Candy colored breakfast cereals. Neon pickles. Wasabi perts. Many popular foods get their eye attractive from artificial dyes. Artificial dyes are exactly how they sound: synthetic dyes used in food products to make them attractive for children and adults.
Recently, artificial dyes have become a brightly discussed subject. Maybe you have seen the subject popping up in the news or on social media.
Part of what you see can be quite alarming, so it is understandable if you wonder if some of your supermarket can be harmful to your health.
As a registered dietitian I am here to share the facts about artificial colorants and their potential consequences.
What are artificial dyes?
Artificial dyes are often derived from petroleum chemicals (1).
Many artificial dyes are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for use in Processed foodsGom -like vitamins and medicines (1” 2).
Some of the most used dyes for artificial food (10) Involve:
- Red 3 (erythrosine): Cherry red tint.
- 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 greenish blue dye.
- Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine): Royal Blue Color.
- Green 3 (fast green): Grassy green colorant.
The FDA recently forbade the use of Red 3 in foods, supplements and oral medicines, but companies have until January 2027 or 2028 to remove the dye from their products (14).
For now, both the FDA and the EFSA still approve Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1 and Blue 2 ((12). Some other dyes are approved by one regulatory body, but not to the other. Red 40 is the most used color of food (3).
These artificial colors can appear in foods such as (11):
- Breakfast cereals
- Packed Baked Products
- Preserved fruit
- Ice
- Jarred pickles
- Packaged soups
- Ivy
- Sweets and fruit gummies
- Herbs and sauces
- Snacks with cheese flavor
- Savory snacks, such as flavored popcorn and chips
- Slushy and frozen drinks
- Sports drinks and soft drinks
- Cake-decorating gels and ice creams
Since 2010, foods with certain artificial dyes in Europe have had a warning label that reads: “can have a negative effect on activity and attention in children” (5).
There is no equivalent labeling system in the United States. That is because, according to the FDA, there is not enough evidence to consider approved dyes as unsafe (12).
Potential health effects of colorants for artificial foods
Some studies have expressed potential worries about artificial dyes for artificial food. This research suggests that Artificial dyes can influence the behavioral health of children ((6).
For example, a report from 2021 by the OEHHA in California associated artificial colorants to behavioral problems such as hyperactivity in children (7). One 2024 review of 15 studies suggests that artificial colorants of art food can harm health. Again, these risks are of even greater care for children (8).
Due to research into their possible behavioral effects, California prohibited six artificial dyes in public schools in 2024. This was known as the California School Food Safety Act. Since then, 11 states have introduced similar legislation that prohibit certain dyes and additives (15” 16).
The acceptable daily intakes for these dyes were determined decades ago, before the most up -to -date research was conducted (6). Newer studies suggest that The current acceptable daily intakes can be set too high for childrenthat may be more vulnerable to the potential effects of dyes (6).
In 2018, a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics insisted on a safety review (9). More research is needed to fully understand the possible impact of dyes of food.
What does this all mean for you?
In the absence of conclusive research into the possible health effects of artificial colorants, You may want to consider limiting them, especially if you feed children as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, this has become easier, with many naturally colored foods that enter the market.
If you want to be aware of artificial colors
This is what you can do if you want to limit the artificial dyes in your diet:
- Choose Whole Foods: Reduce the consumption of ultra-processed food and concentrate on a diet that is rich in healthy, whole food. This will automatically reduce your intake of artificial dyes with the added bonus of improving overall health.
- Keep up: Check food labels. Identify dyes in your favorite foods and find or make natural alternatives.
- Learn children about healthy eating: Show them how to make food choices. This will help them understand why you might be over to new choices for some of their snacks.
- Natural: Thanks to shoppers who ask for it, food is painted with natural ingredients available in most supermarkets. You can also experiment with natural alternatives to add color and taste to food at home, such as:
- Blue Spirulina (Blue)
- Red beet powder (red)
- Turmeric or carrots (orange)
- Saffron (yellow orange)
- Berries such as raspberries and blueberries (pink, blue, purple)
- Red cabbage (blue)
- Matcha or spinach (green)
Every natural dye will have slightly different Prep methods. You can easily find them online. This is a fun activity for children and they get to see how they can color food without using artificial dyes.
By taking these steps, you can help to limit artificial dyes for you and your family.
Art -colored dyes are a hot topic for health -conscious consumers. Some people choose to limit artificial dyes in their diet, because research suggests that these dyes can have unwanted effects, especially for children. More research is needed.
It may not be realistic for you to completely remove artificial dyes from your diet. So enjoy your favorite candy, drink or other treats in moderation, whether it has natural or artificial ingredients. That’s balance!
Post What a dietician wants you to know about artificial dyes first appeared on Myfitnesspal blog.