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DANGEROUS FOOD ADDITIVES
by Sadhu Govardhan
In the United States as well as in Puerto Rico, over 3,000 chemicals are added to our food for various purposes. Individually, all these substances are considered legal by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), but there are no long-term studies regarding the combined use of these chemicals.
The food industry is fully aware of the fact that the vast majority of consumers neither read nor understand labels, which enables the industry to get away with “murder.” In theory, the FDA is in charge of our food’s safety, but corporate and political pressure, especially over the last few decades, have lead to objectionable compromises: in today’s food, minor amounts of cancer causing substances are allowed and authorized by the FDA. No testing has been done for individual additives in combination with other additives. This means, that no one knows the actual effect of these combinations, and no one protects the consumer from these additives.
To make matters worse, many labels are misleading. Statements like “all natural ingredients” or “no preservatives added” often have harmful additives. In other words, the food industry is ruthless when it comes to manipulating the consumer.
Generally speaking, most of our commercial food is not safe for consumption anymore, and we can see an extreme rise in food-related diseases. In addition to harmful additives, the corporate food industry has silently added genetically modified substances into most processed foods. About 70% of our foods today contain genetically modified ingredients that are not labeled. The GMO industry is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to prevent lawmakers from forcing them to label food as “genetically modified." In fact, the GMO industry is still allowed to label their food as “natural."
Here a list of some of the most notorious corporations who are vehemently against GMO labeling and who have spent significant amounts of money in order to prevent the passing of any law that would require them to identify their GMO ingredients:
As usual, the first and foremost is Monsanto. Close behind (in terms of money spent) is DuPont. Then come Pepsi, BASF Plant Science, Bayer Crop Science, Dow Agrosciences, Syngenta, Kraft Foods, Coca Cola, Nestle USA, ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Del Monte, Kellogg, Heinz, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Mars Food North America, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Campbell Soup, Biotech Industry Organization, Abbott Nutrition, Cargill, Welch’s, W.M. Wrigley, Sara Lee, Dole Packaged Foods, Goya, Clorox, and others.
As of today, GMOs are not labeled as such at all. Especially once food is packaged or processed, there is no way to tell if and how it is genetically modified.
So far, these ruthless corporations have succeeded in not only to influencing the United States government, but also to infiltrate it. In late 2012, WikiLeaks revealed how much power and influence Monsanto has thanks to key positions within the United States government: under Monsanto’s lead, the U.S. is threatening nations who oppose Monsanto with military-style trade wars, which is supported by the fact that many U.S. diplomats work directly for Monsanto.
Additionally, Monsanto has succeeded to also infiltrate the court systems (Clarence Thomas: Supreme Court judge; formerly, Monsanto’s lawyer. Elena Kagan: Supreme Court judge; formerly, federal solicitor general defending Monsanto). President B.H. Obama, Monsanto’s biggest political supporter so far has personally appointed former Monsanto employees and lobbyists in some of the highest positions within the USDA (Tom Vilsack, Roger Beachy, Ramona Romero), FDA (Michael Taylor), and key agriculture (Anne Veneman, Rajiv Shah) and trade positions (Islam Siddiqui).
Last but not least, on March 26, 2013, Obama signed the Monsanto Protection Act, which in essence states that biotech crops, which are deregulated to begin with, are granted their deregulation status while legal challenges to the safety of the crop is underway. Obama was lying through his teeth when he promised before election that "every person has a right to know what's in his food." As soon as he was elected, he helped in any way possible to avoid GMO foods being labeled as such.
Over the years, we had to witness that Obama was all along a stalwart operative on behalf of Monsanto, the biotech industry, GMOs and a corporate agriculture take over. It would be more appropriate to call him "the global GMO president", than president of the U.S.
The combination of dangerous corporations and corrupt governments has severe effects on the local and global food industry. Interestingly, the unhealthiest foods on the planet are not found in "third world" countries, but right here in Puerto Rico and the United States.
