Our Food Is Full of These 5 Chemicals

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  • Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
  • You can try to eat a clean diet, but it would be very hard to avoid these chemicals. These 5 key chemicals are used to make our food taste the way it’s supposed to taste, look the way we expect it to look, and generally survive the journey to our tables intact. Join Michael Aranda for a dive into food production in this new episode of SciShow!
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    Sources:
    articles.chicag...
    www.fda.gov/Foo...
    www.webmd.com/d...
    cspinet.org/rep...
    cspinet.org/new...
    www.cnn.com/HEA...
    web.archive.org...
    www.livestrong....
    www.britannica....
    www.webmd.com/d...
    www.ncbi.nlm.ni...
    red dye #5
    pubchem.ncbi.nl...
    www.tfl.com/web...
    www.livescience...
    www.ddwcolor.co...
    xanthan gum
    www.accessdata....
    www.fda.gov/ucm...
    www.ift.org/kno...
    www.foodadditiv...
    carrageenan
    www.fao.org/doc...
    citric acid
    kitchenscience....
    recipes.howstuf...
    pubs.acs.org/ce...
    www.efsa.europa...
    www.drugs.com/i...
    foodreference.a...
    www.fgsc.net/as...
    sodium benzoate
    www.fao.org/doc...
    www.fda.gov/Foo...

Комментарии • 1,9 тыс.

  • @geniusmp2001
    @geniusmp2001 9 лет назад +401

    I was expecting an "everything is chemicals!" rant from Hank, but this was good, too.

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +40

      Matthew Prorok Such a rant was probably needed again, considering all the people in this comment section complaining about chemicals in food.

    • @KummFart
      @KummFart 4 года назад

      And every chemical is just forces

    • @Palladiumavoid
      @Palladiumavoid 3 года назад

      @@KummFart ?

    • @devonalfredo2327
      @devonalfredo2327 3 года назад

      i guess im randomly asking but does any of you know of a method to get back into an instagram account?
      I stupidly lost the account password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me.

    • @jordanorion5656
      @jordanorion5656 3 года назад

      @Devon Alfredo instablaster =)

  • @Karreth
    @Karreth 9 лет назад +632

    These long, meaty episodes are really nice.

    • @SusanWojcucki
      @SusanWojcucki 9 лет назад +40

      I agree, but please never use those two words together ;D

    • @devinpohl5532
      @devinpohl5532 9 лет назад

      SubscribeToSyndicate Thank you, internet :D !

    • @Sunhawk7ajj
      @Sunhawk7ajj 9 лет назад +2

      SubscribeToSyndicate Why every not - short, stringy - not my cup of tea. Definitely prefer the long meaty variety ;)

    • @ButtKraken01
      @ButtKraken01 9 лет назад +3

      Karreth I see you like your things long and meaty.

    • @Doomroar
      @Doomroar 9 лет назад +1

      Karreth That's what she said.

  • @affenonkel
    @affenonkel 9 лет назад +38

    I love these food science-centered episodes! Really great that you don't just talk about the US but also include the European side a bit :)

  • @anniedaynoww
    @anniedaynoww 9 лет назад +313

    Please explain why Grape flavor doesn't taste anything like grape

    • @JohnSmith-te4ll
      @JohnSmith-te4ll 9 лет назад +47

      There's an interesting story behind that, which includes a fun tale about a time when Ben and Jerry's made a genuine grape flavored ice cream. I hope they do a video on it.

    • @anniedaynoww
      @anniedaynoww 9 лет назад +31

      as I remember, Formula 50, the vitamin water flavor sponsored by 50 Cent, tasted exactly like grapes. It was and still is my favorite flavor.

    • @culwin
      @culwin 9 лет назад +11

      Andy Castaneda Because it's way cheaper than actual grapes.

    • @anniedaynoww
      @anniedaynoww 9 лет назад +6

      culwin Are you sure about that or are you just saying it because it's how you feel?

    • @culwin
      @culwin 9 лет назад +11

      Andy Castaneda
      I'm sure about it. Extracting flavors from fruit is expensive.

  • @thedesucomplex4365
    @thedesucomplex4365 9 лет назад +37

    Thank you! Another objective approach to a subject that shouldn't be controversial that I can send to people who freak out over hoaxes they hear on Facebook.

  • @k4rg0d00d13
    @k4rg0d00d13 9 лет назад +13

    This may have been by far one of the most informative SciShow videos I've seen so far...and I've watched nearly all of them. Thank you so much for the info!

  • @atree8648
    @atree8648 3 года назад +24

    "Xanthum gum might sound like a bubble gum that you have chewed during algebra class" - these guys are so creative 😂

  • @BobJoeman
    @BobJoeman 9 лет назад +169

    I enjoyed the lack of fear-mongering in this video.

    • @siyacer
      @siyacer 3 года назад +1

      Same

    • @gavenlindsey229
      @gavenlindsey229 2 месяца назад

      Look up carrageenan. Fear mongering or just understanding that they’re poisoning us.

  • @thoperSought
    @thoperSought 9 лет назад +158

    anybody who's worried about bacterial excrement can never drink beer or wine... or even vodka, for that matter.

    • @HappyGardenOfLife
      @HappyGardenOfLife 9 лет назад +7

      ThoperSought Or any other food.

    • @thoperSought
      @thoperSought 9 лет назад +3

      Happy Garden Of Life
      true

    • @thoperSought
      @thoperSought 9 лет назад +2

      *****
      true, but I think people know that. maybe I'm wrong, but I think most people don't realize it about alcohol.

    • @Sara3346
      @Sara3346 9 лет назад +8

      But I thought that most alcohol was produced by Yeast, which are not bacteria, and anyone who thinks that they are, needs to read a basic high school biology textbook.

