Cereal with colored candy. Neon pickles. Wasabi Peas. Many popular foods get their eye appeal from artificial dyes. Artificial dyes are what they sound like: synthetic colors used in food products to be attractive to children and adults.
Recently, artificial dyes have become a hot debate topic. You may have seen the topic popping up on the news or on social media.
Some of the things you see may be a worry, so you understand if you wonder if some of your grocery store staples can be harmful to your health.
As a registered dietitian, I am here to share facts with artificial food dyes and their potential effects.
What are the artificial food dyes?
Artificial food dyes often come from petroleum chemicals (1).
Many artificial dyes have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for use in processed foodgummy vitamins, and drugs (1, 2).
Some of the most commonly used artificial food dyes (10) Include:
- Red 3 (erythrosine): Cherry-Red Hue.
- Red 40 (Allura Red): Dark red dye.
- Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): Lemon-yellow dye.
- Yellow 6 (sunset yellow): Orange-yellow hue.
- Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue): A green-blue dye.
- Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine): Royal Blue Color.
- Green 3 (fast green): Grassy Green Dye.
The FDA has recently banned the use of Red 3 in foods, supplements, and oral drugs, but companies will be until January 2027 or 2028 to remove dye from their products (14).
So far, both FDA and EFSA are still approved using Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Blue 2 (12). Some other dyes are approved by a regulatory body but not the other. Red 40 is the most wide -used food dye (3).
These artificial colors may show up with foods such as (11):
- Breakfast cereals
- Wrapped baked goods
- Fruits retain
- Ice creams
- Jarred Pickles
- Wrapped soup
- Popsicles
- Candies and Fruit Gummies
- Condiment and sauces
- Cheese -flavored snack
- Delicious snacks, like flavored popcorn and chips
- Slushy and frozen drinks
- Sports and soft drinks
- Cake-decorative gels and icings
Since 2010, foods with some artificial dyes in Europe have carried a warning that reads, “may have adverse effects on activity and attention on children” (5).
There is no corresponding system of labeling in the United States. That is because there is insufficient evidence to be considered approved by the non -safe dyes, according to the FDA (12).
Potential health effects of artificial food dyes
Some research has raised possible concerns about artificial food dyes. This research suggests that Artificial dyes may affect the health of children’s behavior (6).
For example, a 2021 report of Oehha of California linked to artificial dyes on behavioral issues such as hyperactivity in children (7). A 2024 review of 15 study suggests that artificial food dyes can harm health. Again, these dangers are more concerned with children (8).
Due to research on their possible effects, California banned six artificial dyes in public schools in 2024. It was known as the California school safety law. Since then, 11 states have introduced similar laws that prohibit certain food dyes and additives (15, 16).
The acceptable -receiving sun -day use for these dyes was set for decades ago, before the latest research was conducted (6). Newer studies suggest that Current acceptable -Accept -day -day use can be set very high for childrenWho could be more vulnerable to the potential effects of food dyes (6).
In 2018, a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics urged a safety review (9). More research is required to fully understand the possible effects of food dyes.
What does everyone mean for you?
In the absence of conclusion research on the possible health effects of artificial dyes, You may want to consider limiting them, especially if you feed the children, as careful. Fortunately -this has become easier to do, with many natural colored foods entering the market.
If you want to be careful with artificial food dyes
Here’s what you can do if you want to limit artificial food dyes to your diet:
- Choose the whole meal: Reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods and focus on a diet that is rich in healthy, whole foods. This will automatically reduce your intake of artificial food dyes with the added bonus of overall health improvement.
- Let it go: Check food labels. Identify dyes in your go-to food products and find or make natural successors.
- Teach children about healthy food: Show them how to make food options. This will help them understand why you can switch to new options for some of their snacks.
- Go naturally: Thanks to consumers asking for this, foods dyed by natural ingredients are available in most grocery stores. You can also experiment with natural alternatives to add color and taste to home food, such as:
- Blue spirulina (blue)
- Red beet powder (red)
- Turmeric or carrots (orange)
- Saffron (yellow-orange)
- Berries like raspberries and blueberries (pink, blue, purple)
- Red cabbage (blue)
- Matcha or spinach (green)
Each natural dye will have slightly different prep methods. You can easily find them online. This is a fun activity for kids, and they’ll see how they colorful foods without using artificial dyes.
By taking these steps, you will help limit artificial dyes for you and your family.
Artificial food dyes are a hot topic for health consumers. Some people choose to limit artificial food dyes to their diet because research suggests that these dyes can have unpleasant effects, especially children. More research is needed.
It may not be realistic for you to remove artificial dyes from your diet thoroughly. So enjoy your favorite candy, drinks, or other medium treatments, whether it has a natural or artificial ingredient. That’s a balance!
The post What does a dietitian want you to know about artificial dyes appear first on MyFitnesspal Blog.
