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The Hill
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
RFK Jr. is fighting a two-front war against chronic disease and anti-MAHA partisans
At a certain point, the gruesome reality of war fades into a white noise of fatalism. Hundreds of thousands killed in Iraq; tens of thousands killed in Afghanistan; over 1 million killed or wounded in Ukraine; Israel and Iran at each other's throats, with the fear of the U.S. being dragged into a wider war. Since the end of World War Two, it can be argued that there has been no 'just' war — just needless killing. While most on the left won't want to hear it or acknowledge it, there has been no president more firmly opposed to these 'forever wars' and the slaughter of young soldiers than President Trump. That said, there was one war Trump was anxious to wage — a war that counterintuitively saves lives, while taking none. To command the campaign, Trump selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 'Make America Healthy Again.' It's a nice slogan and looks good on the front of a hat, but what is it really about? The reality is that this program has the potential to save more lives than all those lost in the wars since WWII — and then some. As Trump's secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy has chosen to dedicate the rest of his working life to this quest. Why? To save lives that should not be lost in the battle against the unchecked and steadily advancing chronic disease epidemic raging in our nation. Tragically, millions of Americans are lost each year to such preventable disease. Depending upon the study, experts say that approximately 1 million Americans die each year from heart disease; over 1,300 per day, or approximately 500,000 per year, from obesity; 1.5 million Americans are newly diagnosed with diabetes each year, with over 100,000 passing away each year from the disease. Many of these deaths overlap; many are preventable; and many are caused by the foods, beverages and food additives we consume each day. But now Kennedy and his team at HHS have illuminated a bright light at the end of this dark and seemingly endless tunnel. On June 19, Kennedy posted, 'Big food brands are listening. From cereals to spices to fast food, artificial dyes and additives are being removed from America's food supply …' Along with that announcement, he attached a video reporting that General Mills was removing artificial food dyes from U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods by summer 2026 and removing all artificial dyes completely by the end of 2027; Kraft-Heinz just announced that they are removing all artificial dyes by the end of 2027; In-N-Out Burger announced that they removed artificial dyes from strawberry shakes and pink lemonade, using beet juice and turmeric instead. Steak 'N Shake will now be using beef tallow instead of vegetable oil to cook French fries, onion rings and chicken tenders; and McCormick spice company announced it is working to remove artificial food dyes and sodium. All of this comes on top of the banning of Red Dye No. 3, which potentially causes cancer. This is huge and truly transformative news for the health of the American people. None of it was really going anywhere until RFK Jr. came on the scene. While great news, little of this progress will hold unless the broken U.S. healthcare bureaucracy is torn down and rebuilt into an aerodynamic, perpetual-motion machine protecting the health of the American people. To this point, as Kennedy pointed out after his testimony before the House Commerce Committee earlier this week, 'We've thrown trillions of dollars at our health agencies — and the American people have only gotten sicker … we're transforming HHS from a bloated sick-care bureaucracy into a streamlined health care agency focused on outcomes—not waste.' He added, 'The path forward is clear: We will restore public trust by restoring public truth.' Unfortunately, while Kennedy was testifying before this committee regarding the president's 2026 Health and Human Services budget, we also got a troubling look at the other war he is forced to wage to 'Make America Healthy Again.' It is a war that Kennedy would like to avoid. Sadly, but quite predictably, a number of the Democratic members used the hearing for partisan purposes to fire loaded trick questions at Kennedy while demanding 'yes' or 'no' answers based on false premises. Most of them pompously went out of their way to prevent Kennedy from getting a word in edgewise in response. Why? Because they didn't care about any of his answers. That was not the point of the exercise. It was all partisan performance art. It was all about fundraising letters and voters back home. Kennedy is a well-known personality, they wanted to badger and harass him into getting the soundbite needed for their next reelection effort. The ironic part is that Kennedy would very much like to work with all the members taking partisan shots at him for self-promotion. He knows many of them and has worked with some in the past. Rather than be at 'war' with them, Kennedy desperately wants to enlist them as allies in the greater war which, as Kennedy has repeatedly stated, has made America 'the sickest nation in the world.' The American people are sick of being sick — and sick of the partisan nonsense that has put them at greater risk. Tens of millions now believe Kennedy is a prayer answered when it comes to combating those issues. They want and need their congressional representatives to join with Kennedy to make them and their children healthier. A 'war' that takes no lives but could potentially save millions. Kennedy is waging it but needs help from every power center to win it. Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Skittles removes titanium dioxide from ingredients list amid health concerns