    • @thoperSought
      @thoperSought 9 лет назад +22

      Sara3346
      _"... thought that most alcohol was produced by Yeast..."_
      yes, that's true.
      _"... which are not bacteria, ..."_
      also true, but pedantic and not really relevant. the point isn't whether yeast are bacteria or not, it's that people feel icky about microbes.
      _"... anyone who thinks that they are, needs to read a basic high school biology textbook."_
      is your goal here to be insulting?

  • @levishu991
    @levishu991 9 лет назад +47

    To quote Hank Green: "Everything is Chemicals!"

    • @mastaw
      @mastaw 4 года назад

      What about noble gases? They aren't usually in any chemical bonds

    • @juluke8385
      @juluke8385 3 года назад

      @@mastaw that's cool... But dangerous
      And very cool
      Maybe -200°c

  • @dkdrock456
    @dkdrock456 9 лет назад +5

    I'm so glad to see you guys finally discussing this topic. Though you skipped over the flavorings and how they are produced as well as how they are labeled, but I hope you return to that sooner than later. Food chemistry is a very important concept for people to understand since it has a direct influence on basically all of our lives. I look forward to seeing much more on this topic.

  • @nexusAa
    @nexusAa 8 лет назад +26

    5 chemicals that are in everything you eat:
    Water
    Glucose
    NaCl

    Done..

  • @sjwimmel
    @sjwimmel 9 лет назад +3

    Great episode! This was one of those things I always wanted to know, but never thought of looking up.

  • @NerologicalAdventure
    @NerologicalAdventure 9 лет назад +1

    Great to see an unbiased view on this topic.

  • @brianpso
    @brianpso 9 лет назад +5

    This gotta be one of the most informative videos I've seen on this matter, thanks for these clarifications!

  • @Mykasan
    @Mykasan 9 лет назад +115

    Now, I need a song about chemicals in food.

    • @ljmastertroll
      @ljmastertroll 9 лет назад +19

      *****
      Petroleum byproducts and seaweed
      Are the chemical additives in our feed
      lalalalalalala...

    • @JoergWessels
      @JoergWessels 9 лет назад +3

      ***** Here you are: open.spotify.com/track/3uA1VtcHJBXKr00Bq5zgnL

    • @philtripe
      @philtripe 9 лет назад +9

      ***** sung to the spongebob theme
      "oh who eats lots of chemicals and blames autism on vaccines?
      ...dumb uneducated idiots..."
      the rest just writes itself

    • @JBoyle-jr9wb
      @JBoyle-jr9wb 9 лет назад +6

      phil tripe "who listens to actors and not scientists"....."dumb uneducated idiots"

    • @jkkolham170
      @jkkolham170 9 лет назад +1

      ***** Anime profile picture? what anime it that?

  • @anacunha7667
    @anacunha7667 9 лет назад +3

    The warm, fuzzy feeling I got in the pit of my stomach while watching this video! Organic chemistry/chemistry is EVERYTHING!

  • @UltravioletNomad
    @UltravioletNomad 9 лет назад +310

    I love how objective this was. Other sources use this subject as click bait and frame it as if food companies have been lying to us about the food they produce. I actually like knowing that most beef and pork are filled with additives. If a burger is barely even meat at all, then that just means It took less livestock to produce it. If you think about it, in order to match our average consumption with 100% all meat, pigs and cows would need to be stacked on over of each other just to have the space to raise and slaughter them, in some farms they already are.

    • @victoriawallace1584
      @victoriawallace1584 9 лет назад +8

      Yes I know what you mean! It's refreshing coming here after the cracked video (not anything against cracked I like a lot of their stuff) which was just kinda scaremongering haha

    • @DrSystemAddict
      @DrSystemAddict 9 лет назад +16

      ***** I couldn't agree more. They kind of let you come and leave with your own biases intact without making you pressured into taking their own. It's actually a really delightful learning experience which i'm sure a lot of educated biased people like myself really appreciate. I love this channel.

    • @seigeengine
      @seigeengine 9 лет назад +1

      ***** Tone down the nutjob, kthx.

    • @SleeveBlade
      @SleeveBlade 9 лет назад

      ***** "Other sources use this subject as click bait ". Many a SciShow video is clickbait though. Just look at the title "5 things you didn't know were in your food", is just as bad as "10 tips on choosing bikini tops", "7.5 ways to get rich quickly", "be the best at COD in 3 minutes". Clickbait will be clickbait, even if the video is good.

    • @cyberizedfuture1657
      @cyberizedfuture1657 9 лет назад +10

      ***** Well I suppose that would depend on your definition "click bait". Generally I wouldn't consider the title alone to be a form of click bait, provided it was actually relevant to the subject (as in, a title deliberately worded to spark interest in the video, would NOT be click bait imo, but one that was say, trivially related or notably exaggerated would be). The reason I wouldn't consider any those examples you stated as click bait as they merely intend to spark interest, which I wouldn't consider a bad thing. If I saw "10 tips on choosing bikini tops", and the video did exactly that then I see no reason to call it click bait. But of course this is like I said, a matter of opinion.

  • @vladoportos
    @vladoportos 9 лет назад +1003

    Maybe its me but "Generally Recognized As Safe" doesn't sound that safe :D

    • @InorganicVegan
      @InorganicVegan 9 лет назад +74

      ***** Semantics.

    • @vladoportos
      @vladoportos 9 лет назад +1

      +Inorganic Vegan probably true

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +192

      ***** Science doesn't deal in absolutes. So, it's not going to be labeled as "Safe", because if you eat a whole bunch of anything, it'll harm you.

    • @spencer1880
      @spencer1880 9 лет назад +81

      ***** What would you like them to say instead? In large quantities, drinking water can kill you. We're living in a time where we can generally expect to live to be 70-80 and to get there we eat lots of foods that contain a few synthetic chemicals and a fuck ton of naturally occurring ones. In the words of Hank Green, "EVERYTHING IS CHEMICALS" and most things that we put in our bodies, including things like apples and tomatoes, are "Generally Recognized as Safe."

