Your Food Is PACKED With CHEMICALS (And That’s Okay)

Your Food Is PACKED With CHEMICALS (And That’s Okay)

Ever looked at a long ingredient list and thought, “This food is packed with chemicals!”? 🧪 Today, we’re going to change how you think about chemicals in food. Did you know that even fresh produce like bananas and strawberries have complex “ingredient lists” filled with scientific names? 🌱 Everything we eat is made up of chemicals, and there’s nothing scary about that! In this video, I break down what “chemicals” really are, why foods have them, and why the word doesn’t automatically mean synthetic or harmful. 💡 From naturally occurring preservatives in strawberries to essential amino acids in bananas, you’ll see that food chemistry is just science at work! 🧬 The ingredient statements for a banana and strawberry can be found at https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/ingredients-of-an-all-natural-banana/ 0:00 Introduction 1:28 Chemical Defined 2:24 Dissecting Ingredient Lists 4:10 Breaking Down Preservatives 4:30 Fear of the Unknown 5:26 Appeal to Nature Fallacy 5:50 Chemicals in Food Explained WATCH NEXT 👉🏻 Why I’m Obsessed With Food Microstructure https://youtu.be/1L9ixvC8DMY MY COURSES 🎓 🥗 Food Science for Beginners https://abbey-thiel.mykajabi.com/ ✅ What are chemicals in food? Chemicals are simply substances with specific molecular structures. 🌍 Everything from water to vitamins in food is made of chemicals, whether naturally occurring or added for safety and flavor. ❌ Does “chemical” mean something harmful or artificial? Not at all! 🔬 The word “chemical” often gets a bad rap, but it just refers to a substance’s structure. Both natural and synthetic chemicals can be safe or unsafe depending on the amount and context. ✅ Why do fresh foods like bananas and strawberries contain “preservatives”? Yes! 🍓 Fruits naturally have compounds like malic acid and formic acid, which help them stay fresh longer. These compounds are nature’s own preservatives and are safe to eat. ✅ Should I be worried about long ingredient lists? Nope! 🚫 Even simple fruits have complex-sounding chemicals like “hexanal” or “aspartic acid” that contribute to taste, smell, or nutrition. These names might sound scientific, but they’re just the building blocks of natural foods. ❌ Is synthetic vitamin C different from natural vitamin C? Not really! 🍊 Vitamin C in a tablet is the same molecule as what’s found in an orange. The body recognizes and uses it in the same way, whether it’s from a lab or from a fruit. Credit to : Abbey the Food Scientist