[JavaJumpy]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. “Food” is the smiley face name placed on assemblages of chemicals. Our bodies are chemical machines that live on chemicals, any one of which, in the right amount, would kill you.

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OK, so you’re a scientist who takes every word literally and I’m not. Got me there - hahahahahaha!

[Ev Reeman]

Frankly, I never drink for example diet sodas with sugar substitutes because I think they are basically chemicals and unhealthier even moreso than real sugar. I never have sugar substitutes and I never use them. I can understand people with diabetes staying away from sugar. But it is my belief that the chemicals in sugar substitutes may cause cancer and other health problems. I much prefer natural foods whenever possible.

[aruanan]

OK, so you’re a scientist who takes every word literally and I’m not. Got me there - hahahahahaha!

Failing to take words literally when talking about real things is what gets people doing such things as believing that eating loads of asparagus will cure cancer (1) or believing that bovine growth hormones could have have a hormonal effect on their children's bodies and buying ridiculously expensive milk to avoid a non-existent problem (2) or believing that "organic" fertilizers are "better" than inorganic ones and buying more expensive foods that are no more nutritious and no safer than others (3). But taking advantage of others' ignorance and appealing to their fear and pride have always been good means of acquiring revenue and power (look no farther than global warming/CO2 regulation to see the most successful of all such scams).

1. A long circulating anonymous email touting the amazing discovery by someone supposed to be a dentist.

2. Quadruped mammalian growth hormones cannot dock with primate growth hormone receptors, though primate growth hormones can stimulate growth in other mammals.

3. Plants absorb only inorganic fertilizers; the crap or other 'organic fertilizer' have to be broken down by bacteria in the soil into their inorganic constituents before the plants can use them. It's better to directly control the amounts and relative proportions of the inorganics from the start.