This is a guest post from Vani Hari (a.k.a. The Food Babe) and New York Times Best Selling author. You can read more about her take on the food industry in her second book, Feeding You Lies!
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Long before I became the Food Babe I used to be addicted to Chick-fil-A. I remember the first time I tasted it – it was at the mall when I was very little and they used to have the free samples. There was a lady walking around outside of the store with hot, fresh pieces of newly fried chicken on little toothpicks. It was free so of course, my parents let me try it.
The smell alone was intoxicating, not to mention the taste. What continued for many years was countless meals of Chick-fil-A during my childhood followed by almost daily consumption in college. Thinking about it now, even though I haven't had it in what seems like a decade...I still know what a Chick-fil-A sandwich smells and tastes like.
This is why I chose the mall to begin my latest food investigation. A lot of people who generally don't eat fast food still eat Chick-fil-A. A lot of people say "I only take my kids to Chick-fil-A once in a while." Countless moms and dads take their kids to Chick-fil-A, thinking it's better than other fast food places.
When I first wrote the post Chick-Fil-A or Chemical-Fil-A? last summer, so many of my closest friends and family members were downright shocked at the list and type of ingredients Chick-fil-A uses - which are similar to big chains like McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's.
Back in the day, restaurants were not required to list ingredients, there was no google, and we were all pretty much kept in the dark about what was in our food. Now that times are different, and most of the information is readily available at our fingertips and in most stores themselves, I wanted to know how many parents have actually looked at the ingredients in Chick-fil-A. So I asked.
I started off the questioning with “Why did you bring your family to Chick-fil-A today?" I interviewed 30 families in total between a mall based Chick-fil-A and a popular standalone store.
These were the top three (food related) answers.
1. “My kids asked for it.” The information I am about to share may make you think twice about giving in to their requests.
One of the main ingredients of Chick-Fil-A's nuggets (regular and the new grilled ones) which is listed twice is Monosodium Glutamate, a.k.a. MSG. The amount of MSG that food companies can put in your food is not regulated. MSG is an excitotoxin that can excite brain cells to death. MSG can cause adverse reactions in some people including "skin rashes, itching, hives, nausea, vomiting, migraine headaches, asthma, heart irregularities, depression and even seizures."
As a follow up question, it was natural for me to ask the parents who first introduced their child to Chick-fil-A. The answer was always pointed back at them. The parents introduced Chick-fil-A to their children.
Which reminds of me of one of Lisa's older posts - Kids eat processed food because parents give it them. I couldn't agree more with Lisa's thoughts here. “Young children have to rely on their parents to provide good food for them.” You have to admit, parents have a lot of control over what their children eat whether they take on this responsibility or not.
2. “It's better quality and tastes fresh.” It may taste good, but I have to question whether adding MSG to meat from conventional chickens that are sometimes given antibiotics is quality? If you look at a typical Chick-fil-A sandwich to see what keeps it “fresh” you’ll find close to 100 ingredients, 18 of them being different types of preservatives.
I wonder if these preservatives could keep a Chick-fil-A sandwich pretty much intact the same way it kept a Big Mac intact for 30 days exposed to air, illustrated by Morgan Spurlock's experiment with McDonald's during the movie Super Size Me?
The FDA allows food companies to add these preservatives in limited quantities. However, they do not prohibit combining different food items together.
For example, let’s take TBHQ which stands for “Tertiary Butylhydroquinone.” TBHQ is a chemical made from butane and can only be used at a rate of 0.02 percent of the total oil in a product. This ingredient is listed twice, once in the chicken and once in the bun. It’s easy to see how the typical American diet can result in one big whopping dose of preservatives in a given day.
Chick-fil-A abides by the required FDA limits, but limiting TBHQ to a certain percentage is the same logic the FDA used when allowing a product to still contain 0.5 grams of transfat and be labeled “transfat free.” Fresh, as you can see, can be a chemically derived illusion.
3. (Many versions of...) “If I turn in the toy from the kid's meal I can get an ice cream cone that my kid loves and I don't have to deal with all these annoying toys everywhere in my house.” Having less toys may sound better, but check out what's in Chick-fil-A's “Icedream.”
This little treat has all sorts of processed sugar, transfat, caramel coloring, and artificial food coloring x 2. Since when did you need to color vanilla ice cream white? I couldn't find out exactly what kind of caramel colors Chick-fil-A sources, but the caramel colors that some fast food chains use in soda is linked to cancer.
California recently added caramel coloring to a list of carcinogens that caused soda manufacturers to reformulate their ingredients to avoid a cancer warning label on their product.
After speaking to these families, I ended each conversation with one last question. I asked “Have you ever reviewed the ingredients listed in the Chick-fil-A nutrition guide?" No one had. Not even one family out of the 30 that I interviewed. I tried to hand out as many guides as possible but only a handful of families accepted them.
How many of these families would think eating MSG, TBHQ, artificial colors, and caramel coloring is just fine? I made it a point to approach each family with an open heart and kindness, but when I was done for the day, the whole exercise left me sad, depleted and reminded me that we have a lot more work to do in this country to educate people about REAL FOOD.
I want to leave you with something you can make the next time you have a craving or your kid "asks". Here is a REAL FOOD organic recipe that tastes like Chick-fil-A so you can truly provide fresh to your family. Enjoy :)
Comments have been closed on this article, which was written by Vani Hari. If you have a question or comment you can reach her at http://FoodBabe.com.
