Even the best of us get urges to eat food that might not be the greatest and healthiest choices. Many fast food meals fall into this category.
When you’re on the go, there are often little options to pick up and eat a healthy meal, but some are better than others. Then some are absolutely horrible. Unless you consider having duck feathers, silicone oil, or beetles in your food to not be horrible.
Here are some of the many unnatural chemicals and additives found in popular fast foods, including hamburgers and other items:
Silicon Dioxide
Silicon dioxide is found in many fast foods. This is used as a thickening and solidifying agent. It is technically like an industrial sand that is put into the food.
Cochineal Beetles
The “carminic acid” ingredient you may often see in an ingredients list is often made from beetles. It is used as a coloring additive in many cases, in the case of hamburgers, to make the meat appear more pink or red.
Dimethylpolysiloxane
Essentially silicone oil. Certain medical gear and contact lenses are made out of this. It’s also put into certain fast foods.
Propylene Glycol
This is found in cigarettes, anti-freeze, and yes, some fast food. Disgusting. This is used as a thickener and food solvent and is actually approved by the FDA in small doses. However; large doses have been found to be toxic.
Drugs
Many of the chickens and other animals used in the food served at fast food restaurants have been bred by using anti-depressants. A study was done at Hopkins University that analyzed feathers from ducks and it confirmed this finding.
Ammonium Sulfate
Ammonium sulfate is used as a fertilizer. It can also kill bugs dead, so it being used in food is just frankly alarming and something that can’t hurt to stay away from.
Amino Acid Cysteine-L
This makes bread soft and enhances meat flavor but it’s where this often comes from that makes it a turn-off. Human hair and duck feathers are the origins of Cysteine-L that is put in fast foods.
Tert-Butylhydroquinone or TBHQ
According to Centers for Science In The Public Interest, a study showed that the inclusion of TBHQ increased tumors in rats. Not good. It is FDA approved below a certain amount but it holds a series of questionable health concerns.