Artificial Colors: Is the “Secret Shame” of the Food Industry Harming Your Children?

Artificial Colors: Is the “Secret Shame” of theFood Industry Harming Your Children?by http://www.sixwise.com/

Artificial colors are among the most questionable food additives there are, yet despite their potential health risks they’re added to countless food products ranging from candy and soda to breakfast cereal and sausage.
Numerous studies have linked artificial food colors with hyperactivity and behavior problems in children.
Decades ago in 1955, it was deemed safe for people to ingest 12 mg food dye per day. By 2007, that amount had reached 59 mg per person, per day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- a level nearly five times greater than initially was approved.
At the heart of the debate is concern that the artificial dyes cause behavior problems and hyperactivity in children, a suspicion that emerged back in 1970. Around that time Dr. Ben Feingold, an allergist in San Francisco, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed to avoid artificial food coloring.
“Numerous controlled studies conducted over the next three decades in the United States, Europe, and Australia proved that some children’s behavior is worsened by artificial dyes, but the government did nothing to discourage their use and food manufacturers greatly increased their reliance on them,” reports the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
Recently, a handful of studies have all gathered data showing that artificial dyes negatively impact children’s behavior. One of the most revealing was a British study from the University of Southampton, published in the journal The Lancet. The study examined the effects of mixes of additives on nearly 300 children, and found artificial food colors and additives exacerbate hyperactive behavior in children.
Now, CSPI is urging the FDA to ban eight widely used artificial food dyes linked to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children, including:
Red 40: This is the most widely used food dye, found in soda pop, candy, gelatin desserts, pastries, pet food and sausage. Key tests involving the dye were found to be flawed and inconclusive, according to CSPI, and although an FDA committee acknowledged potential problems, they said the evidence was not “consistent.” It may be linked to hyperactivity disorders and migraines.
Yellow 5: Found in gelatin dessert, candy, pet food and baked goods, this second most widely used coloring causes allergic reactions, primarily in people sensitive to aspirin.
Yellow 6: As the third most often used food coloring, yellow 6 is found in many products, including backed goods, candy, gelatin and sausages. It has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumors, and contains small amounts of many carcinogens.
Blue 1: Blue 1, used to color candy, beverages and baked goods, may cause cancer.
Blue 2: Blue 2, found in pet food, candy and beverages, has caused brain tumors in mice.
Green 3: Used in candy and beverages, this dye has been suspected of causing bladder cancer.
Orange B: Found in hot dog and sausage casings, this dye was found to cause urinary obstructions in rats that can lead to kidney damage.
Red 3: This food coloring is used in cherries (in fruit cocktails), baked goods and candy. It causes thyroid tumors in rats, and may cause them in humans as well.
"The continued use of these unnecessary artificial dyes is the secret shame of the food industry and the regulators who watch over it," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "The purpose of these chemicals is often to mask the absence of real food, to increase the appeal of a low-nutrition product to children, or both. Who can tell the parents of kids with behavioral problems that this is truly worth the risk?"
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Their Use is Unnecessary
Given that food dyes are used for purely aesthetic purposes, often in products intensively marketed to children, their use is highly questionable. Further, many of the dyes still in use in the United States have been phased out (or are in the process of being phased out) in Europe.
Because regulators and consumers there refuse to tolerate potentially unsafe food additives in their foods, manufacturers have responded by using natural colorings. For instance, according to CSPI:
Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain bars are made with natural colorings in Britain, but in the U.S. contain Red 40, Yellow 6 and Blue 1.
More than a dozen varieties of Kraft’s Oscar Meyer Lunchables contain artificial dyes, while British versions contain none.
Starburst Chews, Skittles, and M&M candies made by Mars are loaded with artificial dyes in the U.S., but in the U.K. natural colorings are used.
In Britain, McDonald’s strawberry sauce for sundaes comes from strawberries. In the U.S. it comes from Red 40.
Isn’t it time people and children in the United States started demanding the same level of food safety that is already a given in other countries?
How to Minimize Artificial Dyes in Your Diet
With any processed food you run the risk of coming across additives and dyes, and reading through ingredient labels can be like trying to decode a puzzle.
Centering your diet on fresh, whole foods is the best way to stay away from unsavory additives and dyes, but assuming you do include some processed foods in your diet you’ll need to become an avid label reader. Diligently avoid those that contain the dyes listed above, and preferably look for those that contain only natural coloring.
One of our all-time favorite beverage brands, Ajmera, carries just such products. Ajmera's Orang-O Energy , Coco Energy and Mang-O Energy are 100% natural with NO caffeine, no preservatives, no synthetic food colors and no artificial flavors. All three of Ajmera's beverages will keep you tastefully hydrated without having to worry about potentially dangerous dyes!
Further, according to CSPI, everything with a Trader Joe's label sold at the supermarket and all products at Whole Foods are free of the controversial chemicals. At other health food stores, farmer’s markets and food coops, you’ll also likely be able to find foods free of artificial dyes.
Recommended Reading
12 Dangerous Food Additives: The Dirty Dozen Food Additives You Really Need to be Aware Of
Are Metals in Food Harming Your Child’s Behavior?
Sources
Center for Science in the Public Interest June 2, 2008
FoodNavigator-USA.com June 4, 2008
The Lancet Volume 370, Issue 9598, November 2007, Pages 1560-1567
Center for Science in the Public Interest: Food Additives