    • @Friek555
      @Friek555 9 лет назад +9

      ***** Also G-R-A-S means weed in German. (Weed as in Marihuana)

  • @TJtheHuman
    @TJtheHuman 5 лет назад +13

    "Why is no one talking about the mouth feel?" lol

  • @kitcutting
    @kitcutting 6 лет назад +120

    I remember back in high school that I once scared my mom into abstaining from fruits and veggies for about three days, by telling her that all the greens she was eating had a dangerous chemical called "dihydrogen monoxide" (she thought it was related to carbon monoxide) that companies put in her salads and stuff.
    I got yelled at after the whole thing was done and over with, due to the fact that my mom actually looked up what "dihydrogen monoxide" was.
    It was all worth it, in the name of science.

    • @sampokemppainen3041
      @sampokemppainen3041 5 лет назад +1

      You lie

    • @Joey-rs7uq
      @Joey-rs7uq 5 лет назад +15

      I had a teacher have the class sign a paper banning dihydrogen monoxide, which had a list of all the terrible things it can do to you, and everyone except the most educated person signed (Wasnt me, I signed too). She then said we banned water, and how we are always being manipulated by someone, phrasing or language, and to try to be educated on all matters. The funny thing was that she was the language teacher, but I'm grateful for that lesson.

    • @sampokemppainen3041
      @sampokemppainen3041 5 лет назад +1

      @@Joey-rs7uq you are lying too. None of that ever happened.

    • @yabahal-fakher7992
      @yabahal-fakher7992 5 лет назад +2

      @@Joey-rs7uq my middle school phsy science teacher did this to us. My Spanish teacher (he used to teach crit think and has bad adhd so we tend to get off topic) tried to do it to us again and me and 2 other didn't fall for it.

    • @strnvii
      @strnvii 4 года назад +1

      I get that sum addictves arent bad but what about bha or tbhq
      Why doesnt he talk about these

  • @mortophobegaming6454
    @mortophobegaming6454 9 лет назад +7

    i'm daily horrified by how little known the chemistry of everybody's food is by everybody.

  • @LarsaXL
    @LarsaXL 9 лет назад +287

    I don't get why some people think that anything that is natural is good and anything artificial is bad.

    • @SonaliMankaSingh
      @SonaliMankaSingh 9 лет назад +69

      Propaganda.

    • @General12th
      @General12th 9 лет назад +48

      LarsaXL Because people want to feel important. And if eating unsustainably and with a holier-than-thou attitude strokes their egos, then so be it.

    • @ginkner
      @ginkner 9 лет назад +6

      LarsaXL Idea Channel actually did an interesting video on it a while back. It's worth a watch.

    • @culwin
      @culwin 9 лет назад +21

      LarsaXL I don't think some people think anything that is natural is good. But some things that are artificial are definitely bad. The artificial stuff is mostly unnecessary, and companies use it because it's cheaper, and it generally is less nutritional and doesn't taste as good. But it depends on the "stuff" you're talking about.

    • @rei_cirith
      @rei_cirith 9 лет назад +15

      ***** Of course, eating sustainably and eating "naturally" are, in many cases, the opposite. The only way to "eat sustainably" in this day and age is if you keep your own animals in your back yard, and only kill and store/eat what you need, and have a super high-efficiency methane/CO2 recapture system that fuels your house/car. I mean, if not for these chemicals, how much of the food in supermarkets would stay edible? They probably wouldn't even survive the transport process. Think about how much waste THAT would be.

  • @PepitoYT_
    @PepitoYT_ 9 лет назад +1

    Exceptional episode, thank you!

  • @spazmaster1996
    @spazmaster1996 9 лет назад +137

    How does MSG work?

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +18

      Liam Worsley You mean the taste of umami?

    • @spazmaster1996
      @spazmaster1996 9 лет назад +2

      i don't know

    • @SciShow
      @SciShow  9 лет назад +47

      Liam Worsley ruclips.net/video/KCGmlffJu6k/видео.html Here's a news from earlier in the year about umami and MSG's role in enhancing umami flavor.

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +9

      Liam Worsley
      I'll do my best.
      MSG stands for monosodium glutamate. It is composed of glutamate, a common amino acid, and sodium. Glutamate enhances the savoriness of meat products and savory is the basic taste generally referred to as umami.

    • @spazmaster1996
      @spazmaster1996 9 лет назад

      SciShow okay, thanks haha!

  • @patrickgambill9326
    @patrickgambill9326 9 лет назад +1

    You should make more videos on this. It is really fascinating.

  • @horseenthusiast1250
    @horseenthusiast1250 5 лет назад +3

    I have Celiac disease, so most of my baking involves a bit of xanthan gum, and it amazes me that practically nobody knows what it is! Xanthan gum is a lifesaver for me, because when it’s in gluten free baked goods, the stickiness of it mimics gluten.

  • @panushalimbu
    @panushalimbu 9 лет назад +2

    this was so useful... i notice whenever I read the ingredients of the foods in my house.Bread,anything that is packaged and look remotely man-made, or it's been manufactured in a factory )there is always some long complicating chemical names. i'd always wanted to google all the chemicals to made sure they are safe for consumption (although I did doubt the government will sell food that aren't safe) , i was too lazy. this 10 mins just covered everything I was unsure of.

  • @tohopes
    @tohopes 8 лет назад +56

    "People don't usually want to ... chew on jerky that's hard as a rock."
    SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!

    • @CapKITZ
      @CapKITZ 6 лет назад +2

      Yep.

    • @yabahal-fakher7992
      @yabahal-fakher7992 5 лет назад +1

      Lasts longer that way

    • @anarchyantz1564
      @anarchyantz1564 4 года назад +1

      Lasts longer and isnt that the whole reason for jerky in the first place?

  • @Efi_C
    @Efi_C 5 лет назад +1

    I love whoever writes your scripts, they are just great, and can be quite funny and smart. I been watching your videos for a while now but just now thought to mention this. Great writing! Educational and entertaining!