Some people think that the solution to this dilemma is to just eat organic. Unfortunately, the organic movement has long been infiltrated by the same corporations who are forcing GMO Frankenfood down everyone’s throats. Under the pressure of Monsanto & Co, the USDA has significantly altered the meaning of the term “organic”, and today’s biggest players in the organic market are - you guessed it right – giant corporations who have zero interest in the true meaning of “organic." After ridiculing and fighting the organic movement, they eventually realized that it was best to take it over and make huge profits in the name of “organic."
Since the masses of people have been well trained to not think about issues like “food”, even many of the alternative thinking people end up eating low quality, contaminated food that is officially labeled as “USDA certified organic”.
Here some of the main powers who control and dominate today’s “organic” food market:
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Coca Cola owns the “organic brands” Honest Tea, Odwalla, Simply Orange.
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Con Agra owns Hunt’s Organic, Lightlife (vegan and vegetarian meat substitutes), Orville Redebacher’s Organic.
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Dean Foods owns Silk Soymilk, Organic Cow of Vermont.
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General Mills owns Cascadian Farms, Cheerios, Food Should Taste Good, Nature Valley
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Group Danone owns Stonyfield Farms.
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Hershey’s owns Dagoba Chocolate.
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Hain Celestial owns amongst others: Arrowhead Mills, Celestial Seasonings, Earth’s Best, Gluten Free, Greek God’s, Health Valley, Linda McCartney, Maranatha nut butters, Rice Dream, Soy Dream, Walnut Acres, Westrae Natural, West Soy.
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Kellogg owns Bear Naked, Kashi (Kashi cereals contain GMOs).
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Kraft owns Back to Nature.
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M&M Mars owns Seeds of Change
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Pepsi owns Dole, Naked Juice, Ocean Spray, Tostito’s Organic, Tropicana.
In summary, food labeled as USDA organic is not safe anymore, and can therefore also not be recommended to conscious consumers. The only safe food is self-grown food from heirloom seeds, grown in an environment that is not contaminated by the GMO or other toxic industries. Buying processed foods automatically means supporting corporations that work against our interest, and running the risk of eating unhealthy or outright dangerous substances.
It would take me a very long time to go over all the 3000+ chemical additives in our food, and it would be too much information to digest for most readers. I therefore want to focus in this paper only on most of the worst food additives I know of that are in common, processed foods.
The following list is in alphabetical order, and I do hope that this article helps conscious consumers to avoid at least the worst of what they are confronted with when buying food at the next grocery or even health food store:
Acesulfame-K (“Sunette”), Acesulfame-potassium
Very common artificial sweeteners used in baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin desserts and soft drinks. Linked to causing low blood sugar attacks (Acesulfame potassium works in the body by stimulating the secretion of insulin in a way that may lead to reactive hypoglycemia), cancer, elevated cholesterol. Acesulfame-K breaks down into acetoacetamide, which has been found to affect the thyroids of tested animals.
Ammonia
No, ammonia is not just a cleaning product – its also used as a food additive today. It can be found in cheese, baked goods, meats (“pink slime”), peanut butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, gelatin, potato chips, margarine, wheat gluten, soy protein (isolated type), chocolate products. In many cases, it does not appear on the label, because it is often used as a processing aid and not directly as a food additive.
Ammonia is toxic if inhaled, irritates eye and mucus membrane; may cause mouth ulcers, nausea, liver and kidney problems.
When news broke that synthetic ammonia is widely used in the U.S. food industry, guilty corporations like Kraft quickly downplayed the danger of ammonia, not mentioning that synthesized and naturally occurring ammonia affect our bodies differently. Although ammonia naturally occurs in extremely minor concentrations in various plants and foods, the synthesized version can not be processed in a beneficial way by the human body. Synthetic ammonia is primarily used in (damaging) fertilizers, and should not have any place in foods.
Amyl Alcohol
Significantly more toxic than ethanol but FDA approved; used as a solvent in baked goods, candy, gelatin and puddings, chewing gum, synthetic flavorings. Causes depression, anxiety.
