I came across an article in Eating Well magazine from their Nov/Dec 2010 issue discussing food dyes. I already knew that synthetic dyes are scary stuff, as we have been avoiding them in our family for 3.5 years now, but it’s nice to see more studies being done. In some countries, these dyes are banned completely, but that hasn’t happened (yet!) in the United States.
In this particular study mentioned in the article it was found that,
“children who consumed a mixture of common synthetic dyes displayed hyperactive behavior within an hour of consumption”
We’ve seen plenty of evidence of that in our daughter, that’s for sure!
We are talking about the dyes listed in the ingredient list as a color followed by a number such as: Blue 1 and 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6. Do your own research on the ingredients and dangers of these toxins. Did you know they are made from tar and petroleum? Yuck! Who wants to eat crude oil?
One thing to note as you are looking at the labels is that the terms “artificial color,” “artificial color added” or “color added” indicate that nature-derived pigments were used since synthetic dyes must be listed by their names.
Start watching the ingredients of the foods you buy, and I bet you will be surprised how many of them contain these synthetic dyes. Vanilla pudding, and even white marshmallows contain dyes to get it “just the right shade”. M&Ms, cereals, chewing gum, Kool-Aid, Jello, maraschino cherries, Doritos, Sun Chips – it’s everywhere!! Some blueberry waffles don’t even have blueberries in them – just blue colored bits.
Good News! There are healthier alternatives available. We’ve been able to find comparable dye-free substitutes for just about everything (Except candy corn! Someone make an organic version, PLEASE!). If you are looking for some dye-free candy alternatives for your family and you don’t have a Whole Foods Market nearby, check out NaturalCandyStore.com! We shop from them frequently, stocking up on things like candy canes for Christmas and cotton candy before we go to the fair. Right now they have lots of cute natural Valentine Candy available!
If you are looking for other suggestions to replace dye-filled foods in your pantry, let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction. We’ve had no trouble having cupcakes with sprinkles, ice cream sundaes with cherries, or even cereal with marshmallows – it’s just about finding the right products.
Obviously, this isn’t a problem when eating meat, veggies, fruits, and whole grains. That’s why I only focused on all the sweet treats in my suggestions. I find that a lot of parents are afraid to make the change because their kids are used to having these treats and they don’t want to take them away from them. You don’t have to – just switch to a better product. For their sake – and yours!