  • @soyjoyy
    @soyjoyy 4 года назад +7

    Never knew that most of stabilisers are actually made out of harmless things like seaweed and bacteria. Always thought produsers used some aggressive acids or indigestible powders, that are cheep to make, but will destroy your intestines in a while. I feel kinda more safe now.

  • @firefly618
    @firefly618 7 лет назад

    One of the best, most informative and objective RUclips videos ever!

  • @lordofudead
    @lordofudead 9 лет назад +48

    *stares suspiciously at the softdrink in my hand....*
    Welp! I know that I dont feel hungry anymore!

    • @masterofmundus1304
      @masterofmundus1304 9 лет назад +10

      Nezara
      *continues drinking his coke even as he types this comment*
      panze

    • @masterofmundus1304
      @masterofmundus1304 9 лет назад +1

      Master of Mundus Holy shit, on my screen right now it says you posted that 8 seconds ago. That's probably when I opened the window, but shit man.

    • @DesViper
      @DesViper 9 лет назад +1

      Nezara "it's notable that these have now been reformulated" ;)

    • @lordofudead
      @lordofudead 9 лет назад

      Richard Reformulated does not necessarily mean they have had the toxic part removed. Reformulated simply means "made different".

    • @seigeengine
      @seigeengine 9 лет назад +4

      Nezara What it means is that the formula was changed to satisfy FDA's requirements.
      If that were not the case, the products would not be on the market still.

  • @inurear
    @inurear 9 лет назад

    It's finally nice someone speak on the science in a summary format on the additives in food.

  • @petiteham5887
    @petiteham5887 7 лет назад +4

    I’d really like to see a video that’s all about Ramen. How the noodles are made, what it’s all made of, and the health risks it poses. I’m not sure if there currently is a video on that, but it’d be interesting.

  • @Dzlyesful
    @Dzlyesful 9 лет назад

    Love you SciShow, you give us a lot of dopamine, now habbits, and later dependency

  • @scahsaint6249
    @scahsaint6249 9 лет назад +4

    That was a very entertaining and informative video. Well done, SciShow. Moreover, is it me or has this video made you really appreciate and respect all the complex chemistry that is involved in your every day groceries that you never even take second to think about, let alone appreciate.

  • @ReidarWasenius
    @ReidarWasenius 7 лет назад

    Thanks!! Loads of interesting information.

  • @BreenoRovers4ever
    @BreenoRovers4ever 9 лет назад +66

    Sorry but red cabbage is not actually red. It's purple, let's be honest.

    • @KnakuanaRka
      @KnakuanaRka 5 лет назад +8

      The color varies a lot depending on the pH; that’s why a lot of kids’ science kits have you extract the stuff as an indicator.

    • @adanactnomew7085
      @adanactnomew7085 4 года назад

      Red sounds better thats why

    • @harrypadarri6349
      @harrypadarri6349 3 года назад +1

      @@KnakuanaRka yeah, the classic experiment in school laboratory. We did it early in chemistry class.
      Ah, that brings back the school memories that were actually good.
      Making elementary chlorine gas via electrolysis, making hydrogen, producing aspirin. We even learned how to distill alcohol from wine and how important it is to keep track of temperature. My teachers were so cool!
      „But only take a little zip, we’re still at school and it’s a taste test!“
      Now that I think about it in retrospective, I am realising that I made moonshine in school at the age of 15. xD

    • @TruCloudGaming
      @TruCloudGaming 2 года назад

      Im pretty sure it's EUFSJK... I'm colorblind

  • @dylancole3141
    @dylancole3141 9 лет назад +1

    Damn! I didn't know about any of this! Really makes you think over of the food you buy...

  • @whatchasayinppl
    @whatchasayinppl 9 лет назад +11

    Fascinating episode. As a child I was severely allergic to a lot of food colourings and preservatives, making me very hyperactive. After many tests from doctors and the diligence of my parents we were able to work out what foods to avoid, and as doctors predicted, I grew out of it as I got older. Sodium benzoate was one of the worst additives for me. It would make me attack people in a rage and in high enough quantities I would have seizures. It seems weird to me that it is still in peoples food.

    • @eragon78
      @eragon78 Год назад +3

      how does an allergy cause hyperactivity?
      Isnt an allergy just your immune system reacting negatively to something and issuing an immune response against that thing? Is hyperactivity even a possible negative immune response? Ive never heard of that before.

    • @whatchasayinppl
      @whatchasayinppl Год назад

      @@eragon78 I've never really understood the mechanics of it. It stopped affecting me around age 7, so I was never old enough to have it properly explained to me. Now I'm old enough to understand it is no longer an issue, so I've never felt the need to find out specifics. I assume the term 'allergy' was used to help me understand it as a child. In reality reaction is probably a more accurate term. From speaking to my parents about it, I understand that the preservatives present in a lot of foods in the 90s caused an interaction that affected my brainwaves, amplifying my hyperactivity.

    • @eragon78
      @eragon78 Год назад +3

      @@whatchasayinppl well, I highly doubt it interacted with your brainwaves. That doesnt really happen with anything we consume.
      Instead, if its effecting your behavior, its likely messing with either your hormonal levels which are responsible for controlling mood and behavior, or it can directly be blocking certain synapses in your brain like some drugs do, which can also have an effect on your behavior. But they wont interfere with brainwaves or anything.
      But yea, those kinda responses arent "allergic" responses. Stuff you ingest can definitely cause them, but its not because of an allergic reaction, as those have entirely different mechanics.
      Now, as for whether or not it does mess with brain chemistry, yea, its possible, idk. Certain molecules and compounds can effect brain chemistry and have an effect on behavior, which is how any mental drugs and stuff work. So its definitely plausible some of those things may have some effects. But if that is the case, you would expect to see those effects be more widespread, but its sometimes really hard to measure that stuff properly due to the difficulty of dietary studies on the larger population.
      Its also possible you were just hyperactive in general, and parents or doctors may have wrongfully associated it with something unrelated. This actually happens more than youd expect.
      Its how the whole rumor of "Sugar makes kids hyperactive" thing started, when that actually isnt true at all. Kids are just normally hyperactive, and a lot of parents wrongfully assumed it was highly sugary foods when in reality it was just kids being hyperactive cuz kids are generally just hyperactive. The link was probably especially noted since high sugary foods are often associated with like, parties and stuff where kids go to have fun. Like if you have a kid at a birthday party with cookies and cake, theyre going to be very hyperactive not because of the sugar, but just because being at a birthday party with friends and playing is going to make them more active and stimulated. But many people often wrongfully associated that with the sugar which doesnt actually cause hyperactivity. its just a myth.
      That would also explain why you grew out of it as you got older, because just growing older tends to mellow people out from compared to when they were kids. Completely unrelated to the foods you were eating.
      So it very likely could have been something like that too. But yea, without further studies its hard to always make any claims on the specifics for this kinda stuff.
      And even when a suggested link occurs, it can sometimes be very difficult to actually prove that its a real effect, vs just a placebo or something.

