Moms Across America's Top Twenty Fast Food Brand Report on Minerals, Vitamin B, and Calories

Moms Across America announces the results of testing the top twenty fast food brands, (plus In-N-Out Burger) for minerals, and the top ten fast food brands for Vitamin B’s, and calories.

The testing was conducted out of concern for America's skyrocketing mental and physical health crisis. Eighty-five million Americans eat fast food every day. Fast food companies often supply a significant portion of the 30 million school meals served to our children each day. The quality of the food, including the contamination of agrochemicals and lack of nutrients due to toxic chemical inputs, contributes to our mental and physical health issues. One in five Americans have a mental illness, and 54% of our children have a chronic health issue.

The summary of the mineral, Vitamin B, and calorie results:

• The mineral content of the fast food tested was clearly lower than needed to meet the recommended daily requirements of calcium, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, and iron.
• For instance, copper is essential for brain function. Children with autism and violent behavior often have an imbalance of copper. At 1.40 ug ( ppb) per gram of copper as detected in Chick-fil-A nuggets and a USDA-recommended daily allowance of 900 ug of copper per day, an adult would have to consume 642 grams or almost 9 servings of chicken nuggets to receive sufficient copper.
• Signs of copper deficiency include fatigue, trouble concentrating, and poor mood
• Zero amounts of Vitamin B9 and B12 were detected in any of the top ten fast food samples. Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to fatigue, digestive issues, cardiac health, and nervous system disorders, ie: erratic behavior.

Moms Across America’s founder and director, Zen Honeycutt, stated, “After reviewing the fast food and school lunch test results, it is clear that the consistent consumption of food-like products, such as fast food and school meals, is a major contributing factor to chronic disease, mental illness, violence, and the demise of our American communities. We are calling upon policymakers to do one of the most important things they could do for the future of our country, support a transition to regenerative organic farming for safer, nontoxic, nutrient-dense food.”

For many impoverished children, school meals are the only food they consume each day. Numerous studies have linked toxins in the food supply and lack of nutrition to conditions such as autism, depression, aggression, suicide, and homicide. This report will link to several of those studies and disclose the mineral, Vitamin B, and calorie levels in the top twenty fast food restaurants/ school lunch suppliers.

Moms Across America recently released the test results of the top ten fast food restaurants for veterinary drugs and hormones and revealed the presence of harmful antibiotics in 40-60% of the samples tested and an aviary contraceptive in a Chick-fil-A sample. Further testing revealed Glifosato in 100% of the samples tested, 1-27 harmful pesticides in 76% of the top twenty fast food brands. 100% of the top twenty fast food brands also had trace levels to alarming levels of heavy metals, cadmium and lead. Heavy metal levels were between 74% -1,158% higher than what the EPA allows in drinking water.

Moms Across America’s founder and director, Zen Honeycutt, stated, “After reviewing the fast food and school lunch test results, it is clear that the consistent consumption of food-like products, such as fast food and school meals, is a major contributing factor to chronic disease, mental illness, violence, and the demise of our American communities. We are calling upon policymakers to do one of the most important things they could do for the future of our country, support a transition to regenerative organic farming for safer, nontoxic, nutrient-dense food.”
Today we release the results of the Vitamin B, minerals, and calorie tests.

According to Dr. Michelle Perro, author of What’s Making Our Children Sick? with 41 years as a pediatrician who focused primarily on children with gut health issues and autism:

Vitamin B9, also known as folate, is one of the essential B vitamins needed to synthesize DNA/immune function/nervous system function. It is present in some foods, but is often added as folic acid. Folate and folic acid are not synonymous, and many people do not have the enzyme (dihydrofolate reductase) to utilize folic acid. Interestingly, it can induce a B12. According to the NIH, children require approximately 80-150 mcg/day, and teens require 300 mcg/day. It nearly doubles for pregnancy.