Dana says
We go there when we are out and about and I need to get my boys food. I have a diabetic who has to eat meals every 3-4 hours. I know it isn't the healthiest option but I can get the boys applesauce (all natural) and plain white milk. Yes, they eat a strip of chicken, but I feel a lot better about the sides that they are getting then I do about the sides at other restaurant. Besides that, they are helpful. That is HUGE for me with two one year olds. I need a place where I can have some help and no other fast food place will help me with my tray and food. Plus, they are the only place in town that has a playground that my kids can play on when they are done eating. This is super important to me on days when the weather does not allow for us to go to the park. Sure, I would love to eat perfectly all the time. And I have loved including some of the ideas on this webpage into our diet. But we don't eat perfectly all the time and I don't foresee doing a complete overhaul of our diets anytime soon.
Valerie says
Dana, You don't have to justify eating at CFA! As far as a fast food experience, they are paramount. It's just that it's fast food. We all know it's not the best option, but you didn't dump a bad of Doritos at them and say "have at it!". (I actually witnessed a small child walking to school with a family sized bag of doritos which was open and he was actively eating them as his breakfast!)
Every so often (whatever that is for you), is fine. It's YOUR CHOICE! Heck, maybe the fact that she's even pointed this out to us will get CFA to use better ingredients so no one feels bad about eating their yummy food. :)
Sheril says
oooh how fabulous would that be. I used to love to go there. I did not give it just from this blog thing. I gave it up years ago. but I have all along been hoping they will make enough changes that I can start going back without compromising my personal food rules! I love that place. Best employees in the world.
Kim says
My goodness, I can't believe how defensive people will get about eating food that isn't even really food! Granted, I am not perfect, but I do not pretend that eating chemicals and preservatives is safe for me - in any amount.
I like the saying, "Try organic food - or as your grandparents called it - food."
Anna says
LOVE THIS: “Try organic food – or as your grandparents called it – food.†Definitely will be stealing this :)
Gary says
I think it is a fair question to ask what the 100 Days will cost? And I understand we can pay now or we can pay later and probably both, I just want some perspective for me and my family and our budget.
Danyelle says
Look at her budget..I think we all adjust our own "rules" too. For my family, we eat local produce when we can, we cut meat consumption and we buy the organic chicken vs reg more often than not, we cook foods from scratch instead of boxes. A box of brown rice, can/jar of diced tomatoes, a green pepper, an onion, black beans (dried are cheaper), salt, pepper, cumin & chili powder go a lot further than a fast food meal. You can also freeze extras and tweak recipes. I think it is very important to eat real foods even if you can do organic, real food is better than boxed. Also creativity and being open to new things helps.
thecrayonbox.wordpress.com says
Thank you for the post! We do go to cfa for the fries as a treat every now and then. Sometimes my children will order chicken. We eat pretty healthy otherwise. I was glad to read this post. Goodbye CFA! Btw, my husband and i are vegetarians, so we never eat the meat and now my kiddos wont either!
Mary Beth says
Food Babe, like everyone else, is not perfect. While her research may be limited at times (keep in mind she voluntarily does this in her spare time) her overall message is outstanding. She also was ASKED to start her blog by family and friends so she isn't some crazy liberal with a hidden agenda. She is direct with her intentions and honest about what she knows and what she does not. I am so grateful for her blog because it has pushed me to really become a lot more conscious about my decisions with everything from sushi to shampoo. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes I spend more money, but I'm willing to do things the hard way when it means that I'm growing as a person. Keep in mind, awareness is a scarcity in our world. Becoming more conscious of your decisions can be really frightening when you're faced to take a stand against the trillion dollar corporations who are taking advantage of people who give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm sick of it! In order to regain the happiness and vitality that are our birthrights, we must steer back on course to the degree that we have veered off. That being said, we've got our work cut out for us. It seems like every day there's a new disease that doctors have to name, and some other pill on the market that I supposedly "need" to be healthy. This is not our fate, people! We were meant to thrive! We were meant to keep evolving! I'm willing to do my part to see that happen, what about you?
Valerie says
I find it funny that anyone would call her a "liberal". If anything, I think her message falls more under the "conservative" ideology where CHOICE is paramount. Thank you for taking the time to educate others, as that is the only way anyone can make a true choice for themselves.
Sally says
Wow, I am amazed at the critics - on any topic. It amazes me how someone that is against a topic finds a blog on that topic and then attacks them. Nice to point out opposing ideas and discuss them, but really?
I like to try new foods. I am EXCITED by my new experiences with what Lisa refers to as 'real' food. We raise our own meat, mostly for fun, but we enjoy the taste and quality. NOt because we are organic gurus. But once we tasted home grown pork chops - cant eat them any where else. So hey what's next?
Started grinding our own wheat. WOnderful bread! All the way to recently adding fresh or raw milk. WOW WOW WOW, especially with the homemade bread!!! Very filling, very delicious and guess what I lost another 6 pounds!!
THank you on both sides for the information. I will pick and choose what I will supply myself and family with.
Meanwhile, please be nice.
Juli says
I would be in disbelief of all the controversy this post brought up if I hadn't experienced the deliciousness of CFA! I know people who go nuts at the mere mention of it.
I only skimmed most of the comments but I think the general reaction is ridiculous. People don't want to be told that it's wrong to like something they like! If something is unhealthy for you to eat (even if it's only in moderation) wouldn't you want to know so that you can do your best to avoid it? I do.
Chick-Fil-A has a ton of ingredients and you can't argue with that. If you want to be healthy you'll do your best to not give into the temptation, to not read the sign the cow is holding. But it's your choice! If you don't care about the health and well being of your children, then continue on. But if you want to be healthy, then don't eat it.
Does it really have to be that complex?
