Tag: carcinogen

Breakfast, dessert, or a toxic storm?

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We LOVE cereal in my family. Addie snacks on some every day and Christopher and I have a bowl before bed almost every night.

During my last trimester with Adeline, I ate frosted flakes every day and couldn’t go without it. I didn’t find out until after she was born that it has toxic ingredients in it 😔 I was being so mindful about all the products I was putting on my body but was putting poison in my body, unknowingly, with this craving.

Are you wondering what some of the ingredients hiding in common cereals are?

BHT ❌ BHA and BHT can induce allergic reactions in the skin. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies BHA as a possible human carcinogen. The European Commission on Endocrine Disruption has also listed BHA as a Category 1 priority substance, based on evidence that it interferes with hormone function.

Artificial Dyes đŸš« Artificial colorings are linked to attention-deficit disorder and hyperactivity in children.  They’ve been linked to headaches, stomachaches, asthma, cancer, chromosomal damage, lymphomas, insomnia, eczema, hives, organ tumors, etc.  Animal studies have even linked artificial dyes to organ damage, birth defects and certain cancers.

Natural Flavors ❌ Natural flavors is one of those nasty little phrases we avoid at all costs on every label. It sounds so harmless, but do you actually know what status our lovely FDA has given those two words? Proprietary. Trade Secrets. This allows all kinds of toxic or just disgusting things (google castoreum and know that this is allowed within the term “natural flavors”) to be in your food. It is like the term “fragrance” on personal care products, AVOID IT!

Artificial Flavors đŸš« Artificial flavoring is derived from inedible sources, like petroleum. The problem with natural and artificial flavors on a nutritional label is that you have absolutely no idea what you’re consuming.

Now for the good news. You don’t have to consume these things or feed it to your children if you enjoy a bowl of cereal like I do. Now, that I know better, I make sure I do better, and you can too. I started testing out different cereals with clean ingredients immediately after discovering what’s in the cereals I had been eating. It was discouraging at times when I got some that just didn’t taste good at all. But, I kept trying, and now we have a handful that we absolutely love!

For more clean, toxin free food ideas, head on over to https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingclean/

Raise clean, friends đŸŒ·

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The Horrors of Trick or Treating

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Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I have so many memories of Halloween nights, walking the neighborhood with my parents and sister then with my friends as I got older. Dressing as Mother Goose, an angel, a baby, and so many more. Then, of course the thrill of going through my candy after hours of hard work. My sister and I actually used to sit on the floor, dump out our treasure, and sort it by category 😂 (strange little kids I know). It was always one of my favorite days of the year.

Now that I have a child of my own, inevitably, I’m starting to think about taking her trick or treating. But, as a toxin free family, how do we go about navigating this holiday, keeping it fun for her, and keeping toxins like red 40 out of her little body? Let me tell you a little bit about red 40…

Red 40

What is it?

Red 40 is a certified color that comes from petroleum distillates or coal tars. The FDA mandates that it has to be listed by name on food and product labels. let’s look at the facts about this ingredient:

-Red 40 and other AFCs (Artificial Food Coloring) can cause allergic reactions.

-AFCs can cause hyperactivity in children and immune system tumors in mice.

-Red 40 contains p-Cresidine, which is likely a human carcinogen.

-One study found that Red 40 lowers reproductive success in rats.

-Red 40 reduced parental and offspring weight, decreased brain weight, and lowered chances for survival in newborn rats.

-The colorant showed evidence of physical and behavioral toxicity in developing rats that consumed Red 40 as 10% of their diet.

Products containing Red 40

FDA regulations say that Red 40 must be listed on labels as “FD&C Red No. 40” or “Red 40.” However, manufacturers don’t have to specify how much is in their product. In the EU, warning labels are required on most dyed foods, which has caused a major downturn in their use. Foods that aren’t red or orange could still include Red 40. It is going to be incredibly prevalent in your child’s trick or treating bag.

To learn about our plan for avoiding Red 40 (and other candy that a child really doesn’t need) without removing trick or treating or taking the fun out of Halloween, hop on over to my Wellness Community where I explain what our favorite holiday will look like in our home! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingclean/