Have You Been 'Green-Washed'?

The Rise of Toxic Products Claiming to Be Good for You

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the many toxins that are put into our food, cleaning and health products, many have begun seeking better replacements. But are they really any better? Who owns some of these companies? What hidden toxins are being used in the products that are marketed as healthy or better for you? What lies within some of the products that we have been told are “safe” or “effective” for use? I decided to do a dive into some of the companies that claim to be marketing ‘healthy alternatives’, as well as some common products that we have been led to believe are good for us or harmless… The results that I have found are pretty shocking.

1. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda: Baking soda is great for a plethora of uses, including bringing pH balance to the body, aiding kidney and liver health, ease of acid reflux and ulcer pain. It is also good to use in place of toxic cleaning products, among many other uses. But what baking soda are you using? Does it happen to be Arm & Hammer?Although baking soda is naturally occurring, it is often mined and, through a chemical process, created (as is the case with A&H). Nahcolite is the form of sodium bicarbonate that is most natural and has no chemical additives. Bob’s Red Mill is proud to sell natural baking soda that has not been chemically produced.

What is additionally interesting is that when I went to scour the A&H website for the manufacturing process involved in creating baking soda, there is nothing listed as far as that goes. All it says is that the trona ore is mined in Wisconsin, exposed to a chemical process that turns it into soda ash, and that is what reacts with the carbon dioxide to get the sodium bicarbonate. However, the details of what is involved during this chemical process are not listed. I even went to the parent company website of Church & Dwight and all that is listed is “sodium bicarbonate” and nothing about how it is processed. I decided to give the company a call to get some clarification. Unfortunately, I was informed that they do not have that available to the public, that they are unaware of the process involved, and took my information in order to get back to me with the information I requested… I won’t hold my breath.

2. Natural Deodorant Products: Some companies start with good intentions and allow themselves to be bought-out or taken over by bigger companies. Ironically, it is often a buy-out by a company who has a business model or process that the original company was trying to avoid. In 2017, Procter & Gamble bought out Native for $100 million and the same year, Schmidt’s was acquired by Unilever.