All the Colors of the Chemically Enhanced Rainbow
Remember the little leprechaun singing about his breakfast cereal?
Pink hearts, yellow moons,
Blue diamonds, red balloons.
That's me Lucky Charms.
They're magically delicious.
Sounds irresistible, doesn't it? But what if Lucky the leprechaun told you they were really yellow #5 moons, blue #1 diamonds and red #40 balloons? Or, better yet, that they were tartrazine moons, brilliant blue FCF diamonds and allura red AC balloons? A little less appetizing? Slightly scary?
When processed food manufacturers and their advertisers target our kids (and us) with bright and colorful foods, they fail to mention the dangerous chemicals that give them their seemingly joyful shades--chemicals that, according to some studies, can cause hyperactivity in children.
In a clinical trial conducted in Melbourne, Australia, 54 children aged 2-14 were examined for their reactions to tartrazine, the coal-tar derivative that is the FDA-approved coloring known as yellow #5. Of the 54 children observed, 44% had significant reactions to tartrazine. The affected kids were irritable, restless and had sleep disturbances. Additionally, the higher the dose of the chemical administered, the longer the symptoms lasted.
Other notable research on artificial food colorings includes a study conducted at England’s University of Southampton and published in the journal Archives of Child Health. Similar to the Australian study, this trial also found that common artificial colors and preservatives used in food products can have significant impact on the behavior of otherwise healthy children and make them hyperactive.
The Southampton University study tested 227 children aged 3-4 and examined the effects of chemicals including tartrazine and sunset yellow (yellow #6); and according to the lead researcher of the study, the amounts administered were on the “low side of normal.”
The most telling information gathered from this study is that parents, who did not know whether their child was on a diet free from additives or given food with colorings and preservatives, reported on their child’s behavior. Parents of children who did not receive the additives noted that their kids were significantly less hyperactive. If and when those children were given food colorings and preservatives, those same parents noted a clear increase in hyperactivity. And, in children with the highest level of hyperactivity, the incidence of abnormal behavior fell from 15% to 6% when the additives were removed from the diet.
Renowned health expert and author, Dr. Andrew Weil agrees that artificial food coloring should be eliminated from diets of children and adults, but he cites additional reasons.
“The danger,” writes Weil, “is that the chemicals used to create color are energetic molecules, many of which are capable of interacting with and damaging DNA. Anything that damages DNA can injure the immune system, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of cancer.”
Weil goes on to point out that many synthetic food dyes once considered safe have turned out to be carcinogenic. So the fact that an artificial additive hasn’t been proven to be harmful, doesn’t necessarily make it safe. It could just mean not enough research has been done yet.
This information, the two studies discussed and loads of similar research suggest that it is best to avoid artificial food coloring and that we can even reduce the occurrence of hyperactive behavior in our children by decreasing their intake of artificial food colorings.
The good news is that a simple diet change can have such a positive impact. The bad news is that these synthetic food colorings are everywhere you look—if you’re looking. The American food industry uses 3,000 tons of food color per year, and many of the additives that are banned in other countries are approved by the FDA. So, you have to rely on your own best judgment. Just remember, the next time a leprechaun is trying to sell your family a tartrazine pot of gold, your child’s eyes may be smiling, but his or her brain and body will be better served by avoiding artificial colors.
Pink hearts, yellow moons,
Blue diamonds, red balloons.
That's me Lucky Charms.
They're magically delicious.
Sounds irresistible, doesn't it? But what if Lucky the leprechaun told you they were really yellow #5 moons, blue #1 diamonds and red #40 balloons? Or, better yet, that they were tartrazine moons, brilliant blue FCF diamonds and allura red AC balloons? A little less appetizing? Slightly scary?
When processed food manufacturers and their advertisers target our kids (and us) with bright and colorful foods, they fail to mention the dangerous chemicals that give them their seemingly joyful shades--chemicals that, according to some studies, can cause hyperactivity in children.
In a clinical trial conducted in Melbourne, Australia, 54 children aged 2-14 were examined for their reactions to tartrazine, the coal-tar derivative that is the FDA-approved coloring known as yellow #5. Of the 54 children observed, 44% had significant reactions to tartrazine. The affected kids were irritable, restless and had sleep disturbances. Additionally, the higher the dose of the chemical administered, the longer the symptoms lasted.
Other notable research on artificial food colorings includes a study conducted at England’s University of Southampton and published in the journal Archives of Child Health. Similar to the Australian study, this trial also found that common artificial colors and preservatives used in food products can have significant impact on the behavior of otherwise healthy children and make them hyperactive.
The Southampton University study tested 227 children aged 3-4 and examined the effects of chemicals including tartrazine and sunset yellow (yellow #6); and according to the lead researcher of the study, the amounts administered were on the “low side of normal.”
The most telling information gathered from this study is that parents, who did not know whether their child was on a diet free from additives or given food with colorings and preservatives, reported on their child’s behavior. Parents of children who did not receive the additives noted that their kids were significantly less hyperactive. If and when those children were given food colorings and preservatives, those same parents noted a clear increase in hyperactivity. And, in children with the highest level of hyperactivity, the incidence of abnormal behavior fell from 15% to 6% when the additives were removed from the diet.
Renowned health expert and author, Dr. Andrew Weil agrees that artificial food coloring should be eliminated from diets of children and adults, but he cites additional reasons.
“The danger,” writes Weil, “is that the chemicals used to create color are energetic molecules, many of which are capable of interacting with and damaging DNA. Anything that damages DNA can injure the immune system, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of cancer.”
Weil goes on to point out that many synthetic food dyes once considered safe have turned out to be carcinogenic. So the fact that an artificial additive hasn’t been proven to be harmful, doesn’t necessarily make it safe. It could just mean not enough research has been done yet.
This information, the two studies discussed and loads of similar research suggest that it is best to avoid artificial food coloring and that we can even reduce the occurrence of hyperactive behavior in our children by decreasing their intake of artificial food colorings.
The good news is that a simple diet change can have such a positive impact. The bad news is that these synthetic food colorings are everywhere you look—if you’re looking. The American food industry uses 3,000 tons of food color per year, and many of the additives that are banned in other countries are approved by the FDA. So, you have to rely on your own best judgment. Just remember, the next time a leprechaun is trying to sell your family a tartrazine pot of gold, your child’s eyes may be smiling, but his or her brain and body will be better served by avoiding artificial colors.
posted by Carter at 12:41 PM
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