Food oh glorious food. It nourishes our body and keeps us alive. Modern living has changed the way we eat. Take a drive during the work week, and you’ll see cars lined up around the corner waiting to order their combo meals. Take a walk down the grocery aisle, and you’re surrounded by colorful labels making claims ‘low cal, fat free, and healthy.’ Unfortunately, sometimes these manufacturers need to add chemicals, preservatives and additives to make those 99 cent tacos or the meat in the refrigerated section look look more colorful.
It’s not a pleasant thought, but it’s the truth. As you journey towards eating healthy, the motto is “if you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it.” When you’re picking up boxes in the grocery store, you can read the ingredient list, and make your healthy choice. When you’re ordering off a menu, you have no idea how your food got to your plate. Where did it come from? How was it manufactured? The fluffy bread you’re snacking on, maybe it has azodicarbonamide, a chemical used in yoga mats and Subway sandwiches.
Yes, you read correctly. Ordering a sandwich from the “healthy” fast food chain included a side of rubber with your order. Last year’s scandal rocked American consumers. Subway addressed customers concerns, and said they would be taking the chemical out of it’s products. Azodicarbonamide isn’t the only chemical used by the sandwich maker. Recently, the franchise has decided to remove all artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its American menus by 2017.
What are they taking out? The chain is cutting artificial flavors and caramel coloring from its new roast beef recipe that involves roasting beef "with increased levels of garlic and pepper." Vinegar will replace propionic acid, a preservative in its turkey. Banana peppers will be given their fluorescent sheen with turmeric, often used in Indian curries, instead of food dye Yellow No. 5.
Subway is joining a list of fast food restaurants and manufacturers taking note of consumers want for ingredients they can name in their food. To name a few, Diet Pepsi is taking out aspartame from their sodas. Not because it’s unsafe, but because consumers have been letting them know they want products without artificial sweeteners.
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is removing synthetic coloring and preservatives from it’s beloved kids’ dinner. You have to admit, there was something not right about the strange orange powder you mixed with your milk. Another popular coloring used is caramel by companies like Subway and Newcastle Brown Ale, who have decided to no longer use this additive.
Knowing what is in our foods is not a passing trend. Consumers are becoming more vocal about having natural products, and spending their dollars on companies who are answering this need. Chipotle will not be serving any GMO ingredients in their fare. McDonald’s has also decided not to serve chicken treated with antibiotics. Shockingly these antibiotics are also being used as prescription drugs for humans. Tyson will also be removing human antibiotics from their chicken products, along with Costco. You have to wonder how Costco can have so many rotisserie chickens in their stores for only $4.99.
The large candy manufacturers are also taking part in the preservative free revolution. Hershey’s will start using more natural sugar, than high fructose corn syrup in it’s products. Nestle is removing artificial flavors and colors from Butterfinger, Crunch, and other chocolate candies. Think of when you’re in the kitchen baking, most recipes call for vanilla extract. Nestle has been using something called vanillin. At least they’ve been using a cool name for this scientific ingredient.
Lastly, we have Panera Bread dropping roughly one-third of the ingredients used in its food by instituting bans on the likes of saccharin, aspartame, synthetic benzyl peroxide, and maltodextrin. This place always seemed like a good choice when you were looking for something, but like Subway and all these other manufacturers, chemicals are hidden everywhere.
Many of these manufacturers are changing their practices because consumers are speaking up. Food blogger, Food Babe, is credited for blowing the whistle on Subway’s ‘yoga mat bread’. She started the petition on her website which garnered international attention. You have to applaud her efforts. Companies listen to consumers when they speak with their dollars.
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