3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD STOP EATING PEANUT BUTTER CUPS!
Ingredients In Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients include: Milk chocolate, (milk, chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, no fat milk, milk fat, lactose, soy lecithin, PGPR), peanuts, sugar dextrose, salt, TBGQ and citric acid.
The most questionable ingredients are:
- Soy Lecithin
Research has shown that as much as 93% of soy is genetically modified. Soy lecithin has been found to have detrimental effects on fertility and reproduction. It can cause behavioral and cerebral abnormalities. It has also been linked to breast cancer.
- PGPR
PGPR is short for polyglycerol polyricinoleate. The manufacturer of this popular candy replaced cocoa butter with PGPR to lower the cost of production. PGPR comes from castor beans and it’s used to reduce the viscosity of chocolate. It has been connected to gastrointestinal problems and allergic reactions in children.
- TBHQ
TBHQ stands for tertiary butylhdroquinone. It’s derived from petroleum and can be extremely toxic. Side effects of ingesting TBHQ include nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium and collapse. Research has shown that TBHQ can damage the lungs and umbilical cells in humans. It can also cause stomach cancer. Children who are exposed to this chemical may show anxiety, restlessness and intensified ADHD symptoms.
“3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD STOP EATING PEANUT BUTTER CUPS!” David Wolfe, David Wolfe, 25 Mar. 2017, https://www.davidwolfe.com/3-reasons-stop-eating-peanut-butter-cups/.
Analysis:
First of all, the article does not have any author mentioned, which is always worrisome, because you cannot check his/her credibility and record. Second, the headline is intended to cause fear and shock, which might suggest it is not true.
When searching for „soy lecithin safe“ on Google, numerous articles prove its safety. However, they also mention its risk and possible side effects, which can become evident, especially after taking a higher dose. While consuming ordinary food products in a usual quantity, such amount could never be consumed in one day. Also, the article mentions that soy lecithin is often extracted from GMO soya, which might pose several risks, according to some studies, whose results are yet to be tested. It can be avoided, though, by using organic soy lecithin. More info HERE and HERE.
Again – by searching for „PGPR safety“ on Google, numerous articles appear. The FoodAdditives.com article confirms that PGPR is declared safe by all known food standards agencies in quantities that are common with food products. More info HERE and HERE.
All articles,that appear after searching for „TBHQ safety“ on Google, say that TBHQ is approved for use by the FDA at normal levels. They warn about its potential risks, especially for those who consume more TBHQ products than recommended as it has not been proven to be fully safe above normal levels. Still, in usual intake levels, it is fully safe to consume. More info HERE, HERE and HERE.
About the source:
David Wolfe is a website which deals with a healthy lifestyle. However, it uses misinterpretation and lies to motivate its readers to switch to a „healthy and organic“ diet. Their potential goal might be to sell products on their e-shop. Its author, David Wolfe, is known as a conspiracy theorist, who promotes raw foodism, alternative medicine, and anti-vaccine sentiment. He is popular on social media, which is why the discussed article, in particular, got more than 200,000 shares on Facebook.