    • @kitcoffey7194
      @kitcoffey7194 5 месяцев назад

      Lot of words to justify junk in food. Benzoates are harmful, as is MSG, as is carrageenan, as are artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose. Read non-industry/corporate research and listen to your body. You're using semantics to tell people not to listen to their bodies. Not a good look.

  • @Broockle
    @Broockle 9 лет назад

    Wow, this was really awesome. Thx SciShow!

  • @MatrixTheKitty
    @MatrixTheKitty 9 лет назад +5

    1:46 Goddamnit Michael Aranda, now I want nachos!

  • @UniverseCafe
    @UniverseCafe 9 лет назад +1

    Best episode love Michael!!

  • @theangledsaxon6765
    @theangledsaxon6765 8 лет назад +52

    I'm starting a band called 'My Chemical Taco'. Anyone with me?

    • @jadeshiota784
      @jadeshiota784 8 лет назад +17

      Sorry I'm joining "My Chemical Nugget" or "21 Burgers" or "30 seconds from diabetes"

    • @samuelsmith2281
      @samuelsmith2281 6 лет назад +4

      30 seconds from diabetes!!!! 🤘🔥💀👌

    • @anarchyantz1564
      @anarchyantz1564 4 года назад +4

      Nope, I am joining "The Bacteria Boys" or "My Chlorinated Chicken" or "30 seconds from Cardiac Arrest".

  • @JeremiahHalpin
    @JeremiahHalpin 5 лет назад +2

    I am a chemist in the cosmetics and skin/hair care industry. All 5 of these are used in all of your shampoo, conditioners, lotions, and creams. Just for those who are intrested. Getting my degree I never heard of any of these. Now that I am working, they are in everything and every industry. Universities need to be teaching us better so we understand more about these chemicals before working with them and putting them in every consumable.

  • @themonkeymoo
    @themonkeymoo 9 лет назад +10

    Artificial grape flavor does taste like grapes. Specifically; it tastes like Concord Grapes, which taste like no other kind of grapes.
    It's kind of like how banana flavor is based on a specific (now extinct) species of banana.

  • @DGPHolyHandgrenade
    @DGPHolyHandgrenade 5 лет назад +2

    Something overlooked a lot, the most common food preservatives are actually Salt (Sodium Carbonate) and Sugar (Sucrose). Also, both are considered flavor enhancers.

  • @richoombie
    @richoombie 9 лет назад +7

    your hair game is on point b0ss

  • @athanatic
    @athanatic 8 лет назад

    This is a triumph of this channel. Such dense content!

  • @dirtypure2023
    @dirtypure2023 9 лет назад +17

    So wait a minute. After the citric acid in canned foods has bonded with metal ions, don't we still end up ingesting that same citric acid while eating the food? What's stopping the citric acid from saturating the food once it's absorbed metal ions?

    • @tolep
      @tolep 2 года назад

      Well, chlorine is a poison. On the other hand, sodium chloride isn't.

    • @-astrangerontheinternet6687
      @-astrangerontheinternet6687 2 года назад

      It is healthy and safe and your questions are unwarranted.
      If you continue with them, people will think you’re dumb. You don’t want that, do you?

  • @homebiochem848
    @homebiochem848 3 месяца назад

    Amazing explanation. In recent time Red dye No 3 seems to be on the chopping block and it is used in over 3000 different food items.

  • @almafrain9109
    @almafrain9109 6 лет назад +3

    Thank you, very informative. It may be of interest to some readers that Benzoates and Azo dyes are antagonists to my asthma. It is easy to avoid them, with a little research, and reduce the frequency of attacks.

  • @RickAltair
    @RickAltair 9 лет назад

    Loved this video. Informative indeed!

  • @MrOPGamer
    @MrOPGamer 9 лет назад +23

    Chemicals are literally in everything, seeing as water is classified as a chemical.

  • @slusheewolf2143
    @slusheewolf2143 3 года назад +2

    The honest only reason why I looked this video up is because I'm trying to stay away from additives that agitate the stomach. I have stomach acid issues, and certain foods aggravate it and I still don't understand its trigger.

  • @KillianBlake
    @KillianBlake 9 лет назад +13

    "a company paid by the government said its good, so its good!" - Murica

    • @General12th
      @General12th 9 лет назад +4

      Killian Blake The government is evil. The government wants to kill us all. Anything the government says is a lie.

    • @IamSamys
      @IamSamys 9 лет назад +4

      Killian Blake Well, it's better than "a company said it's good, so it's good".

    • @General12th
      @General12th 9 лет назад +10

      Ret Samys How do we determine something is good? "A church says it's good, so it's good"? If we don't trust anybody, then we can't advance as a society. Suspicion is useful, paranoia is not.

    • @IamSamys
      @IamSamys 9 лет назад +1

      *****
      I agree. I just tried to point out that "paid by the government" is something that I consider more trustworthy than if it was missing in this context.