Michelle says
This is the kind of inflammatory comment that fuels the fire of making this a divisive issue when it need not be one. To go from "you let your kids eat Chic-Fil-A" to "that must mean you don't care about the health and well-being of your kids" is a giant leap into a falsehood, at best. It is insulting to families everywhere to equate letting them eat at CFA with apathy and neglect. People make food choices for all sorts of different reasons, from money to time to research to allergies and everything in between. The actual posts on this blog never make me feel judged, ever. I feel like the tone in every one is a tone of informative writing and respect for readers' personal decisions, and I have used so many of the recipes and resources on here. But the comments...they're another story. Some of them are ridiculously harsh. This is one of them.
Valerie says
I think you took her post too defensively. The spirit was not in judgement. It is objective that the ingredients in the food are not healthy. If that is not an issue for you at the time of the decision, then eat it.
I occasionally take my daughter to CFA. I am a SUCKER for the Grilled Spicy Chicken sandwich (not on the menu, but just ask for it, and they'll make it for you). It comes on a wheat bun, but I know what whole wheat texture is, and the one they serve is really white bread with wheat added to it.
Sometimes, we throw caution to the wind and indulge. If that's where you are when you pull up to CFA, enjoy! If you are one to put only healthy pure food in your body and that of your children, avoid it!
As an earlier poster pointed out, our bodies are designed to rid ourselves of toxins, and the occasional indulgence is fine.
What is inflammatory and fueling a debate at all is comments like yours originated in defensiveness. CHILL! Don't get mad because someone exposed the truth to you. . ..Be grateful! :)
Michelle says
She did not "expose the truth" to me. I think it is obvious to most people that fast food in any form is not the healthiest choice, so it's not like the truth was hiding. And I would argue that her use of the phrase "If you don’t care about the health and well being of your children, then continue on" certainly is a judgment. I'm not defensive. Yep, I take my kids to Chic-Fil-A, and I don't feel the need to apologize for it. And it's not because I don't care about their health and well being.
Gary says
As part of your 100 days of real food, will you be listing the cost of buying real food? I'm very curious about that.
Shannon says
Lisa already did that project! Scroll up to the top of the page, and just under the big banner picture are clickable word links- the second one is "100 days on a budget".
There are several other real-food blogs that focus on budget concerns. One that I enjoy is http://www.cookforgood.com . Linda's food rules are not the same as Lisa's, and my food personal food rules are different than both, but both offer good suggestions that I can incorporate into my meal planning.
This might be weird, but I sometimes think it's fun to tally up the approximate cost of a home-cooked dinner and compare it with a fast-food meal. This week I did that mental calculation for a meal of local artisan bread, local pastured eggs poached in arrabiata sauce with spinach and romano cheese (based on "Eggs in Hell" from the Passionate Vegetarian cookbook), and a glass of red wine. It cost less than a meal at Taco Bell!
Danyelle says
I do that all the time when people swear they can eat cheaper from the dollar menu at McD's. Sure you can spend 10 on a family of five if you want, but once it is gone, that is it. I can do a LOT with 10.00! And end up with leftovers too!! Rice n beans, egg salad w/ crackers, grilled cheese with fruit, chili, soup, potatoes au gratin, mac n cheese with veggies, pasta with veggies and garlic, cheese mac..all homemade with real foods.....
Anna says
I took my daughter to the Chick-Fil-A b/c....well everyone said it is a healthier cleaner option then a Mc'ds or Burger King etc. The funny thing is I fell for it (even though I don't take her to normal fast food b/c I can't stand the food), took her and while the play area was better than the other fast food places, the food still wasn't great. Overpriced and tasted just ok. There are to many places out there to stand for "just ok". The Moms and kids I was with LOVED it, and we ate our fruit and salad. Nothing seemed healthier to me than a normal fast food rest, even w/o looking at ingredients. A lot of fried food, fries, ice cream and the here and there fruit or grilled. Maybe I was expecting to go in and at least have the menu sound healthy :)
Melanie says
It is not just fast food restaurants that are the problem, most sit down restaurant food is as bad or worse than fast food. It just seems like fast food gets singled out more.
I think it is vital to be aware of what is in your food and this is your responsibility, the restaurant/food industry can not be depended on to do this (obviously)! I think the more info the better to raise awareness for people to make their own decisions on what they are feeding their families. Fantastic post!
Sheril says
I hear what you are saying. I also get very frustrated with that, as in my area there are just tons of chain restaurants and even among the few independent restaurants several of them clearly have very poor quality food. But I have found one independent that I just love and believe to be superior that I shell out the money to go to occasionally. Fresh food, from local farms, prepared well and never under a heat lamp. And I can see into the kitchen and see that they cook with little to know processed food ingredients.
Chris says
@ Candace, your philosophy of life doesn't square with the millions upon millions of Americans who are dying prematurely and dealing with avoidable diseases because of their food habits. As far as other countries go, most of them actually have better health as far as food-induced, lifestyle diseases go. Heart disease doesn't exist in the third world. They might die of aids or a mosquito bite, and that's not any better, but the point is we have the knowledge to be healthier and live longer, and it is our responsibility to steward the resources we've been given wisely (part of that whole "loving your God" thing). Look at the Japanese. The average life expectancy is far greater and the rate of these diseases we're all dying early from are far lower, and their diets are FAR different.
Sheril says
you are correct. And Candace and I have something in common about wanting people to serve God, be content, etc.
But my desire to serve God better has been one of my strongest motivators in wanting to get healthier. Bodily exercise profiteth little, but it does profit some. I do not want to be this person who didn't have enough energy to do right by my family. I do not want to be this person who knew of a family going through a crisis that really could have used a helper with their chores for a day or two but couldn't do it because of all of my own health issues.
