FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK FACTSHEET
Healthy
Many teachers and parents
are disappointed by the new anti-obesity guidelines recently introduced into
Australian schools. As one mother commented: ‘Low salt, low sugar, low fat and
let's give them every other bit of sh*t we can find to give it taste. Missed
the point I'd say’.
Artificial colours have
been reduced – although not completely avoided - through the ban on lollies and
this has led to a noticeable decrease in over-the-top behaviour associated with
artificial colours, but in other ways, the use of preservatives, flavours and
flavour enhancers has actually increased, including preservatives associated
with asthma and learning difficulties. If you wanted to design a diet to cause
kids’ asthma, it would be pretty close to what’s offering in school canteens,
with more sulphites, benzoates and flavour enhancers than ever, and yes, there
are still some colours around, in foods such as Rainbow icypoles.
Remember what Jamie Oliver
said about chicken nuggets in Jamie’s School Dinners? Well, here’s what one
failsafer found in her new, ‘healthy’ school canteen - chicken nuggets with the
following ingredients: chicken (51%), flours (wheat, rice, maize), potato
flakes (potato, emulsifier (471)), isolate soy protein, acidity regulator
(330,450), preservative (220), salt, water, acidity regulator (450,500,451),
stabiliser (481,1404,471,412,415), Vegetable oil, gluten, maltodextin, egg albumen,
dextrose, firming agent (509), cereal starches (tapioca, potato, wheat),
hydrolysed vegetable protein, colour (100, 160c), dehydrated vegetables, herbs
& spices, flavour (wheat, lactose) antioxidant (320) emulsifier (900). In
amongst all those numbers are two particularly nasty additives – including
sulphur dioxide 220, which can literally be a killer for some kids - and at
least three hidden flavour enhancers. See our recipe below for homemade
additive-free chicken nuggets.
Additive-free school canteens
The Food Intolerance
Network has received so many enquiries about developing Additive Free school
canteens that Kathleen Daalmeyer and Jenny Ravlic from the
To subscribe for free to
the SAFE newsletter send an email to safenewsletter-subscribe@googlegroups.com.
Thanks to Kathleen and Jenny for this marvellous new initiative.
Why school tuckshops should ban additives
A recent review of a quarter-century of scientific research found
evidence in numerous studies that some children's behaviour significantly
worsens after they consume artificial colours or certain foods. Independent
scientists from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest recommended that
schools and other institutions dealing with children should minimise the use of
food additives, especially food colours, that may contribute to behavioural
disorders. "The obvious public
health response would be to remove the irritants, if possible, from the foods
that children eat." The report "Diet, ADHD and behaviour: a
quarter-century review" can be downloaded from the internet at www.cspinet.org
Wolney school's story (UK)
A junior school in the UK which has leapt up
the league tables attributes some of its success to a ban on crisps and fizzy
drinks at the tuck shop. Pupils at Wolney Junior school in
New Addington, South London, now consume two boxes of apples, two of bananas
and two crates of satsumas every week. The
success rate for 11 year olds has almost trebled since the ban on unhealthy
snacks two years ago. The ban was brought in because of fears that
artificial additives including flavourings, sweeteners and preservatives, made
children hyperactive and more difficult to teach. Wolney Junior which won
praise as one of the most improved schools in Greater London, claims that
concentration levels shot up and behaviour improved when tuck shop
"junk" was axed from morning break.
Peter Winder, the head teacher, said "we were very concerned that
the crisps and fizzy drinks had all the E-additives. One of our teachers asked
if it was possible to trial the sale of fruit in just one year group". The trial in 1996, had immediate results.
"All the teachers in the year group noticed a difference in behaviour and
concentration."
The old tuck shop was scrapped in 1997. Two years on, the school was the
34th most improved school in the country. Its Key Stage Two test results in
English, which were less than half the national average in 1996 with 23 per
cent of pupils achieving expected levels, leapt to a 64% rate last year.
