‘Convenience’ foods laced with TOXINS?! [ALERT]

We all have busy lives.

And sometimes, that means you need to grab a meal that is fast AND convenient.

While there’s nothing wrong with grabbing the occasional fast food meal when you’re pressed for time…

Making a habit of eating fast food can wreak havoc on your body and overall health.

But if you still find yourself drawn to eating fast food, there’s are findings about these meals that are going to make you want to run for the hills!

Here’s what you need to know.

According to a study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, chemicals known as phthalates have been detected in foods from popular fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Chipotle, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and more.

What exactly are phthalates?

In a nutshell, they are industrial chemicals used to make plastics more durable.

They found that over 80% of the foods contained a phthalate called DnBP, and 70% contained the phthalate DEHP – both of which have been linked to health problems like obesity, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

It’s important to note that the detected levels of phthalates in the study are below the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) health protective threshold… but that any kind of chemicals found in foods you eat are concerning.

So, what can you do to avoid ingesting phthalates?

The best thing you can do is to try and limit the amount of fast food you eat.

As I said, there’s nothing wrong with having them occasionally. But staying away from them on a consistent basis will limit your exposure to phthalates.

If you’re still in need of eating convenient, ‘quick’, meals, there are healthy options out there.

Online, food delivery services like HelloFresh or ButcherBox offer convenient (and organically sourced) meal kits that are made with only natural ingredients… and require very little prep work. You can also make your own meal prep schedule. Pick a day – like Sunday, and set aside a chunk of time to cook meals for the week.

To eating REAL food,

Sarah Reagan

Sources:

Mozes, Alan. “Would You Like Phthalates With That? Fast Food Contains Industrial Chemicals: Report.” https://consumer.healthday.com/10-27-would-you-like-phthalates-with-that-fast-food-contains-industrial-chemicals-report-2655365090.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Phthalates Factsheet.” https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html

Pitofsky, Marina. “Phthalates on the fast-food menu: Chemicals linked to health problems found at McDonalds, Taco Bell.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/10/27/dominos-mcdonalds-chemicals-plastics-detected-fast-food/8574237002/