The Big Mac is the signature McDonald hamburger that is well known globally (Israel even has a Kosher McDonald’s). The question is… how does eating one Big Mac, even occasionally, contribute to your risk of getting cancer?
In this processed foods series it is my goal to help consumers like you understand the list of ingredients that are dangerous to your health. Empowered, you can make informed decisions on what to include and to eliminate from your diet and break the patterns of addiction that these types of non-foods create.
My hope is that the risks of chronic illness, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and sudden death will be enough to stop you from ever having another “Big Mac Attack.” For that matter, I hope you never desire any other processed fast food or non-food again… even if it’s free!
Any time you have a fast food meal, toxins from the food get stored in your body’s cells. This sets you up for highly irresistible cravings which will cause you to eat unhealthy, unnatural foods again and again.
What’s in a McDonald’s Big Mac?
The following ingredients are taken from the official McDonald’s list for popular menu items that was created to assist customers with allergies.
Although the ingredients listed for the Big Mac come in at a perfect seven, the reality is there are a great deal more they fail to mention. In fact, that list of Big Mac ingredients contains a minimum of 91 ingredients consisting of sugars, fats, salts, chemicals, dairy, wheat gluten, soy, and lots of GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Some of these chemicals include artificial food colors and spices which means MSGs (Monosodium glutamate) and very likely those dyes that put one at high risk for autism and cancer (yellow 5 and 6 and red 40).
But that’s not all. When getting a Big Mac most people order the combo which includes French fries (additional 18 ingredients) and a soft drink. So now your meal includes enough ingredients to top the chart at 109… and that’s before factoring in the soft drink!
I’ve listed the accurate count of Big Mac ingredients in brackets next to the main item for more clarity, and then detailed the real problem areas afterwards.
Official Big Mac Ingredients:
100% BEEF PATTY (3), ONIONS, PICKLE SLICES (10), PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN CHEESE (17), BIG MAC SAUCE (35), SHREDDED LETTUCE, BIG MAC BUN (26)
Problem Big Mac Ingredients:
100% BEEF PATTY:
This sounds like a plus because it’s “pure beef” without any fillers, so that should be okay, right? You would think so, but when you see what goes into most conventional beef you might change your mind and become a vegetarian.
Commercially produced beef (aka feedlot or factory farm cattle) are given feed that can have any and all of the following toxins:
- GMO corn, soy, and cottonseeds
- animal feces laden with dangerous bacteria
- toxic wastes including pesticides
- fats laden with PCBs
- mycotoxins
- rendered animal parts (diseased animals that died and body parts that are not used for meat products)
- metals
- antibiotics
This is what the animal consumes in the factory farm. These toxins are stored in the muscle which is then cut up and distributed as “100% pure beef patties” for the McDonald’s Big Mac.
This is a BIG issue! When you order a fast food burger, you don’t realize you are potentially eating a plateful of dangerous toxic aluminum, cadmium, viruses, bacteria, and animal manure. If you could see all that you definitely wouldn’t eat it! But because it is hidden from sight, we think the food looks appetizing, smells good, and above all… tastes good.
So much so that in the middle of the night you could experience a “Big Mac Attack” whereby beyond all reason you feel like you must have a Big Mac or die. Well the truth is, too many Big Macs have the potential to kill you, either slowly by cancer and other chronic diseases (including obesity)… or quickly by a heart attack.
PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN CHEESE:
Ingredients: Milk, Cream, Water, Cheese Culture, Sodium Citrate
Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Citric Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Lactic Acid, Acetic Acid, Enzymes, Sodium Pyrophosphate, Natural Flavor (Dairy Source), Color Added, Soy Lecithin (Added for Slice Separation).
CONTAINS: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN
The bright yellow American cheese that fails the kosher requirements breaks down into 17 ingredients. These are mostly chemicals for enhancing the flavors (MSGs from glutamate), eliciting the salivary response (lactic acids) to get the brain excited about the flavor and texture, GMOs, and phytoestrogens from soy lecithin.
Some argue that the amounts are minimal, but McDonald’s has made a point of listing both the milk and the soy lecithin because they are known allergens and increase the risk of cancer.
The milk is also guilty of containing bovine growth hormones and pesticides which add to the list of contaminants that you don’t want in your lunch or late night snack.
