If you don’t know who Vani Hari is by now, just ask Subway. Under her nom de plume, Food Babe, she and her legion of followers pounded the fast food company until it removed a harmless chemical with a scary sounding name from their bread.
That’s Hari’s stock and trade as self-proclaimed consumer advocate–demonizing benign ingredients, focusing on their seeming “yuck” factor but ignoring the science. In the case of the Subway fiasco, for example, although azodicarbonamide, a dough conditioner is perfectly harmless and widely used in foods, it’s also used in yoga mats. Guess who won that ‘public debate’?
Hari often recounts her self-authroed narrative, her personal journey from unhealthy and frumpy to beautiful “babe.” She claims to have achieved this transformation by rejecting standard American fare and its reliance on unhealthy ingredients in favor of an organic diet. Her book, The Food Babe Way, hit shelves in February with the promise of revealing food-industry secrets and helping readers improve their health and waistlines with exclusive tips and tricks. It shot to the top of many bestseller lists–but the science community sees her less of a defender of the culinary downtrodden than as a fearmonger and promoter of chemophobia and dangerous misinformation.
Alison Bernstein, AKA Mommy Ph.D.–co-author of this piece–attended one of Hari’s book promotion appearances last month at the Marcus Jewish Community Center in Atlanta. Bernstein, who recently launched the Scientists Are People campaign to showcase the humanity of oft-demonized scientists, made waves in the science-based food community when she challenged Hari during the Atlanta event’s Q&A.
The event started out in typical Hari fashion–all Food Babe, all the time, replete with her fabulous tale of sickly and homely waif to the organic world’s superwoman. For years, she said, she felt lousy because she was sleep deprived, and regularly gorged on fast food and candy. She was overweight and plagued with eczema. Voila. Now she’s bikini ready–and all by eliminating “chemicals and GMOs,”
Hari’s typical narrative drew on misguided sympathy. She recounted growing up as a child of Indian immigrants. Wanting to fit in, she rejected her mother’s traditional home cooking, which she “shunned as a child,” complaining that it looked and tasted funny. Instead, she and her brother subsisted on Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonalds, microwavable salisbury steak, and Betty Crocker meals.
Hari’s food misadventures continued as an adult. A peripatetic businesswoman, she would dine at high-end restaurants such as Morton’s and Ruth’s Chris on her company’s expense account. All of that changed, she said, after suffering from appendicitis. It was a wake up call. She examined her food eating patterns, and learned, she said, that she had been “duped” by the food industry. She changed her habits and launched her crusade. Now she asks people to follow the Food Babe Way (which many experts say promotes orthorexia).
Some of what she advocates is just food nutrition 101. Dieticians, physicians, and scientists argue that switching to a diet high in produce, getting adequate sleep (by leaving a high pressure job), and cutting calories and junk food would improve anyone’s health and mood, Food Babe Way or not. Her transformation had nothing to do with avoiding specific chemicals or any specific food.
Hari vigorously disagrees. In Atlanta, following her script, she claimed that an organic diet is the best to avoid “harmful” chemicals. She not only touted eating produce–a good thing–she said it is imperative to purchase organic–something science does not support. She cited the Consumers Union and Environmental Working Group as her sources for her recommendations; both use flawed methodology to arrive at their lists of so-called “safe” and “dangerous” produce. And she promoted the common misconception that organic farming doesn’t use pesticides–or that the natural ones that are used are necessarily safer than targeted, synthetic alternatives.
Bernstein corrected Hari’s misinformation during the Q&A session:
When Bernstein challenged Hari’s claim that organic farming don’t use pesticides, Hari first falsely contradicted her, then changed the subject and finally entered attack mode, accusing Bernstein of being one of those “people who don’t want the [pro-organic] message spread.” Bernstein, she implied, wasn’t an independent scientist–she is–but a shill for the food industry.
It was surprising that Hari even answered questions. At most events–such as an appearance earlier this year at the University of Florida–Hari refused to respond to audience queries. Taking questions implies a commitment to dialogue. Rather, Hari motivates by instilling fear, uncertainty and doubt. She demonizes what she doesn’t understand, and has become quite wealthy in the process. Indeed, the hypocrisy of her calling science advocates “shills” is astonishing.
Bernstein observed that Hari courts her audience by making it seem as if she is empowering them: knowledge is power is her narrative. As per her M.O., Food Babe gushed about empowering consumers with information of the dangerous ingredients that haunt their foods. But is arming consumers with misinformation empowering? Or does it exploit their fears of the unknown? People can only make wise decisions when they have access to accurate information. Instilling unfounded fears of food is the opposite of empowering.
To be truly empowered, consumers must have access to accurate information. Even Hari admitted that truth has not been her stock and trade. “It was just a hobby,” she said of her early blog. “It wasn’t this well-researched facts kind of thing. It was just my opinion about things.” She claims to have cleared up her act, but medical and science experts disagree.
Hari’s perspective is a mixture of the mystical and misinformation. At one point, she described the body as acidic in the morning, advising drinking lemon water to combat the acidity because “lemon water is very alkaline”. Nothing about what she said is correct. The body’s balance between acidity and alkalinity is referred to as acid-base balance. The pH of the human body is naturally regulated, using different mechanisms to control the blood’s acid-base balance. Lemon juice is not alkaline (basic), it’s acidic. Food does not alter the body’s pH.
Hari also fails to assess the quality of the information that she passes on to he unquestioning followers. And she makes it seems that she,and only she, has cracked the wall of deception built by Food Inc. Most of the supposedly top-secret information she claims to reveal is publicly available at university and government websites, including FDA, USDA, EPA and NIH, as well as non-government websites for the organic industry like OMRI, and various publicly available science publications.
With notoriety comes responsibility. Spreading misinformation and fear is irresponsible and distracting.
The best place for consumers to get accurate information is from those with training and experience in food, farming and nutrition. At the MJCCA event, she repeatedly described scientists as people who hoard information and intentionally deceive the public about “chemicals.” She painted farmers as uncaring, and only out for profit. In contrast, she positioned herself as the anti-expert, rejecting “people who say this is too complicated, you can’t understand this, you need an advanced degree, they don’t want to empower the individual.”
