A neighbor of mine sent this along. Interesting info on artificial colors and their origins.
-----
With Halloween fast approaching and the rainbow of candy that comes with it, I thought it might be fun to investigate the artificial coloring so abundant in our children’s Halloween diet.
You may not know that we are genetically programmed to be attracted to brightly colored food. In ancient times, those foods came from natural sources – the brighter the color, the healthier the food source.
But in modern times, many of the foods we eat are chemically enhanced. Companies use these artificial dyes to make their products more appealing. You may be surprised to learn that the origin of most artificial dyes come from “petrochemicals” or petroleum based ingredients.
Keep in mind that “Propylene glycol” holds these colors..a liquid also known as “antifreeze” – the same stuff you put in your car. Hmmm..
Here are some common artificial colors and their origins:
* Blue # 1: (Brilliant Blue FCF) creates a medium blue color; found in some dairy products and drinks. Uses coal tar as one of its components. Coal tar is carcinogenic in large quantities.
* Blue # 2: (Indigotine) created synthetically (i.e. natural indigo that’s been chemically treated and restructured to dye objects more efficiently) and may cause allergic reactions. Found commonly in tablets, ice cream, cookies, etc.
* Green #3: or Fast Green FCF is a triarylmethane dye and can be used in canned green peas, other green vegetables, jelly, sauces, fish, desserts and dried bakery mixes at levels of 100mg/kg. Green #3 is poorly absorbed by the intestines and is banned by the European Union.
* Red #40: or Red AC is derived from (that’s right folks!) coal tar. Found in sweets, drinks and condiments, medications, and cosmetics.
* Red #3: or Erythrosine, is a cherry pink coal-tar based food dye. It’s used in printing inks, biological stains, dental plaque disclosing agents, cherries, canned fruit, and snack foods. It can cause sensitivity to light, learning difficulties and increased thyroid hormone levels.
* Yellow #6: or Sunset Yellow FCF is an orange coal-tar based food dye found in orange squash, orange jelly, marzipan, jam, fortune cookies (darn! I like those..), hot chocolate mix, packet soups, etc. Prominently seen in the medicine “Dayquil.” Capable of causing allergic reactions, such as hyperactivity, hives, bronchoconstriction, other harmful conditions.
Here’s one more that may surprise you:
* “Carmine” or Natural red 4: derived from the cochineal beetle – banned in many European countries, has been known to cause allergic reactions in adults and hyperactivity in children. Basically, it’s insect juice.
Safe and healthy eating to all!