My desire to make myself healthier is one thing, but my desire to make my family better is a whole 'nother can of worms. And I think it squares very nicely with the example of the Proverbs 31 woman who brought her food from afar as well as with the natural love God says a woman has within her that she should not turn away from.
A clean diet is not a religious or political issue that only belongs to one group of people and must be shunned by the other. Far from it.
candace says
It's easy to pin point fast food chains for thier use of ingredients such as msg and arsanic. However, look in your own pantry. MSG is in almost all seasoning salts and meat tenderizers. Also there was just a study done on arsanic levels in Apple juice. The fda does not currently regulate the arsanic in the Apple juice but release statements that the amounts are non harmful. So let's say a mom makes a grilled chicken breast sprinkled with a little seasoning salt, serves with a cup of Apple juice. This is about the same harm that is in a chic fil a sandwich. I too believe in moderation. If you eat fast food every once in a while don't feel bad about it. Your body is designed to rid itself of toxins everyday. I think this new wave of healthy eating is positive but in this case I think this particular Blogger is an overkill. This life is temporary, we encounter harmful deadly things all the time. Serve your God, love others and enjoy the time we have here. And let's not even begin to think of how well the children and families in third world countries are eating. Do you think they are concerned with that days chicken living environment or if Apple juice shipping from the US has arsanic. See what I'm saying, only in America do people have the luxury or stressing about what is in every drop of the food we consume. It's become the 21st century obsession.
Carol says
There's no MSG in MY pantry. Guarentee it! It all depends on what you buy and weather you truly cook from scratch. Some of us do, because we've learned. And not everybody uses those seasonings and tenderizers.
Jennifer says
Same here Carol. None of that crap in our food either, and we are WAY healthier for it :o)
Sheril says
I'm with you, Carol. I've been on my journey to improve my families diet for nearly 15 years now and I've known all of the over 40 different ways manufacturers can "hide" msg in an ingredient list for a long time now. Many people are at an earlier stage and need to learn this, but there is no msg in my pantry.
Ann says
It is exactly this attitude that's damaging. The life of convenience is what is damaging our health. Don't buy packaged seasonings. It is NOT difficult to whip up a batch of seasoning at home with some basic spices. Kids don't need to drink packaged apple juice. Cut up an organic apple or invest in a juicer and juice one OR serve plain water. That's the whole point of realfood. So, no you can't compare the food that this mom serves to her kids to fast food. No MSG in my kitchen. As for the third world countries that you mention, their rates of heart disease, cancer, autism and infertility are far less. Contrary to what you state, americans need to say a lot more about our food..the FDA and govt aren't doing their job. Do you know that Nestle puts better ingredients in the products they make in Europe and not the ones they sell in America? Europe strictly regulates what goes in their food to protect their people. It ENRAGES me that the same isn't done for us.
Sheril says
I need a like button. lol. I don't need a thumbs down. I have no need for it. but just for you and several others who have posted excellent comments... well good on you!
Danyelle says
Not in mine! I don't buy seasonings and stuff with it. I also don't buy boxed goods with seasoning packets....
Chris says
1. Mr. Cathy's health is not a testament to eating fried chicken every day, if he does in fact do this. There will always be anomalies.
2. Those who eat fast food often and still have no health issues (yet) should not site their own experience as justification to ignore this article or blast it for being "alarmist", especially when the health stats of the average American are abysmal and getting worse.
The point here isn't to attack a particular restaurant; rather, it is about the fact that fast food is worse than everyone thinks, and that is particularly true of Chick-fil-A--not because it is any worse than other fast food restaurants but because good marketing and business tactics have created a public perception that it is somehow more angelic than the rest. The ingredients are virtually the same as all other fast food chains, and the negative impacts of this (among other things) on our health is clearly being seen in the blood work of the average person. The proof is in the pudding.
The rate of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other "lifestyle" diseases, which most of us will die from, are alarmingly higher in America than in other countries (and lowest in places that don't have these foods). So you can claim that you're invincible if you want to, but that is far crazier than sounding an alarm and taking charge of your life for the sake of your family and all the other purposes you're living for that are hopefully bigger and more fulfilling than food (especially fast food).
Valerie says
Chris, you are so right. In fact, it's similar to smoking. There are smokers that go their whole life without issue, and there are smokers who contract lung cancer, strokes, etc The choice is up to us, and it's only a real choice when you are educated.
I agree with you whole-heartedly, and I want to add that just because you don't like the message, it doesn't give you license to kill the messenger.
guppy says
I read the Chick fil A ingredients a while ago because my daughter is allergic to soy, peanuts and eggs. It was then that I found that the chicken contained MSG. I mentioned this to some people and they nearly stoned me to death because I said something that was offensive about their dearly beloved chicken. I like Chick Fil A as a business. I think they are bringing back the idea of good customer service in an era where people don't care how they serve their guest. I just know that a lot of Southerners that dire fans and their die hard commitment to Chick Fil A runs deep. I can dig that but the truth is the truth. As for people taking their kids to eat there or anywhere that may not be good always, we all love to live in denial and blame someone or something else for our bad behaviors. What else is new.
Valerie says
I am not one to eat fast food often; just seeing the effect to my wardrobe choices is enough for me. At home, I cook from scratch as often as possible. I think it should be commonly understand that fast food, regardless of the company is not a healthy meal. I will say though that I do like Chick Fil A as a company. We eat there in moderation (a few times a year) as they do Spirit Days for our school, they support family values, and that they are closed on the Sabbath. (Which can be inconvenient in this day & age, but quite refreshing!) It has always driven me nuts to hear parents say that they have given their child a healthy dinner and then go on to say it came from a Fast food restaurant of any kind. Thank you for this blog as it serves to educate us as parents in what we feed our kids. I'm not against the occasional indulgence of fast food, as I have found that it's sometimes just good for the soul. But we should all avoid it as a go-to place when we are busy. There are so many easy recipes out there that take a few minutes to prepare that even the busiest families can share a homecooked meal at home around the dinner table most nights. Not only is it healthier nutrition wise, it's healthy for the family's bonding time as well. Each member having a duty and coming together for a common cause.