Artificial Color FD & C, U.S. certified food color (Coal Tar Dyes)
The additives are largely derived from the coal tar and petroleum industry and are generally tested on animals. Today, they can be found in practically ALL processed foods. Some of the artificial food colors have been banned after it became too obvious that they can cause nerve damage, hyperactivity in children, learning and visual disorders, and that they may be carcinogenic.
Here a summary of some of the most common artificial food colors:
1. Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue): Tested on animals (mice, rats, dogs). Large dosage caused death in animals. Banned in many countries, but not in the U.S.
2. Blue No. 2 (Indigotine): Tested on animals. Commonly found in pet food, candy and beverages. Large dosage caused death in animals. Harmful to the eyes, skin, respiratory tract.
3. Green No. 3 (Fast Green, FCF): Tested on animals. Eye, skin and lung irritant.
4. Ponceau 4R (Brilliant Scarlet 4R): Carcinogenic coal tar dye. Recently banned by the FDA after having been approved for a long time .
5. Red No. 3 (Erythrosine): Tested on animals – caused thyroid tumors and initial stages of cancer. Toxic endocrine disruptor.
6. Red No. 40 (Allura Red): Tested on animals. Widely used in candies; causes behavioral and developmental problems in children. Carcinogenic and mutagenic.
7. Yellow No. 5 (T(Bartrazine): Tested on animals. May cause hay fever, gastrointestinal problems, skin rashes.
8. Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow, FCF): Tested on animals and caused adrenal gland and kidney tumors.
Artificial Flavoring
Both artificial and natural flavorings are chemical lab cocktails by flavorists. Especially the term “natural flavoring” has become increasingly ambiguous over time, because it is being used loosely, no matter whether a flavor is actually natural as in “occurring in nature”, or a synthetic chemical composition that is called “natural." Although the primary chemical composition of a truly natural and artificial flavoring may be very similar, the effect in the body is fundamentally different: one acts as a food, the other one acts like a drug. Whereas known toxins in nature are always forbidden in our foods, synthetic or artificial flavors contain toxins that are approved by the FDA, without any long term studies/testing being conducted.
Many artificial flavorings contain MSG (see below) or HVP (Acid-hydrolized vegetable protein). In general, artificial flavoring has been linked to reproductive disorders, developmental problems.
Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
Monsanto’s infamous artificial sweetener, found in diet sodas and other low-cal diet foods. Linked to brain tumors, lymphoma, seizures, fibromyalgia, epilepsy and leukemia. May cause menstrual difficulties, central nervous system disturbances; may affect brain development of unborn fetus. Common side effects: headaches, dizziness and hallucinations after consuming it.
Aspartame, which was developed by a company called G.D. Searle in the 1960s, was twice banned by the FDA. G.D. Searle Chairman Donald Rumsfeld eventually succeeded to have it approved during Reagan’s administration under the infamous FDA commissioner Arthur Hayes Hull jr. Monsanto bought the Aspartame patent in 1985, and not surprisingly, aspartame products were again sold by the hundreds of millions.
BHA/BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used to keep fats and oils from going rancid. They are mostly found in cereals, chewing gum, vegetable oil and potato chips. These additives have been found to cause cancer, kidney and liver damage, infertility, birth defects, weakened immune system.
While BHT is banned in Europe, it is FDA approved in the U.S.
Boric Acid
This additive is toxic if inhaled or ingested and it is hard to believe that it is still used in various foods, primarily in noodles, rice, root starch jelly and seafood.
Boric acid can produce toxic symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain in humans upon excessive intake. Animal studies indicate that ingestion of large amount of boric acid may cause adverse reproductive and developmental effects. Testicular lesions and sterility have been observed in experimental animals. For developmental toxicities, decreased fetal body weight as well as malformations of the eyes, the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system and the skeleton have been observed in animal studies.
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
This synthetic chemical is used as a stabilizer in soft drinks like Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Fanta Orange, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, and others. BVO has caused death in lab animals and is linked to major organ system damage, birth defects and growth problems, memory loss, skin and liver problems. FDA approved but banned in many countries around the world.