Eileen Ewin, who brought in the change and who has taught at the school
for 15 years, said: "After eating tuck, the children were very hyperactive
and a lot more difficult to control." - The
London Times, Thursday 20th May 99, News page 7, story by Susie Steine.r
The Palmers Island trial
Last year a small school in
Northern NSW asked us to help them with a two week additive free trial so we
took a professional camera crew with us. Before the trial, we spent a day at
the school talking to 120 students, staff and parents about the effects of
nasty food additives and teaching them how to read labels. During the trial the
students were offered additive free breakfasts at no cost, encouraged to have
bottles of water on their desks, and asked to eat additive free foods at school
and at home. A few families who had been thinking about doing the full
elimination diet took the opportunity to do it and felt much more supported
than usually happens.
About 70-80 per cent of
children joined the trial, and everyone noticed a difference – quieter, calmer,
less yelling in class, concentrating better, nicer to each other, less
annoying, naughty children less naughty – and no headaches, stomach aches or
skin rashes. After the trial, the children were allowed to buy a treat, and the
camera caught what some experts claim doesn’t happen – the children became
loud, cheeky, annoying, fought with each other again. We’ve already shown the
Palmers Island clip to schoolteachers and 2000 schoolchildren from over 25
schools. It’s part of our new DVD, launched
in 2006. Based on Sue Dengate’s ‘Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour’ presentation
and filmed in various locations over six months, the DVD includes revealing
interviews with parents and children from Cairns to Gippsland illustrating the
many aspects of food intolerance. See viewers’
feedback here.
Other ideas
Many schools are choosing
to extend the guidelines to make them healthier. Special thanks to tiny Federal
State School in the Noosa hinterland of Queensland (110 students), for sharing
their ‘Well Fed Kids’ policy with us.
Some Federal School ‘Well Fed Kids’ guidelines
* a Healthy Choice Menu including an additive
free range
* healthy snack time mid morning,
* ‘water within reach’
* cordial and soft drinks banned in lunchboxes
* provision of physical activity each day
* no lollies to be used as rewards within the
classroom
Some suggestions from the Federal School additive free range
Snacks
Pikelets (home-made) 2 per
serve, with honey, jam or butter
Popcorn plain unflavoured,
freshly popped
Jatz stacks (4 crackers
with cheese)
Finger bun. Can be buttered
(see below)
Muffins (homemade)
28 gram Red Rock deli chips
Cool treats and drinks
Juicies Frozen Fruit tube
(additive free)
Dried fruit (no additives,
see below)
Fresh ripe local fruit in
season
Healthy choice sandwiches
These
are completely additive free:
Egg
Egg
and lettuce
Cheese
Chicken
Tuna
in springwater
All
available with lettuce or salad
Salad - Lettuce, tomato,
carrot, cucumber, beetroot
Hot Food
Sandwiches can be toasted
Lasagne (additive free)
Lunchtime Cool treats and
drinks
As above plus
Peters Dixie Cups
Occasional mystery treat
(varies but often homemade pure fruit juice icecups, can be additive-free
sweets)
Comments
from Sue Dengate:
* full fat softened butter
is used [lite spreads usually contain at least one nasty additive such as
sorbates 200-202, annatto 160b or BHA 320]
* bread is all free of
preservative 282 (calcium propionate)
* popcorn is freshly air
popped with vegie sea salt, but plain salt would be better
* the cheese is sliced, but
contains no nasty additives as with other sliced cheeses
*red rock chips have come on
board as they are only a 28g serve hence coming within the amber guidelines;
however we recommend Kettle plain chips if possible
*dried mango and pineapple
direct from local farm, dried naturally with nothing added. A large range of
unsulphited dried fruits including bananas are available from www.begadriedfoods.com.au;
Goulburn Valley fruit leathers do unsulphited fruit and fruit leathers, phone
03 5829 2338
*crispy mango and crispy
banana (freeze-dried fruit chips) from Lion of Sahara Crispy Fruit in
Woolworths and selected Franklins dried fruit sections. http://www.fmpmarketing.com.au/crispyFruit/crispyFruit.htm
*finger buns from the local
bakery with white icing, no preservatives, no fruit. Brumbys sell white iced
preservative free finger buns Australia wide
* the fruit and vegetables
at Federal school are local, in season and organic where possible. From
supermarkets we especially recommend bananas, golden and red delicious apples
*chicken for sandwiches is
bought fresh, preferably free range, and cooked to order with nothing added. Compare this with the ingredients in
the ‘Cooked & Diced Chicken Breast’ recommended by Canteen Associations:
skinless chicken breast (99%), salt, acidity regulator (451,450,452), whey
powder, soy protein, wheat flour, water, flavours [(partially hydrogenated
cotton & soy oils) acidity regulator (270,508), flavour enhancer (631,627),
caramel colour (150d)], thickener (1422), hydrolysed vegetable protein,
vegetable powder, yeast extract, sugar. Flavour enhancers 631 and 627 are the
dreaded 600 numbers together making up 635, in our opinion one of the worst
additives in our food supply, combined with at least four sources of natural
MSG.
