February 11, 2008

Junk Food for Babies?

43.2% Corn Syrup Solids, 14.6% Soy Protein Isolate, 11.5% High Oleic Safflower oil, 10.3%Sugar (Sucrose) 8.4% Soy Oil, 8.1% Coconut Oil, Less than 2% of calcium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Choloride, Magnesium cChloride, Ascorbic acid, choline, Chloride, L Methionine, Taurine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ferrous sulfate, m- inositol, mixed tocopherols, Zinc Sulfate, d-alphatocopheryl acetate, L-carnitine, Niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, Cupric sulfate, thiamine chloride hydrochloride, vitimin a palmitate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid potassium iodide, potassium hydroxide, phylloquinone, biotin, sodium selenate, beta-carotene, Vitamin d3 and cyanocobalimin.

Those are the ingredients listed (in order) on a can of Similac Soy Formula (artificial baby milk). Below, you will find some information from the web on the ingredients. On top of the fact that these ingredients are mostly bizarre to find in a BREAST-MILK SUBSTITUTE, they are gross. I cannot believe that babies are being fed this crap, and then we're wondering why our society suffers from a diabetes epidemic. Gah! The following info was compiled by Savina (http://savina.livejournal.com/). Thanks for taking the time to help figure out what most of this junk was!

43.2% Corn Syrup Solids - Corn syrup solids are produced by carrying out the corn syrup refining process until the dextrose content makes up more that 20% of the total dry product. Because of this high ratio of dextrose, corn syrup solids are often used as a sweetener, especially in low-fat foods. Corn syrup is often used in low-fat foods as it adds sweetness, viscosity, and improves texture.

14.6% Soy Protein Isolate - Soy critics point to the fact that soybeans, as provided by nature, are not suitable for human consumption. Only after fermentation for some time, or extensive processing, including chemical extractions and high temperatures, are the beans, or the soy protein isolate, suitable for digestion when eaten.

11.5% High Oleic Safflower oil - The preferred form of the oil is high oleic safflower oil which has a higher percentage of monounsaturated (oleic) fatty acids — 76% monounsaturated, as opposed to 13% monounsaturated in regular safflower oil. Monounsaturated fat, found in high quantities in olive oil, is thought to be heart healthy because it lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while at the same time maintaining HDL (good) cholesterol levels. High oleic safflower oil is also less susceptible to oxidation than regular safflower oil, another beneficial attribute.

10.3%Sugar (Sucrose)


8.4% Soy Oil - During World War II, soybeans became important in both North America and Europe chiefly as substitutes for other protein foods and as a source of edible oil.

8.1% Coconut Oil
- Coconut oil is a fat consisting of about 90% saturated fat. The oil contains predominantly medium chain triglycerides,[1] with roughly 92% saturated fatty acids, 6% monounsaturated fatty acids, and 2% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Of the saturated fatty acids, coconut oil is primarily 44.6% lauric acid, 16.8% myristic acid a 8.2% palmitic acid and 8% caprylic acid, although it contains seven different saturated fatty acids in total. Its only monounsaturated fatty acid is oleic acid while its only polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid.[2]
The American Heart Association recommends that individuals reduce their consumption of saturated fats, including those found in coconut oil, to less than 7% of one's caloric intake. [4] [5]

Less than 2% of calcium Phosphate - Calcium phosphate is the name given to a family of minerals containing calcium ions (Ca2+) together with orthophosphates (PO43-), metaphosphates or pyrophosphates (P2O74-) and occasionally hydrogen or hydroxide ions. Seventy percent of bone is made up of hydroxylapatite, a calcium phosphate mineral.

Potassium Citrate - Potassium citrate is rapidly absorbed when given by mouth and is excreted in the urine as the carbonate. It is, therefore, effective in reducing the pain and frequency of micturition when these are caused by highly acidic urine. It is used for this purpose in dogs and cats, but is chiefly employed as a non-irritating diuretic.

Potassium Chloride - The chemical compound potassium chloride (KCl) is a metal halide composed of potassium and chlorine. In its pure state it is odorless. It has a white or colorless vitreous crystal, with a crystal structure that cleaves easily in three directions. Potassium chloride crystals are face-centered cubic. Potassium chloride is also commonly known as "Muriate of Potash". Potash varies in color from pink or red to white depending on the mining and recovery process used. White potash, sometimes referred to as soluble potash, is usually higher in analysis and is used primarily for making liquid starter fertilizers. KCl is used in medicine, scientific applications, food processing and in judicial execution through lethal injection. It occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite and in combination with sodium chloride as sylvinite.