Hari’s assertion that scientists hoard knowledge–even as a scientist was engaging he in open discourse–was baffling. Hari’s fans are hungry for real information. After the Atlanta Q&A, a small crowd formed around Bernstein to ask questions about Parkinson’s disease, pesticide toxicity and where to find accurate information. Many of them had no idea that much of this information is publicly available.
The huge number of scientists, science communicators and farmers who actively, and often selflessly, share medical food information on social media, and cordially engage with the public, serve as proof that Hari’s characterization is wrong, even offensive. She apparently believes she needs to demonize trained experts to convince people to listen to her.
[Note: See hashtag #ScientistsArePeople to interact with friendly experts on social media.]Alison Bernstein is a scientist studying Parkinson’s disease. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband, 2 kids and 2 cats. Follow her on her Mommy Ph.D. Facebook page and on Twitter @mommyphd2.
Kavin Senapathy is a contributor at Genetic Literacy Project and other sites. She is a mother of two and a freelance writer who works for a genomics and bioinformatics R&D in Madison, WI. Opinions expressed are her own and do not reflect her employer. Follow Kavin on her science advocacy Facebook page, and Twitter @ksenapathy
Additional Resources:
- #ScientistsArePeople! “Mommy PhD” campaign challenges anti-GMO death, rape threats against scientists, Genetic Literacy Project
- Food Babe flops on BRCA mutations: Understand genetics or go home, Genetic Literacy Project
- Evolution of Food Babe: From misguided consumer advocate to crude bully, Genetic Literacy Project
Food Babe has long been notorious for claiming to engage in debate, but never actually doing so. This is hardly a first, but more public than most. She has been tossing out that tired old “shill” argument for the past 2-3 years, ignoring the fact that it would amount to millions of so-called shills in disagreement with her total lack of any scientific knowledge.
You call it a consensus – she calls it a conspiracy.
NONE DARE CALL IT CONSPIRACY!!! Did you read that book?
No, but the consensus is that it’s pretty good.
She actually was a good debater from what I read about her in college but she doesn’t debate anymore
what is there to debate about TRUTH???
> what is there to debate about TRUTH???
When Food Babe is involved, one need not worry about hearing much “truth”.
I see you have all your scientific FACTS lined up to prove that against her successes… what a loser and a failure you and your corporate sponsors are… SHAME ON YOU
I am unemployed and and my only sponsors are my parents (not Parents Inc., just my parents, some lowly employees in a small unimportant town)… And I still disagree with Food Babe, all the way.
AnaBelle, you must be one of those independent, scientifically-literate, analytical, critical thinkers. Yay for you!
Now that’s funny right there, I don’t care who you are.
So being successful makes your RIGHT!?!?! Drug dealers are successful, rapist and murderers too – they succeed at the tasks they set out to do. Sooooo what’s your argument here? “I bought the book so she HAS to be right!”
Yep.
This might help you separate the real science from the pseudo-science the Food Babe spreads.
https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/10/not-all-science-is-created-equal-the-genetically-engineered-crops-story/
“The vast majority of these non-credible science publications report on inappropriately conducted experiments or research.” Right there! what makes them so credible to call another group non-credible? FUUUU science-phags.
G M, credible sources depend on peer review and on properly designed studies, they will retract ones where evidence has been withheld.
Some journals would publish a grade schooler’s science project if the parents made the fee.
I think this is a good example on non-credible science journals. :)
http://www.vox.com/2014/12/7/7339587/simpsons-science-paper
Yeah? all that changed in 2004 when Bush merged the two different peer reviews combining the non-government in with the gov. There used to be a voice for the other side that was NOT funded just by major corporations & big pharma or the fda. They got rid of that! So I wouldn’t put much faith in peer review data anymore.
Huh? Peer review is NOT done by the government. Peer review is done by OTHER scientists in the field.
No wonder you are confused.
You’re confused, there used to be a University publishing site that was peered reviewed, now it has to go through government approval, hence one website. I was around when it happened, watched it happened. You’re ignorant. No schit other scientist in the field -wow the stating the obvious is ridiculous common practice , hey did you know water is a chemical btw?
You are Buddy, there are many publications out there, from good ones with good impact factors to pay to publish ones with impact factors of 0.
You can stop your silly appeal to authority, since you seem to be lacking in real knowledge.
They do NOT all go through the government. You are just being nonsensical now.
Typical attack with “lacking in real knowledge” comments just like the Science Whore and her clown supporters. Knowledge is holding the keys to longevity, that’s really it. Until you realize that, you’re cattle whether you have an education or not -simply cattle. You really don’t understand what I’m talking about when it comes to peer review in this instance, so no use trying to explain it to you because you weren’t in the middle of doing a paper in sports nutrition like I was when things changed. So continue on wallowing in your own pompousness…
And I didn’t say “ALL” journals -simply talking about the independent studies vs the corporate/FDA ones accessed via website. So the ones that would have zero impact are all Food Babe ever uses and aren’t considered “credible” -imagine that!!
If there is such a big difference in results Why have you not listed any specific “corporate” studies that are faulty or fraudulent? Why did this author find results that differ from yours? http://www.biofortified.org/2014/02/industry-funded-gmo-studies/
Why would I? Any study funded by a corporation, FDA or drug company should be taken with a grain of salt, if that! Real studies are out there but, largely ignored because they paint the truth… and the truth doesn’t make money. I’ll list an ingredient you prob feel is safe that used to be a banned, Aspartame! Simple enough. Another Sucralose….why?
And the dunce of the day is gilbert. I posted an article disproving the claim you just made about the industry funded studies. Thus giving you a chance to not make a stupid post. But you are too daft to read it. Also http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/20131211/aspartame-sweetener-deemed-safe Try actual reading this time.