*Peters Dixie Cups are a
plain, small serve, relatively low fat, not overly sweet vanilla icecream and
they’re failsafe, we are delighted to see a school stocking these, if only
everyone could do it as a treat for failsafe kids. Frozen yoghurt would be good
if you could buy any brands without nasty additives such as annatto 160b but I
couldn’t find any.
* Another treat for
failsafe kids: Coles or Bilo own brand Diced Pears in Syrup Fruit Cups, frozen as icecups. (Yes, I know they have
some sugar in them…)
*Mystery treat: I recommend
water icecups for hot days, simply pour water into plastic cups and freeze.
Also anything from the Smashi or Sweettreats range, www.smashi.com and www.sweettreats.com.au
* another additive-free hot
food suggestion: Jacket potatoes with extra lite Philly cream cheese
* extra drinks suggestions:
bottled spring water, So Good Soyaccino low fat soymilk
* frozen Tri-Pies 07 3823
4755 tri-pies@ihug.com.au are
additive-free which is way ahead of traditional school canteen fare. Spicy pea
and potato (contains 49% onions) and Sweet potato and fetta (contains 29%
onions) both contain spices and so are not failsafe. They meet the nutritional
requirements for tuckshops too (i.e. fat, salt, sugar acceptable) - thanks to Kathleen of Additive Education,
Recipes
Halliwell Chicken Nuggets - these nuggets are additive-free and kids love
them.
500 g chicken breasts or
thighs, cut into nugget shapes (easier to do when chicken is half frozen)
1 clove garlic, crushed
sea salt to taste
plain flour
or gluten-free mix of
cornflour and brown rice flour for coating
failsafe oil
Mix chicken with garlic and
salt and let stand for about 30 minutes. Roll chicken pieces in flour until all
are coated then freeze for 15 minutes to make flour stick better. Shallow fry
in failsafe oil until crisp and golden brown. Or for a low fat alternative:
place chicken pieces in a bowl and stir with stir with salt and flour until
well coated. Then stir with enough oil to make sure all pieces are coated. Bake
in a preheated 180°C oven for 1 hour. Serve with Logan Farm oven fry chips (the
only ones we know of without hidden BHA 320) and green beans, or in a failsafe
burger roll with salad – Deborah Halliwell
Home-made additive free sausage rolls
Pastry - 2 packets Pampas Butter Puff Pastry frozen
sheets (not rolls)
Filling - 1 kg mince
1 leek finely chopped in
food processor then sautéed
4 cloves garlic crushed and
sautéed
4 tsp sea salt
2 cups brown rice flour
2 eggs or 2 tbsp water.
Mix all ingredients except
meat in food processor for smooth mix and add to mince. Mix to a paste. Add extra
water if necessary, up to a cup of water, to make the mixture moist like
sausage mince. Cut frozen pastry sheet in half. Put mixture on the edge of the
pastry, roll the pastry over. Seal with milk. Each pastry sheet makes 4
sausages rolls. Brush tops with milk. Place on baking tray. Bake at 220°C for
15 mins. Makes 26 rolls using 7 pastry sheets. – Deborah Halliwell
Feedback please - write to suedengate@ozemail.com.au with other additive free or failsafe canteen
suggestions.
Special thanks to Tina
Standish of Federal School for additive-free ideas and suggestions
The information given is not intended as medical
advice. Always consult with your doctor for underlying illness. Before
beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food
intolerance. You can find a supportive dietitian through the Dietitians
Association of Australia www.daa.asn.au or
write for our list of supportive dietitians (confoodnet@ozemail.com.au)
© Sue Dengate update September 2006
