Anatomy of a Donut

Unpacking the Impact of America's Sweet Tooth

The students slouched in their seats, showing little interest in the assignment I had just given them. At the front of the 8th-grade classroom, a large screen displayed the ingredients on a food label. The class had been unable to identify the food by examining this list. Other than five kinds of sweeteners, among 39 ingredients only a few were recognizable as food: enriched flour, egg, whey, and salt. The rest were artificial or chemical additives. “Some kind of donut” was the guess.

They were close. It was a Twinkie. In the back of the classroom, the health teacher folded his arms across his chest and smiled.

Each student had been assigned one ingredient on the list and given three questions to answer: what is it? what is it made from? and how is it made?

I walked behind a hooded creature that slumped in front of a Chromebook. “Find anything?” I asked, looking over her shoulder.

“I guess,” said the girl. 

“Let’s hear what you’ve got,” I said. Clearly, she hadn’t read what her half-hearted search for synthetic niacin had revealed. 

The girl looked at the screen with a bored expression. Suddenly she sat up and furrowed her brow, leaning forward. “Oh my god,” she said. “This is disgusting!” 

The class stirred, casting doubtful glances in her direction. I nodded for her to read out loud what she had found.

“It says niacin is a B-vitamin, but – gross! ‘Synthetic nicotinic acid is created using coal tar, ammonia, acids, 3-cyanopyridine, and formaldehyde.’” 

Many eyes widened, and a number of kids made outrageous faces – a strategy for making comments without disrupting class. I was tempted to screw up my own face in disgust as the next student read what he found about vitamin B1:

“Thiamine mononitrate or thiamine hydrochloride is made from coal tar, ammonia, acetone, and hydrochloric acid. It is much less absorbable since it isn’t bound to phosphate. It is crystalline in structure, unlike plant-based vitamins. Many synthetic vitamins are crystalline. Crystals in our blood stream cause damage and mineral accumulation where it isn’t needed, like joints.”¹

The boy looked up from the screen with an expression like a bewildered emoji. The class giggled – but despite the comic relief, this was no laughing matter.

“Wait a minute,” another kid piped up. “Is that the same stuff that’s in Vitamin Water?” 

“Funny you should ask,” I said, advancing the screen to the next slide. Coca Cola ads dating back over a century were displayed along with cheerful images of young people drinking Vitamin Water and smiling. When America started catching on to the negative effects of soda, the Coca Cola Company switched gears and produced Vitamin Water instead – a subsidiary that generates over $43 billion/year. But are these vitamins actually absorbed?

Vitamin B6 is converted within the body into a usable form by binding with phosphates from plants. But as the next student revealed, synthetic B6, pyridoxine hydrochloride, is made from petroleum ester, hydrochloric acid, and formaldehyde. It isn’t properly converted or well absorbed, and has been shown to actually inhibit the absorption of natural B6. It also has other side effects not found with naturally-derived sources.²

Even creepier, synthetic Vitamin B12 is made by converting cobalamin to cyanocobalamin by adding potassium cyanide in the presence of sodium nitrite. Cobalt, one of the components, is a toxic substance used for sterilizing medical equipment, radiation therapy, manufacturing plastics, and irradiating food to increase shelf life. We all know what cyanide is. I’m no chemist, and cannot attest to the molecular changes these substances undergo in the production of synthetic compounds – but it doesn’t sound healthy. Better to get B12 from natural sources: meat, fish, liver, eggs, and dairy. Natural B12 may only be derived from animal-based foods.

And sadly, ascorbic acid, one of the most popular forms of synthetic vitamin C, is isolated from genetically modified corn starch that is hydrogenated and processed with acetone.³ It does not include the flavonoids and phytonutrients that make vitamin C bioavailable.⁴

The students also learned about sodium stearoyl lactate, made by combining lactic acid and stearic acid, and then reacting the result with sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide.⁵ Sodium stearoyl lactate makes the gluten in bread stronger and more extensible, increasing the volume of the loaf – and the damage done by gluten along with it. This may lead to leaky gut syndrome, which is now known to cause autoimmune reactions, and to underlie numerous chronic diseases, including IBS, psoriasis, eczema, acne, and so much more.⁶ Who really benefits from loftier loaves and puffed up cinnamon buns? Better to make your own muffins and bread at home, or buy it from a local bakery that doesn’t use chemical additives.