Sources of folate include veggies, fruits, nuts, beans, peas, seafood, eggs, dairy products, meat/poultry, and grains. The fact that the fast foods contained zero B9 which should have been adequate because of the meat, cheese, and eggs tested is extremely concerning.

Vitamin B12 exists in 2 forms along with the mineral cobalt. Compounds with this vitamin are called cobalamins, because of the cobalt. This vitamin is extremely important for the nervous system, issues regarding cognition, energy, digestion, cardiac health, etc.

The NIH reports that children require approximately 1.2 mcg/day and teens require at least 1.8 mcg/day.”

MIT Senior Scientist Stephanie Seneff, PhD. author of Toxic Legacy, stated, “That's astonishing that there is no cobalamin or folate in the foods. Deficiencies in these two B vitamins can be linked to autism.The signs and symptoms of pediatric B12 deficiency frequently mimic those of autism spectrum disorders.”

• Abysmally low levels of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 were detected. Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to fatigue, weakness, rashes, nausea, diarrhea, irritability, and depression.
• For an adult woman to meet USDA recommended daily intake of 14 mg of Vitamin B3 she would need to consume 333 Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches. For a man to meet the RDI of 16 mg, 380 Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

The Crucial Role of Vitamin B in Mental Health and the Reduction of Violent Behavior

The importance of daily Vitamin B consumption cannot be underestimated. As mentioned in the glyphosate and pesticide report, numerous studies have linked the connection between aggressive and violent behavior and the deficiency of Vitamin B. One study from the University of Strasbourg, Germany, showed that the decline of the wild hamster population that inhabited monocrop corn fields, was being caused by disturbing behaviors. The mother hamsters were cannibalistic, eating their young on the first day of life. When tested, it was discovered that these cannibalistic hamsters were devoid of Vitamin B3. When the scientists administered Vitamin B3 to the hamsters, the violent behavior completely stopped. 

Barbara Reed Stitt, lifetime achievement award winner for her 20-year study on criminals, serial killers, parolees, and high school dropouts, showed in her book, Food and Behavior a Natural Connection, that the one thing all of these subjects had in common was not their race or socioeconomic background, as one might suspect, it was that they “bragged that they lived on junk food.” The subjects were also sorely deficient in Vitamin B3. When the processed junk food was removed from their diets for one year, the prisoner's recidivism rate switched - instead of 70% returning to prison, 70% stayed out. At the high school, instead of 500 dropping out of a school of 5,000, only 14 dropped out, and a significantly higher percentage went on to graduate from college.

The CDC reports that 1 out of 6 of our children have learning disorders and more than 1 out of 5 Americans have a mental health disorder. Many of these disorders can lead to increased violence. According to an extensive 2022 report from the Commonwealth Fund, US deaths from assaults are the highest in the world.

Moms Across America supporters have directly reported that their children, previously with severe autism, erratic behavior or violence, threatening in one instance, to “blow up the school with a bomb,” when switched to whole organic foods, became happy, responsible, capable of learning and relating to people in healthy ways. Many report that, after switching to organic food and additionally supplementing with trace minerals and Vitamin B complex, their children no longer exhibit behaviors that are autistic and violent. Children who are not inundated with toxins, and are receiving proper nutrition, are better equipped to make healthy choices, learn, and relate to people in productive ways. These children are then capable of learning, inventing new products, technology or services that could and will propel America into new roles of economic and strategic leadership globally. Without our children living up to their fullest potential, we risk the local fracturing of families and communities and lose our place in the international power structures. The fact is that the future of our country depends on our children having access to safe, nontoxic, nutrient-dense food. Minerals and Vitamin B’s play one of the most important roles in mental health and the future of our country. Moms Across America asserts that rather than just focusing on gun laws (that criminals will not follow) our government must support access for all to safe, nontoxic nutrient-dense food. Giving government subsidies to toxic, GMO, agrochemical farming is harming and killing Americans nationwide.

