Additive Free Blog
The Additive Free Kids Blog provides you with product reviews, tips and advice from our extensive research, and the latest Additive Free news.
Would you like French Fries with that? How do your fries rank?
I often get asked by community members are there any French fries that they can buy for their kids when out and about? How do they rank? Are some better or worse than others?We asked the AFK Community which were their favourite French fries / chips that they...
Frankie Bell – Your Consumer Protection Advocate
I received a lovely letter this week advising me that the Consumer Protection Awards (WA) 2021 judging panel, have selected me as a finalist for the Rona Okley Award Category. I was thrilled to be recognised as a finalist for many reasons that I will share with you...
How to reduce the additive overdose at Christmas
Did you know that an average Australian family will consume well over 150 doses of harmful food additives in just 3 days?! If you consider that most families will celebrate with both sides of their family and consume traditional Christmas meals on Christmas Eve,...
The future of food is here now – do you want cell based meat?
It is December 2020, I have read that approval has been given for the sale of "cultured chicken" or "cell based meat" after a "rigorous consultation and review process" in Singapore. One of our lovely Additive Free Advocates alerted me to the news. The approval was...
The top 5 reasons our food regulator is failing consumers
It's not your fault that you find it so hard to find navigate the supermarket shelves! When you look at the state of our regulatory system objectively it is not a surprise! There are so many things that are inherently broken! A chance to reform our...
When “PLAIN” isn’t plain
One of our lovely AFK community members shared these images with me. These packets look so similar...the colours are similar....the crackers are similar...but when you flip the packet over..there is a vast difference. The ingredients of the Coles Plain Rice Crackers...
Additive laden food linked to advanced ageing at the cellular level
A new study (published in April 2020) found an association between ultra processed food and advanced cellular ageing [1]. These people are more likely to exhibit changes in their chromosomes linked to ageing. Ultraprocessed foods are food products that contain...
Essential oil injuries and what to do about them
This blog has been prompted by an Additive Free Kids Community member's experience. This member reached out to me recently, as they recalled I had shared some information on essential oil safety sometime ago. The info I shared at that time was "Why you should not use...
Real food doesn’t need trademarks
The number one tell tale sign that you should put a product back on the shelf is if an ingredient is trademarked. Real food doesn’t need trademarks. What does a trademark imply? Trademarked ingredients imply that proprietary methods have been used in their...
Big food creating a generation of fussy eaters?
How many parents struggle at meal times? Are your kids fussy easters? Do your kids like eating a wide range of vegetables? Most Australian children don't have their required servings of vegetables every day Dr Deb Levy an Australian specialist pediatrician has stated...
Why supermarket cordial should be avoided
Cordial has been a favourite for Australian families for decades. With over 50 different cordials on the supermarket shelves, it is obvious that this is a popular staple for Australian families. Why is cordial so popular? Manufacturers push the line that cordial can...
Food additives suppress immune system
Food additives suppress immune system For those that have been additive free for many years, have you noticed that you rarely get sick? Did you know that food additives can actually suppress the immune system? The reason why you don’t get sick as often may actually be...
Does it cost more to be additive free?
I can't tell you the amount of times I have heard Mums all over Australia say that it costs so much more to be additive free: "it is so expensive to eat healthy!' Parents tell me all the time that they want to move to additive free but have a belief that it is too...
Which icy poles does your school stock and how do they compare?
The AFK Community are fed up with Zooper Dooper icy poles being handed out to their kids at school! This icy pole review was prompted by a post that I shared on Facebook some time ago expressing my sadness at seeing HUGE displays of Zooper Doopers being marketed to...
Recommended rice intake for infants and young children
A new study has been published 8 January 2020 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, discussing the arsenic concentrations and dietary exposure in rice based infant food in Australia. What was the purpose of this study? The purpose...
How does your yoghurt compare?
The community voted for yoghurt The AFK community were asked what product they would like to have reviewed next. There were a few close contenders, but yoghurt took the lead. The most popular yoghurts were voted for. These are the yoghurts that form the basis of...
Are plant based proteins a Game Changer?
I have been asked by many in the AFK Community if I have watched the new The Game Changers documentary that focuses on plant based proteins. If you aren’t aware, it is a new film on Netflix. It was produced by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie...
How does your tomato sauce compare?
This guide was created on the back of an AFK community request. The AFK Community were finding it difficult to navigate which tomato sauce is better in terms of additives. The most favourite sauces were voted for in the private facebook group and these are the ones...
“Sugar free” often means additive cocktail
The sugar free movement has really taken hold. Here in Australia, we know that Australians are consuming too much sugar with 35% of an adults total daily calories coming from discretionary foods. Examples of these discretionary foods include lollies, chocolates and...
Why you should not use essential oils for your Additive Free Kids
Recently, the Queensland Department of Health issued a warning stating that:"Essential oils are NOT safe to consume" WA Health also reported that they have seen an increase in poisonings occurring from the use of essential oils in kids: "The Western Australian Poisons...
If you want happy little vegemites, don’t feed them Vegemite.
Vegemite was originally promoted as a healthy food for children. Is Vegemite good for our kids though? It is a question I am continually asked by the AFK Community. As a result, I have decided to blog about the reasons why if you want happy little 'vegemites' I...
Is your almond milk laden with additives?
An additive free guide to buying almond milk This guide was created on the back of an AFK Community members question. Do you ever ask what milk a cafe uses if you don't use dairy? More and more cafes (in Queensland) seem to be using Milk Lab. This is the almond milk....
Tim Tams cause AFK Community member asthma and hives
Tim Tams cause AFK Community memberasthma and hives One of our AFK community members shares her experience with Tim Tams A few months ago I had a severe case of hives including face and throat swelling where I had to be...
New research shows that additives can cross the placental barrier to babies
New research shows that additives can cross the placental barrier to babies. A new study from the University of Central Florida was published in the Scientific Reports in June 2019. This study was conducted over 18 months and was...