In all of our books, we diligently point out the negative effects of all of the Scary Seven ingredients, but If there’s one thing you’ll take away from Label Lessons: Unjunk Your Kid’s Lunchbox, it’s that you should avoid kids' snacks that feature this highly processed chemical sweetener. Take the innocent enough cookie. Many are loaded with HFCS, which opens our little ones up to a number of potential side effects, including obesity, insulin resistance, increased belly fat, and heart disease.
If you’ve read my column then you’re already aware of the Scary Seven list of ingredients to avoid, and at the top of that list is high fructose corn syrup. For many of our readers this isn’t anything new. You may already be aware of the fact that HFCS is super unhealthy. But in our research for Label Lessons: Unjunk Your Kid’s Lunchbox, we found out that deceptive labeling, particularly on kids snacks, like cookies, makes high-fructose corn syrup even worse.
Read more about fructose and overeating
On average, 17 percent of a teen’s calories come from added sugars. When fructose is consumed in high amounts as in HFCS, the liver converts much of it to fat. It also causes insulin resistance. In short–the more fructose, the more of an impact on your child’s body. And it gets worse. There are three types of HFCS with varying amounts of fructose. HFCS-42 (42 percent fructose), HFCS-55 (55 percent fructose), and HFCS-90 (super sweet at 90 percent fructose). But here’s the deal: the FDA does not require manufacturers to specify which kind of HFCS they’re using.
Golden Oreos
This classic cookie and kids snack favorite is loaded with the following chemical additives:
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Potential GMOs
- Artificial Flavors
High-fructose Corn Syrup
It is impossible to know what type of high-fructose corn syrup Oreos contain or how much is in each cookie. Since we already know what high-fructose corn syrup can do to the body, especially a child’s more vulnerable growing body, I would recommend swapping out Oreos for a cleaner, healthier option like Country Choice Organic's Sandwich Cookies. They taste delicious (my husband has been known to sneak a few) and they don't contain any artificial chemical additives like high-fructose corn syrup. They are a HUGE hit in my house.
Potential GMOS
If sugars aren’t labeled "organic" then they’re likely sourced from genetically modified sugar beets (or GMO HFCS). GMOs have been linked to childhood allergies as well as tumors in rats. I recommend putting those Golden Oreos back on the shelf and opting for the organic, GMO-free option above.
Artificial Flavors
This is a blanket term for chemicals used to flavor processed foods. One artificial flavor can be made up of one, or hundreds, of man-made chemicals. Are you curious about what is causing your child to act out? There’s a strong chance that it could be the artificial flavors so leniently added to the foods our kids eat each and every day. Artificial flavors are chemical additives that can cause allergic and behavioral problems in kids.
Country Choice Organic Vanilla Sandwich Cremes
How can two cookies that look so similar be so very different? If you’re looking to choose chemical-free sweet treats for your kids, Country Choice Organic Vanilla Sandwich Cremes are a good choice. Here’s why:
- They contain organic sugar–not high-fructose corn syrup.
- they are Non-GMO Project Verified.
- They do not contains any artificial ingredients.
Image: Country Choice Organic
Organic Sugar
Instead of using high-fructose corn syrup, and all the potential side effects that go along with it, Country Choice Organic Vanilla Sandwich Cremes use organic sugar. Not only is organic sugar free of pesticide residue, it is also free of potential GMO ingredients. Organic sugar is made with organic sugar cane, which provides B vitamins, calcium, and potassium. Though sugar of any kind is something all of our kids should only have in moderation, organic, unrefined sugar is a much better choice than high-fructose corn syrup or genetically modified sugar beets.
Non-GMO Project Verified
Buying organic and looking for the Non-GMO Project certification avoids most GMOs. Products that have less than 0.9 percent GMO can be verified through the program. And since both the U.S. and Canada have no GMO labeling, this is currently the most dependable method, other than buying 100 percent organic, of course.
No Artificial Ingredients
Bottom line–I encourage everyone to understand what they are eating. If you cannot pronounce an ingredient on a label, put it back on the shelf. My motto is to say NO to fake ingredients created in a lab, and YES to organic foods (even if it is a sweet treat once in a while).
When it’s put in these terms, the choice seems much more obvious: chemical mess or organic goodness?
Image: flickriver
