SuperKids Nutrition
Saving the World One Healthy Food at a Time
http://www.superkidsnutrition.com
Shocking Color Additives in Food Marketed to Kids
It’s no secret that bright, vibrant colors attract children to food products. A large portion of
children’s cereals, beverages, and treats are brilliant shades of the rainbow. But do you ever
wonder how these foods got their colors? The majority of these products are loaded with
artificial food dyes - synthetic chemicals that are made in a lab and never found in nature. Think
Red No. 40, Blue No. 2, or Yellow No. 5.
Why do food companies load up children’s food products with these artificial chemicals?
Simple. They are cheaper than natural dyes and produce longer lasting, brighter colors that
attract consumers. This translates to better sales and higher profits for food producers.
If that wasn’t enough, food companies are upping the ante through targeted marketing. They
are partnering with well-recognized children’s brands and cartoon characters to appeal to and
attract even more children to their products.
Take the newest partnership between Crayola and the candy manufacturer Bee International.
They have created a “Color Your Mouth” line of candy that is loaded with artificial food dyes
that stain children’s mouths different colors! The Crayola brand draws children in, and the
parallels between coloring on paper and consuming the candy to “color” your mouth sounds
like a fun game to kids.
“Many kids would pass on these products if they simply stated the manufacturer’s name on the
front of the pack (Bee International). Instead, by branding the candies Crayola, the candies are
instantly recognizable and are much more desirable to kids,” according to Jessica Almy, a
member of Center for Science in the Public Interest’s (CSPI) senior nutrition policy council. Per
Almy, Crayola once used its brand to promote a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. The company
should return to promoting healthy choices, instead of dye-laden candy.
An informed consumer is a powerful one. Don’t be fooled by food manufacturers clever
marketing techniques. Here’s the real deal on artificial food colorings, and some natural food
coloring alternatives for your family to enjoy.
The Problem with Artificial Food Colorings
Artificial food dyes were approved by the FDA for use in food products beginning in the 1960’s.
To date, there are nine artificial food dyes permitted for use in the food supply. While they are
considered “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS) by the FDA, several studies have linked
these chemicals to increased risk of allergic reactions and hyperactivity in children. Some
animal studies, although inconclusive, show certain food dyes can cause brain cancer in male
rats while others may cause other types of tumors.
Check out this new campaign against these “Color Your Mouth” candies on Change.org with a
mother-daughter duo, Julie and Alessandra Rossi. Here’s the
link: http://www.Change.org/ColorYourMouth.
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SuperKids Nutrition
Saving the World One Healthy Food at a Time
http://www.superkidsnutrition.com
Unsuspected Sources
Although we usually associate food color additives with sugary treats like candy, they can be
hidden in many unsuspecting foods. Check out this list of shocking foods that contain artificial
colorings! Be sure to read the labels to determine whether your favorite brand contains dyes.
Baked Goods
Beverages
Cereal
Chips
Condiments
Crackers
Flavored Instant Oatmeal
Granola Bars
Lunchables
Over the Counter Medicine for kids (like cough medicines or anti-histamines)
Pickles
Toothpaste
Yogurt
Vitamins
Natural Alternatives
The REAL question is why do we have to put CHEMICAL dyes in our foods? Would you teach
your child to color their skin with a non-toxic marker? Of course not. So why would you have
them ingest these dyes?
Instead, let’s get REAL! Let’s show our kids that artificial is OUT and REAL is in. Teach your
kids that super kids are always in the mood for real food! Make it fun by teaching your children a
new fun fact with each healthy colorful food they enjoy. For example, you can teach them how
strawberries, which are NATURALLY red, are a great teeth whitener. They have an enzyme
called malic acid that loosens stains on our teeth.
REAL doesn’t need to mean no fun. Why not color naturally? Here are some great natural
suggestions:
Have a blue tooth content and see whose teeth and tongue can get the most blue from
eating frozen blueberries. The best part is, blueberries can boost your kids brain power
and protect their little hearts!
Don’t stop at blueberries, try homemade frozen grape juice popsicles. I have so many
memories from turning my mouth purple and as an adult I still enjoy doing it with kids!
See who can have the reddest lips and mouth with frozen cherries!
Experiment with real natural colors and make frozen fruit smoothie popsicles, fresh
squeezed orange juice popsicles, or natural sorbet by blending frozen fruit.
Try colorful herbal or fruit teas –purple, pink, orange –and have fun building healthy
memories so kids can promote good health and grow to their full potential. Plus an
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SuperKids Nutrition
Saving the World One Healthy Food at a Time
http://www.superkidsnutrition.com
abundance of colors can help prevent diseases, including cancer, later in life, and it
starts with teaching kids to get more real!
Get your kids to think outside the wrapper. Talk to them about marketers’ true intentions, and
remind them that companies are generally not interested in benefiting our health, but are
concerned with their pocketbooks. Teach your children to outsmart the advertisers. With over
70% of televised commercials for kids advertising the least nutritious foods, show them how to
evaluate what the commercial is selling. Don’t stop at food colorings, have them look for other
food additives that sound like alien words and are strange and hard to pronounce –because
they’re not REAL! For more information on the dangers of artificial food dyes, check out our
comprehensive review on the subject: Food Dyes, A Rainbow of Risks.
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