Environmental Working Group, or EWG, is a company that works to fight against
harmful toxins and additives in our produce and products. They provide a wide range of
information on toxic ingredients and their known effects and links to cancer, nervous system
dysfunctions and more! We are lucky to have agencies like EWG working and advocating for
clean, healthy products. But you can do so much too! You can become aware and informed of
some of these ingredients to look out for when making purchase decisions at the grocery store.
You can also download their app which allows you to scan the barcode of any item while you’re
shopping to check for harmful ingredients and toxins! You can also look up brands and certain
products right on the app to read more about them.
To go over a few different categories of toxins, we’ll start with chemicals. The term
chemical is typically used to refer to a substance that has some sort of health harm. Bisphenol A,
we know it as BPA, is a chemical compound primarily used in the manufacturing of various
plastics. BPA is an endocrine disruptor. Meaning it is a reproductive, developmental, and
systemic toxicant. Some of the risk factors from BPA absorption into the body can result in the
development of metabolic disorders such as low sex-specific neurodevelopment, immune
toxicity, neurotoxicity and interference of cellular pathways. PFAS are another harmful chemical
found in nonstick pans, waterproof jackets and more. These toxins cause harm to the immune
system and the developing fetus. They also contribute to an increased risk of cancer. All of these
chemicals are also found in food packaging!
If you want to learn more about harmful chemicals in our produce and our products and
how you can make the best choices to keep yourself and your families healthy and safe, check
out EWG for more information. I have included a pdf from them that shows a brief list of
food additives to look out for that are linked to cancer, nervous system harm and immune system
harm.