Vani Hari, better known as โFood Babe,โ is a self-proclaimed investigator of food and consumer advocate. Yet, some of her so-called investigations have been based in little to no evidence, while most of the rest of her claims are outright drivel. She has made her mark in an all-too-easy exploitation of public fear of the โunnatural,โ distrust of establishment and love for fads.
As expected, her opposition has been growing. Scientists and skeptics have begunย criticizing Hariโs assertions. Within the last several months, the frequency of articles, blog posts and social media opposition has skyrocketed.
I’m a mother and science writer, and I’ve been critical of Hari’s work over the last several months. I am not a scientist by the traditional definition. I don’t have a PhD., nor have I authored peer-reviewed research publications. Still, I have a unique perspective afforded by the intersection of a sound working knowledge of genomics, genetics, and bioinformatics. I’ve garnered this knowledge being raised by a molecular biologist, working for a small private-sector genomics R&D company, and via coursework and extensive reading on the subject.
In addition to writing on the subjects of feminism, atheism, and biotechnology in agriculture and medicine, I took on the position of spokesperson for Chow Babe, an open social media critic of Food Babe. While Chow Babe is a parody of Food Babe, she has gained a following of nearly ten thousand people sharing one common notion – that Vani Hari is a charlatan without evidence for her propaganda.
Maria Godoy of NPRโs โThe Saltโ took notice and contacted me and a few scientists to discuss scientific backlash against Food Babe. Considering that NPR is a renowned and reputable organization, I gladly obliged. Over the weekend–shortly after the piece was published and after declining to be interviewed for the NPR piece–Food Babe lashed out at her critics.
Food Babe refers to me as follows (and yes, Iโll explain why I know sheโs talking about me specifically):
โSeemingly reputable news organizations like NPR (in a blog post titled โIs The Food Babe A Fearmonger? Scientists Are Speaking Outโ) even linked to the hate groups โ quoting one of their spokespeople and repeated their ridiculous and biased messages as if they have any merit.โ
I am the only one quoted in the NPR piece with the title of โspokesperson.โ (For more information, see Chow Babeโs post describing how I became her spokesperson in late October.) Therefore, itโs obvious that Food Babe is referring to me. As with all of the individuals she criticizes in her response, she is too cowardly to call me by name for fear of having to engage in extensive discourse. Also, it’s likely that she’s been advised to refrain from naming her foes to avoid liability.
Although this isnโt the first letter Iโve written to Food Babe, here is my personal response:
Dear Vani,
Scientists, skeptics, farmers, and science writers like me have given you ample occasions to have civil debates. Not once have you taken the opportunity to do so. Nevertheless, I will continue to reach out with the hope that you’ll agree to a direct dialogue.
Yes, I happen to be Chow Babeโs spokesperson, but first and foremost Iโm an outspoken writerย challengingย unscientific and misleading propaganda. Early on in my criticism of scientific misinformation, I noticed you perhaps unintentionally misleading your followers on the subject of cancer. For example, you once asked your readers whether eating the “best foods on the planet” and avoiding environmental toxins would prevent cancer in an individual with a BRCA 1 or 2 mutation. In short, this notion is completely erroneous. The likelihood of breast or ovarian cancer is very high with these specific hereditary mutations, and your suggestions to avoid a cancer diagnosis are mere wishful thinking. Here is my piece criticizing your stance on BRCA mutations in detail.
In addition, you frequently demonize so-called carcinogens without scientific basis. For instance, you demonize group 2b carcinogens like carrageenan. Carrageenan is categorized as โpossibly carcinogenic to humans,โ yet you happily post selfies drinking alcoholic beverages. You must know that wine, beer, and spirits are classified by the IARC as group 1 carcinogens, meaning they are known to cause cancer in humans. You discuss cancer often on your blog, yet itโs painfully clear that you donโt understand how carcinogenesis works even at the most basic level.
This brings me to my next point. You state in your response that one doesnโt need a PhD to be a consumer advocate or food investigator, and that โjust because you have a degree, doesnโt make you right.โ
Indeed, I wholeheartedly agree that one doesnโt need a PhD to discourseย about food and food-related science. Nevertheless, I always believe that it’s critical to draw from mainstream experts. Claims need to be supported by the broad weight of empirically based studies and not just reflect someone’s opinion or a one-off study that fits preconceived notions. To blithely abandon theย scientific consensus to embrace views considered unscientific by the most reputable science bodies in the United States and world suggests ideology and activism for its own sake, and not science.ย At minimum one needs a solid grasp of the science behind claims in order to be credible.
