I think it's a flavor enhancer. I know it sets-off my sister's asthma.

if you are worried about that aspartame in childrens medications check out whats in your toothpaste... we only use tanners tasty paste it has no saccharin or artificial colors or flavors also does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate(wich has long been suspected of causing mouth sores) there is stuff in all kinds of products you buy and use..

__________________
'The will of God will never take you where the
Grace of God will not protect you.'

HAVE A BOOTIFUL HALLOWEEN

I know it's so sad that we can't hardly get "real" food anymore. Everything has chemically made additives which are terrible for our body.

Most of my friends/family think I am crazy for reading every label...and I mean every label for any packaged items that I buy. That's why I go grocery shopping alone and leave the kids and hubby home. I take my time at the grocery store and read the labels for any new item that I want to try before I buy it. And I periodically will read labels for items that I regularly buy because manufacturers will often change the ingredients of their products.

And of course if I don't have a coupon and it isn't on sale, I rarely ever buy packaged items anyways.

And you should read all the "junk" they put into baby food these days! I can't even read most of the ingredients. That's why my kids have only gotten organic baby food where if it's supposed to be carrots, then the label reads "organic carrots" and nothing else. Those Gerber Graduates meals are just horrible!

And candy of any kind is just terrible! My DH LOVES Kit Kats. I kept telling him that chocolate has a lot of caffeine in it. He never paid attention. Then FINALLY last week he took my DS to the store to get him a treat for being a good boy and of course my DS wanted chocolate. So DH read the labels of all the chocolate stuff that he likes to eat and was shocked at all the bad stuff that was in there. So he ended up buying an organic chocolate bar that tasted yucky. He told me not to ever buy him Kit Kats again.

But getting off my soapbox here..my downfalls/cravings are for things like instant ramen, boxed donuts, vienna sausage and spam . So I try my best to be good and only eat 1 or 2 BAD items a week and I try my best not to have them in the house...or you know I will eat it.

I've started reading all the labels, too. It's a big job! And so frustrating! I've always made my own baby food - so easy and much less expensive.

Your cravings made me laugh. A little indulgence once in a while doesn't hurt as long as your eating healthfully in general. I have to say I have never craved ramen, vienna sausage or spam, but donuts - well...OK.

I can't Believe Your DH bought an Organic Chocolate Bar

Mine couldn't Care less He knows Kit kats are Bad - But Oh well....



A question for label Readers .... Do You go out to eat or eat at Friends Houses or Other Places where you can't preview what You are Consuming?

Yes. I try to make healthy choices in restaurants, but not much you can do at friend's houses. I don't worry about it too much - just eat what they offer. If we're eating well overall, I'm happy. I don't want to become a fanatic.

I was talking to my gf once and telling her how I wanted to try to eat more veggies. Her suggestion was to get a container of ranch dressing and some raw brocolli. She says she will just sit and eat a package of brocolli and a bunch of ranch dressing- but she is getting her veggies in. I was like- don't you know you just cancelled out all that brocolli with all that ranch dressing you just ate. I told her I was better off without the brocolli and ranch.

I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet, but Krafft Ranch is msg free. I was checking the labels, and it was the only non-refrigerated one. I remember not being too crazy about Kraft ranch, especially the lowfat, but the kids don't care. I had bought an organic parmesan ranch in the refrigerated section, and almost everyone here hated it.

__________________
I have nothing to declare except my genius."
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) upon arriving at U.S. customs 1882

There is a new brand of yogurt dressings in the refrigerated dressing section and their ranch is MSG free. The maker of the dressings is bolthouse farms. I have tried the ranch and it is really good. They also make an amazing blue cheese, and a Caesar. All of the dressings are all natural and are fairly low in fat and calories.

Thanks for this idea! I'm off to drink all the wine........