the rise of food intolerances
Hyperactivity Possible culprit: Sensitivity to artificial colors, or even sugar. According to Sears, children’s underdeveloped blood-brain barrier makes them more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of chemical food additives, such as artificial colors and monosodium glutamate (MSG). A 2007 British study linked six food colors with possible hyperactivity in children. As a result, the European Union now requires most foods containing artificial food dyes to carry a warning label. Tus far, the FDA has not issued a similar ban or required additional product labeling. Also watch sugar intake; some kids are literally hypersensitive to the sweet stuff. Action plan: Buy organic; by definition, organic products are certified to contain no artificial colors. If organic options aren’t available, scrutinize food labels for the nine petroleum-based synthetic dyes currently approved for food use in the United States: Blue 1 and 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6. To avoid added sugars, look beyond the Nutrition Facts panel, which combines natural and added sugars for a total amount, to the
ingredients list. Words like high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, fructose, cane sugar, and syrup indicate added sugars.
Crankiness Possible culprit: Gluten intolerance. Gluten sensitivity is traditionally associated exclusively with digestive disturbances, but some studies have recently linked it to neurological symptoms, which can range from moodiness and chronic headaches to ADHD and coordination loss. Action plan: Eliminate gluten for a month to assess a connection between mood and food. Other reasons may account for kids’ agitation; however, if food is the culprit, says Dorfman, children will often want to eat the problem food excessively.
Small stature or picky palate Possible culprit: Gluten sensitivity or zinc deficiency. Because gluten intolerance interferes with nutrient absorption, suffering kids often fail to thrive. “Small size—height or weight—is a classic symptom of celiac disease,” Dorfman says.
Zinc could be another factor: Te mineral normalizes appetite and, through its relationship with growth hormones, helps the body develop. If levels are low enough, a child’s growth will be stunted, perhaps in the fifth percentile or lower for weight and height on the standard growth charts. In this case, a child may rarely be hungry, be a picky eater, or complain that food smells or tastes “funny,” Dorfman says. Action plan: Eliminate gluten from the diet for a month. Ask your pediatrician for a blood test to determine serum zinc levels, or buy a zinc sulfate taste test online. After sipping a bit of zinc sulfate solution, your child will report tasting nothing (which indicates deficiency) or a bad flavor (no deficiency). Zinc-rich foods include beef, chicken, beans, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and chickpeas. If there’s a deficiency, ask your health care provider about an adequate supplement dose based on your child’s age.
After her son got eczema as a 3-month- old, Nederland, Colorado-based writer Pamela Bond used an elimination diet to confirm that dairy was the culprit.
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36 deliciousliving | may 2012 DL512
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