Kids snacks and MSG

We have a son in first grade who refuses to eat school lunch or snacks. Not that I'm complaining. His pickiness is a blessing, in this instance because I really think we have a lot to work on in regards to food in schools and of course in the supermarkets.

It gives me great pleasure packing that little lunchbox everyday.

What do you give your kids? Do you need help navigating through the shady ingredients like MSG or as its known in snacks: 

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Textured Vegetable Protein

Yeast Extract

Glutamic Acid (E 620)2

Glutamate (E 620)

Monosodium Glutamate (E 621)

Monopotassium Glutamate (E 622)

Calcium Glutamate (E 623)

Monoammonium Glutamate (E 624)

Magnesium Glutamate (E 625)

Natrium Glutamate

Calcium Caseinate

Sodium Caseinate

Yeast Food

Yeast Nutrient

Autolyzed Yeast

Cheap Gelatin

Textured Protein

Soy Protein Concentrate

Soy Protein Isolate

Whey Protein

Whey Protein Concentrate

Whey Protein Isolate

Vetsin

Am I done yet? Well no,  there's more.

Got behavior issues? Look at your labels. The following are ingredients containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamine acid to serve as MSG reaction triggers in sensitive bodies.

Modified food starch

Corn starch

Lipolyzed butter fat

Dextrose

Rice syrup

Brown rice syrup

Milk powder Reduced fat milk (skim; 1%; 2%)

Most things labeled “Low Fat” or “No Fat”

Anything labeled “Enriched”

Anything labeled “Vitamin Enriched”

How dare they hide this info from us? Well, why not? Would you buy it if you knew how bad it was?

MSG or free glutamates as a flavor enhancer is found in highly processed foods, usually under an alias to make it impossible to know for sure what you are eating. 

MSG or free glutamic acid is also found in many health foods as result of vegetable protein breakdown or hydrolysis. These MSGs are not added into food as a flavor enhancer, but exist in varying quantities in many foods as a result of protein breakdown.

Some folks break down glutamates better than others, so when it comes to glutamates as a result of protein breakdown, this is an individualized issue.

I know you will read this and think.. 'What the heck CAN the kid eat?' but really.. ALOT. Make better choices, whole, unprocessed foods, vegetables, fruits, nuts, grass fed meats and organic dairy. Once you get the hang of cutting the crap out. Its not too hard at all. 

I will post my easy protein bar recipe in the recipes area tomorrow.

Good mama! Get er done! (and always look at your labels)

Print the above out if you need to.

Sharon