Then there’s potassium sorbate, a preservative used to suppress formation of molds and yeasts in foods, wines, and personal care products. In-vitro studies suggest it is toxic to DNA and weakens immunity.⁷ To produce this chemical, sorbic acid is blended with potassium hydroxide and recrystallized with aqueous ethylene hydroxide.⁸ This additive is approved by the FDA – but consider the nutritional value of a food that may be left out for years without decaying. Even bacteria don’t want it.

The leavening used to make processed breads and pastries rise also raises red flags. Sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) is a popular leavening agent extensively used in food processing. SAPP is prepared by the partial neutralization of phosphoric acid with sodium hydroxide to form monosodium phosphate. It may contribute to osteoporosis by depleting calcium, and is known to cause problems with immunity by causing leukopenia (white blood cell depletion), inflammatory reactions, and necrosis. Sounds yummy, right?

Thinking of these kids and their future health, several months later I showed up at a town board meeting about the construction of a new gas station in a nearby town, which would also include a Dunkin Donuts and convenience store. Gas stations are few and far between in the forest preserve area where I live, and must pass muster with numerous state regulations. Yet polluting our bodies with chemical confections requires no scrutinization whatsoever, despite the cost to our youth, our families, and our communities. That much of the junk food sold at this joint would be purchased by skiers, hikers, and other tourists passing through the area was little comfort. The impact on our entire nation is snowballing as fast as climate change is on the rise – a monumental burden to taxpayers.

Some concerns were expressed about traffic and zoning regulations, but the people of Pine Hill were generally pleased that they would finally have a food store in their village. One elderly woman stood up and said, “I’ll be the first to buy a box of donuts!” and elicited cheers from the audience.

The idea of being able to take a quick ride up the road to get gas and buy a few groceries appeals to me, too. But what food will be available at a convenience store under the auspices of a fast food joint? 

I decided to unpack a box of donuts and see what’s inside. Here’s the list of ingredients in a typical Dunkin Donut:

At the next town board meeting, I signed up for a five-minute slot to raise my concerns about the project, soon up for a final vote by the ten members of the board. I packed my speech into a list of bullet points, and focused on the big picture:

• 67% of the diet of young people in America is ultra-processed food, defined as food that comes in a package with five or more ingredients including sugar, starch, unhealthy oils, and chemical additives. A typical Dunkin Donut contains over 100 ingredients. This includes numerous forms of artificial and refined sugar; high fructose corn syrup, which causes fatty liver disease and forces the body to gain weight; and artificial vitamins. It also contains hidden forms of MSG,⁹ an excitotoxin that kills brain cells and makes food addictive.

• Today, only 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy.¹⁰ Metabolic health is defined as healthy insulin sensitivity, healthy weight, healthy blood pressure, and freedom from chronic disease. Only 25% of American youngsters age 20 to 40 are metabolically healthy. 13% of kids now have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a huge risk factor for cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and early death.¹¹  

• Health care now constitutes 20% of the national GDP,¹²and is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S.  1 out of 3 Medicare dollars is spent on Type 2 diabetes, which is completely avoidable. 50% of Americans are diabetic or prediabetic, up to 80% of whom are undiagnosed.¹³ That number is expected to continue to rise in the coming decade, especially among young people. America is the most unhealthy developed nation in the world, with the highest rates of chronic disease, cancer, and Covid deaths. A staggering 60% of Americans have a chronic disease, and another 25% suffer from two or more, costing 80% of our national medical budget of over 4 trillion dollars per year – the highest in the developed world.

• All non-organic wheat flour in the U.S. is presently grown with the use of the weedkiller glyphosate – a/k/a Roundup – a known carcinogen for which 165,000 lawsuits have been brought against Bayer-Monsanto to date. The corporate giant settles these claims out of court and keeps them under wraps.¹⁴ Glyphosate also destroys wildlife and soil quality. It is the DDT of our times, completely banned in Europe but used throughout the American junk food system, including Dunkin Donuts. The donuts also contain soybean oil from soybeans that are grown with the use of glyphosate.

• Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are also on the rise. Approximately 6% of the U.S. population is gluten intolerant,¹⁵ and of these, up to 83% are undiagnosed. These conditions are increasing at a rate of 7.5% per year, partly due to the strain of dwarf wheat cultivated in the U.S. and used in ultra-processed baked products. Dwarf wheat is a short stature plant that supports more grain and thereby yields higher profits, but is also higher in gluten. Since the proteins in gluten closely resemble those of the thyroid, antibodies against gluten may also attack the thyroid itself, resulting in autoimmune Hashimoto’s disease, which currently afflicts 20% of American women and 10% of men.

