Yes, enumbers in food can cause hyperactivity and if you don’t want to suffer from the stress of rearing a hyperactive child, you must start limiting his or her consumption of foods with additives. This is especially so for parents whose children are already extraordinarily active. Imagine the nightmare of rearing an extra- hyperactive child. No parent would surely want to take the challenge.
Through the years, there have been parents who claimed that e-numbers or additives have caused their children misbehave. A lot of them have observed that the consumption of food with different additives caused significant behavioral changes in their kids such as throwing more tantrums, inability to concentrate, and generally becoming hyperactive and restless. Since there are a lot of foods and drinks processed with the use of e-numbers, the food industry was quick to dismiss the parents’ claims. After all, who doesn’t use e-numbers these days?
However, interestingly, researches have slowly been showing that some e-numbers are in fact potentially harmful to people, especially to kids. They have been found to increase the risk of developing allergic reactions like breathing problems or even asthma. They have also been found to affect children’s behaviors.
The additives often in questions are the following:
- Allura Red (E129)—usually found in sauces, soups, wines, and cider
- Tartrazine (E102) – widely used to color food
- Ponceau 4R (E124) – also widely used as coloring
- Carmoisine (E122)— usually used in jellies, jams, sweets, yogurts, and packet soups
- Quinoline Yellow (E104) – found in smoked haddocks and scotch eggs
- Sunset Yellow (E110) – also used as food coloring
The mixture of these food colors with a preservative called sodium benzoate are said to increase hyperactive behaviors in kids. This is the primary reason why parents, especially those who have children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, should be strict in allowing their children to eat any foods that contain the said combination. In addition, even parents whose children are behaving normally should be more watchful with what they feed their children. They must train their eyes in spotting any e-number content in their children’s snacks as well as the other ingredients in the mix. They must educate themselves on any possible harm that the mixture may cause their kids.
Many people can easily take labels for granted and think that all healthy-looking foods and drinks are in fact healthy. They fail to read the labels and understand what truly is inside the food that they eat or they make their children eat.
It is very important to create awareness on how harmful some additives can be especially to the youngsters. Although ADHD may be traced to other causes such as heredity, every parent should not discount the possibility that the foods they feed their children are not only capable of causing simple food allergies but more serious problems such as misbehavior. It is never too late to change, check the labels now and save your kid from becoming the jumping, shrieking banshee who would give you your worst nightmare.