Haha – you believe that really.? National Cancer Institute? really? The schit makes people fat. Again, studies that showed it harmful way back in the 70s were removed from the peer review because they didn’t meet dollar making criteria. One of the main causes of diabetes you clown. May not cause cancer, but it certainly negatively impacts your health long term. It immediately makes people gullible so keep drinking the Kool-Aid!
Show specific proof of studies being quashed. Remember facts are preferable to misspelled obscenities. No aspartame does not make people fat or cause diabetes. Unless, of course you can show proof.
You’re being quashed spelling police.. Yes, aspartame causes everything from you being fat and stupid to diabetes. It’s been known for a long time brah!
” Right there! what makes them so credible to call another group non-credible?”
Education.
Ah no, I have a degree in Nutrition & several pt certs and college education is still a joke. People listen to Bill Gates about health care and vaccines, and he has no formal education. Apparently lots & lots of money makes him credible. I loook goood for my age so, I feel like a million bucks. I wouldn’t take Bill Gates money to look like him. just sayin’!
Perhaps the fact that they are actual researchers and scientists that are saying that?
Yes but, he’s still their voice box (the elite) to push their agenda which is global population control… and lower it to a manageable level to help reduce global warming. This is what he talks about in front of the scientific community.
WHAT? Where did you get that nonsense?
We do need to slow the growth of the world’s population, for the benefit of man and the planet
Starting by ridding the world of educated monkeys and desk jockeys that do nothing but contribute to hot air while destroying the environment. It’s common knowledge, Bill Gates is a stooge for global government.
I have to know: what do you do for a living?
I think we know where he gets his information, AJ and the conspiracy sites.
I charge a minimum of 1 million dollars for the year per client if you’re wondering what I do for a living.
doesn’t answer the question but ok… um, so gold star for you?
“elite” a bit jealous are you Gilbert? Sometimes earning one’s way into being considered elite can be a good thing.
I am more elite than you. My pic justifies this. Good genes shall be passed on… bad genes end up in FEMA camps.
Education, peer review, through testing. When you have to resort to insults it means you know you are wrong, you are defensive.
I’m only treating you science-folk like you treat FOOD BABE. Science Whore is full of schit!
ZP ZAP: here is a real fact for you; you are a Food Babe dumb f#ck stooge. Enjoy your ignorance…which I ‘ve heard is bliss.
LOL!! Guess what – the same tired old “shill” argument that is put forth when no facts are available. Hardly a surprise from a Food Babe sycophant.
That’s the point, she is spreading lies; this would not be a proper debate, this would be a fact correcting session.
But Vani’s best technique is the Gish Gallop, so it would be very difficult to defeat her and win.
Truth is an extremely flexible term with Vani.
She can’t. She is dumber than a stump.
she is pretty much the only one on this page who is NOT a paid NWO shill besides me…
Well, when you admit to believing in the NWO, you have shot your credibility to the moon. Believing in a hoax is not to your benefit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbyEW_Jdj-U
According to you and the rest of the Food Babe cult members, there are about 343,958,329 shills. I wonder how those evil companies can afford to pay us all?
With the billions they make by using genocidal methods to “POISON” their customers with “TOXIC” chemicals. Because we all know that paying liars and destroying customers, while not serving g.e. crops in the cafeteria is such an absolutely brilliant business model. Or perhaps I took an extra sarcasm pill today.
I could see the tinfoil hat on her head; woo woo woo.
Poor thing.
Yeah, but it is an organic chemical free tinfoil hat.
Hhmmm,,,organic tin??? Please explain.
Gotten from the same guys that sell organic GMO free pink salt.
Yes, I understand. There is a guy who calls himself Hyperzombie who has originated many of these honestly dishonest claims. He also sells G.E. free fertilizer and farm tractors.
Yeah that hyperzombie guy sounds like a total jerk.
BTW the non GE fertilizer is only free when it is in a giant 3 ton frozen clump, and the only tractor I am trying to sell is the POS New Holland that my so called brother in law sold me… If it keeps breaking down it may be free as well.
POS, point of sale…Glad to see you frozen ones are attempting modern retail techniques. BTW mid 80s here again with rain. Unfortunately none of it was Purple rain. So, no purple haze around the rainbow that was seen all along the watchtower by an LA woman.
BTW mid 80s here again with rain
Wow it it ever got that warm here we would be complaining about the heatwave, people would be passing out in the streets. It got up to 93 once and they warmed us not to go outside. Average high here in the summer is 72.
I put all those titles and lyrics in a comment and you only notice the weather report.[a jazz group] The daily high here in Aug. is 93, but only for a couple weeks. then it drops way down to 92.
Yeah! Tinfoil without chemicals!
hahahaha! That is great!
As an RN, her pH misinformation is always particularly irritating to me.
then you are a very very stupid RN who is a danger to society!
It would be nice if that’s ALL the misinformation that she spewed. It’s so laffable, one doesn’t even know where to start.
As someone who completed 10th grade chemistry, her pH misinformation is irritating.
In regards to Ms. Hari’s response to the organics/pesticides point, all I heard was “all power to the forward deflector.”
I guess you are impressed by all the “science” in this article proving she is wrong LOLOLOL
Wow! You have got a lot of time on your hands. Do you really think that your getting anywhere by replying to the posts in an insulting way?
I think insults are all ZP ZAP has.
They do seem to be missing something important.
I was like “She did not just say that” when she said “Lemon water was alkaline”. WTF about body being acidic. If your body is acidic you will die within hours.
thats a lie… if you are one point under 7.0 you are acidic… have you every actually tested your pH? clearly not…
there are many pH balances that could be tested, urine, stomach acids, sweat, tears, pH of the skin, tongue, teeth etc. Hari refers to the pH of the blood, which is not regulated through diet, and if your blood pH becomes acidic, you will quite literally die. have you tested the pH level of your blood? or do you just drink your own piss and do the old “mouth test”?
I’ll only take pH advice from a PhD. Or maybe a PharmD.
