Chemophobia

Chemophobia is an aversion or fear of chemicals, often based on the belief that anything “synthetic” or “man-made” is inherently harmful, while “natural” substances are automatically safe.

This fear can stem from real concerns, like legitimate chemical hazards, but in its exaggerated form, it overlooks the fact that everything (including water and oxygen) is made of chemicals. In food discussions, chemophobia often fuels suspicion of long ingredient names or additives, even when they’ve been well-studied and shown to be safe at typical exposure levels.

In the context of influencers like Vani Hari, critics use the term to describe messaging that may amplify these fears without providing balanced risk–benefit analysis or scientific nuance.

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