When you hear the word ‘chemicals’ what do you think of? Danger? Poison? Harm?
The word is frequently wielded by social media influencers as a way to instill fear about scientific developments or ‘man-made’ food, medication, and pesticides. So what exactly are ‘chemicals’, and why does a deeper understanding of them help us feel more comfortable with our day-to-day lives? Today, Registered Dietitian Andrea Hardy is reviewing all things ‘chemical’ with you – to improve your science literacy and confidence in making the right nutrition decisions for your family.
Maybe you’ve heard the phrase ‘everything is a chemical’ before. You might think, ‘oh, that sounds nice, but obviously, I’m only worried about the dangerous ones.’
Most people I know are aware that from the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the toothpaste we use to brush our teeth, everything is made up of chemicals. Where people struggle is discerning what constitutes a ‘safe chemical’, versus an ‘unsafe chemical’.
Safe vs. Unsafe Chemicals
To determine the risk a substance poses, we need to understand at what point humans experience harm from exposure.
Exposure refers to how an individual comes into contact with a substance, for example through touch, inhalation, or consumption, which are common ways that we are exposed to chemicals.
Then, we also need to consider the dose. It may surprise you to learn that toxicity is a spectrum – ranging from practically non-toxic, to super toxic. Some chemicals have no acceptable levels at which they are safe, whereas others only become toxic at a particular dose. Whether a chemical is naturally occurring or synthetically produced has no bearing on its level of toxicity.
The phrase ‘the dose makes the poison’ is a common phrase used in toxicology. We might not think of certain chemicals like sodium chloride (table salt) or caffeine as ‘unsafe’ but the reality is, everything can become dangerous at certain doses and exposures.
Regulatory agencies like Health Canada evaluate whether something poses an unacceptable risk by looking at hazard and exposure. Here’s an example using apple seeds:
This requires a bit of a mindset shift. The way I like to describe it is a shift from thinking in ‘chemicals’ to thinking in ‘chemistry’.
Example 1 – Botulinum
Botulinum is a chemical. The fact it’s a chemical that can cause harm isn’t enough for us to classify it as ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’. We need to think about the chemistry of that substance – how it interacts with us, the dose, and how we are exposed.
If you were to consume even 0.00001 mg per kg of body weight of botulinum, there is a good chance it would kill you. On the other hand, injecting botulinum (as botox) is low risk. What matters here is how we’re exposed (via injection versus consumption) and to how much we are exposed.
Example 2 – Caffeine
Consuming caffeine is not only common, but can actually provide benefits like enhancing sports performance. But that doesn’t mean it’s without risks. Caffeine is considered ‘very toxic’ when the dose exceeds 192 mg per kg of body weight (or just over 13 g for a 70 kg person). Not to worry though – a standard cup of coffee is about 100 mg of caffeine – meaning you would need to consume 134 cups of coffee before you hit that lethal dose (you’d actually die from water poisoning before you could achieve that – over 30 L of water is certain to be toxic, too).
The point is – all chemicals can cause harm, it’s not enough to classify them as safe or unsafe, we need to consider the dose, and how we are exposed to those to define safety.
But shouldn’t we be aiming for ZERO exposure to chemicals, even if they don’t cause harm at low doses?
I completely understand this train of thought. Why not avoid as many chemicals as possible? Isn’t that what all those ‘low-tox’ bloggers are suggesting we do?
It is really easy to believe that complete avoidance of chemicals that cause harm at *some point* would have benefits to our health. Our brains like to keep things simple; we struggle with decision fatigue, so making it as black and white as ‘avoid at all costs’ feels really easy.
This oversimplification of science has one glaring problem I see in practice all the time. Aiming for ‘low-tox’ has the unintended effect of assuming that everything out there that uses or contains chemicals we don’t ‘need’ is dangerous, and often leads to fear and hyperfixation on making the ‘right’ food and lifestyle choices.
Luckily, toxicologists take all of that into account when assessing the safety of chemicals. They assess the outcomes of long-term and short-term exposures. When it comes to chemicals added to our food, whether it be emulsifiers in our almond milk, or pesticides used to protect our crops, all of these things are considered within the regulations.
When it comes to pesticides for example, Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) determines the maximum concentration of pesticide residues legally permitted on food products, called Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). MRLs are set far below the levels that could cause harm to human health.
When we aim for absolute avoidance, we’re often creating unnecessary stress and restriction in our lives. Not only that, but oversimplification of categorizing things solely in the ‘safe’ vs. ‘unsafe’ category misses out on the purpose of these scientific developments! Pesticides are used to help farmers grow safe, healthy, and affordable food. Major benefits include protecting crops, helping to reduce the amount of inputs needed (like water), and feeding more people.
To develop a deeper understanding of chemicals – CropLife Canada has come out with a fantastic resource helping demystify the confusion people are feeling from misinformation online.
Improving your science literacy can help you to confidently navigate all the misinformation out there. You can download the resource here to learn more!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated for my time in writing this post. While the information conveyed may support clients’ objectives, the opinions expressed are my own and based on current scientific evidence. I’m passionate about connecting individuals with accurate scientific information, especially when it comes to farming and our food. I do not engage in business with companies whose products or services do not match my personal and professional beliefs.
Categorized: Healthy Eating, Sponsored Post