5 Foods That Have Sneaky Additives

Don’t you hate it when you think you are eating something healthy and then someone tells you it’s not so healthy?

That’s exactly how I felt when I found out about these five foods.

You really have to read labels, ask questions and educate yourself about what is in your food.

This is even more important if your family is having health issues, allergies or reactions to additives.

Here are five foods that would seem healthy, but unfortunately, they can all contain sneaky additives!

1. Prawns

Prawns can contain 223 or sodium metabisulphite. Sue Dengate at her website, Fed Up says ” Prawns always contain sulphites to preserve colour. The maximum permitted level is 30 ppm, but how well is it monitored? One seafood worker explained how they use ‘metta’ (sodium metabisulphite, 223). It is a white powder sprinkled over sackfuls of fresh prawns by people wearing rubber gloves. Some prawns must have higher readings than others.”

What’s better? Buy prawns that are packaged and labelled without the 223 or get to know your fish monger and ask the questions!

2. Grated Cheese

Check on the back of your grated cheese. Quite often it will contain anti-caking agent 460. It is also called ‘cellulose microcrystalline and powdered’ – it’s essentially wood pulp! Although Additive Alert tells us it is ‘generally regarded as safe’ it has been banned in UK baby food. “Cellulose is non soluble, but can be fermented in the large intestine. Large concentrations can cause intestinal problems, such as bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.” mbm.net Not something I really want to eat, thanks all the same!

What’s better? Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Use a food processor and freeze it if you want a quick option.

3. Vegemite

I can already hear you all saying, but it’s a health food! I found this one out many years ago and banished Vegemite from our house. Sue Dengate at Fed Up says that “yeast extracts contain free glutamates that are essentially the same as MSG”. Vegemite also contains natural colour (150d) which contains preservative 220. Remember I have talked about 220 before?

What’s better? You can buy alternative products like Everymite which are allergy friendly and preservative free.

4. Milk

Milk is milk is milk…..right? Not so! Read the label to make sure you are getting 100% milk! Choice Australia says “more than a third of branded “milk” products contain non-dairy additives, such as minerals, vitamins, or vegetable or fish oil. Under the Food Standards Code the manufacturers are not allowed to call these products “milk” on the label, yet they look like milk, are packaged like milk and are kept in the milk fridge in the supermarket.”

What’s better? Read labels, choose small independent milk brands, choose organic or raw milk.

5. Multi-Vitamins

Okay so not really a ‘food’, but still something we give to our kids to ingest.

The very things you buy to improve your health may actually be damaging it. Kid’s vitamins can contain artificial colours, flavours and additives. One brand for example, Flintstones, has a ridiculous amount of artificial additives and sugar in various forms.

What’s better? We love the superfood organic powders for that bit of extra nutrient insurance. Find them here.

Sooooo I don’t want to freak you all out! I just want you to know this information and be aware. It doesn’t mean you have to stop eating them. It means you now have the information to make a choice. You might like to change brands or grate your own cheese for example. Knowledge is power!

What foods have you found that contain sneaky additives?

Let’s face it, no matter how much slick marketing they like to spin, the chocolate drink mixes on the market are anything but healthy!

Refined white sugar form the base of these drinks….. and don’t even start me on the artificial additives! While that’s okay in moderation, some kids find it hard to be moderate with chocolate milk. Making your own version at home is not only cheaper, but it’s chockful of nutrients that growing young bodies need. This has a healthier sugar, is high in fibre, gluten free and all natural.

I found this great recipe some time ago on the Thermomix forums, posted by Cathy. The kids love it and I am happy they are drinking something that is good for them.

Healthy, Homemade Milo

So, this is what you need:

3 tablespoons flaxseeds

2 tablespoons organic sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons organic sesame seeds

2 tablespoons organic pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/3 cup organic almonds

1/4 cup organic brazil nuts

1/4 cup organic cashews

1/4 cup organic pecan nuts

1 cup raw organic cacao powder

1 cup organic rapadura sugar

So, this is how you do it:

Grind all the nuts and seeds together first – use the thermomix on speed 9 for about 10 seconds or use a strong food processor or coffee grinder. The aim is a fine powder, not a paste!

Add cacao powder and rapadura and mix thoroughly. Test a little bit in some milk first – your kids might like it with a little more sugar as rapadura is not as sweet as normal sugar.

To use, just put about 4 teaspoons in a glass of milk and stir briskly. It won’t dissolve completely because of the nuts and seeds. Store it in the fridge for up to two months. If you don’t use a lot, keep it in the freezer.

You can use it in baking, on top of icecream – the possibilities are endless! I have even used it to make yummy truffles – roll teapsoonfuls of homemade nut butter in it!! Ohhhhh, so good!

I love to chat, so if you make it, come back and let me know how you went and if you liked it!