Toxins are everywhere. It’s nearly impossible to avoid them altogether. However, with a little bit of knowledge you can learn to identify toxic food ingredients and begin making informed choices about the foods you feed your children.
5 Common Food Toxins to Avoid
- Glyphosate: Commonly known as RoundUp, this toxin shows up in a lot of our food. Dr. Stephanie Seneff has done a lot of research on glyphosate and its effects on our health and the environment.
Dr. Seneff’s Facebook and Twitter pages are full of information and compelling research in this area.
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO): Many GMO foods contain glyphosate making them toxic and undesirable. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes two helpful lists every year to help you identify and avoid GMO products.
- Bisphenol-A (BPA): BPA is a chemical produced during the production of plastic. Most commonly, you’ll hear about BPA in water bottles and the production of BPA-free water bottles. This is important, but there are many other sources of BPA in food storage containers and canned goods.
The best way to avoid BPA is to avoid processed foods and eating out of plastic.
- rBHG and rBST: These common toxins are growth hormones used to increase milk production in cattle. rBHG and rBST can cause an increased risk of certain cancers among other things. For this reason, it’s best to avoid them if possible.
Generally autistic kids will do better with a dairy-free diet in which case avoiding rBHG and rBST is fairly simple. But if you are eating dairy products look for hormone free and organic versions as often as possible. Many times these products will be labeled rBHG and rBST free.
- Artificial Food Coloring and Dyes: Ingredients like Red 40, Blue 5, or Yellow 5 should be avoided. These are chemicals and we don’t want them in our kids’ bodies.
These ingredients are most commonly found in cereals, chips, and candies. You should look for products that are colored with natural food dyes like turmeric, grenadine, and beet root powder. Research has shown these chemicals are linked to various neurological conditions including ADHD which often occurs in conjunction with autism.
Remember to turn that box or can around and read the label – you might find some surprising ingredients. The first step is to be aware of what’s in your food, from there, you can make an informed choice.
Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing a great job.
I hope this information has been helpful to you as part of creating Your Autism Game Plan.
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