Kids Acting Up? Check the Labels.

Monday, May 28, 2012

We all remember this classic viral video clip from last fall. Jimmy Kimmel challenged parents to videotape themselves telling their kids that they ate all their Halloween candy and send in the responses to the show. The results were hilarious and terrifying way, and not because any of the kids still had on their scary costumes.

Sugar has long been the villain. And this compelling CBS 60 Minutes report on how sugar effects kids that was released last month showed even more evidence of why sugar needs to be avoided, especially by our children.

But now new reports suggest that keeping our kid's health in cheek is more complicated than simply banning sweets. Processed foods that contain lots of food additives, specifically food dyes, may be a contributor to behavioral problems with children.

Daily Mail reported:

"Additives used in hundreds of children's foods and drinks can cause temper tantrums and disruptive behaviour, researchers have found. Their Government-funded study confirms what many parents have long suspected about the effect of chemicals put into sweets, biscuits and foods. Colourings in products such as Jammie Dodgers, Smarties, Jelly Tots and fizzy drinks could spark behaviour changes in up to a quarter of toddlers. Research into a group of threeyear- olds found they were more likely to lack concentration, lose their temper, interrupt others and struggle to get to sleep when they drank fruit juice dosed with colourings and preservatives."

Food Matters followed up with a list of food colorings and preservatives that should be avoided if possible, in order to minimize negative behavioral outcomes. The list was put together by Sue Dentae, author of the book "Fed Up: Understanding How Food Affects Your Child And What You Can Do About It". We have repurposed it here:

Which Additives Do We Need To Look Out For?

Artificial Colors

(in sweets, drinks, takeaways, cereals and many processed foods)

102 tartrazine,

104 quinoline yellow,

107 yellow 2G,

110 sunset yellow,

122 azorubine,

123 amaranth,

124 ponceau red,

127 erythrosine,

128 red 2G,

129 allura red,

132 indigotine,

133 brilliant blue,

142 green S,

151 brilliant black,

155 chocolate brown Natural colour,

160b annatto (in yoghurts, icecreams, popcorn etc, 160a is a safe alternative)

Preservatives

Preservatives200-203 sorbates (in margarine, dips, cakes, fruit products)

210-213 benzoates (in juices, soft drinks, cordials, syrups, medications)

220-228 sulphites (in dried fruit, fruit drinks, sausages, and many others)

280-283 propionates (in bread, crumpets, bakery products)

249-252 nitrates, nitrites (in processed meats like ham)

Synthetic antioxidants - in margarines, vegetable oils, fried foods, snacks, biscuits etc

310-312 Gallates 319-320 TBHQ, BHA, BHT (306-309 are safe alternatives)

Flavour enhancers - in flavoured crackers, snacks, takeaways, instant noodles, soups 621 MSG 627, 631, 635 disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, ribonucleotides

Some great questions to ask yourself when purchasing products for your family: Do you know who made it? Do you have an understanding of the process of how it is made? Is the company transparent about their intentions and care for food quality and nutrition? Its best to stick to local, simple, real foods as often as possible. And of course, stay informed!

Labels: food additives, food quality, preservatives, sugar, whole foods