Daily Dosage: Warning – contains umbilical cord

If you’ve been eating for a few years now – and I certainly hope you have – you’re well aware that much of our packaged goodies come with a lengthy ingredient list. Same goes for household cleaners and cosmetics. And you probably know the typical, ickier add-ins: gelatin, rennet and Red-40 are three of the most common stomach churners. But you may not know it all. Below, three of my favorite extreme additives:

Cetyl Palmitate. A white, waxy oil. Not surprising, given that it’s been derived from the heads of sperm whales. Spread it on toast with your morning serving of buttery spread. I Can’t Believe It’s Not…something grosser than sperm wax?

Hyaluronic Acid. There’s nothing like umbilical cord juice to clear the complexion. Some praise hyaluronic acid as “the fountain of youth” because it rejuvenates connective tissue to keep skin wrinkle-free. Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, it’s also derived from umbilical cords. Don’t worry – wrinkly is the new supple.

Civet. Civets are teeny, cutesy cats who live in Africa and Asia. But we don’t love ‘em cause they’re cute. We love ‘em cause their gland secretions make for tasty ice cream. Civet extract is used to jazz up those sweet desserts, as well as candy, chewing gum and perfume.