Artificial Food Dyes

This is such a great visual article about red 40, yellow 5 and 6, blue 1, etc.  Click artificial colors to learn how they may be effecting you or your kids?
Did you know that Kellogg's and Kraft don't use artificial colors in their products in Great Britain?... that yellow 6 is banned in Norway and Sweden?.. that Red 40 can cause hyperactivity?

We have been a dye free family for several years now.  I don't buy or offer anything to my kids without first reading the ingredient label.  It's easier than it used to be but I can't assume anything is safe because companies can change manufacturers who may in turn use cheaper ingredients.

Arm yourself with information.  Know what you and your kids are eating.  You might be surprised by what's really in that breakfast cereal.  You might wonder why your son or daughter has sleep problems, focus issues, keeps chewing on his collar...any of which could be due to a food color sensitivity.

Try an easy experiment.  Remove artificial colors from your diet for a couple days and see if you notice a difference. 

Mars Inc. Ditch the Red 40 Petition Alert

Change.org petition.
www.change.org/MMsDyes

My children have an intolerance to chemical additives including artificial colors, red 40, yellow 5/6, blue 1, artificial flavor, vanillin, BHT, BPA and TBHQ.  I do not buy products containing these additives.

Several years ago it all started with an itchy tongue.  We were also having problems with focus in school, impulsivity, behavior, self esteem in my then 5 year old.  My other kids had problems falling asleep, staying asleep, night terrors, gait problems, migraines.  I started researching and thankfully learned about an elimination diet called the Feingold diet.  We have not looked back. Today my kids are honor roll students and involved in many extra curricular activities.  They demonstrate self control, and have confidence in their abilities.

There is a petition on change.org that is asking Mars Inc., makers of M&M's, to replace artificial dyes with natural coloring.  They already do this in Europe. Why is the US so far behind?  More signatures are needed.  Please sign and share with your groups and blogs.  Together, we can make a difference.
www.change.org/MMsDyes

Feingold Diet Helps ADD and ADHD Symptoms

Everyone experiences some of these symptoms once in a while, but it is the intensity and frequency that can indicate when it is not a normal condition and where diet could play a part.  This material is for information only and is not intended to replace appropriate medical care.  

For my family it all started with my youngest who complained of an itchy tongue.  We have learned so much about food and follow the Feingold diet avoiding artificial colors, red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, artificial flavors, vanillin, preservatives, BHT, BPA and TBHQ.  These chemicals effect my kids and so many others who may not even realize it's all in what they are eating.

 If you are having problems with your childs self esteem, impulsivity, aggression, test results, reading, sleeping, mood, etc. try avoiding these chemicals.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  You will need to give yourself time to read labels while shopping and maybe invest in a good pair of readers!

Kids and adults who eat products containing a chemical additive that they may have an intolerance for can exhibit 1 or more of the following problems.  

	Behavior Problems
	Marked hyperactivity	Constant motion Running instead of walking Inability to sit still Inappropriate wiggling of legs/hands
	Impulsive actions	Poor self-control, unpredictable behavior Disruptive behavior / disturbs others Unresponsive to discipline Abusive behavior, unkindness to pets Destructive behaviors: throws, breaks things Little or no recognition of danger to self Inappropriate noises Excessive or loud talking, interrupts often
	Compulsive actions	Aggression Perseveration/repeating of an activity Touching things or people excessively Chewing on clothing, other objects Scratching, biting & picking at skin Workaholic habits
	Emotional concerns	Low frustration tolerance Demands immediate attention Irritability Overreaction to touch, pain, sound, lights Nervousness, panics easily Mood swings Low self-esteem Depression Frequent crying Suicidal thoughts
	Learning Problems
	Short attention span	Impatience Distraction Failure to complete projects Inability to listen to whole story Inability to follow directions
	Neuro- muscular involvement	Accident prone Poor muscle coordination Difficulty writing, drawing Dyslexia/reading problems Speech difficulties/delays Difficulty with playground activities, sports Eye muscle disorder (nystagmus, strabismus) Tics (unusual or uncontrollable movements) Seizures (if combined with migraine or hyperactivity)
	Cognitive and perceptual disturbances	Auditory memory deficits (difficulty remembering what is heard) Visual memory deficits (difficulty remembering what is seen) Difficulty in comprehension and short term memory Disturbance in spatial orientation (up-down, right-left) Difficulties in reasoning (simple math problems, meaning in words)
	Health Problems         People who have symptoms of ADHD that respond well to dietary management also frequently have health problems such as:
	Frequent physical complaints	Ear infections Asthma Bedwetting (enuresis) Daytime wetting Stomachaches Headaches, migraines Hives, rashes (urticaria) Eczema Leg aches Constipation, diarrhea Congestion Seizures (if combined with migraine or hyperactivity)
	Sleep problems	Resistance to going to bed Difficulty falling asleep Restless / erratic sleep Nightmares, bad dreams

