4.6 • 5.2K Ratings
🗓️ 20 June 2024
⏱️ 71 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Caffeine in your chocolate... synthetic cooling agents masking burning sensations in your gum, mints, and vapes... bioactive compounds you never expected in your cosmetics and beyond.
What if the ingredients on the label don't tell the full story?
In today's show, you'll meet Ben Katz, a scientist who exposes what's really in your popular supplements, foods, drinks, and other products using advanced analytical techniques on his popular MassSpecEverything social media channels. Throughout this fascinating discussion, you'll discover how Ben pulls back the curtain on consumer products using mass spectrometry and chromatography to identify and quantify chemical compounds. Additionally, you'll uncover the surprising truth about the levels of caffeine in chocolate and other candies marketed toward kids. Ben also reveals what he found after analyzing samples of two products that I frequently get asked about: “Feel Free," a bottled blend of kratom and kava (video here) and Lucy nicotine gum (video here).
Ben specializes in the field of mass spectrometry, a technique used to identify and analyze chemical compounds. Mass spectrometry is an analytical tool useful for measuring the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of one or more molecules present in a sample. These measurements can be used to calculate the exact molecular weight of the sample components as well — so technically, using a tool like Ben does, you can find out a lot about the supplements, drinks, gums, and other compounds you consume on a regular basis.
Brace yourself as Ben explains the presence of concerning compounds like diphenylamine, a synthetic growth regulator sprayed on fruits and vegetables. He advocates for more transparency around these post-harvest treatments, even in organic produce. You'll also get Ben's take on cleaner sources of nicotine, flavors with potentially toxic effects, and cutting-edge technologies that could one day allow you to have a mass spectrometry device in your home.
Whether you're a label scrutinizer or just curious about what's really in popular products, this eye-opening episode will leave you looking at the world of consumer goods in a whole new light!
For full show notes: bengreenfieldlife.com/spec
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0:00.0 | Hey there, this is Aaron Ryan. I am the producer over at BGL. I wanted to give a quick disclaimer for this episode |
0:06.0 | because it doesn't quite sound like the clean and clear audio that you are used to. We had some audio issues. However, this episode was too awesome not to post. So we wanted to put it out there anyway and we |
0:20.3 | apologize for a little bit of a fuzzy listening experience on the guest end. |
0:25.2 | And we want to remind you that the episode is also available on YouTube with subtitles if you prefer that way. |
0:31.1 | But it's a unique episode. We haven't ever done an episode like this before, so we couldn't scrap it. We had to post it because we think you'll really like it. So please enjoy this episode. |
0:41.0 | My name is Ben Greenfield, and on this episode of the Ben Greenfield Life Podcast. |
0:46.7 | So chocolate produces Steve Burmese, the major alcaret, not caffeine. |
0:51.3 | Incogn nibs, |
0:52.5 | well out of chocolate plant, |
0:54.2 | it's supposed to be 90% fier blooming, 10% caffeine. |
0:58.1 | So then I start checking like M&M's. |
1:00.5 | And I'm like, okay, why is the ratio switched? |
1:03.8 | Why is there 90% caffeine, 10% deal bear me? |
1:07.8 | Then you're like, okay, that's real suspicious. |
1:09.8 | Fitness, nutrition, biohacking, longevity, life optimization, spirituality, and a whole lot more. |
1:19.0 | Welcome to the Ben Greenfield Life Show. |
1:21.8 | Are you ready to hack your life? Let's do this. |
1:24.3 | Hey you may have heard my interview with this guy named Dr. Nayan Patel. |
1:34.0 | If you didn't, you gotta listen in. It is fascinating. It goes into how glutathion, this master |
1:39.4 | antioxin that's so critical for reducing the risk of chronic disease, enhancing energy levels |
1:44.2 | and supporting anti-aging efforts, and promoting detox and balancing oxidative stress, |
1:49.4 | well it's very poorly absorbed orally, and many people have absorption and |
... |
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