Youย do notย appear toย understand what a โscience experimentโ means as distinct from pure opinion; what you deem “personal experience.” You state the following:
โI know with my own body, that eliminating food additives was one of the best decisions I ever made โ before that I was on several prescription drugs, felt and looked awful. I have more energy now than I did 10 years ago, 10 years older! โ How is that possible if there isnโt something to all of this healthy eating? Or more directly, to eliminating the chemicals that major food companies have yet to justify to us with any explanation.
Others without a PhD have also conducted the same experiments, using their bodies and personal experience, and have come to a similar conclusion.
I use a variety of published scientific papers, interviews with experts, studies and opinions from noteworthy and respected public interest groups in my writings (they are usually blue hyperlinked throughout my posts). We are still learning the impacts of the food we eat โ much of it hasnโt even been studied โ thousands of chemicals in our food supply remain untested. So much new information is being discovered every single day.โ
Vani, using oneโs body and personal experience does not a science experiment make, no matter what the self-proclaimed โconclusion.โ A valid experiment must be conducted under controlled conditions with a clear hypothesis, and confounding factors must be minimized. For the results to be compelling, they must be reproducible. In other words, you need confirming independent studies by reputable scientists.
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As Carl Sagan once said, “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”. The evidence you cite to corroborate your extraordinary claims is far from extraordinary; indeed itโs dicey and weak. The so-called credentialed experts you cite may have PhDs, yet this makes them no less wrong. There is no body of evidence to support their claims and they are not primary researchers in these fields. You take dubious or totally fabricated findings, almost always unscientific and often anecdotal, and tout them as alarming, scary truth. If this isnโt unscientific fear-mongering, I donโt know what is.
I was shocked and heartbroken to see you conflating my message and those of my comrades with the hateful, and violently misogynistic messages youโve received. You call me the spokesperson for a โhate group,โ yet Iโm a feminist, skeptical and above all else compassionate writer. Many women have been targets of misogyny online. Internet misogyny is a scourge that we all should continue to combat together. I too have been targeted, told that I’m “poisoning” my children and that it will be my fault if they ever suffer a terminal illness. In addition, I’m Indian-American just like you, and have always defended you against ignorant racist remarks, in part because I know how it feels.
While these attacks are deplorable, they are irrelevant to the majority of sensible, scientific and civil backlash against your work. Conflating misogyny with relevant opposition is underhanded. You are using this in an attempt to derail the entire conversationโa public conversation in which youโve never even been willing to engage. Youโre throwing yourself a pity party and inviting your entire army.
The fact is you have refused to engage with reasonable critics of your writings–the misinformation, sometimes dangerous, that you spread so carelessly. Being critical of your campaigns does not make someone hateful. I’ll repeat, it’s hurtful and offensive to paint all of your opponents with a “hate group” brush. Peruse the 4000+ members of the Banned by Food Babe group and read the comments. These are not the comments of aย hate group.
Vani, you exemplify the most condemnable misogynistic attacks as representative of your opponents. None of the people or organizations you lambast in your post condone these awful attacks. Yet, you personallyย are responsible for unsubstantiated, utterly fabricated ad hominem attacks against many of us, and to which Iโve been subjected all too oftenโthe “shill” gambit.
Not everyone who is critical of you is automatically a shill for Big Ag or Big Biotech. Unfounded accusation of shilling is based in ignorance and disingenuousness. This is an empty tactic. If any of us truly has a โfinancial incentiveโ to oppose you, please, produce tangible evidence, don’t just spew rhetoric.
How is Dr. Kevin Folta, department chair of Horticultural Sciences at the University of Florida, one of the most independent of scientists in the world with no industry connections making money from the biotech industry and Monsanto? How are Chow Babe, Science Babe, Food Hunk or I profiting from criticizing your views? Produce evidence.
Vani, I implore you to stop name-calling and throwing tantrums, and to respond to the relevant questions posed to you. And if you disagree, rather than retreat into yourย echo-chamber of support, venture out and engage with critics. Weโre all willing and eager to dialogue, in public, and in any forum of your choosing.
Sincerely,
Mother, Feminist and Science Advocate,
Kavin Senapathy
Kavin Senapathy is a contributor at Genetic Literacy Project and other sites. She works for a genomics/bioinformatics R&D in Madison, WI. She loves all things genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics. Her interests span the human and agricultural realms. Opinions expressed are her own and do not reflect her employer. Follow Kavin on Facebook, Twitter @ksenapathy and Google +
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