As a child, I was continuously told that I have “Attention Deficit Disorder”. Had I known that there was a connection between my attention span and what I was eating and drinking, I may have been a completely different child.
Food dyes are derived from petroleum by-products or coal tar and offer no nutritional benefit to foods. Evidence of their negative impact, especially on children, has been mounting since 2011. According to the FDA data, the US has seen a five-fold increase in consumption of dyes since 1955, with Red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 accounting for 90% of all dyes used.
It’s not just about “unhealthy” processed foods. I just recently found out that it is common practice among citrus growers to dye oranges orange! Due to climatic conditions, sometimes the oranges will ripen with green skins. Some other fruits and veggies that can be artificially enhanced include, blueberries, red potatoes, and red delicious apples. The FDA does not require labeling of these colorants, since they are only applied to the skins. Think twice about zesting that orange.
I want to thank the FDA, because without them I would not be as inspired to make my own food!
Targeting children
A study conducted by a researcher at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill found that here in the US, more than 90 percent of child-oriented candies, fruit-flavored snacks, and drink mixes are colored with dyes. The FDA has declined to ban dyes, require warning labels on dyed foods, or inform consumers about the effect of these unnecessary chemicals - even in light of the strong scientific evidence that they cause behavioral problems.
A lawsuit was filed against Mars in 2022 that argued its Skittles candies are “unfit for human consumption” because they contain titanium dioxide, “a known toxin”- banned for food use in the EU as of Feb 2022. Titanium dioxide is a common artificial colorant in food that makes colors appear brighter. It’s the main ingredient in white food coloring and very frequently found in cakes, icing, sunscreen and cosmetics. In 2016, Mars as well as General Mills and Kellogg’s agreed to phase out of all artificial food dyes, however promises have fallen to the wayside.
Mars did remove artificial food dyes from its European products due to the tighter restrictions. In the EU, foods that contain artificial dye must have a warning label, so most companies choose to reformulate in order to avoid putting a warning label on products.
Major food companies (Coca-Cola, General Mills, McDonald’s, and PepsiCo) are selling foods colored with Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, and other synthetic dyes in American while selling naturally colored or dye-free versions of the same foods in Europe.
To really get a good unbiased look at how toxic they are, dyes would ideally be tested by independent researchers. Unfortunately, almost all the toxicological studies on dyes were commissioned, conducted and analyzed by dye manufacturers and academic consultants.
The label “yellow #5” looks innocent enough, deceiving because it looks like it’s just “one ingredient” but that is a label that represents a very long list of chemicals.
An accurate label of “yellow #5” would look something like this…
Let’s take a closer look at some common food dyes…
Blue#1
This dye is unique in that it can cross the blood-brain barrier and actually enter the brain. It is also linked to increased risk of kidney tumors and neurotoxicity. It is not absorbed through digestion, but directly into the bloodstream. Used in foods such as Trix cereal, Jolly Ranchers, baked goods as well as cosmetics and medications.
Red#40
Harms gut health, promotes inflammation, directly disrupts gut barrier function and increases the production of serotonin, a hormone/neurotransmitter found in the gut, which subsequently alters gut microbiota composition. Linked to hyperactivity in children and accelerated appearance of tumors in mice.
Caramel coloring
Manufactured by heating ammonia and sulfates under high pressure, which creates carcinogenic compounds. Caramel color is classified into four different classes; Class IV being the worst. Found in bread, brandy, rum, whisky, cola, chocolates, cookies, cough drops.
Yellow #5 and yellow#6
Used widely in pet food, mac&cheese, pickles, cosmetics, baked goods, pharmaceuticals, etc. Have been found to be contaminated with benzidine and when fed to rodents, caused them to display genotoxicity, meaning their DNA was damaged. Linked to hypersensitivity reactions in children and severe allergies in adults and children.
Carmine
A “natural” red dye made by boiling cochineal bugs. It’s found in foods such as ice cream, candies and lipstick, strawberry yogurt. It hasn’t been linked to many negative health effects other than occasional allergies and icky feelings of knowing that the food you are eating has bug juice in it.
The color of food plays an extremely important role in our ability to taste and enjoy it.
The classic “Blue Steak Study” from 1951 involved participants eating a steak dinner in a dark room where they could not see their food- they reported everything being quite tasty. Attitudes changed when the researchers flipped on the lights to reveal that the steak was bright blue, the peas were red and fries, green. Participants were disgusted, and many became ill.
If a color of a food doesn’t match the flavor we expect, we don’t have an appetite for it. This is why green ketchup, sold in stores a couple years back, didn’t make it too long.
This is also why people who become colorblind often become picky eaters, opting only to eat the foods that match the color they remember; such as eating black olives but not green.
But why does the color have to be a carcinogenic cocktail of petroleum tar?
some ideas for adding natural color to foods…
Red - Raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate juice
yellow - Turmeric
green - , matcha, kale
purple/ pink - blueberries, purple sweet potato, concord grape
If you have methods you like for adding natural color to your foods, please let me know in the comments, I’m always looking for more ideas.
and now for the recipe!…
Purple Sweet potato pineapple pops
Making homemade colorful sweet treats doesn’t need to be difficult.
1-2 purple sweet potatoes
6 baby bananas (2-3 regular)
3/4 cup fresh pineapple
Peel and slice your bananas, place them in the freezer for at least 6 hours.
Boil the purple sweet potatoes and set aside to cool.
Once the sweet potatoes are cooled, peel the skins off and place into a high speed blender (with tamper) or food processor.
Add the slices of frozen banana and pineapple into the blender/ processor and blend until smooth.
Pour into a Popsicle mold and freeze for 4-6 hours before eating.
Enjoy!
Thanks for reading
~ Julia
Resources
https://www.todaysparent.com/family/family-health/food-dyes/
https://www.fooddive.com/news/skittles-lawsuit-colors-titanium-dioxide/627473/
https://greenvalleynaturalsolutions.com/food-dyes-are-fda-approved-but-are-they-safe/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221220112440.htm
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/are-oranges-dyed/
https://www.cspinet.org/resource/food-dyes-rainbow-risks
https://eatyourwayclean.com/artificial-colors/
https://blog.frontiersin.org/2021/03/11/blue-steaks-meat-consumption-charles-spence-frontiers-psychology/
Dear Nathan,
Thank you again, for allowing me to guest post your work! Here is a link to your guest post: https://deeprootsathome.com/artificial-food-dyes-target-kids-colors-were-dying-for/
I also loved the post on the nose! Wow!
Please tell Julia, I am going to make her sweet potato pops! They sound wonderful!
Blessings,
Jacque
Hi, Nathan,
I am working on your post! Should be out in the next few days!
Thank you for being willing to help others!
Sending peace,
Jacque