Blood pH is in fact normally buffered within very tight limits by homeostatic mechanisms, and metabolic acidosis can indeed be fatal. Please do a Physiology 101 course.
Tell us how you tested Your pH. Really.
If you were that low, you would be dead.
Well, she does not understand anything at all about chemicals, so she would not realize that the citric acid in citrus (ie lemons), is uhmm… well.. an ACID.
Wow, how much did Monsanto and the other purveyors of death pay you to write this EVIL PSYOP SPIN PIECE… Shame on the LIAR who “penned” this on their behalf… There is a special place in hell for you already… BURN BABY
Hoping this one is a poe… and that nobody’s *actually* this stupid?
clearly some are so dense they cannot see through the chemical haze…
yup, definitely a Poe. good one!
WOW YOUR SCIENCE IS SO PROFOUND LOLOL
You really know “profound” – as evidenced by upvoting all your own comments ;-)
so uncanny that these feeble corporations end up taking out the deadly chemicals everytime… this is nothing but a slander campaign and you have sold your soul to SATAN… good luck
Hail Satan!
Hail Monsanto!
Hail GMO´s that will feed the world!!
YES KILL THEM ALL!!! Let SATAN rule the worlld!!!
Hail, Hail to Michigan. The champions of the west.
Dirka dirka bak-allah muhammad jihad!
Zap, you seem to know an awful lot about Satan. I wonder why that is.
Will you finish a sentence and stop trailing off please? jesus christ!
GREAT POINT… I see how complete relevant it is to the topic LOL… Shills use all sort sof DIVERSION techniques and they never really make any intelligent points… ever… Why bother lifting your boney finger to type? its a total waste of time…
Well, every time I post, Zap, I get $10,000 from Monsanto. hahahahahaha! As if!
Your form of Christianity is very … um …. strange. May you be happy, and may you stay out of Bellvue.
Vendana Shiva, a troll for organic and anti-science, shamelessly charges $40,000 a speech to slam biotech with the same kinds of lies and anti-science pablum that food boob does. Talk about a shill. It goes way beyond the money; it’s appalling that she gets paid for selling fear and mistruths. I don’t know how she looks in the mirror every night. Maybe she doesn’t; she’s too busy looking in her wallet.
HEY ALL YOU PAID MONSANTO TROLLS… BRING IT ON!!!
LOL.. good one, i almost thought you were serious ;-)
when do you get your paycheck from monster satan?
When do you get your paycheck from Food Babe and Whole Foods?
Some of us work for TRUTH unlike the EVIL LYING PURVEYORS OF DEATH… WATCH MONSANTO STOCKS GO DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN… WUHU!!!!
I’m almost positive scientists work for TRUTH as well. But I guess if you’re taking your nutritional advice from someone with a degree in computer science….you probably don’t recognize the importance of scientific studies.
They’ve been steadily on the rise for the last five years, up from 68.8 to 117.86. You don’t work for truth, because no one would pay you to write such unintelligible tripe.
How could you work, there is no brain to tell you how to.
You are the TOLERANT Liberal, aren’t you?
The only ones scared are the DEATH PROFITEERS… Great work — you are under attack by the EViL EMPIRE Vani Hari… Excelelnt job! Keep going!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2920731/Don-t-try-home-14-ingredients-contained-McDonald-s-FRIES-including-petrol-based-chemical-form-silicone-Silly-Putty.html
Ha! Thanks so much for demonstrating the level of cluelessness among that Hari fandom. Just perfectly illustrated examples of the rage, spelling, and credulity.
Go drink some more FLOURIDATED water out of some BPA plastic and eat some more GMO CORN and while you are at it, take a bunch of mercury-laden vaccines but be sure to cash your MONSTANTO check before your early demise… you do deserve to die…
That’s not polite.
Erik, this guy is … not all there. The anger and rage border on real instability.
just go consume some more chemicals and go cash you SHILL check on the way to your “doctors” appt while I experience complete and total health and vitality… joy joy joy… I FEEL GOOD BECAUSE I EAT ORGANIC NO GMO!!!!
you don’t sound very joyful. you sound deeply unhappy actually.
Deeply unhappy and extremely angry as well.
Is that why you don’t have a brain any more?
Yes, Mem … when they “speak into the mike” they make their points of ignorance and paranoia, and in this case, strong indications of instability, very clearly. It’s telling, and also it’s sad.
DEATH PROFITEERS??? If we’re dead, we can’t eat GMO’s OR take any prescription drugs….so tell me again how are deaths will benefits anyone??……except the local funeral home.
There you go being logical. You’ll never get through to ZP ZAP that way. :D
just give it time for those toxins to build up and those tumors to grow hun… it won’t take long…
I’m just wondering who sponsored this article?? :/ Nice try, but we will continue to vote with our dollars. ;)
Amen!
> I’m just wondering who sponsored this article??
LOL… the conspiracy worldview must seem so lonely sometimes.
Whom is we?
Like buying organic and non-gmo? Smart! Do that. And please leave the rest of us who prefer to eat gmo foods, for environmental and health reasons, alone.
Can I put you in a cage in a lab and watch tumors grow?? that would be sooooo COOL!!!
Can you change your name to ObviTroll?
No
The Genetic Literacy Project is an independent non-profit organization funded by grants from non-partisan foundations. We also accept tax-deductible donations from individuals and non-industry organizations.
your dumb ass should be able to look for more.
“The Genetic Literacy Project is an independent non-profit organization funded by grants from non-partisan foundations.” HAHAHAHAHAH! Do you seriously expect people to believe this garbage?
my sentiments exactly….
Aren’t you the a-hole that has posted how proud you are for having been previously associated with Consumers Union?
You’re an ass.
Please watch your language and decorum, JoeFarmer. And yes I am very proud to have worked for one of the most prestigious testing organizations in modern history. The same organization that’s currently bringing the biotech industry to its knees. Yes, very proud indeed.
Don’t like my post, report it.
“The same organization that’s currently bringing the biotech industry to its knees.”
Thanks for proving you are utterly clueless.
