Studies Reveal Artificial Colors can have a Negative Effect on Children's Behavior

     Finally, in the year 2014, what many parents have realized but were criticized for, the negative effects of artificial colors on children's behavior has finally been validated with research.  Also, many major food companies have recently taken out artificial colors from their products.  The real change and the factors leading this major movement is consumer demand.  We all have the power to influence change - whether we buy the food or not is a choice.  That choice determines whether or not manufacturers will continue to use harmful ingredients at the expense of our children, or to formulate healthier ingredients in their products.
*See the last link below to help make a difference*      


Below is a compilation of some of the latest research on Artificial colors with quotes following each link.    

/Artificial Food Colors and Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Symtoms/ Conclusions to Dye For

"AFCs are not a major cause of ADHD per se, but seem to affect children regardless of whether or not they have ADHD, and they may have an aggregated effect on classroom climate if most children in the class suffer a small behavioral decrement with additive or synergistic effects."


Are artificial food colorings worse for kids than sugar?
"A handful of clinical trials found that a small percentage of children experience attention problems and agressive behavior when they consume 35 mg a day of synthetic coloring, while a larger percentage experiences behavioral problems at doses of 100 mg a day or higher."

Purdue-study-Artificial dyes highest in beverages, cereal, and candy
"New research from Purdue University scientists has revealed the dye content of scores of packaged food products, some of which contain more than the 35 mg per serving that has been shown in certain trials to affect behavior among a small percentage of children."

First-ever Study Reveals Amounts of Food Dyes in Artificial Foods
"According to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, the findings are disturbing since the amounts of dyes found in even single servings of numerous foods—or combinations of several dyed foods—are higher than the levels demonstrated in some clinical trials to impair some children's behavior."


FDA Study on Artificial Colors:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/FoodAdvisoryCommittee/UCM273033.pdf

LOblaw, major food producers move away from artificial colouring
"Mounting public concern has spurred several major companies to remove dyes from some of their foods. Kraft has removed the artificial yellow dye from some of its signature mac and cheese products, and General Mills has removed dyes from Trix and Yoplait Go-Gurt."

Petition - M&M Candies   "I also found out that many families were using an “elimination diet” to isolate and remove harmful ingredients -- particularly artificial dyes. By removing dyes like those found in M&M's, they were able to delay, reduce, and sometimes eliminate the need for medication."

The Easter Bunny brings my kids dye-free candy!!!

Hippity, Hoppity, Easter's on it's way and the Easter Bunny is bringing my kids dye-free candy again - I'm sure of it!!!  In case you are wondering how the Easter Bunny makes dye-free candy,  you can find the same types of special candy and chocolates at the Natural Candy Store www.naturalcandystore.com, The Whole Foods Market, Trader Joes, or The Red Dye Free Store (on this blog).  




 Our family makes Easter Eggs colored with Natural Dyes.  Better Homes and Gardens magazine had an article in the April 2012 issue about dyeing Easter eggs - "just simmer beets or apple peals.....soak the eggs from a few minutes to overnight to get an array of hues."  Look up BHG.com/eggdye to find out how to make more colors.  They have a printable guide to natural egg dyes from blue to pink!  

   You can also buy some food dyes
like this one.  We bought India Tree Natural Decorating colors a few years ago, but I need to buy more to keep on hand.  We bought this dye from The Whole Foods Market.  We used it to color our Easter Eggs and they came out very pastel colored - not the bright colored dye that you buy in the little kits that turn even the egg on the inside colors!  We like to avoid consuming artificial colors and we also enjoy the natural colors.  


I hope you all have a Happy Easter!  

Hope for Sanity

    Someone told me the other day that after staying away from artificial dyes in their food, drinks, toothpaste, and anything that has it in the ingredient, she has seen a difference in her children.  Her teenager has become more empathetic and less prone to anger.  Her younger child who LOVES candy, but wasn't allowed to eat it became noticeably "different"  after eating the candy with red dye 40.  He began to talk non-stop and was bouncing off the furniture in a matter of minutes after ingesting the artificial dyes.  She has known for a long time that these dyes couldn't be good for you, but didn't realize that they had any effect on her children until she completely eliminated it from their diet.  Now she tells everyone about the effects of red dye 40 and what it may be doing to their children.  I hope that I can help more people with this blog.  Everyone should know this important information - Artificial dyes are bad for your health and there really is hope for sanity. 
 














I recommend Dr. Leman's book, Have a New Kid by Friday.  The advice in this book applies to parenting children and teens of all ages.      
(Please vote on the latest poll located on the right side column of this blog - Would you pay more for foods without artificial dyes?)

Why Should Independent Franchises Switch to Natural Food Dyes?

Independent franchises are looking for healthier ways to make their products. Starbucks has decided to remove artificial flavors, artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup from their products. Their campaign will boast "Real food. Simply Delicious." Competitors of Starbucks such as Dunkin Donuts and fast food chains such as McDonald's would be wise to revamp their products as well. In the following link, Dunkin Donuts Independent Franchise site has a link listed on the side bar about Starbucks revamping their products.
Dunkin Donuts Independent Franchise... - http://www.ddifo.org/

I would speculate that more and more franchises will be rushing to make their products healthier and without artificial food dyes while gaining the competitor edge on the market. Consumers are looking for labels of "no artificial colors", "dye-free", "real food", "real fruit", "No added colors", "Colored with Natural Ingredients."

Artificial colors made of synthetic dyes, such as red dye 40, have been known to cause behavioral changes in children and adults. It is a toxic ingredient and believed to be a neurotoxin. It can cause hyperactivity in all children. It can increase symptoms of ADD, ADHD and can alter behavior in children who are sensitive to these dyes which includes, but is not limited to pervasive developmental disorders, spectrum disorders such as autism, and even mimic conduct disorder in some children. We need to remove these synthetic food dyes derived from petroleum and bring back real food.

If you are an independent franchise making a change to remove these synthetic dyes, I would love to list you on this growing blog viewed by people throughout every state in the United States and other countries. You could be among the first to change the way America eats.