Sad

Yesterday Princess, Tombliboo and I went to the supermarket early and I was struck by how many Intermediate-aged kids (10-13 yrs olds) were walking to school, eating garbage.

Now when I bought lunch when I was that age, I also bought rubbish, so I don't mean to sound too self-righteous. But it was a different *kind* of rubbish.

I used to get a luncheon and salad breadroll, a doughnut and a Zap (strawberry or chocolate flavoured milk) for $1. I still remember because I remember the day it went up to $1.05c and I had to decide which of my three faves I would not be able to buy that day. The same "meal" would cost at least $5 today. Not particularly healthy, but not Twisties and Mountain Dew like I saw kids consuming yesterday.

Now I wonder if these diets are contributing to all the problems I hear about schools...children getting bullied, children being bullies, teachers getting abused.

It has to have an influence.

The number of chemicals and nasty additives in food today is quite disgusting...and, noone has bothered to check what reaction a "cocktail" of these chemicals will produce. Nor has anyone (as far as I know) researched the effect on our bodies of consuming these additives often and over a long period of time (years).

I have read that the *entire* human population will react to msg at some particular dose. Some people, like us, react afer a very small dose- but the whole world does react, so why is it in our food? And what happens when half (or more) of a class have been eating the stuff for breakfast?

This is a great website for finding out more about msg in particular.

The "numbers" to avoid flavour enhancers like msg are

Glutamates incl MSG 620-625

Ribonucleotides 627, 631, 635

Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP)

While you're at it, some other additives that are especially problematic, and very good to avoid are

COLOURS

102,104,107,110,122,123,124,127,128,

129,132,133,142,151,155

natural colour 160b (annatto)

PRESERVATIVES

Sorbates 200-203

Benzoates 210-213

Sulphites 220-228

Nitrates, nitrites 249-252

Propionates 280-283

SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANTS

Gallates 310-312

TBHQ, BHA, BHT 319-321

ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS

No numbers since they are trade secrets