Do Pop-Tarts cause cancer?
Do you ever wonder what’s actually in the food that you eat? Sure, all food labels have a long list of ingredients but do they tell the whole story?
Are some of these ingredients interfering with your health? It is important to protect public health and provide all of the information people need to make informed decisions.
Processed foods such as Pop Tarts – those infamous rectangular shaped treats beloved by children and adults alike, are loaded with artificial dyes and preservatives that are petroleum based.
Why are petroleum-based food additives frowned upon by our bodies? Here’s 5 reasons-
5 health implications of petroleum-based artificial food colors
1. Petroleum-based artificial colors have been linked to increased risk of cancer in some studies.
2. Studies have shown that these dyes can cause allergic reactions such as hives, asthma, and dermatitis.
3. Exposure to petroleum-based artificial colors may disrupt hormone levels leading to growth, development and metabolic problems.
4. They may also lead to organ damage and neurological issues in those with existing kidney or liver conditions.
5. Finally, they are thought to contribute to behavioral changes such as hyperactivity, ADHD-like symptoms, impairment of cognitive and motor skills. Detoxing is essential if you fear you or your child has been ingesting an abundance of chemicals from processed foods.
Public health agencies do little to warn people about the implications of eating such food products. Instead, they approve the use of these chemicals in our food, which have been shown to
lead to cellular dysfunction.
Our public schools serve pop-tarts to our growing children for breakfast
Are most parents aware of what their child’s school is feeding them? Pop Tarts are bought by the truckload by our schoolboards for breakfast programs.
Surely, they know the adverse effects of the food chemicals found in a product like Pop-Tarts? Yet they are still purchased with taxpayer funds and fed to our children.
Nutritional quality is not the driving force of decisions made for our kids in school, there are many other reasons why cheap, unhealthy food is allowed to be served in our schools, but discussion on that is for another article.
Do not trust others to feed your children well
What have public officials done to earn your trust lately? It may be time to stop trusting public health officials with the health of your child and pack their meals yourself if possible. Like they say, nothing is ever really “free.” In this case, unhealthy food is costing your health.
If you want to venture into using non-toxic, exciting food colorings in your smoothies and breakfast items, an amazing one to start with is blue spirulina.
Overview of Pop-Tarts and their ingredients
Pop-Tarts, a popular quick snack enjoyed by millions every day, can be deceptive as to their true contents. What else is hiding behind the colorful foil package? Are these seemingly harmless threats making people sick or even causing cancer?
Not only does this processed food lack any real nutritional value, but many of its additives have unrefined origin stories that are far removed from anything natural or whole-foods-based.
It pays to take a deeper look at what exactly you are consuming when you reach for these quick treats as opposed to healthier options like fresh fruit and vegetables.
What is processed food, and why are Pop-Tarts classified as such?
Processed food is essentially synthetic, industrialized pieces of cuisine that don’t quite fit the bill as real, edible fare.
Popular items like Pop Tarts are considered processed foods due to their lack of nutrition and reliance on artificial ingredients.
Pop Tarts, which consist mostly of sugar and hydrogenated oils, along with any other product made in a factory quickly and cheaply, are considered to be undesirable when compared to naturally occurring edibles.
Not only do they often contain neither vitamins nor minerals, but studies have found that they can lead to obesity and diabetes if consumed regularly. While these products can be a sweet treat every now and then, it’s best not to make them a regular presence in your diet.
Analyzing the (non) nutritional profile of Pop Tarts
Pop Tarts are often thought of as a convenient breakfast food, but have you ever taken the time to analyze their nutritional profile?
Highly processed and containing lots of preservatives, these snacks might be appealing in terms of flavor and texture, but they lack all nutritional value.
In fact, by taking a closer look at their ingredients, it becomes apparent that these treats don’t have any redeeming qualities when it comes to health and nutrition.
The popularity of such products points to the need for educational campaigns that educate people on how to make better food choices. Detoxing your body helps you to not crave unhealthy food, and that is why it is important to detox your body on a regular basis.
A look at the carcinogenic substances found in processed foods like Pop-Tarts
It may come as a surprise, but some of the most beloved processed snacks and meals contain carcinogenic substances that are known to be devastating to our health.
Pop-Tarts, for example, are laden with:
- Preservatives
- Stabilizers
- corn syrup solids
All of these food additives have been linked to cancer.
Furthermore, the dyes used in both the filling and the pastry have been found to impair neurological and metabolic development in children.
While these treats may feel comforting and taste great, they are loaded with questionable ingredients that could potentially or eventually lead to disease down the road.
