A massive amount of research now shows that artificial dyes are — to put it simply — harmful. Especially in children as "Links are being found to hyperactivity in kids (ADHD), cancer and serious food allergies," states Prevention.com.
I've wanted to post about this before, but there was more research I needed to do. Our family is only a study of one, but we've definitely noticed behavior changes after consuming artificial food dyes. That shouldn't be enough to make you cut if from your diet, but hopefully the research below will help you make an informed decision. As with most topics, there is still a little conflicting research. Thought the United Kingdom thought there was enough research to keep it out of their foods or post a warning on the package. Other European countries have also followed suit.
So yes, I'm on my soap box again because I care about my health and your health and the health of your families. PLEASE read this post, read even some of the links or do an Internet search yourself for "artificial food dyes," check your cabinets, and continue reading labels. If you've stopped drinking sodas or diet sodas, you've gotten rid of any "foods" with high fructose corn syrup and you're cutting out processed foods then you've hopefully cut back on artificial food dyes without knowing it.
To get you started, this blogger has done thorough research and broken down some of the information: from 100 Days of Read Food, read 7 Reasons I Hate Artificial Food Dyes
Excerpt from her research:Synthetic food dyes have been shown to cause an increase in hyperactivity in children as well as a negative impact on their ability to learn.
Washingtonpost.com:”Artificial food dyes (in combination with a common preservative) could make even children with no known behavioral problems hyperactive and inattentive.”
CSPInet.org: “The science shows that kids’ behavior improves when these artificial colorings are removed from their diets and worsens when they’re added to the their diets.” and “While not all children seem to be sensitive to these chemicals, it’s hard to justify their continued use in foods—especially those foods heavily marketed to young children.”
Mercola.com: “According to scientific studies, these dyes are causing behavioral problems and disrupting children’s attention.”
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| Read the entire article from 100 Days of Real Food. There are other harmful food dyes in addition to this list. But if you see a color word (ie blue, red, green) then assume you don't want to ingest it. Unless of course it's a blueberry, red pepper or green bean :) |
So What Do You Eat Instead?
As with previous posts where I've recommended you cut ingredients from your diet, you do have options! You might have to take a little longer while shopping to read all these labels. And it's a pretty easy guess that if a food or drink is brightly colored then it probably contains artificial food dyes. On a positive note, there are companies that make chewy candy, icing and other items with natural colors so just keep looking. Or skip the sugary sweets and eat yummy dark chocolate. Better yet, fill most of your meals with whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, lean meats and dairy (depending on your family's eating preferences). Don't forget that we, as consumers, speak with our purchases. If we stop buying the unhealthy, chemical-laden items then companies will have to listen!Action Item: You guessed it -- check your food and drink items. Even some you'd never expect may contain artificial food dyes. Then ask yourself, "do I want to put these chemicals in my body?"
This might also be an easy way to make yourself toss out the remaining Easter basket candy. Check those labels!
For Further Reading:
American Kids Get Artificial Food Dyes, British Kids Get All-Natural Dyes
Food Dyes
Food Dye and ADHD
Avoid Food Dyes to Reduce Hyperactivity and ADHD
Food Dye and ADHD
Food Coloring Allergies in Kids
Artificial Food Dyes and Kids: Not a Good Mix
CSPI Says Food Dyes Pose Rainbow of Risks
Finding (and Avoiding) Artificial Food Dyes
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