Under the pressure of countless concerned consumers, PepsiCo is now offering to remove BVO from Gatorade. Since they are dedicated to using dangerous additives, it remains to be seen how bad the replacement will be.
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Additives used to prevent fat spoilage. BHA is also used as a yeast de-foaming agent; it is found in butter, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and beer. It is also found in animal feed, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products.
BHT also prevents oxidative rancidity of fats. It is used to preserve food odor, color, and flavor. Many packaging materials incorporate BHT. It is also added directly to shortening, cereals, and other foods containing fats and oils.
Can cause liver and kidney damage, infertility, weakened immune system, birth defects, cancer. Banned in many countries but FDA approved.
Carrageenan
This additive is extracted from red seaweed and is used by a host of “organic” brands, like Group Danone (Stonyfield), CROPP (Organic Valley), Dean Foods (Horizon and Silk), Hain Celestial (Earth’s Best, Rice Dream and West Soy) and Smuckers (Santa Cruz Organics, R.W. Knudsen).
Once carrageenan is being processed it becomes “degraded carrageenan”, which is very harmful. Unfortunately, labels don’t tell you whether it is undegraded or degraded (the latter is commonly used).
Animal studies have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation, intestinal lesions, ulcerations and even malignant tumors or colon cancer.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde was used in the past to embalm corpses. It is a known carcinogen that somehow has found its way into our foods (as well as cleaning products, cosmetics, health care products) – particularly seafood, soy bean products, hydrated foods and mushrooms. It is also used in animal feed.
Formaldehyde is a carcinogen.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Corn Sugar
HFCS is yet another sweetener that lands on every list of “top dirty additives”. It is made from the stalks of the lowest quality, genetically engineered corn.
HFCS can be found in countless low quality soft drinks, breads, cereals, root beer, pastries, candy bars, condiments, cookies, cakes, cough syrups, crackers, dairy products, drink mixes, pickles, ice creams, jams, jellies, syrup, meats, pastries, salad dressing, sauces, snacks, soups.
HFCS is directly linked to holes in intestinal linings, one of the main causes of obesity in the U.S., diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia, accelerated aging, liver failure, tooth decay, and other diseases.
It was interesting to see how the corporate corn industry responded to the millions of outraged citizens about the devastating effects of HFCS: they spent millions on false propaganda that HFCS doesn’t cause any problems and that there is no difference between GE corn syrup and cane sugar. First, the process of extracting sugars from corn stalk is a highly chemical process - there is virtually nothing natural about it. Secondly, just like cane sugar, HFCS also consists of glucose and fructose, but not in a 50-50 ratio; instead, the ratio is 55-45 fructose to glucose ratio in an unbound form. Fructose is sweeter than glucose and it goes straight to the liver where it triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol). It is therefore considered the major cause of liver damage in the U.S.: it causes a condition called “fatty liver”, which affects over 70 million people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
If you have any concern for your health at all, stay away at least from this one devastating additive.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
The process used to make hydrogenated vegetable oil (or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) creates dangerous trans fats. It is widely used in vegetable shortening, crackers, cookies, baked goods, salad dressings, bread and dozens of other products.
It is associated with heart disease, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, elevated cholesterol.
Hydroxyethyl cellulose
This emulsifier, stabilizer and thickening agent made from cellulose is not only used in paint but also in our food, primarily in milk products (cheese, milk, butter, milk-based beverages, dairy-based desserts) but also in cereal- and egg-based desserts, soups, broths, sport drinks and other products.
The additive is known to be harmful when swallowed and on skin contact and is a mutagenic. Allergic reactions like rashes or itching skin are common side effects.
