Feb 6, 2020
"Don’t eat what you can’t pronounce... Synthetic chemicals are more dangerous than natural chemicals... Chemicals in food are killing us... There is no safe level of pesticides…"
It’s no wonder we are scared of food with myths like these flying around our plates. Today’s Food Bullying podcast guest not only knows and loves chemicals, she can help you understand why it’s O.K. that your food is filled with them.
Erin, widely known as Food Science Babe, is a chemical engineer and a food scientist. She’s also a mom of a special needs toddler , and was once an organic consumer who believed in the Dirty Dozen list, but now buys conventional food with as few labels claims as possible. Erin found the science didn’t support the marketing claims and now works daily to overcome fear in the science of food. As such, she faces the bullies every day.
Key points
- The difference between a food scientist and a dietitian?
- Should you eat food with ingredients you can’t pronounce?
- How does a chemical engineer end up in food science?
- Working on new food products is so interesting, but many of them don’t ever make it to market. Food scientists can work on new products for six months to a year.
- Chemicals in food and misperceptions around natural chemicals being better than synthetic chemicals.
- There are many regulations around ingredients in food, food scientists and companies aren’t just allowed to put whatever they want – the type and amount are closely regulated.
- Natural, organic, non-GMO and other fear-based marketing labels on food and what they mean to you.
- Organic does have a set of processing standards, but many consumers have misperceptions that organic is healthier and don’t use pesticides, which is false.
- Use safefruitsandveggies.com to better understand if food can hurt you and learn more chemical tolerance and residue.
- How & why Erin decided to not buy organic products. Learning more about arbitrary the non-GMO food and that marketing claims did not translate into healthier or safer foods.
- Three tips: recognize food bullying exists, understand basic science concepts, follow accounts to help you better understand e.g. farmers.
Fab
quotes
“Whether you can pronounce an ingredient or not has no bearing on whether it’s safe. If you can’t pronounce it, look it up.”
“We have to remember that literally everything in food is chemicals. A natural banana has hundreds of chemicals in it.”
“’The dose makes the poison’ applies to every single chemical.”
“To fear monger over conventional pesticides and say that organic is better because of that, is not true. Our entire food supply is incredibly safe from a pesticide residue perspective.”
“Many people have the misconception that there is no safe level of pesticide. 99.99% of pesticides we consume are produced by the plants themselves.”
“Company conversations around marketing food are not about healthy or safe, but focuses on who is the target market and how much they’re willing to pay.”
Links
- Facebook Instagram & Twitter: @foodsciencebabe
- safefruitsandveggies.com
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart