Furious NYC moms rail against toxins in kid foods
Tara Ferrara's 7-year-old daughter began suffering from a baffling mix of symptoms four years ago — nausea, stomach pain and sudden, intense panic that struck without warning.
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
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Thanks to imported drugs, America has lost control of its medicine cabinet
America is facing a growing crisis in its medical system — not from a lack of talent or innovation, but from a breakdown in the control, safety and supply of essential medicines. Our growing reliance on imports is now driving serious drug shortages, destabilizing supply chains and increasingly making medications unsafe. At the root of it is a hard truth: We no longer have control of the medicines we depend on every day. In 2002, America manufactured 83.7 percent of the pharmaceuticals it consumed. By 2024, that number had dropped to just 37.1 percent. Meanwhile, the U.S. pharmaceutical trade deficit has soared, reaching a record $118.3 billion in 2024. We didn't just outsource manufacturing — we outsourced the sovereignty and safety of our health care system. This means that nearly two-thirds of America's pharmaceutical supplies are now imported. Most critical medications, such as generic drugs, now come from China and India. China controls 80 to 90 percent of the global supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients — the chemical building blocks of modern medicine. Even drugs labeled 'Made in the USA' often chemically originate in China. And India, which produces about half of America's finished generic drugs, relies on China for up to 80 percent of its active pharmaceutical not a supply chain — it's a ticking time something goes wrong, American patients suffer. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration shut down a single Indian plant responsible for 50 percent of the U.S. supply of cisplatin, a critical chemotherapy drug, after uncovering a 'cascade of failure' in safety practices and shredded documents soaked in acid. With no domestic backup, patients nationwide had their treatments delayed. That wasn't a fluke. 40 percent of U.S. generic drugs have only one FDA-approved manufacturer. Because of that single chokepoint, when one factory fails, the whole system can crack. We are now seeing widespread drug shortages across the medical system. Hospital pharmacists report an average of 301 critical drug shortages at any given time. And 85 percent say these shortages are moderately or critically affecting care. Doctors often lack crucial medicines such as antibiotics, sedatives and cancer drugs. These aren't obscure drugs. They're foundational medicines. But America no longer makes them. Even when imported drugs do arrive, they're not always safe. A 2025 study found that Indian generics are 54 percent more likely to cause serious side effects than their U.S.-made counterparts. Indian factory violations have also been tied to at least eight U.S. patient deaths. China's record is equally disturbing. In 2008, dozens of Americans died after receiving contaminated heparin from Chinese suppliers. This isn't what the American people want. In a national survey, 85 percent of hospital pharmacists said they would pay more for safer generics. But under today's rules, price overshadows quality. Hospitals have little oversight of drug quality — and foreign producers face few consequences for cutting corners. Even the federal government is flying blind. A 2023 Department of Defense review found that 22 percent of essential military-use drugs had unknown ingredient sourcing. That's a national security April, the Trump administration took a necessary step by launching an investigation into generic pharmaceutical imports that correctly frames the issue as a national security threat. But that recognition alone isn't enough. To address this crisis, Washington should impose targeted tariffs on generic drugs from adversarial nations. It must also rebuild domestic pharmaceutical production through tax credits and long-term contracts. America urgently needs full transparency in drug labeling to disclose where drugs and their ingredients are made. The FDA must step up — with stronger enforcement abroad and a ban on imports from repeat safety violators. And to secure critical ingredients during market disruptions, Washington must pursue a long-term vision that includes a 'strategic pharmaceutical reserve.' This isn't just protectionism. It's a restoration of America's medical security. No nation can call itself sovereign if it can't produce its own medicines, and no patient is safe if their health care depends on quality control in a factory 8,000 miles decades, we were told that offshoring production would make things cheaper, smoother and more efficient. But America can no longer depend on unstable foreign suppliers. It's time to restore our pharmaceutical independence and take back control of our medicine cabinet. Andrew Rechenberg is an economist at the Coalition for a Prosperous America.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
If You're Struggling With Constipation, These 5 Foods And Drinks May Be To Blame
Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint, affecting millions of Americans of all ages. Prevalent as it may be, it's an unpleasant issue that you'd probably prefer to avoid. And what you eat can either help or hinder things in the poop department. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, you're typically considered constipated when you're passing 'small amounts of hard, dry stool, usually fewer than three times a week.' But when it comes to poop frequency, the normal range is pretty wide: anywhere from three times a day to three times a week. So consider what's a deviation from your usual pattern. Constipation is about more than just frequency of bowel movements, though. Other symptoms include pain or difficulty pooping, feeling like you haven't fully emptied your bowels, bloating, sluggishness and stomach discomfort. Most people deal with short-term constipation at one point or another. Chronic constipation, however, is an ongoing issue that can negatively affect your quality of life and lead to complications, like hemorrhoids or fecal impaction, if left untreated. When you're constipated, you might also experience bloating, sluggishness and stomach discomfort. You may become constipated due to dehydration, lack of exercise, changes to your routine (such as travel), stress, certain medications and health conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. But below, we'll focus on some of the ways your diet could be contributing to your constipation woes. The main takeaway: Foods that are high in fat but low in fiber tend to be the worst offenders. No one specific food or drink is likely to cause constipation on its own for most individuals — however, your daily eating habits can worsen an existing issue, according to Medical News Today. We asked experts — including gastro doctors and dietitians — to explain which foods and drinks you might want to consider cutting back on when you're backed up and why. Refined grains 'Refined grains like white bread, white pasta and white rice are known to be binding and can contribute to constipation,' registered dietitian Stefani Sassos, nutrition and fitness director for the Good Housekeeping Institute, told HuffPost. 'This is due to the fact that they are lower in fiber than whole grains.' Baked goods such as pastries, cookies and cakes, as well as crackers and flour tortillas fall under this umbrella, as well. With refined grains, the fiber our bodies need to facilitate digestion is stripped away during the milling process. 'Fiber promotes regularity by helping food move through your digestive system,' gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Rao previously told HuffPost. 'This is because fiber absorbs water and bulks up stools, making them easier to pass.' Cheese and dairy products Related: Invent The Next Big Soda Flavor — Will It Be Delicious Or The Next Big Disaster? Cheese is low in fiber and high in fat, which can worsen constipation. Dairy products like cheese tend to be high in fat, yet low in fiber, which can make constipation worse, gastroenterologist Dr. Rabia A. De Latour told HuffPost. For those with a lactose intolerance, consuming dairy products typically leads to diarrhea and gas. But according to a 2022 literature review, about 30% of lactose-intolerant individuals experience constipation after eating dairy. Red meat Related: Warning: This Ice Cream Generator Is Highly Addictive — What Delicious Or Disastrous Flavor Will You Create? Red meat, such as beef and pork, these kinds It is also rich in protein, the most satiating macronutrient. This means you might feel full after eating that steak or burger, making you less likely to reach for high-fiber foods like fruits and veggies. Fried foods French fries, fried chicken, mozzarella sticks and other fried fare can make you more backed up. 'Fried, greasy foods are very high in fat and can be hard for the body to digest, contributing to constipation,' Sassos explained. 'Plus, they often are void of fiber.' For other folks, these kinds of foods may lead to more urgent and looser stools — it really depends on the individual and the other components of their diet. Alcohol Booze is another one that causes different GI symptoms for different people. For many individuals, a night of drinking leads to soft stool or diarrhea. In other cases, it can have a constipating effect. If you're backed up, Dr. Kenneth Josovitz — a Virginia gastroenterologist with Gastro Health — recommends avoiding alcohol, 'which can cause dehydration and worsen constipation.' So why does alcohol have this effect? Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone which helps your body hold onto fluids by telling the kidneys to reabsorb water, rather than excrete it. 'That [suppression] is why people will pee more when they drink,' gastroenterologist Dr. Sunana Sohi previously told HuffPost. 'The alcohol is making them pee out all the water in their body, and so they get dehydrated and then constipated because of it.' How To Alleviate Constipation In addition to cutting back on the aforementioned foods and drinks, try to incorporate more high-fiber foods into your diet to help you stay regular. Women should aim to consume at least 25 grams of fiber a day, De LaTour said. For men, that number is about 38 grams per day. Sassos recommends foods like raspberries, apples and pears with the skin on, lentils, beans, broccoli, leafy greens and nuts. Prunes, known for their laxative properties, can also be a good at-home remedy to try, she said. 'If you're not used to eating prunes and fiber-rich foods, start with one to two prunes per day,' Sassos said. 'You can work your way up to five or six as tolerated. Prune juice can be effective too, especially warm prune juice since warm liquids in general can speed up digestive motility.' When increasing your fiber intake, go about it slowly and be sure to drink enough water, she advised. 'We need adequate hydration to help fiber digest properly in the body,' Sassos said. 'If you don't drink enough water, high-fiber foods may actually constipate you even more.' Incorporating more high-fiber foods like leafy greens can help relieve constipation. To ease constipation, you can also try drinking a cup of tea as 'the hot temperature speeds up the motility and the caffeine stimulates the bowels,' Josovitz suggested. Reducing stress and exercising can help get things moving as well, he added. Sassos also emphasized the importance of physical activity in keeping you regular. 'Even a short 10-to 15-minute walk after a meal can help,' she said. The occasional bout of constipation typically resolves on its own with minor lifestyle adjustments. But in other cases, constipation may warrant a visit to your doctor — especially if it's coupled with significant abdominal pain. 'You should seek medical attention if the constipation is new, severe, lasts more than a few weeks, or comes with bleeding, weight loss or weakness,' Josovitz advised. This post originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in Food: "Over Time, It Starves The Brain": Neurologists Shared The Foods They Would Never, Ever Eat And Why Also in Food: People Are Sharing Their Go-To Food Hacks They're Shocked More Home Cooks Don't Already Know Also in Food: People Are Revealing The Homemade Food Items That Cost Less And Taste Better Than Store-Bought, And I'm Taking Copious Notes
