Nonetheless, I have continued biting the bullet so to speak on Organic DHA fortified milk (Horizon). It makes me feel better to know Jovi is getting a daily supplement of DHA in his diet.
Flash back almost a year ago when I was in the kitchen and my sis-n-law came up behind me as I was peeling a sweet potato for Jovi. "is that organic?" she asked. "No"... I stammered and like wildfire the guilt poured out of my emotional holding take like a tidal wave.
Flash forward to tonight. Pouring Jovi his milk before bath time (after he just finished an entire bottle). Sis-n-law comes beside me and carefully studies the milk carton. I nervously pretend not to notice. She suddenly says in exclamation... "No!!!! You can't give this to him anymore!!!!!". She reads the label of the source of the DHA which for an extra 60 cents fortifies Jovi's milk. Apparently, the company Lifes DHA by Martek has been under a lot of scrutiny for using a synthetic additive and plopping it on cartons that claim to be organic.
Long story short, the DHA added into it is actually a derivative of fermented algae, chemically altered into an oil form on DHA. AND, is suspected to cause cancer and neurological issues.
Who knew. I guess I will be using the expensive cancer causing milk in my coffee tomorrow morning.
I am reminded of after I had Jovi and I was so excited to eat tuna fish again. I ate a can or 2 a day for a week. . and breast fed. Then, I learned that I was not supposed to have more than 1 can a week due to the mercury. I cried for a day on and off convinced that I had caused my precious baby some mental or neurological issue. I am reminding myself of this as I catastrophize over the deadly DHA... my mind is currently buzzing with alarms, drills, bells, screams.
If you want to learn about it yourself you just have to google Martek DHA dangers.
It has been especially scrutinized because it has been used frequently in infant formula. Apparently, this type of additive is not even legal but the FDA is not enforcing it.
Thoughts?
I have recently dived head first into the organic world. I replaced all of Jona's soaps, lotions and cleaning supplies with 'organic' alternatives because the list of ingredients is so short and doesn't include any twenty letter words I can't pronounce. As far as food however, it seems so much less straight forward and my husband and I both are trying to decide what direction to go with her food when she starts eating! I have heard about the DHA toxicity recently from my studies of formula (supplementing when I go back to work). Anyhoo, thanks for sharing because it's been insightful and reassuring that another mom is concern about baby food too!
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