Thursday, May 19, 2011

Want Some Food Coloring With That Cheese?

Yesterday, while reading the daily email newsletter from Sugar Inc, I read about this Good Morning America segment posted on YumSugar.



It really got me thinking about the use of artificial coloring in just about everything we eat. But even more, I wonder if I could pass the taste test!

Did you know that the use of food dyes are regulated by the FDA? In 1960, Congress passed the Color Additive Amendment that required all types of additives to be regulated by the FDA. Today, there are 9 certified synthetic food dyes and the FDA only certifies dyes that are safe for use. (click HERE for more details). Because of this regulation, when used in food, the dyes have to be listed as an ingredient. (exempt, non-synthetic dyes do not have to be disclosed).

Earlier this Spring, the FDA examined the possible link between food coloring and ADHD in children. Ultimately, they decided that there was not sufficient data to confirm the link, but it did make people think about the use of artificial coloring in foods. There is some evidence of intolerance to food dyes, but these can be difficult to determine because there food dyes are so prevalent in the food we eat today and no diagnostic tests are available.

Food coloring is in almost everything we eat. As the video says, even some fruit! Food colorings are mostly used to make food look appetizing. I mean, who would be thrilled to sit down to Thanksgiving Dinner if everything looked a drab gray? This is just my guess here, but it seems that only people who eat a diet absolutely free of all processed foods. Some people do try to eat only foods without dyes or with just natural food colorings, but for most people that's pretty difficult to do.

If you were given three different bowls of pudding, each a different color but all chocolate, do you think you'd be able to pass the test?
  • What's your favorite food? Do you think you'd like it as much if it was a drab gray or brown color?
  • Are you going to participate in National Bike to Work Day tomorrow?
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Wednesday's workout -
20min elliptical
2x15 lateral arm raise
2x20 bent row
2x20 lat pull down
3x15 back extension
100 crunches
stretching
foam roller

Today's workout -
20min elliptical
2x20 cable pushdown
2x20 bicep curl
2x15 tricep dip
2x15 weighted side bends
2x20 front arm raise
100 crunches
3x15 reverse crunch
lots of stretching
foam roller

5 comments:

Teamarcia said...

The whole dye thing is so scary. I have a friend who removed foods with dye from her kids' diet and the behavioral changes were drastic.
I've done pretty well at avoiding most processed food for about a year now.
Did not know that some fruit contains dye--ridiculous!

KT80 said...

Our entire food system has some severe problems, in my opinion. One of the things that gets me, is that pregnant women are told to avoid red dye. Yet, they are also told to get a gestational diabetes test, which contains red dye! Uh! It's sad what we do to our bodies.

misszippy said...

So interesting! And scary at the same time. The whole use of all this artificial stuff by the food companies is really maddening.

Anonymous said...

You know, food coloring is something I rarely think about. Maybe it's because I buy a limited amount of processed foods and scrutinize labels as it is. It sucks that most people don't think about that stuff and are pretty influenced by "proper" colors of certain foods, you know?

Christine said...

I would definitely not pass the test. I think if we had never been introduced to dyes we would obviously not miss them, but now they're just as ingrained as smell. Although, this may help me lose a few pounds...