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), Glutamates, Free Glutamates
A flavor enhancer, commonly found in many packaged or canned foods. It can also be found in baby food, milk, candy, chewing gum, drinks, protein bars, protein drinks recommended for seniors, wine, waxes applied to fruits and vegetables, medications, IV fluids given in hospitals, vaccines, sprayed on as a growth enhancer of fruits and vegetables; proposed for use on organic crops. Linked to sudden cardiac death, neurological damage. The first symptoms experienced are usually headache, nausea, itching and vomiting. Other side effects are high blood pressure and reproductive disorders.
When used in supplements, MSG is called L-glutamic acid.
There have been battles between the FDA and independent researchers about MSG, but the FDA is determined to promote MSG as “safe”. The FDA has refused to recall foods advertised as "No MSG," "No Added MSG," or "No MSG Added" even though those foods contain ingredients that are sources of free glutamic acid, such as hydrolyzed protein, and are, therefore, in direct violation of Section 403(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
If you want to know more about the MSG controversy, please read the following excellent link: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/Pol.html
Neotame
This sweetening and flavor enhancing additive is very similar to aspartame, and was developed in 2002. It is also known as “E961”. The product is made by NutraSweet, a former division of Monsanto. Since it is much stronger than aspartame, it has also been called “aspartame on steroids”. It’s proposed use is for chewing gum, as general sweetener and in cattle feed.
It has been found to attribute to weight gain, obesity and diabetes. The FDA has ruled that neotame does not have to be identified on a label. Instead, it is sufficient to declare it as “E961”. The FDA assumes that all consumers know what the hundreds of “E numbers” stand for – unfortunately, there is no known food scientist who knows all the E numbers by heart. The corporate food industry’s plan is to make India the guinea pig for neotame.
Nickel
Nickel based catalysts are employed in the hydrogenation of edible oils and fats. The presence of nickel as a food additive is linked to rhinitis, dermatitis, kidney damage, gastrointestinal problems, asthma, nervous depression and it is known as a carcinogen.
Nitrates, Nitrites, (Sodium nitrates, Sodium nitrites)
These two additives are mostly used in the preservation of meats and fish (it gives them the red appearance, without which meat would look gray and stale – like any cadaver).
Since early studies showed that these chemical compounds form powerful cancer-causing agents in the stomach as well as headache and nausea, the meat industry immediately spent hundreds of millions of Dollars to prove that the studies were “all wrong”. Recent studies have shown a link between cured meat consumption and leukemia in children. Another recent study has shown links between cured meat consumption and brain tumors in babies.
An often overlooked fact is that if nitrites are exposed to high heat during cooking, they can convert to nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. And when nitrates are used as a food additive or consumed, they can convert into nitrites. What is similarly overlooked is that naturally occurring nitrates and nitrites do not have the same affect as isolated, synthetic nitrates and nitrites – in fact, they act extremely different within the body.
Olestra (Olean)
Olestra is a fat substitute, mostly used in crackers and potato chips, marketed under the brand name Olean. This synthetic fat is not absorbed by the body and can cause diarrhea, loose stools, abdominal cramps and flatulence, along with other effects. Further, olestra reduces the body's ability to absorb beneficial fat-soluble nutrients, including lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene (carotenoids).
Potassium bromate
This additive is used to hold dough together and increase volume; used in breads and rolls. Potassium bromate is linked to disorders of the nervous system and the kidneys. Although most bromate eventually breaks down into harmless bromide, the remaining bromate is dangerous and carcinogenic. Bromate is banned globally, except for in the U.S. and Japan.
Propylene glycol monstearate (PGMS)
PGMS is created by the esterification of propylene glycol with stearic acid, which can be corn, peanut or soy based. Stearates are trans-fats and are known sometimes to be contaminated by pesticide residues or trace metals from processing. Stearates may come from animal or vegetable sources.
The additive is used in baked products, pastries, ice cream and processed foods. It is an emulsifier and is also present in creams and dough as a conditioner. Slightly more toxic than propylene glycol in animals, and in large doses produces central nervous system depression and kidney injury.
Propyl gallate
A preservative, used to prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid. Used in vegetable oil, meat products, potato products, chewing gum. Associated with kidney and liver problems as well as gastrointestinal irritation. Suspected carcinogen.
