Passionately Holistic

This is a topic that stumps me on the regular and one I find SO HARD to deal with. Why is the U.S. so behind when it comes to banning additives that are harmful to ALL of us IN OUR FOOD? It makes no sense and is so disheartening when I really sit down and think about it.. Sadly I think about it, a lot.

In my current stage of life, it’s hard enough being a parent. I worry about my children being teased at school, being left out, struggling with math and reading, not listening (what am I doing wrong?!), blah blah blah BUT I also have to worry about the health of my children because of the additives in the food and candy they are being offered everywhere. I wish I only had to worry about teaching my kids the importance of eating a balanced diet so they can grow to be big, strong and HEALTHY. I shouldn’t have to explain that the lollipop the bank teller just gave him is loaded with food coloring and sugar which is linked to a handful of illnesses including cancer and hyperactivity. Don’t get me wrong, I still believe everything in moderation. I will let him have the lollipop and then next time I ask to hold for later, which they forget about, and I gladly throw in the trash. At the same time I can’t allow my kid to feel isolated by not allowing them “special treats” that are being offered to them or what other kids are eating at the ball field either so I purchase the healthier versions. I buy organic lollipops made with fruit juices, organic sugar, and give here and there as “special treats”. Again, everything in moderation. Believe me though, my kids eat way less sugar than most kids around us. I will say I refuse to allow them to drink soft drinks (like never), sport drinks and eat candy on the regular. Think what you want, but that will never be me. My children’s health is far more important than giving in. They are also starting to understand why I do it and mostly are okay with it.

Ugh, I kind of went sideways there and need to circle back to the point of this. It should be as simple as if there are additives used in manufacturing foods that have been linked to illnesses, disease, hyperactivity, even cancer, why wouldn’t our laws CHANGE to benefit us? Why are other countries banning ingredients that are in most packaged foods in OUR grocery stores in the U.S.? I honestly think most people in the U.S. don’t care and give the FDA way too much credit. I mean, if these chemicals are harmful then why are they allowed? I feel its greed and inconvenience but that’s for another time and place! If most Americans aren’t worried about it and continue to buy all this crap why should anyone change anything, right? We all have the power in our wallets, but until we use that power, I think nothing will change soon. With cancer on the rise and affecting most of our families at some point when will it ever click? I hope it starts to sooner rather than later.

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These cookies rate a 10 on the EWG site meaning they have the absolute WORST possible rating. “But they have real chocolate”! Right…this is a sample of why you should educate yourself!

Click the link:

https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/products/044000032258-ChipsAhoyChipsAhoyNabiscoChipsAhoyRealChocolateChipCookiesCandyBlastsCandyBlasts

Start searching foods your family eats on the regular and see how they score:

https://www.ewg.org/foodscores

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If the hidden additives weren’t enough, we see cute little chocolate M&M’s dancing around on TV, and Chester the Cheetah with his cool sunglasses passing out Cheetos, now I have to try to teach my child why they need to make the right choices and what foods to avoid. I mean I should do that anyway but these marketing ploys are a crusher. All the mini bags of pretzels, cookies, juice boxes, are just so enticing to little ones and convenient for people to drop in their bags. Either way you look at this, everything starts at home. If we allow our children to eat all of these processed food with horrible additives, then it is just a normal part of life and everyone will continue to eat this way throughout adulthood. and so the cycle continues. It’s up to us to make the change and if we aren’t in the kid phase, it’s never to late to start.

In our current home situation I am trying to break the cycle. Some days I feel like I am winning and other days I feel like I am on the verge of loosing everything I have been trying to teach my kids for years and they are only 7 and 4. My kids know too much sugar is bad for them and we talk about it. My son doesn’t like fruit (what kid doesn’t like fruit?!) so he will turn down most lollipops or fruit candy offered to him. He will however instantly accept the M&M’s, Hershey kisses, mini candy bars and other chocolate that seems to being handed to him everywhere we go including school. I know people aren’t deliberately trying to give our children foods that are HORRIBLE for them; the truth is they don’t know or don’t care to know. By now everyone has probably heard “food dye isn’t great” or “could cause…” but until it becomes widely known and the media advertises the adverse effects, people will continue to have the mindset that “it can’t be that bad” since it is sold in EVERY single grocery store and gas station.

So obviously I can go on and on about this and I will have to write a separate blog on the adverse effects of sugar alone and why we should avoid it and do our kids a favor and not give in. The same goes for food coloring which is in EVERYTHING!! Soft drinks, cookies, icing (even white icing), fruit gummies, cereal, cupcakes, candy, and most boxed products including non-sugary items, even gravies, pickles, ketchup, salad dressing, etc. The key is to READ THE LABELS. There are several forms of “food coloring” that are hidden with fancy words on the ingredients label to make you think they are free of food dyes. It’s such a scam…. I’ll provide a list of ingredients to avoid as well in case that will help you when you read labels. 🙂

Food Dye Colors to Watch Out For

Some of the most dangerous color additives currently in use are:

Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue) – found primarily in baked goods, beverages, and cereals. It caused kidney tumors in laboratory mice.

Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine) – colorant in candies, pet food, and other items. Shown to cause brain tumors in rats.

Green #3 (Fast Green) – found in many cosmetics, candy, and drugs. Increases tumors of the bladder and testes in male rats.

Red #3 (Erythrosine) – colors maraschino cherries, baked goods, and candy. Banned by the FDA for causing thyroid tumors when used in externally applied cosmetics and topical drugs.

Red #40 (Allura Red) – the most widely used dye found in cereals, desserts, drugs, and cosmetics. Accelerates immune system tumors in mice and triggers allergic reactions and hyperactivity in children.

Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) – found in any number of baked goods, cereal, gelatin products, and dessert powders. Causes severe hypersensitivity and triggers hyperactivity disorders and other behavioral issues in children.

Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow) – Used in beverages, desserts, gelatin, candy, and even sausage. Found to cause adrenal tumors and trigger severe hyperactivity in children.

In Addition to the above – Ingtotine, Erythrosine, Carmoisine, Carmoisine (E122), Tartrazine (E102), Tartrazine 4R (E124)

Basically, if you see any numbers in the ingredient list, it is a form of food coloring. Food coloring is typically used as a marketing ploy to lure kids in. Kids love bright bold colors and typically gravitate towards them. Marketing departments know this and either they don’t know or don’t care that they are luring our children into the first step of poor health.

This is not only about children. Educate yourself and make the change. Either switch to a healthier alternative or try to make your own version. It’s not the most covenant way, but it allows you to take charge of your own health and enables you to know exactly what is in the food you eat.

Resources

https://www.jackrabbitclass.com/blog/food-ingredients-to-avoid-artificial-food-coloring/