Maria says
I'm very saddened to find out that chik-fil-a uses MSG in their food. However, when pressed for time when out and about and your kids need to eat, or on a rainy day when an outdoor playground is not an option, I still feel its better than the alternative fast foods. Once in awhile is not the same as eating this food daily or even weekly with your kids. Making smart food choices is sometimes having to choose the lesser of two evils.
Gene says
As far as MSG goes, the MSG syndrome perpetuated by uneducated persons (ala the Food Babe) has been completely disproven in laboratory testing. As far as the remainder of the ingredients, most are found as preservatives or flavoring agents in a plethora of foods, none of which have been proven to cause any ill effects except in massive doses. Basically, if you have no clue, don't write about it and pretend to be an expert, alarming mothers who read your drivel.
Jennifer says
Talk about uneducated! Try going into a public school these days and watching the kids bounce off the walls from their fake food intoxication. Do some research and come back with your own educated reply.
LisaA says
Come on Gene. Don't you know by now that you can always find a lab to disprove observable theories. There have never been any empirical studies proving the effects between the full moon and peoples behavior but ask anyone working in an emergency department and they will tell you otherwise. Sometimes common sense is essential. If your tells you to blindly follow the infomation put forth by lobbiest, feel free. I prefer to be a more independant thinker.
Danyelle says
Gene,
Only foods with MSG and it's friends made me very sick while pregnant. You can think how you want, but regardless you can't see your body on a cellular level. Kind of like the movie with Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow. You see things how you want to see things. I prefer to eat foods on my own and not rely on the gov to regulate them.
Erin says
"MSG is an excitotoxin that can excite brain cells to death."
Maybe that's why I'm excited just thinking about Chick-fil-a! Is it lunchtime yet??
Ginny says
I try and be careful with what I eat, what I buy but I do believe in the "everything in moderation" Unfortunately there is very little we can buy these days that has not been altered, preserved, or things are added that we do not even know about. I was appalled to find out the "motts for tots" that I thought was a good choice (again for an occasional drink) until I found out how much arsenic was in it. There is something bad in just about everything we consume these days. Fresh fruits and veggies...imported from non-regulated countries. We try and grow a lot of our veggies and buy fruit at local farms, as for meats we do our best but again we have no idea what goes into them. Sad!
Christy says
I have learned alot about the food that we eat from this blog; as well as the 100 days of real food blog. Before, I was just putting anything in my mouth. But in the last month, I have made the switch to getting all my fruits and vegetables at farmer's markets. I look now at all food labels. I am slowly learning and expanding my knowledge of what exactly we are TRULY eating. It makes since with all the health problems people face these days - that possibly the food (or lack thereof) that we are putting in our bodies is the cause. You never heard of these illnesses during the "Little House on the Prairie" years - because they were eating real food - and not overly processed crap. So, I thank you for your blog. To me, I find it very informative.
Leah says
I have to say that I've never eaten at Chick-fil-a. Or a lot of fast food restaurants people talk about. Now, McDonalds...Everyone knows how bad fast food is for you and people who say they don't are lying to themselves because they feel guilty eating it all the freaking time. Seriously, people I work with have fast food twice a day. Twice a day! At the most I eat it twice a week, but try to make up for it the rest of the time and drink a lot of water the rest of the day.
I have never understood why people feel guilty about eating any food. I say if you're consuming it you may as well enjoy it. Whether it's a fast food burger or a homemade grass fed burger.
Has anyone else noticed that people who eat a lot fast have terrible table manners? Golly people it's not hard to chew with your mouth closed. And don't talk with your mouth full. It's nauseating.
Leah says
Who eat a lot of fast food....Geez. Grammar and spell check yourself.
FoodBabe says
Be easy on yourself we all do it :)
Amanda says
You ask people to do research about the foods they eat, yet your own research is shaky and not conclusive. Your conclusions are a You ask people to do research about the foods they eat, yet your own research is shaky and not conclusive. Your conclusions are a far stretch to the evidence presented and a lot of this is conjecture.
For instance you state “MSG is an excitotoxin that can excite brain cells to death†yet you don’t give the amounts that will cause this to happen and the amount that is actually in the food. You also state “conventional chickens that are sometimes fed with caffeine, banned antibiotics and arsenic,†yet you show no proof that this is actually being done in the chicken that CFA uses.
Finally, what bothers me the most is that you have been happy to respond to people who have been supportive of your article, but to the people who have questioned you research or your method of presenting the information you have said nothing. It makes me think that you are not as well educated about the ingredients as you lead people to believe since you cannot defend your opinions.
And the saddest part is people are so motivated by fear that they will read this article and will accept your article as truth without really knowing just because they don’t want to be “that mom who is killing her children by feeding them CFA.†I would suggest in the future presenting your article as your opinion, giving people the information and letting them make their own conclusions. And please, stop judging people without knowing them.