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
These are the best – and cheapest – states for seniors living alone
More than one quarter of seniors live alone, according to Census data. And living solo can present financial perils for Americans of any age. A new report from the senior care platform ranks the best states for over-65 Americans who live alone. The report assigned a 1-10 score to each state, based on more than a dozen qualities, including overall living costs, housing costs, grocery costs, transportation costs, healthcare costs and availability, and the proximity of other seniors. 'Living alone can be a challenge for older people, from increased safety concerns to the toll on their mental health,' the report states. Here's what the analysis found. These neighboring states rank 1-2-3 for solo senior living Three middle-of-America states, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas, rank first, second and third for solo senior living in the report. Arkansas, with a rating of 8.57 out of 10, has one of the lowest cost-of-living scores in the nation, with affordable housing and low property taxes. It ranks high for affordable transportation and available nursing facilities. Missouri (8.09 out of 10) ranks high for health care affordability and quality. The state also ranks high on assisted living, with 97.5 communities per 100,000 senior residents. Kansas (7.98) ranks favorably for overall cost of living and has some of the nation's lowest grocery prices. It also has the second-highest proportion of nursing facilities, 62.7 per 100,000 seniors. Arkansas also ranks 1st in affordability for solo seniors Arkansas is not just the 'best' state for solo seniors, but also the most affordable, the analysis found. Arkansas has the lowest health care costs among states, as well as low grocery prices and affordable rents. A one-bedroom apartment averages $701 a month. Missouri ranks second for senior affordability, with low rents and transportation costs. Oklahoma ranks third in affordability. The analysis includes data from GOBankingRates, whose calculations found Oklahoma one of the most affordable states for retirees. Maine ranks 1st for highest proportion of seniors Seniors can face loneliness and isolation, especially when they live alone. But not, perhaps, in Maine. The state has the highest proportion of seniors, compared with other states: 22.9%, according to Missouri ranks 1st for cheap rent Seniors often live on fixed incomes. Lower housing costs can help make ends meet. Missouri has the nation's most affordable rents for one-bedroom apartments, with an average of $677 a month. Pro tip: St. Louis is more affordable than Kansas City, with rents averaging about $200 lower. Iowa ranks 1st for availability of nursing facilities With a relatively low over-65 population, Iowa ranks first among states for its proportion of nursing facilities, 71 per 100,000 seniors. More nursing facilities potentially means shorter wait times for Iowans who need nursing care. Alaska ranks 1st for availability of assisted living Alaska, too, has relatively few seniors. The state also has the highest proportion of assisted living communities, a whopping 698 per 100,000 over-65 residents. Missouri has the least expensive assisted living The costs of long-term care can be eye-popping. An assisted living facility charges $5,350 a month, on average, according to T. Rowe Price. Missouri has the lowest annual costs for assisted living, averaging just over $40,000, according to The state's low cost of living reduces operating costs for assisted living facilities. West Virginia ranks 1st on 'comfortable' retirement Getting back to GOBankingRates: The personal finance site analyzed every state for annual retirement costs and found West Virginia the most affordable in its 2024 report, with an annual tab of $58,190. The report factored into the ranking. What are the worst states for solo retirement living? While the report doesn't rank the least desirable states for seniors who live alone, the analysis provides a heat map that gives a good idea of which states a cost-conscious senior might want to avoid. Not surprisingly, the 'worst' and least affordable states for solo seniors tend to fall on the East and West coasts. California and Massachusetts have some of the lowest overall scores. The same states rank poorly on affordability. More on affordable states for retirees Seniors who are looking for a good place to retire may also want to consult GOBankingRates, whose analysts have run the numbers many times on affordable states for retirees. In one recent analysis, the site calculated how long a nest egg of $1.5 million would last for a retiree in every state. That report identified five most affordable states for retirees: West Virginia, where $1.5 million will last 54 years; Kansas (52 years); Mississippi (51 years); Oklahoma (also 51 years); and Alabama (50 years). California and Massachusetts ranked among the priciest states for retirees in the report, along with New York, Alaska and Hawaii.
