Say Yes To Baby Carrots

Emma hated carrots as a baby. Of all vegetables they were her absolute least favorite. Which is kind of odd - kids typically LOVE carrots as kids (have you ever seen a kids with orange skin and wondered why?). They are a little bit sweet and if steamed just so the perfect texture for kids who are learning to chew whole foods.

Emma's favorite vegetable when she was learning to eat purees was hands down peas. She would squeal with delight at the sight of the frothy green pastelike substance in her little pink bowl. And still, to this day, the girl loves her "peos" as she calls them. So much so that she can often be found hanging from the freezer door, calling "Mama Peos!, until I relent and put a few in her little cup STILL FROZEN. Yep, my girls loves her some frozen peos.

So, when I had a few minutes a couple months back and sat in bed flipping through the latest Parents Magazine I saw an endorsement for a new line of products for babies; Yes to Baby Carrots. Interesting, I thought, and shelved the name somewhere into my already cluttered brain.

Fast foward a few weeks, as I am browsing the baby section at Target I come across an endcap full of the same product. It was priced reasonably, especially when compared to some of the other non-toxic/organic brands of skin care items. So, I tossed a bottle of baby wash & lotion into my cart and was on my way.

Well, let me just say that I think we found a new favorite product.

One would assume that all products on the shelves of our drug and grocery stores are safe - but the truth is the FDA has no authority over products intended for cosmetic use. According to the Environmental Working Group, the average adult is exposed to at least 100 unique chemicals every day. And according to Dr. Oz newborns are born with over 200 different toxic chemicals in their cord blood.

So Why do I like Say Yes to Baby Carrots? Well for starters it is petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free. Why is this important?

1. Petroleum: Petroleum is in everything, cleaning products, personal care items & plastic. It's use is bad for the environment and our countries dependency on it is a daily conversation on the news. It's use in personal care items is downright bad for you. An Environmental Working Group study found that the use of petroleum based products can increase your cancer risk.

2.: SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is used in any task requiring the removal of oily stains and residues. It is found in high concentrations in many industrial cleaning products including engine degreasers, floor cleaners, and car wash soaps. It is used in lower concentrations in personal care products. The reason being it's an important component to create lather. While there is no know carcinogenic link to this chemical, it is thought to be an eye and skin irritant. And if you ask me, completely unneccessary.

3. Parabens are probably the most alarming chemical preservative added to our personal care products. The reason they are becoming increasingly more controvesial is the fact that low doses of paraben have been found in breast cancer tumors. And because this preservative has weak estrogenic activity which has been linked to tumor growth. While no link between breast cancer and paraben has been established. It is still an on-going topic of research. And when other natural preservatives are available (like grapefruit seed extract) it's something I'd rather my family avoid.

Also, a portion of the proceeds go into the Yes to Seed Fund which is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides grants to schools and communities to help them build gardens and promote access to healthy nutrition. Now who wouldn't support a cause like that!

Ultimately it's a personal choice. And while the direct links to some of these chemicals and cancer may not currently exists, it's something that I can control. And when a natural alternative is available at an affordable price I am all for it. Besides, I think Emma likes it too.

So next time we are at Target we'll be picking up some more of the Say Yes to Carrots products. Which makes Mommy & Baby very happy!