Dr. Royal Lee was way ahead of his time. He often warned against using synthetic ingredients in food, including bleached flour, corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, artificial food colorings, and synthetic vitamins.
Regarding hydrogenated fats, the FDA now requires trans fat to be listed on food labels. What is trans fat? Another name for hydrogenated oils. Why does the FDA require trans fat be listed? Because, according to their own website, “scientific evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or ‘bad’) cholesterol levels that increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).” But the FDA didn’t always require such fats to be labeled.
Regarding artificial food colorings, a 2011 New York Times article discusses the FDA’s reconsideration of their stance on synthetic food dyes. The FDA has always insisted they’re safe. Tell that to the friend of mine who develops a rash and can’t breathe if she eats foods that have artificial red food coloring. But now the FDA is changing their tune, at least slightly. They say there could be a “possible association” between synthetic color additives in food and ADHD in children. Read the entire report here. What other possible associations are there between synthetic dyes and health problems? And how long will you wait for the FDA to tell you about them?
