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YUCK! — Y Unnecessary Chemicals for Kids!?

Many kids' medicines have junk-food-like inactive ingredients. Yuck! It's time to ask, "Why Unnecessary Chemicals for Kids?" - at the very moment we are trying to get them healthy?

Not long ago, there weren’t many options in the supermarket for prepared kid foods without chemical colors, artificial flavors, chemical preservatives or other unnecessary additives. Today, parents have a choice. Many foods are available with only wholesome ingredients. More and more parents are choosing these foods. There are entire stores that don’t use petroleum-based chemical dyes in their foods.

But when it comes to kids’ prescription and over-the-counter medicines, there’s often still a long list of junk-food-like inactive ingredients. Yuck! It’s time to ask, Why Unnecessary Chemicals for Kids – at the very moment we are trying to get them or keep them healthy?

Many pharmaceutical companies seem to believe children need candy-colored medicines, to entice them or to increase belief in the medications (the placebo effect). But many parents have great success with dye-free versions, when available, and trigger belief by their loving presence.And many would rather skip the color all together. After all, one spit-take onto Grandma’s white sofa can cost a bundle in cleaning bills.

Kids Don’t Need Unnecessary Chemical in Medicines

But more importantly, even if drug companies are committed to adding color to kids medicines, there’s no need to use chemical dyes. Natural food coloring is available. Parents can even add it to the dye-free versions at home. Let’s end unnecessary chemicals for kids.

Published on: January 24, 2017
About the Author

Alan Greene MD

Photo of Alan Greene MD
Dr. Greene is a practicing physician, author, national and international TEDx speaker, and global health advocate. He is a graduate of Princeton University and University of California San Francisco.
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