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 ๐ 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 โ 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 ๐ซ Artificial colorings are linked to attention-deficit disorder and hyperactivity in children.ย Theyโve been linked to headaches, stomachaches, asthma, cancer, chromosomal damage, lymphomas, insomnia, eczema, hives, organ tumors, etc.ย Animal studies have even linked artificial dyes to organ damage, birth defects and certain cancers.
Natural Flavors โ 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?ย 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 ๐ซ 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 youโre 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 ๐ท
Raising Clean 