• Proprionic acid – a by-product of harmful bacteria that is associated with autism – is used as a preservative in all non-organic wheat flour; as well as potassium bromate, which is banned in Europe and Canada but used here in many bread products – and linked to cancer.¹⁶ This chemical was recently outlawed by the state of California; may all other states soon follow suit. One out of 36 American children now have autism, up from one out of 44 just five years ago.¹⁷ Among Afro-American boys, the number is even higher. Since Afro-American men constitute a significant portion of U.S. armed forces, this trend, combined with rapidly rising rates of juvenile diabetes, fatty liver disease, and other chronic diseases, means that as the younger generation reaches maturity, we may not have enough healthy young people even to maintain our military forces. 

For those of us who have been eating donuts and other baked goods all our lives, the sad truth is that the familiar treats of our childhoods are not the same as they were when we were young. Donuts are not food, they are an ultra-processed “food-like substance” that is unfit for human consumption. They are closer to a drug, as both sugar and MSG are highly addictive, triggering the release of dopamine, the reward-seeking hormone that produces cravings for more.

Digesting all this information takes time. We are all fond of the foods we grew up with, and addicted to the convenience of present-day products. The good news is that the food industry does eventually respond to consumer demands. You can vote with your wallet for better choices, and in the meantime, pursue healthier options, educate yourself, and set a good example for your kids and grandkids. Knowledge is always the first step.

Holidays are an especially challenging time to make dietary changes, but what we eat even on special occasions counts, and contributes to our health – or degrades it. Can we begin to make a cultural shift in a better direction?

Hanukkah is just around the corner – a holiday that celebrates the one-day supply of olive oil that miraculously burned for 8 days when the triumphant Maccabees rekindled the menorah in the great Temple of Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. It is traditional to eat oily foods on this holiday – a custom which has morphed in modern times into fried jelly donuts known as sufganiyot. Few people have the ability to make jelly donuts at home, so the vast majority buy a mass-manufactured version loaded with the above-mentioned additives – and no olive oil. Fortunately, Jewish tradition is constantly evolving, and we are free to introduce new customs. I propose celebrating the miracle of the oil with savory foods instead, such as tapenade made with olive oil and capers, or winter pesto with olive oil, parsley, and walnuts.

Christmas sweets are easier to make at home, with no need for chemical additives to inflate volume, enhance color, reduce production costs or extend shelf life. Homemade treats have another ingredient too, which you won’t find in mass-manufactured food: it’s love. Baking not only fills a home with wonderful smells, but also generates good cheer. There’s nothing like fresh gingerbread made with real ginger. The cinnamon helps lower blood sugar, and if you mind the order of what you eat (see my article by the same title), you can minimize the oxidative stress caused by insulin. Skip the colored sprinkles, and your kids might be less unruly (artificial food coloring contributes to ADHD) – or use the sparkly cookies as Christmas tree ornaments instead. 

To your good health –

Yael Bernhard
Certified Integrative Health & Nutrition Coach

Yael Bernhard is a writer, illustrator, book designer and fine art painter with a lifelong passion for nutrition and herbal medicine. She was certified by Duke University as an Integrative Health Coach in 2021 and by Cornell University in Nutrition & Healthy Living in 2022.  For information about health coaching or nutrition programs for schools, please respond directly to this newsletter, or email dyaelbernhard@protonmail.com. Her art newsletter, “Image of the Week,” may be found here.

Information in this newsletter is provided for educational – and inspirational – purposes only.

1. https://sunwarrior.com/blogs/health-hub/natural-vs-synthetic-vitamins

2. see above

3. https://sunwarrior.com/blogs/health-hub/natural-vitamin-c-versus-synthetic-vitamin-c
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemistry_of_ascorbic_acid

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3847730/

5. https://sci-toys.com/ingredients/sodium_stearoyl_lactylate.html

6. https://drhyman.com/blog/2023/08/04/podcast-ep760/

7. https://www.honestweight.coop/page/the-banned-list-335.html

8. ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_sorbate}

9. xhttps://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/sneaky-names-for-msg-check-your-labels

10. https://www.unc.edu/posts/2018/11/28/only-12-percent-of-american-adults-are-metabolically-healthy-carolina-study-finds/

11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9021174/

12. https://www.cms.gov/data-research/statistics-trends-and-reports/national-health-expenditure-data/historical

13. https://drhyman.com/downloads/Chapter1-TBOH.pdf

14. So many references attest to this disturbing trend, I cannot list them. Search for “Lawsuits against Bayer Monsanto for cancer” and you’ll get numerous results.

15. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21622-gluten-intolerance

16. https://usrtk.org/chemicals/potassium-bromate/

17. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0323-autism.html