Propylene glycol (PG)
Also known as “antifreeze”. How did this toxic compound get into our foods? PG is a form of mineral oil, an alcohol produced by fermentation of yeast and carbohydrates, that is mostly used as coolant or in health care products. However, today it can be found in frostings, ice creams, beers, cornbread, coffee, candy, fast food, salad dressings, cake mixes.
PG causes nervous system and kidney damage in animals. Direct ingestion can cause blindness, kidney failure and death in humans.
Quinine
Quinine is a bitter tasting powder made from the bark of the cinchona tree, is known mainly for its use in malaria treatment. It is used in various types of tonic waters and flavored (particularly citrus flavored) waters.
Side effects of quinine in large quantities are bleeding, kidney problems, impairment of hearing, birth defects.
Rapeseed Oil
Rapeseed oil was produced in the 19th Century as a lubricant for steam engines. It became later known as “canola oil”. Rapeseed oil is so toxic for human consumption that it was banned for a long time by the FDA. It made its comeback in the 1970s with the new name “canola oil”, that contained a lower content of the toxic erucic acid that caused the original ban. One problem with canola oil is that it has to be partially hydrogenated or refined before it is used commercially and consequently is a source of trans fatty acids - sometimes at very high levels.
Rapeseed oil has shown to cause lung cancer; it may cause loss of vision, central nervous system disturbances, anemia, constipation, heart disease, and respiratory problems.
Saccharin
Yet another artificial sweetener that is used in a variety of foods, including baked goods, such as cookies, muffins and pies, ice cream, and soft drinks.
Saccharine is considered to be one of the most dangerous sweeteners (along with aspartame, acesulfame-K and sucralose). Its primary ingredient is benzoic sulfimide.
Early tests revealed bladder cancer in rats. For those with sulfa allergies, saccharin may cause nausea, diarrhea, skin problems or other allergy-related symptoms.
Sulfites (Sodium bisulfite)
Sulfites are a group of sulfur-based compounds that occur naturally in many foods. Natural and synthetic sulfites are added to several dozens of foods – too many to list here. The FDA estimates that one percent of the population is sensitive to sulfites and says that many of those people have asthma.
Sodium bisulfite destroys vitamin B1; banned on most fresh fruits and vegetables, still used widely on potatoes. Still FDA approved in wine, beer and dried fruits.
There are six names used for sulfites: sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, and potassium metabisulfite.
Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP)
TSPP is a chemical compound that is used as a buffering agent, an emulsifier, a dispersing agent, and a thickening agent; it is also used as a food additive.
It is found in chicken nuggets, marshmallows, pudding, crab meat, tuna, soy based products, baking powders, cat food.
TSPP can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Unknown to most consumers, many of these additives are banned in other countries around the world, but they are fully approved by the FDA in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. One of the few horrendous additives that is not yet approved in Puerto Rico are Monsanto’s growth hormones. Here the interesting story behind the approval of growth hormones in our foods in the U.S.:
In order for the FDA to determine if Monsanto's growth hormones were safe or not, the FDA did not make any attempt for an independent scientific study on growth hormones. Instead, they went directly to Monsanto with the request to submit a scientific report. The report was put together by Margaret Miller, one of Monsanto's researchers. Shortly before the report was submitted to the FDA, Miller left Monsanto and was hired by the FDA. Her first job for the FDA was to determine whether or not to approve the report she wrote for Monsanto.
Surprisingly, the report was approved. Deciding whether or not rBGH-derived milk should be labeled fell under the jurisdiction of Michael Taylor, who previously worked as a lawyer for Monsanto.
Considering these strong ties between the biotech industry and our governments, it should be clear to anyone, that our foods will continue to be increasingly unsafe and dangerous.
Chemical food additives are not the only source of toxins in our food. We also have to add government supported herbicides, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and synthetic vitamins.