    • @nexzaros7951
      @nexzaros7951 9 лет назад

      ***** Didn't you just spout a paranoiac statement?

  • @288theabe
    @288theabe 9 лет назад

    One of the more fascinating episodes for me in a while!

  • @chikeerafish
    @chikeerafish 9 лет назад +5

    I love videos about chemistry! As a future chemical engineer, I think it's fantastic to educate more people on how chemistry actually works! Thanks!

  • @sanitysquota937
    @sanitysquota937 6 лет назад

    This was more informative than everything I've read this month combined. Go Scishow!

  • @supaflylob
    @supaflylob 9 лет назад +261

    what chemical makes my toilet explode when I eat taco bell

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +13

      Dominic Lobban Probably the grease.

    • @seigeengine
      @seigeengine 9 лет назад +13

      Dominic Lobban The better question is what chemical makes you like Taco Bell's bland crap?

    • @supaflylob
      @supaflylob 9 лет назад +32

      Nobody actually likes taco bell.
      Taco bell only makes money at after 2am when drunk people need some food to soak up the alcohol and everywhere else is closed

    • @seigeengine
      @seigeengine 9 лет назад +9

      Dominic Lobban The correct solution is to never be drunk without a good source of food.
      Also, food doesn't soak up alcohol, so eating won't help you once you're already drunk.
      Just don't go for pizza while drunk. It will stab a bitch.

    • @EvelynDayless
      @EvelynDayless 9 лет назад +11

      Dominic Lobban That's just your body punishing you for what you did to it.

  • @diegonayalazo
    @diegonayalazo 3 года назад

    Thanks

  • @JazzyNym
    @JazzyNym 8 лет назад +5

    I wonder if it's the stabilizer that made me sick when I ate peanut butter. When i was a child I loved peanut butter but knew it would make me sick, even though I'm not allergic to peanuts. On a whim when I got older I tried "natural" peanut butter, AKA when they just crush the hell out of peanuts and there's nothing else in there (except salt I think) Anyways, stomach problems no longer occur and I can eat all the peanut butter I want now, I just gotta stir it a little beforehand :)

    • @JazzyNym
      @JazzyNym 8 лет назад +1

      Danelle Larsen No, I've never had a bad reaction to anything with soy in it.

    • @frankhutton6747
      @frankhutton6747 7 лет назад

      It could be in all your head. It is amazing what your thoughts can change abut your body. Tomato used to make me feel sick but I got over it.

  • @DaOwlMonstar
    @DaOwlMonstar 9 лет назад +2

    I really appreciate the way this video frames the topic it covers. The information is provided in a simple, factual format, and there doesn't seem to be any condemnation for viewers regardless of whether they are for or against additives being in foods. Personally, I'm somewhere in the middle - I think some food additives are fine, but others I'm wary of - so I think it's important to do research and be informed of precisely what you're putting in your body. This video taught me a couple new things; I always assumed the citric acid in food came from citrus!

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +1

      TheOwlMonster It doesn't really matter where the citric acid comes from, since it's chemically identical. So, the cheapest method that can produce a lot is the best.

    • @DaOwlMonstar
      @DaOwlMonstar 9 лет назад +1

      I'm not suggesting it does matter where it comes from. Like you said, the acid is identical to what you would get from fruit. I had just never considered they they would get it from anywhere else because citrus seemed like the obvious source.

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +1

      TheOwlMonster
      Seems like that would be a waste of fruit juice, because you'd have to chemically isolate the citric acid and then throw away the rest of the juice.

    • @DaOwlMonstar
      @DaOwlMonstar 9 лет назад +1

      Silverizael
      Yes, I understand that, and after watching the video and hearing the explanation it makes perfect sense. I simply hadn't considered the difficulty of extraction previously, not to mention I didn't know that citric acid is a waste product of a breed of fungus.

    • @Silverizael
      @Silverizael 9 лет назад +1

      TheOwlMonster
      Bacteria and fungi are used for a lot of different chemical productions. E. coli especially can be used to make a lot of things, since we understand its whole genome and know the exact part we need to replace to make it produce other products. Like how putting in the genes for insulin cause it to make insulin, which is primarily how insulin is made nowadays.

  • @joes4866
    @joes4866 9 лет назад +14

    Tell us the dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide and how it is in everything we eat!

  • @zacharygrieco8768
    @zacharygrieco8768 9 лет назад

    holy wow, this is why I love watching SciShow

  • @UkuleleJones2
    @UkuleleJones2 9 лет назад +3

    My parents both have blue eyes. Why are mine green? Is green more recessive than blue or something?

    • @DerpyCMC
      @DerpyCMC 9 лет назад

      R Jones Perhaps one of your parents have a gene for green eyes. If not, get a DNA test with your dad...

    • @SuperCoalBlox
      @SuperCoalBlox 9 лет назад

      Did you go to school?

    • @zeppie_
      @zeppie_ 9 лет назад

      yes

    • @Topples7
      @Topples7 9 лет назад

      R Jones Disclaimer: This is based on very little research, I could easily be wrong
      From what I found, Green eyes are dominant over blue, however since there are a lot of genes that go into eye color, it is often more complicated than that.
      I found two possible reasons:
      -Blue eyes is caused when melanin production in your eyes doesn't work, most commonly from mutated blue-eyed genes, but can be for other reasons. One of your parents could have a green-eyed gene that doesn't show due to something else malfunctioning.
      -Recombination. If your mother has the mutation at the front-end of the gene, and your father has it at the back-end, the mutated parts could be swapped onto the same gene, causing the other one to be mutation-free.
      Or you're just adopted.
      Sources:
      genetics.thetech.org/ask/ask29
      www.athro.com/evo/gen/inherit1.html

  • @thekittenberry
    @thekittenberry 8 лет назад

    thank you for this video!!!

  • @BernardoSOUSAstudent
    @BernardoSOUSAstudent 9 лет назад +9

    I love this civilization! Can I buy my lab-made synthetic beef already?

