WRONG!! Jessica started coming home from school with red-rimmed eyelids with dark circles under eyes. She was fidgety and unfocused...could not sit still to even watch her favorite Disney Channel show. She was constantly bouncing from room to room, literally getting up in everyone's face with her favorite target being her brother Joe.
"Jessica stop!"
"Jessica sit still!"
"Jessica get out of your brother's GRILL!"
"Jessica...WHAT THE HECK IS.....?!"
...wait just one second Mom...stop...think...what's different about Jessica's diet?! the Fruit2O!! Grab the bottle, flip it around and there it is: "Sodium Benzoate to protect flavor"...NOOOO!! Let's add insult to injury...this "Natural Grape" also had Potassium Sorbate which is also on our No List!
Way to go Mom {{hanging head in shame}}: "Sorry babe...Fruit2O has benzoate AND sorbate in it" *insert frowny face for both mom and daughter here*
...24 hours later: my sweet, kind and calm Jessica returns to us! Come on Mom...take your own advice "READ THE $#@&ING LABEL!!"
Potassium Benzoate and Sodium Benzoate:
"Benzoates are salts of benzoic acid, a weak acid that was at one time derived from benzoin resin, a gum obtained from the bark of trees native to Thailand and Indonesia. Potassium Benzoate and Sodium Benzoate are used as food preservatives to inhibit the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria in acidic drinks and liquids, including fruit juice, vinegar, sparkling drinks, and soft drinks" according to the website Diet.com.
(reminder: READ ALL LABELS :)
There are mixed "reviews" as to whether or not the Benzoates can be linked to ADHD. "A clinical research trial published in "The Lancet" was conducted to examine the effects of a drink containing sodium benzoate preservatives, artificial food color and additives on hyperactive behavior, comparing two different compounds with a placebo. Three-year-old children who completed the study showed increased hyperactive behavior with only one of the drink compounds compared to placebo. In contrast, children who were between 8 and 9 years of age demonstrated increased hyperactive behavior with both drink compounds when compared to placebo." Read more @ Livestrong.com The Summary of the actual trial states:
"Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population." The LancetNot enough studies have been done, so no "professional" can conclusively say that Benzoates definitively cause ADHD, however, my own personal "study" with Jessica demonstrates conclusively enough for us to say: they cause ADHD-like symptoms in HER.
Hey Kate, great blog! Lots of good info on here. My son Josh has been acting very hyperactive when coming back from my mother-in-law's lately, and not so much when he's home or at my mom's. I know he eats more junk over there (his diet is mostly all-natural otherwise), but I was also thinking that he's been drinking Capri Sun over there. Makes me wonder. Will have to try getting grandma some all-natural juice! :) Glad you are finding solutions to Jessica's issues!
ReplyDeleteLet me know how it goes! Sometimes it really is a little small change like that and it's an obvious result! Thanks for the props :o)
ReplyDeleteSo I read this particular entry and I started thinking back on Teagan's diet. Although I have never had issues with her being overly hyper or unfocused, I did actually have the exact opposite issues. Lathargic, sluggish, lazy... unmotivated. I decided to switch her snacks for school. We went from the (I am embarrassed to say) chips and juice box to a piece of fruit and a cheese stick with a bottle of water. The difference is incredible. She makes it all the way through the end of school, to her after school snack without falling asleep on the bus or in the car. After school its another piece of fruit with Nutella or peanut butter and she ACTUALLY eats all of her dinner. She pops up in the morning and is ready to go! I really am going to look deeper into the labels of some of the snacks she does get to have...
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