Today, store shelves resemble a real chemical laboratory. Dyes, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers – these words have become familiar even to those who never look into the composition of products. Harmful substances are everywhere: not only in sweets or carbonated drinks, but also in ordinary bread, sausages, yogurts, and even in “natural” meat saturated with growth hormones.
In the past, product quality control was a matter of honor. Today, it seems that profit has won over common sense. Companies are obsessed with bright packaging and synthetic flavors to attract the buyer. Manufacturers do not think at all about the children’s body, which is not ready for such tests. They consume food that looks like the taste of childhood, but actually causes allergies, stomach problems, obesity and even chronic diseases.
Let’s figure out why chemistry has become an integral part of our diet and what price we all pay for these “goodies”.
Why the usual food turned into harmful
At first glance, the food we put on our plate looks quite appetizing: bright candies, fluffy bread, aromatic sausages. But if you take a closer look – behind the labels, which hide the truth in fine print – it turns out that this is not exactly the food that we are used to since childhood. In fact, it’s a cocktail of GMOs, dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, and other mystery ingredients more suited to a chemistry lab than our table. We are used to thinking that only fast food is harmful, but in fact it is about most of the products we eat: from chips and hotdogs to meat and bread. Because of products filled with chemical additives, even the quality of the food we prepare at home changes.
Previously, products were strictly controlled, and manufacturers did not risk playing with the health of customers. But times have changed. Increasing competition and the pursuit of profit have made quality secondary. It is important that the product looks attractive, lasts longer and costs as little as possible. This is where dyes come into play to make colors richer, emulsifiers give the perfect texture, and preservatives give products longevity.
Candies, sweets, snacks are obvious “chemical bombs”. But now chemistry has spread even to products that we used to consider basic and useful. Bread often contains additives for plumpness, dairy products contain stabilizers, and meat, which should be pure protein, is often “enriched” with hormones or antibiotics.
In 2023, scientists from King’s College London shared the interesting results of their research, which they conducted for BBC Panorama. According to this study, a pair of twins had to adhere to a certain diet – 24-year-old Aimee ate exclusively ultra-processed foods for two weeks. And her twin sister, Nancy, ate only raw or lightly processed foods. Two weeks later, Aimee had gained a pound, and her blood sugar and fat levels had risen. Unlike her sister, Nancy, on the contrary, has lost weight. This became another confirmation that deep-processed food harms the body.
The term ultra-processed food (UPF) appeared 15 years ago. About half of the products we eat fall under this category: from sliced bread to ice cream. The method of preparation in them is different, but all of them undergo significant industrial processing. If you read the label on the back of the products, you can see many preservatives, artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers among the ingredients, which are not usually added to home-made dishes. According to experts, the use of such products leads to an increase in cases of cancer and diabetes.
The most common ultra-processed products include:
- mass-produced bread;
- dry sweet breakfasts;
- instant soups, ready-made dishes for reheating in the microwave;
- fruit yogurts;
- processed meat products (ham, sausages);
- snacks (chips and cookies);
- ice cream;
- sweet soft drinks;
- some alcoholic beverages (whiskey, gin, rum).
According to another study conducted by the School of Public Health of Imperial College London with the participation of 200,000 people, it was established that excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods can increase the risk of oncology, in particular, ovarian and brain cancer.
It is worth noting that the child’s body is sensitive to everything that enters it. Artificial additives can cause allergies, indigestion, obesity and even hormonal disruptions. Dyes and flavor enhancers can affect the nervous system, provoking hyperactivity or, conversely, apathy. And that’s not to mention the long-term risks, from heart problems to cancer. Products filled with chemicals are like a wolf in sheep’s clothing: they look appetizing, but their effects on our bodies may not be fabulous at all.
All kinds of dyes, flavorings, flavor enhancers, preservatives and stabilizers are needed in order to make the product more attractive, extend its shelf life or mask the low quality of raw materials. For example, “natural” strawberry yogurt has not even seen a real strawberry – it is replaced with flavorings and red dyes. And we buy such “joy” for our children with the naive confidence that it is useful.
The taste and smell of such food is pleasant and causes pleasure. Meanwhile, terrible processes are taking place in the body itself. Preservatives and stabilizers irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach, which can lead to gastritis or ulcers. Some additives, such as bisphenol-A (in plastic packages), can negatively affect the work of the endocrine system, disrupting the hormonal background. Dyes and flavor enhancers often cause allergic reactions, especially in children. Some chemical compounds, for example, nitrates in sausages, when heated, can form substances that increase the risk of oncology.
How artificial food replaced the real one
Once upon a time, food was just food. The bread smelled of grain, the milk turned sour in a day, and the sausage was not bright pink. People ate what nature provided and knew that the taste depends on the quality of the product, not on the color or shape of the package. But times have changed, and our diet has changed with them.
