Chick-fil-A has been getting a lot of bad press lately. Unfortunately, the equality issues are not the only reason to boycott this and other fast food companies. Although most fast food restaurants now tout having healthy foods on their menus, the reality is that the majority of what they offer is filled with high fat, preservative-filled foods. If you are committed to making healthy lifestyle choices, Chick-fil-A provides you with plenty of reasons to avoid them without adding their stance on equality to the mix.
Chemicals and Preservatives
If you look at the ingredient labels for the standard Chick-fil-A traditional chicken sandwich, you might be appalled and amazed. One of the ingredients listed twice is TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone), which is derived from butane, which is a very toxic gas. It is listed twice because it is present in the ingredients for the chicken filet and the bun. TBHQ is a highly toxic ingredient that has been linked to asthma, allergies, dizziness, stomach cancer and ADHD in children.
MSG is another ingredient that is found in Chick-fil-A sandwiches. Most fast food companies, including McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King, use MSG as a preservative on almost all of their menu items, particularly chicken nuggets and filet sandwiches. MSG is an excitotoxin chemical. This means that it excites brain cells at abnormal levels. MSG has been associated with vomiting, migraine headaches, nausea, skin irritation, asthma, heart palpitations, depression and seizures.
Accumulated levels of body toxins are now attributed to eating large amounts of processed foods. Illnesses such as diabetes, immune system disorders and Parkinson’s have been linked to consuming chemicals found in fast food. The best approach is to avoid consuming them in the first place, eating a diet high in organic whole fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grain products.
MGS and TBHQ are just two of the eighteen chemicals and preservatives found in Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches and food products. Here is the list of Ingredients for their Chick-fil-A Classic Sandwich, which consists just of bread, chicken and pickles right?
Source:Â Chick-Fil-A.com
Chicken (100% natural whole breast filet, seasoning [salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika], seasoned coater [enriched bleached flour {bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid}, sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening {baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate}, spice, soybean oil, color {paprika}], milk wash [water, whole powdered egg and nonfat milk solids], peanut oil [fully refined peanut oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness and dimethylpolysiloxane an anti-foaming agent added]), bun (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, folic acid], water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, contains 2% or less of each of the following: liquid yeast, soybean oil, nonfat milk, salt, wheat gluten, soy flour, dough conditioners [may contain one or more of the following: mono- and diglycerides, calcium and sodium stearoyl lactylates, calcium peroxide], soy flour, amylase, yeast nutrients [monocalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate], calcium propionate added to retard spoilage, soy lecithin, cornstarch, butter oil [soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavor, TBHQ and citric acid added as preservatives, and artificial color]), pickle (cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, lactic acid, calcium chloride, alum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate [preservatives], natural flavors, polysorbate 80, yellow 5, blue 1).
With an ingredient list like that, it’s amazing there wasn’t an outcry before their public announcement on inequality.
All fast food outlets utilize chemicals and preservatives to make their foods taste appealing. However, cheap food is just that, cheap food. It is high in fat and chemicals that are unhealthy and toxic for your family. There is a positive spin, though, on Chick-fil-A’s recent press, it is bringing attention to unhealthy eating, obesity and disease-causing foods.
If you are looking for something fresh, easy and fast, try giving your child an apple or a handful of grapes as a fast snack. Organic peanut butter and celery is much better than chicken nuggets. Chick-fil-A’s current inequality issues are many, but they are not limited to socially charged issues.
– The Alternative Daily
