There are so many issues about the food we eat that it becomes hard to keep up on the latest problems or concerns – it is a good thing there are people like Food Babe (Vani Hari) and Science Babe (Yvette d’Entremont) to keep these issues alive, even if it means getting into a word war on the internet and getting some readers confused in the process.
If you have no idea who these food warriors are, here’s an overview.
The Food Babe is a staunch campaigner against anything with chemicals and toxins in food while the Science Babe, who happens to be an analytical chemist, is her arch-enemy.
The two had exchanged some really harsh words against their beliefs, believing the other is morally wrong with her stand.
So, who really wins in this food battle? Who is right and who is wrong?
The Food Babe
On one side is the Food Babe, the pretty lady who says that all chemicals placed in food are potentially harmful to one’s health.
https://twitter.com/thefoodbabe/status/585916642296758272
It seems she goes by the rule, “Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce.”
She did not make this up, saying the rule comes from Michael Pollan’s “In the Defense of Food”.
https://twitter.com/thefoodbabe/status/585481017399635968
Though she already has a huge following named the Food Babe Army, she actually came to the limelight last year when she campaigned against Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, saying it was filled with toxins very difficult to pronounce; therefore, the drink should be avoided because toxins are not just poisonous, these can also cause cancer and various forms of ailments.
She is also against vaccines and just about anything you can’t pronounce. Uhm. It is no wonder a lot of people are calling her names; though we’re not about to repeat them here.
And just in case you have the nerve to question her statements by asking her to produce scientific evidence or simply disagree with what’s she’s saying, she could actually delete your comment and ban you from the page.
In fact, there’s a group called Banned by Food Babe, comprised of 8,300+ members!
The Science Babe
Enter the Science Babe. She wrote an article on Gawker specifically targeting the Food Babe’s overall phobia against chemicals.
https://twitter.com/sciencebabe/status/585352697248755712
“Reading Hari’s site, it’s rare to come across a single scientific fact.
Between her egregious abuse of the word “toxin” anytime there’s a chemical she can’t pronounce and asserting that everyone who disagrees with her is a paid shill, it’s hard to pinpoint her biggest sin.”
Hari’s rule? “If a third grader can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it.”
My rule? Don’t base your diet on the pronunciation skills of an eight-year-old.
It is hard not to agree with the Science Babe.
After all, as she pointed out, our lives are really filled with various chemicals – for example, there’s dihydrogen monoxide we drink daily [the doctor recommends at least 8 glasses! Water!] and there’s acetic acid we regularly place in our salad [you knew that’s vinegar, right?].
So, you see, chemicals are not really all harmful at all. Evidence of that: Water is a chemical!
In response to the Science’s Babe’s Gawker post, the Food Babe attacked her character, saying d’Entremont was clearly pro-GMO because she once worked as a pesticide chemist.
I can't just sit back and let the companies that want to pollute our earth and our bodies continue to try to keep us in…
Posted by Food Babe on Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Yet as many people pointed out, she simply did not answer the Science Babe’s points, perhaps because they were true? What she did was assassinate d’Entremont’s character to make her less reliable perhaps.
The #ScienceBabe→an actual chemist←takes on the ramblings of the #FoodBabe. http://t.co/oLGu6EeBXW #TeamScienceBabe pic.twitter.com/DCB1awXs9p
— Independent Women's Forum (@IWF) April 7, 2015
But between a chemist and a food blogger who got most of her info from the internet, I’d go with the one backed by real scientific data, anytime. So, the Science Babe wins!
Recently, Vani Hari files FOIA on Kevin Folta (Public scientist and Biotechnologist):
.@thefoodbabe @EricLiptonNYT Yep. Calling out BS is what we do. Science. Your FOIA request is a gift. Vanity Harassment. Shows law abuse.
— Kevin Folta (@kevinfolta) September 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/thefoodbabe/status/641378337445707776
SWEET! Getting FOIAd by @thefoodbabe! Can't stand the truth Vani? Got to cherry pick my emails? Can't argue facts, attack the person!
— Kevin Folta (@kevinfolta) September 8, 2015
And here’s a bonus viral video from “Vain Hair and her take on PSL”:
