Furious NYC moms rail against toxins in kid foods
As dozens of doctors worked to pinpoint the cause, they put the girl on a strict diet low in highly processed foods and free of gluten, dairy, corn, soy and histamines.
For Ferrara, 39, figuring out what her daughter could safely eat was like trying to understand a foreign language.
Advertisement
8 The Ferrara family strives to follow a diet packed with clean, whole foods.
Clarissa Byrne
'Sometimes I feel like I can't work because I literally need to research food,' Ferrara, a speech and language pathologist from Brooklyn, told The Post.
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) make up nearly 70% of calories in American kids' diets — and a jaw-dropping new White House report warns they may be fueling the nationwide rise in childhood chronic diseases.
Advertisement
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission's report marks the Trump administration's first major push to confront what it calls a 'crisis' affecting more than 40% of young people across the country.
'We will follow the truth wherever it leads, uphold rigorous science, and drive bold policies that put the health, development and future of every child first,' HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said Thursday.
Two New York moms raising children with chronic health issues told The Post that it can be an uphill battle to keep their kids' diets clean in a country where UPFs dominate supermarket shelves.
UPFs explained
Advertisement
While there's no single, universally accepted definition, UPFs are generally packaged, ready-to-eat products that undergo extensive industrial processing to boost their flavor, texture and shelf life.
They're often loaded with added sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and refined grains — and packed with preservatives, artificial colors, flavors, emulsifiers and stabilizers not commonly used in home cooking.
8 Most Americans don't go a day without eating ultra-processed foods.
beats_ – stock.adobe.com
UPFs usually contain little to no fruits, vegetables or whole grains and are typically low in fiber and other essential nutrients.
Advertisement
Researchers estimate that about 70% of the 300,000-plus branded food products in grocery stores fall into this category.
Food fight
Two years into the strict diet, Ferrara is still navigating the minefield — and slip-ups come with serious consequences.
'[Food] really, really affects her and can trigger a flare-up where she's so uncomfortable gut-wise and brain-wise that she can't go to school,' said Ferrara, who co-owns Social City, which provides social support services for children.
One recent mistake? The gluten-free, dairy-free pancakes her daughter eats every morning. Turns out they contain a corn-derived additive called maltodextrin — something Ferrara only discovered after calling the manufacturer.
'It was one of the ingredients that my eyes just skipped over, because I don't know what that is,' she said. 'Unknowingly, every morning I was giving her these gluten-free, dairy-free pancakes that actually have something that is highly inflammatory and ultra-processed.'
8 Food labels are frequently cited as a source of confusion for consumers.
rosinka79 – stock.adobe.com
The MAHA report warns that more than 2,500 food additives can be pumped into UPFs — all to enhance taste and texture and stretch shelf life.
Advertisement
Some additives have been linked to serious health concerns, including behavioral disorders, metabolic issues and even cancer.
Take Red 40, for example. This food dye is found in popular snacks like Skittles and Doritos, as well as drinks like Pepsi. It has been tied to increased hyperactivity and irritability in children, especially if they have ADHD, and can trigger allergic reactions in others.
Meanwhile, research shows titanium dioxide, found in everything from candies to sauces, may damage cells and even DNA.
Then there are artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose and saccharin, which some studies suggest can disrupt the gut microbiome — a key player in metabolism, weight control and blood sugar regulation.
Advertisement
8 Red dye 40 is also known as Allura Red AC.
taidundua – stock.adobe.com
Ferrara's younger daughter, 4, doesn't have food sensitivities — but keeping her diet clean is still a challenge. At school, playdates and other places outside the home, junk food is nearly impossible to avoid.
'She doesn't get directly affected immediately after she eats, but I know it's doing harm to her over the long term,' Ferrara said. 'Just because it doesn't outrightly show on every single person doesn't mean it's not doing the same damage internally.'
According to the White House report, ultra-processed grains — found in cakes, cookies, breads and snack foods — dominate children's diets. These products are stripped of their bran and germ, removing essential fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Advertisement
'The stripping of these components can lead to blood sugar spikes, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes,' the report states.
The sugar situation is just as grim. Ultra-processed sugars can be found in 75% of packaged foods. The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day — amounting to a whopping 60 pounds a year.