You will have difficulty in carrying out your boasting as long as folks, such as myself deliberately seek to buy g.e. products. I have switched from olive to canola for cooking. and will continue to look for such opportunities.
Yeah you’re pretty much the only person doing this. Great cause, too. Keep the meat and junk food flowing….
No, there are millions. That is why folks grow g.e. crops. They are successfully marketed. Further I mentioned no junk food or meat. That was just a very poor strawman on your part. Now please explain just how your employer[?] will bring biotech to it’s knees with so few facts. More dishonest fearmongering? Shill accusations? Yet another serralini?
Well, look it up. It’s public information. But wait, that sounds like work, doesn’t it? Can’t let work interrupt your youtube-binge/conspiranoid activism.
Well… i’m certain that you could file a FOIA request to get the complete list of their donors, but that would ruin the shitty little narrative that you shit stains have built for yourselves.
‘k, thnx. Die.
non partisan funders MY ASS… besides, the New World Order runs the whole show anyway so partisan is a complete and total hoax illusion…
the N.W.O.?!!?!?
So that’s what Hogan and the rest of WCW’s “bad-guys” got up to after their franchise went down like your mom at your family reunions!
Well… i’m certain that you could file a FOIA request to get the complete list of their donors, but that would ruin the shitty little narrative that you shit stains have built for yourselves.
‘k, thnx. Die.
The Food Babe loves relieving you of dollars, I know that.
Why do you assume it is sponsored? Because you think that everyone is as dishonest as Food Babe?
Lol at food not having any end result on pH.
Dietary modification cannot change the acidity of any part of your body except
your urine.
BULL FUCKING SHIT… I CHANGE MINE ALL THE TIME… WHAT KIND OF IDIOTS ARE YOU?
You folks can just go eat all the chemical laden foods eat your GMO ,drink your Flouride water, enjoy it…and while your at it feed it to your children too……..
……what is wrong with you people… are you morons or what
Or what, Richard, or what.
you tell us you toxic waste dump
What is ‘flouride’ water?
It’s “the most monstrously conceived and dangerous Communist plot we have ever had to face.”
‘Ice-cream, Mandrake! Childrens’ ice-cream!’
Ah, the classics.
It’s water that gives you gluten intolerance, aka “Wheat Belly”!
It’s a serious threat to the Starbucks Organic Chai Latte buyers, how can you even think about buying a $2.00 stale biscotti knowing that you already had “flouride” when you brushed your teeth?
they really do pay you morons to sit on your fat asses and type of this stupid crap and you think you are something don’t you… just a loser with a lost soul…
Flagged for repetitive trolling.
There is two of them here and trolls is the right word.
According to widely accepted scientific research conducted in the upper peninsula of Michigan. The term troll is only used correctly in reference to those living below the Mackinac bridge.
Sodium Flouride (not calcium flouride which is GOOD for teeth) is a byproduct of aluminum smeltering. Instead of paying to dump it as a toxic chemical, the corporations have been putting into toothpaste and water. This was a tactic employed to dumb down the masses while Hitler performed a MASS PSYOP…. the SAME THING is happening now and most of the people on this thread are NUMB AND DUMB
You mean fluoride, not flouride.
Both sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride are ionic compounds, which means that when they are dissolved in solution, the elements dissociate and what you ingest is the fluoride ion, which is exactly the same whichever compound it comes from, and either calcium ions or sodium ions, which is fine because both calcium ions and sodium ions are essential electrolytes in the body, and the kidneys will excrete any you don’t need.
Hitler and the Nazis did not use fluoride for mind control; that is a complete myth. Dr Strangelove was a satirical comedy, not a docudrama.
“Uh, we’re, still trying to figure out the meaning of that last phrase, sir.”
– General Turgidson
chemical laden foods
Food is chemicals, like, what do you think it is made of?
Don’t tell him that proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals are chemicals, or his brain might explode.
hay I got one, did you know Water is a chemical? LAWTEEDAH HEE-HEE I’M SO SMART! -signed Science Babel.
Organic Beano has no chemicals. Only a little powdered Unicorn horn to help with the gassiness!
Unicorn horn has calcium carbonate and magnesium sulfate
I think all this scientific this and scientific that and credentials this and that is crapola!!! …because the FDA often approves drugs that kill people (that’s right KILL) and or maim people, like were suppose to believe every word on what these scientists are peddling. I think science broad is full of s h i t !!
Life is risky. There is no activity in life that is without risk. As for GE crops and derived foods, there are decades of research and over three trillion meals consumed containing ingredients derived from GE crops and not a single documented case of harm.
Exactly. And if we look up “organic” and “food poisoning,” the list is quite long; lots of e.coli sickness and death from organic foods.
you did a really good job finding the fake disinfo sponsored by MonSATAN but you don’t have much a a BRAIN LEFT unfortunately… for you anyway…
Really, so wheat allergies and bees disappearing… superbugs, weeds that just don’t give a schit what you spray on them? wow, what years of research you’ve been drinking? Cancer through the roof….list goes on. Your ignorance remains bliss.
*Sigh* here we go again. Age-adjusted incidence of the vast majority cancers is either holding steady or actually falling. Only a small number of cancers are increasing in age-adjusted incidence, and for most of them we know the reason, e.g. cervical cancer (HPV), lung cancer (smoking), malignant melanoma (suntanning). The only reason *raw* (un-adjusted) cancer incidences are increasing is because more people are living long enough to develop cancer, the risk of which substantially increases with age for the vast majority of cancers. Your ignorance is staggering.
Holding steady, still seams rather high to me… really nice after that sharp initial increase. So explain the incidences of childhood cancer, seems like it’s on the increase. Seems like Cancer Treatment Centers and new additions being built in Hospitals specifically designed for cancer treatments are getting prepared for another wave of people to enter the death mill. What about the fact that more people are dead because of cancer and its causes stemmed directly from science itself creating it in the first place with their mix of magic potions peddle by witch doctors. “sigh” you’re another educated monkey fool with blissful ignorance.
