Food Colorings & Ingredients To Avoid In Processed Foods

Artificial Colors And Dyes

Many different dyes were once used to color foods, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned most of them due to the recurrence of many adverse health effects that they have caused. Only seven artificial colors remain legal to use in the production of food: Blue 1, Blue 2, Red 3, Red 40, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Among these seven, Red 40 has been the subject of the most research. Through that research, Red 40 is believed to be related to ADHD in children who have food allergies and learning disabilities. While it is likely that the other six legal artificial colors and dyes may contribute to some of the same problems, no studies have made such a link conclusive yet. As for Red 40, however, the studies conducted indicate that it appears to mimic ADHD symptoms. It is being studied further in an attempt to discover if it may even be a cause of ADHD in some children.