“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”

— Ann Wigmore

Summer is finally here, and the minute that sun comes out, my kids are begging for popsicles! I don’t blame them.

I grew up enjoying popsicles made with corn syrup, sugar, and artificial colorings and flavorings. We all love our red and blue popsicles, unfortunately, the chemicals that have to go into these foods to achieve the perfect look are not that pretty.

Since 1955, food coloring consumption has increased fivefold (source) and since then, artificial coloring has been questioned, researched and examined. Food dye is simply used to make the food look “pretty” – it serves no other purpose, yet studies continually link them to behavior disorders in children such as ADHD and hyperactivity, a variety of cancers, organ damage, as well as allergies (source).

The History:

Food coloring has been popular since ancient times. Tumeric and saffron are just two of the many natural substances civilizations used to color their food. In the 1800’s coal-tar colors were discovered, which are by-products of coal production. These colors are the first synthetic dyes used in food production – butter and cheese being some of the first products to be artificially colored.

In 1901, the US began to regulate food additives as food companies were utilizing food color to mask defective foods. Dangerous chemicals such as mercury, arsenic, and lead were being added as well. Once the FDA was formally established, the US began to truly regulate food additives including the usage of food dyes. In 1960, the FDA wrote the Color Additive Amendment, which determined whether or not food dyes were appropriate and safe for human use. The term safe meant that the additive was not proven to cause cancer in animals or humans. In addition, in the US, a substance is considered innocent until proven guilty of being harmful whereas in other countries including European countries, substances are guilty until proven innocent.

The Safety:

A 2012 study cites that food dyes are not just an ADHD problem but a public health problem – effecting children whether they have ADHD or not. They write:

“The effect of artificial food colors (AFCs) on child behavior has been studied for more than 35 years, with accumulating evidence from imperfect studies” (source).

In 2007, a study in the UK “…revealed a significant increase in ADHD-type behavior, including impulsive behavior and loss of concentration, in children” (source). These findings led to the EU requiring labels on food containing artificial colorings; warning consumers of the connection between food dyes and behavior and attention in children.

It is important to note that an individual dye actually contains 10% or more of other chemicals, many of which are carcinogens.

What you can do:

1. Read labels. In 2010, the EU put a mandatory label on foods containing 6 food colorings that were shown to cause hyperactivity in children. The US does not have this labelling requirement, so you must read labels and look for:

- Blue 1

- Blue 2

- Red 3

- Red 40

- Yellow 5

- Yellow 6

- FD & C – a combination of colors

- Citrus Red 2

- Caramel coloring

- Artificial colors

2. Read about the Feingold Diet. In the 1960s, Dr. Feingold noticed a connection between food additives and behavior and learning issues in children. He created the Feingold Diet, which eliminates food additives and artificial flavors, sweeteners and colorings, some preservatives, and foods containing salicylate. Eliminating these foods can be a diagnostic tool to see if an individual is sensitive to food additives.

3. Avoid processed foods. Recently ultra-processed foods have been connected to cancer (source). Bring your own snacks to events. Make your own electrolyte sports drinks and popsicles. Bake your own birthday cakes. Buy natural dyes.

4. Teach your children at a young about the dangers of processed foods and artificial colors. Help them make good choices and understand the importance of these choices. This article in Parenting Magazine gives some helpful and simple advice about teaching children to make good food choices. Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Healthy Food Choices

And…make these popsicles! They are not bright yellow, but they taste delicious!