Oh the Citric Acid...

For those of you who don't know, Kennedy developed a rash on her face a few months ago that would not go away. It seemed to get worse at times and them some days not as bad. But it was always there. I asked her pediatrician at her 2 year check up about the suspicious rash. She said it looked like some type of contact dermatitis and it was nothing to worry about or do for it.

Well, the rash continued. I treated it with every cream known to man with no change. Several friends had suggested food allergy, but since the doctor had shrugged that off I was hesitant that food could be the cause. After several weeks of no change in the rash despite my avid attempts, I decided to start reading the labels of her foods. I noticed her rash was a thousand times worse after consuming Cran-Grape juice. I scanned the ingredients, only 3 or 4. I wondered if she were allergic to cranberries? I decided to eliminate the juice from her diet and see. It got a little better, but was still there and would still flare. I examined her diet again and decided to check the label on ALL her favorite foods- fruit snacks, fruit puree squeeze's, and ravioli. The only ingredient all three things had in common WITH the cran-grape juice was .... Citric Acid. Oooh I cringe at the word. With a few Google searches you will realize it is in virtually everything on an American grocery stores shelves. After eliminating the citric acid from her diet, her face returned to normal within two days. Ding ding ding... we have a winner.

Now here is the breakdown on the citric acid. It is man-made. Naturally occurring citric acid, like that found in citric fruits, is not the citric acid she is intolerant too. Citric acid is made from the mold Aspergillus niger. The mold is cultivated and allowed to metabolize sugar. The by-product is citric acid. Gross. I know. It's the by-product from a mold. And it is in everything. Deemed not harmful in general, it may also be GMO. After a little research you will see how the government regulates certified organic and that Citric Acid is allowed in certified organic product, even if it was produced by using know GMO's such as sugar beets or maize. Citric acid is used in products to create a sour flavor. It is also used as a preservative. So basically I can't count on a label saying "organic" and it being free of citric acid. My grocery store trips now take 20 mins longer as I have to read labels on so many items. Finding the right tomato sauce, apple juice, jelly, baby fruit squeeze's, loaf bread, bubble bath, shampoo and even yogurt (yes citric acid is in all of these things) takes time. Most of my info came from these sites: 

http://girlmeetsnourishment.com/citric-acid/

http://foodreference.about.com/od/Food-Additives/a/What-Is-Citric-Acid.htm

I wanted to share all this information with you for several reasons. One- your doctor doesn't know it all. Be your child's (and yourself) advocate. Take things into your own hands and find out what is really going on. Two- read your labels and know what you are eating. American food is full of chemicals, preservatives and toxins. Know what you are eating and what is good to avoid. Do some research. Americans have the 7th highest cancer rate of the world. Cancer in other less commercialized countries is almost non-existent. Their diet of fresh, unprocessed food is the key I believe. The United States is a money hungry, selfish country. Companies will put many preservatives and chemicals into our food found at the grocery store to make it last longer, look prettier and taste better. The FDA has allowed many additives into our food that are BANNED in other countries. To me, it's no wonder my baby is allergic to this and it's no surprise that so many others have food allergies. Our bodies were not created to consume these chemicals. 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleyperez/8-foods-we-eat-in-the-us-that-are-banned-in-other-countries

Okay, I'm off the box for now. Hope this info will help someone, somewhere along the way!

Citric acid free face!