Foods and Drinks to Avoid Giving to Your Child

Tert-butylhydroquinone. Erythrosine. Butylated hydroxyanisole. These are just three of 10,000 FDA-approved additives used in common foods to preserve the product, improve the taste or enhance the color and texture. 

These hard-to-pronounce words are everywhere, whether you’ve noticed them or not. They’re in children’s drinks, snacks and sweet treats. Because children are still developing and may be more sensitive and vulnerable to preservatives and additives, use this blog to know which foods and ingredients to avoid.

Foods that sound healthy but aren’t

Fruit-flavored yogurt: Children need calcium to build strong bones, and plain or Greek yogurt offers this essential vitamin in addition to protein. But many parents serve their children fruit-flavored yogurt that can contain 12 grams of sugar or more per serving. While some yogurt brands do use fruit in their yogurt, they also rely on natural or artificial flavors to punch up the taste.

Instant oatmeal: Oats are a good source of protein and fiber, but the nutritional value is lost in flavored instant oatmeal packets that add 12 to 14 grams of sugar per serving depending on the type. As an alternative, cook oats on the stove or in the microwave with a touch of pure vanilla extract.

Granola bars: Sure, some minimally processed granola bears can have some nutritional value, but most options geared toward kids have added sugars and chocolate chips. In fact, one Chewy granola bar by Quaker has 7 grams of added sugars that comes from several different sources – corn syrup, invert sugar (also called simple syrup), sugar, corn syrup solids and molasses.

Dried fruit: Fruit that has been dried sounds relatively innocent, right? Not after food manufacturers add sugar, some to the tune of two to three teaspoons of sugar per serving. Instead, opt for unsweetened freeze-dried fruit for your kids to snack on.

No-stir peanut butter: In its most simple form, peanut butter should contain one ingredient – peanuts. But most commercial peanut butter, especially the products geared toward kids, contain hydrogenated oils to create a smoother consistency and added sugar to improve the flavor. If you slather a sandwich or an apple with a few tablespoons of peanut butter, know you’re adding almost a teaspoon of sugar.

Veggie sticks: This is another product that sounds healthy on the surface, but a quick glance at the nutritional info tells a different story. Potatoes (potato starch and potato flour) make up the first two ingredients, and there’s also cane sugar and cornstarch for added flavor and texture. Spinach powder and tomato paste account for the vegetable aspect of the snacks, although these two ingredients add only minimal nutrients (6 percent calcium, 4 percent iron and 4 percent potassium). 

Ingredients to stay away from

Many of these ingredients have one thing in common: they’re all used in processed foods. Aside from the alphabet soup of ingredients, processed foods are typically high in salt, sugar and inflammatory fats – three things that can contribute to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health problems.

Avoid these specific ingredients when making food choices for your children. Many of these additives are highlighted by the Environmental Working Group’s list of Dirty Dozen Food Chemicals to avoid.

Food dyes: Also known as artificial colors, food dyes are synthetic petroleum-derived substances that make products more visually appealing. The FDA has approved nine food dyes for commercial use: Blue No. 1, Blue No.2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red No. 2, Red No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6. Of these, Red 40 and Yellow 5 are the most commonly used. Food dyes are found in anything from candy and baked goods to cereals and sodas. The main concern with food dyes is a link to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Red No. 3, also called erythrosine, is a known carcinogen that is added to unexpected foods such as cherries in fruit cups and veggie bacon in plant-based products.

Artificial sweeteners: Nonnutritive sweeteners are intense sweeteners (sweeter than sugar) with little to no calories. Depending on the sweetener, they can be 180 to 20,000 times sweeter than table sugar, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Artificial sweeteners have been linked to weight gain, issues with gut health and behavioral problems in children. Nonnutritive sweeteners include acesulfame, advantame, aspartame, neotame, saccharin and sucralose.

Artificial flavors: Artificial flavors are created in a lab by flavorists or flavor chemists to give foods distinct flavors. For example, artificial vanilla is a cheaper alternative to natural vanilla extract that requires pure vanilla to be steeped in alcohol. But many flavorings contain dozens and dozens of synthetic ingredients. In children, artificial flavors can cause headaches and gastrointestinal problems.

