Candy -colored cereals. Neon pickles. Wasabi peas. Many popular foods obtain their eye appeal from artificial dyes. Artificial dyes are exactly what they look like: the synthetic dyes used in food products to make them attractive for children and adults.
Recently, artificial dyes have become a very debated subject. You may have seen the subject appear in news or on social networks.
Part of what you see may be quite alarming, so it is understandable that you are wondering if some of your basic grocery products could be harmful to your health.
As a recorded dietitian, I am here to share the facts on artificial food dyes and their potential impacts.
What are artificial food dyes?
Artificial food colors 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 foods, gum vitamins and drugs (1,, 2).
Some of the most commonly used artificial dietary colors (10) include:
- Red 3 (erythrosine): Cherry-Red Hue.
- Red 40 (red allura): Dark red coloring.
- Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): Lemon yellow coloring.
- Yellow 6 (yellow sunset): Orange yellow shade.
- Blue 1 (brilliant blue): A greenish blue coloring.
- Blue 2 (Carmine Indigo): Royal blue color.
- Green 3 (fast green): grassy green dye.
The FDA recently prohibited the use of RED 3 in food, supplements and oral medicines, but companies have until January 2027 or 2028 to eliminate the coloring of their products (14).
For the moment, the FDA and the EFSA are still trying 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 used food coloring (3).
These artificial colors could appear in foods like (11):
- Breakfast cereals
- Packed pastries
- Preserved fruits
- Ice cream
- Pickles
- Packed soups
- Suitter-de-terre
- Fruit candies and gum
- Condiments and sauces
- Cheese snacks
- Tasty snacks, like flavored popcorn and fries
- Slush and frozen drinks
- Drinks for athletes and soft drinks
- Gels and ice cakes decorated by cakes
Since 2010, foods with certain artificial dyes in Europe have a warning label that is read as follows: “can have a negative effect on activity and attention in children” (5).
There is no labeling system equivalent to the United States. This is because there is not enough evidence to consider the dangerous approved dyes, according to the FDA (12).
Potential impacts on the health of artificial food dyes
Some research has raised possible concerns about artificial food dyes. This research suggests that Artificial dyes can have an impact on the behavioral of children’s behavioral (6).
For example, a 2021 report of the California Oehha has linked artificial coloring to behavioral problems such as hyperactivity in children (7). A 2024 review of 15 studies suggests that artificial food dyes can affect health. Again, these risks are even more worrying for children (8).
Due to research on their possible behavioral effects, California has prohibited six artificial colors in public schools in 2024. California School Food Safety Act. Since then, 11 states have introduced similar legislation prohibiting certain dietary colors and additives (15,, 16).
The daily contributions acceptable to these dyes were set decades ago, before the most recent research was carried out (6). More recent studies suggest that Current acceptable daily intake can be too high for childrenwhich can be more vulnerable to the potential effects of food dyes (6).
In 2018, a report by the American Academy of Pediatrics urged a security review (9). More research is necessary to fully understand the possible impact of food dyes.
What does all this mean for you?
In the absence of conclusive research on the possible impacts on the health of artificial dyes, You may want to consider limiting them, especially if you feed children, as a precaution. Fortunately, this has become easier to do, with many foods in colors naturally entering the market.
If you want to be aware of artificial food colors
Here is what you can do if you want to limit artificial food dyes in your diet:
- Choose Whole Foods: Reduce the consumption of ultra-treated food and focus on a diet rich in healthy healthy foods. This will automatically reduce your consumption of artificial food dyes with the additional bonus to improve overall health.
- Be informed: Check food labels. Identify the dyes in your essential food products and find or make natural alternatives.
- Teach children a healthy diet: Show them how to make food choices. This will help them understand why you could go to new choices for some of their snacks.
- Become natural: Thanks to buyers who ask for it, foods dyed with natural ingredients are available in most grocery stores. You can also experiment with natural alternatives to add color and flavor to home food, such as:
- Blue spirulina (blue)
- Red beet powder (red)
- Turmeric or carrots (orange)
- Saffron (yellow-orange)
- Bays like raspberries and blueberries (pink, blue, purple)
- Red cabbage (blue)
- Matcha or spinach (green)
Each natural dye will have slightly different preparation methods. You can easily find them online. It is a fun activity for children, and they can see how they can color food without using artificial dyes.
By taking these measures, you can help limit artificial dyes for you and your family.
Artificial food colors are a hot topic for consumers concerned for their health. Some people choose to limit artificial food dyes in their diet because research suggests that these dyes can have undesirable effects, especially for children. Additional research is necessary.
It may not be realistic for you to completely eliminate the artificial dyes of your diet. So, take advantage of your candies, your drink, or other favorite treats, whether it has natural or artificial ingredients. It’s balance!
The post what Dietician wants you to know about artificial dyes appeared first on Myfitnesspal Blog.