8 Many American children exceed the recommended daily limits for added sugar.
HandmadePictures – stock.adobe.com
Advertisement
This sugar overload — especially from high-fructose corn syrup and other additives — may be playing a 'significant role' in the nation's rise of childhood obesity, Type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to the report.
But it's not just the ingredients — it's what industrial processing does to them.
The MAHA report warns that processing alters fiber content, caloric density and digestibility in ways that can hijack hunger hormones, short-circuit satiety signals and damage the gut microbiome.
'It shouldn't be so hard to protect your family,' Ferrara said. 'They need to be more transparent with what's in the food, but also how it's processed.'
Toxic situation
Astoria mom Carissa Serralta has always strived to feed her kids a healthy diet — but it wasn't until one of her newborn twin daughters was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, MCAD deficiency, that she saw just how flooded grocery stores are with ultra-processed junk.
The condition prevents her now 2-year-old, Mila, from properly metabolizing fats from seed oils like palm, coconut and avocado.
8 Serralta's daughter's condition has changed the whole family's eating habits.
Clarissa Serralta
'Eighty to 90% of the brands you see on the shelf she can't have,' Serralta told The Post. 'It could be anywhere from pasta to tortillas to Cheez-Its.'
That became a nightmare when she couldn't produce enough breast milk — and realized nearly all baby formulas on the market are loaded with seed oils.
'They say breast is best, but if you don't have milk for your baby and you have no choice but to give them formula, and the formula has bad ingredients, what do you do?' she mused. 'Your baby has to be fed.'
8 Seed oils are common in packaged and processed foods.
alex9500 – stock.adobe.com
Doctors told Serralta to give Mila tiny doses of seed oils to build tolerance for formula — but that led to months of relentless diarrhea.
The MAHA report notes that seed oils have flooded the US food supply, overtaking animal-based fats like butter and lard in American diets over the past century.
Finding safe foods has become 'a full-time job' for Serralta. Many of the items her daughter can eat aren't available locally, forcing her to shop online or cook everything from scratch.
If Mila accidentally eats seed oil, it means an upset stomach, which Serralta said is painful but manageable. She is thankful it's not something more severe like a peanut or gluten allergy.
8 Mila Walpole can't eat many store-bought foods due to her seed oil intolerance.
Clarissa Serralta
The White House report highlights that childhood food allergies have soared 88% since 1997, while celiac disease in kids has jumped fivefold since the '80s.
The diagnosis didn't just change what Mila eats — it transformed the rest of the family's eating habits. Serralta shudders at the thought of her older son previously eating ultra-processed snacks.
'It's almost a scary thought, because I was so unaware of this before I had the twins,' she said.
And while she's no fan of the current administration, Serralta said she welcomes any effort to expand access to healthier foods.
'Less-processed foods have to be made available to all kids — it shouldn't just be online where people with lower incomes can't access it,' she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
3 minutes ago
- CNBC
I just visited a Costco in Japan—the variety of foods was 'incredible': 6 things I wish they sold in the American stores
As a Japanese nutritionist living in the U.S., I love shopping for traditional foods that I grew up eating, such as seaweed, beans, matcha, multigrain rice, and sweet potatoes. I sometimes go to Costco to buy those staples in bulk. But during a recent trip to Japan, I had the chance to shop at the Costco Yawata Warehouse in Kyoto, which you can visit using your U.S. membership card. I was curious to see how it compared to the American stores, and I ended up being very surprised. While the layout and many of the products were similar to the U.S. stores, the variety of Japanese foods was incredible. There were regional items, seasonally sourced ingredients, and healthier snacks that I rarely find back home. It was fun to browse through the foods and brands that were exclusive to stores in Japan. Here are six things I wish U.S. Costco stores carried more of. Seaweed is a staple in Japan. It's packed with minerals, vitamins, and polyphenols, making it one of the most nutrient-dense, plant-based foods you can eat. I found a wide selection, including: Other varieties included kombu, hijiki, aonori, and kanten — all of which I like to keep in my pantry. Tofu is one of my favorite foods. It's a great source of plant-based protein and is very versatile across cuisines. You can eat it plain or throw it in soups or salads. Even my dogs enjoy it! Japanese Costcos sell an amazing variety of soy-based items, many of which are vacuum-sealed for freshness and shelf-life. Options included: One of my go-to recipes involves soaking koya tofu, cutting it into cubes, then simmering with kombu, dried shittake mushrooms, carrots, peas, and ginger. I finish it with homemade miso paste for a satisfying, balanced dish. I always encourage my clients to incorporate a wide range of vegetables, roots, and herbs into every meal. Greater plant variety means more fiber, antioxidants, and