  • @ThomasLusty-l1p
    @ThomasLusty-l1p Год назад

    Nice video and very informative! I will make sure to always buy Australian foods from now on!

  • @2raddude
    @2raddude 9 лет назад +69

    Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    I'm the 301st viewer
    Oh shit nevermind.

    • @Bram06
      @Bram06 9 лет назад +4

      Raddude Amazing

    • @P1taJ
      @P1taJ 9 лет назад +2

      Raddude Nice python symbol u got ther

    • @seigeengine
      @seigeengine 9 лет назад +3

      PitaJ Shame if something were to happen to it...

    • @ionlymadethistoleavecoment1723
      @ionlymadethistoleavecoment1723 9 лет назад

      I love your user picture. I was never very good at using Python, but still cool

    • @acgandhi
      @acgandhi 9 лет назад +6

      Raddude I think your roses are red with Red Dye #40.

  • @IkBenBenG
    @IkBenBenG 9 лет назад +1

    As far as I know, the most common red food dye here in Belgium, Europe is not red dye #40, but a natural product extracted from a certain kind of plant lice. I don't know which E-number belongs to it though.

  • @SauceChef
    @SauceChef 9 лет назад +15

    His hair looks edible.

    • @SauceChef
      @SauceChef 9 лет назад +4

      Mmmmm keratins

    • @thehackernova5433
      @thehackernova5433 9 лет назад +2

      +Fish Ed woah that is so silly like what/????

    • @thehackernova5433
      @thehackernova5433 9 лет назад +1

      +Fish Ed woah that is so silly like what/????

    • @buddyclem7328
      @buddyclem7328 5 лет назад

      I found his hair distracting.

    • @jannikheidemann3805
      @jannikheidemann3805 4 года назад

      Fun fact: The cell walls of most fungi are made of the same stuff. If you eat too many Mushrooms at once you can get problems because they are hard to digest.

  • @trish2138
    @trish2138 7 лет назад

    Thanks for all the info....I'll never look at food the same way again.

  • @braydensaul7424
    @braydensaul7424 8 лет назад +21

    Azo bonds, not azidoazide azide

    • @simonhadley6965
      @simonhadley6965 8 лет назад +4

      +Brayden Saul i hope not, that would be bad :)

    • @HayTatsuko
      @HayTatsuko 6 лет назад +5

      that would be one HELL of a spicy meatball!

  • @jetjazz05
    @jetjazz05 9 лет назад +10

    * Obligatory comment about how the rest of the world is more advanced than the United States *
    I DID GOOD DO I GET A COOKIE?

    • @General12th
      @General12th 9 лет назад

      Jesse Crandle Yep. Even Somalia is more advanced than the US. There might be firefights every day, but at least those blazing guns are *_natural_*! Yee haw!

    • @jetjazz05
      @jetjazz05 9 лет назад +5

      ***** Jordan, we all know that just because the United States wants PROOF that something is bad for you before it's illegal that that means the USA is completely back asswards. The 12 year olds in the RUclips comments KNOW that Europe is far superior because it's ban first ask questions later.

    • @masterofmundus1304
      @masterofmundus1304 9 лет назад

      Jesse Crandle
      *fails at bold text*

    • @jetjazz05
      @jetjazz05 9 лет назад +1

      Master of Mundus Master of Mundus... you must be British. I'm really falling behind on my slang though, I thought it was *minge*, not mundus. ;)

    • @masterofmundus1304
      @masterofmundus1304 9 лет назад

      Jesse Crandle HaHA! Oh I congratulate you on your sense of humor. I'm American actually, as you may be able to tell from my spelling.
      I must admit that I am surprised I got that one, even though all of my favorite youtubers are British. That's a bit too much slang for most people to understand, around here people would probably think you mispronounce mange.

  • @FHS74Int
    @FHS74Int 9 лет назад +1

    Love the video! The pigment coloring cabbage however is anthocyanins, and in beets it's betalain. Other than that it's very well made!

  • @mmilcz833
    @mmilcz833 7 лет назад +6

    I live in Europe and I remember that I bought Nerds from an “American food” shop once and my grandma made me look up all of the ingredients, there was the red dye, I found the hyperactivity thing, also it was written that it can cause cancer so she hid it from me 😂😂 I’m kinda happy tho that food ingredients are more restrictive in Europe, because I really think it affects obesity etc (here kids can’t buy junk food in school anymore for example)

  • @DimiDzi
    @DimiDzi 5 лет назад +2

    at least in my country and I think not only the most used preservative is acetic acid because it's the cheapest and the most harmless existing preservative we know of and in top of that it doesn't have terrible taste

  • @lerch25
    @lerch25 8 лет назад +6

    Simultaneously fascinating, and disturbing.

    • @frankhutton6747
      @frankhutton6747 7 лет назад +1

      Why? It's not going to kill you. If it were we'd know about it

  • @maggieyonce981
    @maggieyonce981 6 лет назад +1

    This guy has the most soothing voice

  • @disco8301
    @disco8301 8 лет назад +6

    I used to be allergic to red dye. I couldn't eat most candy types because it contained it.

    • @sueclark5763
      @sueclark5763 3 года назад

      Used heavly in breakfast cereals also. My daughter was allergic to it.

  • @joshuaweasenforth7757
    @joshuaweasenforth7757 5 лет назад

    Great share. Very impressive.

  •  9 лет назад +4

    I will never eat again.

  • @coda3223
    @coda3223 9 лет назад

    I ate breakfast on my bike ride to work yesterday: blackberries overflowing onto the sidewalk and a recently fallen apple from a roadside tree.
    Sometimes I grab a snack of purslane whenever I see it growing in the cracks on a clean sidewalk. It's tart because of the malic acid. Yum.