  

Where do food dyes come from?

Those pretty colors that make the "fruit punch" red, the gelatin green and the oatmeal blue are made from petroleum (crude oil) which is also the source for gasoline.

You will find them on the ingredient labels, listed as "Yellow No. 5," "Red 40," "Blue #1," etc. The label may say "FD&C" before the number. That means "Food, Drug & Cosmetics." When you see a number listed as "D&C" in a product, such as "D&C Red #33" it means that this coloring is considered safe for medicine (drugs) and cosmetics, but not for food.

What are artificial flavorings?

They are combinations of many chemicals, both natural and synthetic. An artificial flavoring may be composed of hundreds of separate chemicals, and there is no restriction on what a company can use to flavor food.

One source for imitation vanilla flavoring (called "vanillin") is the waste product of paper mills. Some companies built factories next to the pulp mills to turn the undesirable by-product into imitation flavoring,

What are BHA, BHT and TBHQ?

Those initials stand for three major preservatives found in many foods, especially in the United States. Like the dyes, they are made from petroleum (crude oil). Often, they are not listed in the ingredients.

These chemicals may be listed as "anti-oxidants" because they prevent the fats in foods from "oxidizing" or becoming rancid (spoiling). There are many natural, beneficial anti-oxidants, but they are much more expensive than the synthetic versions.

There are other undesirable food additives (MSG, sodium benzoate, nitrites, sulfites, to name a few) but most of the additives used in foods have not been found to be as big a problem as those listed above. 

Food additives are not new. Artificial colors have been around for more than 100 years. (Originally they were made from coal tar oil.) And children have been eating artificially colored and flavored products for decades.

But then . . . most children ate these additives infrequently. They got an occasional lollipop from the bank or barber shop. Cotton candy was found at the circus. Jelly beans were given at Easter, orange cupcakes at Halloween and candy canes at Christmas.  Today . . . the typical child growing up in the United States is exposed to these powerful chemicals all day, every day.

What the child growing up in the U.S. in the 1940's got:	What the child growing up in the U.S. today gets:
White toothpaste	Multi-colored toothpaste, perhaps with sparkles
Oatmeal	Sea Treasures Instant Oatmeal (turns milk blue)
Corn flakes	Fruity Pebbles
Toast & butter, jam	Pop Tarts
Cocoa made with natural ingredients	Cocoa made with artificial flavoring, & some with dyes.
Whipped cream	Cool Whip
No vitamins (or perhaps cod liver oil)	Flintstone vitamins with coloring & flavoring
White powder or bad-tasting liquid medicine	Bright pink, bubble-gum flavored chewable or liquid medicine
Sample school lunch: Meat loaf, freshly made mashed potatoes, vegetable. Milk, cupcake made from scratch.	Sample school lunch: Highly processed foods loaded with synthetic additives, no vegetable. Chocolate milk with artificial flavor.
Sample school beverage: Water from the drinking fountain	Sample school beverage: Soft drink with artificial color, flavor, caffeine, aspartame, etc.
Candy in the classroom a few times a year at class parties.	Candy (with synthetic additives) given frequently.