FoodBabe says
Amanda - I am not a chemist by trade and I'm doing the best with the research I conducted. Unfortunately, like I said in the article, there is no way to determine the amount of MSG in Chick-fi-a because it is not regulated by the FDA - that means Chick-fil-a does not have to disclose this information. I linked to articles and information that will provide the reader further knowledge about the subject. Also - it is widely known that conventional chickens are fed antibiotics to stay alive during very terrible living conditions - have you seen the movie Food Inc.? Because of several alarming recent studies on conventional chickens - I thought it was important to point out the fact that they are routinely fed other terrible things that end up getting passed down to us. This is why I avoid conventional chicken at all costs and eat a mainly plant based diet.
kb says
I am a chemist and think its sad that people like you and movies like Food Inc as you also mentioned in your reply use fear as a way to get people to take your side on the food industry. Or make them think that just because its organic that it is better for you. Do you know that some organic chemicals (made by nature)are can be extremely dangerous if to much is ingested. But produce can be sprayed with this chemical as long as they get it from nature and still call it organic. And another thing almost anything can be cancer causing in high enough doses. Haven't you heard of the guy in CA that died from drinking too much water and not using the bathroom? But then again water (Hydrogen dioxide) is a chemical and so I guess its bad for you too.
Heidi says
As another chemist, I find it pertinent to note that water is not hydrogen dioxide (HO2), but dihydrogen monoxide (H2O).
wow says
I'm a homeschool mom and not a chemist but even I knew that water was dihydrogen monoxide. Makes me wonder what the first "chemist" has a degree in.
kb says
Sorry I was typing fast and realized that later on but was too busy to go back and correct it until now. Thanks for point out my error.
Natalie says
How can you possibly argue that educating people to avoid foods loaded with chemical preservatives, antibiotics and hormones is using "fear as a way to get people to take your side on the food industry." It's common sense and FACT that whole, fresh foods that are not given antibiotics or added hormones are healthier for human bodies. The only people who argue otherwise are those making a profit in the conventional food industry and have something to lose from the truth being exposed or are simply drinking the kool-aid. I feel sorry for you and wish you good health.
Lauren Bristow says
Did you know that even those so called "whole foods" will contain toxins just from the environment they are grown in, even if grown in your own backyard? If you grow your own food take it to an independent lab and see if there are toxins in it and which ones, you may be surprised. We cannot escape toxins. There was an article in National Geographic a couple of years ago about a man who ate nothing but organic foods and had the toxins in his body tested. They found over 100 different toxins in his body that he said competed with a Kansas wheat field. Do not be fooled by all of this hype. Environment has a lot to do with it too.
I do not advocate a diet of fast food. I also do not have the food budget to shop ALL organic, so I stick to the dirty dozen. I cook at home 90% of the time so I know what is going in my food, but even then there is no 100% guarantee. We all need to eat as healthy as we can exercise, and stay at a healthy weight. Fat will kill you faster than any of those chemicals. In the end the thing that's going to decide the outcome is genetics. That is science not conjecture.
The fact is that we are living longer than ever and for the most part healthier. I have seen both of the movies talked about and yes it makes me sick. But maybe what we should be doing is spending time writing Congress so they will support organic growers, grass fed cattle ranchers, and others so we everyone can afford to buy more organic and natural foods. Otherwise for most people it's cost prohibitive.
I like Chick-fil-A and will continue to eat there once in a while. I will also continue to eat Kashi cereal and other goods.
In the mean time if one is going to write articles about food one may need to have things independent tested and report on it from a scientific standpoint and not just opinion.
Michelle says
It cracks me up when I hear people accuse the posters on this blog of trying to get people to take their "side" of the food industry. Do they think Lisa is a well-paid lobbyist, trying to put the makers of harmful food out of commission? I don't think that's true, but if she is, sign me up to donate to her cause, because I think all she's doing is educating people...and leaving the rest to them. I don't think she's getting a cut of the "Food, Inc." residuals. I don't think Earth Fare is paying her under the table to put conventional-fruit growers out of business. She's encouraging people to think about their choices, and the long- and short-term effects of those choices.
Hydrogen dioxide? Really? I'm not a chemist, but I know that's not water.
Kate says
I understand that popular documentaries can be seen as having a political bent, but to argue for a fast food company instead of healthful eating should betray your obvious ignorance as a professional. Comparing over-hydration (and it's real danger, hyponatremia) to a purposeful ingestion of man-made toxins is illogical and irresponsible. Yes, there are many forms of dangerous bacteria found in nature. Why do we need to add to this list with artificial dangers? I find the most interesting parts of this debate are the reasons to justify self-poison.
Sheril says
I agree. I just have to shake my head to see a poster say, "you can't avoid toxins" as if that is a reason to purposefully use or ingest more toxins that are the ones you could have avoided. So much fallacy going on across the entire argument to convince people to eat toxins from so many posters... I have to wonder why is it personally a problem for these people that I disagree with them and I have made my own personal decision to "clean up my diet".
Karissa says
You know what? Who cares what the amount of toxins in the food is? Shouldn't we steer clear of putting any amount of crap into our bodies? I can make "chicken nuggets" at home with a few ingredients, yet CFA's list goes on and on. And the body has to break it all down. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. Also, the blogger doesn't claim to be an expert, and she is not judging anyone. She's putting information out there for those that want/need it. If you are feeling judged, what is it you have to feel defensive about?
JW says
Well put Karissa!
Dustin says
Karissa couldn't have put this any better. I help train natural bodybuilders and I'm a nutrition enthusiast myself that competes. The simple fact is that if it's not whole natural foods you should probably not eat it. The more ingredients that are found in the food the more likely its horrible for you and will cause the chemistry inside of your body to get out of it's normal cycle. I can't say I have never eaten fast food or still don't from time to time, but I do know what I'm consuming. I'm not one of those types that looks for the fast alternative to deiting or eating healthy. If you look back 10's of 100's of years ago the way humans ate was completely different. We aren't meant to consume junk. Just as anything in life you have to want it. To be healthy means you have to eat healthy and exercise. There are tons of ways to eat healthy....you just can't take the lazy way out.
