Why You Should Care About Glyphosate, Big Food, and What’s Really in Your Grocery Cart
In recent months, some of the most trusted names in wellness, functional medicine, nutrition, and food transparency have come forward to expose what's really happening in our food system. From congressional testimony to national roundtables, experts are sounding the alarm!
Their message is clear: Our food system is broken. And it’s making people sick, especially our kids.
This post is a roundup of what these voices are exposing and how we can take smarter, more empowered steps to protect our families.
What Is Glyphosate and Why Are So Many Experts Talking About It?
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide in the world. Classified as a “probable carcinogen” by the World Health Organization, it’s sprayed on crops both during growth and just before harvest as a drying agent for oats, wheat, barley, legumes, and more.
Over 280 billion pounds are sprayed annually in the U.S., and 80% of grain-based grocery foods test positive for residues. That includes oat milk, cereals, bread, crackers, baby snacks, and products often labeled as "non-GMO."
Bayer, the company that owns Monsanto (creator of glyphosate-based Roundup), also manufactures the pharmaceutical drugs used to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the same cancer that glyphosate has been repeatedly linked to. Yes, you read that right, the same company causing disease is also profiting from its treatment.
Toxins in Grocery Store Food and What’s Hiding in Your Cart
Modern grocery shelves are filled with food-like products engineered for profit and shelf life, not nourishment. Here's what most consumers don’t realize:
Most "choices" on shelves are controlled by 10 large corporations. These conglomerates include Nestlé, PepsiCo, General Mills, and Unilever, brands that own hundreds of smaller labels, giving the illusion of variety while funneling profits into the same few pockets.
Non-GMO does not mean glyphosate-free. Many foods labeled “non-GMO” are still made from crops heavily sprayed with glyphosate.
The word "natural" is legally meaningless. There is no FDA standard for “natural,” allowing companies to use the term even if products contain artificial preservatives, flavor enhancers, or pesticides.
The FDA’s GRAS (“Generally Recognized as Safe”) loophole allows food companies to self-certify ingredients as safe, without independent FDA review. Over 1,000 substances in our food supply have never been evaluated by the FDA.
Additives, dyes, emulsifiers, and preservatives are hidden in “health” foods. For example:
“Whole grain” cereals like Raisin Bran and Cheerios (typically contain BHT, glyphosate, or both)
Popular protein bars and granola labeled as healthy often contain TBHQ, soy lecithin, or artificial sweeteners.
Even seemingly “clean” snacks may be contaminated with PFAS (forever chemicals) from packaging, or include obesogens, chemical compounds like BPA and phthalates that disrupt hormones and contribute to weight gain.
Soil depletion has stripped fruits and vegetables of their historic nutrient levels. According to USDA data, calcium in broccoli dropped by 50% between 1975 and 2015; iron in spinach decreased by nearly 40%. One peer-reviewed study found that modern apples now contain significantly less vitamin C than apples grown 50 years ago.
Next, we’ll explore what each of these experts revealed, and how their testimony is shifting the national conversation.
What Top Wellness Experts Are Revealing About Food, Health, and Corruption
Dr. Casey Means, MD
U.S. Surgeon General, former Stanford-trained surgeon, and author of Good Energy, Dr. Casey Means is a metabolic health expert. She testified at Congress that, "Up to 88% of Americans show signs of metabolic dysfunction from ultra-processed foods." She emphasized that our food environment, not individual willpower, is driving modern chronic illness. She also spoke about mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, and how glyphosate disrupts the microbiome, affecting nearly every system in the body. Means highlighted how metabolic dysfunction isn't just about obesity or diabetes, but a broader crisis impacting brain health, fertility, mental health, and immune function. She called for systemic reform in both food and healthcare, urging a focus on root causes instead of symptom suppression.
Dr. Mark Hyman, MD
Internationally recognized leader in functional medicine, former Cleveland Clinic director, bestselling author, and founder of Function Health, Dr. Hyman testified before Congress: "Endocrine disruptors like seed oils, BPA, phthalates, and glyphosate are silent drivers of disease, from cancer and infertility to diabetes and obesity." He explained how glyphosate acts as an antibiotic in the gut, wiping out beneficial bacteria and disrupting the microbiome. This microbial imbalance contributes to leaky gut, systemic inflammation, and autoimmunity. He also emphasized how ultra-processed foods lead to metabolic chaos, hormonal imbalances, and accelerated aging, calling for urgent nutrition policy reform based on real food principles.
Calley Means
A former political strategist and corporate consultant for pharmaceutical and processed food companies, Calley Means now works to expose systemic corruption in health and nutrition policy. He detailed how he previously helped craft lobbying campaigns that protected Big Food and Big Pharma’s interests, ensuring ultra-processed foods were subsidized through school lunch programs and SNAP benefits, fueling a national health crisis. "Big Food writes the nutrition policy. Big Pharma writes the prescriptions." Calley and others specifically pointed out that school lunch programs are the largest purchasers of ultra-processed foods in America. This fact alone has major implications for the health of our children, and illustrates how deeply embedded processed food has become in our systems.
