I teach children cooking classes. ADVERTISING I teach children cooking classes. One of the first things I ask about are food allergies. I am always amazed at the allergies todays’ children have. I grew up bringing peanut butter and jelly
I teach children cooking classes.
One of the first things I ask about are food allergies. I am always amazed at the allergies todays’ children have. I grew up bringing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to school. Today, it is not allowed in many classrooms.
I have been developing food allergies and so have my two sons. My son in Germany has no allergies, so it made me want to investigate what could be the root cause of our allergies.
There are many websites that cite between 11 to 14 food additives still allowed in the U.S. and banned in other countries. Nutritionist Mira Carlton with her husband, Jayson, wrote a book, “Rich Food, Poor Food,” regarding this matter. They took six years to go to 100 countries and studied more than 150 ingredients and put together a comprehensive list of the top 13 problematic products forbidden by governments outside the U.S. “due to their detrimental effects on human health.”
These are the additives used in the U.S. and banned in other countries, according to the Carlsons:
• BLUE DYE NO. 1: Found in ice cream, cereal, packaged soups, icing and blue curacao. The European Union bans it. Health hazards: Allergies, hyperactivity, learning problems, irritability and aggressiveness in children, possible link to ADHD and cancer.
• YELLOW DYE NO. 2: Also called tartrazine, this coloring agent is banned in Finland and Norway but widely used in the U.S. It is found in cheese-flavored crackers, chips, butterscotch pudding, yellow sports drinks and macaroni and cheese mixes. Health hazards: Causes genotoxicity deterioration of cells’ genetic material, with possibilities of mutating healthy DNA.
• YELLOW DYE NO. 6: Or sunset yellow, this coloring agent is the third most-widely used food coloring in the U.S. and is found in fruity Cheerios, Trix cereal, some Eggo waffle products, Kraft macaroni and cheese, cakes, candy, medicines, sports drinks, soda, pet food and many American cheeses. It is banned in Finland and Norway.
Americans, it is said, eat with their eyes and foods that are beige are not attractive, so coloring has increased five-fold since 1955. These colors are made from coal tar, which also is used to seal-coat products to protect the shine of industrial flooring and is the ingredient in head lice shampoo.
• OLESTRA: Also known as Olean, Proctor and Gamble spent 25 years and half-billion dollars to develop a “light” potato chip. It is banned in the U.K. and Canada. Health hazards: This substance depletes fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids and causes anal leakage.
• BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL: Also known as BVO, this oil is an emulsifier, preventing the flavoring from separating and floating to the surface. It is found in rolls, wraps, flatbread, bread crumbs and bagel chips. It is banned in more than 100 countries. Health hazards: BVO competes with iodine in our body, and elevated levels could lead to thyroid problems such as hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease and cancer. BVO’s main ingredient, bromime, is a poisonous chemical that is corrosive and toxic. Bromine is linked to major organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia and hearing loss.
• ZODICARBON-AMIDE: Found in breads, frozen dinners, boxed pasta mixes and package baked goods. It is added to bleach the flour to make it white. Azodicarbonamide is banned in Singapore, and if you are caught using it in your flour, you can be imprisoned for 15 years and be penalized a half-million dollars in fines. It also is banned in Australia, the U.K. and the European countries. Health hazards: Linked to asthma when consumed. It is found in foamed plastics such as yoga mats and sneaker soles.
• BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE: Or BHA and BHT, this additive is made from petroleum. These waxy solids act as preservatives to prevent foods for becoming rancid and developing objectionable odors. It is found in cereal, nut mixes, gum, butter, meats, dehydrated potatoes and beer. Banned in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and throughout Europe. Health hazards: Potential carcinogen, endocrine (hormone) disruptor. California recognizes BHA as a carcinogen.
• SYNTHETIC HORMONES (rBGH and rBST): Injected into cows to boost milk production by 10 percent. It is found in milk and dairy products. It is banned in the European Union, Canada and other countries. Health hazards: Cows treated with these hormones often are infertile and suffer from inflamed and infested udders. Consumption of these hormones is linked to breast, colon and prostate cancers.
• ARSENIC: A poison, this is allowed by the FDA in chicken feed to promote growth and improve efficiency in feeding. “The arsenic affects the blood vessels in chickens and turkeys, causing them to appear pinker, and therefore, fresher,” Carlton said. The European Union banned use of arsenic in 1999. Health hazards: Arsenic is known to be a carcinogen.
• DIPHENYL-AMINE: Also known as DPA, this is that glossy sheen on apples that protects them from turning brown and allows them to be stored for months. It is found in apples, apple juice, applesauce, pears and baby food. Health hazard: Chemicals in PDA break down and form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.
• POTASSIUM BROMATE: This is a bread additive that strengthens dough, reduces baking time and lowers production costs. It also is known as bromated flour.
It is banned in the European Union, Canada, Peru, Nigeria, Brazil, South Korea and China. Health hazards: Researchers in Japan published a study that showed that potassium bromate causes cancer in the thyroid, kidneys and other parts of the body.
Julie Jones, professor emeritus with Saint Catherine University in Minnesota and author of the textbook “Food Safety,” says, “What drives one country to ban a food and not another often has to do with as much politics as it does science.”
So, be your own advocate on what you want to feed your family.
My son, Dean, and daughter-in-law, Ariana, are reading labels even more now that they have a son, Quentin.
Buying organic foods, although more costly, as well as eating whole foods instead of processed or packaged foods, might be the responsible way to feed your family.
Foodie bites
• The Kona Coffee Festival is happening now, with the Kona Coffee Cooking Contest this Sunday, Nov. 8. Check out the website, www.konacoffeefest.com.
• Check out Hawaii Community College’s cafeteria this week. Call 934-2559 for specials of the day.
Email me at audreywilson808@gmail.com if you have questions.
