceptions occasionally, such as when eating at a party or on a road trip (50m26s).
• One strategy is to aim to control 80% of the food you eat, allowing for some flexibility in situations where healthy options are limited (51m15s).
• In situations where healthy options are scarce, it's possible to make better choices, such as opting for one-ingredient foods like fruits or nuts (51m51s).
• Intermittent fasting and other diets that involve restricting certain food groups can be effective in promoting healthy eating habits by providing clear guidelines and "bright lines" to follow (52m12s).
• Diets like the carnivore diet or the "meat and fruit" diet can be seen as a form of elimination diet, which aims to restrict the types of food consumed rather than focusing on calorie deficit (52m44s).
• These diets can provide a sense of structure and simplicity, making it easier for people to make healthy choices (52m57s).
• The food industry's highly processed foods can lead to potential infections and health issues, and some individuals are turning to restrictive diets to eliminate these problems from their diet (53m8s).
• The environment in America can be challenging for immigrants due to factors such as food, building standards, climate, and insects, which may contribute to the adoption of extreme diets (53m35s).
• Elimination diets may work in the short term by removing many foods from the diet, but they often lead to a yo-yo cycle of weight loss and gain when the eliminated foods are reintroduced (54m9s).
• Research has found that removing processed foods altogether is the most effective way to achieve long-term weight loss and overall health, with a diet consisting of less than 10% processed foods being the most effective (54m30s).
• Eating real food can help the body naturally regulate weight and overall health, as seen in the example of a person who lost 40 pounds after childbirth without changing their diet or exercising excessively (54m56s).
• A diet consisting mainly of real food can help maintain weight and overall health over time, as evidenced by someone who has maintained their weight for 20 years without extreme measures (55m30s).
• Eating real food can have numerous benefits, including improved internal health, reduced reliance on prescription drugs, and improved cognitive function, ultimately allowing individuals to reach their full potential (55m45s).
• Real food and nutrition are essential for optimal brain function and overall well-being, and individuals may not be able to reach their full potential until they adopt a diet consisting mainly of real food (56m16s).

Where to Find Vani (56m37s)

• To keep up-to-date with Vani Hari's activities, people can visit her website at foodbabe.com (56m50s).
• Vani Hari is also active on all social media platforms under the handle 'foodbabe' (56m53s).
• Viewers can find more content similar to this episode by checking the recommended link (57m8s).