Dr. Paul Saladino, MD
Known as the “Carnivore MD,” Dr. Paul Saladino promotes animal-based diets and ancestral nutrition. He urged Congress that, "Seed oils are toxic. They're inflammatory, oxidized, and metabolically damaging." While not advocating for the American people at the congressional level, he dedicates his career to advocating for ancestral diets, elimination of industrial oils, and nose-to-tail eating for optimal nutrient density. Saladino also critiques the mainstream overemphasis on fiber, arguing it can contribute to bloating, nutrient malabsorption, and digestive discomfort. Instead, he promotes animal-based diets rich in organ meats, collagen, and healthy fats to rebuild nutrient stores and reduce systemic inflammation.
Dr. Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC
Dr. Will Cole is a leading voice in functional medicine and bestselling author. He emphasized that gut health is foundational to hormone balance, brain function, and mood regulation. He explained how glyphosate disrupts the microbiome and contributes to systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and autoimmune conditions. Cole advocates for a return to ancestral, anti-inflammatory eating, supporting detox pathways through nutrition and removing chemical-laden foods from daily life.
Vani Hari (Food Babe)
Known as @FoodBabe, Vani Hari is a bestselling author, food activist, and founder of FoodBabe.com. She has mobilized millions through online petitions and has successfully pressured major brands to remove harmful ingredients. Her campaigns include influencing Kraft to remove artificial dyes from Kraft Mac & Cheese, pushing Chick-fil-A to eliminate TBHQ and high-fructose corn syrup, and getting General Mills and Kellogg’s to cut BHT from cereals. Most recently, she was instrumental in the FDA’s proposal to phase out synthetic dyes in children's food. At the hearings, Hari urged Congress to acknowledge the stark difference between U.S. and European food standards, and demanded clear labeling of additives banned overseas to allow American consumers informed choice.
Jillian Michaels
Famous fitness and wellness expert and bestselling author Jillian Michaels emphasized to Congress how, "Health-halo foods are some of the most misleading. Just because it's labeled 'organic' or 'gluten-free' doesn't mean it's clean." Michaels exposed how front-of-label marketing often hides inflammatory seed oils, added sugars, and artificial preservatives. She also discussed the lack of education around label reading and how many consumers believe they are eating healthy when they are consuming foods that promote inflammation, blood sugar dysregulation, and weight gain.
Courtney Swan (Realfoodology)
Courtney Swan is a celebrity nutritionist, real food activist, and creator of @RealFoodology. She explained how Bayer (owner of Monsanto) created Roundup-resistant GMO crops to withstand repeated glyphosate spraying, resulting in chemical residues in everyday food products, including those marketed to families and children. She made a powerful point: the same company responsible for spraying glyphosate (Bayer, via Monsanto) is also manufacturing the drugs used to treat cancers linked to that chemical, such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Swan highlighted how glyphosate depletes key minerals in soil and disrupts gut health by acting as a microbial disruptor. She detailed how food labels mislead consumers, non-GMO doesn't mean glyphosate-free, and how corporate-funded studies shape public policy in favor of chemical agriculture. Her call to action: protect our kids from this chemically saturated system by turning to real, nutrient-dense food from trustworthy sources.
Alex Clark
Alex Clark is a wellness advocate passionate about exposing the harms of Big Food and Big Pharma on American families. She explained how American food manufacturers exploit legal loopholes that allow them to include banned ingredients like artificial dyes and chemical preservatives in children's foods. She revealed that school cafeterias are now the single largest institutional purchaser of food in the United States, and often serve ultra-processed meals loaded with glyphosate, food dyes, and synthetic additives. Clark emphasized that this is not just a food issue but a generational health crisis, urging stricter regulation of school food programs and institutional transparency.
Kelly Ryerson (Glyphosate Girl)
Kelly Ryerson is a leading environmental health advocate, journalist, and founder of @GlyphosateGirl and Glyphosate Facts. She discussed how eliminating glyphosate from her own life improved her health, and sounded the early alarm that Bayer was actively lobbying for immunity from glyphosate-related lawsuits (in which they were granted). Ryerson spotlighted the regulatory loopholes that allow high glyphosate residue in school and institutional foods, and advocated for mandatory residue testing and full transparency in public food systems. She also emphasized the broader neurological, hormonal, and autoimmune implications of glyphosate exposure.
Dr. Chuck Benbrook, PhD
Dr. Chuck Benbrook is an agricultural economist and former science advisor at the USDA. He testified that "pesticide safety levels are set based on adult exposures. But children absorb far more, and we’re not accounting for that." Benbrook presented compelling data showing that current EPA standards are outdated and fail to reflect the cumulative and synergistic chemical exposures children face daily, especially through school lunches, baby foods, and formula. He also criticized the conflict of interest between regulatory agencies and chemical manufacturers, calling for a full reassessment of pesticide tolerance levels and stricter protections for vulnerable populations.