The way things ‘seem’ to you is not the way they are. Cancer treatments are becoming more sophisticated, which would explain any new construction that may or may not be taking place.
Which specific childhood cancer are you referring to?
Why does cancer have to be sophisticated? People are curing it on their own with much higher survival rates than going through stupid “treatments.”
Childhood cancer exists because of scientific and technological advances. Asking me “Which?” is like bobbing for apples. Always reliable spell check police, just shows what’s important in your world.
Really?
Is there some kind of home surgery kit for excising tumors? Does it come with a coupon code for a frozen section from some online path lab?
really!
So in other words, you’re clueless.
Got it.
If you don’t know, you don’t know. Make sure you get your flu vaccine every year and go about your merry way.
Yeah natural treatments like Jessica Ainscough, the wellness warrior. Who needs BigPHarma anyway?
You know what more than likely killed her was the initial dose of chemo… yeah let’s fight cancer with more cancer causing chemicals. Let’s go hang out at Chernobyl ground zero and fight cancer -just shows the quackery in conventional medicine.
Did you know that wild animals are breeding and living in the exclusion zone? They aren’t have 5 headed pups or falling dead of cancer. Quite a study in how life responds and survives
Any stats or studies to back up this assertion that “people are curing (cancer) on their own with much higher survival rates than going through stupid treatments”? Sounds like bullshit, but I’m happy for you to prove me wrong. I suspect you’re going to say something like “I know three people who have cured their cancer using juice fasts.”
Stats and studies are for scientific quackery, read some books -one by a famous person Somers…….
No they aren’t. Steve Jobs didn’t cure his, he DIED because he believed the nonsense.
Steve Jobs didn’t eat any fat, I read his biography… he was an idiot when it came to his health.
Ah, your’re a quack-peddler as well. Perfect.
I bet I look better than 99.9% of doctors -NASA measure my eyes to be 20/10, and I’m almost 50! I look 20 with virtually no wrinkles, must be doing too much perfect quackery. I sell you my secrets for 1 million dollars.
Did your “methods” damage your brain, the way you go on here?
I’m simply fighting fire with fire, you clowns attack Food Babe. I’m treating you people exactly like you treat her, a taste of your own medicine. Now go back to sleep girlie-man.
Like Jess Ainscough (The Wellness Warrior) that recently passed away?
Dude, this was already brought up, the dunce got chemo before she even went the natural route (which she went about wrong), the chemo itself destroyed her. More people die from conventional cancer treatments than with people that go to the right alternative medicine doctors. Read a book by Suzanne Somers.
No, the cancer killed her.
chemo made it worse for her.
I didn’t say cancer is sophisticated. People are not curing it on their own. There are over 200 kinds of cancer, so you do have to specify which one you are talking about. Please do so.
People ARE curing it on their own… go back into your turtle shell.
Prove it.
You prove they’re not!
You’re the one who made the claim, therefore the onus is on you to provide supporting evidence.
Why do I have to do your work? Do your own!
So you have no proof. I’m calling you a liar, Gilbert Manning. Prove you are not a liar.
“Seems like Cancer Treatment Centers and new additions being built in
Hospitals are getting prepared for another wave of people to enter the
death mill.”
OMG! Have you heard about the FEMA internment camps? Once the Chemtrails and HAARP are done, they’re going to put everyone there!1!1!
No just cattle like you…. The fittest survive like me, haven’t you read the Georgia Guidestones? geesh you kno nothin’!
Nothing you’ve posted would lead any reasonable person to think you are the least bit fit, either physically or mentally.
I sense some jellyness on your part.
Oh my, do you really believe that crap? Please get a clue and it won’t be on them.
Well those people that want that, are pushing for it whether you like it or not. I’ve met one who has the secret society ring and is queer as f**k, but they have an agenda and are very open about it. Just watch the video on youtube where Bill Gates is discussing global population reduction with health care and new vaccines. It’s out there if you open your eyes.
Look up the CDC’s most recent cancer stats. Then research the many types of g.e. wheat currently on the market. Then do some research on pests developing resistance. Then come back and apologize to Robert. Here is a tiny clue. There is no g.e. wheat being grown…….Yet.
I think God did a find job before Monsanto decided they are God and they decide what is science and they post crap like this online and pay useless eaters like the shills here to put disinfo out there that causes death and suffering… Shame on all of you Scum
Did you flunk your science high school classes? Is that why you’re so vehemently anti-science? Envious of those who have backgrounds in, and who understand, scientific and research methodologies and principles? (how do you make decisions about stuff, then? spin the bottle? toss a coin?)
I base my reasoning on the very fact that Food Babe is actually very good looking, which is quite opposite of that science ho who appears disgusting inside and out. Her nasty demeanor is not trust-worthy the way she rags on Food Babe with her high & mighty pompousness about her “credentials.” To be honest, I go with what looks good in and outside a person, not what looks good on paper according to science. Quite frankly the science crowd have inflated egos and shitty attitudes for me to trust a word of their crappy biased research. Most of the time, your so-called scientists appear like some mutant offspring probably resulting from the very research methodologies they boast about, and it’s not for the betterment of mankind I can tell you that much.
its the crusty old fart of boys clubz with small minds and big budgets… what a disservice they are to the world… thanks for your intelligent comments… the shills make them hard to find around here…
Ahhhh, yes; “good looking.” That’s your criteria. Um, what can I say? You have just explained everything one needs to know about you. You WERE asleep in your science classes.
I just hope you don’t vote.
In the real world, which is gym class, it’s survival of the fittest .. Self-righteous egotistical scientists are a dying breed… and they end up the biggest loser because of the destruction they do to the environment.
O my goodness, an anti-science ranter. Hope you or your family don’t ever need any medical care in your lives. Or expect to live beyond 25 or so years old. Or use technology like the computer you typed your science-hating rants on. Or fly on airplanes. Or ride in cars. Or take advantage of alternative energy.
All developed through scientific innovations.
