Can Robert F Kennedy Jr Make American Diet Healthy Again?

President Donald Trump's pick for the US health Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr., had his first confirmation hearing on Wednesday, where he was questioned by senators. His motto has been focused on tackling ultra-processed foods, which makes up 70% of the food supply in the US.

His brand of Make America Healthy Again, an offshoot of Make America Great Again, is all about changing the American Diet, but what does he really mean by that?

READ: What Is 'Make America Healthy Again' All About?

Kennedy has spoken a lot on dyes, cereals, seed oils and chicken nuggets. He said, "We are betraying out children by letting [food] industries poison them." However, does this mean he would target the big food industry? While this could actually be a positive turn, but would that really be possible? Amid all such question, one fear that looms over everyone is his anti-vaccine and anti-abortion perspective, which too were questioned by Democratic senators in his hearing.

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Shaking Up HHS and FDA

If Kennedy is to be believed, he wants to "make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA". Part of his new mandate will include overseeing the US Food and Drug Administration, which has over 18,000 employees. He has earlier said that school lunches are unhealthy, as per his statement to Fox News, he said, "We have a generation of kids who are swimming around in a toxic soup right now."

The reason why this thought has also gained momentum is because many lawmakers and consumer groups have accused the agency of its lack of transparency and action on food safety. For Kennedy, he wants to fire employees who are part of the "corrupt system".

“There are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the FDA … that have to go, that are not doing their job,” Kennedy told MSNBC.

A Ban On What?

He has also pushed for getting rid of dyes, including the Red No. 3 dye, which has been linked to cancer in animals. This was also banned earlier this month by the FDA. The due is used in many foods, including candy, cereals, cherries in fruit, cocktails and strawberry-flavored milkshakes, noted the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety advocacy group that petitioned FDA in 2022 to end its use.

CHECK OUT: FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 From Foods, Beverages, And Medicines

Kennedy also is a big time believer of drinking raw milk, which he believes has more health benefits, despite the increased risk of bacterial contamination. He has also lead to more controversies on health issues including fluoride in drinking water, which, as per him, should be banned altogether.

He is also against the use of seed oils, and believes that Americans are being "unknowingly poisoned" by products like canola and sunflower oil, used in fast foods.

How Valid Are His Points?

The former FDA official said several food dyes, including the Red No. 3 has been banned in California, should be banned by the US government as it has links with carcinogens. Kennedy has also pushed to the thought that there are lots of activities happening in the US, which have been banned in the European Union. The officials have said that there is a need to dig deeper in the point to understand the regulations between the US and EU.

While some of what he said may have made sense, experts have confirmed that not all Kennedy's goals are worthwhile.

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For instance, drinking raw milk which is not pasteurized, a process that helps kill bacteria, can make people sick or even kill them.

Furthermore, Kennedy's proposal to remove fluoride from drinking water could also be problematic because fluoride, in the low levels found in water has been proven to improve dental health. In fact, with seed oils and obesity too, there is not necessarily enough evidence. Experts have pointed out that they seem like important products to the extent that they substitute for saturated fats.

What experts have encouraged is his take on big food industry and to regulate the food industry by limiting unhealthy foods, especially processed and ultra-processed foods.

Find out more on Ultra-processed foods.