Magnesium chloride
- Magnesium chloride is the name for the chemical compounds with the formulas MgCl2 and its various hydrates MgCl2(H2O)x. These salts are typical ionic halides, being highly soluble in water. The hydrated magnesium chloride can be extracted from brine or sea water. Anhydrous magnesium chloride is the principal precursor to magnesium metal, which is produced on a large scale.

Ascorbic acid
- a sugar acid with antioxidant properties. Its appearance is white to light-yellow crystals or powder. It is water-soluble. The L-enantiomer of ascorbic acid is commonly known as vitamin C.

choline - Choline is an organic compound, classified as an essential nutrient[1][2][3] and usually grouped within the Vitamin B complex.

Chloride - Chloride is a chemical your body needs for metabolism (the process of turning the food you eat into energy). It also helps keep the body's acid-base balance. The amount of chloride in the blood is carefully controlled by the kidneys

L Methionine
- High levels of methionine can be found in sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, fish, meats, and some other plant seeds.[citation needed] Most fruit and vegetables contain very little of it; however, some have significant amounts, such as spinach, potatoes, and boiled corn.

Taurine
-Taurine, or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic acid. It is also a major constituent of bile and can be found in lower amounts in the tissues of many animals including humans. [1][2] Taurine is a derivative of the sulfur-containing (sulfhydryl) amino acid, cysteine. Taurine is the only known naturally occurring sulfonic acid.[3] It is a very important ingredient in pet food, specifically cats, as it's vital for their nutrition.

Ascorbyl Palmitate - Ascorbyl palmitate is an ester formed from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid creating a fat-soluble form of vitamin C.

Ferrous sulfate - Ferrous sulfate provides the iron needed by the body to produce red blood cells. It is used to treat or prevent iron-deficiency anemia, a condition that occurs when the body has too few red blood cells because of pregnancy, poor diet, excess bleeding, or other medical problems.

m- inositol - I can't quote anything specific, but it is manufactured vitamin C.

mixed tocopherols - Tocopherol, a class of chemical compounds of which many have vitamin E activity, describes a series of organic compounds consisting of various methylated phenols. Because the vitamin activity was first identified in 1936 from a dietary fertility factor in rats, it was given the name "tocopherol" from the Greek words “τοκος” [birth], and “φορειν”, [to bear or carry] meaning in sum "to carry a pregnancy," with the ending "-ol" signifying its status as a chemical alcohol.

Zinc Sulfate - Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) is a colorless crystalline, water-soluble chemical compound. The hydrated form, ZnSO4·7H2O, the mineral goslarite, was historically known as "white vitriol" and can be prepared by reacting zinc with aqueous sulfuric acid. It may also be prepared by adding solid zinc to a Copper II Sulfate solution. (Zn+CuSO4→ZnSO4+Cu) It is used to supply zinc in animal feeds, fertilizers, and agricultural sprays

d-alphatocopheryl acetate - Vitamin E acetate is a dry, powder form of vitamin E that has no antioxidant power until the acetate is removed in the intestine as it is absorbed.

L-carnitine
- Carnitine, also known as L-carnitine or levocarnitine, is a quaternary ammonium compound biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine.[1] It helps in the consumption and disposal of fat in the body because it is responsible for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria.

Niacinamide - Niacinamide is one of the water-soluble B-complex vitamins.

calcium pantothenate - Other commonly used names are vitamin B 5 and calcium pantothenate .

Cupric sulfate
- http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/C5918.htm
I don't even know why this is included. It's NEVER used in food, from what I found, and is actually hazardous to ingest, citing even burning of the esophogus and stomach.

thiamine chloride hydrochloride
- Thiamine (vitamin B1) is useful in deficiencies of B vitamins, usually due to alcoholism, poor diet or starvation. The best natural sources are in all plant and animal foods but good sources are in brown rice, whole grains, seafood and legumes (pulses).

vitamin a palmitate
- Retinyl palmitate, or vitamin A palmitate, is a common vitamin supplement, with formula C36H60O2. It is available in both oral and injectable forms for treatment of vitamin A deficiency, under the brand names Aquasol A® and Palmitate A®.

riboflavin - Riboflavin (E101), also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins. As such, vitamin B2 is required for a wide variety of cellular processes. Like the other B vitamins, it plays a key role in energy metabolism, and is required for the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

pyridoxine hydrochloride
- Water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. There is no clearly identifiable disease associated with deficiency but its absence from the diet can give rise to malfunction of the central nervous system and general skin disorders. Good sources are liver, meat, milk, and cereal grains. Related compounds may also show vitamin B6 activity.

folic acid - Folic acid and folate (the anion form) are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9.

