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INVISIBLE OVERLOAD > CHEMICALS
CHEMICALS
"As I started learning about the incredible health benefits of food, I looked forward to telling my son, Steve, about my discoveries, expecting to dive into an exchange of thoughts and ideas. While he shared my interest in wellness, he seemed oddly unmoved by discussions about antioxidants, Omega-3s, and other nutritional benefits. Curious, I finally asked him why he didn’t seem interested.
His response was sobering:
"What's the point,
when everything we eat is poisoning us?"
Everyday Exposure
We assume the products we eat, drink, and use daily are safe—but the reality is more complicated. From processed foods to skincare, household cleaners to plastic packaging, we’re constantly exposed to a cocktail of synthetic chemicals.Toxic substances are often measured in parts per million or even billion—proof that even trace amounts can have a biological effect. And while it may seem like every ingredient is closely vetted, the truth is far less reassuring.
What “Safe” Really Means
When you search online to check whether an ingredient is harmful, you’ll often find it’s labeled as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS). But here’s what that really means: many of these substances were grandfathered in decades ago or approved through a loophole that allows companies to declare ingredients safe based on their own research—without independent or FDA-led review. The GRAS system was originally meant for basic ingredients like salt and vinegar—not synthetic additives, preservatives, or chemical flavorings. So while a chemical may carry the FDA’s implicit approval, that doesn’t always mean it’s been rigorously tested—or tested at all.
Industry vs. Oversight
The deeper issue isn’t just how ingredients are approved—it’s how little the public actually knows about the process. There’s no easy way to tell which chemicals were independently reviewed and which were grandfathered in decades ago under outdated rules. The FDA rarely updates these designations, and manufacturers aren’t required to disclose when they self-certify a substance as “safe.” This leaves consumers relying on a system built more on industry convenience than transparent science, making it nearly impossible to evaluate what’s truly been tested—and what hasn’t.
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The public has no clear way to know which chemicals were rigorously tested by the FDA and which were quietly grandfathered in—there’s no transparent system to track that distinction.
SOURCES 1. "Generally Recognized as Safe"—But Is It Really? U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/generally-recognized-safe-gras Environmental Working Group (EWG) – What is GRAS? https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2025/03/what-gras Food & Wine – More Than 10,000 Chemical Food Additives Ended Up in the U.S. Food System - Here's Why https://www.foodandwine.com/fda-food-additives-gras-designation-loophole-8761817 NYU – How a Legal Loophole Allows Unsafe Ingredients in U.S. Foods https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2024/august/legal-loophole-unsafe-ingredients.html 2. The Toxic Mix: How Everyday Chemicals Are Adding Up National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Assessing Cumulative Health Risks from Exposure to Environmental Mixtures https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1867955/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Chemical Hazards Risk Factors | Healthcare Workers https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/healthcare/risk-factors/chemical-hazards.html Environmental Working Group (EWG) – Exposures to Chemical Mixtures Matter https://chej.org/chemical-mixtures-matter 3. Food Double Standard: What U.S. Brands Sell Abroad vs. at Home Environmental Working Group (EWG) – Why Do American Companies Sell Safer Products in Europe Than in the U.S.? https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/09/why-do-american-companies-sell-safer-products-europe-us The Guardian – US food additives banned in Europe: Why American products are different https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/10/us-food-additives-banned-europe Consumer Reports – Why Some U.S. Foods Have Banned Ingredients in Europe https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/why-some-us-foods-have-banned-ingredients-in-europe-a1234567890/ 4. Europe’s Smarter Safety Rules European Union – Food Safety – EU Action https://european-union.europa.eu/priorities-and-actions/actions-topic/food-safety_en European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) – Food Additives https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/food-additives European Commission – Legislation – Food Hygiene https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/biological-safety/food-hygiene/legislation_en Tilley Distribution – Food Regulations in Europe vs. the US https://www.tilleydistribution.com/insights/food-regulations-in-europe-vs-the-us/