by Mike Critelli,
We've talked about why we should pay attention to the harmful effects of additives and preservatives. But what exactly makes them so dangerous? And if they're truly harmful, why isn't our government protecting us?
The Addiction Problem
Additives and preservatives are harmful because they work together to flood our bodies with chemicals that hijack our natural systems. Food companies — from manufacturers to restaurants to convenience stores — have one goal: get us to buy and consume more of their products.
The most powerful weapons in their arsenal are three simple additives: sugar, sodium, and fat. These ingredients trigger our brains to release dopamine, the same neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward that makes drugs and gambling addictive.
When foods combine all three — sugar, salt, and fat — they create a hyper-stimulating effect on the brain. Over time, our brains become conditioned to crave these foods. We literally become addicted.
The One-Two Punch
This addiction is just the first hit in a combination that knocks out our health. As we overeat these sugary, salty foods, we gain weight and eventually become obese. But that's not all.
Along with these addictive ingredients come dozens of other chemicals designed to extend shelf life or make foods look and feel more appealing. When we're hooked on the sugar-salt-fat combination, we consume far more of these additional chemicals than our bodies can handle.
Proof That It's Intentional
Food companies know exactly what they're doing. When governments have forced reductions in sugar or sodium content, consumers haven't added back even close to what was removed. People are perfectly satisfied with less — they just weren't given the choice.
I saw this firsthand working at a bakery in high school. My coworker was filling eclairs with lemon custard when the owner told him: "Don't put too much filling in. We can save money. No one will notice if you reduce it." He was right — no one noticed.
The Scale of the Problem
The USDA recommends 2,000-3,000 calories per day for men and 1,400-2,400 for women, depending on activity level. Yet with nearly half our population obese and more than half overweight, most Americans are clearly eating far more than they need.
Walk into any cafe or restaurant today and look at the portion sizes of baked goods — cookies, cakes, muffins, donuts. With few exceptions, they're supersized. The USDA says sugar should be no more than 10% of daily calories. Just one of these treats blows past that limit entirely.
Why Isn't the FDA Protecting Us?
The FDA's mission is to protect us from harmful foods, so why do they allow these chemicals? Beyond potential industry influence, there are three fundamental problems with how the FDA operates:
Testing in isolation: Most safety testing examines single additives, not combinations. But we don't eat individual chemicals — we eat complex combinations that may interact in harmful ways.
Short-term studies: Long-term, low-dose exposure to multiple additives is extremely difficult to study in humans. Regulatory limits don't account for cumulative or synergistic effects over decades.
Flawed assumptions: The FDA bases safety limits on "average daily consumption." But the whole point of addictive additives is to make people consume far more than average. Remember Lay's slogan: "Betcha can't eat just one." Or Pringles: "Once you pop, the fun don't stop." These companies weren't hiding the addictive nature of their products — they were celebrating it.
The Real Daily Consumption
When you combine addictive design with impulse purchasing, actual consumption shoots far above the FDA's assumptions. Their safety calculations become meaningless.
What's Next
Our health-based browser product aims to not only educate consumers about these issues but provide practical strategies for navigating the tsunami of unhealthy foods and beverages we face every day.
In our next post, we'll discuss the specific strategies we're developing to help users regain control of their diet and health — and finally turn the tide against food addiction.