WEDNESDAY, August 31, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A handful of microwave popcorn might be perfect for a movie night, but… Snack Experts warn that this could result in your body being loaded with potentially harmful chemicals forever.
Several bags of popcorn in the microwave are lined with it PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl materials), and evidence has shown that these chemicals will leach into the snack as it’s popping.
Studies have found “high levels of these compounds in the blood of people who regularly eat microwave popcorn, so it gets into the bloodstream,” said Dr. David Heber, founding director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.
PFAS compounds are called forever chemicals because they break down very slowly, and accumulate both in the environment and within the human body.
Chemicals are commonly found in drinking Water The supplies are across the United States, and can be found in the blood of 97% of the US population, according to the federal government.
“There has been a lot of interest in drinking water, but food is also a major source of exposure, and studies have shown that eating microwave popcorn and fast food is associated with higher levels of PFAS in the body,” said David Andrews, one of the leading scientists in the field. Nonprofit Environmental Working Group.
Heber said PFAS chemicals were originally developed in the 1950s as part of a nonstick coating for pans.
It has since been added to many consumer products, including cleaning solutions, and is water-resistant Make-upand fire fighting foam and stain resistant coatings for carpets and upholstery.
Manufacturers of microwave popcorn add PFAS to the liners of the bags to prevent the oil that oozes from the corn from being absorbed, Andrews said.
Heber said PFAS also helps prevent the cyst from burning.
“You know sometimes if you leave popcorn on longer, you’ll end up with black, burnt kernels?” Heber said. “Well, that’s hot enough to burn the paper too, so this protects the paper from starting a kitchen fire.”
But during the popping process, PFAS seeps into the popcorn, making the snack one of the most well-known means by which chemicals get into people’s bodies, Andrews said.
Discussion about this post