Lauren Bristow says
People died 100's of years ago and were unhealthy too. They didn't exercise either/ I'm not advocating that she's wrong and I too try to eat healthy but but I also think we have to be realistic. There are many people struggling to buy groceries for their families who just have no other choices but to turn to fast food or highly processed foods because they are cheaper. Food Inc. starts out with a family just like that. We need to fight the government for good healthy food. Mrs. Obama has been trying to promote that in poorer sections of the country. In reality it's obesity that is more dangerous than the other stuff. Some of it is a result of cultural more's it's hard to think about what your eating when your just trying to survive.
Sheril says
Or we can use a proven and effective system that is already in place to elevate everyone. we can support the free market and vote with our own dollars. I've been doing this for cleaner food for 15 years now and the change in that time has been astonishing given how few people would listen to even one minute of information on it back then. Now it is snowballing.
All the big companies respond to the market place demands in other countries where these things won't sell. AND NEWFLASH: they will here too.
Lorie says
Thanks, Karissa. You've hit the nail on the head.
Becca says
ggAHHH!!!!!!!!!I love your post..How many of you people think of the chickens lives, or the chemical processing that goes into the chickens, or the pure evilness of it all!! We need to reduce our population and go back to the EArth!This way of life is death for the whole planet..For the chickens, for us, for the plants, for the climate........Of course, it is hopeless, none of you are willing to change; what do we do???????????
Samantha says
I use to work at a Chick Fil A and McDonalds, there food is as different as night and day, but the chick fil a i use to work at wanted people to know that it was different from "fast food" and the managers tried to brain wash the employees into thinking just that. Chick Fil A is fast food! but what i really wanted to say is that there are some chick fil a's out there that are more then 100% happy to give any customer a "tour" of the kitchen to see how things are prepared. they will show you all the ingredients that they use in cooking and they are more then happy to answer any questing you may have. This article was spot on, but if you want to get more in depth, go on a tour. you would be surprised about how they do things.
FoodBabe says
Wow Samantha - Thanks for the tip. Maybe I should have taken a tour - definitely next time :)
Martine says
What about Chipotle?
Carol says
We do on occasion eat at Chipolte. They do not have MSG in their food. We can't eat in many places because, since we don't eat things with artificial ingredients at all, we actually get severe "allergic responses" if we accidentally ingest anything that has neurotoxins in them. This has never happened at Chipolte.
FoodBabe says
They are better in my opinion, but still use some genetically modified soybean oil and corn products. Also - I am not sure what "other spices" mean in their black beans. I'll have to look into that a little more.
Marie says
We are whole foods people, but when we get into a real jam and the food we packed has run out, we always hit chick fil a (or Subway). I am so sad to say I never even looked at ingredients. Our kids always have the same thing-- fruit, organic juice or the milk, and the MSG FILLED chicken nuggets. I didn't know they had MSG in them! They really don't like them much, we have to make them eat them.
I always eat the chicken salad, and was happy to see there was no hydrogenated oils in one of the dressings (happy because AT LEAST that wasn't in it, though I'm sure there were other bad things.) But I really need to get the nutritional info for the salad. And from now on, the kids are eating the salad! (They are learning to love salads, even at age 4 and 2!)
But I have to say, I will still go there, because I LOVE the values they share with us (toys are never TWILIGHT like BK, but books- COOL), and they have awesomely trained people there. Plus my BIL owns one and we get coupons which we trade up for salads!
Shannon says
Ingredients are disclosed on the Chick-fil-a website. But maybe all menu items aren't listed, because organic juice isn't on the website (I looked because I was surprised to hear that it's offered there!). Just choose "menu and nutrition", then pick an item, and a picture of the item comes up with buttons that you can click to view nutrition info and ingredients. Some of their foods sound really yummy (banana pudding milkshake?! - sadly, even the small size has 780 calories and 104 grams, about half a cup, of sugar!).
Anyway, this is what's in the plain chargrilled chicken salad. All the toppings and dressings are also on the website. Can any food scientists explain why both yeast extract and autolyzed yeast extract would be used?
Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, Chargrilled chicken (100% natural whole breast filet, water, contains less than 2% of sugar, butter flavored vegetable oil [soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural & artificial butter flavor, TBHQ, beta carotene], yeast extract, seasoning [sugar, spice, paprika, soybean oil], modified food starch, salt, sea salt, natural flavors, dextrose, potassium phosphate, maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, paprika), grape tomatoes, broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, Monterey/Jack cheddar cheese blend (cheddar cheese [cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes, annatto {color}], Monterey Jack cheese [cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes], potato starch and powdered cellulose added to prevent caking, natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]).
Michelle says
I've never seen organic juice at ours. My kids get white milk, not organic.
FoodBabe says
Thanks for posting this - FYI Yeast Extract and Autolyzed Yeast Extract are just other names for MSG. http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html
Tracy says
I have a biology degree and a chemistry degree so I understand what all the things in all of those lists are and what they do. I choose not eat meat based on my personal preferences but if I did even after reading that ingredient list I would eat any of those products. I prefer to base my opinions of sound science facts produced by hardworking researchers. If you ever go talk to a food scientist who researches food additives they can tell you how much work goes into making food that tastes good and is SAFE. Sure, there are chemicals used to make food last longer or taste better but it is because many people are not willing to pay the extra price for the lack of convenience or using more expensive ingredients in place of others. Not saying anything about the quality of your research except that I do not agree with the association between TBHQ and butane. If you are going to take the time to freak out about what is in a label take the time to find out the FACTS behind them, after all 2-Oxo-L-threo-hexono-1,4-lactone-2,3-enediol sounds really scary and most people would NEVER consider eating that. However, if you call it citric acid or even better, vitamin C people are racing to get more of it in their diet. Its all a matter of perspective.