essential nutrients for a long life. I was excited to see all kinds of produce that are a little harder to find in American supermarkets: Even the potatoes from Hokkaido, known for their high quality, were available in bulk. I love to cook, but sometimes life gets busy and I need fast, healthy options for myself and my clients. Costco Japan offered a smart range of ready-to-eat items, including (my favorite) microwavable multigrain rice bowls, pickled vegetables, instant miso soups in both powdered and paste form (just add hot water and throw in some seaweed and tofu), Japanese-style cooked fish, and many unique condiments. Of course, you can find some of these items in American stores, like Whole Foods, but they're often pricier. Rice crackers (soy-flavored rice crisps) are one of my favorite snacks. At Costco Japan, I saw kakino-tane, crescent-shaped crackers often mixed with peanuts. Other rice crackers were made with sesame seeds, seaweed, soy powder, nuts, and even some herbs. In Japan, green tea is more than just a beverage — it's a daily ritual. You'll find it in vending machines, restaurants, and pretty much in every home. At Costco Japan, I saw bottled green teas, tea bags and loose-leaf options, and powdered teas in family-sized packages. Almost every shopper had a green tea product in their cart. Green tea has been associated with better heart health and longer life in many studies. I always recommend swapping it in place of soda for a low-calorie, antioxidant-rich alternative.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Continuous glucose monitors are in vogue. But do you really need to track your blood sugar?
A quarter-size device that tracks the rise and fall of sugar in your blood is the latest source of hope — and hype — in the growing buzz around wearable health technology. Continuous glucose monitors, small patches that provide 24-hour insight into concentrations of sugar in the blood, could be a tool for Americans to 'take control over their own health,' Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently told federal lawmakers. 'They can take responsibility,' Kennedy said. 'They can begin to make good judgments about their diet, about their physical activity, about the way they live their lives.' The devices have lifesaving benefits for people with diabetes, the disease caused when blood sugar remains high because their bodies don't make enough insulin or become resistant to it. The condition, which affects more than 38 million people in the U.S., raises the risk of serious health problems such as heart and kidney disease and vision loss. But the devices have surged in popularity among people without diabetes. Sales have been driven by high-profile marketers such as Casey Means , the nominee for U.S. surgeon general . There's scant evidence the monitors are useful for people with normal blood sugar levels, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Healthy bodies can effectively regulate glucose after meals and provide the energy they need to function. Glucose monitors may lead people to misinterpret normal swings in blood sugar that happen after eating or activity. In addition, the devices can be 'notoriously inaccurate,' providing misleading readings, she said. 'The problem with wearing these is that you can just be zooming in on and creating pathology when it's not there,' Dushay said. Here's what you need to know about the devices: Here's what a continuous glucose monitor does The device is a small patch, about the size of two stacked quarters, usually placed on the upper arm or stomach. It uses a needle to painlessly pierce the skin for a tiny sensor. The sensor measures the glucose in fluid under the skin, delivering a signal every few minutes to a phone app or a handheld display. The apps typically record blood sugar levels and help people track the foods they eat and how they impact those levels. When healthy people eat a meal that contains carbohydrates, their blood sugar rises, peaks and falls in response to the food. A healthy fasting blood glucose level for a person without diabetes is roughly 70 milligrams per deciliter to 99 milligrams per deciliter. A range from 100 to 126 milligrams per deciliter indicates prediabetes and above 126 milligrams per deciliter indicates diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. In adults without diabetes, blood sugar levels can climb to 140 milligrams per deciliter or more within an hour of a meal, before falling back to baseline levels within two or three hours, according to the association. It's a sign the body is processing sugar normally. Continuous glucose monitors have been available since the late 1990s For decades, these devices were available only for people with diabetes. The monitors revolutionized care by allowing more precise adjustment of insulin used to treat diabetes and giving people the ability to modify meals and activity more accurately. Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter monitors. Since then, many companies have emerged to market them, claiming to provide intensive, individualized health monitoring. Cost is generally about $100 a month. They've really caught on with consumers curious about how food and activity affect their blood sugar levels. For instance, Noom, the weight-loss and fitness app, launched a blood glucose feature last year that has proven extremely popular, said Alexander Fabry, a company executive. 