Ditch the Artificial Dyes: Embrace the Power of Natural Food Coloring

They say to have a healthy diet you should eat the rainbow, but what if you are eating the wrong rainbow? Artificially colored foods can be incredibly appealing, especially to children, but those vibrant hues come with a side of potential health risks. Artificial food dyes, derived from petroleum, have been linked to a variety of health concerns. This doesn’t mean you have to give up fun colorful foods all together, it just might mean it’s time to make the switch to natural food colorings.

The Problem with Artificial Dyes

Artificial food dyes are synthetic chemicals that are used to enhance the color of processed foods. While they may make food look more attractive, they offer no nutritional value and may even pose several health risks:

Hyperactivity: Some of the most common artificial dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and irritability problems in children. Several studies have observed worsened symptoms in children with ADHD that regularly consume artificial dyes.
Allergic Reactions: The most common artificial dyes, such as Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 have been found to cause allergic reactions in some individuals. The milder symptoms of a dye allergy could include rashes, hives, swelling, face flushing, itchy skin, or headaches. Extreme symptoms of a dye allergy could include anaphylactic shock, dizziness, tightness of the chest, or difficulty breathing.
Cancer Risk: While most food dyes allowed by the FDA, other than Red 3, have not shown a direct connection to cancer risk, carcinogens such as Benzidine, 4-aminobiphenyl and 4-aminoazobenzene have been found as contaminants in food dyes. There is also a parallel between the increase in Red 40 and the increase in occurrence of early-onset colorectal cancer, although there could be additional factors at play.

The Benefits of Natural Food Coloring

Natural food colorings, on the other hand, are derived from natural sources such as fruits, vegetables, and spices. These not only add fun colors to your food but also offer potential health benefits. Switching to natural food colorings is easier than you might think. Many foods naturally contain vibrant pigments that can be extracted and used to color your culinary creations. Here are a few examples:

Beets: In addition to creating beautiful red and pink colors, betalain pigments found in beets protect cells from oxidative injury. Beets have also been found to have anti-inflammatory and vascular protective properties.
Carrots: The beta-carotene found in carrots and sweet potatoes, provides a natural orange color and acts as an antioxidant. It may also improve eye health, skin health, and brain function.
Turmeric: Used to create yellow or orange colors, turmeric has many health benefits. This is thanks to a compound in turmeric called curcumin that is known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties.
Spirulina: Primarily used for its green or blue pigments, the phycocyanin in spirulina also has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cholesterol improving properties. Spirulina is also a source of protein, copper, and many other nutrients.
Blueberries: Beyond its use in creating blue or purple colors, blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels in fruits and vegetables. They may also benefit your heart health and brain function.
Other: There are many other natural dyes you might see in ingredient lists including pomegranates, raspberries, paprika, saffron, purple cabbage, spinach, matcha, coffee, and many others.

A Healthier Choice for You and Your Family

Making the switch to natural food colorings is a simple yet powerful way to improve your health and the health of your family. You can make the switch in your cooking and baking at home by opting for beet root powder in your frosting or blue spirulina in your smoothies. You can also make the switch in prepackaged foods by reading food labels and opting for products that use natural colorings or no dyes at all. Lord Acres Living Elixir always gets its color from whole fruits, herbs, and spices. By choosing foods with natural hues, you can avoid potentially harmful artificial dyes and enjoy the added benefits of natural pigments. So, next time you're looking to add a pop of color to your plate, remember the power of nature's palette.

Resources:
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L. Eugene Arnold MD, MEd. “How Food Dye Can Affect Children.” Ohio State Health and Discovery, The Ohio State University, 1 May 2024, health.osu.edu/health/mental-health/food-dye.

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Zhang, Qi, et al. “The Synthetic Food Dye, Red 40, Causes DNA Damage, Causes Colonic Inflammation, and Impacts the Microbiome in Mice.” Toxicology Reports, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 6 Sept. 2023, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502305/#sec0090.

Clifford, Tom, et al. “The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease.” Nutrients, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14 Apr. 2015, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4425174/#sec5.

Restivo, Jenette. “Turmeric Benefits: A Look at the Evidence.” Harvard Health, 22 Mar. 2024, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/turmeric-benefits-a-look-at-the-evidence.

Leech, Joe. “10 Health Benefits of Spirulina.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 18 Sept. 2023, www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-spirulina#muscle-strength.

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Leech, Joe. “7 Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 26 Nov. 2024, www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-blueberries#the-bottom-line.