I love colours, they bring a lot of personality to life, especially when it comes to the bright and vibrant colours that make a plate full of food visually stimulating! However, the only real vibrantly coloured foods are natural and whole foods, like fruits and vegetables. So why are we still exposed to artificial food dyes in this day and age? Artificial/synthetic food dyes lurk in tons of processed foods but I’m wary of anything that I’m ingesting with the word “artificial”. Here’s why.
Artificial food dyes are derived from coal and petroleum by-products. The same petroleum that fuels your car, is also the same product that colours your icing, cereals, juice, and desserts. You may be surprised at some of the common foods that artificial food dyes are found in, including:
Candy
Cookies
Cake
Icing
Canned fruit
Cereal
Kid’s snacks (Fruit Rolls Ups, Goldfish crackers)
Doritos
Cheetos
Gummy candy
Ice cream
Drinks (juices, soft drinks)
Flavoured yogurt
Pickles
Oatmeal
Salad dressing
Marinades
Toothpaste
Vitamins
Canned soup
One study shows that 43% of children’s foods contain artificial food colours! Colours definitely make processed snacks and foods more appealing to children (and adults alike) to help boost the manufacturers’ sales and revenue but let’s think about the safety of these foods, along with the concoction of sugar and filler substances that are affecting our health.
These are some of the common names of food dyes:
Blue No. 1
Blue No. 2
Red No. 2
Red No. 40
Yellow No. 5
Yellow No. 6
Green No. 3
“Artificial Color”
There are artificial food colours that were once used and thought to be safe by the FDA have since been restricted from being used. In some countries, the use of synthetic food dyes requires a warning label, stating the potential adverse effects it may have on children. This is simply not the case in the US and Canada, however here’s why artificial food dyes pose a health threat:
Artificial food dyes are carcinogenic and can cause genotoxicity
They can trigger hypersensitivity and behavioural problems in children
It can cause allergic reactions, asthma, and food allergies
Children have a higher rate of exposure to artificial food dyes than adults, posing a greater health risk to exacerbate neurological and behavioural issues
So why are they allowed in food products and sold on grocery store shelves?
The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has a lot of flaws in the safety and regulations of food products, which is another topic of discussion all on its own. To sum it up, the FDA realizes that artificial food colours are part of the appeal of processed foods. What would a canned or candied cherry be without its bright red colour? A lot of manufacturers are allowed to self-declare that their product is acceptable, and the FDA will allow the claims that a lot of processed foods are “generally recognized as safe”.
The purpose of fake food dyes is to sell food products. They’re unnecessary and provide no nutritional value to foods. The food that we eat should support our health and fuel our bodies with energy, so artificial food dyes have no purpose of going into our bodies for consumption, especially when it poses a health risk. I’d rather skip the red food dye that can cause an adverse reaction and use beet root powder (with a high boost of antioxidants) to create the colour red.
Yes, there was a time back in the 90s when my parents didn’t have the same nutrition knowledge or access to this information as we do now. Sure, I may have eaten lots of cereals, ice cream, yogurt, and snack products that contained artificial food dyes. Sure, I may have turned out “fine”. But with the knowledge that I have, will I willingly buy these products for myself and my children? Absolutely not. If they eat a red velvet cupcake at a birthday party or school, then fine. That occasional cupcake is not the be all or end all. However, in our own environments, whether it’s at home or at work, we have control over what choices we make. Just because something was okay or the societal norm “back in the day” doesn’t mean that it’s still okay now or that because we have this knowledge, we should ignore it. Knowledge is power and we have the ability to make informed decisions for ourselves and for the next generation.
My advice to anyone is to certainly eat the colours of the rainbow but from real, whole foods. If you’re looking for alternatives to create visually stunning food coloured desserts, there are natural options, using real fruit juice, fruit purees, and potently coloured foods. Here are some ideas for natural food colouring:
Red: beets, strawberry, cherries
Blue: blueberries, blueberry juice
Purple: blackberries
Brown: cacao powder, medjool dates, melted chocolate
Green: matcha powder, spirulina, wheatgrass powder, chlorella
Yellow: turmeric, saffron
Pink: raspberries, strawberries, goji berries
Looking for inspiration? There are tons of healthy food bloggers on Google and Pinterest that create delicious and beautiful recipes using natural food colour, and have tons of dye-free snack recipe ideas for kids!
Comments