Ingredients in Strawberry Kellogg’s Pop Tarts
Enriched Flour
(Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid): This ingredient provides essential nutrients for healthy bones and organs, but is very low in the quality supplement used in cheap “food.”
Partially hydrogenated Soybean Oil and/or Cottonseed Oil
These oils contain unhealthy trans fats which can increase cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. These oils are also full of pesticides that pose as further health hazards to the body.
Sugar
Eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain and many other health issues.
Dextrose
A naturally occurring simple sugar that provides a sweet taste but is not nutritionally beneficial. This is one of the food additives that contributes to the unnatural frosted strawberry flavor.
Corn Syrup
Contains large amounts of fructose, which may lead to obesity when consumed in excess. Corn syrup that is not organic is genetically modified.
GMO foods
GMOs lead to health problems like gastrointestinal issues, allergies, toxins entering the body, an increased risk of cancer, and changes in hormones.
Additionally, consuming GMO foods may lead to a decrease in nutrient content and an increase in pesticides and chemical residues that can have long-term health implications.
Iodized Salt
Eating too much salt, especially iodized table salt, has been linked to elevated blood pressure and increases your risk for stroke and heart disease.
Red 40
Red 40 is an artificial, petroleum-based food coloring. There’s many natural ingredients to color your food in fun ways. There’s no need to poison yourself slowly ingesting this stuff. Take a look at what artificial colors can do to your body:
- Studies have linked Red 40 food coloring to an increased risk of cancer in animals.
- It has been shown that exposure to this food dye can lead to hyperactivity and ADHD-like symptoms in children.
- Red 40 has been linked to allergic reactions such as hives, asthma, and dermatitis.
- In animal studies, exposure to the dye has caused changes in hormone levels, which can affect growth, development, and metabolism.
- There is also concern that it may cause certain types of organ damage, especially for those with existing kidney or liver problems.
Food 52 shows you how to make all sorts of exciting all-natural food colorings so you can ditch the petroleum-based ones!
High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Similar to corn syrup, HFCS is a concentrated source of fructose and GMO exposure and may lead to obesity. HFCS may also cause cancer and gastrointestinal complications when consumed in excess.
Popular opinion on the potential risks associated with eating Pop Tarts
Eating Pop-Tarts may be convenient, but many are skeptical of their potential risks due to their lack of nutrition.
While a single serving can provide a quick and easy snack, there needs to be an awareness that numerous processed ingredients make up the surprise inside.
The deep dive into these sugary, artificial components does not inspire much confidence in terms of safety and long-term health concerns. Consequently, many people have popularly expressed their hesitance about consuming Pop-Tarts frequently.
So, do Pop-Tarts cause cancer?
Quite possibly. They certainly are not helping to protect you from cancer. The further away from a food’s natural state, like with any processed food, the more chance a food will have something in it that is not ideal for your health.
This is usually to keep the food shelf stable or to prevent it from rotting for the benefit of someone trying to make a profit, not for the benefit of your health.
How to make healthier choices when it comes to snacks
When it comes to snacking, many people don’t consider the health effects of their selections. While it can be convenient in the moment to grab processed food like Pop Tarts or chips, these snacks are often filled with unhealthy ingredients and lack any sort of nutrition. Pick a healthy snack like a honey stick!
A good thing to keep in mind is if the food does not rot or become moldy after a reasonable amount of time, then it is highly processed with a heavy load of preservatives, and it should be avoided.
To make healthier choices when snacking, try looking at ingredient lists and considering alternatives.
You can usually find snacks that have fewer artificial or processed ingredients, or switch up what you eat by adding healthy options such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
With a bit of creativity and effort, there are ample ways to stay on track with healthy eating goals while still satisfying your snack cravings!
Concluding thoughts regarding if Pop-Tarts cause cancer
To conclude, Pop-Tarts and other processed foods can be tempting treats with their bright colors and many different flavors, but it is important to consider what is really in these treats.
There is little nutritional value in Pop-Tarts and snacks like them, and we should remember that when making food choices.
Since cancer is often a result of deficiency of nutrients and toxicity, Pop-Tarts has these two bases covered!
Although the evidence on carcinogens or any long-term health impacts of eating Pop-Tarts is inconclusive, one should still take appropriate measures as prevention is always better than a cure.
Eating wholesome meals, reducing and ultimately eliminating processed food intake, and making mindful snack choices are simple steps that can make all the difference in living a healthy and balanced life.
More from thewellthieone.com
The links used on thewellthieone.com are affiliate links, which may provide a small commission. This does not increase the price of the goods for the consumer whatsoever. What it does is ensure that useful content like this can continue to be produced. Thank-you for enjoying our content and allowing us to continue to provide more.
