You may think your burger and fries is the unhealthiest part of your dinner, but new research says an unexpected part of your food could be making you sick.
These chemicals are called polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFASs, and they've been shown to cause cancer, hormone problems and even high cholesterol in humans.
A new study by the Silent Spring Institute in Massachusetts has found that a third of your fast food packaging - that includes the paper wrappers, drink containers and cardboard boxes - contain toxic chemicals.
The study took 400 samples of different types of food packaging from 27 popular fast food restaurants. They found that 50 percent of burger wrappers and 20 percent of french fry boxes contain the chemicals, which are also used in non-stick pans and fire fighting foam.
Some of the chemicals inside these samples were so dangerous that some companies have stopped using them altogether. The chemical C8 has been linked to kidney cancer and thyroid disease, and most companies avoid using it, but researchers found samples of C8 in the packaging they analyzed.
If you want to avoid exposing yourself to these chemicals, the easiest solution is to cut fast food out of your diet, or just eat out a little less. If you do pick up a burger every so often, take your food out of the packaging as soon as possible so it spends less time rubbing against the materials.
There's no need to worry about your own food. The wax paper in your kitchen is much safer than the kind you get at these restaurants.