Jillian Burne, Nutritional Therapist and Metabolic Terrain Advocate of the MetabolicTerrainAdvocate.com, reviewed the vitamin and mineral results and stated, “As a health coach and a pediatric cancer advocate, it's disheartening to see how the habit of eating fast food has transcended from a weekend treat to breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a growing number of households. It's not just fast food restaurants but also pop-tarts, lunchables, and frozen dinners. Thanks to Mom's Across America's testing, it's possible to share the true nutrient content of some pretty common fast foods. It's not just that these foods lack nutrients, either, it's often the type of nutrients that appear to be lacking. B vitamins provide methylation and detoxification support and deficiencies often lead to anxiety, depression, or mental illness. Magnesium should be abundant in our diets, but appears to almost be missing completely which can lead to skin conditions, digestive issues, and fatigue. Whole foods, minimally processed, contain little added sugar and provide about 90 essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins and fatty acids, all of which, growing bodies require for good health.”

Additional articles by Burne can be found at : I Cured My ADHD With Food, Can you?, Further Food and Can You Resolve The Root Cause of ADHD?, Epoch Times.

The High Cost of Cheap Food

Health and learning issues put an enormous financial burden on families, school systems, and the federal government. The national healthcare budget was over 4 trillion dollars in 2020, 4X times higher than the military and the health care budget of any other industrialized nation. Rates of autism, depression, and acts of violence are particularly concerning.

According to the Legislative Analyst Report LAO School District Funding 2020, “The share of students identified with autism has increased from 1 in 600 students in 1997-98 to about 1 in 50 students in 2018-19. Many medical experts expect autism rates to continue increasing, thereby placing continued cost pressure on schools.”

The costs to educate special needs children is daunting:

According to 2019 estimates by the California Legislative Analyst Office (LAO), the average annual cost of educating a student with disabilities — $27,000 — is almost triple the cost to educate a student without disabilities — about $10,000.

The reality is while the federal government has an obligation to cover 40% of the costs of educating a child with special needs, only 15% on average, in California, for example, is covered by the federal government. This leaves the burden up to the school, forcing them to cut educational programs for the rest of the students or to spend valuable time raising funds from parents and local businesses to cover costs. Oftentimes funders are companies such as Cocoa Cola, McDonald’s, and other low-quality food and beverage suppliers who advertise on school property. This unduly influences parents and students to accept such food-like brands into their daily nourishment, further compounding the problem.

Vitamin B Results

Vitamin B lab report results

Example of the number of servings of fast food meals to meet USDA recommended daily intake of Vitamin B3:

The test results show that in order to meet the USDA recommended daily intake of 14 mg and 16 mg of Vitamin B3 for women and men, respectively, a woman would have to eat 333 servings ( serving size 210 grams) of Chick-fil-A sandwiches and a man 380. On average, adults would need to consume between 64- 73 servings of the top ten fast foods to get proper Vitamin B3 nutrition per day. Alternatively, a portion of liver (pasture-raised, ideally) or a can of tuna (SafeCatch) would supply enough Vitamin B3 or niacin for proper nutrition for a day.

Clearly, cheap fast food is not as cheap as it seems when one factors in the value of the nutrients provided in the purchase.

Vitamin B’s are important to support or promote:

• cell health
• growth of red blood cells
• energy levels
• eyesight
• brain function
• digestion
• appetite
• proper nerve function
• hormones and cholesterol production
• cardiovascular health
• muscle tone

The following symptoms may signal you’re not getting enough B vitamins:

• skin rashes
• cracks around the mouth
• scaly skin on the lips
• swollen tongue
• fatigue
• weakness
• anemia
• confusion
• irritability or depression
• nausea
• abdominal cramps
• diarrea
• constipation
• numbness or tingling in the feet and hands

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) the recommended daily intake of B vitamins for women is:

• B1: 1.1 milligrams (mg)
• B2: 1.1 mg
• B3: 14 mg NE
• B5: 5 mg
• B6: 1.3 mg
• Biotin: 30 micrograms (mcg)
• Folic acid: 400 mcg DFE
• B12: 2.4 mcg

