Nutritionists want you to know about artificial dyes

Candy Cereals. Neon lights. Mustard peas. Many popular foods have attracted people from artificial dyes. Artificial dyes sound like this: synthetic colorants used in food make them look attractive to children and adults.

Recently, artificial dyes have become a controversial topic. You may have seen this topic on news or social media.

Some of the things you see can be shocking, so if you’re wondering if some grocery store staples are harmful to your health, that’s understandable.

As a registered dietitian, I am here to share facts about artificial food dyes and their potential effects.

What are artificial food dyes?

Artificial food dyes usually come from petrochemicals (1).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) have approved many artificial dyes Processed foodGummies Vitamins and Medicines (1,,,,, 2).

Some of the most commonly used artificial food dyes (10) include:

• Red 3 (erythrosine): Cherry red.
• Red 40 (Allura Red): Crimson dye.
• Yellow 5 (tartrazine): Lemon yellow dye.
• Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow): Orange and yellow tones.
• Blue 1 (bright blue): Green dye.
• Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine): Royal blue.
• Green 3 (fast green): Grass green dye.

The FDA recently banned the use of red 3 in foods, supplements and oral medications, but companies must remove dyes from their products by January 2027 or 2028 (14).

Currently, both FDA and EFSA use red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1 and blue 2 approved ((12). Some other dyes are approved by one regulatory body, not another. Red 40 is the most widely used food dye (3).

These artificial colors may appear in (e.g.11):

• Breakfast cereal
• Packaged baked goods
• Retained fruit
• ice cream
• Jarred Pickles
• Packaging soup
• Popsicles
• Candy and Fruit Fondant
• Seasonings and seasonings
• Cheese-flavored snacks
• Delicious snacks such as seasoned popcorn and fries
• Muddy and frozen drinks
• Sports drinks and soft drinks
• Cake decoration gel and frosting

Since 2010, certain European artificial dye foods have been accompanied by warning labels that read “may adversely affect children’s activities and concerns” (5).

There is no equivalent labeling system in the United States. That’s because there is not enough evidence that approved dyes are unsafe (FDA) (12).

Potential health effects of artificial food dyes

Some studies raise possible concerns about artificial food dyes. This study shows Artificial dyes may affect children’s behavioral health ((6).

For example, the 2021 report from OEHHA in California links artificial dyes to behavioral problems (such as ADHD in childhood) (7). A review of 15 studies in 2024 suggests that artificial food dyes can harm health. Again, these risks are more concerned with children (8).

California banned six artificial dyes in public schools in 2024 due to research on its possible behavioral impact. This is called California School Food Safety Act. Since then, 11 states have introduced similar legislation that prohibits certain food dyes and additives (15,,,,, 16).

Acceptable daily intake of these dyes was conducted decades ago (before the latest research (6). Newer studies show Currently acceptable daily intake may be too high for childrenwho may be more susceptible to potential influence of food dyes (6).

In 2018, a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics promoted safety review (9). More research is needed to fully understand the possible impact of food dyes.

What does this mean to you?

In the absence of final research on the possible health effects of artificial dyes, You may want to consider limiting them, especially when feeding your child, as a precaution. Fortunately, this has become easier as many natural-colored foods come to the market.

If you want to pay attention to artificial food dyes

If you want to limit artificial food dyes in your diet, here’s what you can do:

1. Choose Whole Food: Reduce food consumption and focus on diets rich in healthy whole foods. This will automatically reduce your intake of artificial food dyes and add the added benefits of improving overall health.
2. Being told: Check food labels. Identify dyes in your food and find or make natural alternatives.
3. Teach children to eat healthy: Show them how to make food. This will help them understand why you might switch to some new options for snacks.
4. It’s natural: Thanks to shoppers for requesting, most grocery stores can use foods dyed with natural ingredients. You can also try natural alternatives to add color and flavor to your food at home, such as:
   • Blue Spirulina (blue)
   • Red beet pink (red)
   • Turmeric or carrot (orange)
   • Saffron (yellow-orange)
   • Berries such as berries and blueberries (pink, blue, purple)
   • Red cabbage (blue)
   • Matcha or spinach (green)

Each natural dye will have a slightly different preparation method. You can easily find them online. This is a fun activity for kids, where they can see how they color food without using artificial dyes.

By taking these steps, you can limit artificial dyes for you and your family.

Artificial food dyes are a hot topic for health-conscious consumers. Some people choose to limit artificial food dyes in their diets because studies have shown that these dyes may have unnecessary effects, especially for children. More research is needed.

Totally eliminating artificial dyes from your diet may not be realistic for you. So, whether it’s natural or human-caused, you can enjoy your favorite candies, drinks or other snacks in moderation. That’s balance!

Posts Nutritionists want you to know about artificial dyes Appear first MyFitnessPal Blog.

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