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The Toxic Ingredients Hiding in Your “Healthy” Food with Vani Hari (Food Babe)

Writer: Dr. Mindy Pelz
Dr. Mindy Pelz
22 hours ago
3 min read

EP377 with Vani Hari




The grocery store has never given us more choices, yet figuring out what’s actually in our food can feel more confusing than ever.


Food activist and Food Babe founder Vani Hari returns to Live Like a Girl for a conversation about ultra-processed food, ingredient labels, and the practical changes she believes can help families bring more real food back into their kitchens.



Vani shares the health crisis that first pushed her to investigate the food she was eating, what she has learned from more than two decades of food advocacy, and why she wants consumers to stop relying on the marketing on the front of a package and start reading the ingredient list on the back.


Dr. Mindy and Vani also discuss food noise, artificial flavors and dyes, sweeteners, MSG, cooking oils, children's food preferences, and simple swaps that can make eating real food feel realistic rather than restrictive.


Plus, Vani shares a look inside her new cookbook, Food Babe Feast, and how she approaches birthdays, holidays, parties, and family traditions without giving up the fun of food.


In This Episode:

  • What actually makes a food “ultra-processed”

  • Why Vani says the ingredient list matters more than front-of-package claims

  • The health crisis that started Vani's real-food journey

  • How to navigate packaged food without becoming overwhelmed

  • The ingredients Vani looks for when reading food labels

  • Why “natural flavor” deserves a closer look

  • The debate around seed oils and how Vani approaches cooking fats

  • Artificial sweeteners, food dyes, and MSG

  • How highly palatable foods can influence cravings and food preferences

  • Ultra-processed food and the growing conversation around food noise

  • Helping children become accustomed to a wider variety of flavors

  • Easy ways to add more fruits, vegetables, and fiber

  • Better alternatives to processed deli meat

  • How to make your favorite foods with simpler ingredients

  • Eating real food during holidays, birthdays, and celebrations

  • How consumer choices can influence the larger food system



Resources Mentioned:



Meet the Guest

Vani Hari


Vani Hari, widely known as the Food Babe, is a food activist, author, entrepreneur, and founder of FoodBabe.com. For more than two decades, she has investigated ingredients used in the American food supply and advocated for changes in the way major food companies formulate their products.


Her work focuses on helping consumers understand food labels, reduce ultra-processed foods, and make more informed choices about what they bring into their homes. She is also the founder of Truvani and has built a large community around food transparency and consumer advocacy.

Her newest cookbook, Food Babe Feast, brings that philosophy into celebrations, with recipes and practical strategies for enjoying holidays, parties, and family traditions using real-food ingredients


More on Vani Hari


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This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, legal, or medical advice. Please consult a qualified professional about your individual situation.

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