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Food Truths
Food myths debunked with real science. We fact-check nutrition labels, food marketing claims, and industry tricks the average shopper misses.
Is MSG Banned? The Country-by-Country Truth (2026)
Product information about MSG in this article is based on publicly available regulatory databases, government policy documents, and peer-reviewed research. Is MSG Bad for You? The Short Answer No. The US FDA, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Health Canada, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) ... <a title="Is MSG Banned? The Country-by-Country Truth (2026)" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/msg-monosodium-glutamate-truth/" aria-label="Read more about Is MSG Banned? The Country-by-Country Truth (2026)">Read more</a>
Are Pretzels Healthy? The Snack With More Sodium Than Chips
Product information in this article is based on publicly available nutrition labels, manufacturer disclosures, and peer-reviewed research. Are Pretzels Healthy? Not as Healthy as You Think So, are pretzels healthy? Most people assume they are. After all, pretzels are baked, low in fat, and feel like the responsible choice when you’re reaching past the chips. ... <a title="Are Pretzels Healthy? The Snack With More Sodium Than Chips" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/are-pretzels-healthy-sodium/" aria-label="Read more about Are Pretzels Healthy? The Snack With More Sodium Than Chips">Read more</a>
Do Food Expiration Dates Actually Matter? What “Best By” Really Means
Product information in this article is based on publicly available nutrition labels, manufacturer disclosures, and peer-reviewed research. You open the fridge, grab the eggs, and see the date. It passed last week. Into the trash they go. Sound familiar? You just threw away perfectly good food, and you are not alone. According to ReFED, Americans ... <a title="Do Food Expiration Dates Actually Matter? What “Best By” Really Means" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/food-expiration-dates/" aria-label="Read more about Do Food Expiration Dates Actually Matter? What “Best By” Really Means">Read more</a>
Plant-Based Meat vs Real Meat: The Full Evidence
Product information in this article is based on publicly available nutrition labels, manufacturer disclosures, and peer-reviewed research. Plant-based burgers are everywhere. Fast food chains sell them. Grocery stores stock them next to the ground beef. And the marketing makes one thing very clear: these are supposed to be the healthier choice. But are they? The ... <a title="Plant-Based Meat vs Real Meat: The Full Evidence" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/plant-based-meat-vs-real-meat/" aria-label="Read more about Plant-Based Meat vs Real Meat: The Full Evidence">Read more</a>
The GRAS Loophole: How 111 Food Chemicals Bypassed the FDA
There are 111 chemicals in the American food supply that the FDA has never independently reviewed for safety. Not because the system failed quietly. Because someone designed the system to let it happen. A March 2026 investigation by the Environmental Working Group traced how food and chemical companies have been exploiting a legal loophole to ... <a title="The GRAS Loophole: How 111 Food Chemicals Bypassed the FDA" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/the-gras-loophole-how-111-food-chemicals-bypassed-the-fda/" aria-label="Read more about The GRAS Loophole: How 111 Food Chemicals Bypassed the FDA">Read more</a>
Your Food Pyramid Changed Four Times. Here’s Why.
Your food pyramid has changed four times. Not because the science changed that much. Because the money did. Since 1992, the official U.S. food pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans have gone through four major redesigns. Each version promised to fix the last. Each looked different. And each reflected not only nutrition science, but political ... <a title="Your Food Pyramid Changed Four Times. Here’s Why." class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/food-pyramid-changes/" aria-label="Read more about Your Food Pyramid Changed Four Times. Here’s Why.">Read more</a>
Is Red Dye 40 Banned? Country-by-Country Status (2026)
Red Dye 40 shows up in candy, cereal, sports drinks, yogurt, fruit snacks, and even children’s cough syrup. It is the most widely used red food dye in the United States, added to thousands of products purely for color. It has zero nutritional value. In Europe, every product containing Red Dye 40 must carry a ... <a title="Is Red Dye 40 Banned? Country-by-Country Status (2026)" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/red-dye-40-warning-label/" aria-label="Read more about Is Red Dye 40 Banned? Country-by-Country Status (2026)">Read more</a>
Fibermaxxing Is Trending. Here’s Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong
Fibermaxxing is everywhere right now. The idea is simple: eat as much fiber as possible, every day, for gut health. TikTok is full of people chugging fiber supplements, stacking psyllium husk into smoothies, and bragging about hitting extreme daily numbers. The intention is good. The execution is where things go sideways. Fiber is genuinely one ... <a title="Fibermaxxing Is Trending. Here’s Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong" class="read-more" href="https://whatinthefood.com/fibermaxxing-trend-fact-check/" aria-label="Read more about Fibermaxxing Is Trending. Here’s Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong">Read more</a>