Articles by Sarah Reinhardt, MPH, RDN
Dirty Dozen™ food chemicals: Propyl gallate
EWG’s recommendation Avoid or limit foods containing propyl gallate. Propyl gallate is a preservative that has been linked to oxidative stress, which is when reactive molecules build up and damage...
Dirty Dozen™ food chemicals: BHT
EWG’s recommendation Avoid or limit foods containing BHT. BHT has not been formally classified as a carcinogen, but studies have linked it to tumor promotion in animals. BHT and its breakdown products...
What’s the difference between processed and ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed foods. Highly processed foods. Processed foods. All terms we’re hearing more often as research continues to link ultra-processed food, or UPF, to diseases like cancer, depression and...
Why factory farms are a major threat to food safety
Every week, federal investigators track between 17 and 36 foodborne illness outbreaks that can cause extreme sickness and even death. Industrial livestock farming, also known as factory farming, is a...
Dirty Dozen™ food chemicals: BHA
EWG’s recommendation Avoid or limit foods containing BHA. BHA has been classified as a possible carcinogen , or cancer-causing chemical. Studies have shown BHA to produce oxidative stress, which...
New research: It’s time to treat ultra-processed foods like tobacco
A special health journal issue on ultra-processed food, or UPF, calls for bold policy action to address the growing public health crisis – and that efforts focused solely on personal responsibility...
What to know about new ‘non-UPF’ certification labels
California is advancing a bill to help shoppers identify alternatives to ultraprocessed foods , or UPF, at the grocery store. If enacted, it would create a first-ever government-run and state...
3 ways the House farm bill threatens your health
The farm bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation most of us have never heard of – and Congress is negotiating it right now. This sweeping bill affects everyone, even those who have...
Protein is everywhere – it probably isn't making us healthier
Protein used to be the domain of bodybuilders and fitness fanatics. Now it’s everywhere: high-protein claims on Doritos chips , Dunkin’ Donuts lattes , breakfast toaster pastries and even pints of ice...
Food industry claims state chemical laws will spike grocery bills, but that doesn’t add up
In a page straight out of the industry playbook, a powerful group of U.S. food companies has funded a “study” claiming consumers will pay more if harmful chemicals are labeled or banned.
Your favorite brands might be in the fight against stricter food safety laws
More than a dozen states have enacted laws to protect consumers from harmful food chemicals and ultra-processed foods. Your favorite food brands may be tied up in efforts to erase them. A draft bill...
Dirty Dozen™ food chemicals: TBHQ
Avoid or limit foods containing the preservative TBHQ. Some animal studies have associated TBHQ with immune dysfunction, including potentially impairing the body’s ability to regulate inflammation and...
6 real policies to help people eat real food
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. kicked off the “Eat Real Food” campaign last month, promising a series of food and nutrition policy changes to “Make America Healthy Again.”...
How to speed-read a nutrition label in three steps (or less)
Sometimes food labels are so complex it feels like you need a degree in food science to go grocery shopping – especially if you’re trying to eat less ultra-processed food , or UPF. Typically made in...
Nearly three-quarters of U.S. baby foods are ultra-processed, new study finds
Most baby food sold in U.S. grocery stores is ultra-processed, a new study finds, raising fresh concerns about what many infants and toddlers are eating during a critical window of development. The...
New research further highlights the harms of ultra-processed food
Four new research papers are calling attention to the rising health risks of ultra-processed foods , or UPF. Together they paint a picture of a food landscape flooded with UPF, flagging an urgent need...
