Free US Shipping for orders $49+
Fast food

[NEWS]: Shocking Results of 8th Graders’ Experiment with Fast Food

What happens when two eighth grade girls and 2 ½ year old cheeseburgers and fries meet at a science fair? The young ladies come in first place after demonstrating the meals’ unchanged appearance, proving fast food contains too many preservatives.

In October of 2014, Catherine Goffard and Ava Van Straten, who entered the Notre Dame Academy Science Fair in Wisconsin, stored several fast food cheeseburgers and fries in open jars at room temperature. Two and a half years later, the results showed that slight molding only occurred in one cheeseburger, whereas the rest of the food had no bacteria growth. They young ladies compared the fast food meal to a healthier cheeseburger and fry meal that was prepared using local products. After letting the healthier meal sit for one week, it was found to be entirely covered in mold.

There was a reason why the girls were interested in this food experiment that exposed how preservatives can affect foods. “We want them to know what’s in these burgers that causes them to not mold, and how they’re unhealthy to eat,” said Ava.

Catherine added, “It makes you kind of think, like, ‘What am I actually eating?’ because there are so many other things that are not included in their ingredients list that are definitely dangerous for you.”

Fast food | Gundry MD

Over the last decade, lots of stories have been written about the after lives of fast food meals. Here’s a breakdown of some of the preservatives that can be found in the very popular fast food meal of burger and fries:

TBHQ

French fries can sometimes keep their crispy look because of TBHQ, which is a simpler way of referring to tertiary butylhydroquinone. TBHQ is a petroleum-based substance used to stop fats and oils from oxidizing, but TBHQ is also used in butane lighters, lacquer and varnish. Children are more prone to experience nausea, vomiting and tinnitus, or hearing loss, when exposed to this substance.

Calcium Sulfate

Hamburger buns stay mold-free thanks to ingredients like calcium sulfate. It is usually listed among most fast food restaurants’ nutritional data information, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a questionable ingredient to include in a food product. This crystalline powder is white, odorless and more commonly used for vehicles, plastics, metal and pesticides.

Additives

Many hamburgers contain as little as 2 percent meat and instead contain ingredients normally found in hamburgers like blood vessels, nerves, plant material, cartilage and bone. These beef patties are also high in fat and cooked at high heat, which helps it to lose moisture, thus helping to give it a longer shelf life. Sometimes, a wide variety of additives are used to preserve and texturize the meat, like sodium phosphate and nitrates. Sodium phosphate is considered generally safe but it can disrupt how your body absorbs iron, calcium and magnesium and is not recommended for people with kidney problems. Eating too many nitrates has been linked to a variety of cancers including colorectal and stomach cancers.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Deals and offers
Make Gundry MD a part of your health and wellness lifestyle

Gut Health Starter Kit

Three of our bestselling gut-supporting Gundry MD formulas join together to create this digestion-boosting bundle.

Available for My Health Account members only!

Save Sticker

Save immediately with your free My Health account

Exclusive discounts, early access, free US shipping, Subscribe & Save!​
Your Health magazine

Subscribe to Your Health magazine

Lectin-free recipes, health tips & tricks, and magazine-only discount codes!
Calendar Sticker

Save time & money with subscriptions

Choose items, choose frequency, enjoy savings!​

You may also like

Some of our other customers liked these articles as well

Our most popular products

Advanced Serum To Address Stubborn Discoloration

Retail Price $120.00

Member Price $49.00

The Premier Gundry MD Prebiotic Blend

Retail Price $79.00

Member Price $49.99

The Perfect Daily Pick-Me-Up

Retail Price $69.95

Member Price $49.95

Most Popular Gundry MD Articles

5 Ways to Remove Lectins From Your Favorite Foods

Dr. Gundry Diet Food List: A Comprehensive Lectin-free Diet Plan

Is Wheatgrass Really Good For You?

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome and What Does It Mean for the Digestive Tract?

What To Eat When You’re Starting A Lectin-free Diet

A Comprehensive List of “Deadly” Nightshades

How to Reduce Histamine in the Body

Dr. Gundry’s The Longevity Paradox (3 Longevity Myths Revealed)

Oat Products All Test Positive for Glyphosate

The Benefits of Taking Biotin Supplements (it’s known as a beauty booster!)

The Ultimate High-Fiber Produce Shopping List (recipes included)

Charity Water
Health is a Human Right
Gundry MD is a proud sponsor of charity: water, a charity providing safe, clean drinking water to people in developing countries.
Join the Text Club​
Sign up for exclusive access to major sales (up to 70% off), product releases & insider tips.

By texting GUNDRY to 51246, you agree to receive recurring automated promotional and personalized marketing text messages (e.g. cart reminders) from Gundry MD at the cell number used when signing up. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. Msg frequency varies. Msg and data rates may apply. View Terms & Privacy.

Or text GUNDRY to 51246

Save with a free My Health Account!

Updated Privacy Policy

We've revised our Privacy Policy pursuant to GDPR.
Please take a moment to review.

Search

Gut Health Starter Kit

Three of our bestselling gut-supporting Gundry MD formulas join together to create this digestion-boosting bundle.

Available for My Health Account members only!

Log in to Your Account

Get immediate deals on everything in our store and access to even lower prices with Subscribe & Save!

Don’t have an account?