For men, the NIH recommends the following daily intake:

• B1: 1.2 mg
• B2: 1.3 mg
• B3: 16 mg NE
• B5: 5 mg
• B6: 1.3 mg
• Biotin: 30 mcg
• Folic acid: 400 mcg DFE
• B12: 2.4 mcg

Minerales

Moms Across America commissioned 42 fast food samples to be tested for mineral content. Minerals, normally found in healthy soil and nutrient dense food, play an essential role in brain and bodily organ development and ongoing function. Without certain minerals, our metabolism, endocrine, nervous system and brain will not operate properly. It was suspected, due to the increased use of agrochemicals over the years from industrial farming, that the mineral content of fast food would be low.

RESUMEN

• Mineral content of calcium, potassium, manganese, copper and zinc were low
• These minerals support bone density, brain function, blood pressure, and organ function
• Experts identify the loss of mineral content as a direct result of the use of glyphosate and agrochemicals in industrial farming.

Full List of mineral results

"A review of the results of food mineral tests shows that the levels of calcium, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, and iron are often lower than we would want in food to meet dietary requirements. Studies have shown that glyphosate residue levels common in soil, chelate these minerals to make them less available for plant uptake. If food suppliers want to increase nutrient density and, subsequently, crop yield, focusing on eliminating the use of glyphosate and the residues in the soil would be essential." - Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus Purdue University, 60-year plant pathologist and microbiologist.

Editor’s note: Huber recommends the following product to remove glyphosate from the soil before transitioning to regenerative, organic farming. The product "PaleoPower Microbial from Ancient Organics Bioscience, Inc has been shown to remove glyphosate from the soil in 30 days: They have research and results on glyphosate and AMPA degradation in the soil utilizing their product.

A nontoxic weed killer and drying agent solution is Contact Organics. Contact Kathleen at Livkleen.com or through Contact Organics.

Los minerales son esenciales para la función corporal. Las siguientes son solo algunas de las formas específicas en que los minerales juegan un papel crucial en la salud y el desarrollo humanos.

Sodium: plays a variety of essential roles in the body. Sodium helps maintain healthy fluid balance and contributes to proper muscle contraction and nerve impulse conduction. Still, the body needs far less sodium than the average person consumes -- and the importance of sodium is negated when too much of the salty stuff fills the bloodstream.

Potassium: is necessary for the normal functioning of all cells. It regulates the heartbeat, ensures proper muscle and nerve function, and is vital for synthesizing protein and metabolizing carbohydrates.

Iron: is essential in making hemoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. These red blood cells help carry oxygen throughout your body. Six percent of iron can also be found in other essential proteins, and another 25% is stored in your body in a blood protein called ferritin. Iron is also vital for a fully functioning immune system. If your iron levels are too high or too low, this can cause serious health problems.

Calcium: is vital for overall health. Almost every cell in our body uses calcium in some way. Calcium is key to the proper functioning of our nervous system, muscles, heart, and bone. Our bones store calcium in addition to providing support for our bodies. As we age, we absorb less and less calcium from our diet, causing our bodies to take more and more calcium from our bones. Over time this aging process can cause or contribute to osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Phosphorous: an essential mineral, is naturally present in many foods and available as a dietary supplement. Phosphorus is a component of bones, teeth, DNA, and RNA. In the form of phospholipids, phosphorus is a component of cell membrane structure and the body’s essential energy source, ATP. Many proteins and sugars in the body are phosphorylated. In addition, phosphorus plays key roles in regulating gene transcription, activating enzymes, maintaining normal pH in extracellular fluid, and storing intracellular energy.

Magnesium: is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body; it is involved in over 600 cellular reactions, from making DNA to helping your muscles contract. Low magnesium levels have been linked to many adverse health outcomes, including weakness, depression, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Nitrogen: is one of the main body components required for protein synthesis and production of several nitrogenous compounds such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and components of antioxidant defense.