High fructose corn syrup: Added sugars should be avoided for the most part, but if you decide to give your child anything with sugar, be sure it doesn’t have high fructose corn syrup. This type of cheap sugar additive – corn is cheaper than cane sugar – undergoes a process to convert glucose molecules into fructose to make products sweeter. Eating foods high in high fructose corn syrup can lead to obesity and may damage the liver – the liver metabolizes fructose, and too much fructose can impact this vital organ.

Monosodium glutamate: Better known as MSG for short, this flavor enhancer has its roots in Asian cooking to boost umami flavors. But MSG also shows up in packaged foods to make children more likely to enjoy the food. Similar to sugar, MSG can overstimulate nerves on your tongue and make your children crave even more salty foods and potentially gain weight. 

Nitrates/nitrites: Nitrates are found naturally in some foods, such as green vegetables, but these vegetables contain vitamin C to counteract the nitrates. In processed foods, nitrates act as a preservative and can disrupt thyroid hormone production, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Plus, nitrates are broken down into nitrites, which can produce a type of carcinogen called nitrosamines. Cured meats, bacon, salami and sausage all contain nitrates. Some canned foods may also contain potassium nitrates.

Potassium bromate: This white powder is added to bread and baked goods to help strengthen the dough and make them rise. It also doubles as a way to improve color and extend the shelf life of products. European countries and Canada have banned potassium bromate because research has linked it to thyroid and kidney problems. However, the FDA doesn’t require it to be labeled on products. 

Propylparaben: Parabens are a common preservative in cosmetics, but it also has its role in the food industry to prevent mold and bacteria growth in packaged goods. Cake mixes, packaged corn tortillas, cake icing and some cinnamon rolls contain propylparabens. The concern is parabens may disrupt the endocrine system and impact children as they develop.

Titanium dioxide: This odorless powder serves as a whitener and texturizer in candy and other processed foods. Skittles and Starburst are the two most well known foods that contain titanium dioxide. Europe has banned its use in foods due to concerns about possibly damaging DNA, although the FDA has yet to follow suit. 

Tert-butylhydroquinone: This tongue twister of a preservative (known better as TBHQ) can be found in popular kids snacks such as Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies Treats, Cheez-Its, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. TBHQ prevents fats from oxidizing to help products avoid turning rancid.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): BHA is a preservative and known carcinogen with antioxidant properties added to foods to prevent fats from turning rancid. It’s a common additive in cured meats, snack foods, dessert mixes and other sweets. Although safe for use in the U.S., it’s banned in Europe because of its role as an endocrine disruptor.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT): BHT, like BHA, is a preservative and possible human carcinogen. It’s added to cereal – including Cap’n Crunch and Apple Jacks – to prolong shelf life. You may not always see BHT listed as an ingredient because it’s usually found in product packaging and not in the actual food. For example, BHT is added to some dried products to prevent spoilage once it’s open. After it comes in contact with air, small amounts of BHT can leach into the food.

Brominated vegetable oil: This probably sounds like something you’d cook with, but it’s used in citrus drinks to keep the flavoring from separating. You’ll typically find it in generic-brand orange  or lemon-lime sodas. Brominated vegetable oil has been linked to neurological harm in children.

Tips and healthier alternatives

In general, cooking at home and using whole foods is the easiest way to shield your children from additives, preservatives, artificial colors and sweeteners. 

When you do buy snack foods, read labels carefully to distinguish ingredients that are harmful. Teach your children how to read labels, too, so they know what they’re putting in their bodies. Usually, the fewer the ingredients, the better when it comes to packaged foods. 

For example, many children love hot dogs, but a majority of brands use additives and nitrates. Instead, buy uncured, grass-fed hot dogs made with 100 percent beef. 

Choose organic foods when possible. Food manufacturers have thousands of synthetic chemicals at their disposal when packaging foods, but there are less than 40 substances that organic packaged foods can contain. They are free of chemical flavors, chemical preservatives and synthetic colors.

For more health and wellness information, visit the INTEGRIS Health For You blog.