Food manufacturers market numerous items for our children, and many parents stock the pantry and refrigerator with nutritious snacks. However, we need to take a look at the quality and actual contents to determine what exactly we are feeding our offspring. Parents can avoid the sugary, colorful, processed foods, but many so-called healthful snacks contain a variety of food colorings, preservatives, texturizers and trans fats such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

My daughter likes to eat blueberry filled Kellogg's Nutri-Grain cereal bars. They are advertised as having “low fat,” an “excellent source of calcium,” and a “good source of nine vitamins and minerals” with “no preservatives." In theory, all of this is true, but the label that revealed the ingredients for these cereal bars named many other items I was not familiar with as food: maltodextrin, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan and partially hydrogenated soy bean or cotton seed oil. I don’t know about you, but these are not ingredients I use to bake cookies.

So, what are they? Basically, these ingredients are texturizers, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and trans fats – all items used to increase the shelf life of a food. Most folks who bake a batch of cookies and store them in a container will notice after a few days that the cookies begin to crumble and lose their original shape. Many of these additives (which are not deemed preservatives) are actually added to our foods to keep them from losing their shape while they are distributed across the country.

Maltodextrin is derived from corn starch and is used as a texturizer or bulking agent in baked goods. Xanthan gum is also derived from corn and is classified as an emulsifier or stabilizer. People who have corn allergies may not be aware that these additives are derived from corn. Guar gum is bean by-product used as a thickener and carrageenan, which serves a similar purpose, is derived from seaweed.

Are Additives Harmful?
Partially hydrogenated oils are acknowledged contributors in the obesity controversy among children and adults in the United States. Trans fatty acids are now added to many snack foods that we consume each day and some research indicates they are more harmful than saturated fats because they increase the plasma concentrations of LDL (low-density lipoprotein, also known as the “bad” cholesterol) while reducing the concentration of HDL (high-density lipoprotein, which removes cholesterol from the lining of your arteries.)

When vegetable oils are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated to make them more solid at room temperatures, trans fatty acids are formed and the natural essential fatty acids are destroyed. They are considered to lack metabolic compounds of the originals and provide no nutritional benefits. So, why are they used in commercial foods? They have a high melting point like saturated fats and prevent food from becoming rancid. Trans fats do occur naturally in meat and dairy products from grazing animals such as cows and sheep.

Take a quick look at the labels of mass-produced cookies, crackers, cereals, breads, pastries and other processed snacks and you’ll see how prevalent this ingredient has become. This is largely due to the fact that partially hydrogenated oils remain solid at room temperatures, reducing spoilage. It is estimated that the average American eats 5.3 grams of trans fatty acids each day, with over three-fourths of trans fatty acids consumed as a food additive.

What Else Is In Those Healthful Snacks?
Another favorite food of my toddler is yogurt. When all else fails to satiate, yogurt frequently appeals to youngsters on picky food days. Parents of lactose tolerant children dispense the stuff freely, since many parents are now aware of the benefits of the healthful bacteria that most yogurts contain.

Some commercial yogurts marketed for children can contain odd bits of junk food like sprinkles and chocolate covered granola that are easily avoided. Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse and assortment of animals or cartoon characters are used to grab the attention of our young consumers. They are touted to contain fruit, calcium, and lactobacillus. Unfortunately, most of these yogurts are not made from organic milk and can contain a hormone called recombinant bovine growth hormone, better known as rBGH. Since the FDA does not require the addition of rBGH to be labeled, it's up to the savvy parent to figure out if they want their child to be exposed to the effects of this hormone.

What Is rBGH And Why Is It Necessary?
rBGH is a genetically-engineered hormone that increases a cow's milk production. This increase can cause udders to become infected (mastitis), requiring antibiotics to be administered. It also reduces the life span of the cow. Milk produced using rBGH contains high levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 or IGH-1, which has been linked to human breast and gastrointestinal cancers. The Canadian government did not approve the use of rBGH for consumption, stating that more tests for human safety were required by its manufacturers, but in the United States, unless it's labeled organic or rBGH free, yogurts marketed for children can contain rBGH. The FDA approved the use of rBGH in 1993. Any commercial diary products produced after this date that are not labeled rBGH free or certified organic may be from cows treated with rBHG.

Healthful Alternatives
Healthful alternatives exist to the nutri-grain bars and similar child-friendly snacks. For example, Nature’s Choice made by Barbara’s Bakery makes a triple berry fruit and grain bar similar in appearance and taste to Kellogg’s Nutrigrain Bars, but does not contain many of the texturizers and stabilizers and no hydrogenated oils. A great list of alternative processed foods is available at www.safe-food.org. This site provides a comprehensive list of organic and GMO free foods. (GMO is an acronym for genetically modified organisms--- a process where genes from one organism, such as a fish, are spliced and added to another organism, such as a tomato, to improve shelf life, appearance or resistance to pests.)

The organic dairy business is thriving because of the demand for hormone-free milk and for humane animal husbandry practices. Many companies such as Stonyfield Farm (www.stonyfield.com) voice their opposition to rBGH on their website, detailing their concerns of human health, animal welfare and quite notably the viability of the family farm. Organic milks and yogurts can now be found in many mainstream grocery stores as consumers request these items for purchase.

Generally, these alternatives can cost anywhere from 25 to 30 percent more than generic or brand counterparts. Some may only be purchased at health food stores rather than main stream grocers. If you are lucky enough to have a local whole foods cooperative that services your area, you can purchase healthful snack items for your family in bulk and save a little on the price increase.

Being Reasonable
As parents, we can't verify every food our children eat to be healthful. Every situation is different. Birthday parties or large family gatherings where other people may not be as knowledgeable of hormones or trans fatty acids are the times when I let things slide. My daughter recently ate her first hot dog and drank her first cup of Kool-Aid at a friend's birthday party. Since we don't eat these foods at our table, I shrugged it off and let her enjoy the party. No need to fret over each morsel.

Your child's diet will be most affected by the foods served by you – his or her parent. Nutritious and healthful eating is a time consuming process of parenting, somewhat akin to consistent discipline: it takes a little extra time, but it's worth all the benefits.