No they do not. But I like to have a basis for my opinions, just like I like to know the facts before I make a political or any other decision. Rather than making a big deal of the situation, I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity. I read Chowhound for fun, I don't read topics such as 'In-N-Out vs. 5 Guys" in case someone throws me an unexpected fast food question.

I hope this is not a landmine as well. While I'm interested in eating less processed foods, I love Starburst and Sour Patch Kids too much. My overall approach is moderation, don't go overboard but don't deny either. Of course, this is all my own opinion.

I'm a young cook and have been cooking for my husband and I for 3 years now. I enjoy it and see the advantages of home cooking in terms of saving money, healthy well being and food quality. I've started to make most of our food from scratch ( marinara, dressing, baked goods, etc) and am amazed by the benefits. As i step away from buying spaghetti sauce or bags of cookies, I also applaud myself on our decreased consumption of the sodium, HFCS, preservatives and chemicals found in processed items. But if someone asked me why I don't consume items with chemicals and preservatives, I wouldn't have an answer other than "Cause I know it's not natural and thus bad for me".

I'm looking for some concrete details and facts. I'm starting my own internet exploration but any knowledge you could share would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

P.S. My first post! Woohoo!