The McRib & Yoga Mats: More Alike Than You Think

By Jill Lawson for DietsInReview.com

The McRib and a yoga mat seem as far removed from one another as the people who eat the sandwich and those who practice yoga, but they do share something in common that is wildly alarming and worth a look.

Azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate and polysorbate 80 are just three of the 70 ingredients that make the McDonald’s McRib sandwich. Even though these chemical ingredients are in small enough quantities that may not otherwise be harmful to your health, it is worth noting how and where else these chemicals are used just to put things in to perspective.

The primary one that will make you squirm is azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent found in the McRib bun. This chemical, in addition to giving your McRib bun that fresh, white appearance, is also used to manufacture shoes, foam plastics, materials such as gym flooring, and believe it or not, yoga mats.

From McRib’s introduction in 1982, the sandwich has come and gone from the menu giving it a unique following some might refer to as cult-like. The sandwich has its own Facebook page and Twitter account, and the McRib has made headlines, tweets and posts that it is resurfacing yet again, but for a limited time only. There are McRib Locator websites that can direct you to the legendary sandwich. Of course eating one means you don’t mind chowing on something that also contains the very stuff that will prevent slipping on your own perspiration in a hot yoga class while sweating out the McRib’s 980 mg of sodium. Then again, if you’re a yogi you’re probably not ordering a McRib any time soon.

My research lead me to find that there are 414 common food items that also contain azodicarbonamide. Aside from some of the other fast food chain buns and breads, additional foods labeled as “all natural” whole wheat breads, muffins, croutons and bagels also have this nasty chemical in their ingredients list.

Azodicarbonamide is banned as a food additive in Europe and Australia because of its possible contribution to respiratory problems such as asthma.

Read more: Diet & Nutrition, Food, Health, chemicals, fast food, mcdonald's, yoga

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

KS G.

6:23AM PDT on Apr 13, 2012

Thanks for the article.

send a green star

Teresa C.

9:33PM PDT on Mar 13, 2012

In the past, when I ate meat regularly, I had a special fondness for McRibs. Reading this article, I'm quite glad I quit! I still say they taste good, but I don't want to eat some additive (though there are many in too many foods) that I can't spell, can't pronounce and never heard of before!

Vanessa A.

10:57PM PST on Feb 19, 2012

I am so glad that I'm planning to go vegan :/

Mel M.

5:35AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

Thanks

paula e.

2:29AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

Thanks. Chemicals are in everything we consume.

Amanda G.

4:36PM PST on Feb 18, 2012

interesting. thanks

Robert P.

11:45PM PST on Nov 24, 2011

When will food manufacturers stop trying to poison us?!! I will NEVER eat that fast food crap again!!

Lori B.

6:04AM PST on Nov 11, 2011

FOUND THE APP!! Downloaded and going shopping!

5:08AM PST on Nov 11, 2011

Thank you John McKay for the website http://www.foodfacts.com I feel silly that I read about food safety all the time and never came across this website. I just spent an hour reading over its contents. I used to keep a "cheat sheet" in my purse of the "dirty dozen" so I knew which foods to buy organic, THEN I kept a long sheet on chemicals to avoid. It became so time consuming that I just went 100% organic and vegetarian. (I am VERY lucky to live in an area that has 4 Whole Food markets in a 20 mile radius) I have a family of 4 to feed so it is a little more complicated at meal time then just feeding myself. I wonder if there is a barcode scan app that I could use on my phone to scan the product and a simple colored box would come up with the Food Facts Health score? At the store I am usually rushed and strongly influenced by the advertising. I would give my phone to my boys and say "go find something green and we will buy it!" Then I can shop in peace :)

John M.

6:53PM PST on Nov 8, 2011

Yes Jill L, the Author does mention the chemical is in the bread, that it is in 414 other products and that "healthy" whole wheat bread contains it.

My problem was and still is that the author puts one product up as the main problem, read through these comments and look at the majority talking of either never going to McDonald's or not eating there again, this is where the article falls down. Subway advertise as the "Healthy Alternative," people may read this and think of them as healthy, when in fact there bread also contains the same chemical (in my view all Fast food Companies needed to be named along with McD's). Also because it attacks the McRib it leaves people with the impression that the other McDonalds products do not contain azodicarbonamide.

For the record I found 611 Products containing azodicarbonamide and feel this should be what is highlighted, not one company: http://www.foodfacts.com/search/index.cfm?type=ingredient&query=+azodicarbonamide