Plenty of trustworthy doctors but, there are a lot of stupid ones too. I’m actually nearing 50 and girls think I’m in my 20’s. 20/10 vision according to NASA b i t c h e s ! Alternative energy -you talking nuclear? You’re a dope if you are!
O my goodness. You’re 50 and care what “girls” think about you? You go out with “girls” ? sad. pathetically sad.
Arrogance: 10. Credibility: 0.
Anti-science, illiterate, AND a narcissist. What a package.
Proving I have the secrets to life (I look very young), scientists look old as schit! I beat the aging process… me fell like a $1,000,000 – you quick to judge. Yeah I still get 20 year old girls if I want to, but I’m dating someone older than me. Credibility is crap unless you look good doing it just like Food Babe.
Watch Wolf of Wall Street. Same arrogance and shallowness. And you are a legend in your own mind, to boot.
Pathetic.
So it’s okay for Science Babel to act arrogant in her article about how smart she is with all her credentials, but if I do it on how I’ve beat aging, all of a sudden, I’m arrogant? I think it is the arrogance in science thinking they having all the answers and everyone else is wrong bit that should be analyzed. Pathetic!
Well, organic is evidently more dangerous than GMOs. According to CDC:
“[P]eople who eat organic and “natural” foods are eight times as likely as the rest of the population to be attacked by a deadly new strain of E. coli bacteria (0157: H7).
Consumers of organic food are also more likely to be attacked by a relatively new, more virulent strain of the infamous salmonella bacteria. Salmonella was America’s biggest food-borne death risk until the new E. coli O157 came along.”http://www.cgfi.org/2002/06/the-hidden-dangers-in-organic-food/
Why is that? Because organic farmers use manure as fertilizer, and are reluctant to use antimicrobial preservatives, chemical washes, pasteurization, or even chlorinated water to rid their products of dangerous bacteria.
according to who? lulz really? the who? Do you listen to the FDA too? Keep drinking the kool-aid phaggot. I’ve put manure in my own garden and other peoples gardens for years as a landscaper, nobody ever got sick! Maybe you desk-jockeys need to learn how to work.
“phagott”, rly. Of course I listen to the CDC and the FDA. Who else? Any homophobic bigot conspiracy tool om the internet, or just you?
Phaggot means you’re stupid, not only are you stupid, you’re a beta-phaggot because you listen to the FDA who approves very dangerous drugs that kill and/or permanently maim people every year. Also the FDA receives a half a billion dollars a year from drug companies You’re the fool and a tool ! lulz!
Your bigotry and blatant misinformation aside, I’m not the girly man scared of regular food.
yeah? what blatant misinformation? Prove what I’m saying isn’t true. That the FDA is responsible for approving drugs that kill and maim, and that they receive a half a billion dollars plus a year from pharmaceutical companies.. prove me wrong !!
That’s not how it works, genius. Your (ridiculous) claim, your burden of evidence.
haha – so in other words.. Food Babe is right, I’m right… you can’t prove otherwise. So don’t call it misinformation when you don’t even know the facts. You’re just throwing insults much like when I accuse you of being a beta-phag, but then you say you’re not a girlie man (which is blatant misinformation) -it’s actually your burden of evidence.
Best not to feed the trolls….Gilbert the troll is a prime example. Not worth your time. He doesn’t have any evidence, just a lot of spare time to bang away at his keyboard like a trained chimp.
I like how you called it regular food. Lulz. Is the same regular food 50 years ago?
You put manure in other peoples’ gardens? Hopefully not on food they eat. And hopefully with their consent.
They could sue you for improper composting, if they get sick. As many people do, with improperly composted manure used on organic foods.
yeah, it’s a ritual that’s been going on since farming began. You should try it, makes the plants grow you dillweed!
She’s selling books and like Ann Coulter, say anything without research, its all about making $$ without truth.
A single anecdote does not a study make Vani.
Sioux, you’re right; anecdotes are not data.
That’s the difference in thinking between a science illiterate paid to slam foods that are in competition with organic, and someone with scientific credentials.
Fear sells!
Wow, with all the money we “shills” are being paid to discredit poor miss Hari we should all be rich! Oh wait, I’m not… *cue sad trombone*
they are paying you shills to work overtime… have fun selling your pathetic little souls for a few pennies while you sit on your fat asses and eat rBGH bonbons
This article and many others out there a products of a focused campaign to promote the fake food technology movement (like they know better than God)… It was just leaked by a Monsanto employee that they have an entire dept. dedicated to writing crap pieces like this and paying shills to promote biotech and confused the already confused consumer…
Monsanto Employee Admits an Entire Department Exists to “Discredit” Scientists
But no one knows about it
Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/monsanto-employee-admits-an-entire-department-exists-to-discredit-scientists/#ixzz3WfbGwRot
Follow us: @naturalsociety on Twitter | NaturalSociety on Facebook
Can u teach uz teh yoga movz like Christina Sarich?
of course I can because I eat Organic baby!!! NO GMO tumors on this body!!!
You eat babies?
only you and your Luciferian counter parts… everyone knows that stupid
Great article as usual, Kavin and Allison. Thank you.
Do you have Shill Club or something?
Is it you, Food bae?
There are MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY of us Food Babes… You Spin Doctors and your yarn spinning department are DONE… WE WIN… You are so outnumbered you should be crapping out all those toxin chemicals into your pants right now…
I don’t understand. I get paid for hard work for 14 hours and more a day, in the field. If weather and the markets and the crops all cooperate, that is. Feeding you. Who pays you?
Good article pointing out many missing facts and fear-based tactics in the current clean food movement. On the whole, for example, I think the anti-GMO momentum is not based on science, and I think it could hurt crop production in parts of the world where people really rely on increased production due to GMOs just to avoid famine.