Finally, the bright yellow food color is not defined here so it could be from the dreaded yellow dye #5 and #6. These are known for their adverse behavioral and carcinogenic effects. So the “not so healthy” cheese is exposed here for your consideration.
BIG MAC SAUCE:
Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Pickle Relish (Diced Pickles, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate [Preservative], Spice Extractives, Polysorbate 80, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Egg Yolks, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Onion Powder, Mustard Seed, Salt, Spices, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Mustard Bran, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Vegetable Protein (Hydrolyzed Corn, Soy and Wheat), Caramel Color, Extractives of Paprika, Soy Lecithin, Turmeric (Color), Calcium Disodium EDTA (Protect Flavor).
CONTAINS: WHEAT, EGG AND SOY
This is where you expect to hear a drum roll because without the special sauce it’s just a double cheeseburger. So, here it is… 35 ingredients make up this famous sauce that made Big Macs famous among fast food enthusiasts.
Is it healthy? I think you can answer that yourself by reading the ingredient list. But there are a few things worth taking a closer look at… namely the hydrolyzed vegetable protein from corn, soy, and wheat. First of all they admit there is protein in vegetables so that’s good, but what is the hydrolyzed part?
Hydrolyzing is a process to break down the proteins into amino acids by boiling them in hydrochloric acid and alkalizing them in caustic soda (aka sodium hydroxide or lye). This doesn’t sound very appetizing but the FDA approves it so it must be okay. Maybe not. I certainly don’t want to eat anything with lye residue in it, and I’m guessing you don’t either.
The hidden part here is the glutamate that is produced in high concentrations from the hydrolyzing process. Glutamates mean MSG which means “excitotoxins” that your brain can’t resist so it leads to food addiction and brain cell death from overstimulation.
Well that’s definitely not good but it explains some of the factors leading to the “Big Mac Attack” scenario. Furthermore, this processing elicits free radical damage which research has proven to cause cancer while compromising your body’s immune system.
Other important issues include the large amounts of sugar coming from sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup. These feed cancer cells and bad bacteria, are highly addictive, and are destructive to your immune system. They also adversely affect insulin levels and cause mood swings, diabetes, and obesity which is becoming a worldwide epidemic.
Let’s not forget all the salt in various forms hidden behind chemical labels. This is not good quality mineral salt that has health benefits. On the contrary, this salt has been bleached, demineralized, iodized, and filled with anti-caking agents like aluminum silicate so it pours easily. The salt also contains sugar, added to stabilize the iodine. It is dried under extreme pressure which changes the molecular structure making it toxic to the human body. This causes high blood pressure and it actually leeches important minerals from the body.
Furthermore, we have the GMO factors from soy oil and processing to obtain soy oil that are loaded with trans fats that generate free radical damage. Not a pretty picture, but it sure tastes good, right? Maybe we should tantalize our taste buds with something better.
BIG MAC BUN:
Ingredients: Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yeast, Soybean Oil
Contains 2% or Less: Salt, Wheat Gluten, Sesame Seeds, Leavening (Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate), May Contain One or More Dough Conditioners (Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, DATEM, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Mono and Diglycerides, Monocalcium Phosphate, Enzymes, Calcium Peroxide), Calcium Propionate (Preservative).
CONTAINS: WHEAT
Now for the sesame seed bun boasting 26 ingredients − mainly chemical and bleaching agents, GMO soybean oil, excess gluten, and high fructose corn syrup. Get the picture? It’s bad for you no matter how you try to rationalize it.
FRENCH FRIES:
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil), Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid (Preservative), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt.
Prepared in Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil) with TBHQ and Citric Acid to preserve freshness of the oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane to reduce oil splatter when cooking.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.
And for our grand finale, what is a burger without the fries? Well it just isn’t a combo and most consumers would agree that you can’t have one without the other. So added to all the sugar and fat of the burger with the special sauce we are further bombarding our bodies with a lot more fat, refined salt, sugar, GMOs, lye from the hydrolysis process, gluten from the wheat, more hormones from the milk, and more MSGs to make them addictive. You just “gotta” have the fries!
The truth is these Big Mac ingredients and other similar fast “food” is extremely addictive and that is very dangerous. I hope that this article will empower you to break any unhealthy food addictions you may have… for the sake of your health and the health of all those close to you.
When’s the last time you had a Big Mac or other fast food? Are you concerned about processed foods? Please share your thoughts below.