'Of the people who are using a CGM, the vast majority of them don't have a diabetes diagnosis,' he said. Who can use the monitors? The devices have been lifesaving for people with diabetes. And they can be helpful for people with risk factors for the disease, including obesity, prediabetes, a history of gestational diabetes or a family history of the condition. The devices can allow users to see how specific food and activity choices affect their blood sugar in near real-time, said Dr. Alaina Vidmar, a pediatric obesity specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. 'After a large meal, you may watch your blood sugar go up and sort of learn something about yourself,' Vidmar said. 'For example, I drink a sugar-sweetened soda and my blood sugar goes up really high, really fast. And maybe I don't feel as good, right?' What are the cautions? People without risk factors for diabetes may turn to the monitors just because they're curious, said Dr. David Kessler. A former FDA commissioner, Kessler doesn't have diabetes, but he wore a monitor for a couple months during research for his recent book, 'Diet, Drugs and Dopamine.' 'I think it's a very interesting tool to experiment with if you're so inclined,' Kessler said. But, he noted, the devices can't be used to diagnose or treat disease. Even experts don't agree on how to interpret or provide health advice for people without diabetes based on blood sugar data. 'No one knows what's optimal in the nondiabetic state,' he said. Before using a monitor, Dushay asks patients to consider their motives. 'What do you think you're going to get from the data?' she said. 'What is to be gained from wearing that monitor?' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
RFK Jr. is waging a war against ultra-processed foods. Will almond milk be canceled?
Ultra-processed foods are undergoing increased scrutiny as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his supporters blame these often tasty snacks for contributing to chronic diseases in the U.S. But what is ultra-processed food? There still isn't a universal definition. While many ice creams, chips and sodas are considered ultra-processed, there's also a wide array of other foods that can be included in a healthy diet that fall into the same category, such as tofu, some canned fruits and vegetables, protein bars, cereals and nut milks. 'These are all quite processed and some of them can be classified as ultra-processed foods but because of their nutrient profiles, they might be better for us and not associated with the worst health outcomes,' said Michele Polacsek, professor of public health at the University of New England and an expert on promoting healthy food choices. Does that mean these foods will be targeted, too? Probably not, said Marion Nestle, a nutrition expert and emeritus professor at New York University. 'That would be impossible because of the way that Americans eat,' she said, as research shows over 70% of American calories come from ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are foods that have been made by food companies using manufactured ingredients, rather than actual foods. If you've ever taken a look at some food labels, you may not recognize many of the ingredients listed. These are likely ultra-processed ingredients that are used to make food "taste better, look better and last longer on the shelf," Nestle said. Research has shown UPFs replace healthier foods and encourage people to eat more calories, Nestle said. Ultra-processed foods have been linked to about 30 health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and mental health disorders, according to a 2024 study published in the British Medical Journal. In May, Kennedy and his 'Make America Healthy Again' commission targeted ultra-processed foods in a 69-page report. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the administration is seeking information and data to help develop an official definition for ultra-processed foods, according to a July 23 statement. While it's a good first step, Polacsek said not all UPFs are the same and there isn't enough data to determine which ingredients or processes in packaged foods lead to negative health outcomes. 'We don't have all the evidence we need,' she said. 'We need a lot more research on this.' It would be a mistake to create policy based on the data available on ultra-processed foods, Polacsek said. But if the administration makes policy decisions based on a universal definition, she hopes agencies will also allocate funding to research how it's impacting public health and the food industry. Is Chick-fil-A healthy? Fast-food chain named one of the least nutritious in America In the meantime, Nestle recommends minimizing the amount of ultra-processed foods you eat but also reminds consumers that some contain nutrients that can be incorporated into a healthy diet. In a 2023 study, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture led a study that showed how it was possible to build a healthy diet with 91% of the calories coming from ultra-processed foods. However, study authors noted the diet was particularly high in sodium and didn't contain enough whole grains. 'The basic principle of healthy eating is variety,' Nestle said. 'If you eat a lot of different kinds of food, and most of them are minimally processed, you're doing fine.' 'Food is one of life's greatest pleasures, it's really important to enjoy what you eat.' Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@
