Say WHAT?

Cheerios cereal is one of the most popular first foods for little ones. They are portable, clean up easily, dissolve in a baby's mouth and are healthy....so I thought. But, have you ever read the ingredient list on the box? Take a peek on the fourth line below. Do you see the words "Trisodium Phosphate"? Do you know what that is?

Cheerios Cereal

• Ingredients

  Whole Grain Corn, Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Whole Grain Barley, Whole Grain Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Starch, Brown Sugar Syrup, Corn Bran, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Trisodium Phosphate, Canola and/or Rice Bran Oil, Distilled Monoglycerides, Zinc and Iron (Mineral Nutrients)Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate)Color Added, a B Vitamin (Niacinamide)Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate)a B Vitamin (Calcium Pantothenate)Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate)a B Vitamin (Folic Acid)Vitamin A (Palmitate)Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols) Added to Preserve Freshness.

Trisodium phosphate (TSP), available at most hardware stores in white powder form, is a cleaning agent, stain remover and degreaser, commonly used to prepare surfaces for painting.
TSP is commonly used after cleaning with mineral spirits in order to then clean up all the mineral spirits. TSP may be used with household chlorine bleach in the same solution, and this is particularly good for removing mildew from wood.

So....if TSP is a degreaser and is made to corrode, should we give this to our babies? Check out your natural food stores for similar cereals that have ingredients that you recognize and trust. As so much brain formation takes place during typical "Cheerio intake phases" it is crucial that children are eating foods with wholesome ingredients.