Manganese: contributes to many bodily functions, including the metabolism of amino acids, cholesterol, glucose, and carbohydrates. It also plays a role in bone formation, blood clotting, and reducing inflammation.

Boron: is especially important for your metabolism and other functions that involve maintaining homeostasis. Boron induces the mineralization activity of what’s called your osteoblasts. Osteoblasts are a type of cell that creates new material to rebuild bones. Boron activates these cells by regulating gene expression.

Copper is an essential trace mineral. That means, in trace amounts, it isn’t merely important for your health – it’s crucial for survival. Copper is critical for higher metabolic activity in the liver, kidneys, brain, and heart. Immune and cardiac dysfunction occurs in studies on copper deficiency and the development of such signs of deficiency has been demonstrated in infants (Graham and Cordano, 1969; Olivares and Uauy, 1996; Turnlund, 1999).

Zinc: is an essential mineral found in every cell of the human body. It is needed for the proper functioning of hundreds of enzymes, and it plays a role in immune function, cell growth, and wound healing. Zinc is also necessary for the sense of smell and taste.

Due to chemical farming, most food is sorely deficient in minerals, even organic can be low in minerals. Moms Across America recommends that all Americans supplement with a good trace mineral such as  OmniBlue Minerals. A few drops of this liquid mineral supplement can support brain function and overall health.

Calories:

Moms Across America tested the top ten foods for calories, fats and protein.

• Given that one fast food meal contributes more than 25 or 30% of total calories, the percentage of recommended daily caloric intake would be high.
• The healthy range for fat is 30% or less. Many fast food samples tested above 30% and 4 out of 10, tested above 50%. These are not healthy levels.
• Three of the samples had low protein levels.

Moms Across America primarily focuses on the quality of school lunches but is ultimately committed to supporting the transformation of the entire national food supply. Our failing health has national homeland security risks. An article from 2010 points out that military personnel called out the state of school lunches as a “national security issue,” citing the levels of obesity in children as prohibitive to the growth of the military and the security of our nation.

“Cuando más de una cuarta parte de los adultos jóvenes están demasiado gordos para pelear, debemos prestar atención”, dijo Barnett. Señaló que la seguridad nacional en el año 2030 es "absolutamente dependiente" de revertir las tasas de obesidad infantil.

Caloric Results - Full Report

While the Moms Across America testing showed that, for 70% of the products, the caloric content was essentially as claimed by the fast food chain, we continue to have serious concern regarding the consumption of fast food, because even the declared caloric content is quite high for most products. In addition three products had caloric values significantly higher than the declared values. The Taco Bell Beef Taco Supreme was 56% higher, and the calories measured in the Chipotle Carnitas Bowl was 122% of the declared value. The Subway Cold Cut Foot Long Combo was 46% higher in calories compared to the declared level.

When food is deficient in nutrients, as shown through this testing, consumers of fast food will not simply consume the advertised smaller portion size. To satisfy their hunger for essential nutrients, they will super size and order additional menu items, consuming far more calories than needed to burn for energy. Over 50% of Americans are now obese, leading to dozens of chronic illnesses and a lifetime of prescription medications. Far too many Americans have to now choose between purchasing their medication or putting gas in their car to get to work. Homelessness is on the rise and healthcare expenses are one of the leading causes of eviction and homelessness.

In summary, Executive Director, Zen Honeycutt sates, “Moms Across America is appalled by the lack of nutrients in our national food supply. It is no longer sufficient to focus on “feeding the world.” The focus must address how we are actually poisoning the world. It is time to transition to providing access to safe, non toxic, nutrient-dense food. It is time to end this toxic Chemical Era and embrace proven, profitable, and safe regenerative organic farming.”

Moms Across America is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to educate and empower mothers and others with actions and solutions to create healthy communities.

For press inquiries, contact Mara Quigley, Steve Allen Media at
[email protected] or 661.255.8283.