This shows the disregard of people, starting at an early age, by most
of our corporate leaders. It is their "profits before people" belief system
that distorts all of their behaviors into something inhumane. Corporations need
to be regulated but too many of our politicians have been accepting their money
and feel obliged to let the marketplace guide corporate decisions. This is
turning
out to be a total disaster. The FDA, whose mission is to protect and promote
public health, has abdicated their responsibility. This article is just one
example out of hundreds of failures.
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(www.NaturalNews.com) Most mothers know that breast milk is best for baby,
but there are some people who, perhaps for health reasons, need to find a safe
alternative. In many instances, these moms look for an organic infant formula
and are willing to pay top dollar to give their babies the best possible
nutrition. Sadly, just because an infant formula is given the "organic" label
doesn't necessarily mean that it is healthy.
For example, a recent article in The New York Times revealed that the organic
version of Similac infant formula is sweetened with cane sugar (sucrose) and is
much sweeter than other infant formulas. While all infant formulas have some
added sugars to aid in the digestion of proteins, other organic products use
sugars like organic lactose, which is presumably a better match for what's
found in breast milk and doesn't have the sweetness of sucrose. Most
health-conscious readers are probably shaking their heads and thinking that it
is nothing short of insanity to be adding sugar to baby formula when the U.S.
is in the middle of an obesity epidemic. Were pediatricians actually consulted
about what was put into this formula? Or was the product designed primarily by
food chemists like the ones that create fast food strawberry milkshakes? [I
think it was designed by bean counters.]
According to a list of frequently asked questions on the FDA website, the FDA
currently does not approve infant formula before it can be marketed. The FDA
does require that infant formula contain minimum amounts of certain nutrients,
and it does provide upper limits for some nutrients. Certain nutrients that are
required to be included in any infant formula are protein, fat, linoleic acid,
vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin
(vitamin B2), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid,
vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper,
iodine, sodium, potassium and chloride. If cow's milk is not used for the
formula, then biotin, choline and inositol must be included.
Any substance that is generally recognized as safe may be used in infant
formula in the United States. For now, that means that sugar can be used in
baby formula in the U.S., and there is absolutely no upper limit to the amount
of sugar that can be dumped into it. Europe, on the other hand, in light of the
childhood obesity epidemic, has banned all sucrose from baby formula products
beginning in 2009.
According to the The New York Times article, Dr. Benjamin Caballero, director
of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, doesn't think sucrose
belongs in infant formula, either. Dr. Caballero believes that feeding children
sweet things encourages them to eat more. He explains that babies and children
generally prefer sweeter foods and will eat more of them than foods that aren't
as sweet.
While having babies eat more might be of interest to food corporations, parents
need to be concerned with the health of their children. Concerns about obesity
aren't the only problem with putting sugar in baby formula. If a baby's teeth
are constantly exposed to sugar, this could result in tooth decay.
Clearly, finding a safe infant formula is a daunting task. According to The
Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles, there are many risks
associated with using infant formula instead of breast milk. For example,
formula feeding is responsible for up to 26% of insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus in children. Middle-ear infections are three to four times more common
in children who are fed infant formula, and children who are fed infant formula
are also much more likely to be hospitalized due to bacterial infections. In
addition to the health risks, some studies have shown that formula-fed babies
don't do as well on intelligence tests as breast-fed babies.
Moreover, sugar isn't the only undesirable thing turning up in infant formula.
An NPR report indicates that certain formulas enhanced with omega-3 fatty acids
may actually pose a health risk. Other reports warn about Bisphenol-A turning
up in infant formulations. What is a new mother to do?
Maybe new moms should take a lesson from the animal kingdom. What other mammals
feed their babies the milk of other creatures? Do dogs try to feed their
puppies cat milk? Of course not. Even small children know that cat milk is for
kittens, just like cow's milk is for baby cows. Perhaps the perfect formula for
a baby just isn't something that can be found in a can.
About the author Joanne Waldron is a computer scientist with a passion for
writing and sharing health-related news and information with others. She runs
the Naked Wellness: The Gentle Health Revolution forum, which is devoted to
achieving radiant health, well-being, and longevity.
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