Conventional agriculture, as taught and promoted by our educational system for the past five decades, not only just used these substances, it actually depends on them. Chemical fertilizers are responsible for the deterioration of soil friability, destruction of beneficial soil organisms, alteration of vitamin and protein content, increasing the vulnerability of plant disease and preventing some plants from taking up the minerals they need.
Independent studies today prove that people working with synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers are at elevated risk to develop lung and skin diseases, cancer and infertility. Many food crops, including fruits and vegetables, contain pesticide residues even after being washed and peeled. Although there are government regulations that allow only a certain level of toxicity, there are more and more studies that prove the long-term negative effect of pesticides in food.
I know that it still surprises many people that regular vitamins, available at any health food store or supermarket can be very dangerous to our health. Most vitamins and minerals sold today are synthetic; they are often made from coal tar derivatives, simply because it is very cheap to produce them this way. Coal tar contains benzoapyrene, a carcinogenic hydrocarbon. While the deceive consumer thinks that his bread is “enriched with vitamins”, it is in fact polluted with synthetic substances. What makes matters worse is that the body eventually loses its ability to extract naturally occurring vitamins from food, when being exposed too long to synthetic counterfeits. In short, the synthetic vitamin and mineral industry is yet another dangerous scam within the corporate food industry.
While the consumer is assured by our government that our food is not just safe – but "the best food mankind ever had in its history" - it is not difficult to conclude that this is a lie that will be increasingly exposed. I have no doubt that food related diseases will increase exponentially, and that within just a few decades, the vast majority of our population will have a weakened immune system and countless food related diseases.
Alright, the system has lied to us and the food that it promotes is dangerous, denatured and makes us sick. But we can not forget that the system is also kind enough to sell us the solution: the pharmaceutical industry and its myriad chemical products that all have two things in common: they don’t attempt to deal with the cause of disease, and they are not meant to heal anything.
Any conscious person may start to wonder now whether these facts are all just happening by chance or whether our system is purposefully designed to weaken and poison all of us? I dislike unfounded conspiracy theories as much as you do but for how long do we all want to continue to believe that our leaders have the best of intentions and are just "accidentally" or unknowingly destroying the planet and our future? Do you really believe in thousands of unrelated coincidents when it comes to the horrible decisions our leaders are making on a daily basis and behind our backs?
Some critical observers of the corporate food industry have gone as far as to suggest that there is a eugenicist agenda behind it all. Quotes like “In order to stabilize world population, we must eliminate 350,000 people per day. It is a horrible thing to say, but it is just as bad not to say it.” (Jacques Cousteau, 1991 UNESCO courier) don’t help.
Bill Gate’s father, William H. Gates Sr., was the head of Planned Parenthood, which was founded on the concept that most human beings are just "reckless breeders" and "human weeds" in need of culling. It seems that his son is keeping up the tradition by trying to force-vaccinate the entire planet. Interestingly, in 2010, Bill Gates bought 500,000 Monsanto shares and he is a strong supporter of the corporate GMO industry. One of his main missions in life is to force the GMO industry particularly upon Africa and Asia.
Although it's debatable who amongst our leaders is a true eugenicist, we do know for a fact that the global biodiversity is being destroyed at an alarming rate, and that this destruction is promoted and funded by corporations as well as governments. We also know that the corporate world is hell-bound on taking over the global food supply, and that the biotech industry wants to destroy whatever is left of natural agriculture by replacing natural foods with lab foods, or more commonly called Franken foods. It is clear that there is an agenda behind these developments. The question now is what are we doing about it? What are you doing about it? I know what I am doing about it: I will always continue to promote decentralized, highly diversified and sustainable agriculture, and I will always continue to fight the negative powers that are taking control over our lives and that are stealing everyone’s future.
I hope that this article will cause you to read more labels and to openly reject genetically altered foods and foods with dangerous additives. I also hope that you will take a strong stand against the corporate food industry and begin to support locally grown, healthy and diversified foods. Although it may already be too late to change things on a larger scale, it is imperative that we implement at least as much as we can in our immediate environment.
© Sadhu Govardhan, 2013
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