80 Percent of Americans Have No Idea Which Foods Contain Trans Fats

While most people in the United States now know that they should avoid trans fats, only 20 percent actually know which foods are likely to contain the dangerous ingredients, according to a survey conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado-Denver and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.Trans fats, also known as hydrogenated oils, are artificially produced in the laboratory by adding extra hydrogen atoms to unsaturated vegetable oils. They have long been a favorite of the food industry for their increased shelf life over conventional oils. Unlike natural fats, however, trans fats have no nutritional value and drastically increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Like saturated fats, they increase the body's levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, but unlike those fats they also lower its levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol.Researchers surveyed 1,000 adult residents of the United States in 2007 about their knowledge of trans fats, and found that a full 92 percent had heard of the fats, compared with only 84 percent who had heard of them in 2006. Almost 75 percent of those who had heard of trans fats were aware that consumption of the fats raises the risk of heart disease.The researchers next asked people to list three foods that contain trans fats, but only 21 percent were able to do so -- nevertheless an improvement over 17 percent in 2006.While food companies are required to list trans fats on nutritional labels, a product can be listed as trans fat free if it contains less than five grams of the fats per serving. Any product containing "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils, however, contains trans fats. They are commonly used in baked and fried foods, although some manufacturers have started phasing out their use.Laws banning the use of trans fats in restaurants have been passed in a number of cities, including New York, as well as by the state of California.Sources for this story include: http://www.reuters.com/.

Not-So-Sweet Treats

Turns out high-fructose corn syrup can mess with more than just your waistline. A recent study published in the journal Environmental Health found this widely used sweetener often contains traces of mercury, a toxic metal that interferes with the brain and nervous system and causes a host of health problems, particularly for children and pregnant women. Unfortunately, the sweet stuff is so prevalent, turning up in most sodas and scores of packaged goods, that the average American consumes an estimate 12 teaspoons of it every day. Read labels carefully before you toss anything into your cart.

34%

That's how much women can reduce their risk of age-related macular degeneration by supplementing with vitamin B6 and B12 in combination with folic acid.

Source: Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Eat Less, Remember More

German researchers report that cutting calories can improve memory and brain function. The researchers speculate that consuming fewer calories helps reduce levels of inflammation, a known risk factor for cognitive decline. Study participants cut 30 percent of their daily calories, which is 750 calories (about five and a half cans of cola) if you are consuming 2,500 calories a day.

2.94

Times more likely you are to develop a cold if you sleep fewer than seven hours a night, according to a study from Carnegie Mellon University.

15

Minutes of high intensity exercise needed to reduce blood sugar levels and risk of diabetes. When researchers had 16 men do 15 minutes of cycling sprints three days a week, they found that the men's insulin levels dropped 37 percent within teo weeks.