5 Foods that Surprisingly Have Artificial Dyes
Too many foods on market shelves and in our grocery delivery baskets are filled with artificial food dyes—and we don't even realize it. Take Red 40, the most used food coloring: The Department of Agriculture estimates more than 36,000 foods sold in the U.S. contain this dye. This is disturbing, not only because research links this and other food colorings to serious health implications (particularly in children), but also because there is no law requiring companies to disclose how much food dye they add to a product. So, our children are munching on snacks with sickening amounts of harmful chemicals.
This issue is on our minds. We believe it's on yours, too. When we dived deep into the impact of food dyes with Dr. Tanya Dempsey in 2022, our story exploded in popularity and remains one of our most popular. Over the last decades, immense movements on the individual, state, and federal levels have been attempting to thwart the use of food dyes. In early 2024, California introduced Bill 2316, which would protect children from six artificial dyes by banning them from foods served in public schools during school hours. This state has been bullish on the anti-dye front, as a 2021 report found synthetic food dyes potentially contribute to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children "and that children vary in their sensitivity to synthetic food dyes." Thankfully, other states are doing their parts, as well.
The advocacy for ridding food dyes from foods is out there, which is heartening. Still, these chemicals are permeating the food aisles often in ways that go by the most discerning eyes. As we've continued to dig into this topic, we've been utterly shocked by how food dyes are in the most unsuspecting foods. It's evident that Twin Pops have a rainbow of dyes, but a salmon salad? Must a salmon salad have Red. No. 40 and 3 and Yellow No. 5 and 6? We say no.
We also say no to all these other foods, which often contain cryptic food colorings we would never have suspected. So the next time you pick up one of the below, read the ingredients label closely (as we always suggest).
Consider this another cautionary list to keep you on your food-additive-aware toes.