To Grandmother’s House We Go

Last weekend, my husband and I went to Oneonta to visit our son in college.  On the way, we stopped at a rest area so I can purchase some water.  While standing on the line to pay, I could not help but over hear the conversation that took place between the two older women standing behind me.  One of the women reached over to the candy that was to our left (of course there is always rows and rows of candy on check-out lines) and picked up a bag of M & M’s.  She turned to her traveling companion and said, “I’m going to get these for my granddaughter for her breakfast,” and she laughed!  It took all my strength not to turn around and say something.  At the tip of my tongue was, “Why in the world would you give a growing child food dyes for breakfast!”  But…I kept my mouth shut because it wasn’t my place to say anything…or was it? 

A special thanks to my brother-in-law for being a good sport

Here are the ingredients on a bag of peanut M & M’s:  Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Lactose, Milk fat, Peanuts, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial Flavors, Sugar, Peanuts, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Corn Syrup, Gum Acacia, Coloring (Includes Red 40 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake), Dextrin, titanium oxide.

Now, let’s look up some of these food dyes in the book “What’s in Your Food” by Bill Statham and see what potential side effects are:

RED 40 LAKE – May Contain Aluminum - Linked to Alzheimer’s.

RED 40 – Asthma, hyperactivity; hives, learning difficulties, may affect liver heart, reproduction, thyroid, stomach; suspected carcinogen.

BLUE 1 – Asthma, hives, hay fever reaction, caused tumors in animal studies.

BLUE 2 – Asthma, allergic reactions, heart problems, carcinogenic.

YELLOW 5 – Dermatitis, concentration difficulties, depression, learning difficulties, headaches, skin rash, insomnia, confusion.

YELLOW 6 – Asthma, hay fever, abdominal pains, eczema.

Should a person “mind their own business” when it concerns the welfare of a child?  If I had said something, maybe this woman would have put the bag down or thought about my words.  The child is the victim because he/she does not have the ability to buy and/or prepare her own food.  As parents or grandparents it is our responsibility to make sure our children get fed nourishing/nutrient dense foods when they are in our homes.  The cells of a child demand nutrients in order for the child to grow.  Also when the blood becomes impure with bad foods, the brain CANNOT function to its fullest and best.  The poor child doesn’t stand a chance of growing up to become a healthy successful adult when raised on devitalized foods.  Our corporations have tampered with our food and made it less valuable.  In addition, these same corporations frequently target children in their expensive advertising campaigns.   Please don’t buy into their rhetoric!  Serve only the freshest and most nutritious foods to the people you love. 

Next time I probably won’t “mind my own business.”  Besides…I would never see this woman again anyway.     If you think I’m over reacting to a bag of M & M’s, reread the highlighted area again…..

p.s.  Read the ingredient label before you hand out candy to children on Halloween.  There are better alternatives out there.  Do your homework!

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References:

Statham, Bill, “ What’s in Your Food?”  Running Press Book Publishers, Philadelphia PA, 2006