Environmental Chemicals

Artificially colored, flavored, scented, or preserved non-food items can also cause a reaction when inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Pesticides

Pesticides used outside the home are easily tracked inside and are readily inhaled and absorbed through the skin.  Children are at high risk of exposure since they are more likely to crawl on the floor and play in the grass and on the school playground.

Perfumes/Plug Ins

Today, fragrances are made primarily from petroleum, and can be just as harmful as petroleum based food additives.  When inhaled, they go directly to the brain, where they can trigger an immediate reaction. 

Sources:

http://www.feingold.org/

http://www.oneaddplace.com/adhd-diet.php

http://www.everydiet.org/diet/adhd-diet

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/

http://www.red40.com/

Food Dyes like Red 40, ADHD and More

Could it be possible?  If you are wondering if your child's anger outbursts, temper tantrums, impulsiveness or aggression could be linked to what he eats, keep reading.  If you child has been diagnosed with ADHD or has tendencies you may want to look at what they are eating both at home and school lunch.


If you live in America and eat or serve your kids "snacks" it is most likely you are being subjected to artificial food dyes.  If you are drinking enhanced or flavored water, it is likely you are being subjected to artificial food dyes.   If you are eating soft serve ice cream or going to fast food restaurants...well dyes are in many of those foods too.

What are artificial food dyes?  Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1 are the top 4 in the US.  These are additives the FDA does not restrict from our nations food supply.  Those pretty colors that make the "fruit punch" red, the gelatin green and the oatmeal blue are made from petroleum (crude oil) which is also the source for gasoline.

You will find them on the ingredient labels, listed as "Yellow No. 5," "Red 40," "Blue #1," etc. The label may say "FD&C" before the number. That means "Food, Drug & Cosmetics." When you see a number listed as "D&C" in a product, such as "D&C Red #33" it means that this coloring is considered safe for medicine (drugs) and cosmetics, but not for food.

Kids today eat differently than their parents and grandparents.  30 years ago a lollipop was a special treat for sitting during a haircut.  A trip to a fast food restaurant was an occasion.  Today, kids are bombarded by food with artificial colors.  Take a look in your pantry and fridge this week.  I bet you'll find some red 40, blue 1, yellow 5 and 6 lurking in there.

If your child has ADHD or tendencies like hyperactivity, aggression, rage, self esteem issues, impulsiveness, take a look at what they are eating.  Try an experiment and remove these artificial dyes for a week or 2.  You may be re-introduced to a brand new kid!

Artificial Colors in Candy

Today I observed a child consuming "Skittles" (Mars, Inc.), which are brightly colored round candies. I wondered how many artificial colors were in these candies so I saved the wrapper, and I found that they contain Sugar, Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Apple Juice from Concentrate, Less than 2% Citric Acid, Dextrin, Modified Corn Starch, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Coloring (includes Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1 Lake, Blue 1)Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

Reading this ingredient list and knowing what consuming this candy could do to my kids is so scary.  All of my children have some degree of artificial color / dye sensitivity.  Holidays like Halloween, Valentines Day and Easter are when worries rise the most but even regular days at school could potentially mean a slip.  My kids have learned the hard way about red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, etc. and are aware of how ingesting these dyes make them feel....or not feel.  We have a trade in policy and that works the best for us.  Saying no is becoming easier and easier as the boys get older but I think if more teachers and parents were aware of the dangers of artificials, we would see less junk for birthday snacks, classroom awards and holiday treats.


Artificial colors are in everything. Do we really know all the health risks that may be associated with artificial colors? 
This will be an ongoing list....Please add to it!
Nerd's Rope . . . - 10 artificial colors (Nestle, Inc.)

Jelly Belly Beans - 9 artificial colors

M&M's Peanut . . - 9 artificial colors (Mars, Inc.)

Skittles . . . . . . .- 9 artificial colors (Mars, Inc.)