Food Additives Make Children Behave Badly

Nowadays, the manufacturers use so many food additives that can be detrimental to our health, especially when it comes to children. The main behavioral effects of food additives are: restlessness, oppositional defiance, difficulty falling asleep, temper outbursts and irritability. Unfortunately, some of the parents are not aware that these food additives are the main causers of many other effects related to their children such as speech delay, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, depression, making silly noises or arguing with siblings. On the other hand, additive-free children are mostly happier, calmer and more cooperative.

For instance, the researchers have discovered that children under the age of three are more susceptible to food additives like colorings and preservatives because when they consume fruit juices they lose their temper, lack concentration, struggle to sleep and interrupt others. This is a reason enough to eliminate all those food additives from foods and drinks for children.

It should also be mentioned that the more additives the children ingest, the more they will be affected.

Which Additives Do We Need To Look Out For?

If you want to learn more about Food Dyes, you can read all about it in the report published by CSPI: Rainbow of Risks which discusses risks of cancer, genetic damage, and allergic reactions due to dyes.

In order to find the dyes in your child’s favorite food, you should use IATP’s Brain Food Selector.

Here are some of the food additives that you should be concerned with:

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 yogurts, icecreams, popcorn etc, 160a is a safe alternative)
Learn more:

Living in Color: The Potential Dangers of Artificial Dyes

Preservatives

200-203 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)
Flavor enhancers – in flavored crackers, snacks, takeaways, instant noodles, soups 621 MSG 627, 631, 635 disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, ribonucleotides.

It should also be mentioned that certain food additives are worse than others, so here’s a list of the top food additives you should definitely avoid:

But What Can I Eat Now?

Looking For Additive-Free Foods, Check Out These Resources:

Eat Wild

Eat Wild consists of more than 1,400 pasture-based farms and ranches in American and Canada. It also has some international resources and it is considered as one of the most comprehensive sources for grass0fed mead as well as dairy products in US and Canada. There are numerous different products such as Wild-Caught Salmon, Turkeys, Chickens, Ducks, Eggs, Milk, Cheeses, Beef,Pork, Lamb, Veal, Goat, Elk, Venison, Yak and many more.

Eat Local Grown

This program is the best because it was created in order to help you Find, Rate and Share Locally Grown Food! Here, you can find Restaurants, Artisans, Farmer’s Markets, Grocery Stores and Farms.

Local Harvest

The United States have neat 2 million farm and even 80% of them are small farms. The farmers sell their products directly to the public. In order to do that, they use CSA programs, farm stands, Food Coops, u-picks, Farmer’s Markets and other direct marketing channels. Make sure to use the map at Local Harvest in order to support your local farmers.