6 Common Ingredients Banned in Other Countries

Did you know there are many ingredients and toxins here in the U.S. that are banned in other countries? It's often difficult to keep track of them all when you're out shopping and trying to figure out what is safe for your family.

Madelyn Fernstrom, along with contributor, Linda Carroll, compiled a list of six common ingredients banned in other countries. This list appeared in an article on Today.com and I thought you might find it helpful. I wrote down the six ingredients on a small piece of paper so I could take it with me to the grocery store for the times I'm perusing the labels of various foods. Here is the list, in case you'd like to do the same:

• Brominated vegetable oil (BVOs) -- citrus-flavored sodas and sugary drinks
• Food colorings/dye (Blue #1 & #2, Yellow #5 & #6, Red #40) -- candies, pickles, cereals, drinks, processed foods, salad dressings
• Bovine growth hormone (rBST) -- milk and dairy foods -- look for "no added hormones"
• Potassium Bromate -- breads, rolls, pizza dough
• BHA/BHT -- breads and rolls as a preservative
• GMOs (genetically modified organisms) -- most corn and soybean products, veggie burgers, protein bars, cereals, snack foods

Note that sometimes these ingredients are banned because of animal welfare and not necessarily food safety. Read the rest of the article here.

Keeping you informed,

Personal care products -- what to avoid

When I found out recently that my favorite fragrance, Japanese Cherry Blossom from Bath and Body Works, was one of the worst offenders when it came to hidden chemicals that pose a danger to people, I was dismayed.

While it's nearly impossible to know what all the hidden chemicals are in the personal care products we use, we can at least read the labels and steer clear of certain ingredients we may find there.