I am PEEVED!!!! Hydrogenated oil listed in PRENATAL VITAMINS!

07-07-2006, 11:10 AM

Yesterday I picked up my prescription for prenatal vitamins, I decided to switch from PreCare to PrimaONE (both manufactured by Ther-rx Co.) because of the Omega 3 listed in PrimaONE....and lo and behold I'm looking at the inactive ingredients, wondering why it has HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL in it (AKA this is TRANS FAT, similar to what your snack foods package says, except they try to list it as saturated fat, and what fried foods have in them because they've been dipped in hot oil...you can also make trans fat by taking good oils and heating them past their proper smoke point thus making trans fat.) Folks, this ingredient is used so often in packaged foods because the hydrogen stabalizes the oil and makes it have a longer shelf life and not go rancid. This is why you can take a stick of margerine, sit it on the counter and eat it nine days later....what purpose is this ingredient serving in the prenatal vitamin, but for them to make more $$$$$$ and have their product last longer?

So I called and complained and they said "it's miniscule but we understand your concern" and "it's not there to give it a longer shelf life (I'm thinking they're trying to make me feel like they are the caring, concerning save-the-world company) but that it is there to act as a suspension for the magnesium sterate - whatever, I don't believe them. I'm thinking about writing a letter to complain. Me writing a letter to the pharaceutical company is like an ant trying to knock down a car. Or a rubber plant, whatever.

Sorry for being such a long rant. What does anyone else think about this whole thing?

I eat bad foods every now and then but I for the most part will put fresh olive oil on my bread rather than margarine and other healthy choices like not eating fried foods so I don't die of a heart attack...but here I am trying to get healthy before my husband and I start trying...I seriously don't think I can take this every day, not now. My other prenatal didn't have it so I could switch back but I will have to get my Omega 3 somewhere else. But mostly I'm just mad because it is in there anyway.

07-07-2006, 12:03 PM

I couldn't have said it better ''littlebigeyes..I didn't know they have stooped that low on baby formulas..My rave is when i used to put ''Fat Free Cool Whip'' on my frozen blueberries and one day looking at the fat free label on front and reading .. 0 total fat grams on back label, then i looked at the ingredents and there was ''Particially Hydrogenated Oil'' i was fumed.....Keep your eyes open. later......

07-08-2006, 04:35 AM

I think it's awful. A vitamin?!?

I'm becoming more and more surprised at what I see this poison in. I bought some grilling spices last summer. I bought it at a gourmet store. It has like four flavors, one flavor in its own little quadrant of this plastic container, cajun, lemon pepper, etc. The third ingredient was partially-hydrogenated oils...in SPICES!

I think all we can do is get vocal. Refuse to buy things containing this stuff. Talk/write at all levels, whether it's the maker of that vitamin in your instance, as well as the store-level manager and district manager of the retail establishment you bought it...oh, and the doctor who prescribed it, too!

Last Christmas, I needed some crackers for a holiday party. The General Mills rep was stocking the shelves at my grocery store, and the store manager was with him. After a long time of looking at so many ingredients of so many crackers (in a packed aisle of holiday shoppers), they both asked if I needed help. I said loudly to please help me find a cracker without partially hydrogenated oils. Two folks standing around me asked what these were, and of course I explained what they were, right in front of the sales rep and manager. The sales rep was able to find Triscuits for me, at that time the only cracker at my store without these poisons. Both of the other customers put their crackers back and put Triscuits in their buggy.

Our dollars are important to these folks, and consumers need to make it very clear that the guy who makes product X without this poison is what we will buy.

Sorry to rant, but this infuriates me!

Do an internet search for ban trans fats. There's an organization that's fighting this tooth and nail -- and is making some headway.

07-08-2006, 12:23 PM

Thanks both. StenoLady1, that's so ironic because I DID go onto that site you're mentioning and then I logged on and saw your response, I emailed them to let them know the vitamin and the pharm maker and everything. Not sure if they will answer me but I felt so much better.

I still just can't believe it's in a vitamin. Even worse a prenatal vitamin. That should be "double homicide".

6Foot3 - I've been putting probiotic on my berries, pretty good, especially if you use the flavored kinds. I know what you mean about the cool whip.

From now on I'll stick to the healthfood store vitamins, even if I have to take a little of this and a little of that to get the right balance.

Take care!

07-10-2006, 08:21 AM

I know someone who while at work felt a cold coming on so on her lunch hour she went out and bought some chewable Vitamin C. She began taking them before leaving the store. When she reached back to her office - they had to call an ambulance for her because the chewable vitamin C was made with Aspartame - which she is allergic to.

She never thought that Aspartame would be added to a common vitamin such as Vitamin C.

Lesson learned to always check before putting anything in our mouths.

I am PEEVED!!!! Hydrogenated oil listed in PRENATAL VITAMINS!

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