potassium iodide -Potassium iodide is used in photography, in the preparation of silver(I) iodide for high speed photographic film. Potassium iodide is also added to table salt in small quantities to make it "iodized". In a saturated solution, it is also used as an expectorant to treat lung congestion.
potassium hydroxide

phylloquinone - Phylloquinone is a polycyclic aromatic ketone, based on 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, with a 3-phytyl substituent. It is often called vitamin K1.

biotin - Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S (Biotin; Coenzyme R, Biopeiderm), is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido (tetrahydroimidizalone) ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring. A valeric acid substituent is attached to one of the carbon atoms of the tetrahydrothiophene ring. Biotin is a cofactor in the metabolism of fatty acids and leucine, and in gluconeogenesis.

sodium selenate - Selenium is a chemical element that is essential, in small amounts, to humans and other living things. In the body it is found as part of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which helps to rid the body of destructive ‘superoxide’ molecules.

beta-carotene - The name "carotene" was first coined in the early 19th Century by the scientist Wachenroder after he crystallized this compound from carrot roots. Beta-carotene is a member of the carotenoids, which are highly pigmented (red, orange, yellow), fat-soluble compounds naturally present in many fruits, grains, oil and vegetables (green plants, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, apricots, and green peppers). Alpha, beta, and gamma carotene are considered provitamins because they can be converted to active vitamin A.

Vitamin d3 - Vitamin D regulates the calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood by promoting their absorption from food in the intestines, and by promoting re-absorption of calcium in the kidneys.

Cyanocobalamin is an especially common "vitamer" (that is, member of a family of vitamins, all of which have some particular nutritional activity in preventing some vitamin deficiency disease) of the B-12 vitamin family. It is the most famous vitamer of the family, because it is chemically the most air-stable, and it is the easiest to crystallize and therefore easiest to purify after it is produced by bacterial fermentation.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

OK. I agree these are not the things a mother wants to hear she is feeding her baby. Especially a mother like me. A mother who has sucessfully breastfed in the past, but is having difficulties now. A mother whose heart breaks everytime she goes to the ped and her baby is still underweight, even by breastfed baby standard.
So what is the alternative? What choices are out there for those mommas?
This particular formula is the supplement that we gave/give Amelia. We were able to get back to 100% breastmilk for a couple of weeks, but had a minor backslide recently. She gets very little supplement, but I still feel a pang of guilt and sadness every time. Now, after reading this, I feel like puking. Especially when this is what was recommended by a pediatrician.
Avacado? I was too afraid to try once I bought it. Cereal? Well, we all know cereal is not great...Egg yolk? You're KIDDING me, right? Goats milk? What makes a goat better than a cow, anyway? And you still have to add to it. Right back to the junkfood, there.
I am curious to know, if your child fails to gain an adequate amount of weight on breastmilk alone...then what????

Anonymous said...

These are the situations in which formula should be used, though. In the rare medical case when breastmilk, for whatever reason, doesn't sustain the infant, formula can help. Firstly, your child's main diet isn't the formula, right? Secondly, you are working toward ditching it. How underweight is your daughter? Is it that she is losing instead of gaining or is she simply smaller? Is she meeting other milestones, wetting an adequate amount of diapers? There are many factors to consider. There are also homemade formula recipes that you can find that may put your mind at ease a little more. Also, La Leche League or an IBCLC are people I would contact, there might very well be an alternative to using formula to help tackle the weight issue. The point is: unless you HAVE to use formula, why would you, especially when THIS is the makeup of it. When a woman truly has no choice, when it truly isn't possible to breastfeed (either all or some of the time) pumped breastmilk or donated breastmilk is best, but if the breastmilk isn't sustaining, formula is there. Is it a risk? Yes, many things in life are, but if your child isn't being adequately sustained, that's a risk as well.

So you see, it's not to impose guilt (after all, I am a born-again breastfeeder who's first two children ate nothing BUT this crap!) it's about education and awareness. I hope that you're able to go to solely breastfeeding soon. I would also seek a second opinion from another doctor (make sure they truly SUPPORT your breastfeeding) so that you have the peace of mind that this truly is necessary.
Remember, the charts used by doctors are based on FORMULA FED babies, and there just simply isn't a fair comparison as bf babies grow and gain MUCH differently. :)

Anonymous said...

Obviously, people should care about what is in these formulas so they can get mad. This is the best alternative formula companies can come up with? We should be outraged. Just outraged. And if you read this, and are pregnant, I hope it pushes you to breastfeed. If you have no alternative (like a milk bank), then you can't feel bad. Just be angry, and get on the phone with the people that market this crap. Our babies deserve better.

Kate said...

Thank you anonymous, this is true. Because no one protests this (and worse, some advocate this as a CHOICE to be made) the companies are getting away with it. Don't even get me started on the fact that it's not a sterile product!