Skittles will no longer be made with titanium dioxide, a color additive, according to multiple media reports. Mars Wrigley, the parent company of Skittles, confirmed to BBC that it stopped using the color additive for Skittles sold in the country last year. KTLA reached out to Mars Wrigley for a statement but didn't hear back in time for publication. The move comes after years of criticism about the presence of titanium dioxide in the candy. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent 'Make America Healthy Again' report also pointed out the harms of including the additive in foods. Gov. Gavin Newsom's press office welcomed the news in a post on X, pointing out that the Golden State was the first to ban certain additives used in processed food sold in the state. Assembly Bill 418 prohibits the manufacture and sale of any products that contain Red Dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, or propyl paraben. Those chemicals have already been outlawed in 27 nations in the European Union, according to the bill's author, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino). The bill previously sought to include language also to prohibit the use of titanium dioxide, but that chemical was removed from the banned additive list in its latest revision. In 2016, Mars announced that it would remove 'all artificial colors' from its food products, citing evolving consumer preferences. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In-N-Out confirms ingredient changes in several menu items
In-N-Out Burger is continuing to roll out changes to its menu as part of a company-wide effort to eliminate artificial additives from its food and drinks. Company President and Owner Lynsi Snyder said in a statement Thursday that the beloved California-based chain has replaced several ingredients over the past decade, and those efforts are ramping up ahead of new requirements from the Food and Drug Administration. 'Part of our Mission/Purpose Statement says, 'Providing the freshest, highest-quality foods and services…' That's why we strive to have the best and be the best in all areas,' Snyder said. 'It's been my family's priority since 1948, and it remains my priority to this very day.' Among the changes now confirmed by the company: artificial colors like Yellow 5 and Red 40 have been removed from pickles, chilies, the house spread, strawberry shakes and pink lemonade. They've been replaced by turmeric, beta carotene, and vegetable juice as called for. High fructose corn syrup has also been replaced with natural sugar in several items, including shake mix, strawberry syrup and the house spread. The company also replaced artificial vanilla with natural vanilla in its shake mix, swapped out artificial flavors in chocolate syrup and hot cocoa, and removed preservatives like calcium propionate from its buns. The restaurant chain is also exploring a higher-quality oil for frying and is in the process of transitioning to ketchup made with real sugar, Snyder confirmed. For beverages, In-N-Out has introduced Stevia Leaf Extract as a sweetener option and added oat milk creamer for customers seeking dairy alternatives. The announcement comes days after the FDA confirmed it would begin phasing out certain synthetic food dyes by 2026, including Red Dye No. 3, which has been linked to some health risks. In response, several companies, including In-N-Out, have begun making voluntary changes to their ingredients ahead of the deadline. In-N-Out, which opened its first location in Baldwin Park in 1948, now operates more than 400 restaurants across the western U.S. and remains one of the few major fast-food chains with a tightly controlled menu and supply chain. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In-N-Out Is Eliminating Artificial Ingredients from Menu Staples
In-N-Out's Signature Pink Lemonade may still be pink, but that color is now coming from a different fast-food chain has recently announced significant changes to its menu, removing artificial coloring from key menu items: Strawberry Shakes and Signature Pink Lemonade, and chain confirmed that the pink lemonade and strawberry syrup will now utilize natural coloring agents, which will replace synthetic dyes. This decision follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, such as Red Dye No. 3, due to potential health risks including cancer and neurobehavioral issues. The FDA has recently approved three natural food color additives—galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and calcium phosphate—as part of its efforts to eliminate synthetic dyes from the food supply. According to an unofficial fan account, In-N-Out is updating its ketchup. The chain will now feature "Simply Heinz" ketchup packets in its restaurants, which contain ketchup made with real sugar, as opposed to high-fructose corn syrup. "As part of our ongoing commitment to providing our customers with the highest-quality ingredients, we have removed artificial coloring from our Strawberry Shakes and Signature Pink Lemonade,' an In-N-Out spokesperson told KTLA on Wednesday. 'We're also in the process of transitioning to an upgraded ketchup, which is made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup."In-N-Out isn't the first restaurant chain to make these types of changes. In January, Sweetgreen opted to eliminate seed oils from their menu, another ingredient under growing scrutiny for its potential health effects.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Eight artificial dyes will be phased out of US food supply, Health Secretary RFK Jr. says