  • @GeldarionTFS
    @GeldarionTFS 9 лет назад +6

    The production of sodium benzoate should theoretically not be an issue, as the sodium hydroxide would be turned into water as the benzoic acid was converted to its conjugate base, benzoate. If HA is the benzoic acid, and A is benzoate,
    HA + NaOH -> H2O + NaA
    I don't know if the manufacturing processes would add toxicity (such as if there were an accidental excess of NaOH), but in theory, the process by which sodium benzoate is made shouldn't be a problem. I'd have to do some searching for a paper that indicates otherwise, unless someone can point me to one.

    • @coda3223
      @coda3223 9 лет назад +1

      Geldarion Degana
      I thought the video described the concern being with the potential of sodium benzoate to react with ascorbic acid to create benzene.

    • @cyberizedfuture1657
      @cyberizedfuture1657 9 лет назад

      Geldarion Degana True, but that only takes care of what people would of assumed to be "unnatural". However like the video said, it was the production of benzene that was considered problematic. That reaction btw, couldn't be written with the format you wrote the previous one with (not meaningfully anyway, at least for determining what you'd want to determine). This is because it would be a multi step reaction dependent on a variety of factors (if you've not taken organic chem, that's basically the kind of reactions you'd deal with the whole class), and as such you'd need to look at all of that to make any meaningful judgements.

    • @GeldarionTFS
      @GeldarionTFS 9 лет назад +1

      +CyberizedFuture obviously there are more factors with the benzene reaction. I was talking specifically about the production. I wasn't discounting what he said, just that the first part wasn't a concern. Should've been more complete in my comment. I enjoy learning about all of this biochem, because I am a quantum dynamics guy; I don't really do experiments. The last time I thought about organic was when I took it as an undergrad, and I forgot as much as I could to make room for P Chem haha.

    • @coda3223
      @coda3223 9 лет назад

      Geldarion Degana I was under the impression they minimized the concern associated with it being produced by a reaction with NaOH because it lacks credible evidence or indication of harm. They instead chose to discuss the egitimate concerns (potential to react and produce benzene).
      Are you finding this unscientific? My impression was that it is an appropriate way to discuss all the pertinent sides of the the relevant science without lending credibility to pseudoscientific ideas which are unwilling to examine themselves.

    • @cyberizedfuture1657
      @cyberizedfuture1657 9 лет назад

      Geldarion Degana
      Lol I feel ya I'm a physics major with a minor chem, still an undergrad though. I didn't the impression that you discounted it though, just that you seemed to miss that part of the video. Also I wasn't sure what chem you actually had, thus I spoke generally anyways.

  • @guskelty9105
    @guskelty9105 9 лет назад

    What a great episode, really well done and subjective.

  • @LukasFrimerTholander
    @LukasFrimerTholander 9 лет назад +10

    Chemicals That Are in (Almost) Everything You Eat:
    1. some form of carbon
    2. H2O

    • @jannikheidemann3805
      @jannikheidemann3805 4 года назад +1

      Carbon? If we are talking about chemicals and not elements this is not true. It's sometimes used as black dye, but that's rare. Exept if you are a melanotarian. (only eat black things)

    • @moondust2365
      @moondust2365 4 года назад

      @@jannikheidemann3805 True. Although I think he was talking about organic compounds, which *contain* carbon, but technically speaking aren't "forms of carbon".

  • @juanibarra4123
    @juanibarra4123 9 лет назад

    Thanks.

  • @Necrikus
    @Necrikus 8 лет назад +25

    What is "mouth-feel"? Is it just a stupid way of saying "texture"?

    • @pianoguy222
      @pianoguy222 8 лет назад +8

      Mostly. It also has some to do with how the food comes apart. It doesn't do much good to have the general texture right if it changes in certain circumstances. Like, imagine ice cream that was smooth and creamy, but when you bit it it became hard and crumbly. Ick.

    • @Adaginy
      @Adaginy 7 лет назад +7

      Or if the icecream coated your tongue with slime when it melted in your mouth, which might be easier to imagine.
      For other examples further removed from texture, think about drinks: For me, the difference between sugar and HFCS sodas is in mouthfeel -- the HFCS soda 'tastes sticky' but sticky isn't a taste. Red wine and overly-strong tea can make your mouth feel dry.

    • @bdnugget
      @bdnugget 7 лет назад +2

      Creamy and lukewarm is the best mouth-feel

    • @seneca3509
      @seneca3509 6 лет назад +1

      Why aren't we talking about it?

  • @draxquirnon6809
    @draxquirnon6809 9 лет назад +1

    Michael Aranda is my favorite host!

  • @xXMegaUltraNinjaXx
    @xXMegaUltraNinjaXx 9 лет назад +10

    i know what chemical is in most everything i eat
    H2O,

  • @travisonyima2243
    @travisonyima2243 2 года назад +1

    Yuka is a great app that identifies additives and preservatives in any food with a barcode and points you to studies that have been done to determine what health risks they pose!

  • @tritonmole
    @tritonmole 9 лет назад +4

    More than half of my weekly food is natural :)
    Advantages of living in Northern Europe

  • @mcorrade
    @mcorrade 9 лет назад +2

    I really like this host. SciShow should use him more and more and maybe even include him in SciShow Space?

  • @kingjames4886
    @kingjames4886 7 лет назад +4

    never a good idea to put any specific ingredient in everything IMO... never know what we might discover is dangerous in the future and variety/moderation helps reduce any potential unknown risks...

    • @ems7623
      @ems7623 3 года назад +1

      You can spend your whole life paralyzed by an infinity of hypotheticals.

  • @tamarapThenTheresTwo424
    @tamarapThenTheresTwo424 6 лет назад

    Excellent video!

  • @XBP200
    @XBP200 9 лет назад +10

    I can't pronounce 4/5 chemicals listed. Therefore, they must be banned.

  • @ody6189
    @ody6189 9 лет назад

    One of the most informative episodes I've seen in a while. c=

  • @DiscoDerpAnimations
    @DiscoDerpAnimations 8 лет назад +7

    When he said seaweed, i thought he said semen

    • @colinp2238
      @colinp2238 7 лет назад +1

      No that's just wishful thinking on your part.