It all started with a desire to keep food longer. Preservatives made it possible to avoid losses during transportation, which became a salvation in the period of industrialization. Then dyes were added because the bright food looked more appetizing. Emulsifiers and stabilizers became the solution for the perfect texture: now the mayonnaise does not separate, and the ice cream melts more slowly. Science adapted products to the modern pace of life, but at the same time their authenticity was lost.
And this is where marketing came into play. Manufacturers understood: the more attractive a product looks, the more likely it will be bought. Artificial flavors have replaced natural spices, flavor enhancers have made food almost “perfect,” and additives have turned even the simplest foods into products with a long shelf life.
But why did the real products start losing? It’s a matter of cost and convenience. Growing a natural one is more expensive and more difficult than making a “copy” in a laboratory. Natural food spoils quickly, has an unpredictable appearance, and sometimes does not have an “ideal” taste. It has become more convenient for people to buy a processed product that can be stored for months than to look for something fresh and natural. So we came to the point that the “beauty” of food is more important than its content. The dyes make us believe that the juice from the package is “fruit”, although the fruit is only in the picture. Flavor enhancers make us feel like we’re eating something memorable, even though it’s only a chemical illusion.
Today, humanity faces the main question: will we return to nature? There is a trend. It is becoming fashionable to buy organic, read the composition of products, avoid the “E” marking. But this path is difficult, because humanity is so used to comfort and cheapness that it is not easy to give it up. Chemistry has become part of our table, but whether it will remain there forever is up to us.
How chemical products are treated in foreign countries
In foreign countries, where the problem of products filled with chemicals has existed for a long time, they have learned to pay special attention to this issue. For example, in a supermarket in Sweden, a customer carefully examines the package and reads the composition as if it were a novel on which the final outcome of his health depends. In neighboring France, someone prefers bread from a local bakery because they know that there are no “miracle additives” that keep the bread fresh for two weeks. And in Japan, even chips promise “maximum naturalness” on the packaging, because there, respect for food is a national tradition.
In many foreign countries, chemical products are viewed with skepticism and caution. In Europe, for example, there are strict regulations regarding food additives. Dyes, which are freely added to sweets in our country, are prohibited there or marked with warnings. For example, in Great Britain, the packaging may have the inscription: “May cause hyperactivity in children.” Before buying such delicacies, the buyer will think ten times.
But in the USA the situation is completely different. There, chemistry in food is commonplace, because the country adores fast food and mass production. But even there, the demand for organic products is growing more and more. Stores like Whole Foods offer products without artificial additives, and more and more people are willing to pay more for “clean” food.
In Scandinavian countries, such as Norway or Denmark, chemicals in products are perceived almost as a crime. People there appreciate local production, and food scandals can shake a company’s reputation for years.
But in Asia, there is an interesting picture. In China, for example, the food industry sometimes goes overboard with additives, leading to scandals that force the government to tighten controls. Japan, known for its quality standards, makes sure that only products that meet the strictest standards are placed on store shelves.
In general, the trend towards naturalness is only growing in developed countries. People are tired of food that looks more like a chemical experiment than actual food. They want to know what goes on their plates and are not willing to compromise on their health. Which, unfortunately, cannot be said about Ukrainians.
A choice without a choice
Today we find ourselves in a situation where choice has become an illusion. Even if you decide to cook at home, choosing vegetables, meat or milk, this does not guarantee safety. Pesticides remain in the soil, animals are fed growth hormones, and dairy products contain stabilizers. We can no longer be sure that what we put on our children’s plates will not harm them.
No matter how criticized the Soviet times, the products of that period had an important advantage — they were natural. GOSTs guaranteed that milk was milk and sausage was sausage. Back then, no one added stabilizers, flavorings, or preservatives on the scale that is done today. It was food that nourished, not harmed.
Instead, we now consume foods that have turned into chemical cocktails. Adults, and especially children, who are fed modern products, face such consequences as hormonal imbalance, digestive problems, and the risk of cancer. Allergies, which used to be rare, have now become the norm.
Why did this happen? Manufacturers seek to reduce costs and increase profits. They are not interested in your health or the future of your children. And regulatory bodies turn a blind eye to the composition of products that have flooded the market. As a result, we pay a high price not only with money, but also with our own health.
We have lost our choice. Healthy, natural products have become a luxury available only to the wealthy. The rest are forced to take what they have and hope that their children do not become victims of this system.
The problem seems global, but the solution starts with each of us. In such conditions, the only way out is to demand transparency in the production of products. We have the right to know what we are eating and to protect ourselves and our children from dangerous chemicals. But is society ready to say “no” to cheap food with a high price for health? As long as we remain silent, our plates will remain chemical landfills that destroy us from the inside.
