Artificial Colors

So, the FDA says it's okay, what's the problem?

What's the big deal?  Colors Certified by the US Food and Drug Administration are derived from petroleum, acetone or coal tars!

You think it's just a little bit here and there.  Artificial colorings can be found in everything as wholesome as yogurt to, of course, candy.  Petroleum and Tar do not qualify as something you could label as food at all.  And, every little bit adds up.  Read the labels and see what and how many colors are in the foods you feed yourself and your family and then you decide how much tar and petroleum is okay to ingest.

There are studies that suggest artificial color have an effect on our children's behavior and of course, they can have an effect on our health and how our bodies function.  Some people are allergic to certain artificial colors.  And other studies link tumors to certain colors.  How do you keep it all straight and avoid the wrong colors?  Best to just skip the artificial colors since data on tumors or carcinogenic side-effects don't come out until it's too late.  (Remember when they finally took Red Dye #2 off the market and how many thousands of products contained that dye?)

Unsafe colors in personal care products add health risks to our lives every day.  Some contain impurities like lead acetate, toxic to the nervous system.  Some commonly-used colors and dyes are allergens, irritants, and some are known carcinogens. 

At a minimum, avoid the following artificial colors:

You don't want to live in black and white?  There are many natural colors that are plant based, like beets, that can bring reds, purples, yellows and greens back into your life.  Of course, the color won't stain your child's hands the way we've seen so many birthday cakes do (I can't even imagine what it's doing to their insides!) and you won't find anything neon, but you can create color for pink birthday cakes and more; natural colors offer an aesthetic appeal in a safer format. 

Many fruits and vegetables come in a variety of colors so you can have a wildly colorful dinner plate!  Purple mashed potatoes make for some conversation at the dinner table!  So does Purple Cauliflower!  Ever had a purple soup with these two mixed together!?!  Eat your blues, reds, purples, greens, whites, yellows and oranges naturally!

• Red40.org
• Dr. Weil on Artificial Colorings
• CHEC Lists - Limit Your Child's Intake of Food Additives
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, Color Additives