Article Summary
Any time you have a fast food meal, toxins from the food get stored in your body’s cells. This sets you up for highly irresistible cravings which will cause you to eat unhealthy, unnatural foods again and again.
Although there are only 7 ingredients on the “official” ingredient list for a McDonald’s Big Mac, it actually contains a minimum of 91 ingredients consisting of sugars, fats, salts, chemicals, dairy, wheat gluten, soy, and lots of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
Some of these chemicals include artificial food colors and spices which means MSGs (Monosodium glutamate). MSG is an excitotoxin that your brain can’t resist so it leads to food addiction and brain cell death from overstimulation.
Commercially produced beef (aka feedlot or factory farm cattle) are given feed that can have any and all of the following toxins:
- GMO corn, soy, and cottonseeds
- animal feces laden with dangerous bacteria
- toxic wastes including pesticides
- fats laden with PCBs
- mycotoxins
- rendered animal parts (diseased animals that died and body parts that are not used for meat products)
- metals
- antibiotics
Big Macs and other similar fast “food” is extremely addictive. For the sake of your health avoid fast food and eat real, whole foods which don’t contain harmful ingredients.
Thank you so much for the information which is not new to me since I have been purchasing, following, and sharing the information from The Truth About Cancer. As a source of the truth I would like to ask you to feature an article on companies that truly do sell organic foods. I know you can’t believe half of what’s on a label but buying something that at least says organic is better than buying something that does not say it’s organic. For instance I shop at food lion. They have numerous products that say organic or something to that affect that come from a company called Nature’s Place. Is Nature’s Place a good company or a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Once we’ve moved on from ignorance about what kinds of food to eat the next step is where to get the good stuff and how to identify it. Having a check list of truthful or non truthful companies used by the major food stores would go a long long way to helping to know where to shop. Growing your own or buying local is not always possible. My land is worthless as it was used as farmland for many years where every chemical invented was put on the soil. The local farmer selling strawberries that everyone around here goes to uses Bayer toxic chemicals on the soil. I made him show me what he uses. My search will continue but knowing what are the good major companies selling food products in the major grocery chains would be of immense value. Thanks for all you do.
Hey Richard… I’m sorry your last name is Koch… bless your heart. But hey, I wanted to tell you we had nothing but chirt rock, and clay where we lived…. I learned the hard way, that stuff ate soil amendments and stayed CLAY! Working in compost and trying to encourage earth worms… it was going to take years to build it. So Long story short, Raised beds is the ONLY way to go when either contamination or difficult soil may trouble! Good luck with your gardening endevours. 🙂
YUMMY!
Eating at MacDonald’s all the time is not good for you. It can be very bad for your health, because one can have all kinds of health problems, even when they are very young. People who eat too much at MacDonald’s can get cancer, heart problems, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and all kinds of health problems. MacDonald’s should be avoided like the plague. If you watch the documentary ‘Supersize Me’, you will learn how bad MacDonald’s food can be for you. I have not eaten there for years.
I read Robin Cook’s thriller, Toxin, about fast food meat (and the meat industry in general) some time in the 90s and haven’t had a fast food meal since. It was the beginning of a journey into learning about the horribly dangerous fast food industry, and speaking out about it whenever possible.
Wow, No wonder I have to go to the bathroom within 15 minutes of eating one LoL Always wondered what caused that, I guess I’ll just make my own burgers from now on.
Eating meat can be tricky at best. Eating fast food is just dangerous. Even when we try to get organic food it may need to be tested since the food standards governed by the FDA are toxic at best. If toxic food is allowed even in the best circumstances, how then shall we know what is not toxic? Not until we just STOP eating out and dining ….not only in fast food restaurants but all restaurants until the standard is “non-toxic” can we be at peace about our food supply. Fast food and restaurant food are no different in these terms. I dare you to show me a fine dining establishment that only uses organic-non gmo ingredients! Unless you prepared the food how would you know. The whole system is set up to cause disease and not to prevent it. When will we see the real Truth?
Also I will point out that since this is a TTAC article and TTAC is where I learned that the FDA is in part the source of the monopoly organized to dispense not only drugs and chemicals to the public but also information regarding the safety of our food supply,then why would I want to believe anything they have to say about whether a food source is “organic” and what the hell that means to begin with. Looks like we’ve all been drinking the same water after all. Come on pllllllleeeeeeaaaassssseeee……..tell me that someone has some common sense out there still. Figure it out!!