YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK TWICE ON PUTTING M&MS ON YOU SHOPPING BASKET AFTER READING THIS
Chocolate has been a part of our lives. We love the smooth, sweet and creamy taste we get from eating them. Because of this, a lot of companies produce different kind of chocolates that we can indulge in and enjoy. They come in different flavors, sizes, shapes, packaging, and even color. But are chocolates created equal when it comes to health issues?
Not all chocolates are healthy. Some have too much sugar, some even have caffeine, and others contain excessive calories and body fats. Aside from these, there are more health risks seen by experts in some chocolate products like the famous M&Ms. These colorful and fun chocolates are going through health issues that most people are not aware of.
There were a lot of clamors and protests against the production of M&Ms because of the different health risks it may bring to the consumers. The issue on health risks of M&Ms date back in 1976, when Red candies were removed from the production because to consumers’ health concerns of suspected carcinogen found in dye FD&C Red #2 in 1986 red candies were reintroduced and Mars, inc. has continued to receive petitions about removing the artificial colors.
These are the health problems we can get from the ingredients of M&Ms:
Soy lecithin: 93% of soy used in M&M chocolates is genetically modified. This can cause breast cancer, has negative effects on fertility and reproduction, may lead to behavioral and cerebral abnormalities.
Lake: If you can notice, there is a word “Lake” included in the colors used for the artificial color coatings of the M&Ms chocolate.
This means salt was added to the color. This makes the color insoluble in liquids. Thus having the slogan, “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”
According to researches and studies related to the incidents raised by people severely affected by the synthetic colors, here are the bad effects. You might want to recall if you have experienced some of these when you consumed a number of M&Ms.
Blue #1: this was lab-tested using rats. This chemical was discovered to be producing malignant tumors at the site of injection and by ingestion in the rats used. Asthma, hives, hay fever, low blood pressure, allergic reactions are the possible effects. If you are aspirin sensitive, you should not be taking aspirin when trying to attend to these health problems.
Red #40: This causes hyperactivity in children. It can also cause swelling around the mouth and hives may appear. What’s worse about this chemical is that it can damage the DNA, and can even cause forms of cancer, as it had been banned before.
Yellow #6: This can cause allergic reactions, nettle rash, and swelling of the skin. The victim may also suffer from diarrhea, vomiting and migraines. Similar to the Red #40, it can also cause cancer.
Yellow #5: this can cause allergic reactions, hyperactivity, and of course, cancer.
Blue #2: Is a petroleum based product. It increases hyperactivity in children. It was found to have increased brain tumors in lab rats. Other abnormal cell developments were also seen.
Gum Acacia: It is a dietary fiber from the Acacia tree. It causes gas pain, bloating, nausea and loose stool.
Despite of all these lab tests and proven bad effects of M&Ms, the Mars Company still continue in using these ingredients because of FDA’s assurance that these chemicals are safe for human consumption. Another factor why this product is still in the market is that people are still patronizing them. They are not fully aware of the dangers that they may be putting themselves in. Support from authorities is very important and needed in letting the people know what products they should be avoiding.
As a responsible and concerned consumer, learn to be more vigilant in choosing the products you buy, especially when it comes to food. A consumer can always look at the label and ingredients that were used. It is also best to be updated with health issues.
Remember that the possible victims of these health risky chemicals and ingredients are children who consume much of the chocolates.
If you find these information alarming, you can always turn to other options when it comes to chocolates. There is an ocean of chocolate products to choose from, some of which are even healthier and recommended by experts. Choose something more organic and authentic, like black or dark chocolate rich in antioxidants.
