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The Dirty Details in Pedialyte


Pedialyte is HIGHLY recommended by many doctors for electrolyte replenishment. Many parents give this to their children without even knowing what's in it. Synthetic electrolytes are far different than naturally occurring. Let's explore some of the ingredients in Pedialyte. Dextrose: is a simple sugar that’s derived from corn. It consists of one molecule of sugar, making it a carbohydrate that’s called a simple sugar (https://draxe.com/nutrition/what-is-dextrose/) Citric Acid: To synthetically create citric acid, the type that is used in most mass-produced processed foods, sugar is fed to the fungus called Aspergillus niger, which is a common black mold. Sugars, typically from cane sugar, beets or corn syrup, are “fed” to the fungus and then mixed with other ingredients like ammonium nitrate, potassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate and zinc sulfate. Over the course of six to 15 days, citric acid is formed during fermentation. This process has been carried out since the 1920s, when microbial production of the acid on a commercial scale first begun. (https://draxe.com/nutrition/citric-acid/) Natural & Artificial Flavors: per the FDA - "The term artificial flavor or artificial flavoring means any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof. Artificial flavor includes the substances listed in 172.515(b) and 582.60 of this chapter except where these are derived from natural sources.” (https://detoxandprosper.com/toxin-list/dangers-of-artificial-flavors/) Potassium Citrate: Potassium citrate is a prescription medication that reduces the acidity of urine to prevent kidney stones. It's also used as an additive in some sodas as a buffering agent to reduce and balance the tart flavor. Potassium citrate is made of the mineral potassium and the substance citrate, which is a sour salt. The sour characteristic of citrate helps to mask the acidic taste of soda and to provide a more pleasant, balanced tart flavor. (https://www.livestrong.com/article/314839-soft-drinks-with-potassium-citrate/) Sodium Citrate: Sodium Citrate E331(i) is a white granular crystal or a crystalline powder that is odorless with a slightly acidic taste. Sodium Citrate is used in the food and beverage industry as a flavoring agent, acidity regulator, and stabilizer. Sodium Citrate E331(i) is used in ice cream, to prevent fat globules from sticking together. Sodium Citrate E331(i) is also used to regulate the pH level of soft drinks, and as an emulsifier for oils when making cheese. (https://www.foodsweeteners.com/sodium-citrate-side-effects/) Sucralose: is a chlorinated sucrose derivative. This means it’s derived from sugar and contains chlorine. Making sucralose is a multistep process that involves replacing the three hydrogen-oxygen groups of sugar with chlorine atoms. The replacement with chlorine atoms intensifies the sweetness of sucralose. (https://draxe.com/nutrition/sucralose/) Acesulfame Potassium (ACE-K): Ace-K is a calorie-free sweetener that is 200x sweeter than table sugar. Ace-K is used in many diet products, including sugar-free versions of Red Bull, Rockstar, Bang, and Monster. Ace-K is known for having a bitter aftertaste, which often leads to it being paired with other artificial sweeteners. One of the major issues surrounding Ace-K is that it contains the carcinogen methylene chloride. According to studies, headaches, depression, nausea, mental confusion, liver effects, kidney effects, visual disturbances, and cancer can all result from long-term exposure to methylene chloride. Ace-K reportedly can disrupt metabolic processes and interfere with appetite regulation, blood sugar control, and body weight. Additionally, studies have shown that Ace-K can affect the early development of babies during pregnancy. Studies also show that a high daily intake of artificially sweetened drinks can cause premature births. Through several studies (1, 2, 3, 4), researchers have determined that there is a link between the consumption of drinks with Ace-K and the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Test tube studies have shown that Ace-K has been confirmed to increase the amount of sugar absorbed by cells from the gut. (https://killcliff.com/blogs/hpc/the-dangers-of-acesulfame-potassium-ace-k) Zinc Gluconate: is a popular form of zinc for use in supplements. As its name suggests, gluconate is the result of fermenting glucose sugar, usually by a bacterium in the penicillin family. (There is no penicillin in the final product.) Because zinc gluconate combines zinc with a substance that is very similar to sugar, the zinc in zinc gluconate is readily absorbed into the bloodstream-but this is not always enough to overcome the disadvantages of using zinc gluconate. (https://healthifybody.com/zinc-gluconate.html) Yellow 6: is an artificial color used in food & other products known to induce cancer in animal studies. Many other health risks are also associated with it. (https://www.wowremedies.com/is-yellow-6-bad-for-you/)

I think it's really important to understand what electrolytes are in relation to the human body. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride, hydrogen phosphate, and hydrogen carbonate. In other words they are minerals. WHY do we need Yellow 6, ACE-K, or any of the other ingredients above in order to get sufficient minerals? The answer is, we don't. Here are some alternative electrolyte recipes that you can make at home: Homemade electrolyte drink - https://modernalternativemama.com/2013/05/16/recipe-collection-electrolyte-drink-sports-drink-replacement/ DIY Electrolyte Drink: Natural Pedialyte Recipe for Babies & Adults - https://www.mamanatural.com/natural-pedialyte-recipe/ HOMEMADE PEDIALYTE AND FREEZER POPS - https://www.theeasyhomestead.com/homemade-pedialyte/

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