However, I do want to say that I did some reading on the lemon/alkaline thing a while ago when a friend starting doing it (because I too was confused, since everyone knows citrus is acidic). Even though lemons are acidic, the theory of this diet is that the metabolized minerals from lemons are what overall increase body PH (alkaline direction), not the lemons as they are at the moment they enter the body. Most fruits and vegetables release alkaline minerals when processed in our digestive tract. There are scientific arguments against the alkaline diet theory (namely, that food can affect your urine PH but not your blood PH due to the body’s regulatory mechanisms), but it’s not actually because the lemon is acidic outside of the metabolic system (at least to my knowledge). http://chriskresser.com/the-ph-myth-part-1
Activist Blogger ‘Foodbabe’ Scores Big Win With Chipotle http://news.yahoo.com/activist-blogger-foodbabe-scores-big-win-chipotle-000910134.html,
‘Food Babe’ wins battle with King of Beers http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6fef0a00-f318-11e3-a3f8-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3WjG2PgH0… This is what a winner look like you loser shills for Satan…
Curious what you think about mutagenesis of organic food. You have any probs with chemical blasting / irradiation of seeds, which effect genes in untold numbers, with unclear results, and which foods are not tested for safety?
If so, please let us know why you have no problem with mutagenesis, but have problems approaching near-hysteria with gmos, affecting just one gene, in processes that have been thoroughly tested.
I would love to see a coherent, logical response from you about organic mutagenesis in comparison with biotechnology / genetically engineered crops.
http://foodbabe.com/response-to-gawker-the-food-babe-blogger-is-full-of-shit/
I’m particularly interested in the sociologic phenomena that has made the Food Babe a celebrity. Pseudoscience has become more and more ‘mainstream’ and fashionable- nurtured in the womb of Western ‘hippie type’ moms, and ubiquitous paranoia about science. It is almost impossible to convince these people because these concepts have become axiomatic in their world view. Dangerous and warped are the Food Babe and her cohorts.
Maybe it’s the massive failure of ur system obvious due to the horrible health of he average American eating ur toxic crap. Ummmm DUH!!!!
I believe it’s a self-esteem issue. Thinking they know more than those “evil scientists” makes a person feel smarter. There’s also that “trendy” aspect. Hari is the flavor du jour. She’ll soon fade into obscurity when her advice is proven to be useless by her own followers.
Great article. More and more people are lining up to put her in her place. Lemon juice is alkaline? Just wow!
Also, next to last paragraph there’s a typo. I think you meant to say “her” and not “he” in that first sentence.
Food Babe plays into people’s fears and ignorance by promoting the four horsemen of the conspiracy apocalypse:
1. Everything you think you know is wrong
2. Here are the bad people who are hiding the truth from you (Food Industry, Big Pharma, the NIH, the CDC, all Doctors, etc.)
3. Here is the REAL TRUTH
4. Here is what you need to do next to help your self (buy my books, seminars, supplements, etc. – and SPREAD THE WORD!)
Food Babe is not even conversant on the basics of human physiology and nutrition. How sad for her followers, who end up wasting time and money in pursuit of another health unicorn.
As was so eloquently said:
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
– Isaac Asimov
Funny how u idiots ignore ur own history of all mannor of toxic chemicals dumped on the public that only after overwhelming evidnece was anything changed. U idiots killed my grandfather with aesbestos. Lead, PCBs, Dioxin. U repeat ur mistakes over and over madly pretending that ‘science’ has anything to do with the profits of ur chemical companies. U rely on cronyism to interject ur toxic wares like rBGH. Margaret Meade worked for Monsanto and wrote up the rBGH FDA approval forms then went to work at the FDA to approve the very forms she herself wrote! Now puss infected crap mass produced milk full of hormones are being fed to little kids in their school lunches across the country while 9 year old grow breasts and hit puberty. U think u can control the debate by sucking someone into ur bullshit by attacking a straw man. GMOs may be perfectly fine so u attack anyone who believes in natural raised plants and organic. U claim that supporting an idea supports the label. Yes I’m against both organic AND conventional pesticides. Just cause it’s found in nature doesn’t mean there are no negative repercussions. That has nothing to do with plants raised the way nature would grow the same plant. U idiots ignore the fat Americans Uve murdered early and condemned to disease and lower quality of life all so u can make a profit. Ur a fake cardboard scientists ur not a real scientist. Heck u even ignore ur own basic scoence such as soil science and microorganism health. U ignore biochemical individuality which is literally the baby of modern genetics. How can u get a valid nutrtrional study when u miss the most important control variable, the metabolism of the test subjects. How about using genetically similar clines during nutritional studies? U morons!!!! That’s not even part of ur basic thought process. That’s like a mathematician screwing up basic arithmetic in their complex equation. Ur a mass failure on every logical level. Ur so transparent and pathetic ur going to be the laughing stock of future generations. Ur NOT anything close to a scientist. Ur a corporate whore lifting ur heals high overhead while the powerful molest ur spirit for profit. Pathetic!!!
A guy who accuse me of being old enough to kill his grandfather, Then accuses others of being a “corporate whore” Then hits the like button on his own comment fails to convince me he knows he is talking about.
http://chriskresser.com What a real scientist looks like. U guys? Ur sociologically and ego driven pathetic shallow thinkers with no authentic thought.
But you have to hand it to her, she’s right about azodicarbonamide. Who wants to eat that? Thanks to her for bringing attention to it.
Do you want to eat semicarbazide, a known carcinogen, when you think you’re eating “bread”?
Ye, Jing, et al. “Assessment of the determination of azodicarbonamide and its decomposition product semicarbazide: investigation of variation in flour and flour products.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 59.17 (2011): 9313-9318.
Maybe she’s right about a few other things. Why the witch hunt and burning at the stake?
The children of Immigrants from India aren’t likely to be allowed to snub their noses at the food prepared for them at home.
So let’s see, the very scientist who “challenged” Food Babe, also wrote this article? Gee, nothing like a little self-promotion, eh? Nonetheless, should I believe the authors of this article or look at the actions of the E.U., the U.K., Australia, and the World Health Organization when it comes to azodicarbonamide? I don’t need to be a scientist to understand that food additives aren’t a good thing.