The Poor Maligned McNugget
Published June 30th, 2010There’s been a bit of a hullabaloo this week about a recent CNN story. It seems that American (and not British, the article was very specific on this) McNuggets, from McDonald’s, contain a chemical called dimethlypolysiloxane. Oh, the horror! Really, what’s the point of thisfaux outrage? The article is quick to point out the supposed danger of this chemical by pointing out that it is also included in - Silly Putty. Oh dear god, McDonald’s is feeding us Silly Putty! And calling it food! And only to us Americans!
Where should I start with the idiocy on this one? First of all - yes, FIRST of all - turn it around. Silly Putty contains a chemical that is also in food! Wait, that’s a GOOD thing. Silly Putty is non-toxic. We WANT it to be non-toxic. We don’t want our kids playing with plutonium, right? So it’s GOOD that Silly Putty contains chemicals safe enough to be in food - right? The American Academy of Family Physicians classifies Silly Putty as a “commonly ingested non-toxic substance.” That’s good. Crayola asserts and is proud of their non-toxic product, Silly Putty. As well they should be - Silly Putty is pretty cool. And has been around a long time. I’m pretty sure I haven’t heard of many Silly Putty-related toxic illnesses or deaths. I’m thinkin’ whatever is in Silly Putty is pretty safe.
Now agreed, that doesn’t mean Silly Putty is good eats. But it’s not harmful. McNuggets are tasty so this dimethlypolysiloxane can’t be all bad. Is this chemical ONLY in Silly Putty and McNuggets? Well…a quick check at Oregon State University’s College of Health and Human Sciences reveals that this chemical is in OTHER foodstuffs as well. It’s true. It’s in gum bases, soft drinks, syrups, soups and has no known toxicity.
OK. So what’s the big deal? Well it’s probably not really a beneficial chemical. It’s not really included as part of the food pyramid (or whatever crazy system the US Govt is pushing these days). But really - if you think that McNuggets are nutritious, healthy food, you’re an idiot to begin with. It’s basically fats and salts with some protein. And it’s flavorful and tasty. But not a whole lot more than that. It’s mostly empty calories. It’s not really something that should be a major part of your diet. If you didn’t realize this - you’re an idiot. If you think there’s some crazy conspiracy to feed you Silly Putty and not to British people - you’re an idiot.
But this part just slays me -
Marion Nestle, a New York University professor and author of “What to Eat,” told CNN that the tertiary butylhydroquinone and dimethylpolysiloxane in theMcNuggets probably pose no health risks. But she added that as a general rule parents shouldn’t feed their children foods with an ingredients you can’t pronounce.Try pronouncing dimethylpolysiloxane…it’s not easy.
Don’t eat things you can’t pronounce? What if I’m really good at - you know - SOUNDING OUT A WORD? Die. Meth. Ill. Pahl. Eee. Sil. Ocks. Ane. Well. I just pronounced it. Maybe incorrectly - but how would I know? I did it! I guess it’s safe. Here’s one - Arsenic. Cyanide. Dirt. Botulism. Well, those were pretty easy. Maybe those are safe? Look - if you need some sort of extra help to tell you that McDonald’s food is NOT a healthy choice, you’re an idiot. If you get upset that there’s a chemical in your food that is in Silly Putty and you’re not asking why Silly Putty isn’t being investigated too, you may not be an idiot but you’re certainly barking up the wrong tree. I don’t understand why ANY of this story is NEWS.
McDonald’s food isn’t that good for you. NOT NEWS. There are chemicals with a myriad of uses that are used in foodstuffs. NOT NEWS. Some chemicals are SO SAFE we use them in children’s toys. NOT NEWS - in fact, that’s a GOOD THING.
Stuff like this drives me crazy. You want to eat healthier? Great! Step 1 - less McDonald’s. There. I just helped you out. And if you didn’t know that avoiding fast food was a good way to eat healthier - then you are an idiot.
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