Renee Dufault, PhD
Renee Dufault, a former FDA researcher and toxicologist, exposed how mercury contaminates high-fructose corn syrup, one of the most common sweeteners in American processed food and a major ingredient in many brands of baby formula. Her research linked trace mercury exposure to increased rates of ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and metabolic disease in children. Dufault emphasized the lack of federal requirements to screen food additives for neurotoxic residues and how regulatory gaps have allowed mercury-tainted ingredients into mainstream food products. She continues to call for improved transparency, third-party testing, and comprehensive food safety reform.
Jessica Reed Kraus
Shared the realities of parenting within a broken food system and why so many moms are turning to low-tox lifestyles, label-reading, and real-food strategies to protect their families. She spoke to the emotional toll of being the gatekeeper to wellness in a system designed to confuse and overload. Kraus emphasized the need for more honest public discourse, fewer shame tactics, and better access to real food options for all families.
How to Shop Cleaner and Eat Better Without Overhauling Your Whole Life
Taking action doesn’t mean a total pantry overhaul overnight. Start with practical, high-impact shifts:
Prioritize real food: shop the perimeter of the store (meat, eggs, produce, dairy)
Choose organic for high-risk categories (especially grains, soy, and processed snacks)
Read ingredient labels and skip anything you can’t pronounce or identify
Source from local farms and farmers’ markets when possible
Ditch seed oils (canola, soy, corn, rapeseed) and use healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and tallow
Reduce ultra-processed foods; build meals around protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich veggies
Healthy Food Brands Nutrition Experts Actually Recommend
If you’re ready to swap smart, here are a few expert-backed brands:
Eggs & Meat: Force of Nature, Pasturebird, local regenerative farms
Fish: Wild Planet Sardines and Tuna, wild-caught fish
Yogurt: Coco June, Culina, Coconut Cult (probiotic)
Cereal: Lovebird Cereal and Seven Sundays
Condiments: Primal Kitchen, Chosen Foods, Noble Made
Protein & Supplements: Agent Nateur, Carnivore Aurelius, Paleovalley
Bread: AWG Bakery, One Mighty Mill
Chips & Snacks: MASA Chips, Vandy’s Chips, Mavuno Harvest Organic Fruit Snacks, That’s It Organic
Fermented Foods & Drinks: Wildbrine (fermented foods), Olipop (gut-friendly soda),
Wine: Dry Farm Wines (low-toxin wine)
Salt: Baha Gold Mineral Sea Salt
Best Books, Documentaries, and Resources to Learn About Food and Health
Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means and Calley Means – a breakdown of the metabolic root causes of chronic illness and how to fix them
Boundless by Ben Greenfield
Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman – exposing the connection between food, policy, disease, and corporate influence
The Gut-Brain Connection by Dr. Will Cole – exploring how gut health influences mood, inflammation, and chronic disease
Fed Up (2014) – a documentary that traces the obesity epidemic back to Big Food’s role in school lunches and national health decline
The Dorito Effect by Mark Schatzker – exploring how fake flavor has hijacked our food and taste buds
@FoodBabe – Vani Hari’s food investigations, campaigns, and product recommendations
@RealFoodology – Courtney Swan’s podcast, education, and shopping tips
Glyphosate Facts – source-based evidence and research on glyphosate's safety, usage, and impact
Why Moms Need to Be Food Label Experts in Today’s Grocery Aisles
Most of us grew up on snacks like Goldfish, Ritz, Oreos, and Pop-Tarts and Lunchables that seemed harmless at the time. Over the years, food manufacturers have quietly replaced real ingredients with cheap chemical fillers, artificial dyes, and shelf-stabilizing additives. Many of the foods we ate in the ’80s and ’90s now carry warning labels, lawsuit settlements, or outright bans in other countries. There were no GMOs in our lunchboxes back then, no lab-created MSG or hyper-palatable flavor enhancers scientifically designed to be as addictive as possible. The foods may look the same, but what’s inside of them has changed drastically. The truth is that those of us doing the grocery shopping, especially moms, hold immense power. We decide what comes into our homes and what goes onto our children’s plates.
Yes, experts are calling for reform and demanding accountability on the big stage. But until the system shifts, we are the ones reading the labels, watching the ingredients, and learning which brands to trust. It’s exhausting—but it’s also empowering.
And this post? It’s for you.
To remind you that you’re not alone, that your instinct to dig deeper is valid, and that your effort to protect your family’s health is one of the most important things you can do.
I’ll be sharing more staples, swaps, and resources in future posts to help lighten the load and give you more confidence at home and on the go.