Ashley says
Although I am a real food gal, I completely agree about the TBHQ! Just because something has a name that sounds unfamiliar people jump to conclusions without truly knowing anything about that molecule!
I always crack up when people give the advice "If you can't pronounce it, don't eat." I can pronounce all those things. In fact, I could probably draw the chemical structure of most of them. :)
I don't think food additives are as bad as they are made out to seem. However, they tend to be in the foods that offer little to no nutrition--I think that's the true problem. When you're eating less foods with additives and preservatives, you are eating more whole foods that bring your body the nutrition it needs to function at its highest level.
Carol says
My husband has a degree in biology too....but would never agree with you after we learned the truth. What they teach you in basic classes (college level and grad level courses included) is based on conventional medicine which is studies based on research supported by the very companies that make these chemicals so of course their findings are not going to give the public the whole truth. Neurotoxins are neurotoxins....toxic. That's the real truth and people should not be putting them into their bodies. They are dangerous whether the government claims them to be SAFE or not.
FoodBabe says
Tracy - I based my research on a few articles I linked to, also Huffington post recently did a piece about TBHQ, did you see it? The accumulative effect of all of these preservatives is what we need to watch out for. They may have been deemed safe at a very small dose, but when food companies are allowed to play with several different combinations of different preservatives, the total amount is not regulated. These preservatives have zero nutritional value but are rampant in our food supply, putting our bodies in a acidic state that is prone to develop disease over time.
Jackie says
Thank you for your efforts! Please keep up all your hard work, it is wonderful!
Carol says
I am a fan of Chick-fil-a - I loved their Chick fil-a sauce. I've been trying to eat healthier - cooking my own chicken sandwich - whole wheat bread. I found a recipe for their sauce (kens honey mustard dressing 1/2 cup & 1 teaspoon of bar-b-q sauce). Made enough sauce for a week! Thanks Lisa - knowledge is power!
FoodBabe says
Hope you checked out my recipe...It's really close to the "fake" thing :)
Joshua says
Thanks for reminding me why I love Chick-fil-A! BTW, I ate Chick-fil-A nearly every day as a child and grew up strong and healthy. For those of you that have reactions to MSG: too bad, its good stuff. And for those of you that hate on Chick-fil-A because of its Christian background: check your facts, they don't hate on anyone and they quickly react if any of their employees do (notice I said employees, every organization will have a bad apple, you must look at the organization as a whole).
Angela says
"check your facts, they don’t hate on anyone" WRONG. Their charities fund programs that try to "cure" gays and they don't allow gays in their various organizations. I view that as hate.
Sandy says
While I find any food with that many ingredients to be troubling, I do appreciate Chick-fil-A providing nutritional information on their website as well as the Meal Calculator. Some restaurants don't do this and one has to wonder what it is they don't want us to know. At least Chick-fil-A is giving me the information I need to make an informed choice.
Molly says
I generally do not eat fast food of any kind. Now that I know that Chick-fil-A is a Christian company (of the born again variety), as a member of a different religion, I definitely will not patronize them. I get awful MSG headaches and try to practice clean eating as much as possible., so even if I did not care about mixing religion with business I would not eat there.
LSW says
TBHQ has not been shown to cause ADHD. Noone knows what causes ADHD. And certainly not eating one gram causes something like that. To say something like that is fear mongering. To insinuate that something derived from a toxic substance must also be toxic is also incorrect.
This is the second piece I've seen by the Food Babe and I've been disheartened to see language not based on any fact, and even misleading. (The point in the previous post made things appear scary because they were in non-edible materials - water is in Liquid Drano and I'm not going to stop drinking it.)
Exposing people to an ingedient list that they may not have been aware of is a wonderful thing, and I thank you for that. But I don't believe the "rest" is being responsible to the readers of this blog.
Michelle says
This makes me less likely to eat there than their menu and the nutritional value of the chicken sandwich. But it seems like it would be difficult to find very many stores, restaurants or big businesses that DON'T have some sort of policy or political affiliation that's offensive to someone, somewhere. I don't know specifically about McDonald's, but I would not be surprised to find some organization they support that doesn't fit with all of my social and political beliefs.
Carol says
Very well done! Great post!
RobinG says
My husband has a terrible reaction to MSG (severe stomach cramps and diarrhea). We cannot eat at Chick fil a because it is in nearly everything they have to offer. MSG is a very bad thing, and we would all be better off avoiding it and all the other preservatives in the food that is served in most restaurants--not just fast food establishments.
Kirsten says
Thank you for investigating and posting this! I admit, I love Chick-fil-A and am so disappointed.
But I've been working on a natural, real-food chicken nugget recipe that is a great alternative, if you have the time to cook instead of go through a drive thru.
Fact Checker says
"Fast" food is bound to be unhealthy. No denying that. I would like to see references other than the nutrition facts however.
deuce says
Being a southerner, we were raised on fried food and vegetables, with cornbread and biscuits made with lard and crisco. All my aunts, uncles lived into their 80s and 90s. They were all physically active and most could not or would not spend the money on prepared processed food. I think genetics come into play too. The whole lifestyle contributes to health.
welldone says
Thanks for the info! Now I am hungry and going to Chic-fil-a.
whitney says
Thank you for posting this article. My son who has some food allergies ate Chick Fil A and started vomiting, itching, and breaking out (in front of everyone)I had wondered what was in the food that triggered it..now I know it was all that MSG.
Scott says
Also, I wish the poster of this blog would compare all nutritional information from the different fast food chains in America. Chick-fil-A would not look nearly as bad as the author of the post makes it out to look.