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While we may be under the impression that our system of government is here to protect us, corporations-and the politicians getting paychecks from them-do a fair job of making that difficult. This manner of “legislative capture” is manifesting itself in a host of appalling ways far beyond those listed here. Here are 8 ways corporations are poisoning our food supply, humans, and mother earth.

1. Sugary Drinks, Diet Drinks are Addictive and Fattening

Sugary drinks, especially soda, run rampant in the U.S., with corporations shelling out millions to advertise to both children and adults. Kids are taking in 7 trillion calories of sugar each year from soda alone, with sodas making up 15-25% of the daily recommended caloric intake for kids aged 2 to 19. Sugar-sweetened sodas can contain upwards of 200 calories per can, but even artificially sweetened drinks should not be considered safe. Several studies show that artificial sweeteners-like cancer-linked aspartame-can contribute to tooth decay, obesity, kidney damage, and depression.

2. Bisphenol A and Other Chemicals in Canned Goods

BPA is a hormone disrupting chemical used in canned goods and plastic bottles. The chemical, which is labeled as “toxic” in other nations, had a chance to be banned of March 2012. In a move that angered activists within the US and even internationally, the FDA ruled against the ban. This ubiquitous chemical has been linked to:

  >Obesity
  >Hyperactivity in girls
  >Infertility
  >Sterility
  >Breast cancer
  >Reproductive issues
  >Hastened puberty
  >Feminization in boys
  >Damaged arteries

3. Buying Out and Creating Organic Companies

You may not know this, but many organic companies are actually owned and operated by major corporations like Coca-Cola or Kellogg. Companies like
Honest Tea and Odwalla may appeal to health conscious shoppers, but they are actually owned by Coca-Cola. Another popular ‘health’ brand is Kashi, owned by the Kellogg corporation. Some products from these companies may be ‘100% organic’, but do you really trust their labeling practices? Or perhaps more important, do you really want to give support to the corporate producer?

Further, these large corporations are buying out some of the companies many natural-health advocates have grown to love. One example is when New Chapter, a vitamin and supplement company offering worthy products since 1892, was bought out by mega-corporation Proctor & Gamble.