Eight artificial dyes will be eliminated from medications and the nation's food supply by the end of 2026, including those found in candy, ice cream, soft drinks and jams, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. These artificial dyes – detailed during an April 22 news conference in Washington – are used to offset color loss due to exposure to light, temperature extremes as well as to provide color to colorless and "fun" foods, according to the Food and Drug Administration. For years, Kennedy has railed against Big Food and Big Pharma and blamed the nation's 'chronic disease epidemic' on additives and junk food, including during his campaign for president in the 2024 Democratic primaries and then as an independent. After he endorsed President Donald Trump, Trump incorporated those ideas into his own campaign and they're now part of the new administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda. More: Robert F. Kennedy now heads Trump's MAHA commission: What to know The dyes that will be phased out in less than two years are FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow Nos 5 and 6. In the coming months, the process will begin to revoke authorization of Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2, according to the HHS. Within weeks, the FDA will also authorize four new natural color additives and partner with the National Institutes of Health to conduct research on "how food additives impact children's health and development," according to the HHS. Under the Biden administration, the FDA had already mandated by January 15, 2027, a ban on Red Dye No. 3, found in candy, desserts, and some medications. HHS said on April 22 that the Trump administration is requesting food companies move that deadline RFK Jr. wants to get rid of food dyes. These 'crunchy moms' are ready. Kennedy in the past has linked food dyes and additives to ADHD and chronic diseases, such as obesity. At the April 22 news conference, the Trump Cabinet member rattled off a litany of diseases and neurological disorders and appeared to link them to chemicals being added by the food and drug industries. In March, Kennedy met in private with the leaders of food companies such as PepsiCo, General Mills, Tyson Foods, Kraft, Heinz and Kellogg's. During that meeting, Kennedy told CBS News that he demanded artificial food dyes would "all have to be out within two years." Kennedy on April 22 recalled a conversation with his staff after that meeting with the food industry leaders and hinted at an initial reluctance by the CEOs to get rid of petroleum-based dyes. "I said, if they want to add petroleum, they want to eat petroleum," he said. "They ought to add it themselves at home, but they shouldn't be feeding it to the rest of us without our knowledge or consent." Kennedy also complained that there are "shockingly few studies" on the safety of food dyes and certain other ingredients because of conflicts of interest at the federal agencies he now oversees. More: 'If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it': Meet the food blogger influencing RFK Jr. A study by the California's Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 linked consumption of synthetic food dyes to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children. Similar studies also previously prompted the European Union to restrict food coloring. 'Evidence shows that synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in some children,' said California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Director Dr. Lauren Zeise. 'With increasing numbers of U.S. children diagnosed with behavioral disorders, this assessment can inform efforts to protect children from exposures that may exacerbate behavioral problems.' Last year, California banned six dyes from use in public school lunches. The Consumer Brand Association, which represents companies that manufacture food, beverages and household products, told its members that it was an 'urgent priority' for the Trump administration to remove certain artificial colors from the food supply – and that Kennedy wanted it 'done before he leaves office. Food activist and blogger Vani Hari, who has run campaigns around ingredients and transparency against food companies for more than a decade, said Kennedy's efforts were a win for American parents. "I never thought I'd see the day when the FDA actually did this," Hari told USA TODAY. "I had lost faith in my government leaders and now it's been restored. The FDA is no longer sleeping at the wheel." Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal (This story has been updated with more information and photographs.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. bans eight artificial food dyes from nation's food supply
